Palace lanterns burned high, light snow fell slowly, and the night watch drum sounded. Only then did an arrogant eunuch slowly emerge from inside, flicking his whisk and calling out in a shrill voice: “Her Ladyship has decreed—summon Zhuang Qingxia.”
Compelled by her status, Qingxia had to kowtow with her head touching the ground, meticulous in not giving others any fault to find, saying gravely: “This common woman receives the decree.”
The old eunuch glanced at her lightly from the corner of his eye and said in a shrill voice: “Follow me.”
Qingxia supported herself with both hands on the ground, slowly shifting her body and rising bit by bit. She took a slow breath, gazing sharply toward the distant noisy palace gate. All the humiliation she had endured today, she remembered firmly in her heart. Sooner or later, she would settle all accounts and repay everything in full without leaving a single debt. The pale woman bit her lower lip, turned around, and said respectfully to the old eunuch: “I trouble you, Eunuch.”
Fragrant air filled the space and warmth embraced her. Lifting the northwest great eagle listening curtain, the old eunuch quickly bowed and fawningly called: “This slave Lu’an brings the common woman Zhuang Qingxia to pay respects to Your Ladyship. May Your Ladyship enjoy ten thousand blessings and golden peace.”
After a while, a lazy voice from inside said: “Come in!”
Lu’an quickly gestured for Qingxia to follow him in. She saw a spacious main hall with a huge incense burner in the center, wisps of burning incense rising, soft luxurious carpets covering the floor, bright palace lanterns at the four corners, and two palace maids in yellow robes standing in one corner. The languid voice came from the inner room. Through layers of bead curtains, the woman said indifferently: “Wasn’t the summons sent this morning? Why come only now? Lu’an, is it because you people were inefficient and thus delayed the time?”
Lu’an quickly knelt on the ground and said loudly: “Reporting to Your Ladyship, we slaves did everything according to palace rules, with no intentional delay.”
“Oh?” Consort Yao gave a cold laugh and said: “Then someone else was deliberately dawdling. No wonder. Come in.”
Qingxia stood up. The serving girls on both sides lifted the curtain, and Qingxia walked in. Without raising her head, she directly knelt down and said gravely: “Common woman Zhuang Qingxia pays respects to Consort Yao.”
The expected response didn’t come from above. Consort Yao seemed to have forgotten that she herself had summoned someone in, and began discussing embroidery stitches with several serving girls nearby. Qingxia knelt on the thick carpet, which was much better than the situation outside. She made no more sound, just knelt there calmly and composedly. As a reincarnated special agent, her patience was far superior to most people. She had once waited motionlessly for days without supplies to snipe a base commander, so naturally this small scene was manageable with enough patience.
Indeed, within half an hour, Consort Yao acted as if she had just discovered her kneeling there, asking indifferently: “Are you the dissolute concubine Zhuang Qingxia that Nanchu’s Great Emperor proclaimed to the world?”
Qingxia showed no annoyance and replied steadily: “That is this common woman.”
“Raise your head and let this palace see you.”
Qingxia raised her head, looking forward fearlessly. She saw a woman in dark green cloud-like robes with a delicate figure and charming features. Her eyes had slightly upturned corners painted with golden brushes in auspicious patterns, slanting into her temples. Her full figure curved gracefully, with fair and tender skin. She looked nothing like a woman who had borne four children—at over forty, she appeared hardly older than Qingxia.
“Nothing special. How could this cause Qi and Chu to wage war and bring disaster to both nations? Have all the women in Qi and Chu died out?” A young girl in red robes beside her suddenly said in a crisp voice.
The sharp, mean words still echoed in the air. Qingxia slowly raised her head, her gaze lightly sweeping over the girl in bright red dress and robes. Her eyes gradually narrowed, with cold, sharp glints rolling within them. The corners of her mouth pursed, slowly curving into a mocking arc. Though she didn’t refute, that expression of proud defiance was completely and utterly revealed.
The girl in red was obviously quite timid. Seeing Qingxia’s fierce gaze, her face paled with fright. But seeing Consort Yao still watching nearby, she suddenly mustered courage and shrieked: “You—what kind of look is that? Are you unconvinced?”
Qingxia smiled coldly and replied: “How would this common woman dare?”
“What is there that you wouldn’t dare do?” Another girl in tender green palace attire, looking only fifteen or sixteen, said angrily: “You lowly woman of shifting loyalties—first you had a marriage contract with Prince Qi, then you betrayed Qi to marry into Nanchu, and now you’re delusionally trying to set your sights on my third brother. What do you think you are? A golden branch and jade leaves or a devastatingly beautiful woman? Crushing you would be easier than crushing an ant. I warn you to quickly withdraw your wolfish ambitions. My third brother is already betrothed to Nanchu’s Princess Jiayun. Do you think you can stir up any storms?”
“Kang’er, Hongxiao, shut up!” Consort Yao reclined on her couch, her white wrist supporting the back of her head, her snow-white bosom rising and falling. Her other hand waved lightly, and a serving girl knelt forward, holding an jade-inlaid pipe to Consort Yao’s cherry lips. The woman took a deep breath, showing an intoxicated expression with misty eyes, then slowly parted her crimson lips to exhale blue smoke, saying lazily: “Are you all quarreling here to annoy me to death?”
