Upon hearing the Empress’s words, Fang Lingchu immediately knelt on the floor with a thud and said, “Your Majesty, that poem was not actually composed by this humble girl. It was something I saw in a dream.”
“Seen in a dream?” The Empress was somewhat surprised.
“Yes, I dare not deceive Your Majesty.”
The Empress smiled and said, “That is quite a novel idea. Miss Fang, please rise.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“To encounter such a highly talented divine being in a dream is also a blessing for Miss Fang.” The Empress looked at Fang Lingchu and smiled. “I wonder what Miss Fang’s true literary talents are like.”
Fang Lingchu knelt down again in panic. “In reply to Your Majesty, I… I… dare not deceive you. My tutors all said they were of shallow learning and could not teach me, so… no one was willing to instruct me. Even when my mother offered heavy rewards, no one came.”
Fang Lingchu lowered her head, thinking to herself: This should make the Empress let me off, right? The Empress looked at the girl below and sighed inwardly, saying, “You are quite honest.”
Fang Lingchu lowered her head even further. “I dare not deceive Your Majesty.”
“Rise.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Returning to her seat, the System immediately complained, [It’s mainly because you, Host, don’t want to study!]
[You don’t understand. Studying is too tiring. How can it compare to the joy of eating, drinking, and having fun? I lack nothing now, so why should I strive so hard? Don’t you agree, Gua Gua?]
[That’s true. Others study to pass imperial exams and seek glory and wealth. You, Host, have been clothed and fed without worry since birth, so you truly don’t need to strive.]
Hearing Fang Lingchu’s hopelessly lazy remarks, everyone felt quite pleased. You must never strive hard, they thought; this brings them one step closer to becoming the Crown Princess.
The Empress thought: How can this girl be so unlearned and unskilled…?
The Empress glanced around at the noble ladies present, making a preliminary selection in her mind for the Crown Princess candidate.
System: [Host, your Emperor really is an unlucky saintly body.]
Fang Lingchu: [Is there new gossip?]
[Your Emperor wasn’t just cuckolded by one concubine; he’s raising someone else’s child, and not just one, hahahaha.]
The Emperor’s face darkened to an unknown degree. He now felt like a giant green-haired turtle. But he had to suppress his rage and continue listening.
Everyone secretly sighed, knowing that those concubines were in grave danger.
Being cuckolded for so long—no man could endure it.
[Little Gua, if the Emperor finds out I know he’s been cuckolded, I feel like I’d be torn apart by five horses.]
Let’s not talk about it.
Too terrifying.
The Emperor grew even angrier. Her not finishing made him want to kill her even more.
The System gave her a big eye-roll. [We’re only talking in our minds; he can’t hear us.]
[That makes sense. Then continue. And that concubine—who is the adulterer? Which Imperial Prince isn’t the Emperor’s child?]
[It’s Consort Yu and the guard by her side.]
[Consort Yu? So Prince Mo is an illegitimate child?] Fang Lingchu was somewhat shocked. What a pity—Prince Mo is so handsome. It would be a shame if he died.]
Everyone: What kind of focus is that? Is appearance that important? Is that the point?
Well, it does seem quite important.
[No, the Seventh Princess is the illegitimate child. Prince Mo is…]
“Miss Fang.”
The Empress quickly interrupted the conversation between Fang Lingchu and the System.
Fang Lingchu quickly stood up and replied, “Your subject’s daughter is present.”
“I haven’t given you your prize yet.” The Empress smiled at Fang Lingchu and beckoned to the palace maid beside her. “Caiqing, hurry and give my hairpin to Miss Fang.”
Fang Lingchu watched the hairpin approaching her, her heart growing even more nervous.
[Gua Gua, I don’t want to enter the palace. Can I refuse this thing?]
[It seems not, Host.]
Fang Lingchu felt like dying inside, but on the surface, she still had to accept the gift.
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s reward.”
Looking at the item in her hand, Fang Lingchu happily said to the System: [Wow, this hairpin is so beautiful. It’s just a shame it can’t be sold, otherwise it would probably be worth a lot of money.]
The Empress…
The Emperor: …
Everyone: …
Seeing that it was about time, the Emperor said, “I still have some matters to attend to. You all continue enjoying yourselves.”
Upon hearing this, everyone quickly stood up and bowed. “We respectfully send off Your Majesty.”
[What are these two doing? The imperial consort selection hasn’t even ended yet. Why are they both leaving?]
The Emperor: Isn’t it because someone kept calling me a green-haired turtle over there?
The Empress smiled and pulled the Emperor away.
Then, the Emperor and Empress left together.
Not long after, the event ended.
Fang Lingchu quickly left the palace with her sister.
As they were leaving, everyone looked at Fang Lingchu with strange expressions, but she paid no attention.
Money couldn’t make everyone like her, let alone herself.
Fang Lingchu snorted inwardly and walked away with her sister.
However, Fang Lingchu didn’t know that, unbeknownst to her, everyone who attended the banquet today had been detained by the Emperor.
Just as they arrived at the palace gate, they saw the coachman sitting in the carriage, nodding off.
The maidservants, seeing their mistresses arrive, hurriedly came down to greet them.
“Young Lady, Second Young Lady.”
Fang Lingchu originally wanted to go out and have fun, but looking at her sister, Fang Lingyan ignored her younger sister and firmly said:
“Go home.”
The coachman, understanding the situation, quickly drove the carriage.
Soon, they arrived home. As soon as the eldest daughter of the Fang family returned, she asked, “Where is my father?”
“Replying to the Young Lady, the master was summoned to the palace a quarter of an hour ago.”
Upon hearing that the Emperor had summoned her husband, Madam Fang felt as if the sky and earth were spinning. Was their Fang family still going to…?
“Hurry, hurry, go call the Eldest Young Master, the Second Young Master, and Madam.”
“Yes.”
“Keep an eye on the Second Young Lady. Don’t let her sneak out.”
“Understood, Young Lady.”
Seeing the Young Lady so anxious, all the servants also grew tense and fearful.
At this moment, everyone arrived. Hearing her eldest daughter’s words, Madam Fang’s heart was filled with dread.
Madam Fang was thinking about how she could protect her children.
Imperial Palace
The Emperor looked at the Ministry of Revenue Vice Minister Fang Yelin below, his heart pounding.
Below, Fang Yelin was so nervous that his palms were sweating profusely.
Meanwhile, the Emperor was still thinking about how to ask about the girl’s inner thoughts.
Minister Fang couldn’t hold back any longer and knelt on the ground, asking, “Your Majesty.”
Looking at the terrified Fang Yelin, the Emperor quickly said, “Minister Fang, do you know why I summoned you?”
Minister Fang hurriedly bowed and replied, “Your Majesty, is it because of my youngest daughter?”
“Yes. I called you here today to ask if you know about your daughter’s situation?”
“Your Majesty, that is correct. From the moment of her birth, all of us have been able to hear her innermost thoughts, and everything she thinks in her heart has truly come to pass.”
“Have you verified this?”