I've Decided To Be This Tyrant's Dark Moonlight - Chapter 10

With sorrow shared, two souls met. Micro-Ying and the ghost girl, united by insomnia, felt their distance shrink instantly.

“Why can’t you sleep?” Micro-Ying asked.

Yun-Shao’s face was pale. She whispered, “I had a nightmare.”

Micro-Ying shook her head. “Poor you.”

At the time, she didn’t know who was responsible for the ghost girl’s misery. She thought Yun-Shao was a palace maiden who had lost the emperor’s favor and was lonely and sleepless. So, she patted Yun-Shao’s shoulder and smiled. “It’s okay. Even though you can’t sleep, I’m sure the person who caused your insomnia can’t either.”

Yun-Shao’s eyes held a glimmer of hope. “Really?” she asked.

Micro-Ying answered with conviction, “Of course!”

She couldn’t believe the dog emperor was sleeping well these days.

The dog emperor sighed again, staring into the thick darkness. Her emaciated body was wrapped in a fox fur cloak, and the dark circles under her eyes were a testament to her sleepless nights. She thought, the culprit…

It couldn’t be those two horses.

This maiden was just comforting her, but it felt nice to be comforted.

Yun-Shao asked, “Then why can’t you sleep?”

Micro-Ying felt a pang in her chest and remained silent for a long time. She lowered her eyes, her pale cheeks drained of color by the night wind. After a while, she took a handful of sunflower seeds from her pocket, handed them to Yun-Shao, and said softly, “Let’s not talk about it. It’s too sad. Come, let’s eat some seeds.”

Yun-Shao silently accepted the seeds and sat with the girl on a step, facing the cold night wind. The tattered red lantern on the eaves swayed in the wind. She found the scene ridiculous but didn’t say anything, lowering her eyes and slowly shelling the seeds.

Micro-Ying said, “Tomorrow… or maybe we won’t see each other again.”

Yun-Shao quickly understood and raised an eyebrow. “Because of the selection?”

Micro-Ying’s expression was lonely. She lowered her head, shelled a handful of seeds, and offered them again. “You have to take these this time, right?”

There was a long silence. Just as she thought the anonymous concubine would refuse again, a faint scent wafted from across. The “ghost girl” took her seeds and said, “We will meet again.”

Micro-Ying showed a very faint smile.

She didn’t know the identity of the person opposite her, but the fact that she could command maids and eunuchs that day meant the ghost girl must be a concubine or a consort of high status. As long as she spoke up, Micro-Ying wouldn’t have to worry about the Consort Shu making things difficult for her.

The Palace Intrigue System suddenly realized, “Host, was this also part of your plan?”

Micro-Ying thought, “I just don’t know who this kind concubine is. When can I repay her?”

The Palace Intrigue System was eager to reveal Yun-Shao’s identity but then heard the host murmur to herself, “The dog emperor has so many beautiful women, yet she still makes them sad. It’s hateful. If only I could rebel.”

The Palace Intrigue System: …

It decided it wouldn’t say anything.

Soon, the ghost girl, as usual, told her to leave. Before leaving, Micro-Ying handed her another handful of sunflower seeds and accidentally touched the back of the ghost girl’s hand. It was smooth and cold, as delicate as jade. Before the ghost girl could get angry, she quickly withdrew her hand and gave an awkward smile.

Fortunately, the ghost girl didn’t mind. She lightly closed the door, then suddenly opened it a crack. “Tomorrow night…”

The ghost girl’s voice was ethereal and beautiful. Micro-Ying was momentarily dazed before asking, “What? I didn’t hear you just now.”

“It’s nothing. Don’t come again in the future.”

The door shut with a snap.

Micro-Ying rubbed her nose and slowly wandered through the deep palace with her lantern. After a few steps, she heard a piercing scream of “Ghost!”

“I’m not a ghost,” she quickly shouted, not wanting the misunderstanding to continue. Unable to see the person opposite her, she walked step by step toward the source of the sound, trying to speak gently. “I’m just a maiden from the Imperial Showroom who got lost. Could you please show me the way, eunuch?”

