Today was Tang Qi’s simple conferment. The Emperor announced this during the morning court assembly, simultaneously issuing an edict to build her a Princess’s Mansion, grant her an Iron Plaque Pardon, and reward her with Ten Thousand Taels of Gold.
The true formal conferment ceremony would still be two months away, requiring sacrifices at the Ancestral Temple and a proclamation to the world. After the morning court, Zhao Yi summoned Tang Qi to the Imperial Study.
He stroked his beard and looked at Tang Qi with satisfaction. “He’er, tell me, what are your thoughts for the future?” Zhao He was Tang Qi’s current name. She raised an eyebrow at the Emperor, but before she could speak, the Emperor called her over to look at the portrait of the Late Empress.
The person in the portrait truly resembled her by eighty percent, holding a longsword with refined brows and eyes. Zhao Yi reminisced, “Half of this empire belongs to your mother. If she hadn’t worn out her health accompanying me in conquering the world, she wouldn’t have…” As he spoke, he began to cry.
“Host, Host, trouble! Zhao the Dog is harassing Luoluo! Go save Luoluo!” The System’s voice rang out like an alarm. Under the Emperor’s astonished and still-tearful gaze, Tang Qi stood up. “Imperial Father, your child will return shortly.”
Before the dumbfounded Emperor’s eyes, she dashed out like a gust of wind.
Meanwhile, facing Zhao Chengfeng’s pressing advances, Luo Xu could only retreat continuously. Zhao Chengfeng looked as if he were watching an unreasonable young girl. “The past suffering is over. From now on, Gu will compensate you!”
Luo Xu had never imagined that all her hardships would finally be reduced to a carelessly dismissive “It’s all in the past!” She wanted to scream, wanted to stab to death the instigator of her misery standing before her, but could only grit her teeth and forcibly endure it.
“Gu has dismissed the palace servants here. You can scold Gu, hit Gu if you want!” Seeing Luo Xu’s pale face, Zhao Chengfeng felt some heartache. He knew he had wronged Luo Xu. But if he could do it all over again, he would still make the same choice.
He reached out again to pull Luo Xu. “Gu will go now and ask Imperial Father to fulfill our wedding engagement. Xu’er, my heart still feels for…”
The next moment, Zhao Chengfeng suddenly felt the world spin. Before he could react, he was flung away, crashing into the wall behind him. A sharp pain shot into his bone marrow and spread through his limbs. He coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Tang Qi was dressed in her Princess Court Attire, the cumbersome Hair Crown already removed and held in her hand. Like a guard, she stood protectively before Luo Xu, her gaze filled with icy frost as she stared at Zhao Chengfeng.
Zhao Chengfeng’s guards belatedly reacted, immediately drawing their swords and pointing them at Tang Qi. One guard shouted angrily, “How dare you!”
Luo Xu’s tense heart relaxed. She stepped forward and grabbed the corner of Tang Qi’s clothes. Tang Qi patted her hand, handed the Hair Crown in her hand to Luo Xu, and took a few steps forward, slapping the guard who had just rebuked her across the face. “Who gave you the audacity to speak to This Palace like that?”
The guard stared at her court attire, finally understanding Tang Qi’s identity, and was so shocked he quickly knelt to apologize. Tang Qi hadn’t originally been angry at him, but now she didn’t tell him to rise, merely curling her lips into a cold smile. “The Crown Prince fails to greet This Palace upon seeing me. No wonder his guards don’t take This Palace seriously.”
The Crown Prince’s rank was Standard First Rank; he indeed needed to bow when greeting Tang Qi. Zhao Chengfeng’s gaze turned slightly cold, and within a few breaths, he suppressed his emotions. He bowed with a cupped-hand salute. “Greetings, Imperial Elder Sister!”
Tang Qi accepted the courtesy fully, yet still maintained a stance of unwillingness to relent. “This guard insulted This Palace. How does the Crown Prince intend to handle this?”
Zhao Chengfeng’s body stiffened slightly, his expression calm. “It is entirely up to Imperial Elder Sister to decide.”
“In This Palace’s opinion… execution!” Tang Qi’s tone was calm. Zhao Chengfeng lowered his eyes. “Then it shall be as Imperial Elder Sister says.” As soon as the words left his mouth, before anyone could react, he drew his treasured sword and stabbed toward the kneeling Attendant.
