The Second World in Ancient Times

On the day of the banquet, the palace was ablaze with lights and filled with laughter. As usual, I nervously directed the maids and eunuchs backstage, preparing the meal and finalizing the decorations. I meticulously inspected each dish, ensuring its perfect appearance, aroma, and flavor. I meticulously examined every decoration, striving to create the most opulent yet solemn atmosphere. Everything seemed to be proceeding in an orderly manner, but unbeknownst to me, a vast conspiracy was quietly unfolding.

"Lady of the Imperial Court, the presentation of this dish could be more refined," I said to the imperial chef.

"Okay, lady-in-waiting." The royal chef hurriedly adjusted.

Just as the banquet was about to begin, a sudden commotion erupted in the hall. My heart raced, and I rushed over to investigate. I saw a concubine, pale as a cadaver, clutching her stomach. Beads of sweat streamed down her forehead, and she looked in agony. Everyone around her was in a state of panic, and the masters themselves were filled with worry. The once joyous atmosphere was instantly shrouded in tension and fear.

At this time, the Queen asked with a gloomy face: "What's going on? How could such a good banquet turn out like this?"

The Imperial Concubine also added fuel to the fire: "Yes, this banquet is in charge of Si Qing. Could she have tampered with the food?"

I quickly knelt down to explain, "Your Majesty, I have been preparing everything carefully, and the meals have been rigorously inspected. There is absolutely no problem. I have someone taste-test each dish after it comes out of the pot. The ingredients are all purchased from the most reliable suppliers, and the materials used for decoration are also carefully selected. There is no way there can be any problems."

But my explanation was useless. A maid stepped forward and said, "Si Qing, stop quibbling. You arranged everything from the decorations to the food at this banquet. Now that something has gone wrong, you are to blame. You said there was nothing wrong, so why is the master unwell? Could it be that the master is framing herself?"

I was extremely anxious. "Mammy, I really didn't do that. I swear to God, how could I do anything to hurt my masters? Someone must be behind this, deliberately framing me."

Soon, I was taken to the interrogation room of the Imperial Household Department. The head of the Imperial Household Department sat at the top, looking at me sternly, as if his eyes could see through me.

"Si Qing, do you know how important this banquet is? Now that our master is in trouble at the banquet, you must tell the truth about whether you have done anything?" The chief steward scolded, his voice echoing in the interrogation room, making my ears buzz.

I kowtowed profusely, "Master Steward, I truly did not do anything wrong. From purchasing the ingredients to cooking and serving, I personally oversaw every step. The palace maids and eunuchs who tasted the food were all fine. How could this happen? Furthermore, the materials used for the decorations are all non-toxic and harmless. I've checked them numerous times."

"Hmph, why is this happening? Could it be that the masters framed themselves? Don't try to shirk responsibility. All the evidence now points to you." The steward obviously didn't believe what I said. He frowned, and the suspicion and dissatisfaction in his eyes became more and more obvious.

Outside the interrogation room, the palace maids and eunuchs were also talking. The noisy voices were like countless needles, piercing my heart.

"I said Si Qing was promoted too quickly this time, and there would definitely be problems." A palace maid whispered, with a hint of gloating in her eyes.

"Yeah, maybe she's just trying to climb up the ladder by any means necessary." Another palace maid echoed, casting a disdainful look in my direction.

Some of my friends were also implicated. Xiao Zhu was accused by other palace maids: "You are still so close to Si Qing. She is like this now. You should be careful. Don't let her suffer the same fate as you."

Xiao Zhu defended me, "Sister Si Qing isn't that kind of person. Don't talk nonsense. She has always worked hard for the palace. She must have been framed this time."

"Hmph, stop speaking for her. The evidence is solid now and she can't get away." The palace maids did not believe Xiao Zhu's words and mocked her.

Back at my residence, I felt like everyone around me looked at me differently. Those who once smiled at me now avoided me, as if I were some kind of plague. I went to see a female official I had a good relationship with, hoping she could put in a good word for me, even if it was just a few words of comfort.

"Sister, please believe me, I was really framed. Can you help me talk to the steward? Or plead for me in front of other masters?" I pulled her sleeve and begged, tears welling up in my eyes.

But she shook my hand off, her eyes filled with indifference: "Si Qing, this matter is too serious, I don't want to be implicated by you. You should figure it out on your own. I advise you to admit your mistake, maybe you can get a lighter sentence."

I returned to my room feeling dejected. Wanqing came over to comfort me, "Siqing, don't be too sad. We will definitely find a way to prove your innocence. Those people are now deceived by appearances, but the truth will come out one day."

I hugged Wanqing, tears streaming down my face. "Wanqing, I feel so helpless now. It's like no one believes me anymore. I've always worked so hard and done so carefully in this palace. How could it have turned out like this?"