The girl in green pouted, gently pushing Consort Yao’s shoulder with her tender white hand, acting coquettishly: “Mother Empress, you won’t even speak. Kang’er is about to die of anger.”
“What else is there to say?” Consort Yao’s lips curved in a cold smile. Her eyes lightly swept over Qingxia as she extended her crimson fingernails, admiring them before herself, saying carelessly: “Harboring evil intentions, having ulterior motives, injuring palace maids and matrons in the inspection hall, bringing weapons into the palace attempting to assassinate this palace—just drag her out and teach her a lesson.”
The two girls were immediately shocked, staring wide-eyed at the languid Consort Yao. The girl called Hongxiao said: “Mo-Mother Empress, Third Brother—Third Brother probably won’t be happy.”
“He casually brings back such a notorious woman who spreads her favors around, did he not think that I might also be unhappy? What are you standing there for? Are you all dead?”
Consort Yao raised an eyebrow, her voice turning cold. Several blue-robed eunuchs immediately rushed in from outside, came behind Qingxia, grabbed her shoulders, and said gravely: “Your Ladyship, how many blows?”
Though young, Kang’er had an extremely vicious heart. Her eyes turned cold as she shouted angrily: “Worthless things, must everything be spelled out for you? If I don’t tell you how many, it means beat her to death!”
Hongxiao was startled and carefully tugged at Kang’er’s sleeve below, but was shaken off. Hongxiao turned to Consort Yao and said timidly: “Mother Empress, didn’t you say it was just to teach her a lesson? If we make this big, how will we explain to Third Brother?”
“Sixth Sister!” Kang’er said angrily: “You don’t have to explain—Mother Empress will handle it. If we let this woman return to Prince Xuan’s mansion today, who knows what seductive tricks she’ll use to bewitch Third Brother tomorrow. Better to kill her and be done with it. What are you all looking at? Drag her away!”
“Wait!” Qingxia suddenly called out coldly, using a skillful grappling technique to break free from the eunuch’s grasp. She slowly stood up from the ground, her expression unchanged as she said gravely: “Consort Yao says I injured matrons in the inspection hall and carried weapons into the palace attempting assassination. I wonder if there is evidence?”
“Heh…” Consort Yao laughed coldly, her eyes slowly turning to Qingxia, her gaze like water, saying indifferently: “In this Shuiyao Hall, this palace’s will is an imperial decree, this palace’s words are evidence. Aren’t you quite good at conducting yourself? Just now you were eloquent in teaching my palace maids survival principles at the inspection hall—worthy of someone who gained imperial favor in Nanchu’s palace. So now, you should be very clear about your situation.”
Qingxia smiled faintly and said easily: “I’m very clear about my own situation, but I fear Your Ladyship may not be clear about your own situation.”
“Stop spouting nonsense here to bewitch people!”
“This should be Princess Ankang, correct?” Qingxia looked at the fifteen or sixteen-year-old Kang’er and said with a smile: “I heard that two years ago you came to our country wanting to marry Eastern Qi’s Crown Prince, but the princess had already traveled halfway when the engagement was broken off midway. The princess insisted on going to Eastern Qi anyway, lingering at the imperial villa outside Haicheng for half a month without seeing the Crown Prince even once. If Prince Xuan hadn’t personally sent troops to bring you back, the princess might have grown old and died in Eastern Qi, too ashamed to return home to face parents and relatives.”
“You… you dare!”
“And more!” Qingxia coldly stepped forward and said gravely: “Last June, when you heard that Eastern Qi’s Crown Prince would come to the northern frontier to negotiate autumn salt purchases, you secretly left the palace and ambushed him midway with guards. Not only did you destroy the salt fair that Prince Xuan had planned for months for the northern frontier people, causing border soldiers to go without salt for months, but you were ultimately captured by the Xiongnu. If Prince Xuan hadn’t exchanged three thousand Xiongnu prisoners and opened the siege mouth at North Quanqiu, you might still be in Xiongnu camps as a lowly military prostitute warming beds!”
“You! You’re seeking death!” Princess Ankang flew into rage and suddenly raised her palm to slap Qingxia’s face.
Qingxia snorted coldly and grabbed Princess Ankang’s wrist. With a crack, the princess’s entire arm dislocated and hung limply. Pig-like screams immediately echoed throughout Shuiyao Hall’s main chamber. Consort Yao’s eyes turned cold—she could no longer maintain her languid, disdainful expression and shouted angrily: “Audacious wretch! How dare you harm the princess! Someone! Drag her away and beat her to death with clubs!”
Before the guards outside could rush in, cold light flashed in Qingxia’s hand. With a whoosh, a silver line shot along Consort Yao’s neck and embedded itself firmly in the bed post behind her. A strand of black hair was pinned tightly to the post, swaying gently in the breeze. Everyone’s movements froze instantly. Consort Yao had entered the palace at fourteen and spent her life scheming and stepping on others while flattering superiors. When had she ever encountered such actual knife-edge danger? She was immediately frightened into opening her cherry mouth wide, sweat beading on her forehead. After a long while, Princess Hongxiao suddenly hugged her head and began shrieking.