Xiao Yanran herself was a peerless beauty, with an appearance and bearing that were one in ten thousand.
However, the Empress had loved vegetarian food and fruit since childhood, and after inheriting the throne, she had been constantly busy, so her figure was rather slender and she looked slightly haggard.
On top of that, her body was weak, and she often suffered from headaches and menstrual pain.
Ever since she encountered someone in her dream who looked like Little Pillar, she had not only gained a little bit of power for self-preservation, but had also undergone some other changes.
For example, her skin had become more delicate and rosy.
For example, her eyes had become limpid and more beautiful.
There was also the matter of her body proportions.
In the past, although Xiao Yanran was not completely flat-chested, she was definitely not “ambitious.”
One could only say that they were just barely passable.
However, after experiencing the dreamscape, Xiao Yanran felt that they seemed to have truly changed a little.
What Xiao Yanran did not know was that this was merely a natural physiological change of the human body.
An Imperial Clan member like Xiao Yanran was watched in every word and action, so she almost never touched her own chest.
With the exception of that crazy girl, Princess Xiao Yanzhi.
This was much like leavened dough: if you did not knead it, the dough would not ferment.
After Xiao Yanran discovered that the experiences in the dreamscape had miraculous effects on the body, she chose to go to sleep early today.
The thought the Empress conveyed to herself was: I must become stronger; I must practice cultivation!
But actually, hehe, the result was wonderful, and the process was enjoyable too.
After Xiao Yanran slept for a while, the sound of someone kicking down the door came from outside, as expected.
Xiao Yanran sat up and stared at that “Little Pillar,” asking, “Who are you, really?!”
The person in the dream gave a strange laugh and said nothing.
This time, he slowly sat down beside Xiao Yanran and gently combed her hair for her.
Xiao Yanran pushed his hand away. “Who are you, exactly? Say something!”
The other person’s expression changed, instantly becoming savage and ferocious.
As expected, what was meant to happen still happened.
Xiao Yanran could only silently tell herself: This is a dream, this is cultivation, this is beauty sleep, this is all just an empty dream.
However, today seemed a little different.
Someone smashed through the window and jumped in.
It was Chu Xiaoxiang.
Chu Xiaoxiang held a long sword and thrust it toward Liang Zhu.
Liang Zhu hurriedly withdrew and engaged Chu Xiaoxiang in combat.
Xiao Yanran looked bewildered. “Beloved Minister Chu, why are you also...”
A third person had appeared in the dreamscape, leaving Xiao Yanran completely baffled.
Judging from Liang Zhu’s expression, Chu Xiaoxiang’s sudden appearance seemed unexpected to him as well.
However, after only a few rounds, Chu Xiaoxiang was grabbed by the person who looked like Liang Zhu.
That person fiercely seized Chu Xiaoxiang by the hair and dragged her toward them.
While struggling desperately, Chu Xiaoxiang shouted to the Empress, “Your Majesty, do not fear him! This guy definitely is not Little Pillar. He must be some evil spirit or evil god possessing Little Pillar!”
The guy with Little Pillar’s face seemed displeased by Chu Xiaoxiang’s incessant chatter. He seized her by the hair, lifted her up, then raised his hand and slapped her pretty face twice.
With no power to resist, Chu Xiaoxiang fell onto the carpet, a thread of blood flowing from the corner of her mouth.
The evil spirit let out a sinister, proud weird laugh and kicked Chu Xiaoxiang in the abdomen!
The sudden beating kicked Chu Xiaoxiang into a curled-up ball. She clutched her stomach, her expression filled with pain.
Obviously, this evil spirit was deliberately torturing Chu Xiaoxiang.
Clutching her abdomen, which was racked with sharp pain, Chu Xiaoxiang shouted to Xiao Yanran, “Your Majesty, do not fear him! This is a dreamscape. He cannot kill us!”
The evil spirit let out a sinister weird laugh, picked up the sword from the ground, and swung it toward Chu Xiaoxiang’s neck.
Chu Xiaoxiang died on the spot, collapsing into a pool of blood and lying motionless.
The Empress was so frightened that her complexion turned pale. She let out a scream and woke from the dream.
Under the darkened lamplight, there was no one around.
After a moment, footsteps came from the distance.
The haggard-looking Xiao Meiyue came running over. “Your Majesty, are you all right?”
The Empress shook her head with a bitter smile. “I’m fine. It was only a dream.”
Xiao Meiyue directed the palace maids to bring hot water, towels, and clean clothes.
While changing clothes, the Empress asked, “You were not on duty today, were you? Why are you here?”
Xiao Meiyue said with a smile, “I was worried that Your Majesty would not rest well, so I came to check on you.”
The Empress gave a quiet hum and instructed in a low voice, “I am afraid of noise when I sleep. Tell the palace maids not to stay too close, lest they disturb me.”
“Rest assured, Your Majesty...” Xiao Meiyue said solemnly. “Your Majesty slept soundly today, so I had them withdraw twenty zhang away to await your summons. I guarantee that no one will disturb Your Majesty.”
Twenty zhang was equivalent to sixty or seventy meters.
At that distance, unless one shouted at the top of one’s throat, it would be absolutely impossible to hear the other person clearly.
The Empress frowned and glanced at Xiao Meiyue, wondering inwardly whether this Palace Lady Official had heard some of her dream talk.
However, Xiao Meiyue’s face was completely composed, and one could not see anything unusual.
The Empress nodded approvingly, then added, “You should not approach either.”
Xiao Meiyue hurriedly nodded and accepted the order.
The Empress could no longer fall asleep for the time being, so she began dealing with court affairs.
At the same time, the Empress examined her own power.
Today’s power had not increased at all. It seemed that the interruption of the dreamscape had prevented the Empress from obtaining the power of cultivation.
The Empress sighed and could only continue working.
Daybreak arrived, and Liang Zhu also got out of bed with a depressed look.
The dreamscape from last night had actually been interrupted by Chu Xiaoxiang!
It seemed that connecting the dreamscapes of three people at once would be extremely unstable.
Liang Zhu put on his clothes and prepared to report for duty when Princess Xiao Yanzhi barged straight in.
“Little Pillar!” The Princess asked excitedly, “I heard Older Sister had you come teach me?”
Without even looking up, Liang Zhu said, “There is no such thing!”
The Princess said smugly, “But the imperial edict has already been issued!”
“Oh, my dear aunt!” Liang Zhu screamed. “Please, I do not want to teach you! I am not a doctor at a psychiatric hospital, damn it. I cannot manage you!”
The Princess tugged at Liang Zhu’s hand and laughed. “Little Pillar, do not be like that. It is the most fun when I am with you! Shall we play Fight the Landlord later?”
Liang Zhu looked at the Princess with a tragic gaze. “Fine, let us play. Who is afraid of whom? What happens if we lose?”
The Princess looked delighted. “The loser gets slapped! Lose however many cards, get slapped that many times!”
Half a shichen later, Liang Zhu had been beaten into a pig’s head.
The Princess’s skin was fair and tender, so Liang Zhu could not bear to hit her.
But when the crazy Princess beat Liang Zhu, she showed not the slightest mercy.
Just as Liang Zhu was suffering terribly, a savior arrived outside.
A little eunuch walked to the entrance of Wutong Court and shouted, “The Heir of the Prince of Zhenxi, Wu Shixiong, has come to visit!”
Outside, Wu Shixiong laughed loudly. “Eunuch Xiao Zhuzi, I have come to bring you a gift... Ah, what happened here...”