I've Decided To Be This Tyrant's Dark Moonlight - Chapter 46

Without even three seconds of happiness, Wei Ying suddenly froze, staring straight at Xiao Qianxue.

Xiao Qianxue tilted her head: “Yingying?”

Wei Ying remembered the later part of the story—how the female protagonist, after her last return from the Cold Palace, was pregnant with the dragon heir. