Fang Lingchu glanced at her sister, then bowed once more and said, “This humble girl is perfectly well now. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty the Empress.”
Truth be told, Fang Lingchu didn’t understand why her family had told everyone she was unwell.
She was as strong as a tiger—it made no sense.
“That’s good to hear.”
Then the Empress turned to the others and said, “This palace has heard of all you young ladies’ talents before. Now that there’s an opportunity to witness them, it is truly something to look forward to.”
The senior palace maid beside her quickly presented everyone’s poems.
Fang Lingchu looked at the blank paper in her hand. Seeing that it was almost her turn, she had no choice but to scribble something down.
She finished writing quickly and handed it in.
Beside her, Fang Lingyan was nearly frightened to death by her sister. She had just seen the blank paper and gotten a scare.
The Empress, observing Fang Lingchu’s demeanor, couldn’t help but smile.
Soon, all the poems were in the Empress’s hands.
Fang Lingchu looked at the Empress. [The Empress seems quite amiable.]
The System giggled with a lewd chuckle.
Hearing the System’s creepy laughter, Fang Lingchu asked, [What kind of laugh is that? Have you gone mad?]
The System cleared its throat and said, [Host, there’s some major gossip. Do you want to hear it?]
[Isn’t that a stupid question?]
[It’s about your Emperor.]
Fang Lingchu was puzzled. [Gossip about the Emperor? Didn’t you say you can’t see people and can’t read their gossip?]
Fang Lingchu nibbled on the pastries in front of her, chatting idly with the System.
[Well, I caught a tiny glimpse through the Empress.]
Just then, a voice rang out.
“His Majesty the Emperor has arrived.”
The eunuch’s announcement startled Fang Lingchu, and she quickly rose to bow.
“Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years.” The Emperor looked somewhat displeased as he surveyed the crowd.
At that moment, Fang Lingchu’s inner voice inappropriately sounded again.
Beside her, Fang Lingyan thought: Their whole family was doomed now.
[So this is the Emperor. Quite handsome.]
This time, the Emperor heard it clearly. He tried to locate the source of the voice, but the Empress in front quickly spoke up.
“Your Majesty, what brings you here with free time?”
Only then did the Emperor snap out of it, hurriedly telling everyone to rise and sitting down with the Empress.
The Empress quietly explained the earlier voice to the Emperor.
Fang Lingchu, who had just sat back down, complained to the System again. [Gua Gua, is our Emperor a tyrant?]
[Wow, Host, you’re really clever! He is indeed a tyrant, and a super unlucky tyrannical emperor at that.]
[What do you mean?]
The Emperor and Empress were looking over their poems together while half-listening to Fang Lingchu’s inner thoughts.
[I don’t know either. I can only see that he’s an unlucky emperor; I can’t see anything else.]
Fang Lingchu stole a glance at the Emperor above. Yes, indeed: [You’re so useless, not even knowing this.]
The System retorted: [Is that my fault alone? It’s because you can’t go out, so I can’t consume red gossip and can’t level up.]
Fang Lingchu thought about it and agreed. Then she asked: [Weren’t you just talking about gossip related to the Emperor’s harem? Tell me.]
Hearing that Fang Lingchu wanted the gossip, the System excitedly said: [Your unlucky Emperor has been cuckolded.]
Fang Lingchu paused while eating and asked: [This is the harem, not outside. How could there be an affair?]
Fang Lingchu’s voice was tinged with excitement.
The crowd: Why are you so excited about gossiping about His Majesty being cuckolded?
The Emperor’s face immediately darkened again.
The System said excitedly: 【Listen to me.】
【Lady Zhao was already engaged at the time. The Guan family had two daughters and let the Emperor choose. Coincidentally, he picked Lady Zhao, who was already engaged. Minister Guan, fearing he would offend the Emperor, ignored Lady Zhao’s desperate pleas and directly sent her into the palace.】
【So, Lady Zhao wouldn’t have been secretly involved with her former fiancé behind the Emperor’s back, would she?】
【Exactly. After hearing the news of Lady Zhao entering the palace, the man was depressed for a long time and made a decision: he married Lady Zhao’s younger sister and tormented her daily. Later, using his family’s connections with the Guan family, he entered the palace as a guard to get close to Lady Zhao. The two of them were like dry wood meeting fire. And to remain chaste for her beloved, Lady Zhao pretended to be ill every day, refusing to serve the Emperor.】
Fang Lingchu hadn’t expected Lady Zhao to go to such lengths for her beloved and asked curiously, 【Is he better-looking than the Emperor?】
【Not at all. He’s quite ordinary-looking. Lady Zhao is even pregnant with his child now, Host. Your focus…】
【What’s wrong? I’m just a sucker for good looks.】
【Shall I continue?】
【Continue.】
Hearing it was Lady Zhao, the Emperor’s face grew even darker. No wonder she had been “unwell” all these years.
