Chapter 95 The Nightmare (1/2)
”I always thought that you were careful. How could you be so careless today? Besides Yun Shang, we also smelled the perfumed powder. It was lucky that you discarded the needle as soon as you spotted something wrong. Had we been caught, we would be in big trouble before we could teach Yun Shang a lesson.” Lady Ming said with a frown. There was a hint of disapproval in her eyes.
Madam Yu fell to the ground hurriedly and kowtowed before Lady Ming for several times. ”I understand, My Lady. I was reckless today. But I didn't expect that Princess Yun Shang would send people to investigate you on pretext of concern for your health.”
”Hum, Yun Shang is by no means a simple girl. She pretends to be timid and overcautious. But occasionally, she seems to be clever, too. However, her cleverness was so deliberate that no one would doubt that it was just her way to cover her clumsiness.” Lady Ming waved and said, ”All right. Anyway, what happened cannot be changed. I have led a peaceful life for many years, and have kept my hands from getting tainted by dirty tricks. You seem to not be accustomed to sneaky schemes as well. Be careful next time. Few women in the Palace are simple-minded. Don't underestimate our enemies again.”
Madam Yu replied immediately, ”I understand, My Lady. It's getting late, you should retire now.”
Lady Ming nodded, ”It's getting colder. Set a warm stove in the room later.”
”Yes.” Madam Yu answered before standing up. She helped Lady Ming take off her clothes, and took out the warmers from under the quilt. The bed was already warm because of the warmers. Madam Yu pulled the quilt on Lady Ming after the Lady had lain on the bed. After folding and putting aside the clothes, Madam Yu walked to the stove. She added more coal to the fire. Then she blew out the lamp, walked out of the room, and retired in the small night-watch cabin in the outer room.
Lady Ming felt uneasy during her light sleep as she dreamed of a cat. The cat let out a pitiful scream and jumped at her. Lady Ming was so scared that she awoke from the nightmare. It was only a dream! Lady Ming wiped off the sweat on her forehead. However, when she was about to close her eyes again, she heard the faint yowling of a cat. And the yowling sounded more and more sad.
How could it be possible for some cat to come here? Lady Ming frowned. Thinking of the dream she just had, she could not help but feel frightened. So she called aloud, ”Madam Yu...”
Movement was heard before Madam Yu responded, ”Yes, I'm here.”
After a short moment, a light was seen when Madam Yu walked in with a glaze-covered lamp. ”What happened, My Lady? Are you thirsty?”
Lady Ming shook her head. She leaned a little forward and tried to hear for odd sounds. But, she heard nothing. So, Lady Ming asked, ”Did you hear something, Madam Yu? The yowling of a cat, or something like that?”
Madam Yu shook her head at Lady Ming's question, ”No. Did you hear something just now?”
Lady Ming said with a frown, ”The meowing of a cat.”
”The meowing of a cat?” Madam Yu felt a little surprised. ”But I didn't. How could it be possible for cats to come here at his hour? It is forbidden to let pets wander about in the Palace after evening. How could it be possible?”
Lady Ming felt surprised, too. She thought she was imagining things. So she waved at Madam Yu, ”All right. It may be an illusion.”
Madam Yu nodded. But before she turned to leave, she noticed an open window. Madam Yu frowned at this. ”Why is the window open? I remembered having closed it before I left. Look, the fire is not as big as before.”
Lady Ming felt a chill after hearing Madam Yu's words. ”It snowed the whole day today. Maybe the window was not shut tightly, and the wind blew it open?”
”Hum, ” Madam Yu replied. She put down the lamp on the table by her side, and walked toward the window. Suddenly, she stopped as she felt as though she had stepped on an object which was both, soft and hard. Madam Yu almost fell when she stumbled into the object. She looked down, and saw a white fluffy thing under her foot. When she took a closer look at it, she could not help but let out a sharp scream, ”Oh my..”
Lady Ming was startled. She propped herself up to look at Madam Yu. ”What's happening?”
Madam Yu pointed at her foot and said with her eyes closed. ”My Lady, it is a cat. A dead cat...”
This made Lady Ming's hair stand on end. She trembled as she said, ”Guard! Call the guard! Call them now!”
In the quiet winter night, the knock was heard at the entrance of every Palace. ”Emergency summon from Lady Ming. Ladies, please get dressed and go to Changchun Palace as soon as possible...”
”Your Highness, please get up. Lady Ming sent for you. We have no idea what happened, but it seems that all the other ladies have been summoned, too.” Qin Yi got up in a hurry, and then wakened Yun Shang. After helping Yun Shang get dressed, Qin Yi fetched a warmer and handed it to the Princess. ”Your Highness, it's very cold outside. Do you need one more robe?”