The little eunuch on the other side held his lantern and asked tremblingly, “R-really?”

Micro-Ying smiled kindly. “I’m not a ghost, look.” She held up her lantern, and the faint candlelight illuminated a face as pale as paper.

The little eunuch trembled even more. Suddenly, his gaze fell upon the girl’s feet, where one red footprint after another, like dripping blood, appeared. He could bear it no longer and screamed, “Ghost!!! Stay away from me!!!”

Before Micro-Ying could say anything else, the little eunuch ran away in terror.

She scratched her head in confusion. “Didn’t I explain it clearly? Am I that scary?”

The system kindly reminded her, “Host, you stepped in cinnabar when you left.”

Micro-Ying: ???

She sighed with melancholy. It seemed there was no way to clear up this misunderstanding.

That night, Yun-Shao lay alone on her couch, seeming to hear the sound of an oriole.

She had another dream.

This time she dreamt of a valley, where a yellow oriole stood on a branch, chirping. Then, a hundred birds sang in chorus, and hundreds and thousands of birds sang freely in the valley.

She stood under the tree, silently watching the scene, her heart filled with envy.

The next day, the emperor, known for her diligence, woke up late and missed the morning court for the first time.

Fu-Shou said, “Your Majesty hasn’t rested well for several days. Today, please don’t attend court and rest more. Your health is important.”

Yun-Shao hadn’t had a nightmare and felt much better. She instructed Fu-Shou, “Bring up the memorials.” As she picked up the vermilion brush to approve the memorials, she remembered something. She looked up. “Is today the last day of the selection?”

On the last day, the maidens were very nervous.

Xiao Qian-Xue got up early. Outside the window, the sky was a deep blue, showing a hazy light. She rubbed her eyes and felt the side of the bed. The bed was already cold, indicating that the person next to her had left a long time ago.

“Ying-Ying?” She ran outside and saw Micro-Ying leaning against a phoenix tree, her eyes closed and her hands tucked into her sleeves.

Xiao Qian-Xue was puzzled. “You’re up so early?” When she saw the dark circles under the girl’s eyes, she was even more surprised. “You didn’t sleep all night, did you? Ying-Ying, don’t be nervous. You’ll definitely succeed!”

Micro-Ying put her index finger to her mouth, shushing her.

Xiao Qian-Xue tilted her head, covered her mouth, and watched her curiously.

After a while, Micro-Ying opened her eyes, and a wisp of a smile appeared in her light-colored eyes. “Did you hear that?”

Xiao Qian-Xue asked, “What?”

Micro-Ying whispered, “The sound of the sky brightening.”

Xiao Qian-Xue’s small head was full of big questions. “Huh?”

Micro-Ying didn’t say anything more and went with her to prepare for the last round of the selection at Yu-Jing-Xuan.

At Yu-Jing-Xuan, the maidens were like a flock of orioles. They stood in the osmanthus grove, chattering about the selection.

When they saw Micro-Ying and Xiao Qian-Xue approach, the maidens fell silent for a moment and then moved away. Gong Bei-Nu’s piercing gaze shot through the crowd.

Xiao Qian-Xue tried to smile at her in a friendly way, after all, they had been scared by a ghost together.

Gong Bei-Nu was stunned for a moment, then huffed and turned her head away. She had already told her sister that she would get rid of these two annoying women during the selection!

She wanted them to leave the palace with their faces covered in dirt and their dignity lost!

Gong Bei-Nu grabbed a handful of osmanthus flowers and squeezed them fiercely, her delicate little face scrunched up.

The maidens’ chattering voices came to an abrupt halt. A woman in palace attire walked out of the flower grove.

Consort Shu’s features were somewhat similar to Gong Bei-Nu’s, but she lacked a certain delicateness and had a more dignified presence. She smiled slightly at the maidens, her gaze falling on Xiao Qian-Xue, and then turning to Micro-Ying.

Micro-Ying looked back.

Consort Shu turned her head away, not giving her a single glance. She sat down in her seat and began the selection.

