《The Palace Maid is Socially Dead Every Day》


 Chapter 1

    "Oh? You discovered it?" The beautiful ma... no, the beautiful man with a delicate hair ornament in his hand spoke in a deep voice.


    If not for the icy coldness in his eyes, just hearing that lingering tone that made one''s heart flutter, one might think he was whispering sweet nothings.


    Zhou Shengsheng stared at the devastatingly beautiful person before her.


    She could hardly believe that the Noble Consort she had served for years was actually a man!


    "Given your years of service to me, I''ll let you end yourself." The person lounging on the imperial couch lazily waved his hand, carelessly tossing a long sword to the young woman on the ground. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhou Shengsheng, dressed in palace robes, knelt trembling on the ground with tears in her eyes, looking utterly pitiful. "Your Highness, please spare this servant. I''ve served you for so many years and don''t want to die. Please have mercy!"


    Kowtowing until her forehead hit the ground, blood soon trickled down her pristine forehead along her cheeks, mixing with her tears and reddened eyes to create a truly pitiful sight.


    But that person''s heart seemed made of iron, showing not a shred of sympathy for the scene before him. He merely lifted his eyelids impatiently, finding her too noisy.


    "Finally! I''ve made it to the ending! Come on, you cross-dressing freak, say goodbye to your master and thank me one last time!"


    "Thank me for serving you day and night, only to end up being forced to kill myself!"


    [Congratulations host, you''ve finally survived to the character''s ending]


    A chubby little panda suddenly appeared in mid-air, excitedly flying a circle in front of Duan Fusheng.


    [My my, no wonder the emperor was so captivated by him, that face is just something else]


    Duan Fusheng''s previously casual expression subtly vanished as his pupils contracted, showing rare confusion in his eyes.


    Who was speaking?


    And what was this thing flying around in front of him?


    Ending? Villain?


    Those treasonous words just now - wasn''t that the voice of the maid before him?


    But she was right under his nose and hadn''t opened her mouth at all!


    Was it an illusion?


    Zhou Shengsheng grew panicked seeing the system being so bold.


    [Pang, come back quickly!]


    The system named Pang waved dismissively at the still-kneeling and trembling Zhou Shengsheng below.


    [Don''t worry, he can''t see me]


    [Shengsheng, hurry and kill yourself, it''s time for us to go.]


    Zhou Shengsheng responded with a "yes," and with tears streaming down her face, picked up the sword that had been thrown before her. She lifted her grief-stricken face to take one last deep look at Duan Fusheng above.


    "Noble Consort, it was my blessing to serve you. If there is a next life, this servant will gladly be your beast of burden again."


    With that, she placed the sword against her neck. Just as she was about to apply force, she suddenly felt a breeze carrying the unique fragrance of Qianyi Palace brush past her cheek.


    Her wrist trembled, and Zhou Shengsheng opened her eyes in disbelief.


    She saw that the sword was no longer in her hand, and instead, an enchanting face was before her.


    Duan Fusheng carefully examined the face before him, which could at best be called pretty.


    Then he revealed a bewitching smile, but the words from his mouth contained malice that made Zhou Shengsheng tremble involuntarily.


    "I''ve changed my mind. You shall continue to be my beast of burden."


    He wanted to see exactly what kind of supernatural beings these two were.


    The air grew so still that only the crackling of embers in the brazier could be heard.


    The human and the panda exchanged a quick glance, both seeing disbelief in each other''s eyes.


    "Was... was this in the original story? Shouldn''t I be dying right now, then perfectly transmigrating back to before entering the palace, farming and doing business while casually picking up an amnesiac prince to live happily ever after?"


    "What game is this cross-dressing freak Duan Fusheng playing?!"


    The cross-dressing freak Duan Fusheng himself used every ounce of self-control to contain his anger.


    Though he didn''t understand the term "cross-dressing freak," he clearly understood that this impudent little thing was cursing him in her heart!


    Pang was also bewildered, even dropping from mid-air where it had been floating.


    [In the original novel "The Beauty of the Consort," Zhou Shengsheng should have been silenced immediately after discovering the big villain Duan Fusheng''s true gender. That''s right...]


    Spinning in circles on the spot, a confused Pang held its head and muttered.


    This world was from a novel called "The Beauty of the Consort," which embodied every dramatic trope and perfectly illustrated the essence of classical romance novels.


    It told the story of the love and hatred between the female lead Jiang Zhiyu and the powerful figures of three kingdoms.


    In the end, even the story''s biggest villain - the cross-dressing mastermind who later single-handedly threw the three kingdoms into chaos, the mercurial and murderous Duan Fusheng - was moved by the female lead and chose to withdraw from the political arena to live in seclusion.


    And in such a chaotic environment where various forces were rising and schemes lurked beneath a peaceful surface.


    Zhou Shengsheng was neither the kind and patient female lead nor some vicious female antagonist.


    She didn''t even have a name in the original text.


    That''s right.


    She had transmigrated into the body of the villain Duan Fusheng''s head palace maid.


    A cannon fodder among cannon fodder.


    Originally, she was placed in this world because someone told her.


    If she completed the plot line in place of the original character who had quit due to being too insignificant, they would let her return to this body before entering the palace, and find her a peaceful place to live in this era of impending war.


    The original wandering soul Zhou Shengsheng had agreed without hesitation.


    But who knew the unexpected would come so suddenly.


    "I must die today! For my amnesiac prince- no... for my freedom to live unbounded in my next life!"


    With that, Zhou Shengsheng pushed herself up with her wrist and lunged at Duan Fusheng with extreme speed.


    "Die, you clean freak, I''ll disgust you to death!"


    But who would have thought, despite the angle and timing being perfect, Zhou Shengsheng would miss completely!


    Looking up while sprawled on all fours on the couch, Zhou Shengsheng stared dumbly at the person beside her.


    Could someone explain how Duan Fusheng - who normally wouldn''t sit if he could lie down, who acted like his spine was broken and couldn''t take care of himself - had such agile movements??


    "How dare you." A pale finger emerged from his sleeve to lightly brush his robe as he spoke leisurely.


    Zhou Shengsheng hurried to respond: "It''s all this servant''s fault! Please punish me, Your Highness!"


    Inner monologue: "Come on, aren''t you supposed to be a cold-blooded killer? Hurry up and execute this lowly maid who dared to touch your precious body!"


    Very well.


    The cold-blooded killer with the precious body, Duan Fusheng, curved his lips slightly as a rich, alluring smile spread across his features.


    But what he said was: "Tail, considering your loyal service, I''ll punish you to clean the chamber pots for three months."


    He emphasized the words "loyal service" heavily. If Zhou Shengsheng hadn''t been extremely confident in her acting skills, she would have thought Duan Fusheng had seen through something.


    At this moment, little Pang floating beside Zhou Shengsheng suddenly realized something and bit its thumb: [Host, why did he call you Tail? That name sounds somewhat familiar...]


    Zhou Shengsheng: !


    Never underestimate the memory of a palace maid who had served a notoriously difficult master for years.


    Three years ago, the emperor had gifted Duan Fusheng a rare pure black stallion.


    Even in the presence of the world''s sovereign, this person still maintained that lazy demeanor and casually gave that priceless horse a name.


    Ah Tail.


    That same year, someone else presented an even rarer blue ox to the emperor.


    It ended up being given to Duan Fusheng by the emperor who doted on him like life itself.


    As a side note, before this, Zhou Shengsheng had thought blue oxen only existed in Journey to the West.


    At that time, when Duan Fusheng saw her staring at the ox, he had granted her the privilege of naming it.


    Thus, the perfunctory name "Little Ba" was born.


    In the end, because of her lowly status, she had dared to name an ox bestowed by His Majesty, and the emperor found an excuse to give her ten harsh strikes with the paddle.


    So this incident left an especially deep impression on her.


    Now look what had happened - she had lifted a rock only to drop it on her own foot.


    She had gotten a new name.


    Tail.


    Heh.


    Now she really was being treated like an ox or horse.

 Chapter 2

    ¡°Your Highness, His Majesty is here.¡± The voice of the maid Sheng Lan came from outside the door.


    At the mention of ¡®His Majesty,¡¯ Duan Fusheng''s eyebrows furrowed, and he flicked his fingers.


    Zhou Shengsheng knew that this was a sign of his impatience.


    ¡°Tell him to wait outside,¡± Duan Fusheng commanded in a flat tone, and the person outside quickly left.


    In the entire Zhu Kingdom, probably only Duan Fusheng dared to make the current emperor wait outside.


    Who could blame him? Liu Xunlan was willing to indulge him. It was hard to say whether Liu Xunlan''s eyes were all used up in handling state affairs, but his taste in women was truly questionable. The concubines in his harem were either causing trouble or bringing disaster to the nation, and even included a cross-dressing man.


    No wonder, as a monarch, the female lead couldn''t stand him and only saw him as a disposable male supporting character, a trophy in the colorful life of the female lead.


    ¡¾Shengsheng... the antagonist is watching you¡¿


    Pang''s voice suddenly rang in her ear, and she finally realized that, as a maid, she should now help Duan Fusheng change into clothes for meeting the emperor.


    Sure enough, as soon as she looked up, she met Duan Fusheng''s slightly displeased gaze. He spread his arms, signaling that he was waiting for Zhou Shengsheng to dress him.


    ¡°Can''t even remember what you''re supposed to do?¡± Duan Fusheng said sarcastically, then added, as if thinking of something, ¡°Deduct your pay.¡±


    Zhou Shengsheng: !!


    Deducting a servant''s wages is like killing their parents. Washing the chamber pots was something Zhou Shengsheng didn''t find too distressing, but her pay couldn''t be deducted!


    Seeing her about to cry, Duan Fusheng turned around calmly.


    He had bet correctly. She was a money-grubber.


    Perhaps the threat of losing her pay had spurred her on, because Zhou Shengsheng, who was usually the slowest in the Qianyi Palace when it came to dressing, today was surprisingly quick and efficient, as if someone were holding a torch behind her, chasing her tail. And she didn''t make a single mistake in the process, leaving Duan Fusheng, who had originally wanted to delay things, with no reason to reprimand her.


    Although he dressed in women''s clothing, he didn''t like wearing traditional women''s garments. Every piece of clothing he wore was custom-made in a neutral style, with no exposed shoulders or arms, and even most of his neck was covered. He never used rouge or hairpins, and his hair, which reached down to his waist, was always tied up high with a ribbon.


    That''s why Zhou Shengsheng had never understood why someone like him was mistaken for a woman. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Especially when compared to Liu Xunlan, the emperor.


    ¡°My dear, have you lost weight these past few days? I feel so heartbroken,¡± Liu Xunlan said, holding a bright red, juicy cherry in his hand and looking up at Duan Fusheng, who was leaning on a small table, half-asleep and bored. But he only dared to hold the cherry, not daring to take the next step and feed it to the person who drove him crazy.


    Yes, did you notice the keyword?


    ¡®Looking up.¡¯


    ¡°Look, Pang, have you ever seen a noble consort who is more robust and taller than the emperor in any TV drama? Originally, Liu Xunlan looked so normal, but next to Duan Fusheng, this humanoid monster, he looks like a little chick that hasn''t even finished developing.¡± Zhou Shengsheng complained to Pang. Finally, after finishing the plot, Pang could come out and keep her company. She had no idea how frustrated she was every day watching this absurd scene.


    Duan Fusheng, who had been expressionless and a bit irritable, suddenly coughed. The laughter in his throat was quickly suppressed.


    He forgave Zhou Shengsheng for calling him a humanoid monster, really.


    ¡°You damned servant! Didn''t you see your master cough! How do you serve!¡± Liu Xunlan, who dared not make a move, very habitually began to vent his anger on Zhou Shengsheng, who was standing beside him.


    ¡°Your Majesty, spare me! It''s all my fault!¡± Zhou Shengsheng knelt down and kowtowed skillfully, all while secretly cursing in her heart: ¡°You little dog, always looking for me to take the blame. You don''t even dare to climb Duan Fusheng''s bed... Wait, could it be that you''re... not capable?¡±


    While Liu Xunlan''s attention was still on Duan Fusheng, Zhou Shengsheng, with tears in her eyes, sneakily glanced at Liu Xunlan''s lower body.


    Then she inadvertently met Duan Fusheng''s glaring eyes.


    Duan Fusheng politely smiled.


    Well done. Originally, seeing her tremble every time she saw the emperor, he thought she was very afraid. Who knew she was such a good actress?


    Not becoming an actress would be a waste of her talents.


    Zhou Shengsheng''s plea suddenly stalled, and she almost choked on her own saliva.


    Noticing her sudden hesitation, Liu Xunlan also took notice.


    Just as he was about to punish this impudent maid with a few strokes of the cane, Duan Fusheng suddenly turned his head, and his exquisitely charming face made Liu Xunlan instantly forget what he was going to say.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I understand your intention. I will attend the Spring Festival Banquet, but you should know that you represent the entire Zhu Kingdom, so you should be aware of what you can and cannot say.¡± Duan Fusheng lowered his long lashes, his voice soft but his words not at all polite.


    And Liu Xunlan, who always thought highly of himself, just stared at him blankly, nodding incessantly like a fool.


    Hearing the mention of the Spring Festival Banquet, Zhou Shengsheng was startled.


    ¡°Pang, if I remember correctly, isn''t the Spring Festival Banquet the plot point where the female lead first makes her mark and attracts Song Weiqing and Duan Fusheng, this humanoid monster?¡±


    Duan Fusheng paused.


    So there really is a female lead?


    Indeed, according to Zhou Shengsheng''s words, this world is just a script with protagonists?


    It was ironic. He, Duan Fusheng, had fought so hard to survive in this world, only to find out it was just a book? Thinking about how his fate was determined by someone else''s pen, a murderous intent flashed in his eyes.


    The main plot was about to begin, but as a cannon fodder character who should have already been eliminated, he was still alive. Thinking of this, Pang''s little head began to worry.


    ¡¾This situation has never happened before. Don''t worry, Shengsheng. I''ll go back and ask our boss how to resolve it¡¿


    Pang''s boss was the manager in charge of the operation of various book worlds. It was also him who had given Zhou Shengsheng, who had been a wandering ghost for many years, such an opportunity.


    ¡°Burn everything,¡± the emperor had just left, and the next second, Duan Fusheng''s cold, repugnant voice came, and Zhou Shengsheng complied, watching him walk into the inner room.


    His back, unusually, revealed a rare weariness and exhaustion.


    ¡°Strange, even a humanoid monster can feel emo?¡± Zhou Shengsheng muttered, then shrugged and began cleaning up all traces of Liu Xunlan''s visit.


    Duan Fusheng paused: ¡°Let Sheng Lan do it. You go to the Xinzhe Repository to scrub chamber pots for three months. After that, come back.¡±


    Originally just a casual remark, but Duan Fusheng was feeling particularly irritated at the moment. He needed time to sort out his thoughts and didn''t want to see Zhou Shengsheng for now.


    Zhou Shengsheng was dumbfounded.


    He really wants me to go scrub?!


    Before she had a chance to protest, as soon as she stepped out, under Sheng Lan''s mocking gaze, Zhou Shengsheng was taken to the Xinzhe Repository.


    Sometimes she really hated the efficiency of ancient people.


    But it was fine. Three months would just miss the key plot, and she was happy to have some peace.


    ¡¾Shengsheng, I''m back! The boss said you''re the only one who can carry the main plot! As a bug, you must ensure the main plot isn''t affected!¡¿


    Zhou Shengsheng: ......


    No, she now hated Pang''s efficiency too.

 Chapter 3

    "In other words, if I maintain the main plotline, I''ll earn contribution points, and then I can trigger a reward called ''Reincarnation: I''m a Rich and Beautiful Lady.'' At that point, I can break free from the constraints of this identity and achieve personal freedom, a slave rising up to sing her own song?"


    Pang, hiding under Zhou Shengsheng''s hair and covering his nose, nodded vigorously, then realized she couldn''t see him and cleared his throat to let out an "Mm~" sound.


    Zhou Shengsheng, who was covering her face with a sweat towel, was overjoyed at the news: "That''s great! I prefer winning by doing nothing compared to farming."


    The supervisor matron of the Xinzhe Repository saw the new palace maid staring blankly upward with a silly grin, her hands idle.


    Without hesitation, she lashed out with a whip, and then another.


    Once you enter the Xinzhe Repository, you are the lowest of the low, no matter who you were before, even if you were a favored servant of a noble.


    After taking two lashes, Zhou Shengsheng immediately apologized and dared not slack off again. However, once the matron left, her eyes turned icy cold, and under the sweat towel, she bared her teeth menacingly.


    She endured the constant humiliations from Duan Fusheng and that brat of an emperor every day with humility, because they were at least named characters with plotlines in the book.


    But that didn''t mean she would silently accept being beaten by some nameless NPC.


    ---Divider---


    On the day of the Spring Banquet, although Pang told her to maintain the plot, she thought that since the plot had just begun, there shouldn''t be much she needed to do. After all, in the original book, Duan Fusheng only agreed to attend the banquet because his secret was discovered, even though the person who knew it was dead. He went to change his mood.


    But now, even though she was still alive, Duan Fusheng had still agreed to the emperor''s invitation, so there shouldn''t be any surprises.


    Although Duan Fusheng was lazy, unreliable, and a bit of a troublemaker, once he agreed to something, he never went back on his word.


    In Qianyi Palace, Duan Fusheng sneezed violently.


    Startled, Sheng Lan, who was combing his hair, jerked her hand, pulling on his hair and causing him pain.


    "Get out!"


    His icy command struck Sheng Lan like a bolt of frost, causing her to immediately kneel and beg for forgiveness.


    Duan Fusheng, annoyed by her wailing, was about to erupt in anger when he suddenly felt the scene was familiar. His expressionless face suddenly came to life, and his voice softened like a spring breeze: "Get up. There''s something I need you to do."


    Sheng Lan, who had been weeping miserably, looked up cautiously, hardly believing that the gentle, smiling noblewoman before her was the same person who had been so harsh just moments ago.


    "Go to the Xinzhe Repository and check if ''Tail'' is slacking off."


    After a moment of confusion, Sheng Lan realized who ''Tail'' referred to. Hiding the overwhelming jealousy in her eyes, she withdrew.


    After all, Zhou Shengsheng was just a lowly servant who had been punished and sent to the Xinzhe Repository. To be given a nickname by the master herself!


    But that was where it ended.


    The matron who ran the Xinzhe Repository was her own aunt. Even if the three months were up, Zhou Shengsheng would never return alive!


    The innocent-looking girl smiled foolishly and waved her hand, summoning a young eunuch: "You, come here."


    "Go to the Xinzhe Repository and see how that wretch Zhou Shengsheng is doing."


    ---Divider Again---


    Crouched in the bushes, Zhou Shengsheng was almost falling asleep from waiting.


    At the Spring Banquet, the emperors and princes and princesses of the two other major kingdoms, equal to the Zhu Kingdom, would all be attending, making it a highly important event.


    This naturally meant that the palace servants were busy running around non-stop. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a result, the people in the Xinzhe Repository were unexpectedly left with some free time. She had just bribed a palace maid to find out that the supervisor matron would be visiting her eunuch partner in the imperial gardens at this time, so she had calculated the route in advance and was now staking out the spot.


    An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth¡ªand she wasn''t a gentleman, so what did she have to fear?


    Little people should have little people''s pride, rather than just accepting that the heavens decree you a lowly creature meant to be bullied.


    Of course, the main reason was that the heavens don''t care about the lives of NPCs.


    The round little panda, Pang, flew over from a distance, shouting at Zhou Shengsheng: "Shengsheng, she''s coming!"


    Zhou Shengsheng quickly straightened up.


    Sure enough, a familiar figure approached from a distance, smiling.


    Timing it perfectly, Zhou Shengsheng suddenly charged out, and before the matron could react, she kicked her into the water.


    This place was secluded, with only a distant pavilion nearby, and it was rarely visited, making it the perfect spot for Zhou Shengsheng''s mischief.


    The matron could swim, and after a moment of panic, her body automatically began to function, swimming up with the current. Just as she surfaced, she saw Zhou Shengsheng''s face, full of malicious intent. Having survived in the palace for years, the matron immediately understood what she intended.


    She immediately shouted harshly: "You lowly wretch! How dare you ambush me!"


    Zhou Shengsheng sneered: "It''s you who has the audacity. Everyone in the Xinzhe Repository knows I''m only temporarily punished here for three months and will soon return to Qianyi Palace. Yet you dared to beat and humiliate me without restraint."


    ¡°Let me guess, someone must have incited you to do this¡­¡± Zhou Shengsheng said casually, squatting down and stepping on the old woman''s head to push her back into the water.


    The feeling of drowning overwhelmed her, and in her panic, the matron struggled frantically.


    Just as she was about to lose consciousness, Zhou Shengsheng lifted her foot.


    The matron quickly swam up, desperately gulping in the precious air.


    She finally understood that this girl in front of her was nothing like her niece had described¡ªweak and easily bullied. She was clearly a demon!


    If it weren''t for Sheng Lan''s repeated assurances that Zhou Shengsheng was a cowardly person, she would never have dared to lay a hand on a senior palace maid from Qianyi Palace.


    After all, everyone in the palace knew that although the noblewoman was temperamental, she was fiercely protective of her own.


    After spitting out a few mouthfuls of water, the matron prepared to humbly apologize to Zhou Shengsheng.


    But before she could speak, Zhou Shengsheng''s face suddenly changed dramatically, as if she had heard something terrifying. She grabbed the matron by the collar and pulled her out of the water.


    Shocked by her immense strength, the matron saw the demonic girl suddenly shout at her with a fierce expression: "Quick! Push me in!"


    The matron froze in confusion.


    What... was that supposed to mean?


    "Hurry up! If you don''t, I''ll report you to the noblewoman!"


    Thinking of the noblewoman''s methods, the matron shuddered and without hesitation, pushed Zhou Shengsheng into the lake with all her might.


    The force of it was so strong that it contorted her old face.


    To onlookers, the scene appeared quite different.


    "Stop! How can you be so cruel!"


    Even the matron, who had seen her fair share of strange events, was startled by this righteous cry!


    From a distance, a stunningly beautiful girl in a moon-colored long dress walked along the path. Her dignified and elegant face was filled with indignation. Anyone who saw her expression would be drawn in by her emotions, unable to look away.


    Unfortunately, the two men, each with their own unique and extraordinary charm, who had witnessed everything, were now focused on the girl who had been ''pushed'' into the water and was struggling.


    "Interesting," one of them murmured with a low chuckle.

 Chapter 4

    Zhou Shengsheng was almost scared to death.


    Heaven only knows why the female lead, who was supposed to be in the imperial garden, came to this remote corner instead.


    In the original plot, when Jiang Zhiyu first entered the palace, she accidentally witnessed a bullying incident and saved a little maidservant from the clutches of a malicious palace maid, uttering the central theme that ran through the entire book:


    "All men are created equal."


    This phrase happened to be heard by Song Weiqing and Duan Fusheng, who were nearby, piquing their interest in the female lead.


    When A Pang reminded Zhou Shengsheng that the female lead was heading this way, she quickly assigned herself a role.


    A bullied maidservant.


    What a perfect role¡ªit could advance the plot and also spare her from any moral condemnation.


    But wait...


    As Zhou Shengsheng flailed in the water, she suddenly remembered something.


    If Jiang Zhiyu is here, then Song Weiqing...


    Jiang Zhiyu looked at Zhou Shengsheng in the water and, after thinking for a second, decided not to rescue her just yet.


    Scolding came first.


    After all, if the mud by the water splashed onto her skirt, it would be quite unsightly.


    "How can you do this! What did she do to deserve such treatment!" Jiang Zhiyu''s clear face was filled with condemnation, her dark eyes burning with righteous indignation.


    The shrewd old maid merely glanced at her a few times, quickly calming down after the initial shock.


    After carefully examining the girl''s attire, she reached a conclusion.


    "Which family''s young lady are you? Do you think you can meddle in palace affairs?" The maid looked at her disdainfully, especially when she noticed the simple hairpin in the girl''s hair, her disdain barely hidden.


    Which family''s illegitimate daughter is so ill-mannered?


    Zhou Shengsheng''s arms were about to give out, yet she still hadn''t heard the female lead''s classic line about "all men being equal."


    Honestly, pretending to drown in this shallow water that barely reached her waist, while not life-threatening, was really exhausting...


    Frustrated, she shouted, "Madam, even though I am just a lowly maidservant, I am still a human being!"


    Brave female lead, don''t be afraid of difficulties! I''ve given you such a hint!


    Realizing what was going on, Jiang Zhiyu nodded and pointed at the old maid''s wrinkled face, shouting, "Everyone has their own value! No one is superior to anyone else! All men are equal! What right do you have to decide someone''s life so casually!"


    Zhou Shengsheng immediately relaxed.


    Finally, she said it.


    Just as she was about to give the old maid a look to help her out of the water, a series of footsteps interrupted her thoughts.


    "Silence!" A familiar haughty voice rang out.


    Zhou Shengsheng looked up and almost laughed.


    Wasn''t that her old acquaintance, Sister Sheng Lan?


    Which meant Song Weiqing was indeed nearby.


    Seeing her niece, the old maid almost wept with joy, but before she could say anything, the girl disdainfully averted her gaze.


    "The Noble Consort is meeting with a noble guest here, and you dare to make such a commotion? How disgraceful to the Zhu Kingdom!"


    Her words were directed at Zhou Shengsheng, who was shivering and dripping wet as she climbed onto the shore.


    In the pavilion.


    The old maid looked at the two people in front of her, her knees almost giving out.


    The man in the middle, with a refined complexion, wearing a sky-blue robe embroidered with kylin patterns, was, without a doubt, the next Crown Prince of the Zhen Kingdom, Song Weiqing.


    After all, the kylin eye bodhi beads he was constantly fiddling with had once sparked a trend among young gentlemen in the Zhu Kingdom.


    The other person, leaning lazily on his head, was naturally the emperor''s beloved Noble Consort.


    Zhou Shengsheng looked at Song Weiqing in front of her and naturally thought of¡ª


    "He, the Crown Prince of the Zhen Kingdom, a gentleman in the eyes of the world, the dream lover of countless women, yet he only loves the charming woman in front of him. If she were to kiss him, he would give her both the empire and his life! And him, him, him..."


    Song Weiqing: ".....?"


    Who would he kiss? Who would he give the empire and his life to?


    Song Weiqing''s usual smile froze slightly.


    Who was speaking?


    After unobtrusively observing the expressions of those present, he quickly composed himself, lowering his long lashes to hide his emotions.


    In this strange and heavy atmosphere, a brave soul dared to speak up.


    "I am not wrong." Jiang Zhiyu broke the tense silence, boldly kneeling and staring directly at Song Weiqing.


    "Where did this ill-mannered girl come from?" Duan Fusheng raised an eyebrow, casually glancing at her.


    The girl on the ground turned pale upon meeting his gaze but still trembled and refused to lower her head.


    "Who else could it be, but your wife," Zhou Shengsheng muttered, hiding her face and rolling her eyes shamelessly since no one could see her expression.


    Duan Fusheng glanced at Zhou Shengsheng, who was kneeling on the ground, soaked like she had grown out of the water, then looked away. Song Weiqing also turned his gaze to this little maidservant who intrigued him.


    So it was her.


    It seemed that the woman in front of him was the so-called female lead.


    "State your name," Duan Fusheng said with disdain, glancing at Jiang Zhiyu.


    Feeling his disgust, Jiang Zhiyu bit her lip.


    Did this woman discover her intention to seduce the emperor?


    "Jiang Zhiyu. My father is General Jiang Dehuai," she said in a steady voice, unwavering.


    "I seem to remember that General Jiang''s daughter is named Jiang Rou," Duan Fusheng said softly, narrowing his eyes.


    The answer was simple.


    Because she was just an illegitimate daughter, unworthy of mention.


    Jiang Zhiyu trembled slightly, her lips moving: "I am an illegitimate daughter."


    It seemed that being an illegitimate daughter was not something she considered shameful.


    Zhou Shengsheng moved slightly.


    Oh no.


    The only person who knew Duan Fusheng inside and out, from head to toe, was probably Zhou Shengsheng alone.


    Duan Fusheng had developed the intent to kill.


    And it was directed at the female lead!


    "This is insane! Why would Duan Fusheng want to kill the female lead! In the original text, when they first met, shouldn''t he have already developed the desire to lock this pure, unique woman in a cage, making her heart and eyes only for him!" Zhou Shengsheng''s frustrated voice rang out. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And the little panda also flew out, sitting on Zhou Shengsheng''s head and pondering: [Exactly! You need to find a way, host! If the female lead dies, the world will collapse! Duan Fusheng can dislike the female lead, but he can''t kill her!]


    Song Weiqing was also thrown into great shock.


    Female lead?


    Was it the heroine from the storybooks?


    Killing her would cause the world to collapse?


    Although he was a Buddhist follower, he firmly believed in materialism. This was the first time Song Weiqing experienced the collapse of his worldview, but he quickly forced himself to calm down.


    Before uncovering the truth, all panic and confusion were meaningless.


    "Who are you? How did you end up in such a state?" A gentle voice like spring wind asked.


    After a while, Zhou Shengsheng realized it was directed at her.


    She lifted her head, her wet hair sticking to her face, her small face pale from being soaked.


    "Your Highness, I am a servant from the Xinzhe Repository," she replied.


    As soon as she finished speaking, the person in front of her spoke up: "Well, well, Tail, just because you were sent to clean latrines for a few days, you''ve forgotten who your master is, haven''t you?"

 Chapter 5

    ¡°Here he comes, here he comes. I knew he¡¯d say that. Is he peeing to mark his territory like a little dog? How childish.¡±


    After muttering a curse at Pang, she pitifully raised her head and kowtowed to Duan Fusheng in front of her: ¡°Your Highness, with my current identity, how could I possibly face you? I¡¯ve truly brought shame upon you, Your Highness!¡±


    Her voice was filled with sorrow, as if she were a loyal servant deeply concerned about her master¡¯s reputation.


    ¡°Alright, alright. We all know you¡¯re my master now. Stop your peeing behavior already! By the way, Pang, don¡¯t you think this plot is a bit unreasonable? Duan Fusheng, a concubine, is openly meeting with a man from outside the palace. Isn¡¯t anyone going to do something about it?¡±


    Song Weiqing hid his twitching mouth behind a cup of tea, his eyes brimming with amusement.


    Duan Fusheng, oh Duan Fusheng, even someone as calculating as you wouldn¡¯t have expected that the seemingly loyal maidservant in front of you harbors such thoughts about you, would you?


    Duan Fusheng let out a cold laugh.


    But in Jiang Zhiyu¡¯s eyes, that laugh was nothing but blatant ridicule!


    ¡°Even though I¡¯m just a concubine¡¯s daughter, there¡¯s no need to laugh at me like that!¡±


    As a person of high status, Duan Fusheng¡¯s dignity did not tolerate being offended. He was just about to order someone to drag her out and behead her.


    Then, the words on the tip of his tongue paused.


    If this woman died, it seemed like the world would collapse.


    ¡°How dare you! Insulting the noble Consort openly! Come, drag her out and behead her!¡± Sheng Lan¡¯s furious voice came from behind Duan Fusheng.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Seeing that Duan Fusheng had no intention of stopping it, Zhou Shengsheng immediately spoke up.


