Chapter 55: Saving the Cold-Blooded Female Supporting Character in a Female-Dominated World (6)

After Song Lingshu kept tugging at her clothes for the umpteenth time, Jiang Zhen finally couldn’t take it anymore. She revealed the dagger hidden in her sleeve and said, “If you want to live a few more days, stop that right now.”

Song Lingshu froze. She didn’t dare act up anymore and obediently pulled her clothes back into place, putting on an expression of utter submission.

Jiang Zhen was finally satisfied.

Song Lingshu pouted in grievance, then turned to look at the mirror. Glancing down at the bellyband she was wearing underneath, she had to admit it was quite provocative.

Embarrassed, she tied her clothes properly. Just then, a palace attendant announced from outside the hall that General Li was requesting an audience.

“Let her in.” Song Lingshu hurriedly summoned the general to alleviate the awkward atmosphere.

General Li entered with a rushed expression. “Your Majesty, I heard you were attacked in the Imperial Garden?”

Song Lingshu stood up and sat down on the dragon bed. “It’s all that consort’s fault. Go investigate who he’s been having an affair with.”

“Understood.” General Li acknowledged.

She had been waiting for the Emperor’s summons ever since last night, hoping that the Emperor would bring Jiang Zhen into the palace and then spring a trap. She hadn’t slept at all, staying outside the palace to watch for any commotion inside.

Yet the entire night passed peacefully. She had dozed off during morning court when she was suddenly jolted awake by an entirely new storm.

The Emperor had suddenly announced the dismissal of the entire harem. What earth-shattering news was this? It was as if the Southern Kingdom was about to fall and Earth was about to be destroyed.

This harem was the Emperor’s very life. How could she bear to let go of it?

But after the initial shock, General Li found herself strongly supporting this decision. Whether the Emperor had lost her mind or simply wasn’t awake enough, this decision was nothing but beneficial for stabilizing the kingdom.

Then, in the afternoon, the Emperor was attacked.

This day and night had been nothing short of breathtaking, General Li thought.

However, she heard that Jiang Zhen had saved the Emperor. Thinking of this, she subconsciously looked at the person standing in the corner. Jiang Zhen leaned against the window, the moonlight pure white and hanging high in the sky, casting an eerie pallor on her face. Her long, black shadow stretched across the floor.

General Li felt an inexplicable chill, especially when the other woman was openly listening to their conversation. Jiang Zhen toyed with a dagger in her hand, then pulled out a handkerchief. She wiped the blade slowly and deliberately, then looked up and directed an ambiguous smile at General Li.

General Li swallowed hard. She had the distinct feeling that this woman could easily take care of them. There was a clear hint of danger in Jiang Zhen’s eyes, yet the Emperor insisted on bringing this venomous snake into her own domain. General Li couldn’t understand the Emperor’s intentions at all.

“Your Majesty, I have important matters to discuss with you,” General Li said, hesitating.

Song Lingshu looked at her expression, then turned to Jiang Zhen. “Zhenzhen, why don’t you go play outside for a bit?”

General Li’s face stiffened. Zhenzhen? The Emperor actually called her Zhenzhen?!

Jiang Zhen raised an eyebrow, then put away her dagger. She swaggered out of the bedchamber, with several palace attendants following behind. She asked where the latrine was, and the attendants led her there.

She entered the latrine, looked around for a moment, then quietly slipped out through an opening in the high wall. She crept up to a certain palace, from which she could hear the sounds of men crying and packing their belongings.

She brought her hand to her mouth and made a few bird calls.

Soon, the sounds inside suddenly ceased. A man with a slender, delicate figure and handsome features opened the door. She slipped inside, and the door closed behind them.

Several unconscious people lay on the floor. The man clasped his hands and said seriously, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Jiang Zhen clasped her hands behind her back and asked in a low voice, “Is Liang Taoning truly the one who ordered the harem dismissal?”

“Yes.”

“Every last one?”

“Yes, every last one.”

“Did you find out why?”

“This… your subordinate was unable to determine the reason,” the man said apologetically. “As soon as morning court ended, the palace attendants came to deliver the order. They only said the Emperor had announced it in the court hall. No one knows the reason. I specially went to inquire with a few of the favored consorts, but they also don’t know why.”

Jiang Zhen frowned slightly. “Has she shown any unusual behavior recently? Like hitting her head?”

“No. She has been staying in the harem. Her only major action was when she went out of the palace alone right before Your Majesty entered the capital… and then, Your Majesty appeared in the Imperial Palace,” the man said slowly.

Could it really be to pick her up? And the harem dismissal was because of…

Jiang Zhen shook her head, suppressing the thought that had suddenly popped into her mind. Her voice was a bit airy. “Has she mentioned me lately?”

“Your subordinate is not clear on that. I’m not particularly favored.”

Jiang Zhen had specifically chosen this man to enter the palace because he was passably handsome but not as seductive as the favored consorts. He was neither outstanding nor mediocre, not too conspicuous in the vast harem but not completely ignored either.

Jiang Zhen pondered for a moment.

