I Quit Being This Female Lead (GL) - Chapter 26

Because she had climbed the roof beam yesterday, Mangkai slept late the next day.

Anyway, since she was idle in the Cold Palace, what else could she do besides sleep?

Mangkai didn’t know that she should, in fact, have been awake and ‘open for business.’

The deposed Empress was still the Empress. Concubines were supposed to come every morning to pay their respects. However, due to the former protagonist’s weakness, fewer and fewer concubines now bothered to show up.

After all, no one believed the deposed Empress could ever make a comeback.

But the recently married concubines still had to follow the rules and pay their respects to Mangkai, such as Consort Chun, who hadn’t come yesterday.

Consort Chun was the newcomer who had been singing and dancing in the Palace of the Emerald Phoenix the night before. She was a princess presented by a vassal state for marriage, and both by custom and reason, she had to be taken into the harem. Therefore, Her Majesty the Female Emperor didn’t hesitate at all; it was just one more mouth to feed, and she could certainly afford it.

“Consort Chun, Consort Chun…”

A female attendant, about twenty years old, walked beside Consort Chun and said to her, “Did you remember the actions for the grand salutation that this servant taught you?”

“It’s so complicated. Who can remember all that?”

“Consort Chun…”

The attendant sighed, saying, “Although Her Highness the Empress has been banished to the Cold Palace, her status has not been revoked. You must still adhere to the rules of the palace.”

“Hmph, what’s the big deal?” Consort Chun said while eating a longan fruit. “She’s a deposed Empress. What do I have to be afraid of?”

“Consort Chun, words can bring misfortune. Please refrain from saying such things.”

“Tsk.”

Consort Chun placed the longan peel in the attendant’s hand, sat back in her sedan chair, and said, “Throw this away for me, Sister. Find a trash can. Littering can incur a fine.”

The attendant stood there blankly, holding the longan peel, unsure what Consort Chun meant by what she had just said.

She looked down at the fruit peel in her hand and sighed helplessly, “Oh…”

And so, Consort Chun had already reached the entrance of the Cold Palace when she was informed that Her Highness the Empress hadn’t woken up yet and was asked to wait outside the palace gates.

The snobbish palace maid beside her was unhappy and said impatiently, “Our Consort Chun has to see His Majesty later! She only made time to pay her respects today. How leisurely Her Highness the Empress is in the Cold Palace; she’s still asleep at this hour?”

The Cold Palace maid was not to be outdone. She sneered and said, “Even if Her Highness the Empress sleeps until sunset, Consort Chun must wait here at the gate. Why bother chattering with so much nonsense? Stand here obediently! If you leave, be careful that Her Highness takes her complaint to His Majesty!”

“How long has it been since the Empress last saw His Majesty? How can she file a complaint? Doesn’t she know that Consort Chun is the most favored concubine in the palace right now!”

“She’s just a princess who can only sing and dance. What’s so great about that? Once you enter the palace, you must follow the rules. If you spout any more nonsense, be careful or I’ll tear your mouth off!”

“Hey, you ugly monkey-faced wretch!”

“You old witch with the blue face and fangs!”

Consort Chun stood outside the palace gates, watching the two maids argue like that, and rolled her eyes helplessly.

Life in ancient times was truly boring. It was only novel when she first arrived. Now that she was in the palace, there were rules everywhere, stricter than living in a boarding school.

Consort Chun: “Ai…”

Xiao Lu peered out from the interior room of the Cold Palace. After looking around, she giggled and ran back inside, smiling at Mangkai, who was still getting ready. “Your Highness, Your Highness, they’re fighting outside the palace gates! They’re fighting fiercely!”

Mangkai was helpless. “Why are you so happy about a fight? Aren’t you going out to stop them?”

“Stop what?” Xiao Lu chuckled, picking up a gold hairpin to pin on Mangkai. She said with a smile, “She didn’t dare come yesterday, so today we should let her get a good scolding. Sister Xiangxiang has the sharpest tongue among us. She’s guaranteed to rip that Consort Chun to shreds!”

Mangkai could tell. The cursing outside was fierce indeed.

“Alright, don’t make things difficult for Consort Chun,” Mangkai advised. “After all, she is the most favored concubine right now. If you offend her, I might be fine, but won’t you maids suffer if you ever fall into her hands later?”

Xiao Lu froze on the spot with the jewelry in her hand. She had only wanted to get revenge for Mangkai and hadn’t thought of that at all.

“I… I didn’t think that far…” Xiao Lu was worried now. Mangkai was right. As the Empress, even if she disliked someone, she couldn’t physically bully them. But it was different for maids like them. Those maids with backgrounds had already left. The ones remaining were either alone or without support. Working for other mistresses would easily lead to bullying. It was better to stay with the Empress in the Cold Palace; although life was tough, at least they wouldn’t be cursed or suffer hardship.

Seeing Xiao Lu look worried, Mangkai stood up and said, “I’ll go out. Let’s not genuinely provoke them.”

Outside the Cold Palace, the two maids had escalated their argument.

Consort Chun stood in the shadow next to the palace wall, cracking melon seeds and listening to their loud argument, acting like a bystand enjoying the drama.

“Why are they only arguing and not fighting?” Consort Chun wondered. “It’s so boring just arguing. Why don’t they actually start hitting each other?”