Seeing the angry Emperor, the Empress could only reach out and pat him to offer some comfort.
Fang Lingchu and the System continued talking.
【The man she’s having an affair with isn’t the one she’s always loved.】
Hearing this from the System, Fang Lingchu nearly spat out the tea she had just sipped.
【What’s going on?】
【What else could it be? Have you heard of illegitimate children?】
【So, this man is the child her beloved’s father had outside?】
【Exactly. Her fiancé was actually killed by his own father and his illegitimate half-brother back when they were engaged. Then the illegitimate son took his place. Who would have thought that the illegitimate son also loved her, and in an obsessive way?】
【Obsessive types are best left in novels. In real life, it’s better to call the police.】
【And her younger sister, who resembles her a little, was married off and tormented repeatedly. Now she’s even locked in the Basement. Tsk tsk tsk, terrifying.】
Hearing this, Fang Lingchu shuddered.
【Doesn’t her family do anything about it?】
【Her younger sister actually enjoys being locked up. Both of them are twisted—her younger sister is also in love with her own sister.】
Fang Lingchu: 【Birds of a feather flock together.】
【And now?】
【Now, that man and Lady Zhao are planning to commit suicide.】
【A love suicide? Why?】
【Exactly.】
The Emperor: If they want to die, they should ask if I agree.
The Emperor glanced at the eunuch beside him, who understood and retreated. He then gathered a few people and headed straight for Lady Zhao’s palace.
【That’s why I said your Emperor is really unlucky, getting cuckolded for no reason.】
【I feel like it’s his fault. If he hadn’t chosen someone who was already engaged, he wouldn’t have been cuckolded.】
The Emperor: So she cheats, and she’s still in the right?
Seeing His Majesty’s face turn green with anger, the Empress could only hand the poem in her hand to the palace maid beside her and say, “Caiqing, recite this poem for everyone to hear and see if it deserves to win today’s top prize.”
The maid Caiging beside her took it with both hands, glanced at it, stepped forward, and read aloud: “Gradually I sense the west wind transforms nature’s splendor, autumn clusters surround the cottage like Tao’s home. If mortals seek the elixir of immortality, only when all grasses wither do flowers appear. From ‘Five Poems on Chrysanthemums’ by Shi Zhu of the Song Dynasty.”
Everyone was quite surprised upon hearing this poem, especially the Crown Prince and the Second Imperial Prince, who were fond of poetry and literature.
Also present were Su Shushuang and Qin Menglan, daughters of the Grand Councilors, both renowned for their literary talent. Their fathers were both Grand Councilors, and the two had been quietly competing in private. Unexpectedly, today, they were defeated by someone unknown.
Most had assumed that today’s winner would be chosen from between these two, but an unexpected contender had emerged.
Only Fang Lingchu was not surprised at all, as this was the work of a talented poet from the Song Dynasty, which naturally surpassed the efforts of these young ladies. Alas! She was just a bit unhappy—she didn’t want to stand out, nor did she wish to become the Crown Princess.
She had originally considered submitting a blank paper, but after thinking about it, since the request came from The Empress, she wrote something anyway. She deliberately avoided choosing poems by famous poets.
Ah!
How vexing.
After scanning the room, The Empress asked, “What do you young ladies think? Does this poem deserve to be the winner?”
Qin Menglan, daughter of the Right Councilor, was the first to rise and say, “It is unquestionably the winner.”
The others quickly chimed in, fearing that any delay might make The Empress think they had objections.
The Empress looked at the crowd and nodded with satisfaction, saying, “The poems by Miss Qin and Miss Su are both excellent and shall share second place.”
At this moment, Su Shushuang mustered her courage and stepped forward, asking, “Thank you for your gracious praise, Your Majesty. May I ask which young lady wrote the poem just now?”
“It was Miss Fang Lingchu.”