The Tyrant’s Drama Queen Empress

CHAPTER 34: I’m Not Drunk

　　Shen Xi narrowed her eyes. “How is Qiuju doing lately?”

　　Caixia replied, “She’s not doing well at all. Her family was sent away to one of the countryside estates by Madam, and she was left alone in the manor with no relatives to support her. On top of that, the stableman she married somehow picked up a gambling addiction. All he thinks about is going out to gamble, and he’s already squandered all the family’s money. Whenever Qiuju tries to persuade him, he either beats or scolds her…”

　　“That’s enough,” Shen Xi interrupted. It was enough for her to know that Qiuju was miserable. As for the exact details of her suffering, Shen Xi had no interest in them. With a sigh that sounded sympathetic, she said, “Qiuju used to be a proper maid serving in the main courtyard, yet Mother forced her into marriage with a stableman and she ended up with a terrible husband. The resentment in her heart must be immense. What she did may not have been right, but as a daughter, I cannot interfere too much with Mother’s decisions. Still, Heaven values compassion. I can’t just watch her suffer in the manor like this.”

　　She paused before continuing, “Do this, Caixia. Tell Qiuju that my eldest aunt is a kind-hearted person. She visits Huangjue Temple every month to burn incense and pray. If Qiuju can become her maid, she’ll finally escape her suffering.”

　　“Yes,” Caixia said. “I’ll have someone return to the manor immediately and remind Qiuju.”

　　Shen Xi nodded. “Go. Be careful and don’t let anyone notice.” The “anyone” she meant was Madam Jiang.

　　“Yes.”

　　As Shen Xi imagined Qiuju finding her eldest aunt, the smile on her lips grew softer and gentler.

　　Her eldest aunt was Madam Jiang’s older sister. However, the aunt had been born to a concubine, while Madam Jiang was the legitimate daughter. Back then, the aunt had also hoped to marry Shen Kangzheng, but Madam Jiang had schemed against her. After she fell into the water and was rescued by a playboy, she had no choice but to marry him with a meager dowry, while Madam Jiang married Shen Kangzheng in grand fashion. Over the years, every time the aunt met Madam Jiang, she would make sarcastic remarks and speak ill of her. Unfortunately, Madam Jiang had carefully cultivated her reputation, so outsiders only believed that the aunt was jealous and lacked proper sisterly affection.

　　In the past, Shen Xi had thought her aunt was unpresentable and looked down on her. Whenever she faced Madam Jiang, she would lose her composure and act without thinking. But now, what Shen Xi needed most was precisely that lack of restraint.

　　Once her aunt met Qiuju and heard her tearful complaints, she would surely make a big scene and spread word of Madam Jiang’s cruelty everywhere.

　　With Shen Xi pulling the strings behind the scenes, Qiuju truly waited outside Huangjue Temple and met Shen Xi’s eldest aunt, Madam Zhang. Years of an unhappy life in the inner courtyard had changed Madam Zhang. The beauty she once had, which rivaled Madam Jiang’s, had become sharp and gloomy. When she first heard Qiuju’s sobbing, her expression was indifferent, but gradually it shifted into interest.

　　Madam Zhang said, “How do I know what you’re saying is true?”

　　Qiuju lifted her sleeve, revealing an arm covered in overlapping scars. “Madam, the injuries on the rest of my body are even worse than this.”

　　Madam Zhang grew excited. What had she said before? She had always insisted Madam Jiang was a hypocrite, yet no one believed her. If Madam Jiang were truly as virtuous and graceful as she pretended, Qiuju would not have been married off to a stableman and beaten into this state, and Madam Zhang herself would not have been forced to marry a useless playboy.

　　Smiling, Madam Zhang said, “Your name is Qiuju, right? That’s quite a nice name. You’re a pitiful one, meeting such a cruel mistress. From today onward, you’ll serve me. You are my maid now, and I will stand up for you.” She rarely smiled and usually kept a stern face. Now that she did smile, her expression looked stiff and almost twitching, making it rather unpleasant to look at.

　　Qiuju was not frightened. She knocked her head against the ground several times in gratitude. “Thank you, Madam, for taking me in. Thank you, Madam.”

　　After bringing Qiuju back to the Capital, Madam Zhang did not summon a physician to treat her injuries, and Qiuju did not mind. She already felt like a rotting lump barely clinging to life. Whether she lived or died meant little to her. She only knew that even if she died, she would drag Madam Jiang’s so called “good reputation” down with her.

　　It could only be said that any maid with ambitions of becoming a concubine was never harmless. Without an opportunity, nothing happened. But once given a chance, they would bite fiercely at those who had wronged them until they felt satisfied.

