The heavy rain masked all sounds, allowing An Jiu to easily approach the vicinity of Guye Palace.
Unfortunately, the emperor was currently at Guye Palace, and the area was heavily guarded by Shadow Guards, making it difficult to get close to Gao Dazhuang for the time being. So, she hid in a pavilion in the rear garden of the palace, waiting for an opportunity.
Water dripped from An Jiu’s clothes. She had anticipated this situation and had deliberately chosen a spot on the windward side of the eaves. The rain, driven by the wind, had already soaked the ground, making it hard to notice anything amiss unless one looked closely.
Darkness fell early, and by the end of the Shen hour, lanterns had already been hung along the corridors.
The rain grew heavier, and An Jiu guessed that the emperor might stay overnight at Guye Palace.
The emperor was meticulous about his health and adhered to a strict routine. After finishing his evening meal, he took a short walk to aid digestion, then returned to the palace to meditate for half a shichen before reviewing imperial memorials for another half a shichen. Finally, he retired to bed with a favored consort.
An Jiu spent the night crouched outside. By the time the sky was still pitch black, the eunuchs and maids of Guye Palace had already risen, quietly cleaning and preparing. Those responsible for personal attendance had long lined up outside the bedchamber with washing utensils, ready for service.
The eunuchs from the front court had arrived, standing in a row along the covered walkways.
The basins of hot water for washing had been changed several times. The head eunuch in charge of service glanced at the sky, wishing he could press his ear against the door.
After nearly half a shichen, coughing sounds came from inside, followed by the night-duty maids opening the door.
The head eunuch waved his hand, and the group filed in silently, their footsteps soundless, with only the faint rustling of their clothes.
A quarter of a shichen later, breakfast was served inside.
Another three to four quarters of a shichen passed before the emperor, dressed in court robes, emerged at a leisurely pace. The waiting eunuchs hurried forward to greet him, and the guards withdrew in his wake.
The atmosphere in Guye Palace relaxed noticeably.
Gao Dazhuang still hadn’t managed to secure a position serving inside and remained a lowly sweeper. Before dawn, he had been ordered to the front courtyard to gather fallen leaves and had since moved to the rear of the palace.
An Jiu sensed the time was right. Seeing Gao Dazhuang nearby, diligently sweeping with his head down, she mimicked the chirping of insects.
Others might not distinguish the sound, but Gao Dazhuang immediately recognized it as human-made.
He continued sweeping earnestly, his peripheral gaze subtly scanning the surroundings. Noticing two others nearby, he didn’t rush over.
“Time to eat!” someone called out.
Seeing that many leaves remained unswept, the nearby eunuchs grew anxious and swept faster.
Gao Dazhuang said, “You two elder brothers go ahead. I’ll finish sweeping here.”
The two young eunuchs exchanged glances, their faces breaking into smiles. “Good brother, you sweep first. We’ll save some food for you!”
Gao Dazhuang didn’t take their words seriously. Palace rules dictated that servants’ meals were strictly timed, and no one was allowed to collect food on behalf of others. Even if those two eunuchs tried to save him something, it would likely be half a steamed bun at most.
With no one around for the moment, Gao Dazhuang edged closer to the pavilion.
An Jiu hung upside down from the beam. “Lord Gao.”
“Mei Shisi?” Gao Dazhuang frowned, clearly displeased to see her. “With your mental strength, leaving the palace should be as easy as eating a meal. Don’t come bothering this old man unless it’s important!”
According to the original “script,” Gao Dazhuang was supposed to be taken under the wing of the emperor’s chief eunuch. But how could a lowly sweeper stand out? To make the process convincing, Gao Dazhuang now had to go all out to raise his profile and win favor."Time is precious, so I'll be brief. It's said that all Dragon Martial Guards must take Poison Pills, but we haven't received ours. I want to ask—did you keep those Medicines? If so, please give me one. I need it urgently." An Jiu's direct questioning stemmed entirely from intuition and a sliver of trust in his character.
Gao Dazhuang seemed lost in thought and remained silent for a few breaths before asking, "What for?"
"I'm afraid I can't say, but I swear it won't be used for anything harmful," An Jiu replied.
Gao Dazhuang said, "I'd like to help you, but this wasn't my doing."
Judging by his reaction earlier, it had to be him!
"A life is at stake, Lord Gao. If you help me, I'll repay you in the future!" An Jiu pressed.
"At stake? Whose life is at stake?" Gao Dazhuang scoffed before snapping impatiently, "I said it wasn't me! Stop pestering me!"
With that, he began sweeping the floor.
An Jiu decided not to resort to force just yet. After all, Gao Dazhuang wasn’t an enemy, and it would be best to achieve her goal without turning hostile.
For the rest of the day, wherever Gao Dazhuang went, An Jiu followed. When no one was around, she would murmur in a ghostly tone: "Lord Gao..."
By evening, Gao Dazhuang thought An Jiu had finally left and sighed in relief—only to realize she had merely slipped away to the imperial kitchen to steal a pack of pastries.
The room had been laced with knockout incense by An Jiu, but Gao Dazhuang had been wary enough to avoid it.
"Lord Gao," An Jiu perched on the chair opposite the communal bed, stuffing pastries into her mouth as she spoke, "Have you reconsidered?"
As a martial artist, Gao Dazhuang was never full from daytime meals. By now, his stomach was growling, and the sight of An Jiu eating so heartily made his mouth water with envy. Still, he stubbornly insisted, "I said no! Why won’t you leave me alone?!"
"I have my own judgment," An Jiu mumbled through a mouthful of pastry. "Think carefully, my lord. If it truly has nothing to do with you, then I’ll feel free to report it to the Commander without hesitation." (To be continued...)
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