When spring arrived, looking down from a bird’s-eye view, the bustling capital city, with white doves fluttering about, could be described as a magnificent land.
Under the guidance of the supervisor, a group of graceful young women streamed out from the palace. Upon closer inspection, they were all dressed in matching light green attire, with identical hairstyles. Apart from the floral decorations in their hair and small purses, they wore no additional jewelry on their bodies.
This was a requirement of the court, much like modern uniforms, wearing identical clothing made it easy to distinguish who looked good and who didn’t at a glance. The young ladies had no choice but to comply. They reluctantly shed their glamorous clothes, temporarily stowing away the gold and jade jewelry they had brought from home. Some of them repurposed these valuables to please the palace maidservants, hoping for a more comfortable life in the court.
Even though they couldn’t wear jewelry, those with creative minds could still play with their floral hair decorations. Qin Manman was among the best in this regard. With a keen eye for fashion from her future life, she naturally looked down on the old-fashioned designs of ancient pearl flowers. So, she took matters into her own hands, creating a batch of accessories herself and even providing craftsmen with diagrams. For example, the light purple silk flower pattern she now wore in her hair was quite innovative. The hanging pearl in the center of the flower was so elegant and unique that it captivated the gazes of the other young ladies, leaving them both mesmerized and envious.
They all eagerly asked her where she had gotten it made.
Qin Manman herself naturally wouldn’t answer. In fact, with her forward-thinking eye for fashion, she could have become rich like the extraordinary figure Tang Bai, by using these jewelry diagrams. However, she was quite stingy by nature. She knew these accessories were beautiful and would look great on any woman, so she was even more unwilling to share them. She wanted to keep them for herself, to be the exclusive owner, and she didn’t want any other women in the world to look more beautiful than her. Therefore, there was no relation between getting rich and her in this lifetime.
Upon hearing the host’s refusal to answer, while the other young ladies secretly criticized the host as being stingy, the system advised, “Host, you are still an unknown young lady with no advantages in terms of family background, appearance, or figure. I suggest you maintain good relationships with the other young ladies of your generation and not stand out too much.”
It’s just some jewelry; there’s no need to cause disputes over it. It’s not worth it.
But Qin Manman clearly didn’t think the same way. She said matter-of-factly, “Who knows if those peers will end up with a fate of dying in the palace in the future? Do they deserve my patience to please them? My time is precious, and how can I spend it on these insignificant people?” Qin Manman considered herself not to be like those time-traveling women from ancient novels who, upon encountering wealthy people, criticized them for their lack of benevolence, and when dealing with government officials, accused them of corruption and decadence. They often mingled with palace maids and eunuchs, allowing them not to refer to themselves as slaves and servants, speaking of equality, but in reality, they were just being foolish. Calling some servants who had signed contracts of servitude as equals was simply lowering their own worth. What was the use of wasting time on such people?
However, the system disagreed, “The palace’s young ladies and eunuchs are also insignificant people on the surface, but they can play a crucial role when it matters. Even the hand that crushes locusts can be that of a palace maid. My previous host underestimated the palace maids around her and ended up being betrayed, becoming the laughingstock. So, in the court, it’s important to choose your words carefully, be prudent, and maintain good interpersonal relationships to survive.”
Annoyed by the lecturing, Qin Manman rolled her eyes impatiently and said, “Alright, I get it! I’ll try to get along with them later, okay? And don’t just focus on these useless details. Keep an eye on the movements of the emperor.” Compared to the emperor’s favor, everything else is inconsequential.
While Qin Manman and the system were having their internal conversation, a young lady in the group suddenly exclaimed in a hushed voice, “Look, it’s a paper kite!”
A paper kite, made of paper. In the spring when the grass grew long and the birds were singing, many people flew kites in the commoners’ areas. These young ladies had just entered the palace and were still lively by nature. It was rare to see something out of place in the solemn court, and they were immediately fascinated. They began whispering to each other:
“Which palace maid flew that kite? The design is so unique.”
Hanging in the sky with its vibrant colors, it looked as if someone had spilled a lady’s rouge box, attracting everyone’s attention. Then, they saw the paper kite suddenly break loose as if its string had snapped and glide far away towards the azure palace walls, coming in their direction.
“Oh, it broke loose,” everyone sighed with regret, as if a piece of their hearts had fallen with the kite.