    When all eyes turned to her, Zhou Shengsheng pretended to shrink back and lowered her head, speaking in a soft, delicate voice: ¡°Your Highness, this young lady is my savior. If not for her, I would have been...¡±


    As she spoke, it seemed as if she recalled something terrifying, and tears streamed down her face. Her shoulders trembled uncontrollably, looking utterly pitiful.


    The wet nurse, seeing her shift the blame onto herself, was furious but dared not speak out.


    Song Weiqing had never seen such a skilled actress before. Earlier, in the pavilion, he and Duan Fusheng had watched everything this maidservant had done from start to finish.


    If he hadn¡¯t known the truth, he might have really been fooled by this woman¡¯s acting, believing her to be a poor victim.


    He had always thought the women in his father¡¯s palace were the epitome of hypocrisy, but it seemed there were always more talented people out there. The Zhu Kingdom has its drama queens.


    Just as Duan Fusheng was about to speak, Sheng Lan seized the opportunity from behind him.


    ¡°Who do you think you are! A slave from the Xinzhe Repository, what face do you have to ask the Consort to show you favor!¡±


    Upon hearing her scolding, Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s shoulders trembled even more.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re done for. You dared to speak before Duan Fusheng. Didn¡¯t you see he¡¯s already angry? Oh, right, from your position, you can¡¯t see it, haha.¡±


    Indeed, Duan Fusheng was angry, but suddenly he didn¡¯t want to fulfill her wish.


    Although he didn¡¯t want to admit it, she really did understand him quite well.


    ¡°Sheng Lan, shut up,¡± Duan Fusheng¡¯s voice was flat, without a trace of emotion, yet it made Sheng Lan behind him shudder. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You saved Shengsheng¡¯s life, so consider that offsetting your earlier rudeness,¡± he said, leisurely picking up a grape. ¡°Go back and tell Jiang Dehuai that he¡¯s raised a fine daughter.¡±


    This was meant to be sarcastic, but in Jiang Zhiyu¡¯s ears, it sounded like high praise.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± Just moments ago, the thought of being dragged out had left a psychological shadow on Jiang Zhiyu, but she also felt a bit wronged.


    This isn¡¯t what Mother said would happen. Didn¡¯t she say men¡¯s eyes would be drawn to her?


    Why, compared to herself, it seemed he cared more about that maidservant.


    She sneakily glanced at Song Weiqing, who was seated above, and her face slowly turned red.


    If this man were to fall for her, she wouldn¡¯t mind giving him a chance to pursue her.


    Seeing that Duan Fusheng¡¯s matter was settled, Song Weiqing raised his arm and pointed at Zhou Shengsheng, who was standing quietly, as if she didn¡¯t exist: ¡°I¡¯m in need of a servant by my side. I find her quite pleasing to the eye. Why not let the Consort give her to me? I can see she¡¯s not doing well here, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s expression froze. In her mind, she thought: ¡°Are you okay? Are you okay?¡±


    How did the conversation suddenly shift to her?


    And ¡®pleasing to the eye¡¯?


    Do you like what crawled out of the water?


    Zhou Shengsheng decisively crawled to Duan Fusheng¡¯s feet, looking up at him with her small, pitiful face: ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t want to leave. I only want to follow you!¡±


    ¡°Song Weiqing, you heartless one. I heard that in private, you enjoy drinking the heart¡¯s blood of your enemies while dining! If he takes a liking to me, I wouldn¡¯t know how I¡¯d die! Be grateful, Your Highness. Compared to him, I¡¯d rather serve you!¡±


    Duan Fusheng, who should have been grateful, deepened the smile at the corner of his mouth. So, the Crown Prince of Zhen has such a peculiar habit. I wonder how much this piece of information could fetch.


    Song Weiqing¡¯s fingers moved faster on his prayer beads.


    ¡°I wonder how much sincerity the Crown Prince can offer?¡± Duan Fusheng gently pushed Zhou Shengsheng away with the tip of his foot.


    Song Weiqing decided to stick to his ruthless approach: ¡°The Zhu Kingdom is hot in the summer. Why don¡¯t I gift Jing Province to the Consort as a place to cool off?¡±


    As soon as these words were spoken, the entire pavilion fell into an instant silence.


    ¡°Am I really worth so much¡­¡±


    Only Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s murmured thoughts echoed in the minds of the two men.


    Duan Fusheng couldn¡¯t bear to look. After following him for so many years, why is she still acting so cheap?


    When Jing Province was mentioned, Duan Fusheng suddenly remembered another matter.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Jing Province recently planned to be the fiefdom of the Shen Prince? The Crown Prince¡¯s actions might not be in accordance with propriety.¡±


    Song Weiqing smiled faintly: ¡°To be honest, my elder brother recently lost his memory, so this matter has been temporarily put on hold. However, the Consort seems to know a great deal about our kingdom¡¯s affairs.¡±


    The implication being that he knew too much.


    Duan Fusheng didn¡¯t respond, but the keywords like ¡°prince¡± and ¡°amnesia¡± made him immediately think of what Zhou Shengsheng had said when he first heard her thoughts.


    ¡°Although Jing Province is good, the Crown Prince should keep it for himself. Shengsheng has been with me for many years; the bond between master and servant is not something that can be exchanged for material goods,¡± he said, picking up his teacup and taking a sip.


    Song Weiqing wouldn¡¯t believe him if he did.


    If it really couldn¡¯t be exchanged for material goods, then what about that word ¡°sincerity¡± earlier? Did he imagine it?


    ¡°Your Highness, the special-supply plums are very sweet. Please try one,¡± Zhou Shengsheng said eagerly but not obsequiously, quickly getting up and bringing the plate of plums that Duan Fusheng had never touched to him.


    Song Weiqing glanced at her with a smile, wondering if she had changed her mind.


    Duan Fusheng¡¯s originally casual expression tightened, his gaze turning sharp as he looked at Zhou Shengsheng.


    Zhou Shengsheng watched as he picked up a plum with his jade-like fingers and ate it, then she set the plate down and stepped back.


    In her mind, she added: ¡°If you have nothing to do, eat a plum~¡±


    ¡­.


    At this moment, those who didn¡¯t understand and those who understood half of it all fell silent.


    Song Weiqing quietly spat out the pit, which was caught by a maidservant beside him. Seeing that he seemed to like it, he picked up another one, blushing as he handed it to his mouth.


    ¡°Zhang Jian, I seem to have mentioned that I dislike the maids wearing bright-colored dresses.¡± He half-closed his eyes, gently rubbing the Kylin Eye Bodhi in his hand.


    The man behind him, aptly named and sharp yet restrained, quickly grabbed the maid¡¯s neck and dragged her away.


    Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s hair stood on end as she watched, silently vowing never to fall into Song Weiqing¡¯s hands.


    As the time grew late, Song Weiqing stood up to leave.


    Before leaving, he couldn¡¯t help but say to Zhou Shengsheng: ¡°Little Shengsheng, I¡¯m quite interested in you. If things don¡¯t work out with the Consort, remember to come find me.¡± After saying that, he took off the jade pendant from his waist and handed it to her.


    Having been in the palace for so many years, Zhou Shengsheng could tell at a glance that it was a valuable item.


    But before she reached out, she first pretended to be unsure and glanced at Duan Fusheng¡¯s expression.


    Seeing that she still knew to seek his opinion, Duan Fusheng waved his hand indifferently, letting her do as she pleased.


    ¡°How could a servant like me accept such a precious item? Thank you, Your Highness.¡± As she spoke, Zhou Shengsheng quickly took it and stuffed it into her sleeve.


    Being scared and accepting a gift were two different things.


    Song Weiqing silently retracted his hand, expecting her to refuse his offer.

 Chapter 6

    The old woman from the Xinzhe Repository was finally handed over to Duan Fusheng for handling.


    Zhou Shengsheng knew Duan Fusheng''s methods well, so she wasn''t worried that this person would return to the Xinzhe Repository to cause trouble for her.


    So, she claimed she had other things to do and left first.


    However, before leaving, Duan Fusheng unexpectedly took back the jade pendant that Song Weiqing had given her.


    This made Zhou Shengsheng so angry that she almost cursed out loud.


    "What? You don''t want to give it back?" Seeing her expression, which looked like she had just swallowed a mouthful of excrement, Duan Fusheng felt an inexplicable sense of joy.


    He had already figured it out. No matter how much she cursed him in her heart, on the surface, she still had to obediently comply and dare not resist, right?


    As Zhou Shengsheng left, Duan Fusheng''s mind remained restless.


    It wasn''t until Zhou Shengsheng had walked about twenty meters away that he could no longer hear her curses.


    This distance must be the limit, Duan Fusheng mused for a moment.


    Then, feeling a bit drowsy, he yawned.


    "Sheng Lan, take care of her. You know my rules."


    "Yes." Sheng Lan''s voice was devoid of any emotion.


    The old woman, trembling on the ground, looked up in disbelief at the child she had watched grow up.


    "You can''t do this to me! I''m your aunt!" she screamed, her voice hoarse and trembling.


    "Your Majesty! The Noble Consort! It was this servant who made me do it! Otherwise, why would I dare to provoke your personal maidservant! Your Majesty!" In her desperation, she reached out to grab Duan Fusheng''s leg.


    But before she could make contact, she was viciously kicked away with disgust.


    The force was so strong that she slammed into the pillar of the pavilion and spat out a mouthful of blood.


    The scene before her eyes swayed, and a wave of dizziness and nausea filled her mind.


    But she still managed to see clearly.


    The face that had bewitched their emperor revealed a malicious smile, then gently opened its crimson lips.


    "So what?"


    It was only then that she finally understood.


    He didn''t care.


    Whether it was her who had bullied Zhou Shengsheng or not, it didn''t matter to Duan Fusheng.


    What mattered was that he wanted her dead.


    That was all there was to it.


    Human life was as cheap as grass, and who would care if an ant was good or evil?


    ---- Hehe, here comes the dividing line ----


    Zhou Shengsheng returned to the Xinzhe Repository to change clothes.


    As a lowly criminal slave, she no longer had the many outfits she used to wear when she was Duan Fusheng''s personal maidservant.


    The most plain and unadorned dress, one person only had two sets.


    The set she was wearing today was wet, so she had to change into the other one.


    ¡¾Shengsheng, Ming Siran is about to meet the female lead, we have to hurry over!¡¿


    Apang turned around, covering his eyes with his paws.


    He was a boy, and it wasn''t appropriate for him to watch a girl change clothes.


    "Got it." Zhou Shengsheng was on the verge of tears.


    Her hair was still wet. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Why did it feel like maintaining the plot was even more troublesome than serving Duan Fusheng?


    "Wait a minute..." Zhou Shengsheng paused while tying her waistband.


    "In the original book, the female lead got lost and met the male lead, Ming Siran, on a narrow path with only faint light. Under the weak light, Ming Siran immediately noticed the female lead''s face, which was extremely similar to the face of his childhood sweetheart, and he was instantly captivated."


    So, the question was:


    Where was that narrow path with only faint light in the original book?


    Apang also fell silent.


    This question... was quite clever.


    He didn''t know either.


    Fortunately, Zhou Shengsheng was lucky.


    Following the direction the female lead had taken when she left the pavilion, Zhou Shengsheng quickly spotted the female lead, dressed in plain white, among the red bricks and green willows.


    It seemed she had realized she was lost and was frowning in distress.


    ¡¾Shengsheng, the male lead is coming from that direction¡¿ Apang, his chubby body panting, flew over from a distance.


    Zhou Shengsheng immediately understood and crouched down to hide herself under the shade of a tree.


    Jiang Zhiyu realized she was lost.


    She should have known better than to think about the handsome face of the Crown Prince of the Zhen Kingdom, or she wouldn''t have gotten lost.


    Recalling her mother''s advice from childhood that when lost, one should take off their shoes and throw them into the air, then follow the direction the shoe pointed, Jiang Zhiyu bent down to take off her shoe.


    But just as she bent down, a shadow suddenly appeared in front of her, making her scream in fright.


    "Ah!"


    A palace lantern with a faint flame illuminated her face. Ming Siran had been trained since childhood in martial arts, so his vision was sharp even in pitch-black darkness.


    With the added light from the lantern, it was even easier for him to see.


    The girl''s clear, watery eyes overlapped with the image of the girl in his memory, and seeing her about to fall, Ming Siran, who usually disliked physical contact with others, unexpectedly reached out to catch her.


    "You..." His deep, magnetic voice had just begun.


    But then the girl suddenly raised a bright smile and said to him, "Thank you, sir."


    Ming Siran''s face immediately darkened.


    "Don''t smile!"


    From her hiding spot, Zhou Shengsheng saw this and thought to herself, "I know this line."


    The next line should be: "Your serious look is more like her!"


    A sudden clear voice in his mind made the second half of Ming Siran''s sentence die before it could be spoken.


    "Who''s there?" His sharp eyes narrowed, and he pointed his sword toward the spot where Zhou Shengsheng was hiding.


    Zhou Shengsheng: ? What the...


    "Apang! What should we do? Did he find me?"


    Apang was also startled: ¡¾Don''t panic, host. Just meow like a cat. Isn''t that what they do in dramas?¡¿


    Zhou Shengsheng thought that made sense. This novel had so many unreasonable parts that a human imitating a cat''s meow being taken seriously wasn''t that far-fetched.


    "Meow~" she said, squeezing her voice.


    Ming Siran: "..." Did he, the Emperor of the Great Yong Kingdom, look like an idiot to them?


    Jiang Zhiyu was completely confused. So, why exactly couldn''t she smile?


    "I''ll give you one more chance. Liu Xunlan wouldn''t mind if I killed a rat on his territory."


    Hearing him directly address the current emperor by his name, Jiang Zhiyu was shocked: "How dare you address the Emperor''s name so casually!"


    Ming Siran gave her a mocking look and said coldly, "Shut up!"


    ¡°Oh...¡± Jiang Zhiyu aggrievedly closed her mouth, even making a gesture to seal her lips.


    However, Ming Siran''s gaze was not on her at the moment.


    Zhou Shengsheng gave Apang a look that said, "Great idea," then helplessly stepped out.


    ¡°This servant pays her respects to His Majesty, the Emperor of Dayong.¡±


    Jiang Zhiyu''s eyes widened in shock.


    Ming Siran, on the other hand, was a bit surprised and raised an eyebrow: "You know who I am?"


    Zhou Shengsheng bowed her head even lower, hoping he wouldn''t recognize her face.


    ¡°Your Majesty, only the esteemed you can wear the black five-clawed dragon robe throughout the entire world.¡±


    "Making it known to the world that you wear black to hide the blood on your clothes, how pretentious."


    Ming Siran''s hand clenched, the veins on the back of his hand bulging as he was about to cut her down. But then he suddenly realized that the last part of her words seemed to have directly entered his mind.


    So, as if to verify something, he pointed at Zhou Shengsheng on the ground and looked at Jiang Zhiyu.


    "Did you hear what she said?"


    Still in shock over the fact that he was the emperor, Jiang Zhiyu nodded blankly in response to his question.


    "Repeat it." He commanded coldly.


    So, Jiang Zhiyu confusedly repeated what Zhou Shengsheng had just said.


    After hearing it, Ming Siran tapped his sword lightly with his slender fingers.


    Interesting, it seemed only he could hear it.


    "This is to make sure the female lead never forgets his noble and arrogant identity? Wow, what a show-off."

 Chapter 7

    Just as Zhou Shengsheng''s thoughts were forming, a sudden sharp whistling sound, like a gust of wind, rang out beside her ear.


    She reflexively looked up and watched in shock as a strand of hair by her temple was cleanly sliced in half.


    "Holy crap, does this tyrant have a screw loose? Why is he targeting me?" Zhou Shengsheng was utterly shocked.


    "Your Majesty, please calm down." Immediately begging for forgiveness, no matter the situation, was Zhou Shengsheng''s survival tactic after years in the palace.


    Seeing this two-faced woman, Ming Siran sneered coldly.


    He hated two things above all else: first, being called a tyrant. The last person who dared to say that was already flayed alive.


    Second, he detested women who put on acts.


    "Li Rong."


    "Your Majesty." A woman suddenly appeared from the shadows, silent as a ghost. Dressed in the attire of the Yong Kingdom, she exuded efficiency and capability.


    "Slap her." With that, he turned his back on Zhou Shengsheng, who was kneeling on the ground, and signaled for Jiang Zhiyu to follow him.


    Jiang Zhiyu glanced at Zhou Shengsheng on the ground and found her somewhat familiar. "She didn''t do anything wrong. Why is she being punished?"


    "Speak again, and you can join her," came the cold, emotionless voice from the towering man in front of her. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jiang Zhiyu shivered and, with an apologetic glance at Zhou Shengsheng, resolved to find someone to help her later.


    After all, they were both from the Zhu Kingdom. How could she stand by and watch a Yong Kingdom person bully her like this?


    As the crisp sound of slaps and the muffled gasps of pain echoed behind her, Jiang Zhiyu tightly covered her ears.


    The palace... was terrifying.


    Since Ming Siran hadn''t specified how many slaps, Li Rong felt a pang of guilt as she looked at the girl in front of her, whose fault she didn''t even know.


    Even after serving him for so many years, she still couldn''t predict her emperor''s mercurial moods.


    "Here, take this medicine and apply it later," Li Rong said, handing her a bottle as she saw the girl''s swollen cheeks. She then turned and left.


    After all, they were in the Zhu Kingdom''s territory, and causing too much of a scene wasn''t wise.


    As she walked away, Li Rong faintly heard a soft, muffled voice from behind.


    "Thank you."


    She paused for a moment but continued on without looking back.


    After Li Rong left, Zhou Shengsheng knelt on the cold flagstones for a long time until her companion, A Pang, could no longer hold back his sobs and broke into loud wails. Only then did she finally react.


    She pulled the little panda into her arms and silently stroked his head, comforting him.


    The fiery pain on her cheeks constantly reminded her of the humiliation she had just endured.


    Even the whip wounds on her back, soaked in water earlier, seemed to flare up in protest.


    After a long while, when A Pang finally stopped crying, she slowly stood up, swaying slightly. The medicine bottle in her arms rolled out, but no one paid it any attention.


    By the time she was about to leave, the faint light from the palace lanterns was blown out by a gust of wind, leaving only ashes.


    Zhou Shengsheng didn''t attend the Spring Festival Banquet, nor did she return to the Xinzhe Repository.


    Instead, she dragged her aching, exhausted body to a quiet corner.


    This was her personal sanctuary.


    She had been transported into this world when she first entered the palace.


    Back then, as a young palace maid, she was often bullied and ostracized by the older maids who served Duan Fusheng.


    Most people in the palace were unkind.


    Even TV dramas romanticize the characters here.


    It wasn''t until later, when those who had bullied her one by one passed away, that her life improved.


    Duan Fusheng, though troublesome and hard to please, was, for the most part, a better master than the other consorts.


    He might be a ruthless killer, but he never beat or scolded his servants without reason.


    Compared to the maids serving the neighboring Consort De, who were often beaten until they had no intact skin left, she considered herself fortunate.


    Except for the occasional beating by the bratty emperor when he took a disliking to her, this was the first time she had been slapped.


    Though not as painful as a beating, the humiliation was unprecedented.


    "A Pang, remember this. I''ll cry just this once. If I cry again, it''ll be because I''ve gained the power to no longer be trampled on."


    A Pang quietly listened, gently patting her with his fluffy paws as the tears rolled down her cheeks.


    --- The divider is crying. Ming Siran, you''ll have your tears to shed later. ---


    "Dear Consort, that palace maid of yours is finally dead?"


    Below the stage, dancers swayed gracefully, their feathery robes fluttering, capturing the attention of most of the guests.


    Unfortunately, the emperor of the Zhu Kingdom never glanced their way.


    As long as the person by his side was present, no matter how beautiful the women were, they all paled in comparison.


    Duan Fusheng waved away the wine jug Sheng Lan was about to pour for him, feeling a bit restless.


    If that little thing, Zhou Shengsheng, were here, she definitely wouldn''t pour wine for him in front of the emperor.


    Chances are, she''d be grumbling in her heart, wondering why he didn''t just stay away if he didn''t want to drink, making her stand here for nothing.


    Thinking about how he was even considering things from Zhou Shengsheng''s perspective, Duan Fusheng couldn''t help but chuckle wryly.


    "Your Majesty, I feel a bit dizzy. I''ll go out for some air," Duan Fusheng said to Liu Xunlan, who was gazing at him adoringly.


    Without waiting for a response, he turned and left.


    Seeing Duan Fusheng leave, Liu Xunlan grew anxious and wanted to follow him, but before he could stand up, Song Weiqing, sitting beside him, suddenly spoke.


    "Your Majesty, this Bai Duo wine of yours has a unique flavor, slightly different from ours in the Zhu Kingdom."


    Hearing him talk about wine, Liu Xunlan''s interest was piqued, and he began to elaborate enthusiastically.


    Song Weiqing listened, nodding occasionally at the more interesting points, though if one looked closely, they''d notice his mind wasn''t really on Liu Xunlan.


    Instead, his gaze kept drifting to the elegant yet stunningly beautiful girl by Ming Siran''s side.


    Seeing Duan Fusheng leave his seat, she seemed to relax.


    The female lead... why was she with Ming Siran?


    Song Weiqing pondered this thoughtfully.


    --- The divider reminds everyone not to stay up late. ---


    "No need to follow," Duan Fusheng instructed his attendants as he stepped out of the banquet.


    Seeing his stern expression, Sheng Lan, who had been about to say something, wisely kept quiet and stepped back.


    Once he was alone, Duan Fusheng leisurely strolled in a certain direction.


    Today, he wore a deep crimson robe, neither quite a dress nor a robe, and as always didn''t adorn himself with any jewelry. His androgynous style had already captured the attention of most of the men present.


    In the novel, the author''s power was so strong that even though Duan Fusheng had no traits that resembled a woman, as long as he claimed to be one and held the title of Consort, no one could see through his disguise.


    Arriving at a secluded spot where even the chirping of insects was absent, Duan Fusheng spotted the girl curled up in the corner, her arms wrapped around her knees, her shoulders trembling.


    Close enough to hear, yet he couldn''t.


    She was really crying, he thought emotionlessly.


    But he didn''t approach. He simply stood there, silently observing the girl quietly sobbing.


    Some might call him cold for not offering any comfort, but others might see a tenderness in the respect he gave her privacy. If he had approached, Zhou Shengsheng''s rare moment of genuine emotion would have been cut short.


    Only when her shoulders stopped shaking did Duan Fusheng, who had been standing there for God knows how long, turn and leave.


    As if he had never been there.

 Chapter 8

    As summer approached, the temperature had already begun to feel oppressive.


    The smell in the Xinzhe Repository was even more unpleasant, so Zhou Shengsheng covering her face with a sweat towel didn''t seem out of place.


    The newly appointed Head Matron walked over silently, nearly causing Zhou Shengsheng to drop her bucket in fright.


    However, the Head Matron didn''t blame her at all. Before taking up her post, she was well aware of how her predecessor had met her end.


    "Miss Shengsheng, the Imperial Noble Consort has sent someone to fetch you." She forced a smile and kicked away the troublesome bucket for Zhou Shengsheng.


    Zhou Shengsheng wasn''t surprised in the least.


    It seemed Duan Fusheng was already aware of Ming Siran slapping her.


    Sure enough, the little eunuch waiting outside was Xiao Pingzi, who was on good terms with Zhou Shengsheng.


    "Sister!" Seeing Zhou Shengsheng, Xiao Pingzi was naturally delighted.


    In recent days, Sheng Lan had made things difficult for the eunuchs and maids who had been close to Zhou Shengsheng in Qianyi Palace. Now that Zhou Shengsheng was back, they felt like they had found their backbone again.


    "Xiao Pingzi, what''s been happening in Qianyi Palace lately?" As they walked together, Zhou Shengsheng began to inquire about the situation.


    In the original story, after Duan Fusheng met the female lead, he often summoned her to the palace under the guise of her imperial concubine status to satisfy his own desires.


    Xiao Pingzi thought for a moment: "It''s the same as usual, nothing major." He then remembered something: "Oh right, Sister Shengsheng, on the day of the Spring Banquet, Sister Sheng Lan had me go to the Xinzhe Repository to check on you."


    "Check on me?" Mentioning Sheng Lan, she suddenly remembered this person still needed to be dealt with.


    Previously, she hadn''t bothered with her because, aside from mutual dislike, Sheng Lan hadn''t done anything harmful to her. But now that she had been sent to the Xinzhe Repository, Sheng Lan had started plotting against her.


    It was time to clean house in Yikun Palace.


    Having been a senior palace maid for so many years, Zhou Shengsheng was well-versed in the necessary skills of palace intrigue.


    "Speaking of which, Sister, aren''t you going to take that thing off your face?" Xiao Pingzi asked weakly, glancing at the sweat towel on her face.


    Zhou Shengsheng thought about it. Since Duan Fusheng already knew she had been hit, there was no need to hide it.


    After a long absence, Zhou Shengsheng finally returned to her room. She first rolled around on her bed with abandon before changing into clean clothes to see Duan Fusheng.


    She had originally planned to cover up the bruises on her face with makeup, but fearing it might harm the wounds, she eventually gave up.


    So, with a face swollen like a pig''s head, she walked past the astonished gazes of the palace attendants to meet Duan Fusheng.


    As soon as she entered, she couldn''t help but smile.


    Her sworn enemy, Sheng Lan, didn''t know what she had done wrong, but she was now trembling on her knees, with Duan Fusheng''s beautifully sullen face looming above her.


    At a glance, she understood what was going on.


    Quickly offering her greetings, Zhou Shengsheng stepped forward and kicked away the brightly colored silk robes laid out in front of Duan Fusheng, then instructed Xiao Pingzi, who was still in a daze: "Go, burn them all."


    Xiao Pingzi nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.


    Only Zhou Shengsheng in all of Qianyi Palace would dare to unceremoniously destroy the items the emperor had bestowed upon the Imperial Noble Consort.


    Walking up to the still trembling Sheng Lan, Zhou Shengsheng sternly ordered: "Look up!"


    Sheng Lan slowly raised her head, and upon seeing Zhou Shengsheng''s swollen face, she was momentarily surprised before her expression turned to disgust.


    "Who is our master?" Zhou Shengsheng asked, her eyes lowered.


    After hesitating, Sheng Lan answered in a trembling voice: "It''s the Imperial Noble Consort."


    Zhou Shengsheng was about to smile in approval, but feeling the pain in her cheeks, she held back.


    "Correct. So, what should we do with things the Imperial Noble Consort dislikes?" she continued, guiding the conversation.


    Sheng Lan understood what Zhou Shengsheng was getting at but still gritted her teeth and replied: "Throw them away."


    Zhou Shengsheng''s point was clear: their master was the Imperial Noble Consort, not the emperor. If the Imperial Noble Consort disliked something, even if it was a gift from the emperor, what did it matter?


    Yet, despite knowing this, who would truly dare to discard a royal gift?


    Perhaps only Zhou Shengsheng, who had endured the emperor''s wrath for so long and still managed to survive.


    Zhou Shengsheng nodded: "Qianyi Palace doesn''t need servants who can''t serve their master properly. From today onwards, you are a criminal slave in the Xinzhe Repository." With that, taking advantage of the angle, she playfully winked at Sheng Lan.


    "Your Highness! Your Highness! I was wrong! Why are you punishing me? Why!" Sheng Lan''s face turned pale. She looked at Duan Fusheng with hope, while glaring at Zhou Shengsheng with hatred.


    "Wow, did you see that, Pang? She can look at two different people at the same time! With that skill, does she even need to worry about going to the Xinzhe Repository? She could clean two buckets at once¡ªleft eye on this one, right eye on that one!"


    Hearing this, Duan Fusheng''s drowsy gaze suddenly fell on Sheng Lan on the ground.


    Indeed, it was true.


    But this glance was mistakenly taken as a sign of hope by Sheng Lan, who immediately tried to grab Duan Fusheng''s leg.


    Zhou Shengsheng quickly stopped her and called out: "Come! Take this criminal slave away!"


    Soon, eunuchs came in and dragged her out.


    Seeing her gone, Zhou Shengsheng stepped forward and took away the teapot that had been in front of Duan Fusheng, then brewed a new one.


    As she poured the tea, Duan Fusheng''s languid gaze remained fixed on her face.


    When the tea was poured, he finally opened his lips and slowly uttered two words.


    "So ugly."


    Zhou Shengsheng: "......"


    "You have no idea, I''m so cute it''s bubbling over!"


    Seeing the face in front of him, whether swollen or not, it certainly didn''t match the word ''cute,'' Duan Fusheng casually remarked: "Tomorrow, the Emperor of Yongguo is coming to visit Qianyi Palace. I had originally planned for Sheng Lan to entertain him properly, but since you''ve sent her away, you''ll take care of it."


    Hearing the words "Emperor of Yongguo," Zhou Shengsheng straightened her back.


    However, it seemed a bit unreasonable for the ruler of a neighboring country to visit the palace of another emperor''s favored concubine.


    Leaving that aside, this plot point wasn''t in the original story.


    That meant she didn''t have to maintain this storyline and could act freely?


    Thinking about Ming Siran coming to her territory, Zhou Shengsheng''s eyes gleamed with contemplation. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Glancing at Zhou Shengsheng''s somewhat serious expression, Duan Fusheng withdrew his gaze. Anyone who dared to lay a hand on someone in his palace, even a ruler of a country, would face his wrath. He had given Zhou Shengsheng an opportunity for revenge, and he hoped she wouldn''t disappoint him. It would be best if it ended in bloodshed.


    "Pang, do you have any medicine that can''t be detected but will make someone severely ill?"


    Quietly standing beside Duan Fusheng to reduce her presence, Zhou Shengsheng asked the little panda above her head.


    Pang thought for a moment: "Yes, but why do you need it, Host?"


    Half of Zhou Shengsheng''s face hidden in shadow, she grinned, taking advantage of no one paying attention to her.


    "Of course, to make Ming Siran walk in and spray out."


    "Cough..... cough...." If not for his usual self-control, Duan Fusheng might have spat out his tea.


    "It seems Ming Siran hasn''t sprayed yet, but you''re about to." Zhou Shengsheng teased, then went over to pat his back, saying with concern: "Your Highness, be careful, you almost choked yourself, and it nearly broke this servant''s heart."


    Duan Fusheng: "Heh."

 Chapter 9

    Ming Siran arrived that noon, and Zhou Shengsheng''s face had already healed significantly.


    It was quite strange. That night, when she returned to her room, she found a jade bottle on her desk, with a piece of paper underneath detailing its effects and usage instructions.


    She took it to the Imperial Medical Bureau to have a friendly imperial physician examine it.


    After learning that it was an excellent ointment for reducing swelling, she felt reassured and started using it.


    She guessed it must have been Xiao Pingzi and the others who had sent it. Seeing how thoughtful her subordinates were, she couldn''t help but feel that her usual care for them hadn''t been in vain.


    When Ming Siran arrived, Duan Fusheng mentioned that he wanted Lotus Root and Hibiscus Cakes and instructed Zhou Shengsheng to personally fetch them from the Imperial Kitchen. As a result, she missed Ming Siran.


    This led to her surprise when she saw Jiang Zhiyu in Qianyi Palace.


    Jiang Zhiyu, the protagonist, also recognized her.


    Zhou Shengsheng was quite easy to identify. Her appearance was average, even below average among the palace maids, but a vibrant cinnabar mole under her eye added a touch of color to her otherwise plain face.


    Seeing her still slightly swollen face, Jiang Zhiyu gave her a meaningful glance.