The next day, the rumors about me in the palace spread even more fiercely, as if they had wings and spread to every corner of the palace.

"I heard that Si Qing was bribed by other forces and deliberately created chaos at the banquet in order to disrupt the order of the palace."

"Perhaps all her previous achievements were fake, all meant to gain the emperor's trust and then take advantage of the opportunity to carry out her conspiracy."

These words were like sharp knives, piercing my heart. Every word pierced my heart. As I walked through the palace, every step felt incredibly heavy, as if a thousand-pound burden was bearing down on me. The palace maids and eunuchs would stop talking as I passed them, staring at me with strange eyes before returning to whispers.

I went to the imperial kitchen to find out more about the situation, but the imperial chefs all avoided me when they saw me.

"Master Li, can you tell me what happened that day? Was there anything unusual?" I asked the head chef, my eyes full of anticipation.

Master Li hesitated for a moment, his eyes evasive. "Madam, everyone is now suspecting that it's our fault in the Imperial Kitchen, and we're having a hard time. You'd better not ask again, or it will make things even more confusing. Besides, there really wasn't anything unusual that day; we just followed the procedures."

Just when I was feeling overwhelmed, I was summoned by the Empress. I arrived at the Empress's palace with trepidation, and as soon as I entered, I felt a chill.

The Empress looked at me coldly. "Si Qing, I always thought you were a smart kid, but I never thought you would do something like this. Tell me, who ordered you to do this? Do you have any ulterior motives?"

I knelt again, my forehead touching the ground. "Your Majesty, I truly did not do it. Please believe me. I am loyal to the court, how could I harm my masters? Someone must be jealous of me and deliberately framed me to ruin my reputation."

The Empress snorted, "Loyal? Now the evidence points to you, and you still dare to quibble? You'd better tell the truth, or you will bear the consequences. I will not let anyone who wants to harm the palace go easily."

I could only kowtow continuously until my forehead bled, hoping that the Queen would believe me, but she seemed to have already determined that I was guilty, and there was no trace of mercy in her eyes.

All other palace affairs I was responsible for were also suspended, and the person who replaced me was a female official who had always been jealous of me. She mocked me and every word she said was like a whip on my body.

"Si Qing, you have come to this day. Weren't you very powerful before? Now look at you, you still end up like this. This palace is not something that someone like you can manipulate."

I ignored her. I just hoped to find a way to prove my innocence. But every clue seemed to be against me. I felt like I was trapped in a dark abyss. There was endless darkness all around me, without a single ray of light, and I couldn't get out.

My status in the palace plummeted. The palace maids and eunuchs who used to be respectful to me no longer obeyed my commands and even openly disobeyed my orders.

While I was arranging some daily affairs, a young palace maid retorted, "You are not even a lady-in-waiting anymore. Why are you still ordering us around? We don't want to be implicated by you. You are now a criminal in the palace. Stay away from us."

I was shaking with anger. "I'm still trying to get to the bottom of things. Don't be like this. I was framed. One day I will prove my innocence."

But they didn't listen to me at all and even laughed at me. I felt like I had no place in the palace anymore. I was like an abandoned orphan, lonely and helpless.

The Imperial Concubine also continued to put pressure on me. She sent a palace maid to say to me, "Si Qing, if you don't want to put yourself in a worse situation, confess your crime immediately. You have no way out now, so don't struggle in vain."

I responded angrily, "I'm innocent. Don't try to threaten me. I will prove my innocence and let you know I was framed. I won't be defeated by your schemes."

But deep down, I was still very scared. I was worried that they would do something worse to me. I felt like a bird trapped in a cage, surrounded by danger but unable to escape.

The head of the Imperial Household Department ordered me confined to my room. It felt eerily desolate, and I was alone, facing this sudden disaster. Every day, I recalled every detail of the banquet, trying to find some clue, but I always came up empty. Each recollection was like rubbing salt into the wound, deepening my pain.

Wanqing came to see me and brought me some food: "Siqing, you have to be strong. I'm also helping you get information outside, don't give up. I believe you are innocent, and those who framed you will definitely get retribution."

I looked at Wanqing gratefully: "Wanqing, thank you. If it weren't for you, I really don't know what I would do. Now you are the only one who believes in me and is willing to help me."

During my days of confinement, I recalled my first days in the palace. Back then, I was just a humble maid, ignorant and dedicated to hard work. I rose before dawn each day to clean the palace, learn court etiquette, and gradually familiarize myself with palace life. Later, through my own hard work, I gradually gained recognition and made my way to where I am today. I have dedicated so much to the palace, giving my all for every banquet and every event, pouring in countless hours of effort. I never imagined that I would be framed like this. All my efforts seemed to have been for nothing, vanishing in an instant.

