Inside the Chu Xiu Palace.
In order to have an audience with His Majesty, Qin Manman tirelessly wrote day and night, almost causing calluses on her hands. Unfortunately, the medical book she needed was stored in her mind, and she couldn’t find a substitute pen. So, when she got tired of copying, she could only hold her originally fair and tender hands and secretly feel sorry for them.
But it was all worth it for the favor of His Majesty. When Qin Manman thought of the handsome face of Xie Yan, her heart would beat fast, and his words and actions would float in her mind. The dignified emperor used a gentle tone to comfort her hard work, unprecedented tenderness that captivated her, making her feel as if the millennia-old frozen snow-capped mountains were gradually melting for her.
Her efforts were fruitful.
In her previous life, Qin Manman was twenty-five years old. As soon as she graduated, she became a white-collar beauty. She had encountered all kinds of men in the city, from difficult and demanding clients to unreasonable customers and arrogant colleagues. She had also dated a boyfriend in college who only wanted physical intimacy. So, she wasn’t inexperienced in relationships, and small temptations didn’t easily sway her.
But Xie Yan was different. This man was wealthy and had all the wealth and glory in the world. Everyone respected him, feared him, and loved him. He was the most prestigious man in the world, and he could be proud and indulge in his desires like other men, but he didn’t. He restrained himself and was diligent in his political duties. Everything he did was worthy of heaven and not demeaning to the people. When such a charismatic and destined-to-be-historic man like him gazed quietly at a woman, unless that woman was blind, it was difficult not to be moved by him.
Qin Manman, both physically and mentally healthy, had naturally fallen completely in love. It was nearing midnight, but the thought of the most powerful man in the world still made her unable to restrain her blush. She sat in front of the dressing table, gently holding her cheeks with jade-like hands, imagining how this delicate figure in the mirror would look one day when she wore phoenix crown and red bridal attire. She believed it would outshine all the beautiful peonies in the entire city.
At that time, how would the history books describe her, the legendary Consort Qin1this was originally Qin family but it didn’t make sense so I changed it who became the favored one in the palace and made all the palace beauties pale in comparison? She initially entered this mysterious palace, following the instructions of the Beloved Consort System, with the idea of just playing along. She originally looked down on the deep-rooted concept of having multiple wives and concubines in ancient times, especially coming from the modern world where she firmly believed in monogamy. But with the appearance of that man, the flames of love ignited within her, and for this outstanding man, she was willing to temporarily endure.
However, her self-esteem would not yield. Once she became the Empress, she would definitely propose to the Emperor to abolish the harem, and they could live a simple and monogamous life like ordinary couples. At that time, with the kingdom in her hands and this confidante in his arms, the Emperor’s later years would surely be very happy.
As the wind blew through the curtains, Qin Manman fell into a dreamy reverie and unconsciously asked, “System, am I beautiful?”
The system replied, “Beautiful. Love truly makes a woman radiant. Your current appearance is exceptionally beautiful.”
Qin Manman chuckled, “You have such a sweet tongue. Weren’t you doubting me all along before? Now that you’ve had a little hiccup, you’re suddenly saying nice things.”
The system spoke seriously, “Host, I made an erroneous judgment of your potential before, which led to some doubts. It won’t happen again in the future.”
Qin Manman raised an eyebrow and arrogantly said while combing her black hair, “That’s natural. I have exceptional talent, far superior to those dull and foolish individuals you previously bound. They rely on their enchanting looks and seductive figures to win men’s hearts, isn’t that behavior no different from the courtesans in the brothels who depend on their appearances? Clearly, they’re beneath me! And I don’t need those things to rise to the top.”
The system thought, “But weren’t you obsessed with having a beautiful face and a curvaceous body before? You’re quite fickle. Now that you no longer need them, you’re looking down on them.” Moreover, the matter of becoming a Noble Consort hadn’t been confirmed yet; it was just a verbal promise from a palace maid. However, Qin Manman believed it without a doubt and even prematurely referred to herself as “this palace.”
In the past, the system would have been quick to mock her, but for some reason, it found itself subconsciously following Qin Manman’s behavior and thought that her self-proclamation as “this palace” wasn’t entirely inappropriate. When she said that, once she took control of the Phoenix Seal in the future, her first act would be to send those maids who had previously vied for favor with her to the laundry bureau, where they would wash the eunuchs’ clothes day and night, humiliating them. The system not only agreed with this idea but thought the punishment was too lenient.
The system thought, “This isn’t like me at all!”
The system always felt like something important was missing from its brain domain panel and that it had acquired some extra components. It sensed that its operations were not running smoothly. Ever since it had crashed due to insufficient points, it didn’t have time to dwell on this abnormality because, upon rebooting, the host’s vigorous tirade immediately grabbed its full attention.
Qin Manman was cursing vehemently, “Damn it! It’s all your fault for randomly crashing without considering the situation. We were having a lovely spring poetry gathering, and His Majesty unexpectedly decided to attend without informing me in advance. It led to such a humiliating situation, and I nearly fell out of favor and got sent to the cold palace! Do you realize what you’ve done? You, this system that’s dragging me down, almost ruined my future!”
The system subconsciously thought, “Isn’t it only when a consort behaves improperly or makes a grave mistake that she gets sent to the cold palace? You simply couldn’t come up with poetry, and at worst, His Majesty might no longer appreciate you. Why would he exile you to the cold palace for such a reason? You’re exaggerating and making too much of yourself.”