    Jiang Zhiyu had gone to the restroom to step out; otherwise, Ming Siran, that big pervert, wouldn''t have let her leave.


    Although she didn''t want to get involved with the protagonist outside the plot, Zhou Shengsheng still complied.


    "Miss, are you looking for something?" she asked with a smile.


    Jiang Zhiyu grabbed her and pulled her along. "I just can''t find the restroom. Could you please show me the way, sister?"


    The palace maid who had already pointed to the restroom: .....


    When they reached a secluded spot, Jiang Zhiyu let go of Zhou Shengsheng''s arm.


    ¡°Are you alright? That night, I asked the Imperial Noble Consort to save you. I wonder if you ran into each other?¡±


    Hearing the mention of the Imperial Noble Consort, Zhou Shengsheng''s eyes widened slightly. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Duan Fusheng had gone to find her?


    After the initial surprise, she quickly dismissed the thought.


    How could that be? Most likely, he had used the excuse to sneak away and enjoy the breeze.


    "Why are you here? Did Ming Siran trouble you that night?" Although she knew that Ming Siran wouldn''t do anything to her because she resembled his past love, Zhou Shengsheng still asked politely.


    Seeing her address Ming Siran by his name, Jiang Zhiyu understood that this young lady, like her, had no respect for the ruler of Great Yong Empire, especially after what happened last night.


    Her cheeks puffed up in anger. "He''s a total pervert! He just randomly confined me to his side, wouldn''t let me return to my residence, and wouldn''t let me smile. He''s completely insane!"


    Jiang Zhiyu had indeed planned to use the Spring Banquet to find a suitable match for herself, and even initially had her sights set on the emperor. However, her first night in the palace almost got her killed by the Imperial Noble Consort, forcing her to abandon her little schemes.


    Running into a random man on the road who turned out to be a foreign emperor was something she initially found exciting, thinking she might have a grand romance like in the storybooks.


    But who would have known that the emperor was such a pervert? When someone praised him, he would slap them! His attitude towards her was also inexplicable¡ªhe was just insane!


    Zhou Shengsheng suppressed her laughter.


    In the original book, the protagonist''s initial attitude towards Ming Siran was like this too...


    What shyly and angrily called him a pervert.


    Looking at Jiang Zhiyu''s puffed-up cheeks.


    Hmm... there was no shyness or coquetry, only real anger.


    Hopefully, this wouldn''t affect the plot...


    Just as she was about to say something to calm the protagonist''s anger, Xiao Pingzi''s urgent voice came from behind. "Sister Shengsheng! It''s time for the meal!"


    Zhou Shengsheng''s expression changed. "Miss Jiang, let Xiao Pingzi take you back first. I have something to attend to."


    With that, she pushed the out-of-breath Xiao Pingzi towards Jiang Zhiyu and quickly ran off, lifting her skirt.


    "A-Pang! Is everything ready?"


    A plump little panda suddenly flew out from her hair:¡¾Don''t worry, leave it to me.¡¿


    ¡¾But where should I put it?¡¿


    --- Yay, the dividing line is here ----


    "It has been five years since we last met." Ming Siran toyed with a delicate wine cup, his lips curling into a playful smile as he appraised Duan Fusheng''s current attire.


    Today, Duan Fusheng wore a black robe with gold embroidery and a dragon design, and even in the harem of a foreign emperor, he still wore a sword at his waist, exuding an air of arrogance.


    Ming Siran had mixed ethnicity, with more pronounced features than the average person. His face was strikingly handsome, enough to make anyone blush, but the overwhelming aura of bloodshed on him dulled his striking appearance. Those who saw him first noticed the chilling presence he exuded.


    Ignoring his strange gaze, Duan Fusheng nodded faintly. "Indeed."


    Jiang Zhiyu sat awkwardly beside Ming Siran, not daring to move.


    She was so hungry. How long were they going to talk?


    "However, Your Majesty has good taste. It hasn''t been long since you arrived, yet you''ve already found a beauty to accompany you." Duan Fusheng glanced at Jiang Zhiyu sitting beside him, his eyes filled with mockery.


    Ming Siran didn''t respond, but when he saw the appearance of the palace maid filling the wine, his eyes narrowed slightly.


    Feeling his intense gaze, Zhou Shengsheng, a maid of Qianyi Palace, merely lowered her head slightly.


    "What are you staring at? Haven''t you seen such a stunning beauty before?"


    The familiar voice in his mind made Ming Siran immediately recall who this familiar-looking palace maid was.


    So she was from Duan Fusheng''s palace?


    After some thought, Ming Siran decided to pretend he hadn''t heard anything.


    "Speaking of which, the quality of the servants in your palace isn''t very good..."


    Duan Fusheng''s eyes flickered, and he gave Ming Siran a suspicious look.


    "Virtue is the most important quality. Your Majesty places too much emphasis on appearances." He shook his head with a sigh.


    Zhou Shengsheng was about to nod but stopped herself.


    Wasn''t that admitting she was ugly?


    "Tail, since the emperor has spoken, shouldn''t you withdraw?"


    Zhou Shengsheng was momentarily stunned.


    "Ah? What about the poison I prepared?"


    Hearing the word ''poison,'' Ming Siran''s violent gaze suddenly shot over, scaring Zhou Shengsheng into quickly making her escape.


    "Imperial Noble Consort, have all the dishes in Qianyi Palace been tested for poison?" His voice was low and dangerous, his sharp eyes fixed on Duan Fusheng.


    "If Your Majesty is not at ease, then you don''t have to eat." Duan Fusheng sneered, his beautiful face showing clear disdain.


    His heart, however, was stirred.


    Ming Siran could also hear Tail''s thoughts?


    At his words, Ming Siran indeed stopped using the chopsticks, only drinking wine and watching Duan Fusheng eat alone.


    He didn''t notice Jiang Zhiyu sitting beside him, looking like she was about to cry.


    She wanted to eat!


    "That palace maid by your side, I find her quite pleasing to the eye." Ming Siran said casually, as if it were an afterthought.


    Duan Fusheng sneered in his heart but put on an expression of surprise on the surface, then revealed a mysterious smile.


    "Oh? The Crown Prince of Zhen Kingdom was willing to exchange the entire Jing Province for this palace maid of mine. What does Your Majesty plan to offer in exchange?"


    His life, he might consider it.


    However, there was still a deal between him and Ming Siran, so he couldn''t say it outright.


    Clearly surprised by ''Jing Province,'' Ming Siran''s eyes darkened.


    After a long silence, he spoke: "Liu Xunlan''s life, how about it?"

 Chapter 10

    The atmosphere suddenly froze.


    Jiang Zhiyu''s cold sweat soaked through her back.


    "Your Majesty is joking," Duan Fusheng said, moving his fingers. Though his words were said with a smile, his eyes were filled with warning as he looked at Ming Siran.


    Ming Siran chuckled nonchalantly and continued drinking, as if the previous words had never been spoken.


    The servants in the room were already trembling, their legs nearly giving out.


    Would they be silenced?


    That was the only thought in everyone''s mind.


    Zhou Shengsheng had thought she was off the hook, but soon, Xiao Pingzi came to call her, saying that Ming Siran''s clothes had been accidentally wetted.


    Her eyes lit up, and she immediately offered to take care of it!


    There were no men''s clothes in Qianyi Palace, but as a resourceful palace maid, Zhou Shengsheng managed to procure a brand-new, high-quality set of clothes for Ming Siran.


    She walked past the screen painted with beautiful women and softly said, "Your Majesty, I''ve brought your clothes," before approaching him.


    Ming Siran was half-naked, his muscles well-defined and firm, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and a back that exuded masculine charm.


    Unfortunately, a gruesome scar running from his shoulder blade to his lower back marred this beauty.


    Feeling the intense gaze on his back, Ming Siran raised an eyebrow.


    "What are you standing there for?" His cold voice snapped Zhou Shengsheng back to reality.


    Seeing that he remained with his back to her, she boldly focused her gaze on the scar.


    "Pang, I remember in the original book that this scar on Ming Siran was caused when he heard the news of Yu Yanyan''s death and, while on the battlefield, was distracted and got cut, right?"


    She was so engrossed in talking to Pang that she didn''t notice the momentary stiffness in the body she was touching.


    At the same time, another, more childish voice echoed in Ming Siran''s mind.


    [You have such a good memory, Shengsheng]


    Zhou Shengsheng had to walk around to Ming Siran''s front, so she restrained her smug expression. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course, I read this part several times. After all, I spent a long time guessing who the murderer was who poisoned the white moonlight and disguised her death as a fatal illness..."


    A hand suddenly grabbed Zhou Shengsheng''s wrist without warning, squeezing it like a vice and making her eyes water in pain.


    Confused, she looked up and met a pair of blood-red eyes.


    Zhou Shengsheng was startled.


    "Did Ming Siran get drugged with aphrodisiacs?" Thinking this, she discreetly shifted her gaze to his lower body.


    Shock, rage, and a hint of annoyance filled Ming Siran''s mind.


    Was Yanyan really poisoned to death? Who was the culprit?


    But could he trust this woman''s words? What was this "original book" she mentioned?


    His thoughts whirled in his mind, and he pushed Zhou Shengsheng away, wanting to ask how she knew Yu Yanyan was poisoned.


    But the words that came out were: "Get out!"


    Zhou Shengsheng obeyed and quickly left.


    If it weren''t for her own purposes, she wouldn''t want to serve this tyrant.


    The fourteen slaps she received wouldn''t be forgotten so easily.


    Ming Siran was still in shock over his inability to voice his true thoughts, so he didn''t notice a small flying creature named Pang sprinkling some powder on him.


    Zhou Shengsheng went to find Duan Fusheng, but the room was empty, with only Jiang Zhiyu eating alone.


    Seeing her enter, Jiang Zhiyu waved at her. "Shengsheng! Come over, this is so good!" She picked up a golden shrimp ball and offered it to Zhou Shengsheng.


    Zhou Shengsheng ignored her overly familiar address.


    "Where''s the Empress?" she asked.


    Jiang Zhiyu replied, "She said she was tired and left."


    This didn''t make sense. In the original book, Duan Fusheng couldn''t get enough of Jiang Zhiyu''s presence.


    Could he be sick?


    Oh no, if Duan Fusheng fell ill, she wouldn''t get a good night''s sleep.


    "Hey! Shengsheng!" Seeing her about to leave, Jiang Zhiyu grabbed her.


    "Um... can you plead with the Imperial Noble Consort for me? That psycho Ming Siran wants to take me to the Yong Kingdom, but I don''t want to go!" At this, tears welled up in her eyes.


    Zhou Shengsheng gave her a compassionate look, knowing she couldn''t escape, but she comforted her nonetheless. "I''ll ask for you."


    She wasn''t lying; she would ask for the female lead, but in the original book, even Duan Fusheng couldn''t protect her. Jiang Zhiyu eventually followed Ming Siran back to the Yong Kingdom as a favored concubine.


    Duan Fusheng usually rested in the west wing room with excellent lighting. Without the constraints of his identity and the interference of Liu Xunlan, Zhou Shengsheng felt he could sleep there forever.


    Indeed, looks were everything.


    Without that face, how could a lazybones like Duan Fusheng rise to the position of Imperial Noble Consort?


    However, today, the usually quiet west wing room had quite a few people.


    There were also many Yong Kingdom guards and a tall, capable-looking woman.


    Zhou Shengsheng remembered her.


    She seemed to be named Li Rong.


    Seeing Zhou Shengsheng, Li Rong recognized the red mole under her eye and nodded at her.


    Zhou Shengsheng responded and pulled aside Xiangxiang, who usually followed Duan Fusheng.


    "The Emperor of the Yong Kingdom is inside, discussing important matters with the Imperial Noble Consort, so we were asked to leave," Xiangxiang explained.


    Ming Siran?


    Thinking of his beast-like gaze earlier, Zhou Shengsheng had an ominous feeling.


    Inside the room,


    Duan Fusheng usually liked to nap in the sun but was afraid of the heat. Zhou Shengsheng had hung gauze curtains in front of the large, almost anachronistic floor-to-ceiling windows to reduce the light.


    He didn''t like bedding with floral patterns, so Zhou Shengsheng had custom-ordered a quilt with a qingniao pattern based on her own design, placing it on Duan Fusheng''s favorite chaise longue.


    Even the unique fruit tray was designed by Zhou Shengsheng.


    In a sense, Duan Fusheng''s surroundings were filled with Zhou Shengsheng''s influence.


    Rubbing his fingertips, Duan Fusheng, who had been half-closing his eyes, finally spoke as the man across from him grew impatient.


    "Half a year, and return her unharmed," he said, his voice unusually decisive, devoid of his usual lingering charm.


    Ming Siran frowned.


    "If you gift her to me, I can give you two clues. But if you''re lending her, I can only give you one. Are you sure?"


    "No need to trouble Your Majesty," Duan Fusheng chuckled lightly, unconcerned.


    Ming Siran could have just taken her by force, but he didn''t.


    He was wary of the mysterious and powerful backing behind Duan Fusheng. This man couldn''t be his enemy... for now.


    "Moonside Lake," Ming Siran said softly before standing up and leaving.


    Left alone, Duan Fusheng lay sideways in the hazy light, his long lashes fluttering, hiding the complicated emotions in his eyes.


    Seeing Ming Siran exit, Zhou Shengsheng followed suit and performed a perfunctory bow. But unexpectedly, a pair of embroidered dragon boots with gold trim stopped in front of her.


    A deep, magnetic voice came from above her: "Your master has given you to me."

 Chapter 11

    Zhou Shengsheng suddenly looked up at him, her eyes filled with disbelief and shock, which successfully amused Ming Siran, who was leaning down to look at her.


    Then, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.


    "What the hell? Jing Province didn''t even let Duan Fusheng send me away. What did you use? Half of Great Yong Empire?"


    "Oh, Pang, I''ve made it! I''m now a true beauty who can topple kingdoms!"


    Ming Siran couldn''t understand where this woman''s confidence came from.


    Where did she get the impression that he was blind?


    Thinking of this, he suddenly felt a mischievous urge.


    He curled his lips, his eyes gleaming with obvious malice: "Guess what I used to trade you away from your ''former'' master?"


    Zhou Shengsheng blinked innocently, her mind already pondering which part of the Yong Kingdom''s territory was the most fertile.


    Seeing her genuinely pondering, the curve on Ming Siran''s lips deepened.


    "Three words."


    When she looked confused, he repeated himself, adding an explanation: "I traded you away with just three words. No property or soldiers were lost."


    Ming Siran was ready to enjoy her expressions of grief and despair, but to his surprise, as soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Shengsheng decisively entered the house.


    Standing outside, Ming Siran clearly heard the pig-like wailing coming from inside.


    "Your Majesty! Why did you abandon me? Was I not good enough? I have served you with the utmost respect for so many years! How could you bear to give me to that old emperor! Your Majesty!"


    Ming Siran''s forehead veins twitched. Li Rong, standing behind him, clearly wanted to laugh but managed to suppress it.


    Indeed, compared to Zhou Shengsheng, who looked like a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, the twenty-six-year-old Ming Siran was indeed a full cycle older than her.


    Calling him old wasn''t entirely wrong.


    Inside the room, Zhou Shengsheng certainly didn''t want to show such an expression in front of Ming Siran, so she held her breath and only started wailing when she reached Duan Fusheng.


    "I''m such a damn, charming, and stubborn woman."


    Duan Fusheng rubbed his forehead, feeling his head about to explode.


    Pang, who was sleeping on her head, was also awakened by her thunderous wailing.


    After understanding why Zhou Shengsheng was crying, Pang hesitantly said: [Isn''t this just perfect, host? The female lead is going to Yong Kingdom with Ming Siran, so you can go there to stabilize the plot. If you can''t go to Yong Kingdom, you won''t be able to follow the next part of the plot, and that would be a mission failure.]


    Pang''s voice clearly entered both Zhou Shengsheng and Duan Fusheng''s minds.


    Then, Duan Fusheng watched as Zhou Shengsheng, who had been crying as if she had only one breath left, suddenly sprang up from the ground like nothing had happened, wiping away her snot and tears.


    "Thank you, Your Majesty, for all your training over the years. In Yong Kingdom, I promise to ''take good care'' of their emperor and not disgrace you."


    "If there''s nothing else, I''ll take my leave. If there''s a next time, I''ll still serve you."


    After saying that, she turned and walked out, her nonchalance like that of a heartless playboy.


    Duan Fusheng''s eyelids twitched.


    "Stop." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhou Shengsheng stopped and looked back curiously: "Is there anything else, Your Majesty?" Meanwhile, she started discussing with Pang what Yong Kingdom was famous for, like its delicious food and the fact that men there supposedly all had eight-pack abs and long legs.


    Duan Fusheng forced a smile: "I didn''t give you to him. I only lent you for half a year." After that, you''ll have to say goodbye to those eight-pack abs and long legs and come back.


    Zhou Shengsheng: "....."


    The disappointment came so suddenly that she forgot to pretend and directly sighed in front of Duan Fusheng.


    Realizing what she had done, she quickly corrected herself: "That''s great!" And secretly pinched herself to squeeze out a few crocodile tears.


    Duan Fusheng: "......"


    He suddenly looked forward to the sight of Ming Siran dealing with this two-faced maid day and night, unable to kill her because of their agreement.


    For this, he even felt that losing that clue was worth it.


    When Zhou Shengsheng came out from Duan Fusheng, Ming Siran was already gone.


    Only a Yong Kingdom guard was standing there, who signaled her to follow him when he saw her.


    He also informed her that they would leave Zhu Kingdom early the next morning, so she should hurry back to pack her luggage.


    Zhou Shengsheng was shocked.


    Was it really that urgent?


    As she hurried back to her room, she heard a girl''s cry.


    "Let me go! Put me down! You pervert! I won''t go with you! I''d rather die!"


    A low, oppressive male voice replied: "Then choose, death or going with me, which one?"


    Then Zhou Shengsheng unsurprisingly heard Jiang Zhiyu''s very unprincipled voice: "Yong Kingdom doesn''t seem so bad. I''ll just consider it a vacation."


    Zhou Shengsheng: "....."


    Hearing footsteps, Ming Siran''s sharp eyes swept over.


    But Zhou Shengsheng''s gaze met Jiang Zhiyu''s, who was being carried on his shoulder.


    Noticing her gaze wasn''t on him, Ming Siran frowned slightly, displeased.


    After all, this woman had stared at his body so intensely when he was changing.


    Now that he was dressed, she didn''t recognize him?


    Just as he was about to call her over, a sound, only audible to himself, came from his stomach.


    But even this tiny sound caused the young emperor''s expression to crack for a moment.


    This brief change was caught by Zhou Shengsheng.


    Pang''s medicine was working, haha.


    Zhou Shengsheng suddenly gave Jiang Zhiyu a look.


    Jiang Zhiyu immediately understood.


    It was inexplicable, but Jiang Zhiyu just knew what Zhou Shengsheng meant.


    "Ugh, this position is so uncomfortable." She complained, then suddenly wrapped her arms tightly around Ming Siran''s neck and hooked her legs around his waist.


    Ming Siran was about to throw her off when his stomach let out another sound.


    Then, as if something was trying to break free, Ming Siran''s face turned green.


    "Take her down," he ordered through clenched teeth to the servants nearby.


    Seeing Jiang Zhiyu about to be pulled down, Zhou Shengsheng quickly stepped forward: "Your Majesty, as a newcomer, I don''t know how to serve you. Who should I ask about your likes and dislikes...?"


    A series of questions instantly annoyed Ming Siran.


    "Ah, you won''t die from holding it. If you can''t hold it, just don''t. Baby Siran, let''s just go ahead and do it in our pants! It''s not embarrassing!"


    Zhou Shengsheng''s unrestrained laughter echoed in Ming Siran''s mind.


    Especially the term ''Baby Siran,'' which almost made him snap and twist Zhou Shengsheng''s head off, if not for his agreement with Duan Fusheng.


    This damn woman, she had actually dared to drug him!

 Chapter 12

    Sitting in the carriage heading towards the Great Yong Empire, Zhou Shengsheng still hadn''t fully processed what was happening.


    The faces of Xiao Pingzi and Xiangxiang, filled with reluctance, seemed to still be right in front of her.


    She took out a hairpin from her sleeve and ran her fingers over it.


    The pin was adorned with only a single solitary flower, looking rather plain and not quite in line with the current trends of jewelry.


    To be honest, before Duan Fusheng gave it to her, she had never known that he possessed such a simple item. He favored extravagant and intricate things, always seeking the best.


    Having served him for so many years, Zhou Shengsheng had never seen this hairpin before.


    "Oh, what an exquisite hairpin. It''s an erica flower," Jiang Zhiyu, who had been crying since they left the city gate, stopped her tears and exclaimed in surprise, looking at the hairpin in Zhou Shengsheng''s hand.


    Although she was a concubine''s daughter, she was still a young lady from a noble family and knew more about these things than Zhou Shengsheng, who had little interest in such accessories.


    "You recognize it?" Zhou Shengsheng asked.


    Jiang Zhiyu nodded. "The person who gave this to you must have put some thought into it."


    Zhou Shengsheng raised an eyebrow, puzzled.


    Jiang Zhiyu explained, "The erica flower symbolizes the wilderness because it grows in harsh and barren environments. Some say it also represents bravery. I think it''s a wonderful meaning."


    Bravery...


    Zhou Shengsheng repeated the word in her mind, savoring its meaning.


    Probably just a simple wish for her to survive with all her might.


    Oh well, this trip to the Yong Kingdom was just a vacation, she thought. After all, once she reincarnated, she had no idea which country she''d end up in. If it happened to be the Yong Kingdom, it would be good to have some reconnaissance under her belt.


    With renewed vigor, Zhou Shengsheng cast a loving gaze at Jiang Zhiyu, whose eyes were red and puffy like a rabbit''s.


    "Little Fish, do you need to go to the restroom?" This nickname was one Jiang Zhiyu had forced her to use.


    In the original story, Jiang Zhiyu hadn''t been in the same carriage as Ming Siran.


    But it was because the female lead wanted to use the restroom, with her red, tear-swollen eyes, that she went to find Ming Siran. Her appearance triggered memories of his lost love, pushing the plot forward with an assassination attempt, an accidental fall off a cliff, and the two of them relying on each other, gradually developing feelings.


    When Zhou Shengsheng asked this, Jiang Zhiyu, who hadn''t felt the need before, suddenly felt like she needed to go.


    She squeezed her legs and whispered to Zhou Shengsheng, "Shengsheng, will you come with me?"


    Who could refuse accompanying their bestie to the restroom?


    So when the two of them made the request together, the guards promptly led the horse to ask Ming Siran ahead.


    It was also about time to rest. After a long journey, everyone was feeling tired.


    The large procession came to a halt.


    After keeping watch for Jiang Zhiyu, the two of them returned together.


    Just as they did, they ran into Ming Siran, who had gotten out of the carriage to get some fresh air.


    The moment he saw Zhou Shengsheng, Ming Siran''s face darkened.


    Even his stomach felt a bit queasy.


    "You seem to enjoy spending time with this lowly servant," he said to Jiang Zhiyu, but his eyes were fixed on Zhou Shengsheng.


    Jiang Zhiyu was about to protest when Zhou Shengsheng pulled her back.


    "Forget it, babe. Your forward-thinking ideas about equality won''t make sense to someone with a shallow brainpan."


    Though she thought this, what she said was, "Your Majesty is right. Miss Jiang, please don''t be angry with Your Majesty because of me."


    The so-called ''brainpan-shallow'' Ming Siran: ¨t_¨s?


    Although he couldn''t kill this woman, now that they had left the Zhu Kingdom, who could control what happened to her? As long as he returned a whole person to Duan Fusheng, it should be fine.


    Just as he was about to order Li Rong to slap her, a sudden change occurred.


    Arrows rained down like a sudden storm!


    Then came the sounds of men shouting, screams, and the clashing of swords.


    Ming Siran''s eyes completely changed.


    Like a resting wolf suddenly revealing its ferocity, his bloodthirsty instincts were triggered.


    Their position was still a bit far from the main group, so the three of them were unharmed.


    Glancing at the frightened Jiang Zhiyu and the bloodthirsty Ming Siran, Zhou Shengsheng decisively took a step back, planning to find a safer place to avoid this dangerous plot.


    After all, as long as she followed the crowd and shouted a few times from the edge of the cliff, it wouldn''t be her problem.


    Maybe even the shouting wouldn''t be necessary?


    As she thought this, the sound of a twig breaking behind her startled Zhou Shengsheng out of her thoughts.


    She suddenly turned around, surprising the person behind her.


    Zhou Shengsheng looked at Jiang Zhiyu, who was following her, with a complicated expression. After a while, she asked, "Why are you following me? Ming... Your Majesty?"


    Jiang Zhiyu pointed aggrievedly behind him. "He saw those men in black and acted as if he was seeing his long-lost grandson. He completely ignored me."


    This metaphor, Zhou Shengsheng had to admit, was spot on.


    But this wasn''t right! Wasn''t this messing with her?!


    Ah Pang was also confused. This wasn''t how it was supposed to go in the original book. In the story, Ming Siran had protected the female lead. Now, as soon as he saw the enemy, he abandoned her?


    [Maybe you should take her back. Maybe if Ming Siran sees her, he''ll remember,] Ah Pang suggested.


    Zhou Shengsheng hesitated. As the female lead, Jiang Zhiyu would naturally be safe, but her own safety was far from guaranteed.


    But in the end, she decided to protect the female lead and take her back.


    After all, as a supporting character, it was her duty to protect the protagonist.


    ¡°Let''s head back to the carriage. The carriage has iron plating, so it should be safer,¡± Zhou Shengsheng said, even though she didn''t believe her own lie. Strangely enough, Jiang Zhiyu did.


    She even naively insisted that Zhou Shengsheng go first.


    Truly, she was saved by this naive and sweet female lead! From now on, she would never allow anyone to speak ill of naive and sweet female leads! Zhou Shengsheng silently shed two lines of touched tears.


    Was this the bond formed from going to the restroom together? She swore she would accompany the female lead to the restroom every day! Rain or shine!


    Perhaps it was the female lead''s halo at work, but the two of them, trembling with fear, managed to sneak back to the carriage without being noticed.


    There were many corpses on the ground. When Jiang Zhiyu saw a body with half its brain missing, she almost screamed, but Zhou Shengsheng quickly covered her mouth.


    Compared to the things she had seen as a ghost, these corpses were nothing.


    As a result, Jiang Zhiyu found herself with a reliable teammate who could step on a corpse without flinching.


    From a distance, Zhou Shengsheng saw Ming Siran in the middle of a chaotic battle.


    Or rather, it was a one-sided massacre.


    Even with three arrows stuck in his shoulder, he seemed unfazed, killing with even more ferocity.


    Zhou Shengsheng wondered if he would still be able to faint as per the original plot when they fell off the cliff.


    Just as she was thinking this, she turned to look for Jiang Zhiyu. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But before she could move, a cold sensation spread across her neck, making her goosebumps rise.


    Then came a hoarse, unpleasant male voice: "Don''t move."


    "They say the tyrant from the Zhu Kingdom brought back a woman as beautiful as a celestial being. But looking at her now, she''s nothing special," the man sneered.


    Zhou Shengsheng: !


    Although she agreed that Ming Siran was a tyrant, there was something else...


    "Um... buddy, is there a chance, maybe, that you''ve got the wrong person?"

 Chapter 13

    ¡°Shut up! I said it''s you, so it''s you! Why the hell are you asking so many questions!¡±


    The pressure on Zhou Shengsheng''s neck tightened, causing her to quickly raise her hands in surrender. ¡°Yes, yes, yes, yes! It''s me! The legendary beauty from the Zhu Kingdom, said to be so stunning that she could only exist in the heavens! That''s me!¡±


    The black-clad man: ..... Suddenly not so sure anymore.


    ¡°Ming Siran! Stop right now! Your little lover is in my hands! Be smart and let us go!¡±


    His loud shout caused everyone in the midst of fighting to pause.


    After beheading a sneak attacker from behind, Ming Siran''s bloodshot eyes slowly turned towards them.


    Upon recognizing Zhou Shengsheng''s face, he gave a contemptuous smile.


    ¡°Oh, go ahead.¡± The metallic taste of blood made his voice hoarse, but it didn''t hinder the clarity of those few words.


    Although she had expected it, Zhou Shengsheng still felt a bit annoyed by Ming Siran''s refusal so bluntly.


    ¡°Your Majesty! Don''t you remember what you promised our queen!¡± Zhou Shengsheng shouted desperately, ignoring the threat of the blade at her neck.


    ¡°In such a critical moment, I still maintained my character and used honorifics for this jerk?!! Well done, Zhou Shengsheng, the queen of not breaking character!¡±


    Ming Siran: .... Does she really want me to praise her?


    The man holding Zhou Shengsheng hostage was dumbfounded. This wasn''t how it was supposed to go!


    Shouldn''t Ming Siran be furious but forced to submit because his beloved was in his grasp? Author, come out and talk to us?!


    Why is he looking at me like he wants me to slit her throat right now??


    Has the tyrant become this cold-blooded?


    With sympathy, he glanced at Zhou Shengsheng, who was full of unwillingness and despair. He had no choice but to shout again, ¡°Don''t take me for a fool! I really will kill her!¡± With that, he tightened his grip, and blood trickled down Zhou Shengsheng''s pale neck.


    Ming Siran, however, seemed unfazed by her painful expression, smiling ''gently'' at the man. ¡°Why shout so loudly? I''m not deaf. Why don''t you come closer?¡±


    Ming Siran''s hair was unbound, his black locks scattered, and his face and hands smeared with glaring red. His bloodshot eyes made him look like a demon risen from hell.


    Only a fool would dare to approach him! It was precisely because this man was so brutally violent that he had been forced to take a hostage!


    During the standoff, the man''s companion suddenly gave him a signal, and while Ming Siran wasn''t paying attention, he attacked from behind.


    Ming Siran sneered, turned, and swung his sword, only to find that the man didn''t even dodge, allowing himself to be cut in half. Blood splattered as the man, his face twisted in pain, let out a crazed laugh.


    ¡°Tyrant! Die!¡±


    Then, Ming Siran''s vision blurred, and his limbs suddenly lost their strength.


    The man''s blood was poisoned! His eyes darkened with hatred.


    Seeing him fall, Zhou Shengsheng''s eyes darted around, searching for the female lead.


    The key plot is here! Female lead, hurry up and appear!


    Sure enough, Jiang Zhiyu appeared behind the villain at some point. Seeing Zhou Shengsheng being held hostage, she mustered up the courage, grabbed a rock, and smashed it on the man''s head, rescuing Zhou Shengsheng.


    At the same time, Ming Siran''s army broke through multiple obstructions to provide support.


    Seeing this, Zhou Shengsheng told Jiang Zhiyu, ¡°Ming Siran is poisoned!¡±


    Without waiting for Jiang Zhiyu to react, she grabbed her and ran towards Ming Siran.


    Jiang Zhiyu swallowed the words ''what does it have to do with me'' that were on the tip of her tongue.


    So, the last thing Ming Siran saw before passing out was Zhou Shengsheng rushing towards him.


    She wouldn''t be coming to deliver the final blow, would she....


    With that thought, he lost consciousness completely.


    ¡°Pang! Where''s that key figure with the mole?¡± With Ming Siran just a few meters away from the cliff''s edge, Zhou Shengsheng was getting anxious not seeing the person who was supposed to push him off.


