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"Ma...Ba...you guys won't leave my side, right? I don't know what I'd do without you..."

..

The young girl had been crying for what seemed like hours now. Her eyes were puffy, her cheeks flushed and her lower lip trembled. Her sobs echoed through the clear night.

A physician had come by in the morning to check why the girl cried. He was horrified to see the state of the house and what had become of the family. They had all been sick, save for the eldest daughter, who, despite only being 5, had done her best to care for them. The mother, father and young son had all passed away in the night, leaving this girl to kneel beside them, sobbing as if somehow they would wake up and comfort her if she did.

"Young lady....come with me." the man spoke in a gentle tone as he brought her to her feet. The girl wanted to shout and scream, she wanted to fight back and tell the man that they were just sleeping. That they'd wake up soon, and she needed to prepare breakfast because they'd be hungry. But she knew, in her heart, that she would never hear their comforting voices ever again.

So she stood curtly, looked to the man who wore a medical veil, and with tear stained cheeks she asked in a kind voice:

"Will you help me bury them?"

The physician had been particularly exhausted that week. An outbreak of a disease had been running rampant in the city, and this household was one of dozens he had visited with a situation like this, though he found it odd that this girl hadn't become sick as well. Thinking nothing of it, he agreed to help her.

They spent the day in silence as they dug a large area right next to the house, and it was nearly dark when they finished burying and placing stones over the grave.

"Thank you, sir." She came to her knees and offered the man a kowtow, to which he quickly brought her back up and told her not to worry.

At that point, the physician was considering taking the girl back to his clinic, but a eunuch from the palace approached them before he had the chance.

"I was sent by the emperor to bring young orphan girls to work at the palace. I heard this girl lost her family. I'll take her now."

She bid her farewells and went with the eunuch, never to see that man again.
Or, so she believed. Since the man wore a veil, she hadn't remembered what he looked like. And they didn't exchange names either, so they remained anonymous to each other.
That is, until that man remembered....

–

"All those years ago, that woman....Hua Yue, betrayed our sect and turned against my father. It's all because of you. If you wouldn't have given her your hand, she would have complied and done what her own brother had asked of her! None of that would have happened if you would have never existed! " The male shouted, veins tensing at his forehead in anger.

"But now....I have tracked down Wu Yi-Nuo. I will train her to harness her Qi, and I will use her to finish what my father couldn't."

Master Zheng looked up from the ground at the mention of her.

"I still do not understand....why is Wu Yi-Nuo important to you?"

The veiled man laughed.

"She carries your own Qi, that which you sacrificed into the sky that night...and you do not know it? How pitiful. Even as a young boy, seeing the bright yellow light in the sky, I knew. I knew that one day....I would get the chance to finish this. So I will lock you up for now, as you may be of use to me in the future. But try anything stupid, and I won't hesitate to rid you of all sense of the world around you. Leaving you with a painful death...one that my dear cousin will have the honor of witnessing with his own eyes."

Kneeling in front of the veiled man, Master Zheng had been struck with the realization that Wu Yi-Nuo was not merely a rejected palace maid. She was the key to something...something that could bring chaos to the whole world if put in the wrong hands.

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Yi-Nuo sat on her bed in a room that had once been a comfort to her. Now, as she glanced at the shelves, the porcelain pots with plants, the books, the latticework parchment walls suddenly seemed like they were a confinement. A prison of sorts.

A sigh left her lips as she stood and began pacing back and forth. Suddenly, she remembered the note that the young master had to carefully placed in her hand.

She stopped pacing and quickly reached into her sleeve, gently pulling out the folded piece of calligraphy paper.

As she unfolded it, the delicate strokes became visible.

"Yi-Nuo...Qianjin..?" She muttered aloud, her lips pressing together as she digested the meaning.

She couldn't help but break into a smile, though tears stung in her eyes.

The man's warm smile flashed through her mind once again, and she remembered all the times he had been kind to her since they met. He had done so much...she felt as if she didn't deserve it. But at the same time, she was incredibly grateful.

His voice echoed through her mind, bringing back the times when he spoke something simple, yet it impacted her more than she realized.

"..I'm glad to be of help to someone like you."

"Wu Yi-Nuo...come have tea with us....you prepared it, after all...you should be able to enjoy it too."

"...Nonsense. I would have gotten injured whether you were there or not... so I don't want you pondering over it any longer. Got it?..."

"...It looks like we're both anxious out of our wits,"

"Don't give up, Yi-Nuo. Endure...I'll find a way to fix everything, I promise."

Her hands began to tremble as she grasped the paper, tears beading down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them so they didn't fall and bleed the ink.

'The young master....has done so much for me. I...I have to do something in return. I have to find his Ba and figure out a way to make everything right....I won't sit by and do nothing. Not anymore.'

She sniffled and gently folded the paper back up, then placed it In her pocket.

She put on her cloak and hurried over to the door, where she slid it open slowly and peeked around the hall.

That boy from earlier was standing outside with his back toward her, he was likely meant to be guarding her quarters.

Her brow furrowed and she closed the door behind her.

