“Master, something terrible has happened!”
It was Xuduo, who had left less than half a tea-break ago, hurrying back. Upon seeing Fu Lingxi step out of the inner hall, she reported in a rush, “It’s… it’s the Second Princess! She has also fallen into Yilian Lake!”
Hearing this, Fu Lingxi’s face stiffened. She felt an urge to bury her face in her hands.
Suddenly, her pupils constricted. Above Xuduo’s head, a line of black-gold characters abruptly appeared, looking exactly like a chapter title preview:
[Consort De’s rebirth scheme leads Tongyi to drown; Ruan Ji falls unconscious after the rescue; Jing Jieyu’s first night in attendance ends in a chaotic miscalculation.]
“…Don’t panic.”
The corner of her mouth twitched slightly. Fu Lingxi took a deep breath and turned to the head eunuch standing behind Xuduo to inquire, “Eunuch Fang, what time did Her Highness Tongyi fall into the water? Did Imperial Physician Xu and Imperial Physician Li go to Jingren Palace to treat her?”
The new concubines had only entered the palace today—it was only the first day!
Good heavens, she thought, both of this dog emperor’s daughters have fallen into the water… I wonder if the Emperor is about to die of rage on his dragon throne?
“In response to Master: it was approximately at the first quarter of the Shen hour (16:15). Her Highness Tongyi was carried to the nearby Chuxiu Palace. Imperial Physicians Xu and Li were summoned there by Lady Liu. Furthermore, Ruan Ji was only rescued and brought ashore at the second quarter of the Shen hour (16:30). Having stayed in the water for too long, she has not yet regained consciousness.”
After hearing Eunuch Fang’s report, Fu Lingxi’s expression darkened.
The first quarter of the Shen hour? The Second Princess had actually been playing at Chuxiu Palace for an hour? And she had stayed there to play for that long even after encountering Fu Lingxi earlier!
[Ruan Ji?]
Ah, the female lead of the original novel had appeared!
Damn it, this world really harbors a deep malice toward me!
“…Eunuch Fang, Xuduo, go back to Chuxiu Palace to gather more information and prepare my palanquin.”
Fu Lingxi narrowed her eyes in annoyance, clutching her aching abdomen. Her gaze swept over the older maids and young palace girls waiting in the front courtyard. Frowning slightly, she commanded, “Suran, Ziluan, return to the bedchamber with me. Change my clothes and style my hair in a simple bun. Be quick.”
“Yes.”
The servants of Yukun Palace all busied themselves according to her orders.
“Suran, pick out a black shenyi. Ziluan, just comb my hair smooth and tie it up.”
As the only person holding the rank of Concubine among the new arrivals, the Internal Affairs Bureau did not dare to neglect Concubine Yi. Once the imperial decree of her title was issued, Yukun Palace was given top priority for decoration. Because of this, everything allotted to her rank was fully accounted for. Jewelry, clothing, ornaments, and more—a total of eighteen trunks had been brought in.
While Fu Lingxi was bathing, Ziluan had led the servants to quickly arrange her belongings.
Sitting before the dressing table, Fu Lingxi stared at her reflection in the bronze mirror. Her pale little face carried a sickly hue. She didn’t need much makeup; after all, she was currently a “patient.”
Initially, after her bath, she had been wearing a light-colored shenyi made of thin, breathable gauze. Now that she was heading out to “battle,” she naturally couldn’t dress too provocatively.
After all, she had acted in plenty of palace intrigue dramas in her past… she knew a thing or two about the essential elements of palace infighting. She had no desire to compete for the Emperor’s favor, so the persona she had planned for herself was to be dignified, sensible, law-abiding, and somewhat detached.
In any case, it was unrealistic to expect to find any like-minded “sisters” in the harem.
“Understood.”
Seeing that their master had a plan, Suran and Ziluan immediately began the grooming process.
Fearing they would mess up her hair, Fu Lingxi put on the black shenyi first before they started on her head. Her look was finished in less than a tea-break.
“Ziluan, you are responsible for guarding the main gates of our palace. Suran, let’s go.”
Before leaving the main hall, Fu Lingxi gave Ziluan a stern instruction: “After I leave, no servant is permitted to enter or exit Yukun Palace. Ziluan, can you handle this?”
“Yes, your servant obeys Master’s command.”
“Let’s go.” Fu Lingxi nodded with satisfaction and, supported by Suran, stepped onto the palanquin.
“Raise the palanquin!” Eunuch Fang cried out in a high-pitched voice, waving his horsetail whisk.
Yukun Palace was closest to the Imperial Garden, but it was not close at all to Chuxiu Palace. It took more than fifteen minutes by palanquin for the group to arrive hurriedly at Chuxiu Palace.
By then, it was already the beginning of the You hour (17:00).