    Pang paused.


    ¡¾Host, maybe you noticed that the person the female lead knocked out had a big mole on his face?¡¿


    Zhou Shengsheng: ....


    It''s the end of me!


    There was no other way. Zhou Shengsheng, using the excuse of checking on Ming Siran''s condition, glanced around and suddenly made eye contact with a man pretending to be dead on the ground.


    Zhou Shengsheng: !


    She quickly gestured with a push, pointing at Jiang Zhiyu and Ming Siran, and then indicated the cliff just a stone''s throw away.


    Fortunately, the man wasn''t stupid and quickly understood Zhou Shengsheng''s meaning.


    With a complicated look at her and Jiang Zhiyu, he stood up under Zhou Shengsheng''s encouraging gaze.


    So, when Li Rong arrived in a hurry, what she saw was the scene of the three of them being pushed off the cliff.


    Hearing the desperate cries of ¡°No!!!¡± from above, Zhou Shengsheng wore a look of utter despair.


    Why? Why was she pushed too??


    Why push her?!?


    On the cliff, the man who was tied up sneered.


    He hated jealous women the most. From the situation earlier, it was obvious that the woman with the red mole was jealous of the exceptionally beautiful girl beside her and had malicious intentions. As for Ming Siran, it was probably out of love turned to hate¡ªif she couldn''t have him, she''d destroy him.


    Such women were the most despicable!


    ---Dividing Line Hehe----


    Sitting by the creek, Zhou Shengsheng still had no idea she was a victim of a master of overthinking. She was sitting beside the unconscious, blood-soaked Ming Siran, frowning.


    It was a stroke of luck that the two of them were caught by an ancient tree and managed to survive the fall.


    Expressing her gratitude with a dozen bows to the tree, Zhou Shengsheng dragged Ming Siran''s heavy body to a small creek nearby.


    Although all three had fallen, the female lead was nowhere to be seen, which left Zhou Shengsheng quite distressed.


    How was the plot supposed to continue?


    As she was fretting, Ming Siran suddenly let out a painful groan.


    Zhou Shengsheng had no choice but to approach, crouch down, and tear a strip of cloth from his sleeve.


    Noticing the golden thread embroidered on the cuff, she hesitated for a moment before stuffing it into her bosom. Then, she tore another strip from the now shorter sleeve and tied Ming Siran''s mouth tightly, even finishing it with a neat bow.


    Perfect, finally quiet.


    Satisfied, Zhou Shengsheng sat back down and resumed resting his chin on his hand while thinking.


    She only had some scratches from the fall, but Ming Siran''s condition was much worse. Dragging such a burden made movement inconvenient, so finding the female lead was crucial.


    But, should she drag Ming Siran to find the female lead?


    Or maybe she should just find a place to bury him first.


    But.... even if he''s the male lead, burying him would still kill him, right?


    It seemed that Ming Siran heard Zhou Shengsheng''s thoughts, as the tightly bound man furrowed his brows in his unconscious state.


    S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 14

    In the palace of the Yong Kingdom.


    "What did you say?!" The cold and stunning woman roared, then, as if unable to believe it, she muttered to herself in a daze, "The Emperor actually fell off a cliff with that cheap woman together, alone... I won''t allow it..."


    The palace servant who was reporting pursed his lips, unsure whether to remind her that compared to the Emperor being alone with a strange woman, the fact that he ''fell'' off the cliff seemed far more serious.


    ---Divider Line---


    Looking up, one could see only tall, lush, and vigorous trees, occasionally accompanied by the chirping of birds and insects, presenting a scene of pristine natural ecology.


    If only I had read more survival guides before dying, Zhou Shengsheng thought, as she had no clue which direction to go now.


    Especially with a heavy man to carry.


    Ming Siran''s face was as pale as a ghost, his sword-like eyebrows furrowed tightly, completely devoid of his usual air of supremacy, instead looking somewhat frail.


    Worried that he might bleed to death, Zhou Shengsheng eventually relented and helped stop his bleeding.


    Of course, the material used to bandage the wound was torn from Ming Siran''s own clothes.


    Originally, Zhou Shengsheng had planned to look for the female lead in the vicinity or simply wait in place for rescue.


    But after hearing the distant growls of what sounded like carnivorous animals, she decided not to sit around and wait.


    Although she hadn''t felt it when they fell, looking up now, the height of the cliff was far beyond her expectations, obscured by thin clouds and mist.


    Naturally, Zhou Shengsheng couldn''t carry Ming Siran by herself, but fortunately, there were sturdy vines not far away. She tied herself to him, carefully avoiding his more serious injuries, so that even if she lost her grip, they wouldn''t fall.


    The forest hadn''t been developed by humans, and the waist-high grass and intertwined tree roots made her progress difficult. After an unknown amount of time, as the sun was about to set, Zhou Shengsheng''s shoulders trembled uncontrollably, and her legs shook incessantly. After her ninety-ninth thought of ditching Ming Siran, she saw a wisp of smoke rising in the sky ahead.


    Although faint and barely noticeable, that smoke was Zhou Shengsheng''s beacon of hope!


    Fixating on the distant smoke, Zhou Shengsheng felt a surge of strength and quickened her pace toward it.


    Although she didn''t hold much hope for finding residents here, encountering anyone would be better than nothing.


    Who knew why the compass Pang had given her wasn''t working in this godforsaken place.


    Perhaps it was the male lead''s aura at work, but when Zhou Shengsheng saw the small fenced hut in the distance, she suddenly found Ming Siran less annoying.


    "Is anyone there?!" she called out, her hoarse voice even surprising herself.


    Only then did she realize how parched her throat was.


    She shouted several times, and when she approached the hut, someone finally opened the door.


    Seeing the man''s hoe and wary eyes, Zhou Shengsheng immediately raised a hand to show her harmlessness.


    The man paused upon seeing Zhou Shengsheng''s battered appearance, apparently not expecting a girl carrying someone.


    "Husband, who is it?" Hearing her husband''s delay, the woman inside peeked out.


    "Oh my..." she exclaimed in surprise.


    ---Second Divider Line---


    "You''re quite lucky, little girl, to fall from such a height and come out unscathed," the woman marveled after hearing Zhou Shengsheng''s story.


    Through introductions, Zhou Shengsheng learned that the middle-aged woman was named Liu Ai, and her husband was Da Niu. Years ago, their hometown was ravaged by a plague, and they fled here, eventually discovering this self-sufficient paradise and settling down.


    According to her, this was the first time she had seen outsiders in all these years.


    "Do you know the way out?" Zhou Shengsheng asked.


    Liu Ai patted her hand reassuringly: "Don''t worry, Miss Shengsheng. Once your husband recovers, Da Niu will guide you out. We know this place well."


    Realizing she had misunderstood, Zhou Shengsheng hesitated for a moment before correcting her: "Actually, you''ve got it wrong. We''re not in that kind of relationship."


    Liu Ai gave her a look that said, "No need to explain, I understand."


    Although Zhou Shengsheng explained that she was traveling with a caravan to the Yong Kingdom when they were attacked by bandits and accidentally fell off the cliff, the man''s dirty but luxurious clothes suggested they were a pair of star-crossed lovers who had eloped due to family opposition and were being pursued.


    Ah, young people... S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhou Shengsheng didn''t know what she had imagined, but from her expression, it seemed like a clich¨¦d tale. She decided not to ask.


    The couple was accommodated in a room usually used for storage, which Da Niu cleaned up for Zhou Shengsheng and Ming Siran to rest.


    Still worried about the female lead, Zhou Shengsheng couldn''t help but sigh.


    Liu Ai, seeing this, assumed she was concerned about her husband''s health.


    Just as she was about to offer some comfort, a thunderous cough suddenly erupted from the thatched hut on the far left.


    Liu Ai''s expression changed, and without saying anything to Zhou Shengsheng, she hurried away.


    Zhou Shengsheng pondered for a moment; that sounded like a child''s voice.


    Having been taken in, she felt she should offer some help in return.


    Aside from the hairpin given by Duan Fusheng, she had nothing valuable left, as her luggage had been left in the carriage.


    Thinking this, Zhou Shengsheng''s gaze suddenly fell on the pale and unconscious Ming Siran lying on the bed.


    Just as she was about to act, she suddenly heard a woman''s crying outside. Without hesitation, Zhou Shengsheng pushed the door open and stepped out.


    Liu Ai''s thatched hut had three rooms, but the one on the far left looked oddly new.


    Approaching, the crying became clearer, and Zhou Shengsheng confirmed it was Liu Ai''s voice.


    After knocking on the door, the crying abruptly stopped, as if forcibly suppressing her grief.


    "Miss Shengsheng, what is it?" Liu Ai opened the door, her eyes still red, the pain in them not yet faded.


    "Auntie, what''s wrong? Maybe I can help," Zhou Shengsheng asked with concern.


    Liu Ai shook her head; it was hopeless, something even the old doctor from the village couldn''t cure. How could Zhou Shengsheng, a young girl, possibly help?


    Though not expecting Zhou Shengsheng to be of any assistance, Liu Ai still stepped aside to let her in.


    Inside, Da Niu, a burly man, sat slumped beside the bed like a broken reed.


    On the bed lay a pale, emaciated boy of about ten, his legs swollen to an unnatural size, purple-red and covered with hard, pustule-like sores, looking quite terrifying.


    Liu Ai, fearing she might be scared, was about to explain that the illness wasn''t contagious.


    But Zhou Shengsheng turned around, her dark, warm eyes meeting hers, and softly said, "I can treat this."

 Chapter 15

    ¡¾Author¡¯s Note: Some readers suggested I use brackets for inner thoughts, so from this chapter onward, inner thoughts will no longer be enclosed in quotation marks.¡¿


    Both Liu Ai and Da Niu, who had been sitting in stunned silence, were completely dumbfounded.


    This was gangrene, a condition that was considered a death sentence once contracted.


    The old physician down the mountain had merely glanced at it, shook his head, and waved them off, telling them to prepare for the worst. He had explicitly said it was incurable.


    The couple had long since given up hope.


    But now, this young girl they had just rescued was confidently claiming something unbelievable.


    She said she could cure it?


    Cure the child they cherished more than anything else in the world?


    Tears streamed down Liu Ai¡¯s face as she immediately tried to kneel before her, but Zhou Shengsheng swiftly caught her. ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t kneel! Wait, you¡¯re actually believing me so easily?¡±


    Da Niu, who had been sitting, also approached and was pulled down by Liu Ai to kneel as well.


    ¡°Miss, I believe you! I believe you wouldn¡¯t lie to us in such a situation. Please save our child. He¡¯s our only son¡­¡±


    Da Niu, never expecting that the girl they had taken in could actually save his child, kowtowed to Zhou Shengsheng.


    A man¡¯s knees are worth gold, but above all, he was a desperate father.


    Unable to bear seeing them like this, Zhou Shengsheng had to usher them out, creating a suitable environment for the treatment. Of course, the main reason was that there were some things they couldn¡¯t see.


    Back when Zhou Shengsheng had been diligently playing her role as the original character, she had earned some reward points. She was just a palace maid, not a protagonist, and had no need to exchange for anything, so she had saved up those points.


    Now, they finally had a use.


    ¡°Pang, do you have any ointment or something that can cure gangrene?¡±


    Pang flew out of her hair, yawning and squinting at the boy on the bed.


    [If this were in your era, Shengsheng, it would require surgery.]


    Zhou Shengsheng panicked. ¡°What? What do I do now? I already promised Auntie.¡±


    Pang wagged a chubby, furry finger. [Note, I said ¡®in your era.¡¯ But in the interstellar age, this is just a minor ailment. I can exchange for interstellar medicine.]


    Suddenly, Zhou Shengsheng realized something.


    ¡°Wait, Pang, does this mean I¡¯ve actually got some overpowered cheat code for a grand female lead story?¡±


    Pang: ¡­ S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Nuclear weapons, atomic bombs, and other anachronistic weapons are not allowed.]


    ¡°Fine, then I¡¯ll exchange for interstellar medicine that can cure him.¡± Walking over, Zhou Shengsheng touched the boy¡¯s pale face, his skin burning with fever.


    It was clear the child was on the brink.


    [Alright, host, please check your inventory~] With that, a syringe containing a faint, glowing liquid appeared.


    After carefully reading the instructions, Zhou Shengsheng injected the liquid into the most severely affected area of the boy¡¯s body.


    True to its origin from a distant, highly advanced era, the medicine worked immediately. The gangrenous tissue visibly receded, the necrotic flesh quickly sloughed off, and though it was a bit gross, fresh pink skin soon grew in its place.


    Thankfully, she had sent the couple out beforehand. If they had seen this, they would have fainted on the spot.


    Even so, when the couple saw their son, now completely healed as if he had never had gangrene, they were utterly stunned, looking at Zhou Shengsheng as if she were a living deity.


    Amid their overwhelming gratitude, she barely managed to escape.


    Goodness, she couldn¡¯t use this ability carelessly in the future. If the wrong people saw it, her life would be in danger.


    Once the couple had calmed down and realized this wasn¡¯t a dream, Liu Ai¡¯s expression turned odd.


    If Miss Shengsheng was so capable, why hadn¡¯t she treated her own husband, who was covered in wounds?


    She knew a physician couldn¡¯t treat themselves, but couldn¡¯t she treat her husband?


    If Zhou Shengsheng had heard her thoughts, she would have sneered in response.


    Why should she?


    She hadn¡¯t even forgiven Ming Siran for those fourteen slaps. Leaving him to be eaten by wolves would have been mercy. Treat him?


    Who would treat him?


    Her? Treat Ming Siran?


    He probably wouldn¡¯t dare to dream of such a thing.


    ---Ah, here¡¯s a dividing line---


    Back in the small room, Ming Siran was still unconscious.


    He hadn¡¯t moved an inch, still covered by the floral quilt Liu Ai had sewn for him. His pale, handsome face was devoid of color, and if not for his faint breathing, he would have looked like a corpse.


    Although she had helped cure Liu Ai and Da Niu¡¯s son, she still needed to repay their kindness.


    Taking off her shoes, Zhou Shengsheng climbed onto the bed and carefully lifted Ming Siran¡¯s quilt. His wounds had already been treated, but to avoid revealing his identity, she hadn¡¯t changed his clothes.


    Feeling around his waist, Zhou Shengsheng sighed softly.


    Such a big emperor, and he didn¡¯t even carry a jade pendant when he went out?


    After thoroughly searching him and finding nothing of value, her gaze fell on his slender neck. An idea sparked in her mind, and she slowly reached out.


    Just as her fingertips brushed his skin, a strong, slender hand suddenly gripped her wrist.


    Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s eyes met a pair of dark, deep ones.


    Glancing at her position, practically lying on top of him, Zhou Shengsheng gave an awkward smile. Before she could explain, the man beneath her asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Though his dark eyes still carried their usual intensity, the confusion in them betrayed his current state.


    Zhou Shengsheng was stunned.


    This wasn¡¯t in the original plot, but she realized what she had triggered.


    Without hesitation, Zhou Shengsheng put on a pitiful expression and tearfully cried, ¡°My son, you¡¯re finally awake! Your mother was so worried!¡±


    Ming Siran: ¡°¡­¡±


    After a long pause, a look of helplessness crossed Ming Siran¡¯s face as he softly said, ¡°Miss, although I can¡¯t remember anything right now, I¡¯m not stupid. You¡¯re far too young to be my mother.¡±


    Quickly scrambling off him, Zhou Shengsheng rubbed her nose.


    Alright, so it was just amnesia, not the ¡°turns into an idiot¡± trope.


    ¡°Fine, how much do you remember?¡± Zhou Shengsheng asked.


    [Let¡¯s see how much you remember, and then I¡¯ll make up my identity. Haha, you won¡¯t know anyway.]


    Ming Siran¡¯s already muddled mind was momentarily baffled.


    Why could he hear her voice in his head when she hadn¡¯t spoken?


    After a moment of thought, Ming Siran lowered his eyes and said weakly, ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything.¡±


    Honestly, the pitiful expression on Ming Siran¡¯s face was so out of character that Zhou Shengsheng almost felt like vomiting.


    Hearing her thoughts, Ming Siran: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, since you don¡¯t remember anything, I can¡¯t lie to you, can I?¡± Zhou Shengsheng sighed, as if lamenting the situation. Sitting on a small stool by the wooden bed, she propped her chin on her hand and looked at Ming Siran with feigned concern. ¡°Actually, you¡¯re my servant. You were injured while protecting me from bandits. I saved you, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re still alive.¡±


    She was about to add that she didn¡¯t expect him to repay her with his life, just to let her boss him around, when footsteps sounded outside the door.


    After a few knocks, someone pushed the door open.


    Liu Ai¡¯s surprised voice came from behind her.


    ¡°Oh, Miss Shengsheng, your husband¡¯s awake!¡±


    Then, a thoughtful gaze settled on Zhou Shengsheng.

 Chapter 16

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, Madam,¡± Ming Siran said languidly as he propped himself up.


    Zhou Shengsheng couldn¡¯t tell if it was her imagination, but she felt like he had emphasized the last two words a bit too much.


    ¡°Miss Shengsheng, my son hasn¡¯t woken up yet. Could there be something wrong?¡± Liu Ai whispered cautiously.


    Zhou Shengsheng recalled the instructions and reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s just exhausted. He¡¯ll wake up after a couple of days of rest.¡±


    Liu Ai finally breathed a sigh of relief and handed her a small bundle.


    ¡°These are some of my old clothes. The fabric is rough, as we¡¯re simple country folk. I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡±


    Only then did Zhou Shengsheng realize how tattered and dirty her own clothes were. She definitely needed a change.


    ¡°Auntie, is there somewhere nearby where I can bathe?¡± she asked, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes.


    Liu Ai nodded. ¡°Follow the path ahead, and you¡¯ll find a lake. The water is shallow and clean.¡±


    Zhou Shengsheng nodded and saw Liu Ai off.


    Now, the room was empty except for her and the man she had just been forced to call her ¡°husband.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, just so you know, we¡¯re not actually married. Auntie misunderstood,¡± Zhou Shengsheng said softly, turning away and avoiding his gaze.


    [Marrying you? I¡¯d rather spend ten years scrubbing chamber pots in the Xinzhe Repository.]


    ¡°Does Madam think I¡¯m a burden and that¡¯s why you won¡¯t acknowledge me?¡± The Xinzhe Repository? He remembered it was a place in the Zhu Kingdom¡¯s palace. Was this woman from the Zhu Kingdom? What was her purpose in getting close to him?


    Ming Siran had lied to Zhou Shengsheng. He remembered who he was, but his memories stopped when he was around sixteen or seventeen. However, his current tall and mature body clearly belonged to someone much older.


    And what was Ming Siran like at sixteen or seventeen?


    He was the type to play the fool, luring his enemies into his trap before slowly tormenting them to death.


    Ming Siran¡¯s robe hung open, revealing a well-defined chest. The bandages hinted at the abs beneath, and his face wore an expression of heartbreak. If Zhou Shengsheng hadn¡¯t seen his earlier demeanor, she might have been swayed by his looks.


    Sighing helplessly, Zhou Shengsheng dared not look at him. ¡°Your Majesty, please stop joking around.¡±


    [Oh no, I blurted that out in a panic. If this old emperor regains his memory, he¡¯s definitely going to come after me. I wonder if I can knock him out again and make him lose his memory once more.] S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ming Siran¡¯s hand tightened.


    Old emperor?


    Who?


    Me?


    Old?


    He glanced uncertainly at his own slender, unblemished fingers, confirming there were no wrinkles or age spots, before finally relaxing.


    ¡°Your Majesty? If you¡¯re calling me that, then I must be the emperor. And that makes you my empress,¡± he said, suppressing his murderous intent and forcing a gentle smile.


    But Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s expression was as if she¡¯d seen a ghost. After carefully choosing her words, she explained, ¡°You are the current emperor of the Yong Kingdom, named Ming Siran. We were on our way out of the Zhu Kingdom when we encountered bandits. You and I¡­ accidentally fell off a cliff. We¡¯re still within the borders of the Zhu Kingdom. Auntie said this place is officially called Moonlit Forest.¡±


    [Stop smiling, your wrinkles are showing. I¡¯ve got nothing left to give, and if I throw up now, I¡¯ll starve to death. Since you¡¯re so insistent, fine, but don¡¯t blame me later when you remember everything. You¡¯re the one who insisted.]


    Feigning helplessness, Zhou Shengsheng clutched the bundle in her arms and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± before turning to leave. As she turned, she stuck out her tongue and made a gagging face.


    Ming Siran¡¯s smile froze for a moment.


    His muscle memory reminded him that this body wasn¡¯t used to smiling.


    Feeling somewhat defeated, he lowered his head and lightly punched the bed. Was he really so terrifying as an emperor?


    Leaving the Zhu Kingdom? This woman was also from the Zhu Kingdom.


    Could she be a concubine gifted by the Zhu Kingdom¡¯s emperor?


    ---Ah, the scene divider makes its appearance---


    Following Liu Ai¡¯s directions, Zhou Shengsheng quickly found the lake where she could bathe.


    She was drenched in sweat, her entire body aching, especially her trembling legs. The soles of her feet were probably blistered.


    Fortunately, the weather had been hot lately, so a cold bath wouldn¡¯t hurt. Besides, Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s body was strong and rarely fell ill.


    After checking her surroundings, Zhou Shengsheng stood by the lake and slowly removed her clothes. She dipped her toes into the water and then waded in.


    Her dark hair cascaded down to her waist. Although she was a palace maid, her skin was as fair and delicate as a young lady from a wealthy family who had been pampered in the inner chambers.


    Just as she was enjoying her bath, Zhou Shengsheng suddenly heard the sound of a branch snapping behind her. Startled, she immediately submerged herself in the water.


    The sky was growing darker, and she had swum quite far from the shore. Now that she was submerged, the person on the shore couldn¡¯t see her clearly.


    Recognizing the familiar figure, Zhou Shengsheng was furious but didn¡¯t dare to show it. She could only mutter resentfully, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Her voice carried a hint of accusation.


    [You pervert!]


    Ming Siran¡¯s fingers twitched, and he looked at her innocently. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me to join you for your bath, Madam?¡±


    He even sounded a little aggrieved. Without waiting for Zhou Shengsheng to respond, he added, ¡°I¡¯m injured now, so I can only stand here and watch you.¡±


    Zhou Shengsheng stared at him in disbelief. ¡°If you¡¯re watching me, how am I supposed to bathe?¡±


    He took half a step back and sat on a relatively clean rock, propping his head up as he gazed at her in the water, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife. What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Zhou Shengsheng reminded herself to stay calm and not break character.


    ¡°Well, if Your Majesty wants to watch, then watch. After all, I¡¯m already yours,¡± she said, putting on a shy expression and slowly starting to rise from the water.


    Ming Siran¡¯s body stiffened. How could this woman be so shameless, casually exposing herself to a man?


    What did she mean by ¡°already yours¡±? Had he already touched her?


    Ming Siran, who had always prided himself on his purity, couldn¡¯t handle this. He shot to his feet, his handsome face flushed with embarrassment. The sudden movement tugged at his wound, and he turned away, both in pain and mortification, and hurried off.


    His retreating figure even had a hint of fleeing in panic.


    Zhou Shengsheng sighed in relief. She had known it would work.


    Ming Siran might seem like a ladies¡¯ man, but Zhou Shengsheng, who had read the original novel, knew the truth. He was all looks and no experience¡ªa virgin with an emotional complex.


    Even his white moonlight, Yu Yanyan, had been rejected by him just because she had been saved by a man when she almost fell, leading to unavoidable physical contact. The incident had disgusted Ming Siran so much that he never touched her again.


    Even when the female lead appeared later, because she had been involved with other men, Ming Siran had to do a lot of mental work before he could let it go.


    Speaking of the female lead, Zhou Shengsheng looked up and sighed deeply.


    What was she going to do? This plot was as stubborn as ten horses pulling in different directions.


    After getting dressed, Zhou Shengsheng packed up and prepared to head back.


    Just then, she heard a strange noise in the distance.

 Chapter 17

    Zhou Shengsheng hesitated for a moment. Normally, such a situation that would trigger a plot development would happen to the female lead, right?


    Could it be Jiang Zhiyu?


    Suppressing her excitement, Zhou Shengsheng tiptoed over quietly.


    Pushing aside the grass, she caught a glimpse of the scene under the moonlight that had just climbed up the branches.


    It turned out to be a fierce and thick cobra hunting for food, its prey fluttering not far away.


    The prey, covered in fluffy fur, stood there alertly, its two black bean-like eyes fixed unwaveringly on the large snake coiled in the distance.


    Zhou Shengsheng tilted her head slightly¡ªit was a tiny little chick.


    Perhaps it belonged to Liu Ai¡¯s family, since she had seen poultry when she arrived.


    Glancing at the venomous cobra in front of her, Zhou Shengsheng clenched her fists. Her foot moved slightly, only to step on a cursed twig again.


    Immediately, the two animals locked in a standoff turned their gazes toward her.


    Meeting the cobra¡¯s vertical pupils, Zhou Shengsheng wisely cupped her hands and said, ¡°My apologies, please carry on. I¡¯ll be on my way now. Goodbye.¡±


    Without a second thought, she turned and bolted.


    Sorry, little chick, but one of us has to survive.


    She had thought she could outrun the snake, but to her surprise, before she could get far, she heard the rustling sound of a reptile slithering through the grass behind her.


    Zhou Shengsheng quickly looked back and, sure enough, that wretched cobra was hot on her heels.


    ¡°Why are you chasing me? I¡¯m not stealing your food!¡± she shouted angrily.


    As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt something moving on her head. She reached up to touch it¡ªsoft, fine fur brushed her fingertips, and then a weight shifted to the side, dodging her grasp.


    If she didn¡¯t realize what was happening now, she¡¯d be a fool. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°You¡¯re quite the escape artist, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    As if in response, the little chick on her head lowered its tiny beak to preen its feathers, its black bean-like eyes gleaming with mischief.


    Unfortunately, Zhou Shengsheng, in the midst of her desperate escape, couldn¡¯t see it.


    Even if she had, she probably wouldn¡¯t have reacted much.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t yet the era when animals weren¡¯t allowed to become spirits.


    Perhaps fate had other plans for her. Seeing that she hadn¡¯t returned for a long time, the couple came out with torches to look for her.


    Spotting the torches from afar, Zhou Shengsheng immediately cried out for help, ¡°Save me! Help!¡±


    Hearing her cries, the two hurried over. Da Niu, who was accustomed to the forest, knew just from the sound that Zhou Shengsheng was likely being chased by a snake.


    Luckily, he always carried realgar powder with him. He immediately scattered it behind her, and upon smelling the pungent odor, the cobra, though reluctant, slithered away quickly.


    Zhou Shengsheng panted heavily as Liu Ai came over to support her.


    For dinner, Liu Ai prepared a lavish spread, bringing out dishes usually reserved for New Year¡¯s feasts. Ming Siran, coming from a noble background, found these seemingly precious foods rather crude. However, since he was currently living under someone else¡¯s roof, he didn¡¯t say anything.


    Zhou Shengsheng, on the other hand, knew that they had brought out the best of what they had, so she ate heartily to show her appreciation.


    Seeing the little chick occupying a small corner of the table, seemingly ¡®disdainful¡¯ of the food in its tiny plate, Liu Ai hesitantly asked, ¡°Miss Shengsheng, it¡¯s not eating anything.¡±


    It was quite impressive that Liu Ai could detect a look of disdain in such tiny eyes. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Glancing at the chick that had inexplicably latched onto her, Zhou Shengsheng swallowed her food and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Auntie. It¡¯s probably not hungry.¡±


    She had initially thought it was a chick from Liu Ai¡¯s family, but Liu Ai clarified that it wasn¡¯t theirs. So, it must be a wild chick.


    ¡°The water at Jishui Lake is quite pleasant, isn¡¯t it?¡± Liu Ai asked as she prepared a bed on the floor for Zhou Shengsheng.


    ¡°Jishui Lake? Is that the name of the lake?¡± Zhou Shengsheng took a bite of an apple. Ming Siran, sitting on the bed, coughed, prompting Zhou Shengsheng to toss him one as well. After receiving a grateful smile from him, she quickly looked away.


    She couldn¡¯t stand it. Could he please stop smiling? She finally understood why Ming Siran rarely smiled before losing his memory¡ªhe probably knew how provocative his smile was.


    ¡°Yes, it was originally called Moonside Lake, but we all call it Jishui Lake.¡±


    Hearing the name ¡°Moonside Lake,¡± Ming Siran felt a sense of familiarity, but when he tried to recall more, a sharp pain shot through his head, forcing him to give up.


    Zhou Shengsheng nodded.


    After Liu Ai left, Zhou Shengsheng sat down on the bedding laid out on the floor. The little chick that had been perched on her shoulder suddenly hopped down, using its claws to push aside the red quilt embroidered with peonies before settling into a comfortable spot.


    Seeing its finicky behavior, Zhou Shengsheng couldn¡¯t help but think of someone else.


    ¡°The floor is so cold. Why don¡¯t you come up and sleep with me, Madam?¡± Ming Siran offered as she was about to lie down.


    Without changing her expression, Zhou Shengsheng replied, ¡°No need, Your Majesty. You¡¯re still recovering, and I have a restless sleeping habit. If I accidentally injure you further, it would be my fault.¡±


    [If you insist one more time, I¡¯ll agree. But don¡¯t blame me if you wake up with worse injuries tomorrow.]


    Ming Siran immediately shut his mouth. What kind of grudge did she have against him to retaliate like this?


    Hearing their bizarre exchange, the little chick, which had already closed its eyes, suddenly ruffled its feathers. Its black bean-like eyes opened, filled with mockery.


    Seeing it awake, Zhou Shengsheng reached out to pet it, but it dodged her hand.


    The chick¡¯s feathers were soft and fluffy, a tender yellow that looked delightful to touch, but it was stubborn. No matter how Zhou Shengsheng tried to coax it, it refused to let her pet it.


    Thinking of this, Zhou Shengsheng suddenly had an idea. ¡°How about I give you a name?¡±


    The thought of naming it brought back the fear she once felt under Duan Fusheng¡¯s influence.


    She had been called ¡°Tail,¡± so should the chick she picked up follow her stage name?


    ¡°I found you at Jishui Lake, and my old name was Tail. So, how about I call you¡­¡±


    ¡°Jiba?¡±


    As soon as the words left her mouth, the entire room fell silent¡ªthe one who suggested the name, the one who didn¡¯t, and the one being named all froze.


    Realizing the name was somewhat inappropriate, Zhou Shengsheng pursed her lips and coughed lightly. ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s just sleep.¡± Though her tone was calm, the tips of her ears hidden beneath her hair turned bright red.


    After the candle was blown out, the person on the bed, who had buried himself under the covers, let out a thunderous laugh.


    Zhou Shengsheng buried her face in her quilt, her fists clenching silently by her side.


    That damn Ming Siran! He¡¯s even more insufferable after losing his memory than before!


    The little chick nestled beside her watched her pretending to be an ostrich for a long time before finally looking away.


    He was somewhat surprised. In just a few days, she had managed to surprise him multiple times.


    First, she had somehow become the ¡°Madam¡± of the Yong Kingdom¡¯s emperor in such a short time, and now, her naming skills had ¡°improved.¡±


    Should he praise her?


    Compared to the half-hearted name ¡°Little Tail¡± she had given to the ox, ¡°Jiba¡± seemed like a well-thought-out decision.


