Volume 1: Laughing at the Splendor of Prosperity Chapter 1

  Li Yun slowly opened her eyes and was momentarily stunned by the scenery before her.

  By the lake pavilion, clear wind and warm, red railing green board, winding corridor, emerald trees and crystal flowers, what a luxurious beautiful scenery. Especially those leaning on the railing planted flowers are extremely rare and precious varieties, the pair of jade mandarin ducks and red-crowned white cranes in the lake are even more precious and almost extinct in modern times. Not to mention the artificial hill stone carvings, pavilions and various treasures.

  She couldn't help but gaze intently, thinking that in this era where everything relies on chemical technology, is there still such a place? Even the Suzhou gardens and the imperial garden scenery left behind in Beijing can't compare to this one.

  Just then, a soft and discontented female voice came from beside her ear.

  "Miss, you should teach those women who don't know their place a lesson! Who do they think they are? Now someone even dares to hit you, and the queen is also present at this poetry gathering today. They're simply audacious!"

  "If I may say so, milady, you're getting more and more indulgent towards those women. If this continues, the prince's soul will be seduced by those lowly vixens sooner or later!"

  "The Crown Prince just saw you being taken advantage of and yet he pretended not to see it and walked away, how infuriating!"

  "I think you should let the crown prince know who he's really marrying. If things go on like this, even a mere servant will dare to bully you."

  “……”

  "Miss, why haven't you spoken for half a day? Did you hear what I said?"

  "Miss?"

  The annoying sound ruined the stunning view that had just caught her eye. Li Yun turned around dazedly following the sound, and saw a smaller girl dressed in ancient attire as a maid standing beside her.

  The girl was about twelve or thirteen years old. She held a fan in her hand, gently fanning herself, with obvious annoyance in her eyes and a look of indignation on her tender face. Seeing her looking over, she seemed dazed and not in the right state of mind, slightly stunned.

  Li Yun looked at her with a mixture of emotions, and for a moment, his expression was even more dazed.

  The girl was stunned for a moment, her angry expression faded away, replaced by a hint of tension and uncertainty. "Miss, are you... not feeling well?"

  Li Yun didn't speak, her misty eyes gradually had a hint of focus, and a sharp light flashed in her eyes, staring straight at the girl.

  The little girl was startled by Li Yun's gaze, and her hand, which had been fanning herself, immediately stopped. She took a step back, knelt down on the ground, and her knees hit the floor with a "thud". Her originally bold words also changed to a trembling tone, "Miss, please forgive me, I was momentarily enraged, I shouldn't have spoken ill of the Crown Prince."

  Your Highness? Li Yun's eyes slightly sank. Acting? Who lent her such a big nerve to act on her head? Doesn't want to live! She pursed her lips, looking at the girl. The black obsidian on the ground emitted a dark and eerie light, which was very dazzling under the sunlight. Her gaze fell on the fresh blood flowing non-stop from the girl's forehead, and her mind changed in an instant.

  But if it's acting, why isn't there any lighting and crew around? If it's acting, the girl in front of me who keeps bleeding is a bit too dedicated, her forehead is covered in blood and flesh, if she doesn't stop the bleeding and bandage soon, she'll definitely end up with scars. Are there still people being forced to self-mutilate for money and survival?

  If it's not acting, then where is this place?

  "Please spare me this time, Miss! I won't dare to do it again!" The girl didn't see Li Yun speak up, and as she said that, she knelt down on the ground and started knocking her head against the black obsidian. Her forehead collided with the black obsidian, making a crisp sound, and in just a few knocks, there was already bright red blood staining the black obsidian, the black color reflecting the red, and the luster seemed to increase by several degrees.

  Li Yun's gaze was fixed on the bright red blood beads on the black obsidian, and her eyes contracted inch by inch. Suddenly, she lifted her head violently and looked up at the sunlight that had fallen to the ground. The sun's rays were intense at noon, splashing onto the earth, shining with golden light. She only took a glance before moving away, returning her gaze to the girl in front of her who was constantly bowing her head.