The maidens’ preparations were nothing more than playing the zither, dancing, embroidering, and arranging flowers.

The autumn sun was bright, and Consort Shu couldn’t help but yawn. She covered her face with a round fan and secretly let out a sleepy yawn, her eyes filled with tired tears.

This kind of thing was usually the responsibility of the female officials, with the concubines only assisting. The female officials would choose some outstanding maidens and then submit the list for her to approve.

The previous maidens were all ordinary. When Consort Shu saw the next one, she raised her eyebrows. “Duan Wei-Ying?”

The female official bowed her head and respectfully replied, “She’s a maiden from Jiangnan.”

Consort Shu held a round fan. When she saw Duan Wei-Ying’s background, the corners of her mouth curled up in disdain. “How did a daughter of the lower class get selected to enter the palace?”

The female official said, “It’s the new rule from the Ministry of Revenue. The background of maidens entering the palace or scholars taking the imperial examination is no longer a factor.”

Consort Shu snorted, expressing her strong disapproval. She fanned herself and her gaze fell on the frail-looking girl in the middle of the courtyard. She said, “The lower class is the lower class. A chicken can’t become a phoenix even if it flies up a phoenix tree.”

Everyone could hear the contempt and sarcasm in her words.

The maidens whispered among themselves. Micro-Ying, standing in the center, remained expressionless. She still spoke in a soft voice, “May I begin?”

Consort Shu raised an eyebrow and smiled. She was about to say “no need to begin” and just dismiss her, but she saw the maiden speak first. “I’ll perform crowing like a rooster.”

Consort Shu froze, the sarcastic words stuck in her throat.

What crowing? What did that mean?

The girl stood under the flower tree, her body covered in flower shadows. She covered her mouth and coughed lightly twice, slightly turning her body, letting the shadow cover her face.

Then, a clear rooster’s crow echoed through Yu-Jing-Xuan.

The Palace Intrigue System, who had just recovered, shouted in a panic, “Host, I told you to ‘amaze with a single feat,’ but not this kind of ‘amazing’!”

Consort Shu was stunned for a moment, then covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. She said to the female official, “See? I just said, a chicken flying up a phoenix tree is still a chicken.”

The maidens burst into laughter. Gong Bei-Nu laughed the loudest, her face turning red.

“Hahaha, what kind of talent is this? Crowing like a chicken?”

“It’s so undignified. Is she worthy of entering the palace? She’s polluting our ears.”

The crowing gradually faded. Just as Consort Shu was about to mock her again, she suddenly heard rustling sounds and the chirping of a yellow oriole. The leaves rustled in the breeze, and the fluffy little bird chirped towards the sun, waking up the entire mountain ridge.

Then, another crisp call was heard.

A maiden exclaimed in surprise, “That’s the sound of a sparrow.”

The sparrows chattered, mixed with the melodious chirping of the yellow oriole. The two birds hopped on the branch, and the sound of their wings flapping and the leaves breaking was clearly audible. The birdsong in the forest gradually increased. Pigeons, thrushes, magpies, kingfishers… All kinds of birds’ melodious calls rose and fell in the mountain forest, singing in harmony.

The maidens’ expressions changed from disdain to surprise. Some began to identify the bird calls. “That’s a thrush! There used to be a thrush outside my door, and it sang like that in the morning.”

“It’s a myna! It’s a cuckoo!”

Other maidens tried to count the bird calls she was imitating. “Eight, nine, ten… So many birds!”

The sunlight passed through the dense leaves, staining the forest a light gold. A deer opened its eyes amidst the chattering birdsong. Its hooves stepped on the soft mud, leaving a trail of footprints, occasionally stepping on a fallen leaf, which broke with a soft sound.

The deer crossed a mountain stream and turned its head to drink. The gurgling of the water and the deer’s calls mingled with the crisp birdsong in the forest, creating a picture of a morning forest. Suddenly, the birds scattered, and the deer’s call became sharp as it turned and fled.

The sound of wolf howls, birdsong, and a growing wind created a tense atmosphere.

