That group of “Jing Hengbos,” though dressed in drab, dark clothes and all with different figures, each had the same face – “alluring and enchanting, the Black Water Queen!”

What was the most terrifying thing in the world?

Another self facing yourself.

What was even more terrifying than that?

A whole group of selves facing yourself.

Jing Hengbo rolled her eyes and nearly had convulsions, finally understanding what the old woman meant earlier by “tired of seeing this face.”

Yi Kingdom’s Great King was gay, but for the sake of royal bloodline continuation, he naturally had to take many concubines. Since he didn’t like women, the concubines probably received little favor. To please the Great King and relieve deep palace loneliness, they spontaneously organized cosplay activities, selecting monthly winners for the top three places.

This month’s theme was the Black Water Queen.

Jing Hengbo expressed her sincere honor.

The Empress Dowager on the seat received the concubines’ bows, glanced at their decorations, and said very unhappily: “You’ve become increasingly fond of dressing up lately, each one dressed so garishly. Know that feminine virtue lies in chastity and simplicity – your thoughts should be on your husband. Why waste so much effort on clothing and ornaments?”

Seeing she was about to launch into a long lecture, one concubine quickly smiled: “Your Majesty, we naturally dare not be extravagant and wasteful, losing feminine virtue. It’s just that we’ve been imitating the Black Water Queen lately, who has always worn luxurious clothing and elaborate decorations. We’re only learning a bit to look more convincing and amuse the Great King – this is also to please our husband, so when he returns to the harem, he’ll be in good spirits.” She showed the Empress Dowager her hairpin: “Look at this pin – it’s not real pearls, just fish eyes painted with pearl powder, equally brilliant.”

The others echoed in agreement, and only then did the Empress Dowager’s expression soften slightly.

Jing Hengbo’s inner roar had already echoed to the heavens.

Ah ah ah, what do you mean learning from the Black Water Queen so wearing luxurious clothing?

Your gray mouse-like attire also deserves to be called luxurious?

Sister never wears such drab, neither-gray-nor-yellow, naturally old, lifeless colors, okay?

Sister never wears clothes with frayed edges and shedding, okay?

Sister never wears fake fur, okay?

Sister never uses fake pearls, okay!

Good grief, this shabby dressing is called “gaudily dressed.” Then as the real deal, wouldn’t she be stunning throughout the universe?

She huddled in her chair, barely comforting her wounded heart. After calming down, she noticed that besides this stingy old woman, everyone else was well-maintained. The concubines even had crystalline, smooth nails. Regardless of age, whatever masks they wore, their hands, necks, and all exposed areas showed not a single spot or fine line.

Looking at the details, these concubines lived refined lives – they just deliberately dressed plainly before this strict, stingy Empress Dowager.

As she observed the concubines, they didn’t notice her. There were simply too many identical faces and people, causing some confusion. Jing Hengbo discovered they tried to wear different clothes and different bracelets to distinguish themselves.

The concubines came forward one by one to greet the Empress Dowager, who mostly gave them light lectures with worn platitudes. Until one woman approached, and the Empress Dowager’s eyes suddenly turned sharp.

Jing Hengbo immediately noticed that woman. She dressed even more plainly than others, her fur coat shedding hair. Her greeting movements were extremely careful. The Empress Dowager’s stern expression appeared and vanished, but she treated this one more courteously than usual, even granting her a seat nearby. Everyone looked surprised, but the concubine became increasingly nervous, declining several times before sitting with half her bottom on the chair. The Empress Dowager then ordered tea, making everyone’s surprise even more pronounced.

Jing Hengbo watched with interest. She loved palace intrigue dramas, had seen many on TV, but this was her first time witnessing it since transmigrating. She found it fascinating, tense, and entertaining. Should she introduce some palace intrigue in her own palace later? Fighting with Gong Yin? Who should fight with Gong Yin? A group of young hunks?

A palace maid brought up a tray, and everyone’s eyes lit up, showing meaningful expressions. Jing Hengbo also sensed something wrong, then realized the tray was carved from a single piece of jade, as was the teacup. Such luxurious items looked completely out of place in this plain-to-death room.

