The so-called “senior palace maids” referred to those who were already in the palace before Xing Ruolan became Chief Palace Steward. “Senior” denoted their length of service; in reality, most of these palace maids were still only in their twenties.
Di Lingwei ordered all the senior palace maids summoned and also sent someone to retrieve their individual dossiers.
By the time the dossiers arrived, all the palace maids had assembled. Twelve of them stood before Di Lingwei, paying their respects.
Taking the dossiers, Di Lingwei glanced through them and called out a name: “Xiuzhu. Who is Xiuzhu?”
“This servant is Xiuzhu.”
A palace maid with sharp features and fair skin stepped forward.
Di Lingwei looked at the woman, about to ask her question, but immediately sensed something was off.
According to the dossier, Xiuzhu was a palace maid of relatively advanced age, nearing thirty. Yet the palace maid before her looked very young.
Could it be good skincare?
Di Lingwei pondered momentarily, then decided to activate her Mystic Left Eye to observe her.
Name: Yun Xiang.
Status: Palace Maid.
Seeing this Trait, Di Lingwei fell silent for a moment.
Then Di Lingwei asked, “You are Xiuzhu?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Yun Xiang answered reverently.
Di Lingwei didn’t outwardly react. She looked at the names of the senior palace maids in the dossiers, then used her Mystic Left Eye to check the Traits of the present palace maids.
Not a single person’s name matched the senior palace maids listed in the dossiers.
Realizing this, Di Lingwei closed the dossier in her hand and casually tossed it onto the nearby table.
“Why are you impersonating Xiuzhu?” Di Lingwei asked, looking at Yun Xiang.
The fastest to react to this were Wang Feifei and Mu Fuwan. They quickly moved to Di Lingwei’s side, eyeing the palace maids cautiously.
Yun Xiang’s expression changed drastically.
She had been seen through?
How could she have been discovered?
Yun Xiang and the others, in seeking one last chance, had been fortunate enough to overhear the summons for all senior palace maids. They decisively dealt with the actual seniors and took their places.
They weren’t afraid of being exposed, either. Di Lingwei hadn’t been on the throne long and wasn’t considered very familiar with the palace maids.
Especially since the senior palace maids had been sidelined by Xing Ruolan and rarely appeared before Di Lingwei. Moreover, they themselves had rarely shown their faces before Her Majesty. They thought impersonating the seniors would be foolproof.
To impersonate the seniors, get close to Di Lingwei, then find an opportunity to assassinate her—that was their plan.
But Yun Xiang had never anticipated being identified right from the start. Why did Di Lingwei spot the discrepancy? As far as she knew, Di Lingwei rarely entered the palace before her ascension and shouldn’t have any impression of the obscure palace maids.
Looking at Yun Xiang’s bewildered eyes, Di Lingwei’s expression grew solemn. She asked again, “Why impersonate Xiuzhu? Yun Xiang.”
Upon hearing the name ‘Yun Xiang,’ Yun Xiang’s whole body jolted.
She truly had been recognized.
In that instant, Yun Xiang shed any pretense of luck. She shouted: “Strike!”
Then, gritting her teeth, Yun Xiang lunged towards Di Lingwei.
As she charged, Yun Xiang waved her hand, casting out a large cloud of green-tinged smoke. A single glance made it clear that contact was to be avoided at all costs.
Simultaneously, the other eleven palace maids behind her didn’t hesitate a moment. They rushed forward, pulling daggers from their clothes. In that split second, like vipers darting from their holes, they revealed their vicious fangs.
This turn of events greatly startled Di Lingwei. Fortunately, Wang Feifei reacted quickly enough. She slapped the nearby stone table, sending it flying directly at Yun Xiang, blocking the dispersing poison mist.
Mu Fuwan shouted: “Protect Her Majesty!”
The front courtyard doors burst open, and Imperial Guards flooded in, the sound of drawn sabers ringing out continuously.
In the front courtyard, a murderous atmosphere pervaded the air in the blink of an eye.
Having just dodged the stone table, Yun Xiang grew anxious at this sight. This situation was completely different from what she’d envisioned. She wanted a covert assassination, not a brazen assault. Things had spiralled completely beyond her plan.
But she wasn’t willing to give up. They had come this far. If they stopped now, they’d never succeed.
Thinking this, Yun Xiang urgently ordered the other palace maids to stall Wang Feifei and Mu Fuwan before the Imperial Guards could close in. She herself charged two steps towards Di Lingwei’s position.
But after only two steps, Yun Xiang couldn’t help but halt.
She looked at Di Lingwei.
Di Lingwei was also looking at her.
The look in Di Lingwei’s eyes right now, to Yun Xiang, was utterly calm, indifferent, carrying a sense of looking down upon her from above.
Like the Heavens gazing upon mortal beings.
In that instant, Yun Xiang remembered Di Lingwei’s terrifying power. Fine, cold sweat uncontrollably appeared on her forehead.
This was the Heavenly Mandate Empress who had suppressed all rivals through martial might. As for whether assassination would succeed, that was uncertain. But in a direct confrontation… how could she possibly be a match for such an existence?
“Well? Do you intend to strike at Zhen?” Di Lingwei’s tone had a hint of mockery. “Nowadays, few still dare to raise a hand against Zhen. Should Zhen admire their courage, or mock their stupidity?”
Yun Xiang held a dagger in her hand but dared not step forward.
“Zhen is standing right here. If you want to strike at Zhen, then come. Let Zhen see what tricks you have.”
Di Lingwei put on an overbearing, supreme air, trying to intimidate Yun Xiang.
It wasn’t the first time. Di Lingwei had grown accustomed to bluffing. As long as she played the part well, it would have an effect.
Yun Xiang was indeed intimidated, even beginning to fall into despair.
‘Why is my fate so tragic? If I strike, I die. If I don’t strike, it’s a living death. Why…’
Yun Xiang’s expression was full of inner struggle.
She even began to resent Xing Ruolan. If Xing Ruolan hadn’t somehow offended Di Lingwei, causing Yun Xiang to lose the time to prepare properly inside the palace, would she have recklessly acted without a complete plan?
From the looks of it now, she had already failed.
She was so unwilling.
So deeply unwilling.
“Zhen advises you all to surrender and await judgment. Resisting Zhen is an incredibly foolish choice.” Di Lingwei spoke, her expression composed and unhurried, as if she had all the time in the world.
Yun Xiang’s hand holding the dagger went slack for a moment.
She felt Di Lingwei’s words were so correct. What meaning was there in such resistance? It seemed she truly should just surrender.
But…
Surrendering and awaiting judgment—wasn’t that just a death sentence?
Attempting regicide was a capital crime. If death was inevitable regardless, why not fight desperately before the end?
What if there was a miracle?
Yun Xiang’s expression hardened with resolve. Gritting her teeth, she charged straight at Di Lingwei, raising the dagger in her hand, the blade gleaming coldly with a sinister light.