　　Whenever Madam Zhang left the manor, Qiuju would always be by her side. Each time they encountered another madam, Madam Zhang would recount how Madam Jiang had tormented Qiuju. Some listeners joined in with righteous indignation, claiming Madam Jiang looked kind but had a cruel heart. After all, Madam Jiang’s marriage to Shen Kangzheng was harmonious and her children were accomplished, which meant many people secretly envied her. Others, however, chose not to involve themselves. Bao Fei in the Palace was Madam Jiang’s daughter, and they had no desire to invite trouble upon their own families. Watching the drama unfold was enough.

　　In this way, Madam Jiang’s flawless reputation began to show cracks. After all, Qiuju herself was living proof.

　　No matter what, news that Madam Jiang had abused a maid spread through the circle of officials’ wives in the Capital.

　　When Madam Jiang heard about it, she flew into a rage and cursed the culprit, Madam Zhang. “She simply cannot stand seeing me do well! All these years, for the sake of our sisterhood, I even had my husband promote and take care of her son, and I never pursued her disrespect toward me. She thinks I’m afraid of her now? Spreading rumors outside to ruin my reputation. She deserves to die!”

　　“And that Qiuju! She was a shameless maid who tried to seduce my husband. What is there to pity? I merely married off that bed climbing servant. I didn’t take her life. If her husband died or if she ended up covered in bruises from his beatings, what does that have to do with me?”

　　Madam Jiang was furious.

　　Nanny Zheng patted her chest gently. “Madam, please calm your anger. Don’t harm your health. You know what Madam Zhang is like. She never thinks things through. Does she really believe smearing your name means she has won? Has she considered whether her son’s future might be affected? Our Master is the Minister of Personnel. If not for your sake, he would never have promoted her son out of family sentiment alone. Everything she has now comes from being related to you. Yet she still shamelessly believes it is due to her son’s own ability. Truly ungrateful.”

　　Hearing this, Madam Jiang’s anger gradually subsided. “Nanny, you’re right. Getting angry over that fool isn’t worth it.” She regained her composure. “Her son who was assigned to an external post, isn’t his term nearly over?”

　　Nanny Zheng thought for a moment and nodded. “Three year term. This year is the third.”

　　Madam Jiang let out a cold snort. “The reason he has managed to serve peacefully in his post is because his superiors and subordinates have shown respect to our master and avoided making things difficult for him. Nanny, pass word along. Let his superiors know we hold no special favor for him. They need not consider our Ministry household when giving him his evaluation. Whether he returns to the Capital with a promotion, is demoted, or remains in his current post will depend entirely on his own ability.”

　　Nanny Zheng’s eyes lit up. “I will make the arrangements at once.”

　　Madam Jiang let out a cold laugh. She and Madam Zhang were not on the same level. There was no need for her to personally deal with Madam Zhang. That would only lower her own status. All she had to do was target Madam Zhang’s son, and Madam Zhang would suffer in silence, forced to swallow the loss without being able to complain.

　　Madam Jiang asked, “How did that maid Qiuju leave our manor and end up in front of Madam Zhang?”

　　Nanny Zheng had already looked into it. “Qiuju went to burn incense for her dead stableman husband. After all, they were once married. Now that the man is dead, she has no one to rely on. Huangjue Temple has the most prosperous incense offerings, so it’s only natural she went there. Meeting Madam Zhang might have just been an accident.”

　　“An accident?” Madam Jiang sneered. “There are no accidents in this world that aren’t caused by someone.”

　　Nanny Zheng was startled. “Madam, are you saying someone is backing Qiuju?”

　　Madam Jiang nodded. “If no one was guiding her, why would she think to seek out my concubine born elder sister, who has always been against me?”

　　“Then do you know who it is?”

　　Madam Jiang frowned and shook her head. “No. But I suspect whoever it is simply wants to make trouble for me.”

　　Nanny Zheng’s brows knitted together as well. “The person behind this must have malicious intentions. If we cannot find them, we can only stay on guard in secret.”

　　Madam Jiang said, “Stay alert. Keep a close watch on all the servants in the inner courtyard. If that person makes another move, seize them and find out who they are.”

　　“I understand,” Nanny Zheng replied.

　　When Madam Zhang received news that her son had received a poor evaluation and would not be returning to the Capital, she nearly fainted. How could she still have the energy to trouble Madam Jiang? She rushed about frantically, trying to pull strings and salvage the situation, but no matter what she did, it was useless. By the time she remembered Qiuju, Qiuju had already died from severe injuries that had never received proper medical treatment.

　　Upon hearing of Qiuju’s death, Madam Zhang merely cursed in disgust. “What bad luck. She’s a jinx. I brought her back, and she ruined my son’s fortune. Even if she hadn’t died, I would have beaten her to death myself.”