In the next instant, Tang Qi caught the blade barehanded, the sword grazing past and cutting Zhao Chengfeng’s palm. Tang Qi let out a scoff, her previously expressionless face now tinged with mockery. “This Palace is not such a ruthless person. It was merely a joke. I just didn’t expect the Crown Prince… to be so… generous with his subordinates!”
“A heart like the Crown Prince’s truly doesn’t make a good master.” Tang Qi walked to Luo Xu’s side. Her previous aggressiveness and arrogance suddenly melted into gentleness as she took the cumbersome Hair Crown back. “This thing is heavy. Let me carry it!”
Luo Xu nervously asked, “Does your hand hurt? Did the sword cut you?”
Zhao Chengfeng’s eyes widened instantly. Before, if he had been hurt even slightly, Luo Xu would have been intensely worried. Now, when he had been manipulated by someone and seriously injured, Luo Xu paid no heed, focused only on Tang Qi.
Bitterness filled his heart, mixed with some dissatisfaction.
“Xu’er!” Zhao Chengfeng called her name in a low voice. Luo Xu turned her gaze toward him. For some reason, Zhao Chengfeng felt nervous. He coughed forcefully, waiting for Luo Xu’s words of concern. Luo Xu merely spoke coldly: “The Crown Prince should change his habit of selling people out for gain.”
She curved her lips into a slight smile, using the sharp, sarcastic tone Zhao Chengfeng detested most: “I truly pity the people around you. Who knows when they’ll die an unexplained, unjust death.”
Zhao Chengfeng’s heart turned cold, bit by bit. In disbelief, he even forgot his formal self-address. “I’m injured.” Shouldn’t Luo Xu be like before, showing no mercy to those who hurt him… but gentle and caring towards him? How, how could she treat him like this!
Luo Xu nodded. “Injured, and then? Don’t tell me you’re still expecting my concern? My care? Zhao Chengfeng, you really are shameless.” She couldn’t help but laugh, her brow carrying a few hints of hateful madness. “Not only will I not soften, I will gloat, I will clap and cheer!”
Zhao Chengfeng’s lips trembled, never imagining Luo Xu would become like this. He heard Luo Xu continue, “Oh right, those Hidden Weapon Blueprints I drew for you before… I turned around and sold them cheaply to someone else. Crown Prince, I mean all the blueprints!”
“Luo Xu!” Zhao Chengfeng instinctively roared. The sales of those Hidden Weapons accounted for the bulk of the Crown Prince’s Mansion’s accounts. His Deathsworn, his network of connections—they all required silver to maintain!
Tang Qi stepped in front of Luo Xu. “Crown Prince, those Hidden Weapons were created by your Advisor. We sold our own things. Why are you angry? What does it have to do with you?”
Zhao Chengfeng ignored Tang Qi, just glaring fiercely at Luo Xu. After a long while, he said, as if reaching enlightenment, “You hate me, you actually hate me?”
“Yes, I hate you!” Luo Xu was baffled. “You knew clearly that I was framed, yet you still allowed Nalan Xue to harm me. You knew clearly Nalan Xue bribed the Yamen Runners to humiliate me, yet you turned a blind eye. My legs were broken, my face disfigured. I’ve eaten pig slop and slept in outhouses. Several times I nearly… was violated. Shouldn’t I hate you?”
“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have suffered all this. I hate your choice to ignore it, and I hate your self-righteousness even more.” Luo Xu gritted her teeth. “Zhao Chengfeng, I am not obligated to love you, to always sacrifice for you. What makes you think that after all this, I should still love you?”
Tang Qi glanced at Zhao Chengfeng, took Luo Xu’s hand, and said, “Let’s go. Imperial Father is hosting a banquet in the Imperial Harem. I’ll take you there.” Luo Xu nodded and left with Tang Qi.
Watching the two of them leave hand-in-hand, Zhao Chengfeng felt a fury of betrayal.
He didn’t understand. He had used Luo Xu back then, but everything he did was for their future! Why couldn’t Luo Xu understand him?
