Chapter 4: The State Preceptor Scheming to Overthrow the Court

The hall burned with charcoal fires, a stark contrast to the icy snowstorm outside. Inside, it was as warm as spring. The imperial physician, who had just been transferred over, finished his examination and personally watched over the decoction in the outer chamber. He simply couldn’t fathom why the ruthless State Preceptor had suddenly grown a conscience and brought Her Majesty out of the dungeon.

—and carried her out in her own arms, no less.

He couldn’t help but recall the rumors that had once caused a huge uproar: Her Majesty coveted the State Preceptor’s beauty and sought to take her into the harem, which ultimately led to a falling out with the State Preceptor’s household. In the end, she was imprisoned in the deepest part of Li Yue Nation Dungeon.

These entanglements and grudges had spread far and wide outside, but they only knew a fraction of the truth.

The imperial physician watched the medicine absentmindedly, completely unaware that the Medicine Apprentice attending at his side had quietly slipped a hand behind his back.

Before the boy could draw his blade, footsteps approached. A blindingly pure white figure pushed open the door, followed by swirling snowflakes.

The boy paused, a flash of reluctance in his eyes, but he ultimately sheathed the blade.

In his heart, he thought: This demoness must have come up with some vicious new torture for Her Majesty.

Shi Qingyi: “……”

The System let out a long sigh of relief in her mind. “Good thing you got here in time, or Xu Zhaosu would’ve been rescued.”

Shi Qingyi’s mouth twitched slightly, though her face remained coldly impassive. “This is why you dragged me out of bed in the middle of the night?”

Overtime wasn’t supposed to work like this! No letting employees get a decent night’s sleep in the dead of night!

“What do you mean ‘sleep’? Xu Zhaosu’s knife was at your throat, and all you could think about was sleeping!” The System was exasperated.

While bickering furiously with the System in her mind, Shi Qingyi silently passed the imperial physician and the Medicine Apprentice, lightening her steps as she approached the bed.

The person on the bed seemed to be asleep, her breathing shallow and even.

The palace lamp by the bed cast a dim glow. The frail woman lay inside the bed curtains, her exposed lotus-like arm covered in bruises.

Shi Qingyi reached out a hand, seemingly wanting to touch her eyes and gaunt cheeks, but it hovered in midair for a long moment before she slowly withdrew it.

The imperial physician and Medicine Apprentice held their breaths, not daring to relax—especially the Medicine Apprentice, whose hand had already slipped back into his sleeve.

Shi Qingyi lowered her gaze and sat by the bed, quietly watching the person on it for a while.

She had lost so much weight; her once plump, pretty cheeks were visibly sunken. The Female Sovereign, who had never lifted a finger in her life, now had her exposed arm riddled with frostbite—so severe it was hard to look at.

A moment later, Shi Qingyi waved her hand and lowered her voice, sounding utterly weary. “You two, wait in the outer hall.”

The imperial physician was overjoyed and hurriedly dragged the Medicine Apprentice away. The boy was reluctant but didn’t dare to act now, so he retreated quietly.

Yuming Hall was finally left with just the two of them. For a time, it was so quiet one could hear a pin drop. Shi Qingyi sat silently for a while, then stood and picked up a pair of scissors from nearby.

In the outer chamber, the Medicine Apprentice’s body tensed, his white blade half-drawn from its sheath.

Then, they saw the State Preceptor, who now held power over the realm, use the scissors to snip off the palace lamp by the bed.

She even cupped her hand over it as she extinguished the flame, as if afraid the flickering light would disturb the sleeping person.

The knife in the Medicine Apprentice’s hand went back in with utter exasperation.

Hmph, there must be more to it. She’s just lulling us into lowering our guard!

The Medicine Apprentice crouched in wait outside, gripping his dagger tightly.

He was planted here from outside, Her Majesty’s hidden guard. If this traitor made any move, he would risk his life to rescue her.

Until dawn gradually broke.