However, Yin Minglu was not at all disappointed. With his small arms and legs, as soon as he saw the kite drifting away, he immediately started running, thinking that thanks to Xie Yan’s strict surveillance, he hadn’t been able to move freely. But now he finally had an excuse to go to the inner palace.
Yin Minglu ran so fast, like a small whirlwind, that the accompanying eunuchs couldn’t keep up for a moment. When they saw the direction the young master was heading, they felt a sense of unease. After exchanging glances, several of them caught up with him, while one person departed from the group and headed towards the Yangxin Palace.
Yin Minglu didn’t notice the little eunuch following behind him. He headed directly to the rear garden, where a group of charming young ladies were gathered. He was aware of the plot but had never seen the female lead, Qin Manman, in person. The original host’s memories were filled with the image of the female lead, who, under the influence of the Beloved Consort System, appeared as an extremely beautiful enchantress, akin to a nation-ruining seductress. He had no impression of the current Qin Manman, who was still a palace maid with average looks.
He had expected to take some time to identify her, but he found her at first glance.
There was no helping it; among the group of young ladies, the female lead, Qin Manman, was exceptionally conspicuous. She stood at the edge of the crowd, appearing as if she were being excluded, but upon closer inspection, it was evident that her demeanor was proud, and she had no interest in mingling with these “common women.”
“It’s just a kite, not like I haven’t seen one before. These women really have no taste,” Qin Manman thought to herself, unwilling to engage in such a boring topic of discussion. She stood at a distance, even feeling that these ancient women were so simple-minded, getting excited over seeing a kite.
The system sighed, “That kite definitely wasn’t flown by palace maids.” At this moment, the palace maids and supervisors were on duty in rotation. There were very few people in the strictly disciplined imperial palace who would dare to fly a kite, and they were either close relatives of the emperor or concubines from the harem. Even if the palace maids were trying to have some leisure time, they wouldn’t have the audacity to fly such a conspicuous kite. So, it was entirely possible to rule out the possibility of palace maids.
Before the system could articulate its analysis, it sensed a fluctuation in its monitoring system and issued a level one alert: “The emperor will arrive in the garden half an hour from now. Please prepare yourself, Host!”
What? The emperor is coming? Could it be that the flashy paper kite from earlier was actually flown by the emperor? This was truly unexpected! Qin Manman’s heart skipped a beat, and she didn’t have time to ponder further or pay attention to the system’s continued advice about palace etiquette and how to leave a good impression on the emperor.
After all, the emperor was coming to the garden, and meeting this group of young ladies in advance was the best opportunity for her to stand out!
She quickly pulled out a self-made fine brush from her purse, dabbed it with powder, and deftly brushed her face with it. She also applied some tinted lip color to give her lips a glossy hue. Then, she checked herself in a miniature mirror to ensure that every detail of her appearance exuded delicacy and grace.
Qin Manman’s peculiar actions caught the attention of the other young ladies, who furrowed their brows and asked, “What is Qin Manman doing? Is she using a calligraphy brush on her face?”
“Is that powder she’s using? Could it be that she’s dressing up? But why would she use powder? We are all women here, so who is she dressing up for?” one of the young ladies wondered aloud, and someone quickly provided an answer.
Because very soon, a man dressed in a bright yellow robe appeared in the garden. In the entire world, who else would dare to wear bright yellow and swagger into the harem, except for the young emperor?
This unexpected choice of visitor shocked the crowd of young ladies, and they knelt down in a daze.
Then, they noticed that among a group of plain-faced and modest-looking palace maidens, only Qin Manman had an exquisite makeup look. Their astonishment grew even more profound. Clearly, she had known in advance that His Majesty was coming for an audience but deliberately didn’t inform them! She wanted to make them look foolish so that she could stand out. It was a clever scheme!
In an instant, Qin Manman became the common enemy in the hearts of this group of young ladies!
If Qin Manman could seize this opportunity and rise to prominence, it would be a chance to completely separate herself from the other palace maids. Otherwise, if she couldn’t break free, it was easy to imagine what kind of tactics a group of women, whose interests had been offended and who were filled with jealousy, would use to ostracize one person while living under the same roof.
However, Qin Manman didn’t care. Her heart and eyes were focused solely on that tall, handsome man. She stared at those deep, ink-like eyes and the strong, distinct eyebrows. Even in his casual stance, he exuded a charisma that came from long-standing authority.