    Glancing at the faint moonlight outside the window, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of irritation.


    It seemed it would still take some time before he could regain his human form.

 Chapter 18

    "Madam, do you think it¡¯s possible that this isn¡¯t a chicken, but a bird?"


    Ming Siran sat on a wicker lounge chair in the courtyard, with Zhou Shengsheng standing beside him. Both looked up with complicated expressions.


    The bird, which had initially been mistaken for a chick, now perched on a birch tree not far away, carefully grooming its feathers with its beak.


    "A chicken couldn¡¯t fly that high, could it? Your Majesty is absolutely right, it¡¯s indeed a bird," Zhou Shengsheng said, stuffing a jujube into his mouth and nodding repeatedly.


    They had been staying at Liu Ai and Da Niu¡¯s house for nearly a week. Ming Siran¡¯s injuries were healing quickly, but every time Zhou Shengsheng mentioned leaving, he would suddenly complain about aches and pains. Over time, Zhou Shengsheng couldn¡¯t help but suspect that Ming Siran hadn¡¯t lost his memory¡ªhe might have been possessed.


    There was no trace of the diligent yet aloof ruler from the original book.


    Ming Siran basked comfortably in the sun, enjoying a rare moment of leisure.


    If he returned to the Yong Kingdom, countless trivial matters would undoubtedly await him. Now that he had become emperor, he would likely be even busier than before.


    But how could the heavens allow the male lead to spend so much time with a mere supporting character?


    In the afternoon, Da Niu returned with a woman whose disheveled clothes couldn¡¯t hide her stunning beauty.


    "Xiao Yu!!??" Zhou Shengsheng exclaimed in delight, rushing over like an excited puppy.


    Ming Siran glanced at the half-peeled banana that had been tossed to the ground, pursed his lips, and shot a hostile look toward the beautiful woman. However, after getting a clear look at her face, he was momentarily stunned before quickly averting his gaze.


    Zhou Shengsheng grabbed her hand, but Jiang Zhiyu reacted strangely, pulling away and looking at her with confusion and fear. "Who are you? Why are you calling me Xiao Yu? Do you know me?"


    Zhou Shengsheng: "..."


    She opened her mouth but didn¡¯t know how to express her frustration at this absurd turn of events.


    Da Niu explained that he had encountered the woman while hunting, as she was being chased by a wild dog.


    The bird fluttered down from the tree and landed on Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s head, its beady eyes scrutinizing the bewildered Jiang Zhiyu.


    Zhou Shengsheng brought over a stool and seated Jiang Zhiyu next to Ming Siran, her fellow amnesiac.


    Seeing this, Liu Ai asked, "Miss Shengsheng, do you know her?"


    Zhou Shengsheng nodded. "She¡¯s my friend."


    With that, Liu Ai pulled Da Niu away, thinking that Miss Shengsheng must be deeply saddened by the fact that both her acquaintances had lost their memories.


    After staring at Jiang Zhiyu for a while, Zhou Shengsheng asked, "How much do you remember?"


    Jiang Zhiyu hesitated, then pointed at Ming Siran beside her. Under his raised eyebrow, she said, "I remember him."


    [Damn, she¡¯s definitely the female lead. Even with amnesia, her memories of the male lead remain intact.]


    "What do you remember about me?" Ming Siran asked coldly. Although this woman bore a slight resemblance to Sister Yanyan, he inexplicably disliked her. He hoped it wasn¡¯t some kind of romantic debt¡ªgetting involved with a woman who looked like Sister Yanyan would make his future self a complete scoundrel!


    Jiang Zhiyu paused, her eyes darting toward Zhou Shengsheng as if she didn¡¯t dare to speak.


    Zhou Shengsheng gave her an encouraging look, urging her to continue.


    Even though she had lost her memory, there was still hope for the plot!


    After several moments of hesitation, Jiang Zhiyu finally spoke. "I remember him having diarrhea... really bad diarrhea..."


    She phrased "really bad" quite delicately.


    After saying this, she glanced sheepishly at Ming Siran¡¯s stomach before quickly looking away, as if afraid.


    Zhou Shengsheng didn¡¯t dare to look at Ming Siran¡¯s expression. She turned around, her shoulders trembling with suppressed laughter.


    Even the bird on her head seemed to understand human speech, giving Ming Siran a disdainful look before covering its eyes with its soft wings, as if it couldn¡¯t bear to watch.


    Ming Siran felt his blood boil. He opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.


    Taking the blame for his future self was something he couldn¡¯t argue against.


    At sixteen, the young prince Ming Siran couldn¡¯t comprehend what kind of image his older self had projected to leave such an impression on this woman.


    That evening, during dinner, Ming Siran, who usually ate little, barely touched his food. He sat there with a troubled expression, as if lost in thought and unwilling to speak.


    At night, Jiang Zhiyu and Zhou Shengsheng slept on the floor together. Just as the three of them and the bird were about to drift off, a thunderous, rhythmic sound of hooves echoed outside.


    Zhou Shengsheng quickly got up and pushed Jiang Zhiyu back down. "Stay here and don¡¯t make a sound. I¡¯ll go check."


    In the darkness, Ming Siran frowned and stood up, trying to step in front of Zhou Shengsheng. However, she grabbed his sleeve and whispered, "Your injuries haven¡¯t healed yet. Stay back and let me handle this."


    Ming Siran, who was always the first to charge into danger, was momentarily at a loss. He could still catch the faint scent of Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s fragrance lingering in the air.


    The bird, which had been resting in the makeshift nest Zhou Shengsheng had prepared for it, flew out and landed on her shoulder, promptly falling back asleep.


    Nothing could disturb its slumber.


    Liu Ai and Da Niu hurriedly threw on their clothes and came out with tools in hand, their faces filled with fear.


    The sky was cloudless, and the full moon hung high, casting a soft, cold light over the land.


    In the distance, numerous torches lit up the darkness. Zhou Shengsheng realized that the people from the Yong Kingdom had come to find them.


    In the original story, the female lead had wandered through the vast forest with the unconscious Ming Siran for many days before stumbling upon a small town.


    To save Ming Siran, Jiang Zhiyu had pawned her mother¡¯s heirloom, the only valuable item she had. Upon learning this, Ming Siran, who had lived a life of schemes and conspiracies, began to develop genuine feelings for her beyond just seeing her as a substitute.


    Later, they managed to contact Li Rong and finally escaped.


    But now, the plot had changed. Li Rong had found them first.


    All because Ming Siran, the amnesiac, had stubbornly refused to leave the mountain.


    "Your Majesty!" A figure dismounted from a horse and approached with a worried expression.


    Upon seeing Ming Siran unharmed, she knelt down. "I have failed in my duties. Please punish me, Your Majesty."


    Li Rong? Ming Siran, who had been lost in his own thoughts, glanced down at the tall woman kneeling before him.


    In his memory, Li Rong was still a malnourished, skinny, and stubborn little girl who insisted on becoming a high-ranking official. Now, she had grown into such a capable woman.


    "I¡¯m fine. Get up. Returning quickly is our priority," Ming Siran said emotionlessly.


    If it weren¡¯t for the subtle wink he gave Zhou Shengsheng while Li Rong¡¯s head was bowed, she might have thought his memory had returned. His expressionless yet commanding demeanor was exactly like the Ming Siran she knew.


    Liu Ai and Da Niu were dumbfounded.


    They couldn¡¯t believe that the man who had been lounging around and relying on his wife to support him was actually an emperor.


    "So... Miss Shengsheng, you¡¯re actually the empress?" Liu Ai¡¯s incredulous voice broke the silence.


    Li Rong looked up in confusion at Zhou Shengsheng, whom she hadn¡¯t noticed before, and a question mark slowly formed in her mind.


    ? S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 19

    Originally, Zhou Shengsheng wanted Ming Siran and Jiang Zhiyu to ride in the same carriage, but both parties refused outright, insisting on sitting with Zhou Shengsheng instead. Unable to resolve the situation, and under Li Rong¡¯s peculiar gaze, the three of them ended up sharing the same carriage.


    Ah Pang wasn¡¯t awake all the time; most days, he spent his time hiding in Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s hair, sleeping.


    The first time Ming Siran saw him, he was so startled that he nearly exposed himself.


    This incident naturally led to new questions in his mind: Who exactly was Zhou Shengsheng? sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And why could he hear her thoughts?


    [Ah Pang, is there still a chance to salvage this plot?] Zhou Shengsheng lowered her head, pretending to sleep, while secretly chatting with Ah Pang.


    The chubby little red panda yawned. [Shengsheng, don¡¯t worry. The rules aren¡¯t that strict. The book only says that the female lead must survive in the mountains while carrying Ming Siran on her back. The story focuses more on life at the foot of the mountain.]


    [So, for now, we can¡¯t return to the Yong Kingdom. We have to stay in that town at the foot of the mountain for a while? What¡¯s the criterion for this part of the plot?]


    Ah Pang paused before replying: [The female lead pawns the heirloom left by her uncle to save Ming Siran.]


    [As long as Jiang Zhiyu pawns the heirloom, this part of the plot will be considered complete.]


    Zhou Shengsheng couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    Right now, not only has Jiang Zhiyu lost her memory, but Ming Siran¡¯s injuries are also mostly healed.


    Moreover, Li Rong has already joined them. Unless the entire group is penniless, this situation is just absurd.


    With her eyes closed, she naturally didn¡¯t notice the series of emotions¡ªshock, disbelief, and finally calm¡ªthat flickered across Ming Siran¡¯s face as he sat opposite her.


    Jiang Zhiyu, who couldn¡¯t sleep, noticed it though. She pursed her lips and hesitantly asked, ¡°Xiao Ming¡­ do you need to use the restroom?¡±


    The nickname ¡°Xiao Ming¡± was something Zhou Shengsheng had privately given Ming Siran. Jiang Zhiyu, being straightforward, had no qualms about using it in front of him.


    Since Ming Siran could hear Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s thoughts, he was well aware of the nickname.


    However, hearing it from Jiang Zhiyu¡¯s mouth made him uncomfortable, and he frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. And no, I don¡¯t need to go.¡±


    Jiang Zhiyu let out a long ¡°Oh¡­¡± but internally vowed to call him that again next time.


    Zhou Shengsheng, pretending to sleep, felt her eyelid twitch.


    Maybe it¡¯s better not to open my eyes. If Ming Siran asks where the nickname came from, how am I supposed to explain that I¡¯m the one who came up with it?


    The next morning, when Zhou Shengsheng opened her eyes and found herself facing a bare chest, her brain short-circuited.


    Had she traveled through time again? Why was there a man here?


    ¡°Mmm¡­ don¡¯t move, Shengsheng. Let¡¯s sleep a little longer¡­¡± A hoarse, morning voice came from above her head.


    Not only that, she could also feel someone¡¯s face buried against her back, their breath warm and steady.


    Once her mind fully woke up, she closed her eyes, unwilling to accept reality.


    Why was it that in novels, scenes like this¡ªwhere the male and female leads wake up in a passionate embrace¡ªwould be scrutinized a thousand times, but here she was, stuck in the middle of it?


    Last night, the three of them had been sleeping with plenty of space between them, perfectly proper.


    But now? Zhou Shengsheng was being held tightly in Ming Siran¡¯s arms, her waist gripped so firmly she couldn¡¯t move. Meanwhile, Jiang Zhiyu, who should have been in her place, was wrapped around her like an octopus.


    Do you know what separates the female lead from the male lead?


    Conspiracy, family background, status, or unspeakable secrets?


    No, it¡¯s Zhou Shengsheng.


    She tried to move, only to be held even tighter by the two of them.


    [Can this novel even recover? A story with no passion will lose its readers, author, do you know that?]


    In a specially made bird¡¯s nest nearby, a fluffy little bird, clearly well taken care of by its owner, heard this lament in its sleep. It disdainfully flapped its wings before going back to sleep.


    ---I really want to pet that bird~---


    Qingming Town was a small place. So small that if someone¡¯s wife scolded their child at night, the whole town would know by the next day.


    Originally, they had only planned to rest there, stock up on water and food, but after Ming Siran put on a poker face and told Li Rong that his wounds were hurting, the loyal Li Rong immediately decided they would stay for two days until His Majesty recovered before continuing their journey.


    After personally leading his horse into the small inn¡¯s stable, Li Rong wiped away two nonexistent tears from the corners of his eyes.


    Back when His Majesty was on the battlefield, even when his clothes were soaked in blood, he never uttered a word of complaint. Now, he was saying it hurt. If His Majesty said it hurt, it must be excruciating.


    It must be unbearable, bone-shattering, hellish pain.


    ---I really want to eat some oranges~---


    ¡°Shengsheng, peel another one for me,¡± Ming Siran lounged on the bed, addressing Zhou Shengsheng, whose face had turned a shade darker.


    He was naturally handsome, and after losing his memory, the heavy aura of a warrior that once surrounded him had faded. Today, he had swapped his usual black robes for a bright blue brocade outfit, making him look like a carefree young nobleman on a leisurely trip. No wonder Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s attitude toward him had softened recently.


    After all, the current Ming Siran was almost a completely different person from before.


    Seeing this, Jiang Zhiyu also spoke up: ¡°You¡¯ve already had two! It¡¯s my turn now!¡± Her tone was pleading, but her eyes were fixed greedily on the pomegranate in Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s hand.


    Zhou Shengsheng looked at the floor littered with fruit peels and the bed strewn with snacks and novels, her face growing even darker.


    Back when she served Duan Fusheng, he was extremely particular about cleanliness, which had forced Zhou Shengsheng to maintain a strict level of tidiness in everything she did.


    But now? She had only stepped out for a moment, and these two troublemakers had turned the place into a mess!


    ¡°Both of you! Get up!¡± she hissed through clenched teeth.


    Her expression and tone made it clear that she was furious.


    Instinctively, the two of them¡ªone lying down and one sitting¡ªjumped up as if their tails were on fire when they saw her rage.


    After scolding and lecturing them, Zhou Shengsheng began tidying up while muttering nonstop, resembling a seventy-year-old mother exasperated with her unruly children.


    Both Ming Siran and the amnesiac Jiang Zhiyu were unfamiliar with this kind of care¡ªa mix of frustration and subtle indulgence.


    Ming Siran, from a young age, had received rigorous elite education, even though his father never intended for him to become emperor. If the servants caught him slacking off, they would plead with him to work harder, even threatening to die for his sake.


    So, this silent indulgence from Zhou Shengsheng was something he was experiencing for the first time.


    So this is what it feels like to be managed by one¡¯s wife. No wonder those advisors who complained about being henpecked would suddenly lose all their grievances and smile like fools whenever they saw their wives.


    If the little bird, oblivious to the world and sleeping soundly, heard this, it would undoubtedly scoff and declare that birds don¡¯t eat such strange things.


    As for Jiang Zhiyu, a disadvantaged illegitimate daughter, this kind of care was even more foreign to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m just destined to serve others! I was only gone for a moment, and you turned the place into this mess! Are you pigs? Even pigs wouldn¡¯t sleep in such a mess!¡±


    With that, Zhou Shengsheng shot them a sharp look. ¡°You¡¯re in the way here. Go find somewhere else to be! Don¡¯t disturb me while I clean!¡± She then physically pushed the two of them, who were still standing awkwardly and listening to her lecture, out of the room.


    As she turned to close the door, she noticed the little bird sitting obediently by its nest, having neatly eaten all the fruit she had left and even arranging the seeds in a tidy pile. Zhou Shengsheng couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of appreciation.


    ¡°You¡¯re so well-behaved¡­¡±


    She walked over, grabbed the resting bird, and planted several kisses on it.


    Awakened by the sudden affection, the bird¡¯s eyes subtly changed.

 Chapter 20

    "Your Majesty."


    Li Rong, who was guarding the door, stepped forward to bow as Ming Siran and Jiang Zhiyu emerged. As she raised her head, she glanced at Jiang Zhiyu, who stood beside him, looking rather clueless.


    Ming Siran nodded and said to Jiang Zhiyu, "Wait here for me." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once they were alone, Li Rong spoke, "Your Majesty, the news of your fall from the cliff has reached Miss Qing Wan. She has already dispatched people to come and assist you as quickly as possible."


    Miss Qing Wan? Ming Siran paused. He didn¡¯t recognize the name.


    "I understand," he nodded.


    ---First Appearance---


    "I told you to wait for me, but you ran off pretty fast."


    After asking around, Ming Siran finally found Jiang Zhiyu at a stall selling candied hawthorns, her face filled with longing.


    "Do you want some?" he asked.


    Jiang Zhiyu nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling. "I want some."


    "No money," Ming Siran replied, waving his hands to show they were empty.


    Jiang Zhiyu blinked. "The woman in black next to you has money." She had bought the storybooks and snacks before.


    Ming Siran scolded her angrily, "How can you think of someone else¡¯s money? That¡¯s hard-earned!"


    The old man at the stall, annoyed by their argument, snapped, "Hey! Are you going to buy or not? If not, don¡¯t block my stall and ruin my business!"


    Ming Siran gave the old man an apologetic smile and quickly pulled Jiang Zhiyu away, though she kept looking back longingly.


    The old man¡¯s face flushed. The young man was so handsome and well-dressed, yet he was penniless.


    "I want that!" Jiang Zhiyu pointed to a stall selling sugar figurines.


    Ming Siran pulled her back, repeating, "No money."


    "What do we do then?" Jiang Zhiyu looked distressed, on the verge of tears.


    Ming Siran, seeing her silly expression, pointed to the sign of a shop behind her. "Figure out a way to get money."


    Perhaps due to her memory loss, Jiang Zhiyu couldn¡¯t read the sign and just stared at him blankly.


    Ming Siran sighed. How could he have considered this fool as a rival? It was truly beneath the dignity of the Emperor of the Great Yong Kingdom.


    "Do you have anything on you that you can exchange for money?" Ming Siran asked softly, coaxing her.


    Jiang Zhiyu tilted her head, then her eyes lit up. "I think I have something, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s worth anything." She rummaged through her belongings and pulled out a rather ordinary piece of jade, shoving it into Ming Siran¡¯s face.


    Ming Siran pushed her hand away and examined the jade. "Just this? Anything else?"


    Jiang Zhiyu shook her head. "That¡¯s all."


    Ming Siran secretly rejoiced. This must be the "heirloom" Zhou Shengsheng had mentioned.


    According to Zhou Shengsheng, this would help restore the so-called plot.


    Though Li Rong had said that Zhou Shengsheng was just a maid he had brought back on a whim from the Zhu Kingdom, Ming Siran knew himself well enough. If he hadn¡¯t been truly captivated by her beauty, why would he have kept her by his side?


    Spoiling his woman, he truly was a good husband.


    Thinking of this, the sixteen-year-old Ming Siran¡¯s face flushed with a rosy hue.


    Love had made this once scheming young man¡¯s heart as sweet as a piece of preserved fruit.


    Jiang Zhiyu looked at him, then up at the sky, wondering why he was blushing when it wasn¡¯t even hot.


    ---Another Scene---


    Zhou Shengsheng stared at the two people in front of her, laden with bags, and fell into deep thought.


    So they really had a good time outside, huh?


    Well, at least the plot had progressed.


    "Shengsheng, don¡¯t be mad. I bought all this for you," Jiang Zhiyu said cautiously, holding out the items like a pitiful puppy.


    Strangely, the first thought in Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s mind was, has my daughter grown up?


    Bah, treating the female lead like a daughter? The laws of the universe would surely strike her down for that.


    However, Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s smile faltered. "You bought these?"


    Jiang Zhiyu nodded vigorously. "I did!"


    Ming Siran silently put down the bags he was carrying and sat obediently on a nearby stool, staring intently at a sleeping bird as if he had never seen one before.


    Zhou Shengsheng narrowed her eyes. "Where did you get the money?"


    Jiang Zhiyu excitedly recounted how she had pawned her jade pendant for money and went on a shopping spree at the food street. After finishing her story, she beamed at Zhou Shengsheng, waiting for praise. If she had a tail, it would have been wagging furiously.


    After hearing this, Zhou Shengsheng was momentarily speechless.


    Though she didn¡¯t have to lift a finger, the female lead had taken care of this part of the plot herself.


    But in the original story, the jade pendant was a treasure to the female lead, something she would never part with, even in death. Yet, here she was, having pawned it for snacks because of her amnesia.


    Zhou Shengsheng wondered how Jiang Zhiyu would react once her memory returned...


    Glancing at Ming Siran, who was pretending to be innocent, Zhou Shengsheng felt a headache coming on as she calculated whether she had enough money to buy back the pendant.


    In the original story, Ming Siran had sent someone to retrieve the pendant after reuniting with Li Rong.


    But now, the once wise and decisive male lead was not only suffering from amnesia but was also the one who had encouraged Jiang Zhiyu to pawn it. It seemed Zhou Shengsheng would have to retrieve it herself and then have Ming Siran return it to Jiang Zhiyu.


    That night, Zhou Shengsheng looked at the two people clinging to her, her temple throbbing. "So, what¡¯s the matter now?"


    Jiang Zhiyu pouted. "I¡¯m scared of the dark. Shengsheng, can you sleep with me?"


    "And you, Your Majesty? Are you also scared of the dark?" Zhou Shengsheng asked with a forced smile, looking up at Ming Siran.


    Ming Siran rested his chin on her head. "You¡¯re my wife. We should sleep together."


    In the end, the commotion only stopped when the bird, which had woken up at some point, flapped its wings and knocked a teacup off the table.


    Zhou Shengsheng successfully evicted the two clingy companions and reclaimed her room.


    Sitting down at the round table, Zhou Shengsheng poked the bird, which had returned to its nest, and narrowed her eyes. "You understand human speech, don¡¯t you? You¡¯re so clever, my little treasure~"


    The bird in the nest shifted, trying to escape Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s grasp, but she held it down and showered it with kisses.


    Duan Fusheng had never felt so helpless. If he had known this would happen, he would have preferred to be bitten to death by that snake.


    In this form, he could only wait for his ancestral powers to fade on their own.


    Thinking of the cursed key beneath Moonside Lake, a mocking smile appeared in his eyes.


    At least he had obtained it. The process didn¡¯t matter, did it?


    This would be a good opportunity to take a vacation in the Yong Kingdom, away from the constant vigilance required in the palace to avoid Liu Xunlan¡¯s advances. He wondered if Liu Xunlan was satisfied with the decoy he had left behind.


    Seeing that the bird remained still no matter how much she kissed it, Zhou Shengsheng smiled, thinking it had finally warmed up to her.


    "You¡¯re so lazy, that¡¯s not good. The last lazy person I knew was forced to change from a man to a woman. Laziness can make your... you know, stop working. You shouldn¡¯t be like that," Zhou Shengsheng lectured as she stroked its soft feathers.


    To her surprise, the previously unresponsive bird suddenly flew up and pecked her forehead sharply.


    Zhou Shengsheng: ...?


    Such a strong reaction. Could it be... a female?


    Thinking about it, she realized she had never actually checked its gender. With that thought, Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s eyes gleamed with curiosity as she looked at the bird hovering in the air.

 Chapter 21

    Ming Siran looked at Zhou Shengsheng, who had several large bumps on her forehead, and the bird sleeping on her shoulder, his expression gradually turning complex.


    So, she refused to sleep with him last night just to fight with a bird?


    Was it because she wanted to name it ¡®Jiba,¡¯ and the bird rebelled?


    So, bird brother, did she succeed in the end?


    Feeling Ming Siran¡¯s overly intense gaze, the bird stirred, turned around, and pointed its rear end at him.


    Then, realizing this was somewhat indecent, it shifted again, turning sideways to face him.


    After leaving Qingming Town, there was no need to follow the script anymore.


    [So, next up is Jiang Zhiyu returning to the palace with Ming Siran, where Xie Qingwan, Ming Siran¡¯s female official, will scheme against her, right?]


    Ah Pang cautiously poked its head out, wanting to touch the bird but seeming a bit shy. Hearing Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s words, it flew in front of her and nodded: [Yes, but with the heroine¡¯s current intelligence¡­ can she outwit Xie Qingwan?]


    Zhou Shengsheng pondered for a moment. Would her silly daughter really not be devoured by the original story¡¯s villainess?


    [As long as it doesn¡¯t affect the plot, I can lend a hand, right?]


    Ah Pang nodded.


    Only then did Zhou Shengsheng relax, patting the head of Jiang Zhiyu, who was stuffing roasted chestnuts into her mouth and looked anything but clever.


    Although Jiang Zhiyu didn¡¯t know why Zhou Shengsheng suddenly touched her, she sweetly nuzzled her palm.


    Sitting across from them, holding an ancient book, Ming Siran couldn¡¯t believe it. Why on earth was this fool the heroine?


    Why would he fall in love with her and keep her at home as a mascot?


    Thinking of Xie Qingwan, whom Zhou Shengsheng had just mentioned, Ming Siran understood. So, she was his female official, and apparently not a gentle soul.


    He silently began to make plans.


    ---A reminder to all beauties not to stay up late---


    After traveling for about three days, the group finally arrived at the capital of Yong Kingdom¡ªAnming. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before Zhou Shengsheng could properly appreciate the foreign architecture, they entered the palace.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± An elderly eunuch, Haishan, upon seeing Ming Siran, rushed forward and knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face. ¡°You¡¯ve finally returned! When I heard you had fallen off a cliff, I wished I could have taken your place!¡±


    Ming Siran looked at Haishan, who seemed much older than he remembered, and pursed his lips.


    The people he once knew had all changed, but the majestic and solemn palace remained as dignified and ancient as ever.


    Only at this moment did Ming Siran realize how out of place he felt here.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Haishan called out with concern when Ming Siran remained silent.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Rise, Uncle Hai.¡± Ming Siran helped him up.


    The long-unheard affectionate address brought tears to Haishan¡¯s eyes again.


    It had been so long since His Majesty had called him that after ascending the throne¡­


    After settling the others, Zhou Shengsheng, as the maid Ming Siran had brought back from Zhu Kingdom, naturally had to follow him.


    Jiang Zhiyu, who had no idea of her identity even before losing her memory, trailed behind Zhou Shengsheng.


    Originally, Ming Siran had planned to find a random place to put her, but now, he needed her for certain tasks, so he tacitly allowed her to follow.


    He had already reclaimed the jade pendant from Zhou Shengsheng, so he owed her nothing.


    Stopping outside the gates of Qianhe Palace, he paused.


    Ming Siran felt both familiar and unfamiliar with this palace.


    In his memory, this was the residence of his old and senile father.


    Had it really become his now?


    Sensing his hesitation, Zhou Shengsheng subtly reached out and gently squeezed his hand under the cover of her wide sleeve.


    Feeling the warmth of her hand, Ming Siran¡¯s anxiety dissipated like clouds parting to reveal the sun.


    He tilted his head slightly and smiled at her.


    All eight teeth were neatly displayed, looking exceptionally handsome against the red palace walls.


    Zhou Shengsheng glanced at him and then looked away.


    [So flashy.]


    Ming Siran: ¡­¡­


    Zhou Shengsheng quite liked the post-amnesia Ming Siran. Compared to his previous tyrant persona, he now felt like a half-grown teenager.


    He appeared shrewd, but in reality, he was rather clueless. The air of mystery he once had vanished when he whined for Zhou Shengsheng to peel him another pomegranate.


    She wondered if Ming Siran had truly been like this in his youth.


    If so, what could have turned a dashing young man into the ruthless tyrant he was now?


    ¡°Your Majesty!!!!¡±


    Before Zhou Shengsheng could take in the scenery, a tearful voice echoed from the distance.


    Then, a figure in white¡­ well¡­ gracefully ran over.


    [Is that Xie Qingwan?] Zhou Shengsheng murmured.


    Ah Pang confirmed.


    Glancing at the pure and beautiful Jiang Zhiyu beside her and then at the coldly stunning woman approaching, Zhou Shengsheng suddenly understood why Xie Qingwan had been so fixated on the heroine in the original story.


    Aside from Jiang Zhiyu¡¯s resemblance to Yu Yanyan, her innocent aura must have immediately put Xie Qingwan on guard.


    Especially now that Jiang Zhiyu had lost her memory, her purity was even more pronounced.


    Almost instantly, Xie Qingwan¡¯s gaze locked onto Jiang Zhiyu, who was hiding behind Zhou Shengsheng.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s such a relief that you¡¯re safe! When I heard you had fallen off a cliff, I wished I could have taken your place!¡± She knelt on the ground, looking up at Ming Siran with tearful eyes.


    Her pitiful expression would have melted any man¡¯s heart, making him want to hold her close and comfort her.


    Unfortunately, Ming Siran was not that man. At this moment, he was still a teenager who believed only love and death were worth his devotion.


    Moreover, he had just heard the same words from someone else.


    After a brief glance, he ignored her and walked inside.


    Xie Qingwan, who had spent an entire day on her makeup: ¡°¡­¡±


    Standing up and smoothing her dress, Xie Qingwan finally seemed to notice Zhou Shengsheng and Jiang Zhiyu.


    ¡°Which of you sisters accompanied His Majesty after the fall? As someone who serves His Majesty, I must express my gratitude.¡± Her words were sincere, but while she addressed both of them, her eyes were fixed on Jiang Zhiyu, completely ignoring Zhou Shengsheng.


    Ming Siran, who had already walked away, suddenly turned back.


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, he wrapped an arm around the still-confused Jiang Zhiyu and said to Xie Qingwan, ¡°It was this young lady.¡±


    Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s heart blossomed with joy.


    [Little Ming has grown up! He¡¯s even following the plot on his own. I¡¯m so moved!]


    Jiang Zhiyu winced in pain as Ming Siran gripped her shoulder and looked up at him with a puzzled expression. ¡°Little Ming, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Xie Qingwan thought, *Just as I suspected!* From the moment she saw her, she recognized this woman as the spitting image of the wretch in the portrait His Majesty had hidden away.


    And now, they even had a pet name for each other!


    That wretch!


    How shameless!


    How dare she call His Majesty that! She¡¯s not worthy!


    But no matter how much she seethed inside, Xie Qingwan maintained a gentle and composed smile in front of Ming Siran.


    ¡°And who might this sister be?¡± She turned her gaze to Zhou Shengsheng, whom she had unconsciously ignored.


    Zhou Shengsheng curtsied and said softly, ¡°Sister Xie, I¡¯m a maid His Majesty brought back from Zhu Kingdom.¡±


    Xie Qingwan¡¯s pupils shrank.


    She¡¯s here to steal my position!?

 Chapter 22

    ¡°Your Majesty, these are the documents that have piled up during your absence,¡± Haishan placed the tea on the desk and gave Xie Qingwan a meaningful glance.


    Xie Qingwan understood and naturally began grinding ink for Ming Siran.


    ¡°Leave,¡± Ming Siran commanded coldly.


    Xie Qingwan¡¯s hand paused, seemingly in disbelief.


    Five years. She had served in His Majesty¡¯s study for five years, and this was the first time he had ever dismissed her.


    Seeing that she hadn¡¯t moved, Ming Siran frowned.


    Haishan, noticing the situation, quickly tugged at the still-stunned Xie Qingwan.


    Ming Siran¡¯s autocratic nature meant his orders were not to be defied. Knowing this, Xie Qingwan, no matter how unwilling, had no choice but to retreat without a word of complaint.


    Once she was gone, Ming Siran casually remarked, ¡°I need someone to grind ink. Call the maid I brought back from the Zhu Kingdom.¡±


    Haishan understood immediately.


    Zhou Shengsheng had been waiting outside the door, ready to be summoned.