The maidens’ faces turned pale. They seemed to see the deer being chased by a fierce wolf, desperately fleeing in the wild. The deer’s hooves crushed broken branches and leaves, tapping on the mountain rocks like a rapid drumbeat, or a frantic heartbeat.

Breathing, running… Just as the maidens grew more and more tense, a sharp whistling arrow interrupted the chase.

The fierce wolf howled in agony. The deer jumped over the mountain stream, and the clip-clop of horse hooves came from afar. The hunting youths rode their horses, dismounted to pick up their spoils, and their laughter, shouts, and dog barks blended together. The youths rode their horses back to the market, their hooves tapping on the bluestone pavement, as crisp as bells.

Compared to the mountain ridge, the newly awakened city presented a different scene.

The city was just waking up, bathed in the morning sun. The eaves and blue tiles sparkled faintly. A few dogs barked in the streets and alleys. Vendors pushed their carts, shouting their wares. The sound of wontons being cooked, the sound of haggling, the sound of doors opening, and the sound of cart wheels rolling painted a picture of a peaceful and prosperous scene.

The maidens smiled when they heard the deer was saved. Now, they craned their necks, as if a painting of the early morning of the capital city appeared before their eyes.

The youths on horseback rode back to the city with laughter, then suddenly seemed startled and reined in their horses. The horses whinnied sharply and quickly moved to the side. Then came the sound of rolling wheels and the coachman’s shouts—they were making way for the officials going to court.

The sound of the wheels stopped, followed by the sound of dismounting, footsteps, and the rustling of clothes. The sounds of high-ranking officials’ carriages and low-ranking officials’ footsteps, followed by the grand sound of bells and drums. The palace gates slowly opened, and a hundred officials entered in order. The Censorate’s officials called out names and recorded them. A moment later, amidst a series of whips cracking, the emperor arrived. The officials kowtowed and shouted, “Long live!”

At the sound of “Long live,” the maidens’ faces changed dramatically. They thought the emperor had arrived and couldn’t help but kneel. When they realized what had happened, they were astonished, and they helped each other up with trembling bodies, looking at each other in disbelief.

When they saw Micro-Ying walk out of the flower shadows, the maidens who had come to their senses applauded loudly, their applause like thunder.

Consort Shu’s face had already turned pale. When she heard “Long live,” she almost knelt down with them, but the female official next to her pulled her, making her realize this was ventriloquism. She covered her frantically beating chest, and looked down again, seeing the program submitted by the maiden earlier.

“A rooster crows and the world turns white—Duan Wei-Ying.”

The Palace Intrigue System couldn’t help but praise, “Host, you’re amazing!”

Micro-Ying asked, “Does this count as ‘amaze with a single feat’?”

The Palace Intrigue System quickly flattered her. “Of course it does! No matter how you look at it, it’s an absolute ‘amaze with a single feat.’ But Host, why did you have to turn behind the flower tree to perform ventriloquism? Was it for the performance effect?”

Micro-Ying said, “Oh, no, I just didn’t want people to see my nimble tongue.”

The Palace Intrigue System asked blankly, “Huh? Why?”

Micro-Ying smiled with her hands in her sleeves. “You don’t understand, little chick. This is called ‘a damsel is innocent, but a special tongue is a crime.'”

The Palace Intrigue System: ???

What weird things are you saying again?

Wait, why did I say “again”?

Consort Shu recovered and saw the maidens still applauding. She was immediately furious and threw the list at the girl’s feet. “Duan Wei-Ying, how dare you! You—”

Before she could finish, she was suddenly interrupted by a soft laugh.

The emperor stood tall and slender, walking out from behind the flower tree, her delicate brows and eyes filled with a faint smile. “She has always been very bold.”

“Y-your Majesty,” Consort Shu’s voice trembled.

The emperor ignored her, her gaze fixed on Micro-Ying. Her voice was filled with a smile. “The palace is filled with song and dance, and I haven’t heard the sound of sparrows for a long time. Will you be my Consort Oriole?”

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