But with her two years of experience seeing fine things, this jade wasn’t particularly good quality – even if broken, it wouldn’t be worth much. Why did everyone look like they were watching a good show?

That concubine’s face grew tense, hastily reaching for the tea with both hands gripped tightly, veins showing on the backs of her hands.

The palace maid suddenly tilted her hand, the tray toppling. Jing Hengbo curled her lip – next would be the teacup smashing, right? Such a tired, clichéd trick!

But the concubine caught the tray with her hands, scalding tea pouring all over them, immediately turning both hands red. She gritted her teeth enduring it, not daring to let go.

Something similar had happened before. Last time Consort Rong had “accidentally” broken the Empress Dowager’s “beloved” ruby peach ornament, was punished to the cold palace for hard labor, and jumped into a well within a month.

Seeing she wouldn’t let go, the palace maid hesitated slightly. The Empress Dowager above gave a slight snort. Hearing this, the palace maid’s face tensed, and in desperation, she swept the teacup toward the ground.

At this moment, that concubine was desperately gripping the tray, her hands burned and still enduring pain. Too late to save the teacup, she watched the jade cup about to shatter on the ground, despair and anger in her eyes.

Jing Hengbo suddenly flicked her finger.

The teacup, originally falling toward the left empty space, suddenly tilted right and back onto the tray.

The palace maid stared in shock, the Empress Dowager’s expression froze, all concubines gasped.

That concubine, having escaped death, looked up with a face full of shock and cold sweat, her confused gaze searching around, wondering what happened and who saved her.

Jing Hengbo, through the crowd, lightly nodded her chin in indication.

The concubine glanced at her and withdrew her gaze. At this moment the Empress Dowager also recovered from shock, her face very ugly, directly saying: “You may leave!” Then to the palace maid: “Li Pin’s hands are burned, stay behind to apply medicine.”

The concubines, as if pardoned, all looked sympathetically at Li Pin and quickly slipped away. Li Pin, having just escaped disaster only to face new crisis, looked ashen. Seeing the palace maid enter the inner room to find medicine, she suddenly walked toward Jing Hengbo.

Jing Hengbo was waiting for exactly this, hastily smiling and nodding at her.

Li Pin glanced at her and whispered: “Just now… you?”

Jing Hengbo nodded.

“Can you… still help me?” Li Pin looked toward the inner room. “The Empress Dowager today… seems determined not to let me go…”

Jing Hengbo pointed to her throat, indicating she couldn’t speak. Li Pin was clever, pushing over a cup of tea.

Jing Hengbo dipped in the tea water and wrote: “I can help you, but you must give me something in return. Find an antidote for me.”

“You’ve been poisoned with Thousand Mechanisms Lock. One of the palace’s secret poisons,” Li Pin said. “Only the Great King has the antidote. I can try to get it for you.”

“Where is your Great King?” Jing Hengbo asked.

“I heard he left the palace on urgent business.”

“Help me get the antidote, and I’ll help you solve the Empress Dowager problem,” Jing Hengbo wrote. “Help you solve it once and for all.”

“Who are you?” Li Pin looked at her suspiciously.

“The Empress Dowager’s enemy. She wants to keep me here to slowly torture me. Rest assured, even if I die, I’ll definitely make her pay with her life.”

Excitement flashed in Li Pin’s eyes.

She didn’t dare kill that old woman who made her anxious day and night. The old woman was too guarded against her. If someone could help her, that would be wonderful.

“It’s a deal.” She quickly wiped away the tea marks and returned to her original position. The next moment, the palace maid came out with medicine, but the powder accidentally spilled on her own hand. Watching a piece of flesh fall off, she screamed and rushed to find water to wash her hands. Li Pin escaped like from death and hurriedly left, giving Jing Hengbo one determined look before departing.

Jing Hengbo chuckled softly.

…

A cold flash scraped past Yélu Xunru’s chest, shooting straight at the Ziwei Master’s heart.

Yélu Tan’s cold laughter was like an ice blade.

“Whoever touches you, I kill!”

Yélu Xunru suddenly released her grip and lunged forward.

She used her chest to meet the ice blade.

“Crack.” The ice blade pierced through her chest, blood half shooting forward, splashing Yélu Tan’s face, half spraying backward, spattering the Ziwei Master’s neck.