    Since arriving in this world, the thing that consumed most of her time was standing around and daydreaming.


    After becoming a maid, she realized just how impressive the maids in dramas were¡ªstanding for hours on end, always ready to heed their master¡¯s commands.


    She, on the other hand, would stand there and let her thoughts wander. In the beginning, she often missed Duan Fusheng¡¯s instructions, which resulted in deductions from her monthly allowance.


    Speaking of money, she wondered how the salary system worked in this imperial palace.


    ¡°Miss Zhou,¡± a sharp yet aged voice snapped her out of her reverie.


    Zhou Shengsheng turned calmly and bowed gracefully to Haishan. ¡°Eunuch Haishan.¡±


    She was startled.


    Ignoring her racing heart, Zhou Shengsheng smiled politely.


    She performed the Yong Kingdom¡¯s etiquette. The cultural differences between the Zhu Kingdom and the Yong Kingdom were significant. Haishan had initially thought this new maid would need some training before serving the emperor, but it seemed that wasn¡¯t necessary.


    Pleased, Haishan smiled and said, ¡°His Majesty is calling for you.¡±


    Zhou Shengsheng nodded.


    She entered the hall, but Haishan did not follow, instead remaining at the door.


    Liu Xunlan¡¯s study, which she had visited with Duan Fusheng, was filled with books of sages and walls adorned with calligraphy and paintings. A qin and a flute were placed by the window for leisurely entertainment.


    Ming Siran¡¯s study, however, was much larger. The shelves were lined with a wide variety of books, ranging from military strategy and philosophy to miscellaneous works from various fields.


    Ming Siran was currently holding a wolf-hair brush, frowning as he reviewed a memorial. When Zhou Shengsheng entered, his expression softened, and he waived her formalities, urging her to come closer.


    The once stern man transformed into a childlike figure in an instant.


    ¡°Can you understand this?¡± Zhou Shengsheng leaned over to take a look.


    The dense text made her eyes blur.


    Ming Siran didn¡¯t hide it from her, letting her read freely. ¡°It¡¯s manageable.¡±


    It had initially been challenging, but after a while, he found his thoughts becoming clearer, likely due to residual memories from the past.


    But this wasn¡¯t a good sign¡ªit meant that his future self might soon return.


    Noticing Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s curious gaze as she surveyed the room, Ming Siran masked his somber expression.


    ¡°Shengsheng, could you grind the ink for me?¡± he asked, almost pleading.


    Zhou Shengsheng glanced at the imperial phoenix-patterned inkstone beside her and began grinding the ink naturally. Her long hair fell, partially obscuring her face. From Ming Siran¡¯s angle, he could only see her delicate nose and long, thick lashes.


    Ming Siran¡¯s expression softened, and he found himself staring at her.


    Feeling his intense gaze, Zhou Shengsheng pinched his cheek. ¡°Snap out of it.¡±


    [This texture isn¡¯t as soft as I imagined.]


    Ming Siran turned his head away, muttering, ¡°Because I¡¯m a man.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± Zhou Shengsheng didn¡¯t catch his barely audible words.


    Ming Siran shook his head, saying it was nothing.


    He recalled hearing about the saying: a wife grinding ink while her husband reads.


    Glancing at the slender, pale hand holding the inkstick as it ground the ink, Ming Siran¡¯s face flushed slightly.


    ¡°Shengsheng?¡± he suddenly spoke up.


    Zhou Shengsheng responded, pausing her movements and lowering her eyes to look at him.


    The red mole beneath her eye added a touch of allure to her otherwise plain features.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a title. Will you be my real wife?¡± he whispered, voicing the hope he had harbored since returning to the palace. His dark eyes reflected her image.


    The air grew still.


    After a long pause, Zhou Shengsheng finally spoke. ¡°Xiao Ming, you¡¯ve just lost your memory. When it returns, you¡¯ll regret this.¡± She paused before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m the first person you met after losing your memory. You¡¯ve developed a ¡®first imprint¡¯ attachment to me. It could have been anyone, and you¡¯d feel the same way.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± The chair legs screeched against the floor as Ming Siran stood up, his gaze fixed intently on Zhou Shengsheng.


    He was tall, towering over her by two heads, and his silent stare carried an overwhelming pressure.


    Zhou Shengsheng lowered her eyes and sighed.


    [Don¡¯t push me. How could a mother fall in love with her own son?]


    The thoughts of confinement, chains, and forced marriage that had been swirling in Ming Siran¡¯s mind vanished instantly.


    How absurd.


    The person you adore sees you as her son.


    The emotions that had tightly coiled around his heart like iron thorns suddenly dissipated, leaving only a sense of exhaustion.


    He sat back down, lips pressed together, and silently picked up his brush to resume reading the memorials.


    Seeing this, Zhou Shengsheng hesitated for a moment before bowing and turning to leave.


    [Ah, he needs some time to cool off after stepping into this forbidden love.]


    Ming Siran¡¯s fingers paused, and he commanded in a hoarse voice, ¡°Come back.¡±


    ¡°Who said you could leave?¡± He looked up at the woman who had so callously turned away, his eyes red.


    Zhou Shengsheng, seeing his expression, quickly shuffled back. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Ah Pang, is there any medicine that can treat memory loss? I think we need to address this issue.]


    Ah Pang, trembling, nodded in agreement.


    Just as Zhou Shengsheng was about to ask if there was a gentle remedy, her wrist suddenly ached. Before she could react, his arm had tightly wrapped around her waist, firm as an iron clamp.


    Zhou Shengsheng was startled but stopped struggling after a few futile attempts.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me. I won¡¯t pressure you, okay?¡± His voice, hoarse and pleading, sounded like the whimper of a cornered animal.


    Zhou Shengsheng couldn¡¯t see his face but could hear the desperation and tremor in his voice.


    The sky outside had completely darkened. After staring at the dragon embroidery on his chest for a long time, Zhou Shengsheng finally whispered, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Immediately, his embrace tightened further.


    Zhou Shengsheng, assuming it was just his ¡®first imprint¡¯ attachment, patted his back in comfort.


    [Forget it, Ah Pang. Although Xiao Ming is clingy, Ming Siran is far worse. I¡¯d rather spend half a year with Xiao Ming. We¡¯ll deal with the memory issue... later.]


    Ah Pang didn¡¯t respond. Ming Siran¡¯s embrace had sent him flying out of Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s hair, and he now faced Ming Siran, whose face was half-shrouded in shadow.


    Ah Pang trembled, unsure if his eyes were deceiving him.


    Because the man who, despite his towering stature, was pretending to be pitiful and trembling in Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s arms, now had eyes as deep as a black abyss, filled with unmistakable triumph. The slight curve of his lips resembled the smirk of a villain who had successfully deceived an unsuspecting girl.

 Chapter 23

    "Shengsheng, you smell like Xiaoming."


    Upon returning to the chamber Ming Siran had arranged for her, a figure rushed into her arms at lightning speed, sniffing her all over like some kind of canine creature.


    After the initial shock, Zhou Shengsheng pulled her out and, seeing the aggrieved look on her face, asked, "Why are you here? Didn¡¯t Xiaoming arrange a place for you?"


    Jiang Zhiyu pouted, refusing to speak.


    Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s expression turned stern. She closed the door, grabbed her arm, and whispered, "Did someone bully you? Was it that Xie Qingwan?"


    After much prodding, Jiang Zhiyu finally mumbled, "I wanted something to eat, but the ladies said it wasn¡¯t mealtime yet and wouldn¡¯t give me anything. I¡¯m so hungry, Shengsheng." She looked at Zhou Shengsheng with pitiful eyes.


    "What? They wouldn¡¯t give you food?" Zhou Shengsheng was furious.


    Perhaps it was because of the fall from the cliff, the loss of memory, or the days of starvation, but Jiang Zhiyu had developed an insatiable appetite during their journey.


    Zhou Shengsheng had always indulged her, never letting her go without fruits or snacks.


    And now, after all that care, the person she had nurtured along the way had come to the vast Yong Kingdom only to be denied even a bite to eat!


    Seeing Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s anger, Jiang Zhiyu, like a child seeking comfort from a parent, added, "They also called me stupid."


    That was the final straw. Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s rage was fully ignited.


    How dare they call the female lead stupid? Even if the laws of the world didn¡¯t intervene, she would personally strike down those idiots!


    Just as she was about to drag Jiang Zhiyu to Ming Siran to complain, she suddenly remembered what had happened earlier, and her burning anger was doused as if by a bucket of cold water.


    Jiang Zhiyu looked at her with pleading eyes.


    Zhou Shengsheng let out a long sigh.


    Jiang Zhiyu patted her consolingly, "Don¡¯t be angry. Sighing makes you younger."


    Zhou Shengsheng thought to herself, how could she not sigh?


    Your brother is going through his rebellious phase, stubbornly insisting on marrying me, and now you¡¯re being bullied.


    How did her life become so tragic? How did she go from being a carefree single palace maid to a glamorous widow raising two children overnight?


    "My poor, lazy husband left us too soon, leaving me to raise you and your brother all by myself. And yet, neither of you gives me a moment¡¯s peace. My life is so hard! If only I had followed you to the afterlife, my dear husband!"


    Zhou Shengsheng held Jiang Zhiyu¡¯s hand and lamented to the heavens, her tone filled with sorrow, her expression one of deep grief. Even Jiang Zhiyu, who had been clueless, couldn¡¯t help but be moved.


    "Mother..." Jiang Zhiyu stared at her, tears streaming down her face.


    Zhou Shengsheng looked at her tenderly, wiping away her tears, "Yes, my child."


    "Mother!" Jiang Zhiyu opened her arms.


    "Yes!" Zhou Shengsheng opened her arms wide.


    The two of them embraced tightly, as if the other was their only solace.


    Outside the door, Li Rong awkwardly withdrew her hand and rubbed her nose.


    Well, she¡¯d wait a little longer.


    She couldn¡¯t possibly interrupt such an important moment between mother and daughter, could she?


    ---The dividing line sheds a tear of emotion---


    "Thank you so much for bringing him back." Zhou Shengsheng smiled brightly, holding a bird that was sleeping soundly in a golden basin adorned with various gemstones and dragon patterns.


    "Wait a moment, I¡¯ll return this basin to you." Upon hearing her words, the bird, which had been fast asleep, suddenly opened its eyes and spread its wings, as if asserting its ownership.


    Zhou Shengsheng glared at it.


    Li Rong waved her hand, "I¡¯m not sure when it flew in, but I noticed it seemed to like the basin, so I asked His Majesty. He said if the bird likes it, it can keep it."


    Having served Ming Siran for years, Li Rong knew full well that His Majesty had likely developed feelings for this little palace maid from the Zhu Kingdom.


    Just a while ago, he had slapped her, but now his attitude had changed completely.


    The heart of a man is as deep and unpredictable as the ocean.


    "Then please convey my thanks to His Majesty, and thank you, Li Rong." Zhou Shengsheng smiled politely.


    Li Rong waved and left.


    The moment the door closed, Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s smile vanished instantly.


    Oh no, she must have heard my nonsense.


    Would she think I have some kind of mental illness?


    Mortified, Zhou Shengsheng glared at the bird in her hands, her frustration boiling over.


    "Even the finest nest isn¡¯t as good as your own humble one. Do you understand that? Don¡¯t be fooled by its beauty. After a few nights, you¡¯ll realize the one I made for you is much more comfortable!"


    The bird turned its back to her, clearly unimpressed.


    It seems that the disdain for wealth and preference for simplicity is not exclusive to humans.


    Zhou Shengsheng deliberately placed the nest she had made next to the golden basin, waiting for the bird to return to it on its own.


    But three days later, when she went to check, she found that the nest she had made had been kicked down, and the culprit was lounging lazily on the windowsill, basking in the sun in its new home.


    Zhou Shengsheng looked at it with a complicated expression.


    Jiang Zhiyu walked over and poured some water into the small golden dish in front of the bird.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Jiang Zhiyu asked, noticing her serious expression as she stared at the bird.


    Zhou Shengsheng frowned, "I can¡¯t help but feel that this picky, lazy, and luxurious bird reminds me of someone."


    The bird, which had been motionless, suddenly opened its eyes.


    Jiang Zhiyu looked puzzled, "But it¡¯s a bird. How can it resemble a person?"


    Stumped for a moment, Zhou Shengsheng thought, "That¡¯s true."


    [If Duan Fusheng could turn into a bird, this species would probably be extinct by now.]


    She added silently, [They¡¯d die of laziness.]


    Duan Fusheng, who had indeed turned into a bird, closed his eyes, unusually choosing not to argue.


    She wasn¡¯t wrong¡ªhis kind really had all died out.


    "Let¡¯s go. Forget the bird. We¡¯re going to complain to Xiaoming." After placing a fruit in the small basin, Zhou Shengsheng took Jiang Zhiyu¡¯s hand and led her out.


    Jiang Zhiyu nodded obediently, letting Zhou Shengsheng guide her gently.


    After careful consideration and much patience, Zhou Shengsheng finally found the perfect opportunity.


    This was the part in the story where Xie Qingwan made her first move against Jiang Zhiyu, only to be discovered by the female lead. The female lead, heartbroken, was later comforted by the male lead, who then severely punished the villainous female character as a warning to others.


    The servants¡¯ disrespectful attitude toward Jiang Zhiyu¡ªZhou Shengsheng knew full well that Xie Qingwan was behind it.


    In the original story, after Ming Siran returned to the palace, he was so busy with state affairs that he neglected Jiang Zhiyu, whom he had forcibly brought back.


    This gave Xie Qingwan the perfect opportunity to manipulate a wounded palace maid into accusing Jiang Zhiyu of abuse and bullying. With no clear status in the Yong Kingdom¡¯s palace, Jiang Zhiyu naturally became the target of everyone¡¯s scorn.


    As the official in charge of the emperor¡¯s internal affairs, Xie Qingwan had the authority to expel her from the palace.


    This was Xie Qingwan¡¯s scheme in the original story. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But...


    Zhou Shengsheng paused in her steps.


    But Ming Siran, who insisted on having three meals a day with her and clung to her the moment he was free¡ªwasn¡¯t the original story supposed to depict him as so overwhelmed with state affairs that he had no time to see the female lead?

 Chapter 24

    Zhou Shengsheng wore a smoke-gray satin dress today, a color rarely chosen by girls of her age. Of course, she didn¡¯t pick this color because she liked to appear older. In fact, she preferred bright and vibrant clothing, but years of survival in the palace had taught her that it was always best to keep a low profile. Only then could she avoid the risk of being crushed like cannon fodder.


    Before the two could step out of the courtyard, a group of people barged in unceremoniously. The girl at the forefront was dressed in a smoke-gray satin dress, her hair adorned with a jade butterfly silver hairpin. This simple yet elegant attire softened her otherwise striking and cold beauty, giving her a more gentle appearance.


    Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s gaze lifted, and her eyes met Xie Qingwan¡¯s.


    Damn¡­ they were wearing the same outfit.


    Xie Qingwan¡¯s jaw tightened, and a flicker of embarrassment and anger flashed in her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Miss Shengsheng has been attending to His Majesty these past few days. It¡¯s all my fault for catching a cold and feeling unwell. His Majesty, concerned for my health, insisted I rest for a few days. Thank you for taking care of him in my stead,¡± she said, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush, her eyes coquettish.


    A maid behind her quickly chimed in, ¡°His Majesty is so considerate of you, Miss. You¡¯re truly blessed.¡±


    Zhou Shengsheng remained silent. Though she was just a minor character in this story, she didn¡¯t want to be blown to smithereens by the plot.


    Thankfully, the female lead was still the female lead, and no matter the situation, she always had a unique way of drawing attention.


    ¡°Oh? Wasn¡¯t it because he was afraid of getting infected?¡± Zhou Shengsheng said, giving Xie Qingwan a disdainful look and subtly stepping back, as if Xie Qingwan were some kind of deadly virus.


    The polite smile on Xie Qingwan¡¯s face faded slightly.


    ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯ve come today for an important matter.¡±


    Zhou Shengsheng breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, things were back on track.


    She subtly nudged Jiang Zhiyu beside her and took half a step back.


    Jiang Zhiyu, as if suddenly realizing what was happening, addressed Xie Qingwan, ¡°May I ask what brings you here, Miss Xie?¡±


    Xie Qingwan was slightly taken aback by her polite and normal tone.


    Since when did this fool know how to speak properly?


    ¡°Ahem¡­ bring her forward,¡± Xie Qingwan said coldly, glancing at Jiang Zhiyu and issuing the command.


    From the crowd behind her, a trembling and cowering young maid stepped forward. The maid timidly bowed to Xie Qingwan.


    Xie Qingwan spoke softly, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Look up and tell me, is the person you accused standing in front of you?¡±


    The maid timidly raised her head and looked at Jiang Zhiyu. Upon seeing her face, the maid trembled even more violently, shrinking back as if she had seen a terrifying monster. ¡°Please don¡¯t hit me¡­ I was wrong¡­ I beg you! Don¡¯t hit me!¡± she cried out.


    The crowd behind them immediately cast suspicious, accusatory, and disgusted looks at Jiang Zhiyu.


    Jiang Zhiyu ignored the malice in their eyes and stared directly at Xie Qingwan. ¡°Miss Xie, what is the meaning of this?¡±


    Xie Qingwan patted the trembling maid kneeling on the ground, her tone filled with pity. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, child. With me and the other officials here to support you, speak the truth. No one will dare harm you.¡±


    Hearing this, the maid, who had been crying nonstop, finally calmed down and spoke between sobs, ¡°I¡­ I was sent by Eunuch Hai to serve this¡­ Miss Jiang. She is a guest brought back by His Majesty, so I took great care to serve her diligently, never daring to be negligent¡­¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Her tone shifted, and she raised her tear-streaked face, rolling up her sleeve to reveal a series of shocking, bloody marks on her arm.


    Even those who had spent years working in the palace were startled by the sheer number of wounds.


    ¡°But¡­ no matter how hard I tried, Miss Jiang was never satisfied. She constantly complained about His Majesty neglecting her¡­ and took out her anger on me!¡± the maid said, pointing at Jiang Zhiyu with a heartbroken expression.


    Jiang Zhiyu finally recognized her. She was the maid who had led the others in calling her a fool.


    ¡°I never mistreated you. You keep accusing me of abusing you, but do you have any proof?¡± Jiang Zhiyu demanded.


    The maid let out a bitter laugh. ¡°Miss Jiang, you are a guest brought back by His Majesty, a person of great importance. I am just a lowly servant. Isn¡¯t this body covered in wounds proof enough?¡±


    ¡°Or do you think I inflicted these wounds on myself just to frame you?¡±


    Her words were so heartfelt that they swayed the hearts of many of the onlookers, and their gazes toward Jiang Zhiyu slowly changed.


    Zhou Shengsheng couldn¡¯t help but admire her sharp tongue.


    ¡°Miss Jiang, you came all the way from the Zhu Kingdom as our guest. We treated you with sincerity, yet you trampled on our goodwill,¡± Xie Qingwan said sorrowfully, her tone then turning sharp. ¡°But we, the people of Yong Kingdom, are not to be trifled with!¡±


    ¡°Guards! Take this malicious woman out of the palace at once!¡± she commanded, waving her hand.


    As if they had been waiting outside, several armed guards quickly filed in and moved to apprehend Jiang Zhiyu.


    Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s eyes widened. Since when could palace officials command guards? Or had Xie Qingwan¡¯s influence grown to the point where she could do as she pleased?


    ¡°Wait! I was brought here by His Majesty. If you want to expel me from the palace, shouldn¡¯t you at least consult him first?¡± Jiang Zhiyu shouted sternly.


    The guards hesitated, glancing at Xie Qingwan for confirmation.


    Xie Qingwan sneered. ¡°His Majesty is busy with state affairs. There¡¯s no need to trouble him with such trivial matters.¡±


    ¡°Seize her!¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, a small figure suddenly flew out from the hall, straight toward Xie Qingwan¡¯s face.


    ¡°Ah!!!¡± she screamed in pain, flailing her arms in an attempt to swat the thing away.


    But the perpetrator simply dodged gracefully and flew away, eventually landing on Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s head, where it calmly began preening its ruffled feathers.


    Crazy woman, disturbing his peaceful nap with all her noise.


    The crowd erupted into chaos, and a shrill voice pointed at Zhou Shengsheng, ¡°It¡¯s her bird that hurt Miss Xie! Arrest her!¡±


    Zhou Shengsheng smiled awkwardly, waving her hand and trying to explain that it was a misunderstanding.


    But the palace servants of Yong Kingdom were already incensed and gave her no chance to defend herself.


    Jiang Zhiyu was equally frustrated. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The script Zhou Shengsheng had given her didn¡¯t include this part! She hadn¡¯t even gotten to deliver her line, ¡°Who dares touch me!¡±


    Zhou Shengsheng couldn¡¯t let them be captured, so she grabbed Jiang Zhiyu¡¯s hand and bolted for the door.


    The guards shouted, ¡°Stop them!¡±


    Jiang Zhiyu, being dragged along by Zhou Shengsheng, turned her head and excitedly yelled, ¡°Who dares touch me!¡±


    Her words only further enraged the already furious guards, and they quickened their pace.


    Zhou Shengsheng was on the verge of tears. Where was the male lead who was supposed to save the day?


    Ming Siran, your mother and sister are about to be tied up!


    Luckily, their fortune held. Just as Zhou Shengsheng had this thought, a furious roar echoed from outside the courtyard, ¡°Stop! Who dares lay a hand on her!¡±


    Zhou Shengsheng cheered inwardly, [My son, come quickly to the rescue!]


    The man crossing the threshold paused for a moment, then let out a soft sigh. With long strides, he entered the courtyard, followed by a group of people.

 Chapter 25

    A group of people knelt nervously in Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s small courtyard, not daring to make a sound.


    The reason? Their noble, supreme Emperor was currently in a fit of rage.


    ¡°Shengsheng, come here,¡± Ming Siran said in a deep voice.


    Zhou Shengsheng naturally wouldn¡¯t act stubborn at such a moment and immediately walked over.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Ming Siran scanned her from head to toe, and only after confirming she wasn¡¯t injured did he let out a sigh of relief.


    He knew this was part of the plot Zhou Shengsheng had been mulling over recently.


    But what he had just seen suggested that these people weren¡¯t just targeting Jiang Zhiyu¡ªthat was a big problem.


    Xie Qingwan, who had been kneeling, suddenly let out a sob, as if she had been deeply wronged. She covered her injured left cheek, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Ming Siran.


    Yet Ming Siran acted as if he hadn¡¯t seen her at all. ¡°Be quiet. I wasn¡¯t asking you.¡±


    Xie Qingwan swayed slightly, as if she couldn¡¯t believe her Emperor would treat her this way.


    Zhou Shengsheng then softly explained what had happened.


    After finishing, she added, ¡°Miss Jiang has been staying with me this whole time.¡± The implication was clear: she hadn¡¯t even left, so how could she have mistreated that maid?


    Xie Qingwan trembled and shot a fierce glare at someone beside her.


    That person, feeling her gaze, quickly crawled forward. ¡°Your Majesty! I swear I¡¯m not lying! If I¡¯m lying, may I be struck by lightning!¡±


    *Boom!*


    Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck out of nowhere, startling everyone.


    Everyone: What the¡ª?!


    Zhou Shengsheng looked at the maid, who was too terrified to speak, with pity in her eyes.


    [See? I told you. If you dare call the female lead an idiot, you¡¯ll get struck by lightning.]


    Ming Siran¡¯s fingers twitched under his sleeve.


    He had called Jiang Zhiyu an idiot in his mind more than a few times¡­


    Zhou Shengsheng glanced at Jiang Zhiyu, who was curiously looking up at the sky.


    Jiang Zhiyu immediately caught on.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I also swear that if I ever mistreated this maid, may the sun shine brightly!¡±


    The moment she spoke, the clear sky, which had only rumbled once, suddenly became overcast, and a light drizzle began to fall.


    Everyone, including Jiang Zhiyu herself, was stunned.


    The rain made the feathers of the bird clinging to Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s sleeve sticky, and it quickly flew into her sleeve to take shelter.


    Zhou Shengsheng looked at the speechless crowd with satisfaction.


    [Didn¡¯t expect that, did you? Tremble, you ignorant humans! This is the power of the world¡¯s favored female lead!] Zhou Shengsheng laughed inwardly.


    Was it ridiculous? Yes, absolutely ridiculous.


    In the original book, the female lead had cleared her name by relying on the heavens.


    When Zhou Shengsheng had read that part, she had nearly choked on her own saliva.


    She had even wondered if the author had run out of ideas and just forced this golden plot armor onto the female lead.


    Soon, palace attendants arrived with oil-paper umbrellas to shield Ming Siran from the rain.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Haishan called.


    Ming Siran moved his lips and said, ¡°Everyone saw it. Does anyone still want to defend her?¡±


    No one spoke. They weren¡¯t fools. Speaking now would be like going against the heavens.


    ¡°Execute her,¡± Ming Siran said calmly, then turned and left.


    The maid, still in shock, collapsed to the ground, seemingly unable to believe this was how her life would end. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhou Shengsheng waved at the still-dazed Jiang Zhiyu and took her hand, leading her away.


    Before leaving, she glanced at Xie Qingwan¡¯s face.


    It was as pale as a ghost.


    Once the truth was uncovered, she would likely be banished from the palace by the love-driven rage of Ming Siran.


    However, considering she was Haishan¡¯s niece, her life would be spared.


    But for a woman who dreamed of becoming a concubine, this was probably more cruel than death.


    Halfway back to Qianhe Palace, the light drizzle finally stopped, and the clouds dispersed, revealing a clean, azure sky.


    ¡°Everyone, leave,¡± Ming Siran ordered at the palace door, dismissing everyone. Even Jiang Zhiyu was led away by Haishan to a side hall.


    The study was now empty except for Ming Siran and Zhou Shengsheng.


    For some reason, the once-spacious study now felt cramped to her.


    It was as if even breathing had become difficult.


    The incense in the room carried the same scent as Ming Siran¡¯s.


    Every time she left the study, Jiang Zhiyu would complain that she smelled like ¡°Little Ming.¡±


    ¡°Shengsheng, help me grind the ink,¡± Ming Siran¡¯s voice came from nearby, unusually gentle.


    Zhou Shengsheng shook her head, feeling a bit foggy, perhaps from the rain earlier.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she heard her own voice echo in the room.


    She had been grinding ink for a while now, but today, for some reason, she felt unusually tired.


    After just a few strokes, her arms felt weak and sore.


    Then, as if to confirm her thoughts, her body went limp, and she collapsed.


    By the time she realized what was happening, she was already in a firm embrace filled with the scent of ambergris.


    She frowned, trying to push herself up, but a firm yet gentle voice stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t move. If you¡¯re tired, sleep for a while, okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll watch over you,¡± he added.


    His words seemed to have a magical effect, lulling Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s heavy eyelids.


    The next moment, she fell into a deep sleep.


    ---Warning: Dark Ming Siran has appeared---


    When Zhou Shengsheng opened her eyes again, she was nearly blinded by the sea of red before her.


    What was this?


    She propped up her still-weak body and looked around the unfamiliar room.


    The overwhelming red almost completely captured her attention.


    On the round table not far away, a red candle was burning. Though it was intricately carved and beautifully patterned, Zhou Shengsheng recognized it as the kind used in weddings.


    After a moment of confusion, she realized something was off about the weight on her head.


    It felt as if she were wearing a ten-pound gold bar.


    Frowning, she reached up to touch it.


    The crisp sound of chains immediately drew her attention.


    She stared in disbelief at the thick chain around her delicate wrist.


    After a long pause, Zhou Shengsheng began to wonder if her recent earnest teachings had gone wrong.


    She sighed, a fleeting look of pity crossing her face before she suppressed it.


    [Ah Fat, I need to exchange for a memory-restoring medicine.]


    The air was silent for a long time, and the expected cheerful reply didn¡¯t come.


    Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s expression changed, panic setting in.


    [Ah Fat? Ah Fat?]


    [Ah Fat, are you there?]


    Her voice echoed in her mind, but there was no response.


    Zhou Shengsheng panicked and tried to get up from the bed to leave.


    But as soon as she moved, there was a sound at the door.


    The steady footsteps of a grown man approached, and Zhou Shengsheng quickly pulled her legs back onto the bed.


    The chains around her ankles jingled, causing the footsteps to pause.


    Then, a familiar voice came from outside the bed curtains.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±

 Chapter 26

    ¡°Ming Siran, do you know what you¡¯re doing?¡± Zhou Shengsheng said sternly.


    He stood by the bed, dressed in a wedding robe embroidered with dragons. The crown on his head glimmered under the candlelight.


    Ming Siran, backlit, flashed a smile that sent shivers down Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Is it because it¡¯s our wedding day that you¡¯ve stopped calling me ¡®Your Majesty¡¯ and started using my name?¡± He lowered his gaze to Zhou Shengsheng, reaching out a finger from his sleeve to brush aside a strand of her hair that had fallen in front of her.


    Zhou Shengsheng leaned back, the chains binding her clinking softly, which seemed to amuse the man before her as he narrowed his eyes in delight.


    ¡°Shengsheng, let¡¯s be together forever, okay?¡± With that, he leaned in closer.


    The bed was small, and no matter how Zhou Shengsheng tried to evade him, she was eventually pinned beneath Ming Siran.


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret this, Ming Siran,¡± Zhou Shengsheng glared at him fiercely.


    He chuckled softly, ¡°Shengsheng, your voice is trembling.¡±


    With one hand, he pulled aside the red silk canopy and slowly leaned down.


    Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s limbs were already weak, and now she was firmly trapped in Ming Siran¡¯s grasp.


    Was there really no way out?


    She didn¡¯t want this¡­


    His lips touched her neck, the cool yet soft sensation making Zhou Shengsheng shudder violently.


    Someone, please save her¡­


    Hearing her silent plea, Ming Siran¡¯s eyes darkened with an unreadable emotion.


    Was she truly so unwilling?


    Ignoring the ache in his heart, he steeled himself.


    No matter how much she resisted, she would be his.


    Just as Zhou Shengsheng felt despair creeping in, a clear, melodious bird call echoed from above.


    Suddenly, the man who had been relentlessly claiming her stopped and collapsed onto her.


    Zhou Shengsheng jolted awake, mustering all her strength to push the unconscious Ming Siran off her.


    Tears streaming down her face, she looked at the bird hovering in the air, its expression one of disdain. She grabbed it and kissed it repeatedly, ¡°Little Ji, I¡¯ll never complain about your fussiness again! From now on, you¡¯re my sworn brother, and I¡¯ll treasure you like my own eyes!¡±


    After struggling fruitlessly, Duan Niao resigned himself to her kisses.


    He had long since grown numb to this¡­


    Originally, he had been hiding in Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s sleeve to escape the rain, but this clueless fool hadn¡¯t even noticed she¡¯d been drugged.


    Flapping his wings, Duan Niao tapped her hand, and as she loosened her grip, he quickly flew to her head, meticulously grooming his feathers with a look of disdain.


    Zhou Shengsheng, knowing his obsession with cleanliness, sniffled and turned to examine Ming Siran¡¯s wound.


    Earlier, Little Ji had scratched him with his claws, and Ming Siran had suddenly collapsed.


    But now, as Zhou Shengsheng inspected his neck, she found no trace of a wound. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder.


    Could it be that Little Ji wasn¡¯t just an ordinary bird, but some kind of mythical creature?


    [Pang!] She called out, but there was no response.


