All the way, the palace maids chatted incessantly, and Yu Gege felt like her head was about to burst from the noise.
It was no surprise, really. After living in the deep palace for so long, getting a chance to go out was like releasing caged birds - they couldn't contain their excitement.
Furthermore, they were dressed in extravagant and eye-catching attire, drawing the attention of passing eunuchs and palace women. All of them were sixteen or seventeen years old, and this opportunity was a great boost to their vanity. They were making such a ruckus that it seemed like everyone in the world would know about it.
Yu Gege couldn't control these maids, and frankly, she didn't want to. She just hoped they would have their fun now and not mess things up later.
Yu Gege adjusted the way she was holding Ruan Xian in her arms and straightened her clothing. Honestly, she felt refreshed in this outfit. Her waist was as delicate as flowing silk, and her ears adorned with bright jewels. It was a stark contrast to the cumbersome court attire, and anyone wearing it would look a bit like a celestial being.
The clamour gradually drowned out the idle chatter of the palace maids, and Yu Gege knew they were nearing the palace gate. She stopped and turned to survey the group.
"Stop the idle talk," she said, "and stay alert. We must be careful about what we say. If we mess up this task, it's the Emperor who will punish you, and even your masters won't be able to protect you when that happens."
The palace maids fell silent at Yu Gege's words, suddenly feeling tense.
The palace gate swung open, and a gust of wind swept over them, making Yu Gege and her entourage's skirts billow and their earrings and bracelets jingle.
The Nationalist soldiers stationed at the Forbidden City had never seen such a spectacle before. Some of them widened their eyes and dropped their jaws, their faces revealing an expression of envy.
Yu Gege interpreted the soldiers' reactions and had a sense of their thoughts. She raised her hand to halt the procession and then gracefully seated herself on the ground beside Ruan Xian. With a flick of her hand, she produced the first note.
This note seemed like a command, and the palace maids, with Yu Gege at the centre, scattered in all directions. Some enjoyed the music, some engaged in light conversation, some stood by attentively, and others danced gracefully. It was like a vivid autumn garden painting coming to life.
The soldiers were rendered speechless, and nearly everyone had a dumbfounded look on their faces.
Yu Gege couldn't help but feel pleased. She thought to herself, "This group of onlookers may be unrefined, I bet none of them has ever seen an authentic 'Immortal Maidens in the Peach Garden' painting. This will be an eye-opener for them and make things easier for me."
Unfortunately, her performance on the Ruan Xian was not up to par, creating the only discordant note in this depiction of Immortal Maidens.
As expected, the Nationalist military officer who had previously troubled Yu Gege reached for his ear and then rudely interrupted the performance of the Immortal Maidens.
"Stop, stop, stop! What kind of music is this? Even cotton carding would sound better than you played !" he exclaimed.
Yu Gege felt humiliated and angry, but outwardly, she held Ruan Xian firmly and stood with an air of righteousness.
"Why is it you again?" the officer recognized Yu Gege. "Why are you leaving the palace again?"
"Reporting to officer, this troupe of musicians is leaving the palace to congratulate Duke Chun on his birthday," Yu Gege replied with more confidence this time, drawing from her previous experience.
"You? Playing the pipa so poorly, are you here to congratulate him or to send him off?"
"You!" Yu Gege couldn't hide her frustration. "This is Ruan Xian, not a pipa. Officer, please don't mistake one for the other."
"They're all the same. Whether it's me who can't tell or your so-called Duke who can't tell, letting someone your age become a musician, and you becoming a musician's mother, it's all about the same."
Upon hearing the officer's sarcastic remark about Yu Gege, some of the palace maids couldn't help but laugh, ignoring the consequences.
Yu Gege glared angrily at the officer, wishing she could shut his mouth for good.
"What are you looking at? Don't try to play tricks with me. Last time, you used diversion tactics, and now you're attempting a beauty trap. Your little schemes won't work on us," the officer taunted.
Yu Gege's heart sank. She hadn't expected her carefully crafted plan to unravel so quickly. She discreetly glanced around, hoping for a miraculous intervention.
"I'm warning you, relocating treasures from the palace is illegal. All cultural artifacts in the Republic of China belong to the state. If your so-called emperor is involved in such activities, he's an enemy of the Republic."
Some of the palace maids began to tremble.
"Speak up! What treasures are you trying to smuggle out this time? Confess honestly, don't make me resort to harsher measures. If you provoke me, you won't like the consequences."
Yu Gege remained silent, gritting her teeth and standing her ground.
The man signalled to one of his subordinates, who grabbed one of the palace maids.
The terrified palace maids screamed in fear, huddling together and trembling like dry leaves in the autumn wind.
"Will you talk?" the officer grabbed the palace maid from the soldier's grasp. "If you don't talk, I'll shoot her."
He pressed the gun against the palace maid's temple.
"Anyway, it won't be me who gets shot. With so many palace maids here, you can take your time deciding whether it will be you or me who goes first," Yu Gege encouraged herself silently.
The officer, surprised and frustrated by Yu Gege's unwavering resolve, pretended to have a sudden realization.