　　Then she recalled that Qiuju had once served Madam Jiang. “Someone, send Qiuju’s body back to the Shen manor. Isn’t Madam Jiang supposed to be kind hearted? Let her handle the burial.” Perhaps this way, she could even pass some of that bad luck onto Madam Jiang.

　　Naturally, Madam Jiang was once again enraged by Madam Zhang’s actions. Dealing with someone as shameless and thick skinned as Madam Zhang was truly infuriating, yet Madam Jiang could not openly descend into a public fight with her.

　　Publicly she could not act, but privately there were many things she could do.

　　For a time, Madam Jiang was fully occupied dealing with the troublemaking Madam Zhang and forgot all about Shen Xi. As a result, Shen Xi gained more time to stay close with Shen Jinxiu, growing more and more affectionate together.

　　......

　　Ever since Shen Ling read the secret report about the Shen manor, she had been following the family drama like someone binge watching a long running series. Watching the little tricks Shen Xi stirred up behind the scenes, Shen Ling couldn’t help thinking that it was only natural the original host had lost to her in the novel. Madam Jiang had years of emotional ties with Shen Xi, yet when it came time to strike, she never hesitated to go all out.

　　But what was the fun in letting Shen Xi enjoy everything alone? Shen Ling stretched out her enthusiastic little claws and decided to add some fuel to the fire. She called Liu Zhu over and had her send someone to whisper into Madam Jiang’s ear, letting her know that Shen Xi’s shadow was behind Qiuju’s situation.

　　She had already done something like this once before. Doing it again now felt easy and familiar.

　　Suddenly, Shen Ling felt like her behavior resembled a stick stirring a cesspit. If she was the stick… then did that make Madam Jiang and Shen Xi the… She fell silent. Had she just roasted herself along with them?

　　A bit heart sore, Shen Ling sighed. She was clearly helping to strengthen the mother daughter bond between Madam Jiang and Shen Xi. She touched her face and murmured, “Sigh, how does someone as kind as me even exist in this world?”

　　Xie Yuanxun, who had just entered the hall, fell silent. “……”

　　Kind?

　　Shen Ling seemed to get carried away. She pulled out a small bronze mirror and said with exaggerated seriousness, “Mirror, mirror, tell me, who is the kindest person in the world?”

　　Mirror Shen Ling replied, “You.”

　　Shen Ling continued, “Mirror, mirror, who is the most beautiful in the world?”

　　Mirror Shen Ling said, “Still you.”

　　“And mirror, mirror, who is the most perfect person in the world?”

　　Mirror Shen Ling answered, “You, you, it’s you. Our fairy goddess!”

　　Giggling, Shen Ling spun around with the mirror in hand. “Balala energy, shaluo shaluo, little magic fairy, oh no, little fairy! Full transformation!”    

　　Turning halfway on her toes, Shen Ling suddenly spotted Xie Yuanxun standing there, watching her with an unreadable expression.

　　Shen Ling: “……”

　　She instantly froze, completely stunned.

　　—Oh damn, did he see everything?!

　　Xie Yuanxun said, “Balala? Shaluo?”

　　Shen Ling: “……”

　　“Your Majesty, you’re here.” Shen Ling’s face turned red.

　　Xie Yuanxun asked, “Who is Balala?”

　　Shen Ling almost wanted to kneel on the spot. She answered stiffly, “Just… someone with the surname Ba and the name Lala. But they’re not in this world anymore.” In another space time, anyway.

　　Xie Yuanxun pulled her hand down. “I didn’t know you had such a narcissistic side. Today has truly opened my eyes.”

　　Shen Ling: “……Can you forget everything you just saw?”

　　Xie Yuanxun raised an eyebrow slightly and smiled. “No.”

　　—I want to disappear from this world.

　　He lifted her hand again and guided her into a spin, making zero effort to hide his mischievous intent. “Come on, spin again. I’ll chant for you. Balala energy, shaluo shaluo, little fairy, full transformation.” (T/N: Bwhahahhahhahaha!🤣 Mischievous Emperor!)

　　Shen Ling: “……”

　　—Are you insane?

　　With a wooden expression, Shen Ling completed the spin. Xie Yuanxun said thoughtfully, “That phrase sounds interesting. Maybe when I attend court, I should have the officials say it too.”

　　Shen Ling stared at him like she was in a dream. “Say what? You want them to say ‘Balala’?”

　　“What else?” Xie Yuanxun replied.

　　Shen Ling had no words.

　　—Do they know their Emperor is determined to embarrass them to death?

　　—Better not. If you really do that, people will definitely curse you behind your back.

　　Shen Ling said, “I have a suggestion. Why don’t Your Majesty spin around while chanting ‘Balala’ yourself? Making others do it is one thing, but doing it yourself would be much more satisfying, don’t you think?”

　　Xie Yuanxun nodded. “You make a good point.”

