Chapter 17

Li Shuyao spoke with utmost conviction. Guo Luoluo Qingyao found it hard not to believe her. After a brief moment of contemplation, she shook her head, casting aside all her worries, and eagerly grasped Li Shuyao’s hand to discuss what they should do for fun today.

Ling Luo brought over a heavy food box, silently opened it, and carefully arranged the white porcelain plates on the table before pouring two cups of fragrant, sweet milk tea.

Her eyes scanned the room thoroughly: the corners of the table and chair handles had been wrapped in thick cotton cloth as instructed; the rug on the floor was soft and smooth, not prickly underfoot; the windows of the inner room were open for ventilation, while the outer windows were tightly shut.

Sharp objects like scissors and needles had all been put away, and there was no clutter on the shelves or cabinets.

After a cautious final check, she took the food box outside, closed the main door, called a young palace maid to guard the room, and hurried off towards the Imperial Medical Office.

— The young mistress now had Shuyao’s company; the two of them would probably overeat again, leading to indigestion and restless nights.

Therefore, she needed to fetch some digestive pills from the imperial physicians and bring back a pot of hawthorn tea from the imperial kitchen, just in case.

*

Time quickly advanced into May.

The fifth day of the fifth lunar month was the Dragon Boat Festival, traditionally marked by a grand palace feast.

However, due to ongoing wars in various regions over recent years and the absence of a reigning Empress—with the throne vacant—the palace had not held an official Dragon Boat Festival banquet for several years.

It was expected that this year would be no different, yet unexpectedly, the Imperial Household Department suddenly received a direct imperial edict ordering them to swiftly prepare all arrangements for the festival feast.

The previous dynasty’s banquet was to be held in the Palace of Heavenly Purity; the harem’s feast was arranged in the Qinan Hall of the Imperial Garden; even the Empress Dowager’s Cining Palace was to host a corresponding banquet for the late emperor’s consorts to gather and celebrate.

— The edict arrived in late April, just days before the festival.

Upon receiving the decree, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department wept openly, unable to compose himself for a long time.

Since then, every young eunuch in and out of the department seemed to have sprouted two pairs of wings, bustling around so swiftly that Li Shuyao often couldn’t even glimpse their shadows.

She couldn’t help but marvel at their talent, thinking they could easily sweep gold medals if sent to the Olympics.

Li Shuyao felt deep sympathy for her “colleagues” in the Imperial Household Department.

Then, her thoughts suddenly shifted as she realized a crucial plot thread was swiftly passing by.

Counting on her fingers, she roughly reviewed the original novel’s storyline in her mind, her delicate face instantly paling in alarm.

If she recalled correctly, Qingyao was also attending this Dragon Boat Festival banquet.

Before this, although the consorts knew that there was an official maid in the rear quarters who was highly favored by the emperor, she held no formal rank and was essentially still a palace maid.

Unless she was officially promoted during her peak favor, when her beauty faded or the emperor found a new favorite, her fate would be worse than that of an ordinary palace maid.

— After all, palace maids could be released from the palace once they reached a certain age, but those who had served the emperor as official maids could not be allowed to leave.

They would be left to brood in the rear chambers, slowly withering away.

Thus, the consorts only paid mild attention to Guo Luoluo Qingyao’s situation; seeing she had been favored for over a month without being made a consort, they lost interest.

Who would have expected the emperor to permit her, as an official maid, to attend the Dragon Boat Festival banquet?

This was a blatant declaration of his unique favor for Guo Luoluo Qingyao and a hint that she was destined to become a consort.

Even being promised a rank of Noble Lady at the very least, and if she were fortunate enough to bear an imperial heir in the future, she would become the youngest and most recently inducted principal consort in the palace.

How could those who had endured years as secondary consorts accept this quietly?

What would Empress Niuhulu and Noble Consort Tong think?

Li Shuyao’s mind was a whirlwind of chaotic thoughts, completely forgetting that at this moment, Niuhulu Empress and Noble Consort Tong had not yet received formal investiture and were still consorts only.

---

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice her tender palm being squeezed by sharp nails. After a moment, she cried out in pain, withdrawing her fingers to see two small, vividly red crescent marks on her pale palm.

Li Shuyao pouted in grievance, lightly tapping the fingers of her other hand with the sore palm.

...How useless!

*

While Li Shuyao fretted anxiously over her close friend Qingyao’s imminent debut before the harem consorts, Guo Luoluo Qingyao had already secured an imperial edict allowing Li Shuyao to accompany her to the palace banquet.

When Ling Luo informed Li Shuyao of this shocking news, she was so startled she almost dropped her teacup.

Ah, she had completely forgotten about this!

In the novel, the original “Li Shuyao,” after being incited by Wu Yalianchu, boldly climbed onto the dragon bed and was executed by imperial flogging by the enraged emperor.

Wu Yalianchu then used Li Shuyao’s death to gain favor with Qingyao, becoming her best-known close sister and even persuading her to allow her to attend the Dragon Boat Festival banquet to see the world.