    Duan Niao, perched on her head, opened one eye and tapped her head with his foot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, I¡¯ll be done soon,¡± Zhou Shengsheng muttered as she searched Ming Siran¡¯s body.


    ¡°Found it!¡±


    A small silver key appeared in her hand. She fumbled with the lock on the chains, and after several tries, a soft ¡®click¡¯ sounded, and the chains, warmed by her body heat, finally opened.


    Without hesitation, she got off the bed, frowning as she removed the heavy phoenix crown from her head and held it in her hand.


    It was indeed a phoenix crown¡­


    At first, she frowned, but then a smile spread across her face.


    Perfect, it could be melted down into gold bars, and the jade and emeralds could be sold for a good price.


    Consider it Ming Siran¡¯s compensation for the emotional distress he¡¯d caused her.


    Of course, for now, it had a more immediate use.


    As a weapon.


    She flung the door open and, without looking, swung the heavy phoenix crown at the person standing outside.


    But she hit nothing but air.


    The weight of the crown pulled her forward, nearly causing her to stumble.


    Was there really no one guarding the door?


    Zhou Shengsheng was stunned.


    Had Ming Siran been too overconfident?


    [Wuwuwu, Shengsheng!]


    A small, round figure flew over, looking aggrieved.


    Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s face lit up, [Pang!]


    [Where have you been!?]


    She hugged Pang tightly, tears welling up in her eyes.


    [I don¡¯t know, wuwuwu. After I woke up, I was locked outside and couldn¡¯t get in.]


    Zhou Shengsheng found this strange.


    She had passed out because she was human, but Pang was a system, not a person. How could it have been affected too?


    No, after this ordeal, she decided she couldn¡¯t rely on Pang as a universal tool anymore.


    Even Doraemon, who was always by his owner¡¯s side, had been lost several times, let alone Pang, who was alive.


    She¡¯d have to carry some self-defense items with her from now on.


    [Never mind that for now. I need to exchange for the memory-restoring medicine!]


    Pang flew out of her hands, [Are you sure? Once his memories are restored, Ming Siran won¡¯t be ¡®Little Ming¡¯ anymore.]


    Zhou Shengsheng nodded, [I¡¯d rather he try to kill me than have him take advantage of me. Besides, if he stays amnesiac, how will the plot progress?]


    Pang nodded, and soon, a transparent syringe filled with green liquid appeared in Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s hand.


    Duan Niao, perched on her head, watched this unbelievable scene with an unreadable expression.


    Without hesitation, she closed the door and walked back to the bed, looking down at Ming Siran, who lay there breathing steadily but with a slight frown.


    She reached out and smoothed his brow, gazing at him for a long time.


    Then, slowly, she inserted the needle into his skin.


    Almost simultaneously, Ming Siran¡¯s eyes flew open.


    Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s hand trembled in shock.


    Feeling the sting in his neck, Ming Siran turned his head to look at her.


    His deep, shadowy eyes fixed on Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s face, and he smiled faintly, ¡°Shengsheng, are you abandoning me?¡±


    Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s hand shook, but she said nothing, slowly pushing the liquid into him.


    Ming Siran also fell silent, simply watching her.


    When the last drop of liquid disappeared, his face contorted in pain, but he stubbornly reached for Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s hand.


    She placed her hand in his.


    ¡°Goodbye, Little Ming,¡± she whispered.


    Hearing this farewell, a tear slid down Ming Siran¡¯s cheek. His lips moved, but no words came out.


    Slowly, his eyes closed.


    Zhou Shengsheng, still in her red dress, knelt silently by the bed.


    There would be no more Little Ming. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only Ming Siran.


    The night grew darker, with only the sound of insects and rustling leaves outside.


    Zhou Shengsheng nodded off, exhausted.


    Just as she was on the verge of sleep, there was a movement on the bed.


    She looked up.


    The man who had been unconscious suddenly propped himself up on one arm.


    He pressed a hand to his forehead, frowning slightly, and his gaze fell directly on Zhou Shengsheng on the floor.


    The faint glimmer of shame, anger, and regret in his eyes made her realize¡ª


    The supreme War Emperor of the Great Yong Kingdom, Ming Siran, had returned.

 Chapter 27

    ¡°Get out.¡± A hoarse and angry voice came from above.


    His fingers twitched, as if he wanted to throw something to vent his rage, but he found nothing within reach.


    To prevent Zhou Shengsheng from doing anything rash, Xiao Ming had already removed all movable hard objects from the bedside earlier.


    Ming Siran, who also realized this, had an even fiercer flame of anger in his eyes.


    Zhou Shengsheng thoughtfully went to the table and handed him a teapot.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please.¡± She bowed her head respectfully, revealing a slender and fair neck.


    ¡¾Hurry up and smash it, then let me leave. Do you know how long I¡¯ve been guarding you for fear of something happening? Two hours!¡¿


    Ming Siran initially wanted to push her away, but upon hearing her thoughts, he ignored the teapot she offered with both hands and instead grabbed her wrist, pulling her up.


    Zhou Shengsheng was startled but didn¡¯t let go of the teapot. With the force, it slammed into the bed frame, shattering into pieces, and the shards dug deeply into her palm.


    The sharp pain made her involuntarily let out a muffled groan.


    Ming Siran¡¯s expression changed. He grabbed her hand and said sternly, ¡°Let go!¡±


    Instinctively, Zhou Shengsheng released her bloodied hand.


    ¡°Are you an idiot? Why didn¡¯t you just let go!¡± he shouted angrily.


    Zhou Shengsheng lowered her head obediently. ¡°Your Majesty, please punish me.¡±


    ¡¾It¡¯s expensive, you know? With your temper, who knows if you¡¯d make me pay for it after smashing it.¡¿


    Ming Siran gritted his teeth. ¡°Did you do this on purpose?¡±


    Zhou Shengsheng looked up in confusion. She felt like she knew the answer to this question.


    ¡¾Did you do it on purpose to make me feel sorry for you?¡¿


    Pressing his lips together, a vein on Ming Siran¡¯s forehead twitched.


    This woman was so obedient to him before he lost his memory, so why was she like this now?


    ¡°Get out! Tell Li Rong to come in!¡±


    As if he couldn¡¯t bear the disgust any longer, he violently tore off the bright red wedding robe he was wearing.


    Zhou Shengsheng quickly got up with one hand and hurried out, her steps swift, as if she didn¡¯t want to stay a moment longer.


    The way she practically fled, as if her tail was on fire, made Ming Siran feel even more irritated.


    Once outside, Zhou Shengsheng searched under the steps and found the phoenix crown she had hidden earlier. She wiped the dust off it with her hand and then hugged it contentedly as she walked away.


    As she left the courtyard, Zhou Shengsheng finally understood why there was no one outside.


    They were all gathered at the entrance of the main hall.


    ¡°Li Rong, His Majesty is calling for you.¡±


    Seeing Zhou Shengsheng in red robes and holding the phoenix crown, Li Rong was momentarily dazed.


    Had His Majesty finished the ceremony already?


    Haishan, who was holding the imperial decree nearby, hesitated for a moment but didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°The night is dark, I¡¯ll have someone escort you back, Miss Shengsheng,¡± Haishan said gently.


    Zhou Shengsheng nodded. ¡°Thank you, Haishan.¡±


    Li Rong walked into Yinzhou Palace with a complicated expression.


    This was where Ming Siran and his mother had lived when he was still a prince without his own fiefdom.


    Last night, His Majesty had suddenly drafted an edict, ignoring her and Haishan¡¯s advice, to make the maid he brought back from Zhu Kingdom his concubine.


    From the look of Zhou Shengsheng, it seemed His Majesty hadn¡¯t succeeded...


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Li Rong knelt before Ming Siran with her head lowered.


    Having removed the wedding robe, he stood barefoot in the room wearing only a white undergarment.


    ¡°Go to Moonlit Forest tomorrow. Investigate what that woman did to cure the farmer¡¯s son in the mountains,¡± he said in a cold voice, but the familiar authority in his tone made Li Rong feel nostalgic for the more relaxed His Majesty of the past few days.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Almost instantly, she understood who Ming Siran was referring to as ¡°that woman.¡±


    ¡°Also.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°Revoke the punishment I previously gave to Xie Qingwan. She has served me for many years, and her crime doesn¡¯t warrant death.¡±


    Li Rong obeyed the order, but before leaving, she hesitated and asked,


    ¡°Your Majesty, the edict to make Miss Shengsheng your concubine...¡±


    Turning away, Ming Siran stared at the brightly burning wedding candle on the table with a mix of shame and humiliation before finally saying in a deep voice, ¡°Tell Haishan to burn it.¡±


    ---Here comes the dividing line---


    When Zhou Shengsheng returned, Jiang Zhiyu was already asleep at the table, waiting for her. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Little Ji, who had been hiding in her sleeve, was also fast asleep.


    Zhou Shengsheng sat beside Jiang Zhiyu and wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief.


    Jiang Zhiyu frowned and mumbled in her sleep, ¡°Xiao Ming... don¡¯t take my... candy... bad...¡±


    The smile on Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s lips faded.


    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.


    Zhou Shengsheng got up to open it.


    It was Haishan.


    Seeing Zhou Shengsheng, Haishan smiled at her. ¡°Miss Shengsheng, I noticed your hand was injured, so I brought you some medicine.¡± He gestured, and a young eunuch behind him handed Zhou Shengsheng a jar of ointment.


    Zhou Shengsheng thanked him politely and saw him out.


    After walking a short distance, Haishan shook his head, puzzled. His Majesty had sent him, but he wasn¡¯t allowed to mention it.


    ---Yay, another dividing line---


    Zhou Shengsheng was used to waking up before dawn.


    Especially since she had gone to bed with worries last night, she woke up even earlier.


    After washing up, she stepped outside, wondering how Ming Siran would trouble her now that he had regained his memory.


    As she left the courtyard, she unexpectedly saw a familiar figure.


    ¡°Good morning, Miss Shengsheng.¡± Standing outside was a young girl wearing a veil and a cyan jade-colored dress.


    Zhou Shengsheng looked at her, then glanced down at her own matching cyan dress and fell into deep thought.


    She had deliberately chosen a dress that wasn¡¯t too old-fashioned or eye-catching today, so how did she end up matching Xie Qingwan again?


    Xie Qingwan also seemed baffled, her lips twitching slightly under the veil.


    ¡°What brings you here, Miss Xie?¡±


    It was strange. Xie Qingwan should have been expelled from the palace by now, so why was she still here?


    Xie Qingwan smiled softly and said, ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver His Majesty¡¯s decree.¡±


    Under Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s calm but questioning gaze, she continued, ¡°His Majesty has ordered that Zhou Shengsheng, being merely a maid, is not entitled to live in a palace of her own. I am here to escort you to a residence befitting your status.¡±


    She paused, then added, ¡°From now on, Miss Shengsheng will be working under me.¡±


    Xie Qingwan waited, expecting to see anger and shock on the face of the girl who seemed unshaken even in the face of catastrophe.


    But she was destined to be disappointed.


    After hearing this, Zhou Shengsheng simply nodded obediently and bowed. ¡°This servant obeys the decree.¡±


    Even Xie Qingwan had to admire her composure, wondering if she could display such grace and acceptance if she were to lose her former privileges.


    Zhou Shengsheng asked Xie Qingwan to wait a moment and went back to pack her things.


    The moment she turned around, the expressionless Zhou Shengsheng suddenly frowned.


    Damn it, Ming Siran, you jerk, you actually took away my luxurious little villa.


    She didn¡¯t have many belongings, so she quickly packed a small bundle and carried the bird sleeping in a golden basin as she left.


    After all, Ming Siran only said she couldn¡¯t stay, but he didn¡¯t say Jiang Zhiyu couldn¡¯t.


    So Zhou Shengsheng didn¡¯t wake Jiang Zhiyu, who was still sound asleep.


    ---Dividing line reminding everyone that the protagonist won¡¯t suffer for long---


    ¡°So, my job today is to sweep the courtyard?¡±


    Looking at the broom in her hand, Zhou Shengsheng asked.


    The maid in front of her showed an impatient expression.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re responsible for cleaning this area. If you don¡¯t finish, you won¡¯t get any food!¡±

 Chapter 28

    Hearing that there would be no food, Zhou Shengsheng promptly picked up her tools and went to work. However, her injured right hand ensured she wouldn¡¯t eat today.


    As a palace maid from her own country, she wasn¡¯t wearing the uniform attire of the Yong Kingdom¡¯s palace. This made her stand out, and her attempt to sneak a steamed bun was immediately noticed due to her mismatched clothing.


    Patting her empty stomach, Zhou Shengsheng quietly slipped out during the night when everyone was asleep.


    The imperial garden at night was usually deserted, except for the occasional woman trying to ¡°accidentally¡± meet the emperor and showcase her talents.


    Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s reason for choosing this spot was simple.


    Listening to the heartfelt melody of ¡°Phoenix Seeks Phoenix¡± played by a woman in the southwest corner and admiring the graceful dance of a beautiful lady across the way, Zhou Shengsheng smiled.


    ¡°How appetizing,¡± she thought.


    [Ah Pang, bring me a bowl of snail noodles to liven things up.]


    Ah Pang yawned: [Shengsheng, it¡¯s too smelly.]


    [Then leave out the pickled bamboo shoots¡­] This was her last bit of stubbornness!


    ---Hunger Strikes---


    Tonight was particularly difficult for Haishan.


    The emperor, who usually spent the entire night reviewing memorials, was unusually distracted and visibly irritable.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the moonlight is exceptionally beautiful tonight. Perhaps a stroll in the imperial garden would be refreshing?¡± he cautiously suggested.


    Ming Siran paused.


    The usually manageable state affairs now felt torturous.


    His gaze kept drifting to the spot where the ink was being ground.


    Memories of that person¡¯s pale hands and the crimson mole under the lamplight kept distracting him.


    Suddenly, he slammed down the half-read memorial and stood up, saying firmly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Haishan called out, ¡°Prepare the carriage¡­¡±


    But Ming Siran interrupted, ¡°Just follow me.¡±


    Haishan bowed in acknowledgment.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Shengsheng, happily slurping her noodles, had no idea that her former ¡°son¡± was about to arrive on the scene.


    As Ming Siran stepped into the garden, which he hadn¡¯t visited in a long time, he heard the distant sound of a zither and spotted a woman dancing under the moonlight.


    ¡°How lively. The imperial garden has turned into a stage,¡± he remarked.


    Haishan broke into a cold sweat and was about to shoo the two women away when Ming Siran spotted the figure he had dreamt of all night, hidden among the flowers.


    ¡°Wait,¡± he stopped Haishan and walked over himself.


    Ah Pang, who had been spinning in the air, suddenly stopped and flew down.


    [Shengsheng, Ming Siran is coming!]


    Zhou Shengsheng, who had been eating with gusto, wiped her mouth skillfully and, in a moment of inspiration, said, [Ah Pang, give me a steamed bun! Quick!]


    Though confused, Ah Pang complied.


    So when Ming Siran approached, he saw this scene:


    A young woman crouched under the flowers, pitifully holding a plain steamed bun and taking desperate bites.


    She seemed to have been starving for a long time, each bite taken with great effort, yet her eyes remained clear and resilient, like a small white flower growing in the wilderness, evoking sympathy in anyone who saw her.


    Ming Siran frowned and glared at Haishan.


    ¡®Is this your arrangement?¡¯ his eyes seemed to say.


    [Has he left? I can¡¯t keep this up. Eating plain steamed buns is so boring! But thinking about it, those eunuchs in charge of meals are even worse¡ªthey didn¡¯t even leave me a bun!]


    Ming Siran: ¡­¡­


    ¡°Get rid of those women,¡± he said coldly, suppressing his anger.


    After all, she had extraordinary abilities. How could she not manage to feed herself? Recalling the investigation report brought back by Li Rong, Ming Siran lowered his gaze.


    Haishan had already knelt down. Upon hearing the order, he immediately went to carry it out.


    It seemed that Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s position in the emperor¡¯s heart was still uncertain.


    ---Divide and Conquer---


    ¡°Look at her speed. She probably won¡¯t get to eat again.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I heard she used to serve in the imperial court but was demoted here after making a mistake. Guess what it was?¡±


    Someone asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°What else? She tried to seduce His Majesty and angered him.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, doesn¡¯t she ever look in the mirror?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Some people are shameless, leaving their homeland only to seduce men!¡±


    This last remark was loud enough for the entire courtyard to hear.


    Zhou Shengsheng sneered and glanced back at the disdainful woman.


    After scanning her from head to toe, Zhou Shengsheng made a face of disapproval.


    ¡°Some people are ugly but don¡¯t realize it,¡± she sighed, shaking her head.


    The palace maid, hot-tempered, immediately grabbed a bucket of dirty water and came over.


    Zhou Shengsheng was about to dodge but caught sight of someone at the door and froze.


    She let the woman pour the entire bucket of water over her, leaving her drenched.


    Haishan, seeing this, hurried over.


    ¡°Eunuch Haishan,¡± Zhou Shengsheng put down her broom and bowed gracefully, despite being soaked in dirty water.


    Haishan quickly helped her up. ¡°Oh, Miss Shengsheng, you¡¯ve been wronged. His Majesty has ordered you to return to serve in the imperial court.¡± As he spoke, he glanced at the maid who had poured the water. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The maid, unable to believe it, screamed, ¡°Impossible! She tried to seduce His Majesty! How could she return?!¡±


    ¡°You insolent wretch! Spreading malicious rumors! Take her out and execute her!¡± Haishan barked.


    The eunuchs behind him dragged the terrified maid away.


    The others, witnessing this, immediately focused on their tasks, not daring to speak.


    For a moment, Zhou Shengsheng was confused.


    Wasn¡¯t this kind of ¡°killing the chicken to scare the monkey¡± tactic reserved for the female lead? Why was it used on her?


    ---The Emperor¡¯s Dilemma---


    Ming Siran had ascended the throne at the age of twenty and had ruled for six years.


    Never before had he felt such satisfaction.


    Glancing casually at the person grinding ink beside him, he reminded himself internally:


    This was to uncover the truth behind Yu Yanyan¡¯s death. That was the original reason he had brought her back.


    It was not for personal desire.


    However, the young emperor had forgotten that Jiang Zhiyu, whom he had initially brought back as a substitute for Yu Yanyan, had long been pushed to the back of his mind.


    ¡°Your Majesty! Urgent news from the front! A plague has broken out at the border!¡± Li Rong entered with a serious expression.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Lord Liu from the Imperial Observatory has arrived,¡± Haishan also entered, followed by a middle-aged man in official robes.


    Zhou Shengsheng observed quietly. This was the part of the plot where Ming Siran contracted the plague, nearly died, and was cared for by the female lead, Jiang Zhiyu, who risked her life to nurse him back to health, ultimately winning his love.


    While she was lost in thought, the others had already exchanged several words.


    But the last sentence completely snapped her out of it.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I have observed the heavens and found that this plague is a punishment from the heavens due to a calamity star from the north. To appease the heavens, we must offer the calamity star as a sacrifice, and Great Yong will be spared!¡±


    And the only country to the north was the Zhu Kingdom.

 Chapter 29

    All eyes now subtly fell upon Zhou Shengsheng, who was quietly grinding ink with her head bowed.


    Zhou Shengsheng didn¡¯t understand¡ªhow had she suddenly become part of the drama?


    ¡°Lord Liu, are you talking about me?¡± she interjected at an inopportune moment.


    Lord Liu lowered his head, silently confirming her suspicion.


    Ming Siran let out a cold laugh. ¡°She¡¯s just a lowly servant. How could someone of her status possibly affect the fate of the Great Yong Empire? Nonsense!¡±


    Lord Liu immediately knelt down. ¡°Your Majesty! In all my years of service, have I ever been wrong? Please believe me, this woman is a harbinger of disaster!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± A teapot shattered beside Lord Liu, and Ming Siran¡¯s chest heaved with suppressed anger.


    Zhou Shengsheng glanced at him, surprised.


    Perhaps he was protecting her life because of his agreement with Duan Fusheng.


    She deliberately avoided thinking about any other, more romantic reasons.


    ¡°Your Majesty...¡± Lord Liu tried to speak again, but a single glare from Ming Siran silenced him.


    ¡°Escort Lord Liu out. We¡¯ll discuss this matter later,¡± Ming Siran said wearily.


    Zhou Shengsheng took the initiative to see Lord Liu out of the palace.


    Before leaving, Lord Liu gave her a long, complicated look. ¡°Miss, if you are willing to sacrifice yourself, I promise to send people to burn abundant paper money for you every year.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just a palace maid now. With plenty of paper money in the afterlife, wouldn¡¯t that be better than your current life?¡±


    Even Zhou Shengsheng had never heard such a bizarre attempt to convince someone to die.


    Lord Liu, Lord Liu, truly a master of empty promises...


    ¡°You flatter me, my lord. As His Majesty said, I¡¯m just a lowly servant. How could I possibly affect the fate of the Yong Kingdom?¡±


    Seeing her response, he shook his head, muttering something mournful under his breath as he walked away.


    Despite Ming Siran¡¯s firm refusal, the situation at the border worsened. After hearing the Imperial Astrology Bureau¡¯s prediction and learning that the so-called harbinger of disaster was merely a lowly palace maid, the ministers began petitioning Ming Siran to offer her as a sacrifice.


    Inside and outside the court, officials knelt outside Qianhe Palace, determined to stay there until Ming Siran agreed¡ªeven if it took a lifetime.


    Even Li Rong, after receiving news that the dispatched imperial physicians had been infected, mentioned to Ming Siran that Zhou Shengsheng possessed unusual abilities and was no ordinary person.


    Natural disasters had always been a source of fear for emperors throughout history. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ming Siran, who had spent years conquering lands and leading the continent¡¯s most formidable army, found himself hesitating in the face of the devastating plague.


    Zhou Shengsheng had indeed cured that child¡¯s ulcer.


    But this was the plague¡ªa problem even the most learned physicians in the imperial hospital couldn¡¯t solve. What could Zhou Shengsheng possibly do?


    Seeking peace and quiet, Ming Siran retreated to a secluded pavilion to rest.


    A gentle breeze brushed past, cooling his troubled mind.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± a pair of soft, delicate hands suddenly pressed against his temples, gently massaging them.


    Perhaps too exhausted to resist, he allowed the hands to continue.


    Seeing this, Xie Qingwan smiled softly and leaned closer, her lips brushing his ear as she whispered, ¡°Your Majesty, you are the emperor.¡±


    Ming Siran¡¯s eyes snapped open, and he growled, ¡°Get out!¡±


    Without pleading, Xie Qingwan quickly withdrew.


    But her words lingered in his mind like a haunting curse.


    ---Intermission: The Best Is Yet to Come---


    ¡°Shengsheng, tonight¡¯s dinner is so lavish!¡± Jiang Zhiyu drooled over the array of exquisite dishes on the table.


    Zhou Shengsheng glanced at the food for a moment, then smiled faintly.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s truly lavish...¡± A last meal before execution¡ªof course, it would be lavish.


    Even Xiao Ji¡¯s fruit seemed fresher than usual.


    He spent his days either sleeping in the pouch Zhou Shengsheng had sewn into her sleeve or basking in the sun on the beams of Qianhe Palace. He was more aware of the recent events than anyone.


    And he knew exactly what this lavish meal signified.


    ¡°Here, eat up, Zhiyu. Such delicacies won¡¯t come often in the future,¡± Zhou Shengsheng said affectionately, serving Jiang Zhiyu more food and patting her head.


    After everyone had eaten their fill, she tucked Xiao Ji into her arms and stepped outside, addressing the guards stationed at the door. ¡°I wish to see His Majesty.¡±


    As she walked toward the familiar Qianhe Palace, Zhou Shengsheng calculated that once her plan was set in motion, the six-month deadline would be up...


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Zhou Shengsheng knelt on the ground, looking up at Ming Siran, who sat above her, refusing to meet her gaze.


    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked coldly.


    ¡°Are you planning to offer me as a sacrifice?¡± Zhou Shengsheng asked directly.


    The room fell silent for a long moment before Ming Siran finally spoke. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t Your Majesty say that someone as lowly as me couldn¡¯t possibly affect the fate of the Yong Kingdom? Why the change of heart now?¡±


    Haishan was horrified. He had always thought Zhou Shengsheng was well-mannered¡ªhow could she speak so boldly now?


    Ming Siran finally looked down at her, his dark eyes icy.


    ¡°Whether you¡¯re a harbinger of disaster or not, we¡¯ll find out soon enough,¡± he said indifferently, as though her life or death meant nothing.


    Yes, this was what it meant to be an emperor. Sentimental attachments were trivial in the face of national crisis.


    If there was a next life, he would gladly risk everything for this woman who had stirred his heart.


    After a long moment of staring at Ming Siran, Zhou Shengsheng nodded softly. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°But, Your Majesty,¡± she continued, capturing his attention once more, ¡°what if I told you I could cure the plague? Would that mean I wouldn¡¯t have to be sacrificed?¡±


    ¡°Compared to the vague theory of a harbinger of disaster, isn¡¯t curing the plague what truly matters? Or, if I fail, you can still offer me as a sacrifice. It¡¯s not too late.¡±


    Haishan looked at her in shock, then glanced at Ming Siran¡¯s expression.


    How could she make such a bold promise?


    What if she used this as an opportunity to escape? That would only create more trouble.


    Your Majesty, please don¡¯t agree to this!


    After a long silence, just as Haishan thought Ming Siran would refuse, he finally spoke.


    ¡°Fine.¡±

 Chapter 30

    Haishan''s worries about Zhou Shengsheng running away were clearly unnecessary.


    After all, he couldn¡¯t have imagined that their Emperor himself would personally follow her.


    "Shengsheng, where are we going?" Jiang Zhiyu asked, her voice muffled as she bit into an apple.


    Zhou Shengsheng wiped the juice from the corner of her mouth and replied, "To a place called the borderlands. I need to go there to cure an illness."


    Bringing Jiang Zhiyu along was Zhou Shengsheng''s only request. Although Ming Siran didn¡¯t understand why she insisted on it, he still permitted it.


    Even though the plot of this story had completely derailed, Zhou Shengsheng cared more than anyone else about securing her chance for reincarnation.


    Jiang Zhiyu didn¡¯t understand why Shengsheng needed to go there to cure an illness, but she nodded obediently nonetheless.


    "Aren¡¯t we riding in the same carriage as Xiao Ming?"


    Zhou Shengsheng looked at her seriously and said, "From now on, don¡¯t call him Xiao Ming. You must address him as ''Your Majesty,'' or you could lose your head."


    Jiang Zhiyu was startled. "Will they cut off Shengsheng¡¯s head?"


    Zhou Shengsheng nodded.


    Jiang Zhiyu immediately straightened up and said solemnly, "I understand. I¡¯ll call him ''Your Majesty'' from now on."


    ---


    This was Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s first time visiting the borderlands since her transmigration. It was a desolate place, yet it carried an air of solemnity and tension.


    The situation with the plague was worse than Zhou Shengsheng had anticipated.


    Despite the risks, Ming Siran ignored all the warnings and, with a cloth covering his face, personally visited the infected soldiers.


    His actions deeply moved the surrounding troops.


    Ming Siran summoned the imperial physicians and, pointing to Zhou Shengsheng behind him, declared, "The responsibility for dealing with the plague now rests entirely with her. You are to assist her."


    Zhang Imperial Physician was dumbfounded. He couldn¡¯t believe that His Majesty would entrust such a life-and-death matter to a young girl.


    "Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable! The plague is no trivial matter!"


    Ming Siran remained silent, but Zhou Shengsheng stepped forward and bowed to Zhang Imperial Physician. "This humble servant guarantees with her life that she has a way to cure the plague."


    Hearing her refer to herself as a servant, Zhang Imperial Physician felt even more exasperated.


    She was just a palace maid, a girl no older than his granddaughter, claiming she could cure the plague. It was utterly absurd!


    Ming Siran ignored Zhang Imperial Physician¡¯s objections and waved his hand, signaling Zhou Shengsheng to proceed.


    She nodded and turned to leave, but Ming Siran suddenly grabbed her hand.


    Zhou Shengsheng looked back in confusion.


    Ming Siran, who had been expressionless, now held her arm with a hint of concern in his deep eyes. "Don¡¯t push yourself too hard," he said.


    Zhou Shengsheng pulled her arm free and replied coolly, "Your Majesty need not worry."


    He pursed his lips, his eyes betraying a faint sense of loneliness as he watched her walk away.


    [Pang, do you have a treatment for the plague?] Zhou Shengsheng asked.


    This time, she remembered not to use futuristic medicine to cure everyone instantly. She had to take it step by step.


    [Yes, Host. Please wait while I exchange it...]


    "Miss Zhou, I don¡¯t know what you told His Majesty to deceive him, but you must understand that lives are not playthings, nor are they tools for you to curry favor with the Emperor." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Zhou Shengsheng entered the imperial physicians¡¯ tent, Zhang Imperial Physician spoke up amidst the skeptical gazes of his colleagues.


    His words caused an uproar.


    "What? His Majesty¡¯s solution is her?"


    "I¡¯ve been practicing medicine for over forty years, and even Zhang Imperial Physician, the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau, can¡¯t solve this problem. How could she possibly do it?"


    "This is sheer nonsense!"


    "To think His Majesty would use a young girl to placate us..."


    "Zhang Imperial Physician, please take me to see the patients," Zhou Shengsheng said calmly amidst the controversy.


    Though it wasn¡¯t strictly necessary, Zhou Shengsheng couldn¡¯t just write a prescription without examining the patients.


    This world already had some basic understanding of the plague.


    They knew to isolate patients and had implemented excellent disinfection measures. At least they weren¡¯t resorting to bloodletting, as Zhou Shengsheng had feared.


    Alone, dressed in simple protective clothing, she spent a long time in the tent where the patients were housed.


    Most of the patients were young soldiers, their bodies burning with fever and their breathing labored¡ªclear symptoms of the plague.


    Zhou Shengsheng asked Zhang Imperial Physician for paper and a brush, then wrote down the prescription Pang dictated to her.


    It was a formula created by a renowned physician from another similar world, one who had become famous for curing the plague and was hailed as a miracle healer.


    "Zhang Imperial Physician, if the patients take this medicine, they will be cured of the plague."


    Zhang Imperial Physician took the prescription skeptically, and the other physicians gathered around to examine it.


    "This..." Zhang Imperial Physician¡¯s previously impassive face gradually revealed astonishment.


    "Brilliant! Truly brilliant! This might actually work!" The others exclaimed in amazement.


    "It¡¯s worth a try," Zhang Imperial Physician said after reading it, looking up at Zhou Shengsheng.


    His earlier dismissive attitude was gone, replaced by respect and even admiration, as if he were gazing at a rare treasure.


    The imperial physicians weren¡¯t dismissive out of malice; they simply couldn¡¯t afford to gamble with lives. Their medical ethics forbade it.


    But Zhou Shengsheng had proven her worth, and they immediately apologized, hoping she would forgive their earlier disrespect.


    What a group of admirable people, Zhou Shengsheng thought.


    "This formula wasn¡¯t created by me. It was developed by my teacher, so there¡¯s no need to thank me," Zhou Shengsheng said.


    "Might we ask the name of your teacher?"


    Zhou Shengsheng shared the name of the renowned physician who had created the plague treatment.


    Of course, no one recognized the name, but that didn¡¯t diminish their admiration.


    ---


    As it turned out, the renowned physician¡¯s formula wasn¡¯t just impressive on paper¡ªits effectiveness left everyone in awe.