  "Save me...!" The girl seemed to be in pain, knocking her head hard while begging for mercy nonstop.

  "You... get up first." Li Yun spoke out. Her voice was low and husky, with a hint of youthfulness and doubt. Although it was only a few words, the tone was gentle and melodious, if not for the hint of hoarseness, it would have been as sweet as a bird's song. As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly withdrew her gaze from the girl and looked at herself. This unfamiliar voice, how could it be the voice she had been familiar with for over 20 years? She was taken aback once again.

  She was wearing a traditional Chinese dress with a soft, pale purple silk fabric embroidered with large peony flowers. The leaves were not intricate but vivid and lifelike, the stitches were meticulous, and the embroidery thread shone with a subtle luster, obviously made by a top-notch skilled embroiderer. The skirt reached down to her feet, clearly showing the hem was embroidered with golden edges, which were truly made of gold threads.

  She withdrew her gaze and saw that she was propping up her head with one hand on a stone table made of white jade, sitting on a chair also made of white jade. Her palm was small and delicate, her wrist pale, and on it was a beryl bracelet emitting a bright green light, translucent and round. At first glance, it was clear that its value was immeasurable. On both sides were vermilion tassels with jade beads and golden pendants hanging down, also exquisitely crafted, of great value.

  She stared blankly for a moment, and her mind, which had just cleared up a little, fell into a complete blank again.

  "Miss, have you forgiven me?" The girl suddenly lifted her head and looked at Li Yun with a surprised expression. Not seeing the look of forgiveness on her face, the surprise immediately froze, and she lowered her head, timidly and fearfully saying: "If Miss doesn't forgive my sin, I don't dare get up."

  Li Yun involuntarily clenched her fists and lifted her head again to look at the girl kneeling in front of her.

  The girl's dress was also a good dress, but the fabric was now finer than what she was wearing, and the accessories she wore were incomparable to what she had on. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she didn't make a sound.

  The girl did not hear the young lady's words of forgiveness, and seemed to dare not speak again, hanging her head in silence. A bright red blood bead dripped down from her forehead, but she didn't seem to feel any pain, kneeling motionless.

  "What did you just say? Say it again." Li Yun asked calmly. This time, the hoarseness in her voice was gone, replaced by a low and steady tone, with an undercurrent of invisible pressure directed at the girl.

  How many years have she crawled and struggled through the stormy rain and wind. She has long been practicing, no matter where she is, no matter what time it is, no matter how big a psychological storm arises, no matter how much what she sees in front of her turns upside down from her past cognition, but she can always calm herself down quickly, using the unchanging to respond to the changing, and observe after change.

  The girl's body trembled slightly again, as if filled with infinite regret and fear. "Miss, I was wrong, I will never dare to say anything against the Crown Prince again. I am willing to be punished by washing the floor, please spare me because my family has only one grandmother who relies on me for care!"

  "I'm telling you to repeat what you just said!" Li Yun's voice suddenly dropped a few more degrees.

  "The little... " The girl seemed to beg for mercy, and upon hearing this, her body suddenly shrank back. Her voice came to an abrupt halt.

  "Speak!" Li Yun stared at the girl. She wanted to know what this place was, why she appeared here, and how she became someone else?

  "It's... it's a slave, that's what I said." The girl hung her head in fear, not daring to move or delay for even a moment, and repeated the words she had just spoken when Li Yun first woke up.

  It took several minutes to finish speaking. After finishing, she didn't move at all and knelt on the ground, her cold sweat soaking through her thin clothes. Now she realized that she had actually framed the prince, how treacherous it was. If the prince heard about it, she wouldn't be able to kneel here begging for Miss's forgiveness, not even with several heads to chop off.