Unexpectedly, a major incident of “stealing imperial gifts” occurred at the banquet.

All palace staff underwent rigorous questioning and body searches.

Thanks to Noble Consort Tong’s meticulous scheming, suspicion swung back and forth between Wu Yalianchu and another palace maid.

Wu Yalianchu was tortured for two whole days by the Court of Judicial Punishment until the other palace maid broke under the torture and revealed the whereabouts of the missing pearl, leading to Wu Yalianchu’s release.

...

At present, Wu Yalianchu was still detained in the palace maid quarters.

Because Li Shuyao had avoided the premature death in the plot, she was still alive, denying Wu Yalianchu a chance to get close to Qingyao.

Therefore... the person Qingyao brought to the banquet had to be her?

She... she was going to take Wu Yalianchu’s place in the plot?

Li Shuyao was overwhelmed with panic, clutching Ling Luo’s hand repeatedly for confirmation.

Ling Luo, puzzled by her pale complexion, thought for a moment then comforted her by patting her hand.

“Don’t be afraid...”

“Afraid... afraid, afraid or not, no, not afraid, impossible...” Li Shuyao’s teeth chattered nervously, barely aware of her own words.

Voices sounded both near and far, and she could only make out Ling Luo’s moving lips after a long moment.

Ling Luo gave a helpless smile and continued to soothe her: “The young mistress is here, and the emperor is here too. What are you afraid of?”

Afraid of what? Of course, afraid of being written out.

Li Shuyao helplessly released Ling Luo’s hand, crouched on a small stool, and hugged herself pitifully.

Others who transmigrated into novels were often impressive—adept in palace intrigue, skilled at making money, able to survive every predicament and rise to the top, enjoying a life of freedom and abundance.

Why was it always her... either about to be written out, or just written out?

Like clockwork, as punctual as an eight o’clock morning alarm.

Did the universe really dislike this little cannon fodder who had barely clung to life and preferred to suffer rather than die?

Or... could this be a kind of warning?

*

Perhaps the great author was telling her that once written out, she could transmigrate back to the modern world...

Li Shuyao hugged her knees tightly, her mind in chaos from stress.

...

As the saying goes, “An inch of time is an inch of gold, but three inches of time is a triple fortune.”

[1]

A few days after “fortune,” the Dragon Boat Festival arrived.

According to palace protocol, the emperor held a banquet in the Palace of Heavenly Purity with the clan’s nobles and officials in the morning.

As the sun climbed high, the emperor would first visit the Cining Palace to pay respects to the two venerable ancestors, then lead the consorts—who had spent the morning there—to the Imperial Garden for the second half of the festivities.

The banquet in the Palace of Heavenly Purity was organized by the Imperial Household Department, whose staff only assisted, following Liang Jiugong’s arrangements—pouring wine, serving dishes, running errands, guiding guests, and so forth.

Only the servants in the tea room and a select few positions, directly under Liang Jiugong’s command and serving the emperor exclusively, were spared from being shuffled about by the Household Department.

They rarely had a day off and now quietly rested in their rooms.

Except Li Shuyao, who had been summoned early by Qingyao’s attendant, Ling Luo, and taken without question to Qingyao’s room in the rear quarters.

Guo Luoluo Qingyao had already prepared a banquet outfit for her—a pale green dress resembling the standard palace maid uniform but far more elegant and form-fitting, making one suspect she was a rather unruly palace maid.

Li Shuyao lifted her eyelids listlessly and murmured, “It’s pointless. I’m a palace maid. Even if the emperor permits me to attend the banquet as an exception, I still have to wear what palace maids wear and stand where palace maids stand.”

“At that time, I’ll just stand behind you and watch you eat and drink. If you remember me, slip me a snack. If you don’t...”

“What if I don’t?” Guo Luoluo Qingyao suddenly became curious.

Li Shuyao pouted, “Then I’ll starve to death!”

“Starve to death, huh? Then you won’t have to come back.”

“Pfft.”

“Pfft—hahaha.”

Guo Luoluo Qingyao and Ling Luo nearly laughed themselves silly.

Li Shuyao shot them a fiery glare from the side, feeling even more aggrieved as their laughter went on endlessly.

...

After some time, Qingyao kept trying to pin all sorts of ornate hairpins into Li Shuyao’s hair, all of which Li Shuyao promptly removed.

She had resolved to be the most inconspicuous person in the crowd—she didn’t want to attract any unnecessary trouble!

With that in mind, she carefully reminded Qingyao once more, “Remember, once we get to Qinan Hall, absolutely don’t say you know me. No, I didn’t mean that. I mean, don’t act too familiar with me. I’m afraid of jealousy and being set up.”

Guo Luoluo Qingyao: “...”

She really wanted to ask, Shuyao, have you been reading too many novels?

The investiture ceremony was imminent, and the consorts were probably too busy worrying about themselves.

Who would want to target a little palace maid now?

What would they gain from it?