The next morning, the carriage sent to pick up Yu Gege stopped at the Third Northern Palace.
She was almost carried onto the carriage by Xi and Fu, Because she knew very well that without Yan's assistance, she couldn't possibly deliver any treasure out of the palace, and there was a good chance she might even lose her life.
But the imperial decree must not be disobeyed; whether Yu Gege extends her neck or withdraws it today, it's a matter of life and death.
At the moment the wheels turn, Yu Gege felt a rush of warmth. She remembered that her whole family had originally been exiled to Xinjiang by Empress Dowager Cixi. It was her father who refused to accept their fate and schemed to send her into the palace. Then, he manipulated an imperial edict to change their destination to Xi'an. The entire family of Duke Duan was likely with a weak hope of revival.
The Duke Duan's people never give up even the slightest hope of survival. With these thoughts in mind, Yu Gege's blood boiled, and she pushed aside Xi and Fu, jumping down from the carriage and returning to the Third Northern Palace. In just a few seconds, she came up with a plan.
Yu Gege carried the secret doll with her and headed straight for the well of Consort Zhen. Once at the well, she held the doll tightly in her arms, took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and devoutly murmured to herself.
"Jun, rest assured. I won't let anyone harm you in vain. I will definitely find this person and take revenge for you, no matter the cost."
Having accurately predicted that Xi and Fu wouldn't follow her, Yu Gege found herself alone at the well's platform. She kept her eyes slightly open while reciting the sutra. At this moment, she only wished to see one person, Yan.
The chrysanthemum with its crutch remained unmoved, not nodding as if understanding her, nor swaying as if touched by a gentle breeze.
Yu Gege was unwilling to give up. Her murmurs turned into a loud declaration. But the chrysanthemum remained just as it was, a simple flower, not responding to her words.
Feeling completely defeated, Yu Gege sighed, closed her mouth, and with a lift of her hand, dropped the doll into the well.
She turned around and, mustering her courage, got back on the carriage.
The Meridian Gate is approaching, and the bustling sounds of carriages and horses outside the palace are becoming increasingly distinct. Yu Gege couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.
Fu finally seized the opportunity to speak, "Gege, what are you doing taking on this task?"
"Are you the master, or am I the master? Who gave you the right to lecture me?" Yu Gege retorted in a low voice.
Sitting across from them, Xi glanced at Fu, torn between wanting to stand up for her and a slightly malicious sense of enjoyment.
With a jolt, it seemed that the carriage's wheels had hit a large pit, causing Yu Gege to be thrown forward and out of her seat.
"Gege, are you alright? This road in the palace is terrible. We're almost reaching the outer Xizhimen," the coachman yelled from behind the curtain.
If the carriage hadn't been stuffed full of hay, Yu Gege would have been thrown off and bowed to Xi a early Happy New Year.
Fu quickly helped Yu Gege up and brushed off the bits of hay stuck to her clothes and hair. She couldn't help but feel worried by why Yu Gege was putting herself through this. She thought that once Yu Gege left the palace, she should enjoy her freedom instead of being surrounded by all this hay.
"You don't understand anything. Gege has her own unique methods, isn't that right, Gege?" Xi's words might have sounded like teasing Fu, but they were actually a sarcastic commentary directed at Yu Gege.
Yu Gege saw right through it, but she wasn't in the mood to engage in banter with Xi. Right now, she was worried that the stone she had lifted might end up hitting her own foot.
Fu was right in what she said. Yu Gege had forcefully taken on this task from Puyi. She was supposed to help Puyi move the precious treasures out of the palace. Yu Gege understood the principle of "no pays no gains" . If she didn't accomplish something significant for Puyi, why should Puyi, her clan younger brother help her find a suitable husband?
This time, what was being sent out of the palace were cherished belongings of the Empress Dowager Wanrong. The items weren't large, but they were so precious that they couldn't be folded, creased, or compressed. They had to be transported exactly as they were. After Yu Gege had arranged the treasures, she instructed her people to stuff hay both inside and outside the carriage, filling every crevice.
"Oh, Gege, anyone who knows would think you're going back to your mother's home. Those who don't know might think you're off to the far reaches of the desert to feed camels," Wanrong quipped in a playful tone, her words carrying a mixture of sarcasm and irony.
"Empress, you jest. The hay is only here to protect your treasures. It won't be used to feed camels," Yu Gege replied calmly, maintaining her composure.
"Gege, does this plan of yours work? Pujie mentioned yesterday that the Army outside the Meridian Gate is growing in number, and they all have guns," Puyi voiced his concerns.
"Whether it will work or not, we won't know until we try. For the continuation of the Qing Dynasty and the Emperor's well-being, I am willing to put my all into it," Yu Gege suddenly showed such a deep understanding, moving Puyi to the verge of tears.
"Put my all into it?" These words not only caused Wanrong to raise an eyebrow in disbelief, but Yu Gege herself also found them hard to believe. She wasn't going to put her all into it; she needed to take care of herself. Stuffing hay was just a small measure. The one who could truly protect her was Yan.
