Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao-Chapter 244 - 23: Testing
The majestic Changan City, with its imposing Imperial Palace, is the symbol of the Emperor, and that insurmountable city wall divides people into two worlds.
From then on, heaven and humans were separated, and it was very likely that they would never have the chance to meet again in their lifetimes. Nevertheless, countless parents still hoped their children could enter behind those high walls because it also meant ascending to the branches.
However, whether they could transform into phoenixes remained unknown, but the likelihood of never seeing them again was indeed true.
This splendid and luxurious Imperial Palace, for some of those who lived within, was no different from a cage, yet still, many people were desperately trying to get in.
Wu Meiniang looked down at the bustling crowd below the railing. It was the annual day when the palace selected new people, and on this day, many children from poor families either became Palace Maids or eunuchs.
"What’s so good about this Imperial Palace that people would scramble so fiercely to get in?" she asked, swinging her feet.
"Lady Wu, you are the child of a government official, and even though your family has fallen on hard times, you are free from worry about food and clothes. How could you know the lives of the poor? If these children remained at home, they would likely starve to death," said a Palace Maid beside Wu Meiniang as she smoothed out the wrinkles in Wu’s clothes, speaking in an indifferent tone.
"Ah! Isn’t it said to be a time of great peace and prosperity?"
"Yes, a time of great peace and prosperity, but for how many years has it truly been peaceful? There are still places overrun by thieves, and those safe areas are occupied by the Noble Clans. The poor folk can only live by attaching themselves to them.
What’s the difference from entering the palace, except that one scenario involves an entire family entering high walls, while the other is just a single person?"
Wu Meiniang looked at the maid, who had just been assigned to her, with surprise, marveling at her insight, and asked with a smile, "Your knowledge doesn’t seem to come from someone born into poverty."
The maid sighed softly.
She continued, "My father was once an official. Although his position wasn’t high, it was enough for our family to live on. However, when His Majesty ascended the throne, my father’s former teacher was that of the Deposed Crown Prince, which led to his implication and loss of office. Our family’s life suddenly fell into hardship."
"After my father passed away, my mother was left alone to raise my younger brother and me. Struggling to survive, I had no choice but to enter the palace. Counting the years, it’s been almost ten now."
"Ten years?" Wu Meiniang’s eyes widened suddenly, as she had not expected this seemingly young woman to have lived in the depths of the palace for a decade.
"Yes, ten years. I haven’t seen my mother and younger brother since, and I don’t know whether they are alive or dead. Sometimes, I still dream of my younger days when my father hadn’t lost his position, and he would often hold me and recite poetry at home. Now, when I think back, it feels like a lifetime ago."
The Palace Maid didn’t know why she had said so much; perhaps it was because the young girl in front of her reminded her a bit of her own past. The only difference might be that this girl had reached the rank of a talented lady at a young age and had a certain standing in the palace, unlike herself who had remained a mere Palace Maid for so many years.
"People talk about the prosperity of the Zhenguan Era, yet who would have thought that beneath this prosperous age, the white skeletons of impoverished people lie hidden," Wu Meiniang sighed for no particular reason, appearing in that moment like a great figure who is deeply concerned about the country and its people.
The Palace Maid couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the sight of her.
"You do have the air of those ministers who frequent the Emperor’s grand hall," she said.
"Hmph! What’s so great about them? One day, I will be even more imposing than they are," Wu Meiniang declared with an oath, her eyes filled with a glow named ambition.
"If you were a man, I might have some hope for you, but as a woman, you’d better stop thinking like that," the Palace Maid threw a bucket of cold water on her dreams.
"Who says women are inferior to men? Sooner or later, I’ll show the world that women can be powerful too," Wu Meiniang said with fighting spirit, raising her pure white chin high, like a proud swan.
The Palace Maid, looking at the girl brimming with determination before her, suddenly felt she had been mistaken; this child was not the person she once was. She was more confident, more ambitious, and she had a compelling charm that could win people over. She suddenly looked forward to seeing what Wu Meiniang’s future held, unsure of the changes she would bring to the world.
"Then I shall wait and see," the Palace Maid murmured to herself.
Many years later, when the now-aged Palace Maid looked back on this incident, she still felt that Wu Meiniang was the most remarkable woman she had ever met, seemingly born with a charm that commanded submission.
Wu Meiniang was full of fighting spirit. When she set her mind to do something, she would move heaven and earth to achieve it. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to eat or sleep well.
During this time, she set a small goal for herself: to uncover the Mysterious Figure hiding behind her.
Since when, Wu Meiniang felt a gaze upon her, as if someone was always watching. Although nothing was ever out of place around her, her intuition told her that someone was keeping an eye on her from the shadows. The intelligent girl had long guessed that this person was secretly protecting her; otherwise, they wouldn’t have covered up her tracks with the Old Eunuch that day.
One day, as Wu Meiniang walked alone on the steps outside the palace, she suddenly let out a cry of alarm and accidentally fell down the stairs. She felt the world spin around her, yet a sly smile crept across her lips.
To highlight the majesty of the Imperial Palace, the foundations of the great halls were built very high, and the ground was laid with stone. A solid knock from a fall could, even if not life-threatening, still lead to serious injuries.
Lu Yu watched the future Empress’s self-staged drama, knowing she was forcing him to reveal himself. He couldn’t help but smile, deciding it was time to meet face-to-face after all. After all, the grand task of tutoring an Empress had fallen into his hands.
Visit freewebnoveℓ.com for the best novel reading exp𝒆rience.
With a light breath, a Great Wind suddenly rose within the Imperial Palace.
Wu Meiniang waited eagerly for the Mysterious Figure to appear, but to her miscalculation, as she was about to hit the ground, the figure still didn’t show up. Only then did true fear take root in her heart; she had thought she held the winning cards, yet this person behind her did not play by the rules as expected.
The one who was falling felt the heat rising from the earth and smelled the scent of dust in her nose.
With a "thud", Wu Meiniang landed solidly on the ground, her head hitting hard, and she immediately fell unconscious.
Read exclusive adventures at novelbuddy
However, because of the howling winds, the wailing sound filled the entire Imperial Palace, and no one heard the noise. The dust lifted by the wind also obscured everyone’s vision, so much so that a living person like Wu Meiniang vanished from the ground without anyone noticing.