Seeing that the two maids were red in the face and neck but showed no intention of fighting, Consort Chun felt bored. She didn’t want to pay her respects today. Coming all this way in a sedan chair had left her with a headache.

“Enough, stop arguing.”

Just as Consort Chun was about to speak, she saw a person walk out of the Cold Palace.

The person had bright eyes, white teeth, and snowy skin. A pair of light-colored pupils gently scanned the scene, and she opened her mouth with a helpless expression. “Alright, everyone, stop arguing.”

Consort Chun: “…”

What a beautiful older sister! Even prettier than Her Majesty the Female Emperor.

The beautiful Empress Sister was wearing an elegant long dress. Although simple, the small details everywhere indicated wealth. The red and green inlaid gold patterns left Consort Chun stunned where she stood.

This is the Empress who was banished to the Cold Palace?

Consort Chun involuntarily forgot to breathe. Why would that Female Emperor banish such a beautiful sister to the Cold Palace? Is there something wrong with her brain?

Mangkai realized from the start that someone was watching her, staring quite rudely. She followed the gaze and saw a girl in a pure white gauze dress, looking innocent and beautiful, standing not far away, mouth open, staring blankly at her.

Why is she looking at me like that?

Mangkai was a little worried. Did I wear something wrong?

“Greetings to Her Highness the Empress.”

When the maids saw Mangkai come out, they quickly bowed.

After completing her bow, the female attendant instinctively glanced at Consort Chun, only to find that the girl was standing straight up, not even bending her knees!

Hiss!!!

I told this woman she needed to perform the grand salutation! Why is she still standing there like an idiot!!!

The attendant wanted to remind her, but she saw Consort Chun run over in two or three steps, excitedly grabbing the Empress’s hand, her face flushed, and loudly declaring, “Good fortune to Your Highness the Empress! You are so beautiful, I came to pay my respects to you!”

Mangkai: “…”

The attendant: “…”

The palace maids: “…”

Is this Consort Chun an idiot????

In the Female Emperor’s sleeping quarters.

Xun Fangwen sat on a chair, propping her chin with one hand, casually looking at today’s memorials.

They were mostly reports of minor calamities and difficulties.

Two extra snowfalls in the east, a few forest fires in the west.

Poverty alleviation was getting better in the south, and black-market power was diminishing in the north.

Overall, the nation was moving toward prosperity, all thanks to the Female Emperor’s reign.

Xun Fangwen was very satisfied with this simulated game. Contentedly, she drew a circle on the memorial and added a few comments to indicate a good performance.

“Your Majesty.”

At that moment, a female attendant came into the hall. After bowing, she said, “Consort Chun went to pay her respects to Her Highness the Empress today.”

Xun Fangwen thought of the girl sitting on the roof last night and couldn’t help but ask, “And then?”

“According to the maids of the Palace of the Emerald Phoenix, Her Highness the Empress and Consort Chun got along exceptionally well.”

“Oh?”

Xun Fangwen was a little curious. She propped her chin and looked at the attendant in front of her, saying lazily, “Since when did the Empress have such good social skills that she managed to win over Consort Chun?”

The attendant said calmly, “It seems Consort Chun was very interested in Her Highness the Empress. She kept holding her hand and chatting, and their relationship was extremely close.”

Xun Fangwen tried to imagine the two women laughing and talking together, but she couldn’t picture it.

Consort Chun was a princess from a vassal state for marriage. From the start, Xun Fangwen had no interest in her. After holding a ceremony and saving face by receiving her into the palace with great honor, she had not looked at the girl again.

Over the years, Xun Fangwen had been trying to find Mangkai. After ascending the throne, she had sent out missing person notices across the country. Over the years, she had indeed found a few people who looked very similar to Mangkai, but none of them were her.

In recent years, the look-alikes had become even fewer.

Xun Fangwen looked at the memorial in front of her and suddenly felt uninterested.

Even if she played this simulated game perfectly, what was the point if she couldn’t find Mangkai?

The attendant saw her suddenly become impatient and asked, “Would you like to take the time to visit Her Highness the Empress?”

“Why would I visit her?”

“I heard that Her Highness the Empress has been feeling unwell recently…”

Xun Fangwen chuckled. “Feeling unwell? I saw she was quite energetic when she was climbing the roof and smashing the wall.”

The attendant: “?”

Xun Fangwen: “…Never mind.”

She cleared her throat and said, “You may leave first.”

“Yes.”

That same night.

When Xun Fangwen climbed onto her palace roof again, she subconsciously looked towards the Cold Palace.

The roof was empty.

Xun Fangwen pouted. Why am I looking over there? Do I really want to see that woman again?

With that, she sat down.

Her instrument this time was still that flute. Although it was a common bamboo flute, it was very comfortable to use, and Xun Fangwen liked it very much.

The clear, serene flute music slowly spread through the palace. Xun Fangwen closed her eyes, savoring the rare tranquility.

‘Clatter—’

Just then, Xun Fangwen heard something fall onto the tile. She opened her eyes and followed the sound, seeing a human shape lying sprawled on the roof of the Cold Palace.

Xun Fangwen: “…”

Mangkai: “Sister Musician, I climbed up again!”

Xun Fangwen: “…”

Mangkai: “Sister Musician, what song are you playing today? Can I make a request?”

Xun Fangwen: “…”

You want to make a request???

Do you think this is an outdoor karaoke bar!!!