If anyone else heard this, they would likely think Yu Gege had been lost in her mind, believing that Yan, because dead, would become a vengeful ghost or spirit, wandering between the human world and the afterlife to fulfill wishes or seek revenge.
In truth, Yu Gege hadn't believed in ghosts and spirits before. However, ever since she witnessed the resurrection of the chrysanthemum and the mysterious disappearance of the parrot, she started to believe. Especially since both the flower and the bird were things Jun cared deeply about, Yu Gege became even more convinced that even if Yan had become a ghost, he would still protect his beloved by her side.
Once Yu Gege was sure that Yan occasionally visited her residence , she began to come up with a creative idea. She thought that she couldn't just let Yan scare herself half to death for no reason. He should do something for her to make this journey worthwhile.
A sudden neigh interrupted Yu Gege's scattered thoughts, and the carriage came to a stop.
"Gege, these officials want to inspect the carriage," the coachman called from behind the curtain.
The inevitable had arrived. Yu Gege pretended to remain calm and helped Fu out of the carriage.
The mingled scents of oil and dust wafted through the air, accompanied by hints of the earthy smell of livestock and the pungency of urine. Yu Gege recognized it as the long-forgotten scent of human world. She didn't have time to savour the details as she assumed an air of haughty arrogance, her demeanour loftier than ever.
The officials, who had been respectfully addressed by the coachman, could likely tell that Yu Gege was putting on airs. He gathered around, scrutinizing Yu Gege from head to toe, his gazes so intrusive it seemed as if he wanted to strip her clothes off her.
Yu Gege held onto her pride with a determined spirit, while Fu beside her was trembling so much she could barely stand.
Thankfully, Xi was skilled at this. She took a step forward, wearing a flirtatious smile. "Commander, if you're going to inspect, please do so quickly. Don't delay our Lady in returning home."
The commander was reminded of his duty and turned his attention to the carriage. He looked inside and then addressed the others, "So much hay, there must be contraband hidden within. Let's search."
The moment his words fell, the soldiers swiftly drew their bayonets with a sharp metallic sound, their blades gleaming coldly and sending shivers down Yu Gege's spine.
With a wave of the commander's hand, the bayonets were simultaneously thrust into the hay stacks. The soldiers were swift and precise in their movements, turning the stacks into a chaotic mess in no time.
The commander maintained a poker face throughout the ordeal, his gaze fixed on Yu Gege. Yu Gege had to clench her teeth so hard in order to endure the pressure that she felt almost shattered.
One of the soldiers approached the commander and whispered something in his ear, surprising him. He then began circling around Yu Gege.
"If the commander doesn't find any contraband, we request you to release us promptly," Yu Gege's voice trembled like a sheep's bleat.
The commander remained silent, continuing to circle around Yu Gege as if orbiting a sun-like star.
Yu Gege was on the verge of collapsing.
Finally, the commander halted and gestured with a tilt of his head towards Yu Gege's neck. With a slight sneer, he squeezed out a sentence, "What is this?"
That was the precious item Yu Gege was trying to smuggle out of the palace – Empress Wanrong's beloved possession, a gold-carved flower collar. Yu Gege had intentionally made it appear old when she wore it, and she had used the hay to divert attention. However, it seemed her plan had been seen through.
"It's just a collar, a gift from my nanny. It's worthless trinket," Yu Gege tried to struggle.
"Worthless?" The commander's grin was sly. "In this palace, even the toilets are made of gold. And you claim there are worthless trinkets? Take it off. Let me have a look, whether it's valuable or not, I'll decide."
Yu Gege held her ground, feeling as if the fate of her family's revival rested upon this moment.
The commander probably hadn't encountered a woman willing to trade life for money before. Unwilling to waste more words on Yu Gege, he approached, attempting to find the lock and unfasten the collar.
"What are you doing?" Yu Gege screamed.
Whether it was shock or some other reason, the commander seemed to freeze in place, as if someone had pressed a pressure point on him. However, he quickly snapped out of it, rubbing his neck, and again reached for the collar.
This time everyone witnessed it clearly. The commander, as if grabbed by an invisible force, was lifted off the ground, suspended about a meter above the circular area centred on Yu Gege. Then, he was thrown outside that circle.
"Who the hell did that?" The commander was furious and turned to berate someone behind him, assuming one of his soldiers had pulled him.
No one spoke. Most of the people were left stunned by this sudden turn of events.
"Once I figure this out, you'll pay," the commander muttered, giving himself an excuse. He turned his attention back to Yu Gege and aimed for the gold collar once again.
Yu Gege strained herself, tilting backward. As the commander's hand neared, she felt cornered. Just when she was at the brink of desperation, the commander's hand suddenly changed its movement from a grab to a wave.
"Forget it. You people have been poor for over a decade now. What good stuff can you have? Hurry up and get lost. Don't delay my real business."
Yu Gege scrambled onto the carriage and left the palace, heading straight for the Duke Duan's Mansion. It wasn't until she saw her uncle and aunt, Jun's parents, that she began to understand what caused the ferocious soldiers to change their minds so suddenly.