　　Shen Ling’s eyes widened.

　　—No way, no way! You’re actually going to spin?

　　—You’re way too shameless. Respect, honestly!

　　Xie Yuanxun added, “Next time I’ll bring you to court with me. You can do it on my behalf.”

　　Shen Ling’s lips twitched.

　　—Pah! Keep dreaming! There’s no way I’m going to court with you, let alone doing something that ridiculous in front of everyone.

　　She said tactfully, “I still need to practice my calligraphy. I train diligently every day, so going to court with you… I think I’ll pass.”

　　“Alright,” Xie Yuanxun replied, though there was a hint of regret in his tone.

　　—Why are you sounding regretful? It’s not like you’re the one making a fool of yourself!

　　Xie Yuanxun took out a ¹sleeve arrow. “This is for you. Keep it.”

　　Shen Ling accepted it. The sleeve arrow was light and delicate, accompanied by several matching bolts. She tested it briefly, finding it could be strapped perfectly along the inside of her forearm. “How do you activate it?”

　　He pointed to a butterfly-shaped piece. “When you want to fire, press here to trigger the mechanism. The arrow inside will shoot out.”

　　Shen Ling thought it looked incredibly refined and impressive. If this were a wuxia novel, it would definitely be the kind of hidden weapon used by assassins. She loved it. But why was he giving her this?

　　Xie Yuanxun said, “For the upcoming Mulan autumn hunt, you’ll be coming with me. I’m giving you the sleeve arrow so that if you see any prey you like, you can take it down. The heavier bows are too much for you. Even if you could lift them, you wouldn’t hit anything. The sleeve arrow suits you better.” (T/N: Yes, you read that right. The pinyin is Mùlán Lièchǎng, which, when translated, becomes Mulan Autumn Hunt. 😂 Now I suddenly can’t stop thinking about the Mulan movie. Haha.)

　　Shen Ling: “……”

　　—The useless person you’re talking about is me, isn’t it!

　　—Anyone with a bit of pride would feel indignant hearing that. Who wants to be looked down on? If you hadn’t begged me so pitifully to accept this sleeve arrow, I wouldn’t have taken it at all.

　　Xie Yuanxun: Who was pitiful?

　　Shen Ling asked, “So when are we leaving?”

　　“In two days,” Xie Yuanxun replied.

　　Shen Ling coughed lightly and said casually, “The autumn hunt means leaving the Palace, and the journey will be tiring. Maybe we can temporarily set aside palace duties during that time?”

　　Xie Yuanxun glanced at her. “If you’re gone for a few days, you’ll just make up the missed calligraphy practice afterward.”

　　Shen Ling: “……”

　　—I didn’t even say anything and you already guessed what I was thinking. Are you a worm living in my stomach?!

　　—I was trying to get you to cancel those calligraphy assignments!

　　She said resentfully, “Your Majesty, you should remember to bring your memorials along too. Don’t neglect state affairs just because of the autumn hunt.”

　　—Come on then, let’s hurt each other equally!

　　Xie Yuanxun scoffed. “I don’t have any memorials that need handling. You worry too much.”

　　Shen Ling didn’t believe him. No memorials to deal with? Yeah right.

　　—Liar.

　　—When I went to the Taiji Hall yesterday, I saw piles of memorials stacked high on the imperial desk. Did you just not notice them?

　　—You can lie with a straight face like this. Impressive.

　　Seeing that Shen Ling couldn’t put the sleeve arrow down and kept playing with it, Xie Yuanxun pulled her outside Chang Le Palace to practice. According to him, she needed more training, a last-minute crash course, so that she wouldn’t miss every shot when they reached the hunting grounds. Shen Ling rolled her eyes but followed along anyway.

　　She asked, “Your Majesty, how exactly are you going to help improve my aim?”

　　“You’ll know soon enough.”

　　Shen Ling nodded excitedly, full of anticipation. Then she saw Senior Eunuch Feng arrive carrying several cages. Inside were rabbits. Once released, the ground was suddenly filled with hopping rabbits everywhere.

　　“Rabbits?” Shen Ling rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was seeing things. Practicing archery, even with a sleeve arrow, shouldn’t they be using targets?

　　Xie Yuanxun said, “What are you staring at? They’re your practice targets. Aim at them and start shooting.”

　　Shen Ling blurted out instinctively, “But the rabbits are so cute. How can you make me shoot such adorable little rabbits?”

　　Xie Yuanxun asked in return, “They’re cute. Does that have anything to do with whether you kill them?”

　　Shen Ling: “……No.”

　　Before Shen Ling could even pick a target and start shooting, Xie Yuanxun had a palace servant drive a rabbit right up to her, stopping only two steps away.

　　“Shoot,” he said.

