Lin Lin spent her noon reading a historical political and palace intrigue novel, but dozed off for a moment. When she woke up again, she had already transmigrated into the story.
Now she lay sprawled alone in some unknown palace, staring wide-eyed at the system in a huff.
“Ah—what is going on?!”
Finally unable to keep it together, she shrieked and roared, “What godforsaken place is this? I wanted to eat ice cream and enjoy the air conditioner!”
The palace was empty, cold, damp, and gloomy. Already in a foul mood, she felt her spirits sink even lower under the heavy atmosphere.
Along with the gloom came an inexplicable fear—would she never be able to go back home again?
“Waaah… and there’s this inexplicable system too! All I want is to be a book-loving slacker. I never asked to be dragged into all these messy troubles! If I take one wrong step or slip up, could I lose my life?!”
She didn’t want to die! Thinking of that, she rubbed her eyes, and tears began to stream down her face even harder.
“Host, please calm down.”
The system frowned at her. “As long as you follow through with the plot of this novel, you can go home.”
“Uwaaah!”
Upon hearing that, she cried even more bitterly.
She hadn’t finished reading the book, but she knew it was a story full of schemes and power plays! For an insignificant background character like her who had popped out of nowhere, wouldn’t she be tortured and ground to dust by the ending?
And worst of all—she hadn’t even finished reading it!
What if she deviated from the plot? The survival difficulty would skyrocket, wouldn’t it?!
Even the usually unfeeling system felt its mental energy drained by her nearly deafening wails.
This new host really was far too timid.
“Calm down… calm down.”
It could only sigh again and try to soothe her. “Relax, I’ve got you. Just act normally. Even if there really is danger, I’ll help you steer clear of disaster. Besides, the story has barely started—how likely is it that you’d die right away? Why are you so terrified?”
But no sooner had the system finished speaking than reality proved it wrong.
“—Someone’s coming!”
At the system’s startled cry, the great hall doors were pushed open from outside. Blinding sunlight flooded in, making her already red and swollen eyes stream with tears even more.
A handsome young man wearing a golden crown and dressed in rich, embroidered silk robes walked in with steady, dignified steps. Upon seeing her, his eyes widened in obvious surprise.
“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince! There’s an assassin!”
The attendant behind him shouted in alarm, quickly stepping forward to shield his master.
“Keep your voice down! Do you want to draw everyone here?!”
Xiao Fusu snapped at him, then turned his gaze back to the suspicious girl before him. He narrowed his eyes and scrutinized her with a cold, unfriendly look.
“Though Zongshan is right. This armory is a highly restricted place within the imperial palace. How did a young girl dressed in such strange clothes end up here?”
Only then did Lin Lin notice what she was wearing—she was still in her pajamas from her original world, her hair tied up in no style at all.
“Ah—system! Why didn’t you even change my clothes when you dragged me into this story?!”
She cried out in panic, speaking to the empty air before her. But the system, which had been there moments ago, had now mysteriously vanished.
Just as she suspected—that lousy system was totally unreliable! Exactly when she needed it most, it went missing!
Fear overwhelmed her again, and she burst into fresh tears.
“Your Highness… this servant wonders—could she be a deranged maid who escaped from the Cold Palace?” Zongshan asked, eyeing her with confusion.
You’re the deranged one! Your whole family is deranged! Lin Lin cursed him silently. How was she supposed to know this was the armory? She’d been dumped in this godforsaken place out of nowhere, and it was pitch dark inside too!
“But we can’t just let her stay here forever,” Xiao Fusu said with a frown. But quickly, his brows smoothed out, and a smirk curled at his lips.
“No matter who or what she is, lock her up in the Imperial Clan Court first. We’ll interrogate her under strict torture. I doubt she’ll dare to hold back the truth then.”
He pointed at her casually, and with that single gesture, sealed her fate.
“No! I won’t go to the Imperial Clan Court!”
She stared at him in horror, shaking her head and shrinking back. “Your Highness, I am not an assassin! Please believe me—I’m innocent!”
He seemed to hesitate a little. Her earnest, terrified look had truly moved him. Seeing her chance, she quickly scrambled forward and clung tightly to his leg.
“Please save me! I don’t want to die… I can… I can keep you company and play with you! Just please don’t kill me! I’ll do anything you ask!”
She begged him, while frantically recalling what she had read of the story’s beginning.
She remembered that this young man had grown up starved of affection. His mother had risen from the rank of favored concubine but came from a low-status family. As a result, both she and her son had been looked down upon and ostracized. His childhood had been far from happy.
And here she was—transmigrated into the story, skipping straight past the opening chapters. Worse still, the armory scene wasn’t even in the book. It was clear: her existence was an anomaly, breaking the established rules of this world.
Xiao Fusu burst out laughing after hearing her plea.
“What did you say? You want to keep me company and play with me?”
“Uh-huh! Yes, yes!”
She nodded vigorously, her small face pressing against his leg. The ticklish sensation made him grin, and a strange, bright joy swelled in his chest.
“Haha! This is the first time I’ve met such an amusing little girl. Very well—I doubt you’ll be able to cause any trouble. I’ll take you along to have some fun.”
He laughed aloud, then lifted her off his leg and strode out of the hall, dragging her along with him.
