Chapter 29: The Splendid Country Part 1

The next day, Xia Lingyu officially conferred the title of Imperial Noble Consort Xiao upon Xiao Luo, bestowing upon her the Azure Phoenix Hall.

This move sent shockwaves through the court and the former dynasty. Her Majesty was a woman—how could she possibly make another woman an Imperial Noble Consort? Moreover, the Azure Phoenix Hall was the residence of empresses throughout the dynasties. This rank was practically equivalent to that of the Empress herself.

The officials opposed it in droves. Of course, their opposition was futile. Xia Lingyu single-handedly suppressed their voices, and even announced that a grand investiture ceremony would be held on Xiao Luo’s eighteenth birthday.

At Prince Heng’s Mansion, Xia Wuheng learned of this news and went to his Sixth Concubine’s courtyard to vent for an entire day.

He recalled the Xiao Luo he had encountered in the Imperial Garden—clearly still a lowly Hostage Princess anyone could bully, yet now she had soared to the branch to become a phoenix.

He felt particularly bitter about this matter.

Not long ago, he had also been beaten by Xia Lingyu because of Xiao Luo. Several of his distinctively knuckled fingers had been crushed, and he had to wait for Divine Doctor Shui to arrive for treatment.

Thinking of this, a cold darkness flashed through Xia Wuheng’s eyes. Gritting his teeth, he cursed Xia Lingyu in his heart. Damn it all, once he ascended the Throne, he would have Xia Lingyu torn apart by five horses, her body hacked to pieces!

As he thought this, he tormented the Sixth Concubine until she was half-dead.

When he was finally done, Xia Wuheng looked at the unconscious Sixth Concubine, feeling a sense of pride. He truly felt like a real man in this matter.

“Your Highness, Miss Liu has arrived.” Outside the courtyard, his personal attendant Little Six called out cautiously.

Xia Wuheng immediately straightened himself up, put on his clothes, and walked out. Once outside, he resumed his demeanor of elegant, dashing handsomeness.

Liu Qingying was the number one beauty in the Capital City, the legitimate daughter of Grand General Mingwu, and his choice for his princess consort.

However, he could not yet marry the woman he loved. An alliance by marriage with the Liu family would surely arouse Xia Lingyu’s wariness and disrupt his plans.

For the sake of his great undertaking, he could only wrong the woman he loved for now.

When he ascended the Throne in the future, he would certainly make Qingying his Empress. His woman should stand shoulder to shoulder with him at the highest point, basking in the adoring glory of the world.

Arriving at the mansion gate, he saw a distant figure in white—graceful and alluring. The woman wore a thin veil, slender and beautiful, like a budding lotus blossom, pure and captivating.

Xia Wuheng couldn’t help but gaze, entranced. He walked toward her, his eyes filled with profound affection. “Qingying.”

Liu Qingying lifted her gaze, hesitant and demure. Then, looking at his face up close, she nearly jumped in fright.

The man before her had a bruised and swollen face, a far cry from the handsome and dashing prince she remembered.

“Your Highness, what happened to your face?” Liu Qingying asked carefully, her eyes full of concern.

Xia Wuheng suddenly remembered something, his expression turning ashen. Staying in the mansion these past few days without seeing outsiders, he had almost forgotten that the injuries on his face hadn’t healed yet. He had actually shown his swollen face to the woman he loved!

He was a man concerned with face. Unwilling to let Liu Qingying continue seeing him in this state, he said: “This Prince took an unlucky fall a few days ago, which is why I look like this. Today is rather inconvenient. Little Six, escort Miss Liu back.”

Damn it, what method had that woman Xia Lingyu used? After all this time, the wounds on his face still hadn’t healed!

Then, right in front of Liu Qingying, he affected an elegant manner, took out the folding fan at his waist, and while fanning himself, walked back into the mansion with unhurried steps.

Behind him, Liu Qingying watched his retreating figure with sorrow in her eyes. Then she remembered something else, and a vicious glint flashed through her gaze.

Was the Prince still hiding that lowly palace maid in his heart?