"Oh," he pretended to be enlightened, "you all are used to swords and bows and don't know what a firearm is. Let me show you. See, like this, one pull of the trigger, and she'll drop to the ground. There'll be a big black hole right here in her forehead, and brain matter splattered everywhere. I guarantee you won't be able to stomach tofu pudding after seeing that."
Yu Gege watched as the palace maid crumpled to the ground like a pile of mud. Some of the other palace maids wailed in despair, while others were so frightened that they wet themselves.
"Will you talk now?" the officer glared menacingly at Yu Gege.
Yu Gege clenched her teeth and remained silent.
"Good!"
The officer turned on the safety of his gun and raised his hand to shoot.
"I said!"
Everyone looked at the person who spoke, and it turned out to be Xi.
"The thing is in the thing she's holding."
After Xi finished speaking, she raised her hand and pointed at Ruan Xian in Yu Gege's arms.
Yu Gege had calculated everything, but she didn't expect that Xi would become a traitor. She felt regretful in her intestines. She went to Puyi yesterday to receive orders. Why did she bring Xi with her so that she could get a glimpse of her secret.
The Nationalist military officer had a sinister grin as he snatched Ruan Xian from Yu Gege's arms. With one hand, he lifted the instrument high into the air and then, as if playing a prank, he watched Ruan Xian crash to the ground, shattering into pieces.
Amidst the pile of broken wooden fragments, a scroll of a painting appeared for everyone to see.
Despair filled Yu Gege, and at that moment, she had only one wish: that this Nationalist officer was ignorant of the true value of the painting, or perhaps she was possessed by some divine spirit that would enable her to conquer all.
The Nationalist officer crouched down to pick up the scroll, handling it delicately. Yu Gege's heart sank further; it appeared that this warrior had some appreciation for the finer things in life.
"Oh my goodness, this is Ruan Gao's 'Immortal Maidens in the Peach Garden'! How fortunate am I to witness such a treasure with my own eyes in this lifetime!" he exclaimed with genuine enthusiasm.
Yu Gege was completely defeated, left with nothing but repeated pleas in her heart for the divine to intervene swiftly.
The officer had admired the "Immortal Maidens in the Peach Garden" for quite some time before realizing that a group of people was eagerly watching him.
"You!" the officer pointed at Yu Gege. "Caught in the act! Get ready to face the Republic's court."
Yu Gege remained silent, her heart pounding in her chest.
"This painting, an invaluable treasure. If we had to put a price on it, it could buy you a palace, a mansion, and several acres of land. Calculate it yourself, convert it into a prison sentence, and see how many years you'll be spending behind bars. Well, unable to get married or going to jail, it won't make much difference..." The officer continued to threaten Yu Gege.
The palace maids burst into tears, perhaps due to the misfortune that had befallen them.
"But, I have to say, you have some talent," the officer complimented Yu Gege, giving her a thumbs up. "Teaching these girls to emulate the Immortal Maidens from this painting is quite impressive. Why work for Puyi? Serve the Republic, and you might even end up as a minister…"
"This painting is a fake..." a voice interrupted the officer's incessant speech.
Everyone looked up in the direction of the voice, surprised to see that it was Yu Gege who had spoken. In fact, Yu Gege herself was also taken aback, as she couldn't understand how those words had suddenly popped into her head and had involuntarily escaped her lips.
"A fake?" the officer sneered, his mockery turning into a cold smile. "Do you think I'm blind? I can't tell the difference between real and fake?"
Yu Gege stared at the Nationalist military officer, who wore a smug expression that seemed to say, "Officer, you're just blind; you can't distinguish real from fake."
The officer, clearly embarrassed and angered, drew his bayonet with a quick motion. "A fake, you say? If you insist it's a fake, then I'll treat it as scrap paper and cut it to pieces."
With that, the bayonet was already pressed onto the canvas, creating a deep indentation.
"This is a gift for General Feng," Yu Gege felt like her mouth wasn't even part of her face at this point; she was merely a conduit for someone else's words.
"I heard that General Feng likes calligraphy and paintings, so our Emperor specially had palace artists copy this 'Immortal Maidens in the Peach Garden' to present to the General."
"A gift for the General?" The Nationalist military officer put away his bayonet but still had doubts.
"That's right. Why don't you ask the General himself? I'll wait here. Don't you have a telephone in your sentry box? I heard it's quite a fascinating device. Pick it up, and you'll be able to hear the General's voice in a moment."
Yu Gege was certain that she was merely parroting someone else's words; there was clearly someone whispering in her ear. She could even feel the warmth of his breath.
But who was this person?
The Nationalist military officer appeared visibly hesitant. He was not a thoughtless person, so he decided to make a phone call to the General. This action was akin to openly challenging him, as he accused the General, a prominent figure in the Revolutionary Party, of being too similar to the deposed Qing dynasty emperor.
Finally, the officer rolled up a scroll and handed it to Yu Gege. "Since that's the case, let's not make this a precedent. Everyone should depart and return as soon as possible; it's still not entirely safe outside the palace."
The officer stepped aside, making way for Yu Gege and her entourage. The palace maids cheered and rejoiced, including Xi, who had become a traitor, and the one who had been threatened with a gun.
However, Yu Gege couldn't share in their joy. She couldn't help but wish that she didn't have to rely on luck every time. If only that person could be as responsive as the Earth God in "Journey to the West," appearing and disappearing at her command.