　　Shen Ling stared at the rabbit standing ridiculously close to her. “Your Majesty… am I supposed to shoot every rabbit from this distance?”

　　Xie Yuanxun looked surprised. “How else did you plan to shoot?”

　　Shen Ling: “……”

　　—I’ll take my leave.

　　—I admit defeat.

　　—You literally shoved it right to my feet. Who wouldn’t have perfect accuracy like this? I could hit one rabbit per arrow even with my eyes closed!

　　With a blank expression, Shen Ling released the sleeve arrow.

　　—Alright, I can already imagine what I’ll look like at the hunting grounds. They’ll probably just push animals right in front of me like this and let me shoot.

　　Xie Yuanxun glanced at the rabbit. “You didn’t hit its head. Should I have someone kill them all first, then let you practice shooting?”

　　Shen Ling: “???”

　　—What kind of nonsense is that? You want me to shoot at dead rabbits?

　　—Wait, are you inventing new ways to humiliate me? Are you even human? The fact that I haven’t fired an arrow straight into your chest already shows remarkable self-restraint.

　　—Don’t provoke me. When I get impulsive, I become a demon!

　　Xie Yuanxun looked at her with a “you’re too hopeless for me to carry” sort of gaze. Shen Ling kicked his leg and snorted, desperately trying to salvage her dignity. “I wasn’t aiming for its head. I was targeting other parts of its body. It keeps moving around. The fact that I hit it at all is already impressive.”

　　Xie Yuanxun picked up another sleeve arrow and dismissed the servants. With no one controlling them, the rabbits began hopping around wildly, surprisingly fast as they ran. Xie Yuanxun shot two of the quickest ones in swift succession. A servant brought the dead rabbits over, and the arrows had pierced straight through their heads, leaving neat little holes.

　　He said, “If you count as impressive, then what does that make me?”

　　Shen Ling: “……”

　　—You’re the ancestor, the boss, the ultimate king of strength, alright?

　　“You’re only shooting when they stop moving,” Xie Yuanxun continued. “I’m not asking you to pierce their heads like I did, but you should at least be able to hit the same spot consistently.”

　　Shen Ling: “……”

　　—No, no. You’re overestimating me.

　　—You can forget about me ever shooting through a rabbit’s head in this lifetime. Your subject truly cannot do it, Your Majesty!

　　After receiving this ruthless “instruction,” Shen Ling actually started trying earnestly, puffing with effort as she aimed for the rabbits’ foreheads. Unfortunately, her heart was willing but her skills were not. Out of ten shots, eight landed on arms, chest, or legs, and only two barely struck the forehead.

　　Looking at her results, Xie Yuanxun sighed with emotion. “To shoot like this… you really are quite something.”

　　—I know you’re mocking me. Praising on the surface while secretly insulting me!

　　......

　　The autumn hunt was set in the Mulan Hunting Grounds up in the northeast, covering over ten thousand square kilometers. The area was huge, with towering mountain ranges converging, dense wildlife, and a complex terrain. It was perfect for large-scale hunting expeditions, and going back and forth could easily take a whole month.

　　In the Harem, Jiang Jieyu wanted to tag along. Xie Yuanxun had never brought any palace consorts on previous hunts, but this time he was taking Shen Ling. Naturally, Jiang Jieyu wondered if she might be allowed to come too.

　　She knew Shen Ling had been practicing archery lately, so Jiang Jieyu got herself ready and planned to approach her. If she could get Shen Ling to agree to let her join the hunt, maybe she could impress Xie Yuanxun with her own hunting skills.

　　Jiang Jieyu had first met Xie Yuanxun when she went to Chang Le Palace with Jing Fei. Before that, she had never seen him, and many other consorts in the harem hadn’t either. She considered herself lucky to have at least gotten that one meeting.

　　When Jiang Jieyu saw Shen Ling, she walked over warmly and said, “Greetings, Your Grace.”

　　Shen Ling was in the middle of shooting arrows. Hearing Jiang Jieyu’s voice made her hand tremble, and the arrow veered off course.

　　Jiang Jieyu commented, “Your Grace, you’re in such high spirits, and you even have rabbits. How adorable.”

　　Shen Ling raised an eyebrow. “They’re my targets for archery practice.”

　　Jiang Jieyu quickly changed her tone. “Then it’s their luck to be taken down by Your Grace.”

　　Shen Ling smiled faintly. “Why are you here? I don’t recall us being close.”

　　Jiang Jieyu replied, “Your Grace, I came to pay my respects…”

　　Shen Ling raised a hand to stop her. “If you don’t speak honestly, you can leave right now.”

　　Jiang Jieyu froze for a moment. No pleasantries at all?

　　Fearing Shen Ling might actually make her leave, she hurried to explain, “Your Grace, for this autumn hunt, I was wondering if His Majesty intends to bring anyone along to serve?”