'I have to find a way to sneak past him....I wonder....'

She slumped back on her bed while racking her brain for an answer.

Then she got an idea.

Quickly, she stood from her bed and went to her wardrobe on the other side of the room.

Inside, a few silk *mamianqun skirts were folded up and placed on the shelves, as well as some hanfu tops and outer robes. She reached for a drawer and opened it, revealing a pair of **majia ku, or silk pants that she had found in a storage room a few years ago.

She reached for them and held them out in front of her, before quickly placing them to the side. She then grabbed a faded green hanfu tunic and began to change into the clothes.

In front of her vanity mirror, she adjusted the side-tie and flattened out the wrinkles, then tied an old leather wrap around her waist.

It was loose-fitting and gave her a masculine appearance, especially since she didn't have the time recently to care about putting on makeup. But it still wasn't quite enough, so she went to drawers and got out a metal tin and a horse-hair pen.

Carefully, she opened the tin and began using the coal powder inside to deepen her eyebrows and shape them up.

Once satisfied, she began to undo her hair and let it flow down her shoulders, then she took all of it and knotted it tightly at the top, so it resembled how the eunuchs and court officials would do their hair.

Finally, for the last touch, she used some of the coal and smudged it on her face, making her look as if she was a boy that had been working in a field.

Though it wasn't the best disguise, if someone wasn't paying much attention, they would easily mistake her for a boy with feminine charm.

Fully satisfied, Yi-Nuo now had a plan.

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Ft.

《 Zheng Mingze dressed in the Hua Cheng Institute uniform. 》

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Little did either of them know, Yi-Nuo and the Young master had similar ideas concerning disguises and such. Though Mingze wasn't exactly putting on lip coloring and colorful silks, he was busy trying to blend in as a student at the Hua Cheng institute.

"Mingze, are you sure this is a good idea? I can fare well on my own, and with your injury...don't you think it will be hard to conceal it?"

The young master quickly shook his head.

"Nonsense. I'm going with you, Haoran...it's the least I can do for both of them. And besides, if we end up having to do any kind of medical procedure, you'll be dumbfounded without me." he explained, earning a nod from the male.

"I suppose you're right..."

At that moment, a student walked into the room carrying two bright blue robes and *** futou, or black gauze hats.

"Here are the uniforms," The woman said, placing them forward.

"Thank you, we appreciate your help." Mingze voiced as he took them with a smile.

The males then took turns changing into the uniforms supplied to them by Master Cheng.

Haoran was first, he came out from behind the screen with a strange look on his face.

"Whats wrong?" Mingze asked, sensing his discomfort.

"These are so itchy!" he stated as he passed by him, and the young master was unable to hold back a small laugh.

It took him a little while, as he tried the best he could to change while being careful of his arm. Soon enough, he came out from behind the screen wearing the same uniform as Haoran.

"Right....we're going to have to do something about your hair, you can't very well put it up by yourself." Haoran pointed out, his hand rubbing his chin as he gave it some thought.

After a moment, he shrugged.

"Looks like i'll have to do it,"

Before the young master could even protest, Haoran began gathering up his dark hair and pulling it into a knot at the top of his head.

"...Haoran, I could have managed..." he voiced, a smile tugging at his lips as the male continued to tie up his hair.

Haoran made a look, then stuck a metal pin through the knot to secure it in place and stepped back to examine his work.

"Well, I think it looks great!"

A chuckle escaped his lips, and he reached up to feel it. It was surprising to him seeing Haoran in such a good mood, but then again, he always was happy when he could help out with something important.

"Thank you, Haoran. I appreciate it." he smiled, "And not just for tying up my hair...for offering to help with this. You're a good friend."

"Oh, nonsense, it's the least I could do." he voiced, almost in a mocking yet teasing tone referencing the young master's words from earlier.

The two chuckled as they made their way out of the room and into the hall, where they met with Daiyu, who had been waiting by the door.

"Everything is ready," She stated, "Some students have prepared a carriage out front with medical supplies for a cover. They're ready to leave whenever you are."

The Young master Zheng gave her a nod and smile.

"Thank you, Miss Zhou. we'll get going then."

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Footnotes

*The Mamianqun, or "horse-face skirt," is a traditional Chinese skirt with pleats on the sides and flat sections on the front and back. This design allows graceful movement and a layered look, often adorned with embroidery or patterns for formal wear. It dates back to the Song Dynasty, though was very popular during the Ming Dynasty.

**Majiaku pants are traditional Chinese trousers known for their loose, comfortable fit and flexible waistband. Made from cotton or linen for daily wear, and silk for formal occasions, they were a staple for both men and women, often paired with tunics or jackets.

***The futou is a traditional Chinese headwear piece, popular from the Tang to the Ming Dynasty. It's a black cloth cap that often had wing-like extensions on each side. Originally worn by officials and scholars, the futou symbolized status and was often paired with official robes.

Authors note

Hello! Thanks for reading this chapter! What do you think will happen when Yi-Nuo sneaks out dressed as a boy? Stay tuned to find out lol, and i would love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Sending hugs <3