18:00.
As the first round of palace intrigue drew to a close, the sky had grown slightly dark, and the sunset glow draped across the heavens. Fortunately, the Shangyi Imperial Palace was wealthy and imposing; a palace lantern stood every three meters, illuminating a magnificent night view of the palace that was exceptionally beautiful and dreamlike.
On the way back to Yukun Palace, Fu Lingxi sat upon her palanquin, her eyelids closed in silent meditation.
[Tsk tsk, this Shangyi Imperial Palace is truly lively.]
[Consort De has been reborn, and Ruan Ji “timely” woke up just after the Second Princess did… Clearly, this whole situation was a trap laid by Consort De!]
[As for Ruan Ji, the original female lead—could she have also been reborn today? It’s possible that because I transmigrated into this book, “Fu Lingxi” didn’t die, which directly stripped the female lead of the “Ronghua” rank she was supposed to have upon entering the palace.]
[Damn it, Consort De’s move managed to drag me into these muddy waters as well… Detestable! I still don’t even know who this “Consort De” is. It’s truly enough!]
[Could it be Noble Concubine Rou? Among the consorts who were part of the Emperor’s household before he ascended the throne, she is the only one “seriously ill.”]
[Furthermore, I don’t know where Noble Concubine Zhen stands in this game of palace intrigue. Seeing how affected and artificial she acted after the Second Princess woke up, she doesn’t seem like a good mother at all! She never misses a moment to vie for favor…]
[As for the female lead, Ruan Ji, she’s a modern transmigrator; I have to stay on guard… Hiss, it’s cold!]
As it turned out, Fu Lingxi had been wearing a tightly fitted shenyi. When she first arrived at Chuxiu Palace and was subjected to the Emperor’s sharp gaze and suspicion, the imperial pressure had caused cold sweat to break out across her back. Now, as the night wind blew, she felt a succession of shivers, though she didn’t make a sound.
Upon returning to her palace, she had Suran and the others serve her as she washed her face and feet, then wrapped herself in ice-silk bedding and fell into a weary sleep.
That night, Fu Lingxi developed a low-grade fever. However, she did not notify Suran or the others of her ailment. Instead, while they were fast asleep, she silently made her way to the window and stood there for the duration of a tea-break, letting the cold night wind blow against her. Only then did she close the window and return to her bed, her hands and feet as cold as a ghost’s.
Since her rebirth, Fu Lingxi had not known a moment of peace. After a full day of being tormented by palace intrigue, she was burning with a delirious fever before midnight. She was so deep in unconsciousness that she didn’t even know when Suran and the others discovered her fever.
It wasn’t until the afternoon of the third day—the evening of the third day of the fifth lunar month—that her fever finally broke and she regained consciousness.
“Master, you’re finally awake! That’s wonderful!”
At this time, Xuduo was the one on duty, guarding Concubine Yi’s bedside. As soon as she saw her master’s eyelids fluttering, she delightedly covered her mouth and held her breath. Seeing her master truly open her eyes, she cried out in great joy:
“Sister Suran, quick! Quickly summon the Imperial Physician! Master is awake!”
Fu Lingxi stared blankly in silence as she first opened her eyes. A sense of bewilderment flooded her heart, leaving her utterly confused. What year is it??
It took a long while before she had a thought: [Oh, so I’m still alive…]
This time, she truly had to engage in palace intrigue.
“Xuduo… how long have I been ill?”
As soon as she spoke, Fu Lingxi realized her voice was incredibly hoarse. [How unpleasant.]
“Master, you have been feverish and unconscious for three days and two nights. If you hadn’t woken up, we servants would have followed you to the grave!”
Xuduo held back her tears, replying with a mix of weeping and laughter. Her hands were quick as she offered her master a cup of warm Taihe water to soothe her throat. Of course, her words weren’t just a simple show of loyalty; they were the truth. If Concubine Yi had truly met an ill end, not a single servant currently serving in the main hall of Yukun Palace would have survived.
“Nonsense, haven’t I woken up? Is there anything to eat? Bring me a bowl of hot soup.”
“Yes, yes! Sister Ziluan has been simmering a pot of Green Jade Rice Porridge every two hours, waiting so that the moment Master woke up, she could have some congee to nourish her stomach.”
Hearing there was food, Fu Lingxi’s mood instantly brightened. However, it was another fifteen minutes before she actually got the porridge into her mouth. After finishing half a bowl, she fell back asleep.
This body, which had once stopped breathing, had become even more frail and weak after this ordeal. Even though she possessed a spiritual core crystal, she still needed a period of transition for it to effectively improve the strength of her physical form.
The Next Day.
The fourth day of the fifth lunar month, clear skies.
Yukun Palace, Main Hall.
“Suran, are you saying that these thirty-six chests of dowry are an exceptional grace from the Emperor, allowing my father’s clan to prepare them for me?”
[I was newly titled as a Concubine. According to precedent, shouldn’t there only be eighteen chests of dowry??]
[That dog Emperor actually let her father’s clan prepare thirty-six? Is he trying to appease her? This is clearly making things difficult for that malicious legal mother, Madam Qi!]
Having just recovered from her illness, Fu Lingxi heard a commotion in the hall. Her confused question led to the discovery of a major matter. Now, she couldn’t stay in bed. She had Ziluan and Suran support her as she walked to the steps of the main hall, looking at the rosewood dowry chests lined up in the courtyard.
“In response to Concubine Yi, this is indeed an extra favor from the Emperor.”
The one who answered Fu Lingxi was not Suran, but rather the head eunuch standing behind a nanny dressed in celebratory clothes—Eunuch Lin Pingzhi!
“Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Lin.”
Recognizing the visitor’s identity, Fu Lingxi offered a pale, shallow smile and replied in a gentle, magnanimous tone, “Quickly, bring a seat for Eunuch Lin.”
