Beep beep beep—-System has activated [Target Aura Protection Mechanism].
Ning Wanwan was taken aback and asked, “What is this thing?”
The system calmly replied, “When the target’s danger coefficient exceeds 80%, to prevent the target from being killed by the host, the system will automatically activate the protection mechanism to ensure the target’s personal safety.”
“So my combat power is completely useless against the target?”
“Correct!”
Ning Wanwan asked in confusion, “What about Wei Chenheng from the previous world? Why didn’t he have it?”
System: “Wei Chenheng’s danger index was only 50%.”
Ning Wanwan became somewhat unsettled, “What about Pei Tingche?”
System: “99%.”
Ning Wanwan was furious: “Your protection mechanism is unfair! It only allows officials to set fires while forbidding common people to light lamps!”
The system ignored her: “Entering the plot now, please prepare yourself, host! Countdown: three, two, one!”
***********
“Princess! Princess! Wake up quickly!”
Ning Wanwan felt her head splitting from being shaken, while a clear voice kept calling to wake her.
She wearily opened her eyes and saw a round little face already close to hers. The girl appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed like a palace maid.
“Princess, you’re finally awake! We must escape quickly! The Im… Imperial Guards have broken into the city!”
The maid’s eyes were filled with terror, disregarding palace rules as she pulled and dragged Ning Wanwan up from the soft couch.
Ning Wanwan was momentarily stunned, as fragmented memories slowly surfaced in her mind, and she became fully alert.
She was now in the imperial palace, and this maid before her was Xianglan, Changyu Princess’s personal maid who had grown up with her.
She remembered – the Laba Festival in the 40th year of Daqi.
The imperial palace was holding ancestral and deity worship ceremonies. Earlier at the banquet, she had gotten drunk and left early.
Laba Festival?!
The time when Daqi perished!!!
Ning Wanwan’s face changed dramatically. With a creak, she pushed open the chamber door and looked up at the pitch-black night.
Suddenly, brilliant fireworks bloomed across the night sky, dazzling and colorful, but fleeting.
The night once again sank into deathly silence and darkness.
Then, from the distance of the imperial palace came the sound of horns and soldiers’ battle cries.
Ning Wanwan lifted her skirt and hurried through the corridors, running toward the main palace hall.
Endless thick ink seemed to heavily daub the horizon, without even the faint light of stars.
Before reaching the main hall, she heard a scout’s trembling shout piercing the sky: “Report! The rebel army has entered the city! Protect His Majesty! Protect His Majesty!…”
She saw thousands of soldiers holding shields above their heads, swarming in under the cover of night. Palace staff scattered in all directions – the usually vast imperial palace now offered nowhere to hide.
From within the main hall came sounds of desperate weeping and pleas for mercy.
The mournful cries made Ning Wanwan’s hair stand on end, her whole body trembling.
Pei Tingche would be inside the main hall. Should she enter or not?
Before her was thick smoke blowing in her face, in her ears was the bleak cold wind, behind her were fleeing palace staff, and inside the hall were earth-shaking wails.
The usually high-spirited Imperial Army was nowhere to be seen.
The Daqi Imperial Dynasty’s century of power and wealth vanished like dust and smoke with Pei Tingche’s overnight rebellion.
After hesitating for a long time, she finally stepped forward toward the main hall, but two Imperial Guards stopped her.
Ning Wanwan lifted her face and spoke calmly, “I demand to see Pei Tingche!”
In the next moment, blades were pressed against her neck as two guards roared angrily, “How dare you! You dare address His Majesty by his personal name? Have you grown tired of living?”
Hearing the commotion inside the main hall, someone seemed to recognize Ning Wanwan and quietly reported it. Soon after, a man who appeared to be a eunuch came limping over.
She recognized this eunuch.
He was formerly a minor eunuch who served in the palace of Pei Tingche’s birth mother, Yunfei. After Yunfei’s death, the palace maids and eunuchs either died or were crippled. This Su Gonggong had been sent to the Cold Palace at that time.
Su Gonggong glanced at Ning Wanwan and said coldly, “Princess Changyu, this way please.”
Ning Wanwan followed Su Gonggong into the main hall.
Her eyes immediately fell upon the dragon throne where Pei Tingche sat clad in a black robe, leaning against the backrest. At first glance, his face appeared handsome and elegant, yet his entire aura was chillingly cold.
His phoenix eyes were as deep as obsidian, slightly narrowed with a faint laziness and detachment in their gaze. He had a high nose bridge and thin lips.
She paused in her steps, straightened her posture and looked directly at him, meeting his gaze.
Pei Tingche curled his lips in a mocking smile. “Seventh Imperial Sister has arrived. Wonderful, now the entire family is complete.”
Though only a year had passed since their last meeting, he seemed completely transformed, different from the little madman she had seen in the dungeon back then.
Even more insane now.
Ning Wanwan’s heart trembled, but just as she was about to speak, she was interrupted by a voice.
“Changyu! Leave quickly! Why have you come here? Tingche, I beg you, Changyu is still your sister after all!”
The speaker was none other than Princess Changyu’s birth mother, Empress Qi.
Only then did Ning Wanwan notice that besides Empress Qi, her imperial father King Qi, numerous consorts, princes, princesses, eunuchs and court officials were all present in the main hall. However, they all had blades pressed against their necks and were kneeling prostrate on the ground.
All kneeling and trembling with fear.
Truly, the entire family was complete.
“Mother Empress!”
She wanted to move toward Empress Qi’s direction, but two guards beside her immediately pressed blades against her neck. “Kneel.”
Ning Wanwan glanced at the blades, lowered her eyes, and obediently knelt. “Changyu pays respects to Fourth Imperial Brother.”
“Fourth Imperial Brother?”
He sneered, his eyes filled with contempt. “Now you’re claiming family ties? Seventh Sister is quite forgetful. What did you say about me six years ago in my mother’s palace? That the Pei bloodline is filthy and lowly?”
Ning Wanwan kept her head bowed low and remained silent, inwardly cursing this dog of a man. He was the one who called her sister first, yet when she addressed him as imperial brother, he became displeased.
Mentioning his mother seemed to make his gaze turn even colder.
“Consort Duan.”
The named consort trembled in fear, her face deathly pale as she quickly kowtowed. “Fourth Prince… Your… Your Majesty, spare me!”
“I’m in quite a good mood today. Consort Duan, why don’t you explain in detail how you framed my mother for adultery with the chief steward back then?”
Upon hearing this, Consort Duan’s face changed dramatically, and she frantically kowtowed. “Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! I didn’t do it!”His eyes suddenly turned sharp as he sneered.” “Since you’re unwilling to speak, throw her into the Serpent Pit.”
“I’ll speak! I’ll speak!” Consort Duan was so terrified she nearly lost control of her bladder. “It was Empress! Empress Qi ordered me to do it!!”
Empress Qi’s face changed color. “Consort Duan, you vile woman! What nonsense are you spouting!”
Consort Duan wailed, “If it weren’t for you back then! Jealous of the Fourth Prince’s outstanding talents and the deep favor he received from the Emperor, you framed Yunfei for having an illicit relationship with the chief steward to secure the Crown Prince position for the Third Prince. Could Yunfei have died?”
As soon as Consort Duan’s words left her mouth, everyone’s gazes instantly shot toward Empress Qi.