    After taking the medicine, the infected soldiers stopped running fevers within half an incense stick¡¯s time, and their conditions improved visibly.


    Zhang Imperial Physician went straight to Ming Siran and praised Zhou Shengsheng to the heavens.


    But Zhou Shengsheng was even more troubled now.


    She had cured the plague, but how would Ming Siran get infected? How would the female lead care for him tirelessly? How would he develop genuine feelings for her, unrelated to her being a substitute?


    This was a mistake. Beating her head in frustration, Zhou Shengsheng wished she could scream at the sky!


    [What do we do, Pang? I brought the female lead here, but I completely overlooked this major issue!]


    Pang was equally troubled. After a long moment of shared frustration, Pang suddenly had an idea.


    [Host, besides the plague, smallpox is also considered incurable in this world!]


    [Are you suggesting we have Ming Siran contract smallpox?]


    Pang nodded eagerly.


    Zhou Shengsheng thought it over and decided it was a viable plan.


    Standing outside the door, Ming Siran, who had intended to check on her, silently withdrew his hand and listened as the two inside conspired to infect him with smallpox.


    He sighed softly and turned away.


    Fine. He owed her this much.

 Chapter 31

    "Your Majesty, I¡¯ve brought tea for you." Zhou Shengsheng called softly as she approached Ming Siran¡¯s private tent.


    "Come in," a deep male voice responded from inside the tent.


    Ming Siran had not brought Hai Shan with him this time, only his guard, Li Rong.


    Even though Zhou Shengsheng was here to treat his illness, her primary role was still that of a palace maid, so serving Ming Siran was her duty.


    It was at this moment that she secretly decided that in her next life, she would definitely be a carefree princess who would be waited on hand and foot.


    [Ah Fat, is this thing really effective if added to the tea?] Zhou Shengsheng placed the teacup on the table and stepped aside.


    Ming Siran, who had been reading, paused and glanced at the teacup beside him.


    [Don¡¯t worry, Shengsheng. I¡¯ve checked. Besides injection, it can be consumed directly. However, this virus is much more expensive than the treatment serum.]


    Zhou Shengsheng looked at her dwindling points, feeling as though her heart was bleeding.


    It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s for the plot, she comforted herself.


    Even though he knew the tea was poisoned, Ming Siran still drank it. Before the tea touched his lips, he said slowly, "After we return, you¡¯ll go back to the Zhu Kingdom."


    Zhou Shengsheng lowered her head and acknowledged the order.


    She would be returning a few days earlier than expected.


    [Great!] She secretly cheered in her heart, giving herself a mental thumbs-up (£Þ£­£Þ)V.


    The bitter tea seemed to make his chest ache. Did she really not want to stay by his side?


    That night, the camp was bustling with activity, and Zhou Shengsheng was abruptly pulled out of bed by Li Rong.


    "What¡¯s wrong, Guard Li?" She pretended not to know, rubbing her sleepy eyes.


    Li Rong, however, looked grave. "Miss Shengsheng, something has happened to His Majesty."


    The two hurried to Ming Siran¡¯s tent.


    Imperial Physician Zhang, wearing a simple isolation suit, came out, looking exhausted. "It¡¯s smallpox..."


    This single sentence drained all the color from Li Rong¡¯s face.


    "How could this be..." she stammered.


    "Now, we must find someone to take care of His Majesty. Miss Shengsheng, do you know anything about smallpox?"


    Imperial Physician Zhang looked at Zhou Shengsheng with hope in his eyes.


    Zhou Shengsheng pretended to think. "I¡¯ll need some time."


    Li Rong, aware of her abilities, also looked at her expectantly.


    "Miss Shengsheng, you go and research. I¡¯ll take care of His Majesty," she said with a sense of duty that moved everyone present.


    At this critical moment of life and death, Guard Li had stepped forward to serve His Majesty. What a loyal servant!


    Zhou Shengsheng, however, was stunned.


    No, you can¡¯t!


    If you go, what will Jiang Zhiyu do?


    "No! Guard Li!" Zhou Shengsheng suddenly raised her voice, startling everyone.


    Li Rong quickly responded, "No! Miss Shengsheng! I can do it!" Mainly because you¡¯ll definitely cure him, and I can earn some favor with His Majesty!


    "Guard Li, I only have a thirty percent chance of curing smallpox. As His Majesty¡¯s trusted aide, you must not risk yourself at this time!" Zhou Shengsheng advised earnestly.


    Hearing that she only had a thirty percent chance, Li Rong suddenly felt a wave of fear.


    "Miss Shengsheng, you¡¯re right. But His Majesty can¡¯t be left alone. Who will take care of him?" She quickly took the opportunity to step back.


    Zhou Shengsheng smiled slightly. She had been waiting for this.


    No one saw where she pulled the person from, but by the time they realized it, a stunningly beautiful girl stood before them, still rubbing her sleepy eyes.


    Li Rong¡¯s lips moved slightly. "Miss Shengsheng, are you sure about letting Miss Jiang do this?" Can she even take care of people?


    "Don¡¯t worry, Miss Jiang¡¯s feelings for His Majesty are as vast as heaven and earth!" Zhou Shengsheng said with a fist pump.


    While Jiang Zhiyu was sleeping, Zhou Shengsheng had secretly given her a vaccine. Even if the entire camp were infected, she would be perfectly fine.


    Products from the interstellar era were just that reliable.


    In the end, Jiang Zhiyu was forced into a protective suit, given a long list of instructions, and pushed into Ming Siran¡¯s tent.


    In the original story, Jiang Zhiyu had taken care of Ming Siran tirelessly for two days and two nights, and he miraculously recovered.


    Now, since Ming Siran had smallpox and not the plague, it was unlikely he would recover naturally. Zhou Shengsheng could only "develop" the cure after two days. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Two days were neither long nor short, but for the imperial physicians who were on edge every moment, it was excruciating.


    Zhou Shengsheng had it even worse. Every few minutes, a physician would come in to check on her progress, making it impossible for her to slack off. Even comforting Jiang Zhiyu had to be done secretly.


    Tomorrow would be the final day. Zhou Shengsheng quietly slipped into Ming Siran¡¯s tent.


    Jiang Zhiyu had already fallen asleep.


    She had no idea how to take care of someone, so Zhou Shengsheng had to teach her everything, even coming in at night to wipe Ming Siran¡¯s body herself.


    Burning with fever, Ming Siran opened his eyes groggily and saw the distinct red mole under the lamplight.


    He knew it was Zhou Shengsheng.


    When people are sick, they become particularly vulnerable, even regressing to a childlike state.


    "It hurts..." he mumbled.


    His usually sharp eyes were now clouded with the haze of prolonged fever, and his pale face made him look pitiful.


    It suddenly reminded Zhou Shengsheng of Little Ming.


    Perhaps Ming Siran had truly been like Little Ming when he was young.


    "Shengsheng... it hurts." Seeing her ignore him, Ming Siran called out urgently.


    Zhou Shengsheng continued to ignore him, focusing on wiping the sweat from his forehead.


    Pursing his lips, he realized she was determined not to respond.


    If she had poisoned him, why not just kill him? Why go through the trouble of using another woman as a cover while secretly taking care of him herself?


    In his feverish state, Ming Siran couldn¡¯t understand.


    She didn¡¯t kill him because he was the male lead and couldn¡¯t die.


    She took care of him personally because she was afraid someone would notice Jiang Zhiyu¡¯s lack of experience and punish her.


    Everything she did had nothing to do with Ming Siran.


    After finishing her tasks, Zhou Shengsheng put everything down and turned to leave without hesitation, but a weak, burning hand grabbed hers.


    "Shengsheng... don¡¯t go," the man on the bed said hoarsely.


    Zhou Shengsheng gently pulled her hand away and said calmly, "Your Majesty, go to sleep. You¡¯ll be better tomorrow."


    After tucking Jiang Zhiyu in, she left without looking back.


    ---


    Two days later, after Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s "hard work," the cure for smallpox was finally ready.


    The imperial physicians were overjoyed. In one trip, two of humanity¡¯s greatest threats had been solved. What a joyous occasion!


    After Ming Siran recovered, he never summoned Zhou Shengsheng again, even seeming to avoid her. Instead, he kept Jiang Zhiyu by his side.


    Zhou Shengsheng often heard Jiang Zhiyu¡¯s cries and Ming Siran¡¯s angry shouts from the carriage.


    Sigh, the sweet couple from the original story could only exist in the original story. Now, their relationship was more like a Husky and a German Shepherd fighting¡ªutter chaos.


    She had thought she would be able to pack up and return to the Zhu Kingdom soon after returning to the palace, but an unexpected visitor disrupted her plans.

 Chapter 32

    When Xie Qingwan saw Zhou Shengsheng return unharmed, she was so furious that she could almost grind her teeth to dust. How could she come back alive? Could it be that His Majesty had softened his heart?


    The claim that Zhou Shengsheng was a harbinger of disaster had been a scheme she concocted with Lord Liu. Yet, now, this woman was still alive and kicking right under her nose?


    Xie Qingwan had long noticed that among the two women His Majesty had brought back, Zhou Shengsheng was the one he truly cared for, far more than Jiang Zhiyu, who bore an uncanny resemblance to Yu Yanyan.


    She had finally managed to persuade His Majesty to offer Zhou Shengsheng as a sacrifice, yet here she was, alive and well! What kind of bewitching potion had she fed His Majesty, who was always devoted to the nation?


    "Your Majesty," Xie Qingwan greeted with a soft, delicate bow.


    Yet, Ming Siran didn¡¯t even glance at her, sitting down without a word.


    Xie Qingwan, unwilling to give up, spoke again, "Your Majesty, someone from the Zhu Kingdom has arrived."


    Only then did he react, "Someone sent by the Consort?"


    Of course, His Majesty¡¯s thoughts were entirely consumed by that wretch Zhou Shengsheng!


    Forcing a stiff smile, Xie Qingwan replied, "No, it¡¯s a messenger sent by General Jiang Huaide of the Zhu Kingdom."


    Ming Siran took the letter. Though a military man, General Jiang¡¯s handwriting was elegant and refined.


    The letter was brief, stating simply that he wished to take his unfilial daughter, Jiang Zhiyu, back home.


    After reading it, Ming Siran fell into a long silence, so prolonged that Xie Qingwan almost thought he had dozed off.


    Finally, his cold, emotionless voice broke the silence, "Give the order. Tomorrow, Zhou Shengsheng is to leave the Yong Kingdom with Jiang Zhiyu."


    Xie Qingwan could barely contain her joy, quickly responding, "Yes, Your Majesty."


    ---Cue the scene break---


    "Shengsheng, are we really leaving?" Jiang Zhiyu lay on the bed, staring intently at the golden fish wind chime swaying in the breeze above her.


    It was something Zhou Shengsheng had made especially for her.


    "Yes," Zhou Shengsheng replied absentmindedly, continuing to pack their belongings.


    While sorting through their things, she stumbled upon the heather flower hairpin Duan Fusheng had given her.


    As she delicately held it, Xiao Ji, who had been sleeping somewhere unseen, flew out and landed on Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s hand, gazing intently at the hairpin.


    Lately, for some reason, he had become even more lethargic than usual, barely opening his eyes throughout the day.


    Seeing his interest, Zhou Shengsheng gently stroked the hairpin and spoke nostalgically, "Isn¡¯t it beautiful? It was given to me by another version of you in this world."


    The "another version of you" in question: "........."


    After a moment¡¯s thought, Zhou Shengsheng pinned the hairpin into her hair.


    She hoped the upcoming events would go smoothly.


    Yeah, right.


    Yeah, right!


    As the masked man with a sword approached step by step, Zhou Shengsheng was on the verge of panic.


    Where was the hero who was supposed to save the damsel in distress?!


    Where was the brave soul who would defy his master¡¯s orders and risk his life to protect the heroine?!


    Clearly, someone in the Jiang family didn¡¯t want Jiang Zhiyu to return safely to the Zhu Kingdom.


    Their carriage had barely left the Yong Kingdom when these assassins pounced.


    In the original story, Jiang Zhiyu had been saved at the critical moment by a young guard from her father¡¯s household, a boy who had harbored a secret crush on her. He had escorted her all the way to the Zhen Kingdom.


    But now, with danger looming, where was this crucial character?!


    Zhou Shengsheng was ready to scream. This wasn¡¯t the first time a supporting character had failed to show up on time. Could this world get any worse?!


    Fine, it seemed she would have to step up herself.


    [Ah Fat! Get me a gun!] Zhou Shengsheng urgently called out to Ah Fat.


    Ah Fat sighed, [Shengsheng, you know we can¡¯t exchange for firearms.]


    [Then what am I supposed to do? I can¡¯t use cold weapons!]


    In her moment of despair, Zhou Shengsheng suddenly had a flash of inspiration.


    She quickly tugged at Jiang Zhiyu beside her, "Xiao Yu, swear an oath!"


    Jiang Zhiyu looked at her in terror.


    Seeing her confusion, and with the assassin¡¯s blade about to strike, Zhou Shengsheng shouted, "Repeat after me! I swear to the heavens! If these people intend to harm me, may they be struck by lightning!"


    Remembering the rainstorm back in the Yong Kingdom¡¯s palace, Jiang Zhiyu immediately understood and repeated the oath.


    Sure enough, as the assassins looked at them as if they were idiots, the once clear sky suddenly darkened with thick clouds.


    *Boom!*


    *Boom!*


    A bolt of lightning struck down from the heavens, and where the lead assassin had stood, there was now nothing but a pile of black and white ash, blown away by the wind.


    The remaining assassins were utterly dumbfounded, staring at Jiang Zhiyu as if she were some kind of monster.


    Holy cow.


    As the assassins fled in terror, Zhou Shengsheng stood with her hands on her hips, laughing triumphantly.


    "Who do you think you are, daring to disrespect the chosen one of the heavens? You¡¯ve got a death wish!"


    Was this what it felt like to borrow someone else¡¯s power?


    Amazing. Absolutely amazing.


    Truly, a sparrow pecking at a bull¡¯s behind¡ªutterly impressive.


    With the danger gone, Jiang Zhiyu also laughed happily, though she naively asked, "Shengsheng, what does ¡®chosen one of the heavens¡¯ mean?"


    Zhou Shengsheng affectionately patted her clueless head, "It means you¡¯re the embodiment of heavenly lightning."


    It seemed she would have to take on the role of protector herself.


    The carriage horse was dead, and the carriage itself was useless.


    The only living creature left was the lazy bird in Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s sleeve, and of course, she couldn¡¯t expect it to pull the carriage. So, she gathered their belongings, packed their bags, and set off with Jiang Zhiyu toward the Zhen Kingdom.


    It wasn¡¯t yet time to return to the Zhu Kingdom. In the original story, Jiang Zhiyu only went back after winning Song Weiqing¡¯s affection, using the influence of both Ming Siran and Song Weiqing to humiliate the Jiang family.


    "Shengsheng, where are we going?" Jiang Zhiyu asked, her mouth full of candied fruit as Zhou Shengsheng held her hand.


    Zhou Shengsheng gazed at the now clear sky and declared, "The Zhen Kingdom!"


    "But... isn¡¯t the Zhen Kingdom in the opposite direction?"


    Zhou Shengsheng turned sharply, "You remember?"


    Jiang Zhiyu shook her head. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then how do you know this isn¡¯t the way to the Zhen Kingdom?" Zhou Shengsheng asked suspiciously.


    Swallowing the candied fruit, Jiang Zhiyu mumbled, "I don¡¯t know, I just feel like we should go that way." She pointed in the exact opposite direction of where Zhou Shengsheng was heading.


    Zhou Shengsheng frowned in confusion. Wasn¡¯t Jiang Zhiyu supposed to be terrible with directions in the original story?


    Still, she decided to follow Jiang Zhiyu¡¯s lead.


    After all, prioritizing the heroine was the hallmark of a good supporting character.


    ---Scene break, stay tuned for more excitement---


    "Your Majesty, I¡¯ve been wronged!" A disheveled woman, covered in blood, knelt before Ming Siran, a far cry from her usual cold and elegant demeanor.


    Li Rong sneered and threw a stack of letters onto the floor before her, "As the palace¡¯s head maid, you conspired with officials from the previous dynasty to frame an innocent person. The evidence is irrefutable. What do you have to say for yourself?"


    Xie Qingwan let out a bitter laugh, "Yes, I conspired with Lord Liu to frame Zhou Shengsheng as a harbinger of disaster. But was I wrong? As soon as she arrived, a plague broke out at the border. If she¡¯s not a harbinger of disaster, then who is?"


    Seeing her unrepentant attitude, Li Rong kicked her to the ground, "What do you know? It was the so-called ¡®harbinger of disaster¡¯ who saved countless lives of our Great Yong Empire¡¯s border soldiers!"


    Xie Qingwan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She had cured the plague?


    Impossible!


    She began to mutter frantically, "No way... no way..."


    The ruler above cast a cold glance at the woman who had been by his side since his ascension to the throne.


    "Execute her by beating."

 Chapter 33

    "Shengsheng! There''s a town ahead!" Jiang Zhiyu excitedly ran over to Zhou Shengsheng.


    Zhou Shengsheng was delighted to hear this¡ªgreat, this meant they hadn''t gone in the wrong direction.


    For days, the two had been surviving on fruits, and their taste buds were practically numb.


    "Let''s go, hurry!" Pulling Jiang Zhiyu along, Zhou Shengsheng''s heavy footsteps suddenly lightened.


    Though it was called a town, it was much larger than Zhou Shengsheng had imagined.


    Seeing the locals dressed in the traditional attire of the Zhen Kingdom, Zhou Shengsheng was sure they had taken the right path.


    It seemed to be some kind of festival today, as the streets were bustling with people. Every now and then, they would spot a few delicate, flower-like girls in brightly colored dresses, strolling hand in hand.


    Unlike the strict traditions of the Yong Kingdom or the Zhu Kingdom, the customs of the Zhen Kingdom were quite liberal, and the people favored vibrant colors in their clothing. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking down the street, the array of colors was dazzling, with hardly any repetition. Zhou Shengsheng even spotted a fluorescent green outfit, which was truly... astonishing.


    Having been roughing it for days and still wearing clothes from another kingdom, she and Jiang Zhiyu looked like refugees fleeing a disaster.


    A little boy even followed them for a while, wanting to give Jiang Zhiyu his candied hawthorn skewer, his eyes brimming with sympathy.


    The boy''s mother apologetically pulled her child away, and not long after, they could still hear the boy''s sweet voice saying, "Mommy, they have no home, they''re so pitiful."


    Watching Jiang Zhiyu happily munching on the candied hawthorn, Zhou Shengsheng sighed.


    Yes, it was true¡ªthey had no home, no family.


    To avoid drawing unnecessary attention, Zhou Shengsheng decisively led Jiang Zhiyu into a clothing shop, only to realize belatedly that she had no money on her.


    The phoenix crown she had deliberately brought along hadn''t been dismantled yet and couldn''t be sold. What else could she use as collateral?


    Glancing at the clothing shop, Zhou Shengsheng suddenly had an idea.


    "Shopkeeper, bring us a few dresses suitable for me and my younger sister."


    The shopkeeper was a woman with a graceful demeanor. When she first saw Zhou Shengsheng and Jiang Zhiyu standing outside in their dusty clothes, she thought they were beggars.


    She hadn''t expected them to be big spenders.


    Her smile widened with enthusiasm as she quickly had her assistant pick out several outfits.


    After trying them on and finding them satisfactory, Zhou Shengsheng boldly decided to take them all.


    When it came time to pay, Zhou Shengsheng pulled out a piece of fabric from her sleeve.


    The shopkeeper''s face fell¡ªthis was clearly a ploy to make a fool of her. She was about to throw them out when Zhou Shengsheng quickly explained, "Shopkeeper, take a closer look. This isn''t ordinary fabric¡ªit''s embroidered with dense gold threads."


    Gold was a beloved currency in any kingdom, especially in the Zhen Kingdom, which was rich in silk and spices but lacked abundant mineral resources. Anything even remotely associated with gold was highly valued.


    The shopkeeper, being knowledgeable, examined it closely and confirmed that it was indeed gold.


    Her expression softened. "This gold thread is truly valuable. The dresses you bought today aren''t worth this much."


    She then took out a heavy bag from a cabinet behind her and handed it to Zhou Shengsheng. "Here''s your change. Please keep it safe."


    Zhou Shengsheng smiled as she accepted it. Dressed in their new clothes and carrying a fortune that could support a family, they left the shop.


    Ming Siran really was a treasure. Even after leaving the Yong Kingdom, he still had his uses.


    After indulging in a feast with Jiang Zhiyu, the two checked into an inn.


    Once the attendant left, Zhou Shengsheng threw herself onto the soft bed and took a deep breath.


    It felt so good. Today was undoubtedly the best day she had had since transmigrating into this novel.


    Truly, the essence of relieving stress for a young girl was shopping.


    --- Scene Break ---


    "Sir, that''s the situation," the woman said, bowing to the cold-faced man before her.


    "You''re saying a young girl gave you this?" he asked coldly.


    The woman quickly nodded. "Yes! She had a red mole under her eye and was wearing a dress from the Zhu Kingdom. There was also a stunningly beautiful woman with her."


    The man looked down at the strip of fabric in his hand, embroidered with a dragon pattern in gold thread. It was clearly torn from someone''s sleeve.


    The identity of the fabric''s true owner was intriguing.


    After dismissing the woman, the man headed to a tavern.


    In a private room sat another man. His features were handsome, with a gentle, non-threatening demeanor, like a piece of fine jade.


    His flawless fingers slowly twirled a string of Bodhi seeds, exuding an air of leisure.


    "Sir... Young Master, I''ve investigated," the black-clad man said respectfully, recounting the woman''s story.


    The man referred to as "Young Master" took the black fabric strip and examined it carefully.


    After a moment, a light chuckle escaped his lips.


    "How interesting. Bring her to me."


    --- Scene Break ---


    Zhou Shengsheng had originally planned to spend the day resting at the inn, but Jiang Zhiyu''s adventurous spirit got the better of her, and she dragged Zhou Shengsheng out to explore.


    "Let''s wear matching outfits! I saw so many girls on the street doing that," Jiang Zhiyu pleaded, holding Zhou Shengsheng''s hand and pouting.


    Zhou Shengsheng shrugged and nodded, letting Jiang Zhiyu pull her along.


    The streets were even more crowded than the day before, and Zhou Shengsheng inquired about it.


    It turned out the Zhen Kingdom was celebrating the Rain God Festival.


    This was one of the more significant festivals in the Zhen Kingdom, akin to the Mid-Autumn Festival in her previous life, but instead of worshipping the moon, they honored the Rain God.


    The festival featured lanterns, fireworks, and vendors selling rare items, making it a lively affair.


    Of course, the downside of such a dense crowd was that Zhou Shengsheng had to cling tightly to Jiang Zhiyu to prevent them from getting separated.


    "Shengsheng, look! Over there, it looks so fun!" Jiang Zhiyu pointed excitedly.


    Zhou Shengsheng glanced in the direction she was pointing, but in that split second, her grip loosened, and Jiang Zhiyu vanished.


    Zhou Shengsheng: ".........."


    "Xiao Lei!? Oops... Zhiyu?!" she called out loudly. The crowd, thinking she had lost a child, made way for her.


    Following the path and calling out, Zhou Shengsheng soon found herself at the end of the road.


    This area had no vendors, so it was dark and eerily quiet, with few people around.


    Sensing something was wrong, Zhou Shengsheng turned to run back.


    But before she could take more than a few steps, a sharp pain struck the back of her head. Her vision went black, and she collapsed unconscious.


    --- Scene Break ---


    The man''s jade-like face showed a flicker of surprise. "It''s you?"


    Jiang Zhiyu looked up at him in confusion, her voice urgent. "Who are you? Why did you kidnap me? Where''s Shengsheng? I need to find her!"


    "You don''t remember me?" he raised an eyebrow.


    "There should be another one. Is this how you handle your duties?" he said coolly, glancing at the black-clad man beside him.


    Without hesitation, the black-clad man knelt on one knee. "I failed in my task. Once I find the other one, I will accept my punishment."


    With that, he vanished into the shadows.

 Chapter 34

    At this moment, Zhou Shengsheng looked somewhat tearfully at the heavily made-up woman standing before her.


    "Do you see now? You''ve tied up the wrong person!" Du Sanniang, pointing at Zhou Shengsheng''s face, burst out angrily at the servant behind her.


    The servant shrank, saying aggrievedly, "They were both dressed alike, how was I to know I got the wrong person?"


    His evasive demeanor irritated Du Sanniang so, she kicked him vigorously, "Out of my sight! You''re more of a problem than you''re worth!"


    Du Sanniang was the madam of Yihong brothel, which outwardly conducted legitimate businesses, but was in fact a part of the human trade, always eyeing women of distinctive charm.


    Yesterday, she had heard a rumor that two foreigners had arrived in town, one of whom was especially eye-catching, and she couldn''t help but take a peek.


    True enough, the girl in the white dress was probably one of the purest personalities Du Sanniang had encountered in all her years in this line of business.


    Numerous rich merchants were notorious for their particular tastes, and couldn''t help but harbor ill intentions toward the young maiden.


    Now, her servant had mistakenly nabbed the wrong person, and she was livid.


    However, when she raised her head to scrutinize Zhou Shengsheng''s face more carefully, she scoffed, "Ordinary looking, but this red mole under your eye has some charm to it."


    ¡°From now on, you''ll be called Little Red."


    Zhou Shengsheng: ".........¡±


    Screw Little Red! Others are named after flowers like Azalea, Green Lotus, Peony, and Paeonia.


    Why was she stuck with Little Red!!??


    "Don''t even think about escaping. Now that you''re in my hands, you''ll spend the rest of your life here." Du Sanniang chuckled, walking away, swaying her hips.


    Once the door was closed and locked, Zhou Shengsheng could only lament her misfortune.


    "Pang, if you don¡¯t come up with a plan soon, my name¡¯s going to be Little Red for good." she spoke up.


    A plump little panda, which had been hiding in her hair, flew out trying hard to suppress its laughter, especially tickled by Madame¡¯s use of ¡®Little Red¡¯.


    "Isn''t Little Red nice, it sounds more exotic than Tails, hahaha!" Pang chuckled, spinning around in place.


    "I''m really fed up, can you go look at the door, is anyone guarding it?"


    Pang flew over, peeked through the door crack and reported: "Two of them."


    "Do you have anything that can knock people out, a powder or something?"


    After thinking for a moment, Pang produced a bottle of something called ''Drowsy Potion.''


    Apparently, an import from the magical world.


    After Pang helped Zhou Shengsheng untie the ropes, she held her breath, then began to move forcefully and loudly around the room.


    Just as expected, it drew the guards'' attention.


    But as soon as the door was unlocked and they entered, before they could even respond, the guards suddenly passed out.


    Zhou Shengsheng quickly shut the door and put the lock back on.


    By the time she stepped out, it was already growing dark.


    It seemed to be a small courtyard. As she snuck out, she began to hear the hearty laughter of women from the brightly lit Yihong brothel ahead.


    If she wanted to get out of here, she would have to go through the front gate of the Yihong brothel.


    The smell of rouge, the pale skin of the women, and the beautiful butterfly-like skirt hems were Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s first impressions of the brothel.


    There were women of all sorts of attire within the Yihong brothel, so her veiled face did not stand out as much.


    Dodging the man who attempted to embrace her, Zhou Shengsheng had gone through endless hardships to reach the entrance.


    This presented a problem.


    The entrance was guarded by the old Madame and security. It was seemingly impossible for her to leave.


    Gritting her teeth, Zhou Shengsheng hid beside a broad, overweight man, hoping to slip past unnoticed.


    She was so close to the exit when she was abruptly pulled into a tender embrace.


    A faint sandalwood fragrance emanated from his tall figure.


    Zhou Shengsheng, suppressing a scream on the tip of her tongue, looked up in terror.


    What met her gaze was a smooth chin as pure as jade, and a pair of eyes gleaming with mild laughter.


    ["Song Weiqing? The respectable prince is visiting Yihong brothel?"]


    Song Weiqing: "......" so the surprise is about this?


    Upon learning Zhou Shengsheng¡¯s residence, Song Weiqing personally made his way there. Upon their encounter, he could sense her anxieties and fascinating heart pulses.


    "My lady, may I know your name? The moment I saw you, I felt enamored." Beneath the old Madame¡¯s suspicious and dubious gaze, Song Weiqing, cradling her in one arm, proceeded upstairs, asking for a private room.


    Zhou Shengsheng did not resist, but kept her face buried in his chest, terrified that the old Madame may suspect something.


    She had intentionally changed her clothing. Her current appearance made her easily pass as one of the brothel girls.


    Without giving the old Madame a chance to inspect closely, Song Weiqing quickly shut the door.


    She doubted whether he would recognize her or if this devious and lecherous man was having lustful intentions towards her.


    A faint, elegant smile adorned Song Weiqing''s lips. Maintaining his hold on Zhou Shengsheng, he gracefully sat on the bed after parting the curtains.


    "Why doesn¡¯t the lady answer my question?" He asked softly, gently stroking Zhou Shengsheng''s hair.


    Pretending to be shy, Zhou Shengsheng moved closer to hide from his grasp and feigned a melodramatic voice to say, "My Lord, my name is Xiaohong~"


    ["Xiaohong~ Xiaohong~ Yihong brothel''s favorite~"]


    Holding back laughter, Song Weiqing responded with a smile: "Nice name."


    His words contained a heavy note of amusement, making them sound slightly insincere.


    Zhou Shengsheng replied with a forced smile.


    ["Pang, do we have any sleeping potion left? Use it quickly. I can''t escape if he isn''t knocked out."]


    With such a self-explanatory name, he understood the purpose of the sleeping potion almost instantly.


    Song Weiqing swiftly set her down: "Miss Xiaohong, although I am fond of you, I will not force you to submit."


    "How about this? Perform a talent for me and in return, I will grant you a wish. How does that sound?" He brought out a string of Bodhi beads with Kirin eyes and played with them absentmindedly while seeming disinterested.


    Zhou Shengsheng hesitated for a moment then reluctantly said, "Since my Lord has proposed so, I shall perform a magic trick for you. Okay?"


    Song Weiqing seemed intrigued, "What is a magic trick?"


    She gave a slight chuckle, "It¡¯s a stunt. However, my trick is different from those performed by the artists on the streets. For mine, I require your assistance."


    Upon hearing it was just a trick, Song Weiqing lost some of his initial interest. Nevertheless, he wanted to see what novelty this little thing had in store.


    So, he nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Please lie down, young master.¡± Zhou Shengsheng''s tender hand gently rested on Song Weiqing''s chest, coaxing him to lie down.


    Song Weiqing raised an eyebrow, his gaze filled with ambiguity as he looked at her.


    Did she regret it? Was she offering herself to him? sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, she was born and raised in the palace, thus her limited perspective.


    Impatience began to creep in and Song Weiqing was about to dismiss this conceited palace girl.


    However, in the next moment, the young girl on top of him sweetly voiced--


    "Don''t blink, young master~"


    ¡¾Your little red darling will perform a hypnotic act on you, the wicked pig''s coward~¡¿


    Her words had barely faded when Song Weiqing suddenly detected a sweet and cloying aroma. It was not good, he had fallen into this maiden''s trap!


    Nevertheless, it was too late, he had already inhaled quite a bit.


    Subsequently, he fell into a deep slumber.