For some inexplicable reason, the traitor made no move at all. She simply stayed by Her Majesty’s bedside, staring at her as if she’d never seen her before, watching through the entire night.

There must be some other ruthless scheme!

Having stayed up all night without closing his eyes, the Medicine Apprentice’s were bloodshot. The imperial physician had been rotated out, but he’d begged and pleaded to stay.

As daylight grew brighter, the woman finally stood and walked toward the exit. He’d endured the night. Just as the Medicine Apprentice relaxed a fraction, she turned back after two steps and gently tucked Her Majesty’s exposed arm back into the warm brocade quilt.

The Medicine Apprentice stared in stunned silence, his racing heart thumping back down.

As Shi Qingyi stepped out of the hall, she slightly raised her eyes and glanced at the place she had lived in for two years. To fit her persona of single-minded devotion to the Dao, it had been decorated like a Taoist temple. Later, to match her scum persona of craving power and luxury, it had been redone in opulent gold and jade— so bright white it was nearly blinding.

The corner of Shi Qingyi’s mouth twitched imperceptibly—anyway, it just doesn’t look like a good person’s place.

She pressed her temple and instructed as she walked out, “Once… Her Majesty wakes and feels a bit better, send her to Mingze Hall. That’s where she’s used to staying. It’s been vacant for two years—take people over, clean it thoroughly, replace everything, and set up braziers right away to drive out the chill.”

“Also, have the capable physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau come wait outside the hall. Rotate them in three shifts a day. Take any medicines needed directly from the national treasury.”

After giving her orders, she brushed aside a maid’s hand and pushed open the hall door herself. The heavy snow outside hadn’t stopped, but sparse sunlight filtered through the clouds, stinging her eyes with patches of white.

No one around her dared speak extra words, merely acknowledging her commands. Only one female official said softly, “State Preceptor, what about today’s court assembly? The ministers have been waiting in the front hall for some time.”

Shi Qingyi paused slightly. “Then let’s go.” Having stayed up all night, her voice was a bit hoarse. She frowned and glanced back.

Outside, snow fell in thick flurries, but inside, shielded by the window gauze, it was still a sweet, dark dream. She pulled her heavy cloak tighter.

“Keep your voices down. Don’t disturb Her Majesty.”

The female official: ……?

The Medicine Apprentice, still secretly clutching his knife: ?!?!

Had they misheard something?

What kind of bizarre turn was this?!

Back when Her Majesty had showered the State Preceptor with favors, piling the world’s treasures at her feet, the State Preceptor had never shown a good face. Now she suddenly changed her tune? Had she been kicked in the head by a donkey?

Shi Qingyi walked forward through the snow with an expressionless face, utterly unconcerned with the inner turmoil of the crowd behind her. She thought to herself that Xu Zhaosu was quite resilient.

She hadn’t slept a wink all night, and Xu Zhaosu had pretended to sleep sweetly the whole time. Shi Qingyi almost felt sorry for her.

At least she could move around occasionally, but someone pretending to sleep had to stay mentally taut the entire night without stirring.

—Truly miserable.

The System couldn’t help sympathizing in her mind with the injured Female Sovereign who had endured the night, and casually asked, “—How did you know Xu Zhaosu wasn’t asleep?”

“When she sleeps, she always curls up. She’s never been this proper once.”

The System: “……Something feels off about this.”

“Hm?”

The System virtually slammed the table. “Wait, Shi Qingyi, how the hell do you know the Female Sovereign’s sleeping posture?! Don’t tell me you’ve been peeping at her while she sleeps!!”

“Shi Qingyi!” The System couldn’t resist turning back in the void, and sure enough, in the empty Yuming Hall, the Female Sovereign who had seemed fast asleep opened her eyes soundlessly.

Those eyes couldn’t see a thing, yet they instinctively turned toward the direction Shi Qingyi had left.

The dim candlelight in the hall cast her gaze into shadowy obscurity.