Chapter 11: Searching the Palace
"Naturally, we're here to find someone."
Over the years, the Cold Palace has felt like a part of the imperial palace cut off from the rest. No matter what happened outside, it had nothing to do with the Cold Palace, which had always been in a neglected state.
Today, suddenly so many people have come, even boldly claiming to search the Cold Palace for someone.
This time, even those guarding the Cold Palace were slow to react.
Who on earth committed a crime so serious that they're being sought in the Cold Palace?
It's truly absurd!
The elderly woman, in disbelief, said, "Honorable sirs, everyone confined in the Cold Palace is mad. There's no one you're looking for here!"
"Whether or not that's true is not for you to decide, so open the door quickly!" urged the leading Imperial Guard.
The elderly woman glanced through the small window on the Cold Palace Gate and, with a troubled expression, said, "This door really cannot be opened easily!"
The Imperial Guards looked puzzled.
The elderly woman sighed and explained, "When we deliver meals to those inside the Cold Palace, we place them through a special small window. It's too dangerous for anyone to go inside hastily, for fear of being harmed by some mad individuals."
Pausing, she added, "Moreover, it's not even mealtime now. If you suddenly open the gate, they might think food is coming, rush over indiscriminately, and potentially hurt everyone.
To avoid trouble, the elderly woman revealed the true situation.
She thought that by saying this, she could dismiss them as she usually would with those who came to the Cold Palace unnecessarily.
However, these people didn't heed her advice at all. No matter how seriously she described the situation, they remained insistent.
"We are here under imperial command to find someone. The gate must be opened, whether it's appropriate or not."
The elderly woman was speechless; why were these people so difficult?
"But, but it's dangerous inside..."
"No buts, open the gate quickly. Whether it's dangerous inside is none of your concern."
"But what if those mad people inside injure you?" the elderly woman asked again.
"That's also none of your concern."
"Oh..."
At this point, the elderly woman had no reason to stop them and should have opened the gate.
But she seemed to have thought of something and remained standing there, unmoved for quite a while.
Seeing this, the Imperial Guard impatiently attempted to wrest the key from her to open the Cold Palace Gate himself.
The elderly woman, displeased, argued with them, "You grown men, putting your hands on an old woman like me, what do you intend to do? Is there no law?"
The elderly woman began wailing, "Help, someone, save me from this indignity!"
The Imperial Guard was only in his early twenties. Upon hearing the elderly woman's words, he nearly fainted from rage.
The deputy behind him could no longer bear it, cursing, "Our chief just wants to take the key from you, what's so indecent about that? At your age, your chest sags to your navel, who'd be interested? You're deluding yourself."
The elderly woman glanced at her own prominently raised chest, defiantly saying, "It's your chest that's sagging to your navel, your whole family's chest is sagging to their navels..."
...
The endless sounds of dispute outside reached the ears of Jun Ning and Qiong Hua.
Jun Ning couldn't help but giggle, thinking how amusing the elderly woman's words were.
Qiong Hua, however, looked at Jun Ning beside her, so nervous she could barely hold onto the hoe in her hand, "Yi Yi, what should we do? They're coming to search the Cold Palace. Though we don't know who they're looking for, we absolutely cannot let them see you, or else we're done for."