The man suddenly seemed to think of something. He pointed at a devilishly handsome man lying on the floor and said, “That one was attending to the Emperor before she left the palace. That very night, she didn’t summon anyone to serve her. The next day, she announced the harem’s dismissal. Maybe we should capture him and interrogate him?”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhen’s fingers moved slightly. The dagger slid from her sleeve into her palm. She twirled it in her fingers, walked over to the man, crouched down, and examined his features. Just as she was about to make a move, she heard the sound of guards patrolling outside.

“I’ll leave this to you.” Having said that, Jiang Zhen leaped out through the window, quickly returned to the latrine, and then walked out.

The group of palace attendants had been waiting anxiously but were too embarrassed to go in and check. When she finally emerged, they cautiously asked if she was feeling unwell.

She replied that she wasn’t used to the local climate, and no one dared ask further.

The group headed back toward Song Lingshu’s bedchamber. The people inside were still talking. General Li was deliberately keeping her voice low to avoid being overheard, but Song Lingshu didn’t seem to have a concept of “walls have ears.” She was vividly describing the thrilling incident to General Li.

“You have no idea how terrifying it was today! I nearly lost my life! That lunatic was holding a knife, about to stab it right into my heart. But at that moment, Jiang Zhen descended before me like a heavenly god. One swing of her hand and… no, no, I can’t think about all that blood from the lunatic without getting sick. Bleeh!” Song Lingshu grabbed the bed curtains and dry-heaved repeatedly.

“Your Majesty, drink some water to calm your nerves.” General Li poured her a cup of tea and handed it over. Song Lingshu took a few sips before calming down.

But General Li had listened to her praise Jiang Zhen for so long that she had to remind her, “Your Majesty, Jiang Zhen is full of schemes and ruthless. Please don’t trust her so easily. It’s possible she orchestrated this assassination herself.”

“Impossible. Absolutely not her doing. She would never resort to such sneaky tricks. If she wanted to assassinate me, she would have done it long ago. Why wait until today?” Song Lingshu said.

Jiang Zhen, standing in the courtyard, raised an eyebrow and curled her lips meaningfully. Then she heard Song Lingshu continue, “If she hadn’t helped me today, I would already be dead. So she’s now my honored guest. From now on, all of you treat her with respect. Butter her up, you hear me?”

Jiang Zhen paused mid-step. The hand she was about to raise to knock fell back down.

General Li protested, “But…”

“No buts. Are you going to disobey my orders?” Song Lingshu asked.

“Your subordinate wouldn’t dare.” General Li’s eyebrows were almost twisted into a knot. She felt that the Emperor’s current attitude toward Jiang Zhen was exactly like her previous attitude toward those favored consorts—pampering and soothing.

But the problem was, how were they supposed to soothe Jiang Zhen? Who would dare stroke a tiger’s fur?

Just then, a knock sounded at the door. A palace attendant announced that Jiang Zhen had returned.

Song Lingshu immediately dismissed General Li. General Li felt with sorrow that she was like a neglected consort banished to the Cold Palace. As she passed through the doorway, she glanced sideways at Jiang Zhen.

At that moment, Jiang Zhen’s gaze also swept over. Her lips curled slightly, her eyes half-closed, her long lashes partially veiling her cold stare.

“You’re back. Where did you go play?” Song Lingshu asked with a smile.

Jiang Zhen withdrew her gaze and turned to look at her, walking in with a relaxed step. “The latrine.”

“Took you long enough. You’re not having stomach trouble, are you?” Song Lingshu asked with concern.

Jiang Zhen shot her a fierce glare.

“Alright, I’m a bit sleepy. I’m going to bed.” Yawning, Song Lingshu went to rest in the side hall.

Jiang Zhen stood rooted to the spot, looked around, and then stared straight at the nearest palace attendant.

The attendant immediately understood. Just as she was about to fetch a blanket to make a floor bed, Song Lingshu came back out.

“No, no, that bed is too hard. This one’s more comfortable.” Song Lingshu went straight to the dragon bed, rubbed her injured back, and lay down on her side. “You can sleep in the side hall tonight.”

Jiang Zhen wasn’t going to sleep in a bed she had used. She’d rather sleep on the floor.

In the end, they both ended up sleeping in the same room. Song Lingshu fell asleep quickly, but Jiang Zhen tossed and turned restlessly.

Just the thought of sharing a room with this woman infuriated her. How had it come to this?

While she was tossing and turning, she suddenly heard Song Lingshu let out an “Ah.” She turned her head to see Song Lingshu sitting bolt upright in bed, breathing heavily, as if she’d had a nightmare.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Zhen asked.

Song Lingshu patted her chest. “I dreamed about you killing someone.”

“Scared already?” Jiang Zhen gave a scornful laugh.

“It was terrifying. It’s the first time I’ve actually seen such a bloody scene.” Song Lingshu threw off the covers and got out of bed to light a candle, but accidentally stepped on Jiang Zhen’s leg. Her ankle twisted, and she fell.

She screamed, but it didn’t hurt as much as she expected, because Jiang Zhen was cushioning her fall.

Jiang Zhen let out a muffled grunt, suspecting Song Lingshu was trying to assassinate her on purpose.