　　Shen Ling smirked. “He did. Isn’t that why I’m here?”    

　　Jiang Jieyu asked, “Did His Majesty say he would bring anyone else?”

　　Shen Ling looked at her. “Why should I tell you whether there’s anyone else or not?” She wasn’t bored enough to entertain someone she barely interacted with. Did Jiang Jieyu really think she could just ask anything and expect an answer?

　　Jiang Jieyu said, “Your Grace, I’m only asking. I wish to accompany His Majesty and serve him. You’re already a Fēi now. Perhaps you could show us some mercy and ask His Majesty to allow us to follow along? I promise I won’t disturb your time together.”

　　Shen Ling laughed. “So just because you want to serve him, I have to agree?”

　　Trying to guilt-trip her morally? Please. As if she even operated on that system.

　　Jiang Jieyu pressed on, “But if you don’t bring anyone, can you really take care of His Majesty all by yourself? Your Grace, I’m only thinking of your well-being. I want to help share your burden.”

　　Shen Ling gave her a strange look. “Do you think all the palace servants going along are dead? Enough. Don’t pretend you’re doing this for my sake. I can’t afford your kindness, and I certainly don’t need you to share my burdens. Haven’t you shared enough of Jing Fei’s burdens already?”

　　Jiang Jieyu hesitated. “I’m no longer one of Jing Fei’s people…”

　　Shen Ling replied politely, “Do you need me to pass that message along to her?”

　　Jiang Jieyu fell silent for two seconds. Tears welled up in her eyes. “Your Grace, do you think I wanted things to be like this? I came from a respectable family. If I had any other choice, why would I stay by Jing Fei’s side, living in constant fear? My father and uncle both serve under Prime Minister Yang. I know you’re angry because I helped Jing Fei trouble you before, but I had no choice. Those were her orders. If I didn’t obey, she would have Prime Minister Yang target my father and uncle.”

　　“Now that I’m finally free from her control, of course I want to stand beside someone as upright and honorable as you, Your Grace. I’ve been oppressed by her for too long. I want to follow my own heart for once and live for myself, instead of being her puppet like before.”

　　Jiang Jieyu lowered her head. “Your Grace, please protect me.”

　　Shen Ling asked calmly, “And now you’re not afraid she’ll have Prime Minister Yang make things difficult for your father and uncle anymore?”

　　Jiang Jieyu glanced at her. “She might be strong, but Your Grace, you’re no weakling either. Your father is still the Minister of Personnel.”

　　Shen Ling’s expression turned stranger and stranger. “So if I accept you, I don’t gain a single thing, but the downsides? Plenty. Why on earth should I help you?”

　　Jiang Jieyu clasped her hands. “Your Grace, I beg your mercy.”

　　“Hmm.” Shen Ling nodded slowly. “I’ll show you mercy. I’ve already sent someone to summon Jing Fei. If you have anything to say, speak with her.”

　　Jiang Jieyu froze.

　　Shen Ling had no interest in Jiang Jieyu building her own faction in the Palace. Someone who could throw away Jing Fei once she’d used her? Shen Ling wasn’t worried about getting backstabbed. The palace politics could stew all on their own. It was better to just keep His Majesty happy.

　　Jiang Jieyu pressed her lips together. She didn’t want to give up so easily, so she tried a daring approach. “Your Grace, are you refusing to bring me because you’re afraid I’ll steal your glory?”

　　Shen Ling raised an eyebrow. “What glory?”

　　Jiang Jieyu spoke primly, “Of course the glory of archery and hunting. At the hunting grounds, there will be plenty of officials and their wives. If they see me shooting better than you or bagging more game, you’d be uncomfortable. To remove the competition, you’d have no choice but to let me stay.”

　　Shen Ling looked at her. “So you really want to come along with me.”

　　Otherwise, she wouldn’t have said something so shameless. If Shen Ling were on social media, she’d definitely post a trending topic called #NeverSeenSomeoneSoShameless#.

　　Jiang Jieyu asked, “Your Grace, do you dare compete with me?”

　　Shen Ling smirked, touching her lips. “Fine. Let’s see who’s better.”

　　Jiang Jieyu blinked at how easily Shen Ling agreed. Something felt off, but then she spotted the arrow lying on the ground. Relief washed over her. There was no way Shen Ling could beat her in archery. This was hers to win.

　　Shen Ling had two sets of sleeve arrows, specially made, with plenty in each set. She had Liu Zhu give one set to Jiang Jieyu. “Ready?”

　　Jiang Jieyu smiled, already picturing Shen Ling losing.

　　“Whizz—”

　　Jiang Jieyu released her arrow, striking the rabbit’s neck perfectly.