Both men froze in that instant.

Yélu Tan’s pupils contracted sharply, his expression incredulous. He hadn’t expected Yélu Xunru to move so quickly.

The Ziwei Master still maintained his deflecting gesture, staring at the blade emerging from Yélu Xunru’s back with a dumbfounded expression. Though dangerous just now, he actually had time to dodge, time to shake off Yélu Xunru – at most suffering minor injuries. He had suddenly felt mischievous, wanting to make her feel guilty, make her anxious, teach her a lesson not to deceive people and protect old lovers again.

Who knew this usually cunning girl would suddenly act foolishly and throw herself forward like this.

Not until Yélu Xunru gave a cold snort did they startle awake, both staring dumbfounded again as Yélu Xunru reached behind herself and viciously pulled out the blade.

The bloody blade first slapped hard across Yélu Tan’s face.

“My trust and assistance aren’t for you to trample!” she said coldly. “Yélu Tan! If you continue this brainwashed behavior, never see me again. Get lost!”

Yélu Tan really did fall, because the Ziwei Master suddenly flicked his sleeve, slapping him down, while sitting on the horse himself and embracing Yélu Xunru.

Yélu Xunru wasn’t polite to him either, one bloody hand hotly slapping that handsome face.

“Not every time is appropriate for games!” she said. “Get some sense!”

The Ziwei Master was scolded until his face turned blue-gray.

“Old codger…” After scolding, Yélu Xunru lay back in his arms, closed her eyes, and said: “I’m probably dying soon. This is the last time I’ll scold you. You… don’t take me back. Just say I eloped with Yélu Tan…”

“If eloping, it’s with this old man!” The Ziwei Master shouted, hastily sealing her pressure points. Looking up, though this was a secluded palace path, this commotion had already alarmed many people, with soldiers rushing this way.

He lifted Yélu Xunru and abandoned the horse, leaping up and across rooftops, planning to find a place in the palace to treat Yélu Xunru’s wound.

In the Ziwei Master’s arms, Yélu Xunru rambled: “Hey old codger, I suddenly feel… do you like me a little… ah don’t… I don’t have those intentions… I’ll die early, if you start liking me… that would be terrible… I think I made a strategic error… if I start being cold as ice to you now, is it too late…”

“Shut up!”

The Ziwei Master was rarely this rough.

Their figures disappeared in the distance.

From beginning to end, they ignored Yélu Tan.

Yélu Tan lay on the ground, the blade still stuck to his face. The blade was ice-cold, but the blood was warm. This collision of cold and heat felt like his current mood – one layer ice and snow, one layer fire, one layer hell, one layer heaven.

His gaze desperately followed those bloodstains, watching that blood color like red lotus, spreading all the way beyond his vision’s end.

He never looked up.

The bloodstains gradually dried and cooled, congealing like ice.

He slowly licked those bloodstains.

In his eyes, a tear slowly slid down his cheek, falling into the blood pool.

The congealed blood wouldn’t melt.

…

Ning De Palace’s Empress Dowager had already sent people to inquire three times when the Great King would take back the person he’d sent. She was about to have dinner and didn’t want to add Jing Hengbo’s bowl.

The Empress Dowager was Buddhist and couldn’t do things like starving people. But Ning De Palace had fixed daily food portions – adding one person meant someone else wouldn’t eat, which no one wanted.

Everyone in Ning De Palace had grown accustomed to the Empress Dowager’s stinginess. This wasn’t inborn but purely pathological. Some old people knew the reason. Originally the Empress Dowager had protected the Great King through a period of cold palace days with other concubines’ ostracism. Cold palace provisions were very harsh, and mother and son lived quite hard lives, developing habits of measuring rice with spoons and mending clothes before wearing them to prevent wear. Later when they turned their fortunes around and lived well, the son extremely detested gray plainness, simple clothing and food, making everything extremely luxurious, as if determined to compensate for past suffering. The Empress Dowager went to the other extreme, as if still immersed in that tense, oppressive life, living carefully without any indulgence, not only maintaining but seemingly constantly developing frugal traditions.

This was understandable. She was actually a childless concubine who had only adopted Yi Kingdom’s Great King for a period. The Great King was born motherless, called one whose fate was hard and overcame parents, later fostered under this unfavored, childless concubine. This brought her later fortune from misfortune. Other concubines with sons later suffered from their sons’ involvement – killed or relocated – only she laughed last, actually becoming Empress Dowager.

But not biological was not biological – deep inside, there must be insecurity. Especially seeing so many princes eliminated, that sense of crisis that “royal families are heartless, today’s glory becomes tomorrow’s bones” made the Empress Dowager, who had suffered, unable to let go, developing this vigilant, constrained personality. This made palace concubines suffer – normally spending great effort dressing beautifully, then quickly cosplaying simple clothes when reaching the Empress Dowager.

Palace servants reported the Great King had urgent business leaving the palace and couldn’t be contacted. The Empress Dowager sighed and waved her hand reluctantly. Palace servants pouted, squeezing some from their own rations for Jing Hengbo, while feeling sorry and secretly cursing the Empress Dowager for being stingy yet wanting to play the good person without giving up her own portion.

Since Yi Kingdom’s Great King had only handed over Jing Hengbo for temporary detention without stating her identity, the Empress Dowager and others couldn’t gauge their attitude toward her. Palace servants brought food – thin porridge and two small dishes.

Jing Hengbo picked up the porridge and immediately saw a folded small paper packet under the bowl on the tray.

The lighting was extremely dim. Long-term dim light had also damaged these palace maids’ eyes, so the maid carrying the tray couldn’t see the packet matching the tray’s color.

Jing Hengbo’s finger scooped up the packet into her palm. Feeling with her fingers, it was a pill. Using the bowl-lifting opportunity to smell it, the scent seemed normal, so she relaxed, knowing Li Pin had indeed kept her word and delivered the antidote.

She lifted the bowl and in one breath drank both porridge and antidote, clearly hearing the palace maid swallow with a “gulp” sound.

Jing Hengbo didn’t eat the side dishes. The palace maid didn’t ask, afraid asking would make the dishes disappear. She carried the bowl away joyfully, and Jing Hengbo saw her pinching vegetables to eat before even crossing the threshold.

Truly pitiful.

Jing Hengbo touched her stomach and sighed.

Sister was quite pitiful too – this stomach was also rumbling.

Touching herself, her hand suddenly paused, then incredulously felt again and again, lifting her clothing to look.

Wrinkles had also appeared on her stomach skin!

Where was her originally smooth, tight little belly!

This damned medicine!

Jing Hengbo quietly circulated her energy, waiting for the medicine to take effect in her body. After a while, she suddenly jumped up, ransacking drawers and searching cabinets in the room.

She had to find a mirror to see clearly! She had to find medicine to restore her skin! If she couldn’t return to original condition, she wouldn’t be finished until she killed Yi Kingdom’s Great King!

Suddenly a voice behind her said eerily: “What are you doing?”

Jing Hengbo turned to see the palace maid who had just delivered food. Looking at her exceptionally tight skin, Jing Hengbo’s evil thoughts arose. Just as she prepared to pounce and grab her neck, making her hand over skin restoration secrets, she heard the palace maid say coldly: “Stop looking. In our Ning De Palace, even if you dig three feet down, you won’t find anything valuable.”

Seeing her disgusted expression, Jing Hengbo’s heart moved and she sat down relaxed. The palace maid suddenly frowned: “How can you suddenly move? Stepping back vigilantly, she was about to notify people.

Jing Hengbo suddenly said: “Do you want to get rich?”

The palace maid’s open mouth closed, and she turned to look at her suspiciously.

“Do you want to improve your current life? Want to eat well, eat chicken, duck, and fish instead of eating vegetables daily until your face turns green? Want to wear nice things instead of one coat with cotton removed in summer and stuffed back in winter, wearing the same thing for three seasons? Want to wear gold and silver, want silk and satin all over, want to live a truly quality good life?” Jing Hengbo’s eyes flashed with tempting light, her voice lowered like a witch.

But the palace maid snorted disdainfully: “What? With your poor appearance, you want to bribe me with money? Where’s the money?” She laughed coldly: “You don’t understand. You think this palace really has no money? You think the Great King would be stingy with the Empress Dowager of Ning De Palace? Let me tell you, the palace has everything, but the Empress Dowager doesn’t like using it, understand? If she doesn’t like it, we can’t do it. What use are chicken, duck, fish, silk and satin? Which palace concubine doesn’t have them? Do they dare use them before the Empress Dowager? They don’t dare – can we?”

Jing Hengbo wasn’t angry, smiling: “Oh, I see. So does your Empress Dowager love money very much?”

“Why are you asking this?” The palace maid looked at her vigilantly. Her expression had already admitted it.

Jing Hengbo smiled: “Now your Empress Dowager is reluctant to part with everything because she feels what you eat and use belongs to her. But if she had other income, extra wealth, she’d feel like money was falling from heaven. Then you’d all benefit somewhat, understand?”

This was common psychology – people were always more generous spending “windfall money.”

“Where would windfall money come from?” The palace maid laughed coldly: “You mean using the Empress Dowager’s authority to rob? How disgraceful would that sound? The Empress Dowager is charitable and Buddhist – she would never do extortion.”

“Who’s talking about extortion? It should be people happily presenting it,” Jing Hengbo sneered. “Come, I’ll teach you a method guaranteed to please the Empress Dowager. Maybe you can live well afterward.”

“Who are you? You’re just a criminal – why should I listen to you?” The palace maid stared at her intensely but didn’t move.

“Me? I’m from Imperial Song,” Jing Hengbo said. “I recently introduced a new game from our side to your Yi Kingdom, making many people addicted to playing day and night. Your Great King, influenced by some pedantic scholar, became furious, saying it was demoralizing, that I spread unhealthy entertainment affecting Yi Kingdom subjects’ upward diligence. Long term, it would cause immeasurable impact on Yi Kingdom’s national strength and people’s livelihood, so he arrested me for punishment.” She spread her hands: “Actually it’s just a small game. The key is each person’s self-control. It’s been played in Imperial Song for a long time without grinding away much of Imperial Song people and officials’ diligent hearts. Moreover, this game is most suitable for people to pass time playing, and playing well can even earn money.”

Indeed the last sentence moved the palace maid, who immediately asked: “What game?”

“Mahjong,” Jing Hengbo said. “Very fun. If you don’t believe me, I’ll teach you to play. Consider it thanks for giving me your dinner.”

“Don’t try any tricks,” the palace maid warned.

“What tricks could there be?” Jing Hengbo laughed: “I’m just teaching you a way to play. You provide everything yourselves – very simple, very convenient. You’ll know once you play.”

She then chatted with the palace maid about mahjong rules. Dahuang locally had paper card games but they weren’t popular and weren’t very interesting. Explaining mahjong rules to the palace maid, she learned immediately without finding it particularly interesting, but thinking the long night was boring, she might as well try. So she found people, made a mahjong set from bamboo and wood, and gathered two others, ostensibly to guard Jing Hengbo all night but actually to sit around playing mahjong.

They played until almost dawn, everyone still energetic. A palace maid looked up and saw a line of fish-belly white above the window paper, saying in surprise: “Eh, how is it already dawn?”

“This thing is invigorating!” A eunuch enthusiastically pushed his tiles: “I win!” The other three sighed and reluctantly pulled out paper slips. The slips read things like “help with night duty once, twice” etc.

Without money, they used labor as payment. Jing Hengbo deeply understood mahjong’s true essence – you must play for stakes. Without money there must be some cost. Any mahjong without real wins and losses was just fooling around.

Paper pieces flew on the wooden table. Playing and playing, Jing Hengbo became somewhat dazed – this was the research institute foursome’s never-tiring signature activity! Weekly games, all-nighters during New Year, not playing for money but putting on paper slips.

Now those three people, on this strange land, were they still playing mahjong?

Now those paper slips that could never be cashed, did anyone still remember them?

Though she was having a rough time, though she was a queen but hadn’t had time to play mahjong even once, and this rare game was for survival and sabotage. But Jing Hengbo still sincerely hoped those three were now leisurely and wealthy playing mahjong. She very much wanted to see Taishi Lan dressed like a landlady, holding a brass pipe, one foot on the neighboring chair, shuffling cards with tai chi embracing sun and moon gestures while coldly saying: “I win!”