“Concubine Yi is too polite.”
Fu Lingxi nodded with a slight smile as a return of the courtesy. She glanced up and saw the young eunuchs arranging the various dowry chests with suspicious ease.
“Wait a moment!”
Her gaze suddenly turned cold and sharp. She abruptly interrupted the young eunuchs’ movements and commanded with a face full of displeasure:
“Someone, open these dowry chests for me to see.”
“This… Concubine Yi!”
Hearing Concubine Yi’s words and seeing the formerly low-born concubine daughter of the Duke’s manor now surrounded by high-ranking palace maids and dressed in exceptionally noble finery, Nanny Wu—the most capable manager by the side of the Duke of Jingwei’s wife, Madam Qi—took a sharp breath. She knew this was the Imperial Palace, not the Duke’s manor where her mistress held total control!
She had personally placed the items into these dowry chests, so she naturally knew the chests were filled with cheap goods meant to deceive Fu Lingxi. Hearing that the formerly pitiful concubine daughter actually dared to arrogantly interrupt the auspicious timing of the dowry delivery, Nanny Wu stepped forward with a face full of sweat. Suppressing her dislike, she lowered her posture and said in a flattering tone:
“Concubine Yi, it would be better for Your Ladyship to review these chests privately against the dowry list. Your servant has completed the task of delivering the dowry according to the auspicious hour and shall take her leave now.”
“Stay right where you are!”
As soon as Fu Lingxi heard the meaning behind Nanny Wu’s words, she knew exactly what kind of cheap trash was in those chests. Seeing that Nanny Wu completely ignored her reprimand and intended to walk away on her own, she revealed a look of rage and commanded, “Eunuch Lin, Eunuch Fang, seize her for me!”
“Concubine… Yi… Your Ladyship, you had better think this through!”
After being seized by Eunuch Fang, Nanny Wu stopped struggling. Instead, she stiffened and threatened Fu Lingxi: “Your concubine-mother and your younger brother still have to survive in the Duke’s manor!”
Nanny Wu did not know Lin Pingzhi’s identity, but the moment Fu Lingxi saw his figure in the hall, she knew receiving the dowry this time would be no easy feat. Clearly, the Emperor allowing Lin Pingzhi to come and observe the ceremony must have “profound meaning.”
Emperor Taiyong was no kind soul!
Fu Lingxi then recalled that the original owner of this body was never truly a weakling; she had only been afraid to fight or stand out before because she had no power or ability! Now, she was at least the woman of a tyrannical Emperor. Was she still supposed to let her legal mother bully her, not even daring to voice a protest when she was being swindled out of her dowry??
Fu Lingxi refused to be such a weak woman!
“Impudent!”
Rushing to stand before Nanny Wu, Fu Lingxi did not hesitate to swing her hand and slap her. With a loud crack, Nanny Wu’s old face immediately swelled from the blow!
In the next second, the seemingly furious Concubine Yi had to be firmly supported by Suran to keep from collapsing.
“Wu, you are impudent! How dare you have the audacity to slander the wife of the Duke of Jingwei!”
Concubine Yi’s face was pale and colorless as she hissed with cold rage: “According to your meaning, if I do not accept these dowry chests, my birth mother and biological younger brother will suffer the torments and difficulties of my legal mother?”
“I am wronged! This old servant had no such intention!”
Nanny Wu was truly terrified now. Regardless of the pain in her face, she struggled and began to wail loudly, thinking to herself: Today in the palace, more than one concubine is receiving their family’s dowry chests. I don’t believe Fu Lingxi can afford to lose face like this!
Clearly, Nanny Wu had severely misjudged Fu Lingxi.
“Someone, open the dowry chests! Let Eunuch Lin see clearly on behalf of the Emperor what sort of shameful things are hidden in these chests!”
“Yes.”
Xuduo and Ziluan were the first to step forward. With the two high-ranking maids leading the way, the remaining second-class maids and the young eunuchs of Yukun Palace—under Eunuch Fang’s signal—all sprang into action.
They opened ten dowry chests in a row. Looking closely, there were seven chests of coarse, dull fabric, one chest of matte and flawed jade ornaments, and two entire chests of low-quality, hollow silver jewelry.
“Heh, truly wonderful…”
Fu Lingxi was so angry that her body swayed. She gritted her teeth, her eyes turning red with suppressed rage as she commanded, “Keep opening them for me!”
“Concubine Yi, spare my life!”
Seeing that Concubine Yi intended to continue opening the chests, Nanny Wu instantly went limp on the ground, kowtowing while crying out, “This old servant knows her wrong! I beg Your Ladyship to spare my life!”
She could already foresee that upon her return to the Duke’s manor, a path of death awaited her!
“What a wonderful mother! Can it be that even though I have become the Emperor’s consort to branch out the imperial family, I cannot receive even a shred of respect from her?”
“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare! Ladyship, please watch your words; the Duke’s wife has no such intention!”
“Hmph, don’t even think of deceiving me! These dowry chests are the best proof! The entire internal management of the Duke’s manor is held in my mother’s hands. Could it be that my concubine-mother, a mere consort, could have prepared these dowry chests for me?”
Fu Lingxi’s face was full of fury. In her agitation, her palm-sized jade face appeared even more pale and frail. She said to Lin Pingzhi:
“Eunuch Lin, I cannot afford such a dowry. I must trouble you to move them back to the Duke of Jingwei’s manor exactly as they are. Let the Duke see them clearly with his own eyes. I will not take a single item from these dowry chests!”
After finishing, Fu Lingxi’s eyes were already red. She had Suran immediately support her as she walked weakly back to the inner bedchamber.
[Tsk, isn’t it just acting? This happens to be my second profession!]