“Zongshan, bring the bow and arrows,” he ordered his attendant. Zongshan nodded with a fawning smile, quickly picked out a fine bow and arrow set from the storage, and hurried after them.
“Where… where are we going?!” She stumbled along as he pulled her, asking anxiously.
“The Imperial Hunting Grounds,” he replied briefly, without even glancing at her.
“…It’s so huge!”
They arrived at the hunting grounds, and she climbed down from the carriage. Staring at the scene before her, she gasped in awe.
This truly lived up to its name as a grand playground for the imperial family. It was nothing like the crude, shabby sets she’d seen in TV dramas. There were vast forests set aside purely for hunting.
The grounds were fully equipped with every kind of entertainment—horse racing, archery, open training fields. Palaces and pavilions lined the roads, attended by crowds of servants. Further in lay rolling mountain ranges stretching as far as the eye could see, making one feel as if they had stepped deep into a mysterious, boundless primeval forest.
She wouldn’t be surprised at all to hear that rare birds and exotic beasts roamed here.
She was so absorbed in admiring the scenery that she didn’t notice the way everyone stared at her—as if she herself were some rare creature, strange and fascinating.
Only when they drew closer did she realize. She immediately scurried behind Xiao Fusu, seeking safety behind his broad back. She peeked out only with her large, clear eyes, watching the group of unfamiliar young men nearby.
She had remembered that Xiao Fusu lacked affection growing up, but she’d forgotten that as Crown Prince, he had gathered a large circle of fair-weather friends and drinking buddies.
“Your Highness! Where did you pick up such a strange girl? Tsk tsk, what on earth is she wearing? It’s completely out of place!”
A young man dressed in red was the first to saunter over, leaning in to study the timid Lin Lin hiding behind Xiao Fusu.
These young nobles were all high-spirited boys of sixteen or seventeen. Whenever they saw a woman, they couldn’t help but get fresh and handsy.
Xiao Fusu frowned in displeasure and slapped away the wandering hand reaching toward her. “She’s timid. Don’t frighten her.”
“Oho! Who would’ve thought our Crown Prince is such a soft-hearted man who dotes on the fairer sex?”
Someone in the crowd teased him.
Xiao Fusu had a fiery temper. He was the one who always mocked others—no one dared tease him! His face flushed red, and he kicked the joker hard in the shin.
“Speak such nonsense again and I’ll have you punished! I’ll tell your father to give you a good thrashing!”
The troublemaker was Xue Shao, son of General Xue. The General was known for his fierce temper; he loved nothing more than to beat his son for no reason, let alone when he’d done something wrong.
Xue Shao knew well enough that offending the Crown Prince alone was bad enough, let alone having his father brought into it. He knew when to stop. Chuckling awkwardly, he stepped back and fell silent.
“Your Highness, no wonder we’re curious. She really dresses strangely. Who is she? I’ve never seen her in the palace before,” the young man in red spoke up again. He was Sang Han, Xiao Fusu’s cousin—the Empress’s own nephew. Being closest to Xiao Fusu, he wasn’t as afraid of him as the others.
Lin Lin couldn’t help but stare at him a moment longer—his fair face was so beautiful he looked almost androgynous.
But the observant Xiao Fusu noticed immediately. He shot her a dark, warning glare.
It was a silent, naked threat. She quickly lowered her head, not daring to look anywhere else again.
“What? Sang Han, are you interested in her?”
Xiao Fusu’s eyes burned bright, his face cold and hard as stone as he stared at his cousin.
“Then I’ll give her to you!”
He shoved Lin Lin roughly toward Sang Han. There was no trace of happiness on his face; instead, his expression was dark, twisted, and full of savage menace.
His generosity was chilling. Sang Han didn’t dare accept her. He caught the stumbling girl awkwardly, holding her as if she were a burning hot potato—unable to take her, yet unable to push her away.
He never wanted to offend the Crown Prince. But now he realized Xiao Fusu suspected him. His usual playful and carefree demeanor vanished, replaced by nervousness.
Does he think I planted this strange woman by his side? Is that why he’s testing me like this…?
“Hah—”
Seeing him tremble and panic like a fool, Xiao Fusu suddenly burst out laughing again, his mood instantly brightening.
“You’re so easily scared! I was just joking with you. If your conscience is clear, what are you afraid of?”
He doesn’t seem sure of it himself, Sang Han thought, watching his expression. Seeing he wasn’t truly angry, Sang Han straightened up and decided to drop the matter of the odd situation.
“Your Highness is noble and mighty. A woman belonging to you? I wouldn’t dare take her,” he said with a wry smile, and handed Lin Lin back to him.
Xiao Fusu took her back easily, then announced to the group, “I brought her here today just for fun. We’ve never hunted with a woman before, have we? This girl said she’ll play whatever game I want, no matter what it is.”
“Anything at all?” Sang Han asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
“Of course.”
Xiao Fusu planted his hands on his hips, speaking with absolute confidence and ownership, as if Lin Lin were nothing more than a toy he could amuse himself with however he pleased.
Sang Han’s gaze swept over her slender, graceful figure. A teasing smirk curled his lips, and his eyes gleamed with mischief and ill intent.
“Your Highness, look at her bare legs. She’s hardly dressed for riding or hunting, is she? Why don’t we play a different game today instead?”
He raised an eyebrow and suggested it, clearly enjoying the idea.