007 suddenly brought up Jiang Yingcheng's panel.
Jiang Yingcheng had been slowly following Eunuch Changshun toward Xianyang Palace. When the translucent pale-blue panel suddenly appeared, she failed to react in time and abruptly stopped in her tracks.
Only after a moment did she remember that this thing would move with her at all times. There was no chance of her accidentally bumping into the screen.
Feeling guilty, Jiang Yingcheng looked up at Eunuch Changshun's expression. Seeing only concern on his face, without a trace of suspicion, she gave him a sweet smile and lied that she suddenly couldn't walk any farther.
Inside, however, she angrily called out to 007: [System Bro, System Bro, you scared me!]
[Look closely,] 007 said succinctly, unmistakable delight in its electronic voice. [Your merit points have increased.]
Jiang Yingcheng hurriedly looked.
The merit points that had originally shown zero had suddenly risen to three digits. It wasn't much, but it was still far better than having none at all.
[Ooh, ooh, ooh! We've got merit points!]
Just as Jiang Yingcheng was about to ask 007 to open the system shop, her view suddenly rose a considerable distance.
Only when she looked down did she realize Eunuch Changshun had hoisted her onto his back.
Fortunately, Eunuch Changshun wasn't all that old. Although carrying the solidly built Jiang Yingcheng took some effort, it wasn't enough to stop him from walking. "The path here is too narrow. Once we're out, Your Little Highness can ride in a nice, soft sedan chair."
Jiang Yingcheng knew she was rather heavy, so she immediately wriggled, trying to slide off Eunuch Changshun's back.
Eunuch Changshun let out an "Oh dear!" "With Your Little Highness squirming about like this, why do you feel so much heavier than before?"
"This servant's bones are still plenty sturdy," Eunuch Changshun stopped teasing the little girl and coaxed her with a smile in his voice. "Carrying your little bit of weight is easy."
Jiang Yingcheng stopped struggling.
She wrapped both arms around Eunuch Changshun's neck and nestled softly against him.
[Hehehe, Uncle Changshun's back is so comfy.]
Eunuch Changshun carried Jiang Yingcheng steadily back, the corners of his lips lifting into a kindly smile.
Outside Wuyang Hall, the court officials who had been taken to the imperial garden earlier had gathered once again.
This time, however, there were far fewer of them than there had been in the imperial garden.
Several senior court officials exchanged looks. The confusion in their eyes had been entirely replaced by shock, and quite a few had even begun to doubt themselves.
A sharp creak interrupted their exchanged glances. They hurriedly formed a line, ready to await Emperor Mingze's next summons.
They had assumed that the person opening the door would be a eunuch coming to call them inside. Yet when they turned, they discovered a large group of dazed-looking officials emerging instead.
These officials were all lower-ranking than they were. Ordinarily, the group would long since have greeted them respectfully, but today they left like walking corpses, their faces utterly blank.
"Sorry for the wait, my lords. You may enter the hall now." The eunuch's distinctively shrill voice briefly interrupted their inward suspicions.
Meanwhile, in Starfrost Hall, Qingbi, who had slipped back into the palace among the palace maids returning from purchasing supplies, had yet to digest the shock in her heart.
She had only left the palace for a day, yet when she returned, Bamboo Cloud Pavilion was already deserted.
At first, she had thought word about Young Master Jinshu had reached the palace, and His Majesty had consigned her lady to the Cold Palace in a fit of rage.
Cold sweat had instantly trickled down her temples.
Fortunately, her lady had been thoughtful enough to leave a trusted attendant at Bamboo Cloud Pavilion to wait for her.
That person told her that Consort Fang was no longer of her former rank. She was now Consort Wan, and had moved into the far more magnificent Starfrost Hall.
Even now, Qingbi's shock had not entirely subsided.
Fang Siwan asked in a faintly trembling voice, "How did it go?"
Qingbi came back to herself and sent the palace maids in the room outside to guard the door. Only then did she drop to her knees with a thud.
She had no idea how to broach the matter. She could only grit her teeth and cruelly shatter her lady's hopes. "This servant... this servant saw..."
She managed only those few words before she could say no more.
Seeing this, Fang Siwan knew that what the little girl had said in her thoughts was probably true.
Tears immediately streamed down her face, and her hands trembled uncontrollably. Yet Fang Siwan still wanted to hear Qingbi say it herself, so she choked out, "Just tell me the truth."
Seeing Fang Siwan like this, Qingbi began to sob as well. Still, she forced down her anger and haltingly recounted everything she had witnessed over the course of that day.
After leaving the palace yesterday, she had gone straight to the Pei Residence, the home of Fang Yiwan's husband's family. Less than half a day later, she saw Fang Yiwan leave the residence with Young Master Jinshu.
The little young master stumbled along behind Fang Yiwan, yet she never reached out to steady him, nor was there the slightest concern in her eyes.
Most importantly-
"Young Master Jinshu called Fang Yiwan..."
"'Aunt.'"
Fang Siwan's vision went black.
It seemed her dear elder sister really had told Jinshu the truth, just as the little girl had said.
But what was her purpose?
Was it also exactly as the little girl had said-to blacken the image of his birth mother, then help Jinshu become emperor herself and ascend to the throne of the empress dowager?!
Why didn't Fang Yiwan stop to think? She had sent Jinshu out of the palace precisely so he could live a peaceful, secure life. How could just anyone sit upon that dragon throne atop its golden dais?!
Fang Siwan couldn't tell whether anger or fear filled more of her heart. She only knew that this devastating blow was crushing the breath from her, while dull pain surged through her chest, wave after wave.
She hated her. Hated her so much.
Back then, she had merely been worried about how her child would fare in the palace. It had been her elder sister who seized the opportunity to suggest that, if she gave birth to a boy, she could entrust the child to her to raise.
Their pregnancies happened to be very close together. When the time came, if Fang Yiwan gave birth to a girl, she would send that child straight into the palace. If not, she could find a newborn to take his place.
She hadn't agreed at first, believing it unfair to both children. Only after her elder sister's repeated persuasion had she begun to waver.
So her elder sister had already planned everything back then?!
Fang Siwan dug her fingers into the corner of the table, gripping so hard that her knuckles turned almost translucently white.
Thin trickles of blood seeped from beneath her nails, making Qingbi's heart jolt with alarm.
She scrambled to her feet and pulled Fang Siwan's hands away from the table. "Your Ladyship, please don't do this!"
"We've discovered it in time. It's not too late to put things right. If you collapse too..."
Qingbi simply couldn't imagine how much her lady's heart must hurt.
On one side was her own elder sister, who had betrayed her; on the other was her own flesh and blood, who hated her...
Qingbi's words abruptly cleared Fang Siwan's mind. Her entire body trembled faintly, but her eyes shone brilliantly. "Yes, yes..."
"I can still put things right!"
Her Yingcheng had already shown her a way to remedy this!
Fang Yiwan would never know what a treasure she had lost.
And she would never give Jiang Yingcheng back!
Before you continue