Chapter 101: World Four — The Tyrant’s Abandoned Consort in the Cold Palace
The cold palace Nan Xun lived in was called Chimu Palace. Chimu, chimu—you could tell just from the name that it wasn’t anything good.
The little maid Cui Huan was cleaning while sniffling and crying. “Your Highness, how could His Majesty treat you like this? You’ve only been in the palace for less than three months. It would’ve been one thing if he’d never once favored you, but today he actually banished you to the Cold Palace just for that vile woman Consort Li! This is freezing the Qin family’s heart!”
Nan Xun secretly swallowed the Body-Strengthening Pill Little Eight had given her. Her bones had already been set, and she slowly moved to the couch and lay down, saying calmly, “His Majesty is probably already planning to move against the Qin family.”
The little maid was shocked. “What? How could His Majesty be so ungrateful? If it weren’t for the old general back then, how would there be today’s Great Yan?”
Nan Xun shot the girl a look, thinking to herself: How could her family have stuffed such a stupid girl in here? Is this the kind of thing you can say out loud?
But very soon, Nan Xun found out why. This seemingly inconspicuous little maid was actually a deeply hidden expert! Especially her lightness kung fu—damn, she could leap over roofs and walls inside the palace, going wherever she pleased. Absolutely badass.
After cleaning the entire Cold Palace, Cui Huan went out to find medicine for Nan Xun. Naturally, she suffered plenty of difficulties along the way. When she came back, her eyes were red, but she was clutching two packets of medicine tightly in her hands.
“Cui Huan, we won’t go begging people anymore. I’ve got your back,” Nan Xun said, patting the girl’s head, finding her rather endearing.
Cui Huan cried and said yes, then went to the kitchen to brew the medicine.
Resting her chin in her hand, Nan Xun began thinking. “Little Eight, I still feel like something’s off. Why does that emperor look at me with such deep hatred? Could it be that Qin Buyao did something in the past that made him loathe her to the bone?”
Little Eight coughed lightly. “About that… I was just about to tell you.”
Hearing that tone, Nan Xun immediately had a bad feeling.
“This emperor is your target for redemption in this world—the big bad villain with an evil-thought value of 100,” Little Eight said.
Nan Xun wasn’t surprised at all. “Oh, that? I guessed it.”
Little Eight was startled. “I hadn’t even said it yet—how did you guess?”
Nan Xun curved her lips. “Because the emperor is handsome, long-legged, and doesn’t look like a good person.”
Little Eight cleared his throat, praised her for being smart, then hesitantly continued, “Well… the thing is, this emperor is… reborn.”
Nan Xun spat out the cheap tea she had just taken into her mouth.
“Little Eight, what the hell did you just say?” Nan Xun stared at him, eyes wide.
Little Eight explained, “In some worlds, once in a while someone gets insanely lucky—even villains aren’t exempt. He gained the chance to be reborn and returned to the time when he had just ascended the throne.”
With a deadpan face, Nan Xun said, “Little Eight, stop beating around the bush. Just tell me what Qin Buyao did in her previous life that made him hate her this much.”
“Uh… actually, it’s nothing major. In his past life, the emperor ruled tyrannically, the ministers were dissatisfied, and his younger brother, Prince Xian, joined forces with Old General Qin to stage a coup. After Prince Xian ascended the throne, he made you empress. Your investiture ceremony happened to fall on the very same day the former emperor poisoned himself to death in prison.”
Nan Xun: …
“Baby, this is what you call ‘nothing major’?”
Little Eight coughed twice and went silent.
Nan Xun snorted lightly. “Go on. What other grudges are there? Tell me everything at once.”
Seeing she wasn’t too angry, Little Eight continued. “You and Prince Xian were childhood sweethearts. But in your past life, the emperor issued a single imperial decree to bring you into the palace to secure the Qin family’s power. Oh right, didn’t you ask why the emperor hates you so much? It’s because before he even died in his past life, you were already fooling around with Prince Xian. He personally caught the two of you in the act—rolling around together—and not just once. If he hadn’t been wary of the Qin army’s power, he probably would’ve had you adulterous scum executed on the spot~”
Nan Xun was completely dumbfounded.
“Little Eight,” Nan Xun called gently.
“Huh? What’s up?” Little Eight replied.
“You let me transmigrate into Qin Buyao. Qin Buyao slapped a bright green hat on the emperor in her previous life, and he even caught her multiple times. Are you f*cking with me? You give me an identity like this and expect me to redeem a big boss with an evil-thought value of 100? Do you think my soul comes with holy light that can illuminate the whole world?”
Little Eight said, “I didn’t have much choice either. Actually, Consort Li was the most suitable, but didn’t she get killed by Qin Buyao in her past life? Even though the emperor’s been reborn, there’s no guarantee tragedy won’t repeat itself. Plus, her body isn’t very compatible with your soul. So, all things considered, I chose Qin Buyao.”
Nan Xun’s mouth twitched. “You’re saying Consort Li was killed by Qin Buyao in her past life?”
Little Eight hummed in confirmation. “Why? Is there a problem?”
Nan Xun stared straight up at the sky. “Did you see how the emperor treats Consort Li now?”
“I did,” Little Eight said. “Because when the emperor was about to be overthrown in his past life, all the palace concubines started acting up—except Consort Li, who had already been killed by you. He always believed she was a good person, so after being reborn, he naturally treats her differently.”
Nan Xun sneered. “Let her live until the day the emperor’s overthrown, and we’ll see if she’s still ‘good.’ She might end up being the one who jumps around the most.”
Little Eight said, “But the emperor doesn’t get the chance to see that. In his impression, Consort Li is very pure.”
Nan Xun immediately said, “Is there something stuck over his eyes?”
Little Eight snorted. “Why say it so tactfully? Just say his eyes are smeared with shit.”
Nan Xun replied primly, “I am a dignified and elegant noble consort. How could I say such filthy things?”
Little Eight: …
She really gets into character fast.
Nan Xun said regretfully, “What a pity. I got thrown into the Cold Palace the moment I arrived. Otherwise, I could’ve put on the airs of a noble consort and enjoyed myself for a few more days.”
Little Eight said, “Oh? That really is a shame~”
Nan Xun stroked her chin. “Tell me—why didn’t this tyrant just kill me outright? Why lock me up in the Cold Palace instead? What’s he plotting?”
Little Eight snorted. “This tyrant is already mentally twisted. Right now, he wants to kill everyone, especially you, you shameless adulteress. Do you think just slicing you once would really vent his hatred?”
“Then locking me in the Cold Palace will?”
Little Eight said seriously, “So I’m guessing he’s probably planning to unleash some big move later.”
Nan Xun yawned lazily. “Soldiers come, we block; water comes, we dam it. Let him bring it on—I’m not afraid he won’t.”
Just as Nan Xun was about to fall asleep, she suddenly remembered what Little Eight had promised her and quickly asked, “Little Eight, you said I don’t have to make pancakes in this world. Is that really true?”