  "Hmm!" Li Yun's eyes gleamed with a deep, mysterious light after she finished listening, her voice devoid of emotion. However, in her heart, waves were surging and churning. Such a delicate body, such slender and pale hands, such attire and adornment - where was the real her? Suddenly, a thread of eerie feeling rose up in her mind, and the picturesque scenery around her suddenly changed color. Was she trapped in a dream?

  As she thought of this, she suddenly curled up her hand and pinched the center of her palm with force. A sharp pain shot through her palm. She seemed to feel no pain and pinched again twice, releasing her hand and quietly twisting towards her waist. Through the soft fabric, a similar sharp pain also came from her waist.

  Her face changed suddenly several times. A chill rose up in her heart. It wasn't a dream!

  The girl didn't dare speak again, and the surroundings fell silent once more, except for the gentle breeze, there was no sound at all.

  "Repeat what just happened. Your Highness... did you really see me being bullied and ignore it?" Half a beat, Li Yun chose her words carefully, her low voice trembling slightly.

  "Miss?" The girl was taken aback, she sensitively sensed that something was off about Miss today, and suddenly lifted her head.

  "Speak!" Li Yun withdrew her hand calmly and quietly. She wanted to figure out what was going on first.

  “…it is!” The girl immediately lowered her head. Not daring to think about what had just happened, the young lady asked her to repeat it again, and hurriedly said: “Today's poetry appreciation meeting, the young lady was not feeling well and didn't want to come, but thinking that the crown prince would also attend the poetry appreciation meeting today, the young lady still came. But those detestable Second Miss of Rong Wang Fu and the Princess of Xiaoqin Wang Fu actually joined forces with Qingyuan Gongzhu to bully you, taking advantage of your inattention to push you into the water. If it weren't for Yuexing Miss of Chengxiang Fu saying that Jing Shizi, who had been closed off from the world for many years, and Dian Xiaowangye, who had returned from traveling abroad, would also attend the poetry appreciation meeting today, they wouldn't have hastily left. I had already seen through their malicious intentions and told the young lady to go to the empress's place earlier, but she didn't listen. When did you ever suffer a loss?! Now you almost fell into the lake, and if the young lady hadn't been able to swim, she would have definitely suffered a great loss. Fortunately…”

  "Why do I have a headache?" Li Yun's heart sank as she listened, and she furrowed her brow in concern. Since she hadn't fallen into the water and gotten soaked, why was she dizzy, looking like she had just woken up from a long sleep?

  "The girl was blocked by the railing by the lake and naturally fainted." The girl said immediately.

  "No wonder I couldn't quite recall what happened! It turns out I bumped my head." Li Yun rubbed her forehead, her face slightly pale, her hands clenched into fists inside her sleeves, her body trembling slightly, her voice sounding careless. But only she herself knew how much willpower it took to barely support her body from falling off the chair.

  If it wasn't in her dreams, then she must have run into a ghost.

  But are there ghosts in broad daylight? She looked up at the scorching sun.

  "Miss, you said you don't remember?" The girl was shocked and her face changed greatly.

  "Hmm!" Li Yun neither confirmed nor denied it.

  "What else can't you remember besides this?" The girl raised her small face, which was stained with a patch of blood. She seemed to be in a daze and asked hastily.

  "What else can't I remember..." Li Yun thought carefully about how to get more information out without startling the snake.

  Just as she opened her mouth, a faint laugh was heard from not far away, followed by a male voice with a strong playful tone, "Moon sister, why are you hiding here while everyone else has gone to the garden? I just saw the Crown Prince heading to the garden too! If you don't go soon, be careful that he gets distracted by all the beautiful flowers and forgets who you are."

  Li Yun heard this and suddenly turned her head in the direction of the sound.

  Digression

  It's been two months, and finally, I've brought new content. Long time no see, dear old readers who have been chasing after my updates, I love you guys! The new story is fully prepared, so don't worry about it being discontinued anymore. Since you're here, I believe you trust me. And I also trust myself that I can do it. Muah muah.

  New readers who have clicked in, believe me, choosing this article will not disappoint you. Muahahaha! O (∩_∩) O ~