“Sorry about that.” Song Lingshu quickly sat up and fumbled around in the darkness. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you anywhere?”

“Where are your hands going!” Jiang Zhen, embarrassed and furious, slapped her hands away.

“Oh, sorry.” Song Lingshu said sheepishly.

“Your Majesty, is everything alright in there?” a palace attendant asked from outside the door.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Don’t come in,” Song Lingshu hurriedly replied.

Jiang Zhen was fuming. She got up and lit a candle, finally bringing light into the room.

Song Lingshu was sitting on her floor bed, the blanket all rumpled and messy from her tossing. She said apologetically, “I’m really sorry about this…”

“If you’re done making a scene, go back to sleep,” Jiang Zhen said sharply.

Song Lingshu cast her eyes down and muttered, “I can’t sleep now.”

“You’re an emperor, and you can’t sleep over such a trivial matter?” Jiang Zhen sneered. “What a worthless fool.”

“What fool? What snack?” Song Lingshu looked up, her eyes no longer panicked. She rubbed her belly, which was growling softly. “Now you’ve made me hungry. I’m going to get something to eat. Want some?”

“………..” Jiang Zhen wanted nothing more than to knock her unconscious right then and there.

It was already the Hour of the Tiger (3-5 AM). The Imperial Kitchen staff had all gone to bed. Song Lingshu led Jiang Zhen to the kitchen, intending to make something delicious. But upon seeing it—no matter how grand it sounded—it was still just a kitchen with an earthen stove. There was no natural gas!

In the middle of the night, she didn’t want to have to light a fire.

Just as she was struggling, a flash of inspiration struck. She told Jiang Zhen to wait aside, then boiled some water and used the [Mobile Supermarket] system to exchange for two cups of instant noodles. She secretly threw away the plastic containers and put the noodle bricks into large bowls.

“What are you doing?” Jiang Zhen glanced at the strange noodles. Seeing Song Lingshu just pour boiling water over them and leave them be, she frowned. “Noodles need to be cooked, you fool.”

“You’re the fool. These don’t need cooking. Just soak them for a bit and they’re done.” Song Lingshu stomped her foot. “You ignorant bumpkin.”

“Who are you calling ignorant?”

Seeing that Jiang Zhen was about to draw her dagger again, Song Lingshu immediately surrendered. “Me, me, me, me! I’m the ignorant one. I’ve never seen people kill without batting an eye. Satisfied?”

The two bickered for a moment, then Song Lingshu lifted the lid off one of the bowls. “Done!”

In the blink of an eye? Yeah, right. Jiang Zhen looked at the bowl dismissively. But then she saw the yellow noodles floating in the water, emitting a strange, enticing fragrance. She couldn’t help but frown.

“Here, careful, it’s hot.” Song Lingshu handed her a bowl, then took her own. She looked around for a stool but found none, so she sat down on the threshold and started eating happily.

Jiang Zhen walked over and watched as Song Lingshu took several big bites. After confirming it wasn’t poisoned, she picked up a chopstickful, sniffed it curiously, and wondered what kind of noodles these were.

“It’s not poisoned. Eat up. It’ll get soggy if you wait too long,” Song Lingshu said.

Jiang Zhen took a skeptical bite…

!!!!!!!!!

She looked down at the bowl in surprise. She had never eaten such delicious noodles. “Does your Southern Kingdom have this kind of delicacy? Why hasn’t it spread to the North?”

It seemed she had mistaken it for a Southern specialty. Song Lingshu smiled and said vaguely, “It’s good, right?”

Jiang Zhen nodded reluctantly.

“Sit down and eat. It’s not convenient to stand.”

Jiang Zhen looked at the threshold. She, a dignified emperor, would never sit on a threshold to eat.

But the other woman was eating so happily, slurping her noodles noisily. It looked much more delicious than what Jiang Zhen was having… and standing to eat was indeed quite inconvenient.

Seeing no one around, Jiang Zhen decided to throw caution to the wind. She plopped down beside Song Lingshu and started eating her noodles in big mouthfuls.

“Ah, this is the life. All that’s missing is a cola to go with it,” Song Lingshu sighed contentedly after finishing her meal. Then she paused. Right! She could exchange for a cola from the [Mobile Supermarket]!

[System·Mobile Supermarket]: 【……】

“Hang on, let me get some more food.” Song Lingshu ran back into the kitchen, took out two new bowls, and poured the cola she had exchanged into them. She carried them out and handed one to Jiang Zhen.

“Try my homemade sweet soup.”

“What’s this black, murky stuff?” Jiang Zhen looked at it with disgust. “Take it away.”

“Tsk, you don’t know a good thing when you see it.” Song Lingshu took a sip herself and let out a satisfied “Ahhh.”

Seeing how much Song Lingshu was enjoying it, Jiang Zhen’s resolve wavered. Could it be like the noodles, strange in appearance but incredibly delicious?

Thinking this, she furtively picked up the bowl and took a sip.

“Well? Is it good?” Song Lingshu asked with a grin.

Jiang Zhen: “It’s terrible!”

Song Lingshu: Oh really? Then why are you chugging it down nonstop?