Once they were far away, Tang Qi pinched Luo Xu’s nose and instructed, “I have to go back to the Imperial Study for a while. I’ll escort you to the Imperial Garden first. Her Highness the Grand Princess is waiting for you there. Stay with the Grand Princess and don’t wander off. If anyone displeases you, wait for me to return, and I’ll help you deal with them.”
Now she had to go coax that tearful dad of hers!
Tang Qi touched her chest, feeling a strange, novel sensation. It was as if, besides Luo Xu, she had gained something else.
Luo Xu nodded and helped Tang Qi put on her Hair Crown. Usually, for convenience, Tang Qi preferred to wear masculine-style clothing. The Princess Court Attire made her look exceptionally soft, beautiful, and majestic. Her makeup added more charm and a touch less heroic spirit. Luo Xu couldn’t help but blush, a few inappropriate thoughts appearing in her mind. “Then be careful.”
Seeing her blush, Tang Qi also felt a teasing impulse. “What are you thinking about?”
Back in the Imperial Study, Zhao Yi was huffing and glaring. Seeing Tang Qi return only worsened his expression. He raged, “They say beauty leads a country astray. How could you, a woman, also…”
Tang Qi wisely didn’t retort. Zhao Yi suppressed his anger. “You have a grudge against the Crown Prince?” Tang Qi wasn’t surprised Zhao Yi knew about the earlier incident. She just nodded. “Being ruthless is one thing, but one should still have a bottom line.”
Zhao Yi suddenly sighed. Tang Qi picked up her tea and took a sip, then spoke again. “While you’re still young, have a few more children.”
“You…” Zhao Yi was so angry his head hurt. “Go, go to the Imperial Garden. Stop being an eyesore here.” Tang Qi rose and bowed. “Your child will change clothes and go right away.”
This princess court attire was too cumbersome.
Before leaving, she turned her head to look at Zhao Yi. Zhao Yi’s gaze was fixed on the Empress’s portrait, his expression desolate. She suddenly could somewhat understand the Emperor’s feelings.
Zhao Yi, being so shrewd, naturally saw through Zhao Chengfeng’s thoughts and tricks. He was satisfied that Zhao Chengfeng wasn’t trapped by romantic love, yet disliked that his schemes were underhanded.
But the vast realm needed an Heir.
Tang Qi changed her attire and walked toward the Imperial Harem.
She sent the System to monitor Zhao Chengfeng. With Zhao Zhen at Luo Xu’s side, she wasn’t worried about Luo Xu being at a disadvantage.
In the Imperial Garden, hundreds of flowers were in full bloom; their thick fragrance could be smelled from far away. Tang Qi had just reached the Imperial Garden when she thought of something, turned back to give a few instructions to the palace maid behind her, and then stepped inside.
The Eunuch beside her promptly announced loudly: “Her Highness the Princess arrives!”
Everyone hastily rose. Even the Noble Consort had to rise and give greeting. They saw a woman wearing princely attire walk in slowly.
Today, all those in the Imperial Garden were womenfolk. They didn’t know the Princess, and just moments ago were grouped in small clusters, thinking that a princess from the common folk would surely have shortcomings in etiquette and bearing.
But upon seeing Tang Qi, they were all dumbstruck. The hem of Tang Qi’s robe lifted slightly; her steps raised not a speck of dust. The Jade Pendant at her waist hung perfectly still.
Her entire presence was poised and natural, showing no trace of pettiness; every gesture was full of imperial elegance. She didn’t seem at all like a princess lost among the common folk, but rather like a favored daughter of heaven raised within the palace.
Tang Qi waved her hand. “You may rise.” Suppressed by her aura, everyone dared not breathe loudly. Even the Noble Consort, who had wanted to find fault, could only swallow her grievances silently.
Tang Qi’s gaze landed on Luo Xu’s face, beside Zhao Zhen. But just one glance made her expression change drastically. She strode forward, grabbed Luo Xu, and asked coldly, “What happened? Who hit you?”
![[GL Apocalypse] The Boss is a Beautiful Bottom Protagonist](https://i2.wp.com/dobytranslations.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/appp.png?resize=151,215 "[GL Apocalypse] The Boss is a Beautiful Bottom Protagonist")