When could she see this scene… Jing Hengbo sighed.

Since Jing Hengbo couldn’t help with night duties, her slips read real gold and silver. Others didn’t expect her to honor them – just psychological comfort.

Near dawn, everyone had work to do and reluctantly dispersed. The palace maid called Jin Xi who initially made mahjong had a much better attitude toward her after a night of mahjong friendship, whispering: “You said this could make big money?”

“What do you think? Increase the stakes, no limit – wouldn’t that be big money?” Jing Hengbo nudged her: “Hey, Sister Jin Xi, you should be eighteen, right? Your skin is really good!”

“I’m twenty-four! An old maid!” Jin Xi touched her face with both joy and melancholy.

“Ah ah ah, how do you maintain it!” Jing Hengbo pounced to touch her face: “Ah ah ah, I’m four years younger than you – look at my skin!”

Jin Xi glanced at her, saying with both pride and sympathy: “You accidentally took Appearance Changing Powder, right? And it seems like you took two types with opposite effects. Your skin rapidly expanded then contracted in a short time, leaving fine lines and wrinkles…”

“Sister!” Jing Hengbo grabbed her hand with tears: “You’re also a woman – you know the importance of appearance to us. Is there still hope for my skin? If you have good prescriptions, I’ll pay you! Name your price!”

“With my status, how could I have good things? The real imperial secret prescriptions are all with the Great King,” Jin Xi regretfully and helplessly withdrew her hand, whispering in her ear: “Sometimes when the Great King is in a good mood, he gives some prescriptions as rewards to favored concubines. Yu Pin, Li Pin and others all have some. But these are their treasures and bragging capital – they won’t easily take them out…”

Jin Xi laughed thoughtfully as she left. Jing Hengbo heard her muttering: “Playing big, the golden Buddha the Empress Dowager covets might also have a solution…”

Jing Hengbo gnawed on the flatbread the palace servants had given her and also chuckled.

Last night she had already inquired – Yi Kingdom’s Great King had left the palace. She didn’t quite understand why the Great King had kidnapped her then ran away himself, but this undoubtedly gave her opportunity. She now hoped the Great King would return as late as possible, preferably after she had tricked all the old woman’s and palace concubines’ maintenance prescriptions.

But this possibility seemed unlikely. Take it step by step. Jing Hengbo worked to restore her strength – in her current state, leaving was no longer a big problem.

That afternoon, the palace maid Jin Xi came to summon her, winking at her before leaving. Jing Hengbo’s heart leaped with joy, knowing the old woman had indeed been aroused with interest.

A group escorted her to the old woman’s bedchamber warm pavilion, still a dark room crowded with people, light so dim faces couldn’t be distinguished. From afar came concubines’ delicate laughter: “The Empress Dowager’s game method is quite novel.”

As she entered, everyone’s gazes focused on her. The Empress Dowager sat above saying: “Jin Xi told me about your matter. I find your game method somewhat interesting. Palace concubines are usually lonely in empty chambers. You play with them, teach them. If you play well, I’ll speak with the Great King about possibly reducing your punishment.”

Jing Hengbo hastily said: “I obey.” She went to sit down. Across from her was Li Pin, with one concubine on each side – one called Yu Pin wearing jade-colored clothes, one called Lin Pin holding a silk fan. Jing Hengbo secretly thanked heaven their clothes and accessories were different, otherwise she could only number them mentally: Jing Number One, Jing Number Two…

Others all gathered around, gazing intently. Jing Hengbo briefly explained the rules, then said: “Ladies, playing this always requires some stakes. This is the rule. I’m a criminal and dare not want your precious things, but please give some thought to it.”

All concubines said: “Naturally.” They each stated their stakes. Jing Hengbo listened – none mentioned secret prescriptions, all just jewelry and treasures. She was quite disappointed but couldn’t think of alternatives.

Just as she wondered whether to continue inciting these people to offer more important stakes or first beat them thoroughly then coerce them, suddenly a eunuch announced: “The Great King arrives—”