I looked at the room's sparse furnishings, my heart filled with bitterness. Those once beautiful memories had now become sharp blades of torture. I once believed that hard work would be rewarded, but now I know that in this palace, people are treacherous and a single careless move can lead to irreparable destruction. There's no true fairness here, only endless strife and conspiracy.

I didn't know if I could escape this predicament, nor did I know what my future held. If I couldn't prove my innocence, I would be despised for life, a role model for the court. My reputation would be utterly ruined, and I would no longer have a place in the court. My dreams, my hopes, were ruthlessly shattered in that moment, leaving only endless grievance and helplessness. I felt like a lone boat lost in darkness, drifting on the vast ocean, unable to find a way forward or see a glimmer of hope.

I paced the room, my heart filled with anxiety and confusion. What should I do? Who could help me? I felt like I was trapped, surrounded by cold walls, with no way out. Every thought gave me a splitting headache, but I still couldn't find the answer.

As time went on, things got worse. More and more people began to believe I was guilty, looking at me like a criminal. Those who once had a shred of respect for me now felt disgusted. I felt like I had sunk into a pit of despair, unable to escape.

I sat on the edge of my bed, gazing out the window at the sky. It was so blue, so vast, yet I felt so far away from it. I prayed silently, hoping for a miracle, for someone to believe me, for a way to prove my innocence. But reality was cruel, tormenting me every moment, sinking me deeper and deeper into despair.

I tried to reach out to others who might believe me. I wrote a letter to an old lady who had once praised me highly. I described the entire situation in detail, expressing my innocence and grievances. However, after sending the letter, it fell into oblivion, with no response. I then asked Wanqing to inquire about the situation, hoping for any new leads, but she always brought me bad news.

"Si Qing, I've asked a lot of people, but they all avoided talking about this matter, or just blamed you. The situation is really bad now." Wanqing said to me helplessly.

I clenched my fists: "I won't give up like this. I must find out the truth and make those who framed me pay the price." But my voice sounded so weak. In the face of this cruel court struggle, my struggle seemed so insignificant.

The rumors at court not only did not die down, but intensified. Now there was a new rumor that I was a spy sent by an enemy country, deliberately causing chaos at the palace banquet in order to destabilize the court and prepare for invasion.

These rumors filled me with even greater fear. I knew that if this crime was proven, I would face catastrophic consequences. I burst into tears in my room: "Why? Why would they frame me like this? What did I do wrong?"

Wanqing comforted me, "Siqing, don't listen to those rumors. We know they're not true. We must remain calm and not be defeated by them."

However, faced with these overwhelming rumors, I feel like my spirit is about to collapse.

One day, a palace guard came to my residence and questioned me.

"Si Qing, we received news that you often come into contact with some suspicious people. Are you passing intelligence for the enemy country?" The guard asked me seriously.

My eyes widened. "Brother Guard, I'm not doing that! I've been busy in the palace, so how could I have the time to interact with anyone suspicious? These are all rumors, don't believe them."

The guard glanced at me and said, "We will investigate thoroughly. If it is really you, you will be severely punished."

I felt like I was caught in a huge web of conspiracy and no matter how hard I struggled, I couldn't escape.

I occasionally looked through the window at other people in the palace, and their eyes were full of indifference and disgust. The maids who used to work with me now looked at me as if I were an enemy.

Once, I saw several palace maids chatting in the garden. When one of them saw me, she said loudly, "Look, that's Si Qing, the traitor. We must not be like her in the future, doing whatever it takes to achieve our own interests."

I wanted to rush out and argue, but I knew that anything I said would be useless and would only make the situation worse. I could only return to my room silently and endure this pain alone.

As the days passed, I felt my hope fading. I had once believed I could make a difference at court, contribute to it, and realize my own worth. But now, everything was shattered. I even began to doubt myself, wondering if I really shouldn't have gotten involved in court affairs, if I had been wrong from the beginning.

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling with a blank look in my eyes. "Maybe there's really no way out of this predicament. Maybe this is my fate."

When Wanqing heard what I said, she said anxiously, "Siqing, don't think like that. We still have a chance, we can't give up."

But I also saw a hint of despair in Wanqing's eyes, and I knew that our current situation was really very difficult.

Every moment of this confinement is torture. I have no friends, no one who trusts me, only endless loneliness and darkness. I feel like a person forgotten by the world, suffering alone in this corner of the palace. My former joy, my hard work, my dreams have all left me, leaving only this cruel reality, binding me tightly and making it impossible to breathe. I cry alone in the darkness, not knowing when light will finally appear.