No, she had to find a way to enter the palace and eliminate that damn woman. Then, the Prince’s heart would belong to her alone.

Inside Azure Phoenix Hall.

Xiao Luo, now the Imperial Noble Consort Xiao, had moved in. She lay resting on the soft, comfortable new bed, enjoying Chuntao’s shoulder massage service.

At this moment, she was so languid she seemed boneless, melting into a puddle of water. Chuntao felt too embarrassed to even look at her.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, the System issued a quest: 【Quest Triggered—Liu Qingying is secretly planning to harm the Female Lead by bribing palace staff to poison her. Please prevent the Female Lead from suffering harm.】

Xiao Luo instantly became alert. She asked: 【Who is this Liu Qingying again?】

After enjoying a few days of divine leisure, she had almost forgotten about the quests.

The System was speechless: 【Liu Qingying is the Secondary Female Lead, the Male Lead’s White Moonlight.】

Oh, she remembered now. The Secondary Female Lead, Liu Qingying, was a white lotus flower who had ensnared the Male Lead’s heart. The Male Lead was also madly in love with her during this period, and as soon as he ascended the Throne, he would make Liu Qingying the Empress.

At this point in the timeline, the Secondary Female Lead already knew of the Female Lead’s existence. However, she didn’t know about the deal between Xia Wuheng and the Female Lead; she thought Xia Wuheng had been bewitched by the Female Lead. So, she had long been targeting the Female Lead, even secretly tripping her up.

Xiao Luo truly couldn’t understand—was that damn Male Lead’s charm really so great? Enough to make so many women fight over him?

She got out of bed and draped her outer robe over her shoulders.

Seeing this, Chuntao asked, “Princess, where are you going?” It was almost time for the evening meal. Her Majesty would soon send someone to fetch the Princess for dinner.

Xiao Luo paused, then said, “It’s nothing. Come with me somewhere. We’ll go and be back soon.”

With that, she walked out the door. Chuntao had no choice but to follow. But Xiao Luo walked too fast. Chasing after her, Chuntao called out, “Princess, please slow down…”

Lin Qiao’er had been demoted to a fifth-rank menial palace maid and lived in the remote Penal Labor Bureau. The work here was exhausting and heavy, the conditions poor, and she was hungry almost every day.

But ever since she had seen Xia Wuheng’s true colors, she had started planning for her future escape. She needed to find a way to leave this place.

Today, the meal time came earlier. Someone came ahead of time to announce that they could eat. Immediately, a group of people rushed toward the kitchen, lining up to get their food.

Lin Qiao’er was no exception. Over the past few days, she had never eaten her fill while having to constantly do hard labor. She had visibly lost weight.

She finally managed to get her meal after waiting in line. The Head Eunuch glanced at her a few extra times, his look somewhat strange. He even took the initiative to add more vegetables to her bowl, saying, “Eat slowly. Eat well so you can work well.”

Lin Qiao’er was a little surprised and offered her thanks. Though the only vegetables in her bowl were pickled radishes, her stomach ached with hunger. Anything edible seemed delicious to her right now.

She carried her meal aside, but then noticed the Eunuch seemed to be watching her. Finding it strange, she asked, “Eunuch, what’s the matter?”

The Head Eunuch shook his head, smiling broadly. “Eat more. Otherwise, you’ll truly become a starving ghost.”

“Mm.” Lin Qiao’er nodded, feeling a little grateful. Just as she was about to take a bite of rice, a familiar voice rang out from the doorway: “Hold it!”

Lin Qiao’er raised her eyes. Standing outside the door was a slender figure, walking in against the light like a celestial fairy.

“It’s… Her Ladyship the Imperial Noble Consort… My Lady, may you live a thousand, thousand, thousand years…” The Head Eunuch was sharp-eyed and immediately recognized Xiao Luo, hurriedly paying his respects.

The other palace maids also stopped eating and knelt down in droves.

Lin Qiao’er stood frozen, confusion flashing in her eyes. “Imperial Noble Consort?”