However, it responded with an apologetic nod and a humble tone, “I… I’m sorry.” It wondered, “What’s wrong with me? Did some bug or unpatched issue occur during the crash process?” Before it could figure out the answer, it was taken aback by Qin Manman’s rapid rise in status, which resembled a rocket’s ascent. From then on, it also began a continuous period of flattery, and its false praises made the host smile and feel pleased every time, deepening their bond significantly.
The system, however, remained bewildered. It felt like a patient who, because of a bodily malfunction, was doing things it couldn’t comprehend. Despite searching multiple times, it couldn’t pinpoint where the issue was in its own system. Even its subconscious kept telling it that this flattering and scheming version of itself was still the original version. They were like cells that had undergone division, fundamentally the same entity.
The flattering system resumed its daily operations, showering Qin Manman with sweet words, “Exactly! Host, you’re truly capable. You don’t need an extraordinary appearance to outshine the harem and make His Majesty smile when he sees you.”
Qin Manman felt thoroughly pleased by the flattery. She proudly lifted the corner of her lips and pretended to be modest, saying, “You’re exaggerating. His Majesty didn’t really smile when he saw me! He still had a stern face, as if someone owed him a million guan in wealth.”
The system replied, “His Majesty is a man of great achievements, and his emotions are hard to read. But when his lips briefly curved up, it could be considered a smile. I haven’t seen him smile at any other women. Host, you’re a unique and exclusive beauty in the harem, a remarkable honor.”
“Is that so?” Qin Manman was delighted by the praise and started to think back. She realized that she couldn’t discern the subtle changes in His Majesty’s facial expressions during their meetings, but the system, with its electronic eyes, could see what ordinary people couldn’t. So, if it said that His Majesty smiled, then he probably did.
“Yes, in fact, His Majesty is protecting you,” the system continued.
Qin Manman’s smile faded slightly as she asked, “What do you mean by that?”
The system lowered its gaze and spoke, “His Majesty comes from a treacherous and cutthroat palace where a small mistake can lead to irreversible consequences. He received royal education from a young age, and the first rule of imperial governance is that the emperor must not show clear preferences or dislikes in his daily life. Whether it’s about food or beautiful women, even the most delicious dishes must not be favored too much to prevent the possibility of poisoning. Similarly, even if he likes a woman, he can’t smile at her too much, as he must maintain an appearance of impartiality to conceal any vulnerabilities.”
Qin Manman was astonished and said, “Heaven! The imperial family is truly ruthless. So, His Majesty has been protecting me, and he often refrained from smiling at me to prevent jealousy among the women in the harem. I used to suspect that he might be sexually indifferent or suffering from facial paralysis. I really have read too many novels.” She covered her red lips with her hand, feeling compassion for the Emperor, who always seemed so aloof even when smiling. Her heart suddenly softened completely.
She realized that she was His Majesty’s weakness, a woman he intentionally concealed and protected! No wonder the matter of her becoming a Noble Consort was kept discreet, known only to a select few. His Majesty had surely planned it meticulously. If this were to become public knowledge, she could only imagine the lengths to which the envious women in the palace might go to harm her.
Numerous scenes from television dramas flashed through Qin Manman’s mind, like witchcraft, voodoo dolls, sterilization sachets, and miscarriage-inducing herbs. She felt a moment of fear and was grateful for Emperor Jing’s consideration. She looked down on those lowly women in the harem. When the time was right and she became a favored consort, Wang Qiang and the others in lower ranks wouldn’t even be worthy of assisting her with her embroidered shoes, let alone using these petty tricks. She was determined to cleanse the harem when the opportunity arose!
The system glanced at the nighttime outside and offered a considerate suggestion, “It’s late at night, host. Why don’t you continue copying the books? The more you copy, the more chances you’ll have to see His Majesty again. Finish copying sooner, and you’ll become the illustrious Noble Consort, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Emperor.”
“That’s a good point! Since I can’t sleep anyway, I might as well continue copying the books! This darn medical book is even thicker than the Xin Hua Dictionary2a widely recognized and authoritative Chinese language dictionary. It is often considered the standard reference for Mandarin Chinese, offering comprehensive coverage of the language’s vocabulary, pronunciation, and usage.. If I don’t finish it soon, it’ll be the end of the year.” Qin Manman stretched lazily, picked up her self-made charcoal pencil, and started writing traditional characters. She added, “These darn traditional characters take me twice as long to write as simplified ones! Once I become the Empress in the future, a Chinese character reform is a must!”
“In that case, host, you should endure for now. Consider these difficulties a test on your path to see His Majesty.” The system expressed pity and even recited a poetic verse at the end, “After all, love can span mountains and seas, and all obstacles can be overcome.”
This poem resonated deeply with her, and Qin Manman was instantly inspired. She felt that she could stay up all night writing for His Majesty.
The system, observing helplessly, watched how the other version of itself (system B) was impressively skilled at persuasive speech in front of the host. Qin Manman clearly believed and trusted it completely. The entire system felt like it was falling apart!
Even more frightening was that the well-informed system actually found some merit in those words?
Author’s Note: System: I won’t be brainwashed, profanity profanity profanity—
Chapter 100 already, wow, I’m so amazing (pats myself on the back).
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