　　Shen Ling followed, also hitting a rabbit, though her arrow landed on the center of its forehead.

　　Jiang Jieyu’s eyes went wide. Shen Ling actually hit the center of the rabbit’s forehead? The forehead was way harder than the neck. Jiang Jieyu felt her mind go blank. She lost?

　　She seriously started questioning her life choices.

　　Shen Ling, in a good mood, said, “Another round? You didn't unleash your full potential this time. Come on, keep going.”

　　Jiang Jieyu nodded, knowing she hadn’t shown her full skill. She readied herself and aimed for the rabbit’s forehead.

　　“Whizz—”

　　Shen Ling hit the forehead again, while Jiang Jieyu’s arrow missed completely.

　　“So this is what you call good archery?” Shen Ling patted Jiang Jieyu’s shoulder. “If you really pushed yourself, you might catch up to me. But don’t get your hopes up too high.”

　　Jiang Jieyu was speechless. No way, how could she lose? And lose this completely?

　　Shen Ling smiled sincerely. “Honestly, I don’t usually hit so accurately. His Majesty even complained once. I think it’s because you were competing with me. You pushed me to my potential. Competition brings pressure, pressure brings motivation. Jiang Jieyu, you helped me. You’re a good person.”

　　Jiang Jieyu almost spat blood from anger. She came here to win, not to lose! Didn’t Shen Ling miss before? Why did she suddenly get so accurate?

　　Feeling humiliated, Jiang Jieyu walked away. She really didn’t have the face to stay any longer.

　　Shen Ling watched her retreating figure and sighed. “Why not stay a little longer? You’d make a great sparring partner.”

　　The truth was, not everyone could come in and show off. Even if you try, you had to have the skill to back it up, or else, like Jiang Jieyu, you’d just get slapped in the face.

　　Shen Ling continued practicing. She hadn’t been training in vain. Back in the day, if Jiang Jieyu had come to compete, she might have lost. But now, after being drilled personally by Xie Yuanxun, how could she not improve?

　　Jiang Jieyu wandered off, still questioning her life, and ran straight into Jing Fei, who had been summoned by Shen Ling. Jing Fei had originally been angry. Jiang Jieyu's attempt to seek Shen Ling's protection was basically a betrayal! But seeing Jiang Jieyu’s dazed, flustered expression, Jing Fei couldn’t help but smile.

　　Jing Fei said, “Jiang Jieyu, you’re nothing but a traitor, a white-eyed wolf. I’ve treated you well, yet look at you, sneaking off to pledge loyalty to her. Ha, and she didn’t even want you in the end.”

　　Jiang Jieyu’s face twisted, “Your Grace, it’s not what you think. I want to ask her to let you accompany the Emperor to the Mulan Hunting Grounds this time. Once you’re there, you’ll be able to see Prime Minister Yang. How long has it been since you last saw him? I was only thinking about what’s best for you.”

　　Jing Fei went quiet for a moment. It had indeed been ages since she had seen Prime Minister Yang. No, more accurately, she hadn’t seen him at all since entering the Palace. Court Ministers were never allowed inside the Harem.

　　Jiang Jieyu let out a small sigh of relief. Luckily, Jing Fei was so easy to manipulate.

　　But she miscalculated. Jing Fei quickly snapped back, her tone dripping with mockery, “Enough. Don’t play your little tricks in front of me. You say you want me to go to the Mulan Hunting Grounds, but it’s obvious you want to go yourself, begging Bao Fei to take you along. Shameless!”

　　Jiang Jieyu tried again, “Your Grace, don’t you want to go? In the past, His Majesty went alone. Now Bao Fei is going, she can go, why can’t you? You’re both Fēi, after all.”

　　Jing Fei forced a stiff expression, “I don’t enjoy all that fighting and bloodshed.” Even if she wanted to admit she did want to go—to see Prime Minister Yang, just like Jiang Jieyu said—she couldn’t. Her going depended entirely on Xie Yuanxun’s approval.

　　Would she dare approach Xie Yuanxun herself? Of course not. Right now, she wanted nothing to do with him. During the days when Nanny Zhou died, she kept having nightmares, seeing herself swap places with Nanny Zhou and be beaten to death. Jing Fei had executed palace servants before, but she always let Nanny Zhou handle it. She had never seen someone die right in front of her. Her fear of Xie Yuanxun had reached its peak. And Shen Ling? She no longer thought about dominating her. The Emperor protected her, and that left Jing Fei feeling sour.

　　Just thinking about Xie Yuanxun made her face turn pale. She glared at Jiang Jieyu. “You will kneel here for four full hours. Not a moment less.”

　　Jiang Jieyu could only swallow her pride and kneel, feeling utterly humiliated.

　　......

