Chapter 1: The two noble ladies are fighting!
Do you know?
In the abyss, one can also see the moon.
She, like a generous deity, sprinkles down a beam of light, so that my sloppy life wouldn't end in utter darkness.
— Si Chu
"Reporting to the Emperor, the Noble Consort and Consort Shu have started...fighting outside the hall!"
The Little Eunuch was so flustered that he was dripping with sweat, bowing his head to the ground, shoulders trembling, too afraid to even breathe loudly.
One was the newly appointed Noble Consort, who had offended the Emperor and probably wouldn't last much longer. However, her grandfather was the Grand Marshal of the Army and Horses, and her father was the Prince of Zhenbei. As long as she still had breath, there might be a chance for her to turn the tables!
The other was the Empress Dowager's niece, the darling daughter of the Grand Secretary, Consort Shu, who was always so arrogant and overbearing. She acted so out of line that even the Emperor had to bear with her to some extent.
These two ancestors clashed together, no one knew who to side with when trying to break them apart!
...
After a prolonged silence, a vaguely amused snicker came from the head seat, followed by a languid voice tinged with amusement, "Oh?"
"Who won?"
Huh?
The Little Eunuch looked bewildered.
Standing to one side, Zhang Dequan glared at him before stepping forward to scold, "Why are you spacing out? The Emperor is asking you a question, who won between the Noble Consort and Consort Shu?"
The Little Eunuch scratched his head, his eyes hesitating to speak: "Both masters are injured, but if we really have to say, it should be... the Noble Consort who had the upper hand."
What he didn't dare say was that the whole time, it was the Noble Consort who was beating on Consort Shu without much resistance from the latter. She actually twisted her own ankle, because she got too excited and accidentally hurt herself while fighting!
He had never seen a lady from a noble family like the Noble Consort fight so fiercely, and still...look quite captivating.
It was simply absurd.
Si Chu chuckled softly, tossing aside the memorial, a dangerous charm flashing across his beautiful eyes, his voice coated in darkness, "Send those two fools in to see me!"
*
An hour earlier.
Mingshu, followed by her maid Yun Zhi, was walking along the path to the Qianqing Palace.
The little maid's face was deathly pale as she tugged at her sleeve, on the verge of tears: "My lady, shouldn't we... shouldn't we go back? The Emperor is certainly not in the mood to see you at this moment..."
She was trying to put it mildly!
In fact, it would be a miracle if the Emperor hadn't cut off her mistress's head by now!
After all, the one who had brazenly declared in the Golden Luan Hall, "Even if I, Ji Mingshu, die from smashing my head here, I will not marry a tyrant," was her mistress alone.
And the only one who could still hop around after saying such a thing, was also her mistress alone.
But this person did not cherish her good fortune and instead seemed eager to rush to her own demise!
Mingshu pulled her sleeve out of her maid's hand, her delicate eyebrows lightly knitted as she looked disapprovingly at her, "Silly girl, what are you saying? I have a beauty that outshines the moon and stars... How could the Emperor not be pleased to see me?"
She was confidently self-assured, her self-praise full of genuine feelings.
Yun Zhi was left speechless: ...it seemed her mistress truly had no clue.
Seeing her maid's distressed and wilted look, Mingshu comforted her by patting her shoulder, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing!"
According to the original story's progression, she, as cannon fodder, was due to meet her end in just a few days. If she didn't hurry to curry favor with the child Emperor, was she supposed to just lie down and wait for death?
She might even set a record for the fastest 'boxed lunch' receiver in transmigration history!
The mere thought was intolerable!
Yun Zhi thought to herself: You don't know jack!
...
"Smack!"
Just as the mistress and servant arrived at the entrance of the Qianqing Palace, they heard the brazen voice of a woman not far away.
"I am here by the Empress Dowager's command to deliver soup to the Emperor! Who are you to stop me? Do you know who I am!"
"Ah Zhu, slap his mouth until it's swollen!"