Wasn’t this Princess Xiao? How had she become the Imperial Noble Consort? Lin Qiao’er was still a bit bewildered, for she didn’t know that Xiao Luo had already been conferred this title.

In the next moment, the bowl of food in her hands was snatched away by Xiao Luo.

“So you were eating this,” Xiao Luo murmured to herself. Then she asked Lin Qiao’er: “Have you eaten?”

Lin Qiao’er was dazed and replied, “No, not yet.”

The Head Eunuch, seeing Xiao Luo holding that bowl of poisoned rice, grew nervous. “My Lady, what brings you to such a lowly place?”

Xiao Luo frowned and turned to look at him. Seeing the Head Eunuch’s shifty eyes and guilty expression, she instantly understood that he had conspired with the Secondary Female Lead to poison the Female Lead.

She took the bowl and smashed it down onto his head. In a vicious tone, she said, “What can I say? This Palace simply enjoys toying with lowly slaves like you.”

The Head Eunuch’s face paled when he heard this. He hurriedly moved to kowtow.

“Don’t move. Keep it there until tomorrow morning. If the bowl falls from your head, this Palace will have you dragged out and beaten with fifty heavy planks, you hear?” Xiao Luo smiled. Then she addressed the palace maids nearby: “You all heard this Palace’s words, yes? If he dares to move, report it to this Palace in private. This Palace will reward you handsomely…”

“Yes, My Lady.”

Xiao Luo was extremely satisfied. Indeed, having power and authority was best. This feeling of being feared and respected was truly not bad.

Turning around, she saw that Lin Qiao’er still wore an expression of disbelief.

“You—” Xiao Luo pointed a slender finger at her and declared: “This Palace has taken a liking to you. You shall become this Palace’s personal palace maid.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, the surrounding palace maids cast envious looks at Lin Qiao’er.

The Imperial Noble Consort was currently in peak favor, bathed in limitless glory. Moreover, she had only one personal handmaid by her side. If Lin Qiao’er became the Consort’s personal palace maid, wouldn’t that make her a First-Rank Palace Maid?

What kind of incredible luck had Lin Qiao’er stumbled upon?!

The System prompted: 【Quest Complete. Quest Progress: 25%.】

A slight smile curved at the corner of Xiao Luo’s lips. She looked at Lin Qiao’er with satisfaction and said, “Come with me.”

Lin Qiao’er snapped back to reality. A faint, surging excitement flashed through her eyes. After struggling through a full year of hardship in the palace, she had only managed to climb to the rank of Second-Rank Palace Maid. Now, she was actually going to become the personal palace maid of the Imperial Noble Consort.

“Yes, thank you, My Lady.” Though faint from hunger, Lin Qiao’er rose with practiced swiftness and followed Xiao Luo’s steps.

Just then, Chuntao arrived. Seeing Lin Qiao’er beside Xiao Luo, she asked in confusion, “Aren’t you that person from last time…”

Lin Qiao’er lowered her eyes and said honestly, “This servant is the same as Miss Chuntao—Her Ladyship the Imperial Noble Consort’s personal palace maid.”

As she spoke, she secretly glanced at Xiao Luo, a strange ripple rising in her heart.

Even after becoming the Imperial Noble Consort at the first opportunity, Princess Xiao still hadn’t forgotten to seek her out, rescuing her from fire and water. How wonderful…

However, Her Majesty was also a woman. Could a woman truly be together with another woman?

…

Xiao Luo had made a trip to the Penal Labor Bureau and, on her way back, was apprehended by Chief Lady Fang.

Chief Lady Fang had even sent people carrying a palanquin to find her. Xiao Luo had no choice but to let Chuntao take Lin Qiao’er back to the palace first. She herself boarded the golden palanquin and was carried away.

Lin Qiao’er watched the departing palanquin with a complicated gaze. She murmured, “Princess Xiao, it must be very hard for her.”

Who knew how much suffering she had endured at Her Majesty’s hands to obtain the title of Imperial Noble Consort? It must have been very humiliating.

Lin Qiao’er felt a pang of heartache.

Chuntao nodded. “Yes, it truly isn’t easy for her.”