　　Tomorrow they were set to leave for the Mulan Hunting Grounds, and Shen Ling was supposed to pack. Of course, she wasn’t the one doing it. Palace maids, led by Liu Zhu, were handling all of it. After all, she was the mistress, the consort. Even packing wasn’t something she should dirty her hands with.

　　Since they’d be away for a while, there were quite a few things that had to be fitted into the luggage. Shen Ling watched Liu Zhu barking orders without pause, directing every little movement.

　　She spotted the maids carrying a folding screen and said, “Liu Zhu, we don’t need to bring that screen, right?”

　　Liu Zhu’s forehead glistened with sweat. “Right… and don’t forget the fans. Have all the extra clothes been packed?” Hearing Shen Ling’s voice, she kept one eye on the maids and replied quickly, “Your Grace, you might as well go find His Majesty. I’m watching over things here, nothing will be left behind. After all, this is your first time at the Mulan Hunting Grounds… Ah, be careful lifting that, don’t bump it. There’s lipstick inside—if it spills, how would we use it?”

　　Shen Ling sighed. Okay, clearly they were each speaking their own language.

　　With nothing else to do, she decided to leave the packing to Liu Zhu and the maids and went to find Xie Yuanxun instead. She didn’t want to hang around and distract them.

　　Shen Ling tiptoed through the palace corridors until she reached the Taiji Hall. Compared to her chaotic Chang Le Palace, it felt like stepping into another world—peaceful, serene.

　　So quiet… did Xie Yuanxun not even allow maids to pack here?

　　He lay on the couch with his eyes closed, and Shen Ling instinctively lightened her steps. She lifted her skirt slightly, sneaking over like a thief.

　　He looked like he was sleeping.

　　“Your Majesty?” she called softly.

　　No response.

　　Shen Ling twitched her nose. “Smells like wine.” She found his wine flask and gave it a little shake. There was still some liquid sloshing inside. “Ah, he’s drunk. Smells so good… I’ll have a sip too.”

　　She poured some into a cup and tasted it. Her eyes immediately lit up. Delicious!

　　Shen Ling could handle her alcohol. She remembered back before she even started school, when her father drank Maotai. She would watch with wide eyes, and he would dip a chopstick in the wine and let her taste it. As she grew older, she became his drinking buddy, their bond spanning years despite the age gap.

　　Now the sip she took was fragrant, mellow, and lingering—her tongue almost wanted to dance.

　　The more she drank, the more her fair skin flushed pink. She muttered, “Cheers…”

　　“Again!”    

　　Xie Yuanxun wasn’t drunk, and he definitely wasn’t asleep. He had heard Shen Ling’s footsteps, but he didn’t expect her to see the wine flask and start gulping it down like that.

　　He just stared at her.

　　Shen Ling slurred, “Cheers…”

　　Xie Yuanxun reached out and took the flask from her hand. “Already drunk and still drinking?”

　　Shen Ling mumbled, “I’m not drunk.”

　　“……”

　　“I’m not drunk! I’m not drunk, I swear!”

　　Xie Yuanxun thought: completely a drunkard.

　　Hearing no reply from him, Shen Ling’s frustration bubbled up. Her tiny hands slammed on the floor with sharp little claps. “I’m not drunk!”

　　Xie Yuanxun caught her soft, limp body before she slid to the ground. “Okay, fine. You’re not drunk.”

　　Shen Ling let out a delighted little giggle, tilting her head up to look at him. Her eyes sparkled, her smile bright and clear. “You’re so good…”

　　She hiccupped a little as she got up, throwing herself into Xie Yuanxun's arms. Xie Yuanxun’s gaze lingered on her, curious about what she was trying to do.

　　Shen Ling cupped Xie Yuanxun’s face, pressed her cheek against his, and nuzzled him affectionately. Her lips nibbled his, then slid open to tangle with his tongue. And then with a soft ‘thump,’ she completely collapsed, utterly drunk.

　　Xie Yuanxun held her carefully, fingers brushing over her lips, a small smile tugging at his own. “And you said you weren’t drunk.”

________________

Glossary:

¹Sleeve Arrow (袖箭, xiùjiàn)

Type: Concealed weapon / small projectile

Description: A miniature arrow designed to be hidden, usually inside a sleeve or a small mechanism, for secretive attacks. The arrow is lightweight and can be fired by hand or with a small trigger mechanism. It’s not part of a bow—it’s the projectile itself. Often used in wuxia, historical, or palace settings for stealth attacks or self-defense.

Usage Notes:

🌞 Can be carried discreetly under clothing or in a sleeve.

🌞 May come in sets, often with specially crafted matching bolts.

🌞 Sometimes referred to as a “hidden arrow” or “concealed dart” in English translations, but sleeve arrow is the most accurate term if preserving the original flavor.

    

Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter