Hidden Shadow – CH 273

Chapter Two-Hundred-Seventy-Three: A Lingering Ghost

The torrential rain masked the sound of the approaching storm, and An Jiu easily reached the vicinity of the Gushe Palace.

Unfortunately, the Emperor was at the Gushe Palace, surrounded by numerous guards, making it difficult to approach Gao Dazhuang. So she hid in a pavilion in the garden behind the palace, waiting for her opportunity.

An Jiu was dripping wet. She had anticipated this situation and had chosen a spot on the outer edge of the roof, where the rainwater swept in, leaving the ground slick with water. Without careful observation, it would be difficult to notice anything amiss.

Darkness fell early, and by the end of the hour of Shen¹, lanterns were already hanging on the corridors.

The rain intensified, and An Jiu guessed that the Emperor might stay overnight at the Gushe Palace.

The Emperor was very health-conscious and maintained a regular schedule. After dinner, he took a short walk, returned to the palace to practice breathing exercises for half an hour, reviewed memorials for another half hour, and then went to sleep with his beloved in his arms.

An Jiu stayed outside all night. While it was still dark, all the eunuchs and maids of the Gushe Palace were already up, quietly cleaning. The maids who usually served closely were already lined up neatly outside the bedchamber with washing utensils, ready to serve.

The eunuchs of His Majesty had arrived and stood in a row along the covered corridor.

The hot water for washing their faces had been changed several times. The head eunuch, watching the sky, wished he could press his ear to the door.

A little over half an hour later, a cough was heard from inside, followed by the maid on night duty opening the door.

The head eunuch waved his hand, and a group of people filed in, their footsteps silent except for the slight rustling of clothing.

A quarter of an hour later, breakfast was served.

A full quarter of an hour later, the Emperor, dressed in court robes, slowly emerged. The waiting eunuchs rushed to greet him, and the guards quickly withdrew.

The atmosphere in the entire Gushe Palace relaxed slightly.

Gao Dazhuang, still a lowly servant, had not yet managed to get a seat in the inner quarters; he was relegated to sweeping the courtyard. He’d been ordered to collect fallen leaves in the front courtyard before dawn, and by now he was long past the palace gates.

An Jiu sensed her opportunity. Seeing Gao Dazhuang diligently sweeping nearby, she imitated the chirping of insects.

Others could not tell the difference, but Gao Dazhuang immediately recognized the sounds as human.

He swept intently, his eyes subtly scanning the surroundings. Seeing two other people nearby, he did not rush over.

“The meal’s ready!” someone called out.

Seeing so many leaves still unswept, the nearby eunuch grew anxious and swept even faster.

Gao Dazhuang said, “Brothers, you should go back first. I will sweep this.”

The two eunuchs exchanged a glance, then smiled. “Good little brother, you sweep first; we will save you some food later!”

Gao Dazhuang did not take them seriously. Palace rules dictated that servants were not allowed to eat late, nor were they allowed to have food collected on their behalf. Even if the two eunuchs saved some for him, it would probably only be half a steamed bun.

With no one around for the moment, Gao Dazhuang moved closer to the pavilion.

An Jiu hung upside down from the beam. “Lord Gao.”

“Fourteenth Young Lady?” Gao Dazhuang frowned, clearly displeased to see her. “With your mental power, leaving the palace is commonplace for you. Do not bother your grandfather unless it is absolutely necessary!”

According to the original “script,” Gao Dazhuang was supposed to be taken in as an apprentice by the Emperor’s personal eunuch. But why should a lowly sweeping eunuch take the lead? To make the process realistic, Gao Dazhuang now had to risk everything to gain fame and goodwill.

“Time is precious, so I will get straight to the point. It is said that all Dragon Martial Guards must take poison, but we did not. I want to ask if you kept any of those poisons. If so, please give me one; I need it urgently.” An Jiu’s direct question stemmed entirely from intuition and a sliver of trust in Gao Dazhuang’s character.

Gao Dazhuang seemed lost in thought, remaining silent for a few moments before asking, “What for?”

“I cannot be frank, but I would never do anything harmful,” An Jiu replied.

Gao Dazhuang said, “I really want to help you, but this was not my doing.”

Judging from his reaction just now, it was highly unlikely that it was not him!

“A life is at stake! If Lord Gao is willing to help me, I will surely repay you in the future!” An Jiu said.

“At stake? Which life is at stake?” Gao Dazhuang scoffed, then said impatiently, “I said it was not, and that’s final! Do not bother me!”

With that, he began sweeping the floor.

An Jiu decided against a direct confrontation. After all, Gao Dazhuang was not an enemy; it would be best if he could answer her question without turning hostile.

For the rest of the day, An Jiu followed Gao Dazhuang everywhere, occasionally muttering in a low voice when no one was around: “Lord Gao…”

In the evening, Gao Dazhuang finally noticed An Jiu had left and breathed a sigh of relief. Little did he know she had only gone to the imperial kitchen to steal a bag of pastries.

An Jiu had put a sleeping potion in the room, and Gao Dazhuang had only escaped unharmed because he had been on guard.

“Lord Gao,” An Jiu said, landing on a chair opposite the communal sleeping area, stuffing pastries into her mouth, “have you made up your mind?”

Gao Dazhuang was a martial artist, and his daytime meals were often insufficient. He was already famished, and seeing An Jiu eating so heartily made his mouth water, but he still stubbornly refused to admit it. “I said I did not! Why are you haunting me?!”

“I have my own judgment,” An Jiu said, her cheeks bulging. “Please think it over carefully, My Lord. If it really has nothing to do with you, I will feel free to report it to the commander.”