Not only had Noble Consort Qi arrived, but even Empress Dowager Que was there! This made sense, as the Palace of Benevolent Peace where Empress Dowager Que resided was right next to Chuxiu Palace; it would have been strange if she hadn’t arrived early.
Fortunately, Fu Lingxi was not the last to arrive.
Just as she stepped off the palanquin and entered Chuxiu Palace, the whip cracked to signal the Emperor’s arrival. The concubines all gathered at the palace gates, waiting in solemn silence.
The Emperor entered the gates of Chuxiu Palace right behind Concubine Yi.
“We pay our respects to Your Majesty. We wish Your Majesty eternal peace.”
The row of concubines knelt in unison to greet the Emperor.
Amidst the crowd of concubines dressed in brightly colored palace robes, Fu Lingxi’s black shenyi, combined with her pale and frail complexion, made her particularly conspicuous. Furthermore, Concubine Yi was standing right in front of the main hall of Chuxiu Palace—clearly the last high-ranking concubine to arrive. This caused Emperor Taiyong to knit his sword-like brows as he looked at her, his voice cold as he said, “You may rise.”
In that instant, Fu Lingxi felt a chill run down her spine!
She lowered her head even more respectfully, standing there honestly and playing the part of a coward. She didn’t dare steal a glance at the “Sacred Countenance.”
Based on the common knowledge of cultivators, those who could become earthly emperors were the reincarnations of the Purple Micro Star Lord, possessing their own Merit Holy Light. Not only did this naturally suppress all evil spirits, but it was also quite unfriendly toward cultivators. If a cultivator tried to harm the Emperor, there was a ninety percent chance they would suffer a backlash.
Because of this, when she sensed the Emperor’s probing gaze, Fu Lingxi instinctively gripped the spiritual core crystal in her left palm and whispered a heart-cleansing incantation in her mind.
I should just stay low and survive for now. I can’t afford to be reckless!
“Noble Consort Qi, how is Tongyi?”
Xie Shubing’s gaze swept past Empress Dowager Que and landed on Noble Consort Qi as he asked with displeasure.
Currently, the inner palace was ostensibly managed by Noble Consort Qi. In reality, most of the palace was filled with the Emperor’s eyes and ears; Noble Consort Qi was merely a figurehead. Naturally, the Empress’s Phoenix Seal remained in the Emperor’s hands. The two Empress Dowagers only held their own respective seals.
“To answer Your Majesty, Tongyi has not yet been woken. Imperial Physicians Xu and Li are currently inside administering treatment and acupuncture. Imperial Physician Qi is also treating Sister Ruan Ji.”
Noble Consort Qi stiffened her back, stepped forward to stand behind the Emperor, and reported loudly while curtsying.
There were currently thirty concubines in the palace, both old and new, but only fifteen of those with the rank of Ji or higher were permitted to wait in Chuxiu Palace to meet the Emperor. Those ranked below Noble Lady had to wait outside the palace gates.
Except for the seriously ill Noble Concubine Rou and the unconscious Ruan Ji, every consort and concubine was present.
Once the Emperor arrived, everyone’s attention was focused on him. As the Emperor spoke while walking, the concubines followed and moved with him.
Fu Lingxi had originally fallen to the back, but a head eunuch came to invite her forward. Since she didn’t move, the concubines of lower rank than her naturally couldn’t bypass her. With no other choice, she silently followed.
There was no way around it; although she was a newcomer, her rank in Emperor Taiyong’s harem was actually quite high. She was ranked fourth in the lineup, even standing ahead of veteran concubines like Concubine Murong and Concubine Xia. Such were the perks of having a bestowed title.
Noble Concubine Zhen was inside the inner hall guarding the still-unconscious Princess Tongyi. Anyone with functional ears could hear her incessant, sobbing cries.
“Lin Pingzhi, go investigate what happened.”
“Yes, Sire.”
A head eunuch who had been following far behind the Emperor stepped out, took the order, and left quickly.
Hearing that the Emperor wanted an investigation, everyone inside the main hall of Chuxiu Palace gasped or breathed a bit more heavily in various states of unease.
Only Fu Lingxi, upon hearing this, slightly raised her face and looked left and right with a bewildered expression—though she still didn’t dare look toward the Emperor’s position.
[Damn, which bastard is secretly peeking at me?]
Perhaps feeling the low pressure in the hall, she felt a bit creeped out. After hesitating for only two seconds, she lowered her head again and stood honestly in place, thinking to herself:
[Sigh~ one must have self-awareness. I am beautiful and kind-hearted, and I’ve been given the rank of a top-tier favored consort. Being envied is unavoidable. Forget it, I won’t bother holding a grudge against those jealous women behind me throwing daggers with their eyes…]
“…”
Xie Shubing felt a surge of irritability. He tried his best to suppress the hostility rising in his heart. Silently and coldly, he turned the jade ring on his thumb, his gaze sweeping over the crowd of palace robes and skirts to land on Concubine Yi—the only one wearing a black shenyi.