He was the most prestigious and powerful man in the entire realm. If she could stand beside him with legitimacy, she would be the most prestigious and admired woman in the world, receiving all the envy and admiration from society.
Qin Manman’s imagination overwhelmed her, and as the emperor’s footsteps drew closer, her face blushed, and her heart raced like a startled deer.
However, unexpectedly, to her confusion, even when their legs had gone numb from kneeling for so long, the emperor didn’t allow this group of kneeling palace maids to rise. Instead, he stood in place, saying nothing, and gazed coldly at the entrance as if waiting for someone. His expression showed no impatience or urgency but rather extreme patience.
She sneakily lifted her eyes and could sense the icy coldness emanating from him, like being in a frozen world. His brows were knitted with gloom, and the oppressive aura made it hard to even breathe. Yet, strangely, this demeanor only added to his mysterious charm that captivated the hearts of the women.
Unable to resist, she also looked towards the entrance of the garden, harboring a jealousy she couldn’t quite explain. She wondered who this person was, the one who could make the emperor willingly wait. Surely, they must be an incredibly beautiful woman?
To her surprise, the person who arrived was a young boy holding a colorful paper kite, with innocent features. Qin Manman couldn’t believe her eyes and remembered the incident on the pleasure boat from last year.
Compared to last year, the young boy had grown taller, and although his facial features were delicate and handsome, his cheeks still carried a hint of baby fat that had yet to fade, giving him a youthful and plump appearance. However, he seemed far from the legendary peerless beauty.
Qin Manman was bewildered and began to doubt if she had been kneeling for too long, causing her brain to turn into mush.
Unexpectedly, Xie Yan was here, and his face was both cold and stern. It was only now that Yin Minglu was thoroughly startled, holding the conspicuously large kite, feeling somewhat uneasy. He could understand Xie Yan’s presence, but any man wouldn’t want another male presence on their hunting ground, even if it was for something as innocent as retrieving a kite, especially when that person was still a youth.
Before Yin Minglu could apologize for unintentionally intruding on the palace maidens, Xie Yan spoke up.
“Why did you come out to cause trouble? Why did you pick up the kite yourself? Don’t you have people attending to you? Can’t they help you?” The man’s tone was cold, and his words pointed to a matter that made several eunuchs behind Yin Minglu break out in a cold sweat and kneel on the spot.
“It was my own choice to pick it up. I won’t do it again.” Yin Minglu defended his attendants and, seeing that Emperor Jing was not concerned about his appearance in the harem, he breathed a small sigh of relief. After all, it was his first time seeing Xie Yan’s cold and unapproachable demeanor.
“Let’s go, there’s nothing for us to stay here for.” Xie Yan forcefully pulled the young boy over, speaking nonchalantly, but his gaze, as he glanced at the palace maidens in the garden, carried a hidden sense of alertness.
Seeing the emperor turn away for the second time in front of her, Qin Manman became anxious.
Palace maidens were just one of the groups in the palace waiting for the emperor’s favor. Unless by some coincidence or waiting for the emperor to draw lots, it was difficult for them to have the chance to see the emperor up close.
Since she had this rare opportunity, she naturally didn’t want to miss it. She bit her lip, regretting that she hadn’t brought a handkerchief with her. However, when she reached for her waist, she realized her purse would do.
Without much thought, she tossed the purse, and it landed perfectly on the path where the emperor was advancing. She wasn’t skilled in embroidery, but the purse had been meticulously sewn by someone she had commissioned, featuring a design of colorful butterfly wings that looked quite exquisite. Anyone who saw it would feel as though there were lifelike butterflies waiting to be picked up.
Yin Minglu, with sharp eyes, noticed it and was just thinking that he hadn’t had a chance to talk to the female lead when she unexpectedly handed it to him. He was about to bend down when Xie Yan stopped him with a firm command, “Don’t move!”
“What?” Yin Minglu was puzzled. He couldn’t understand why he couldn’t even pick up a purse. At this point, Emperor Jing’s domineering behavior seemed rather suspicious. It was as if picking up a purse would imply some kind of inappropriate relationship with the palace maid.
Seeing the young boy’s resentful gaze, Xie Yan didn’t explain and picked up the purse himself. Then, to the surprise of the boy, he coldly threw it back to its original spot.
Yin Minglu: …
Author’s Note: Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or nourished me with nutrients~
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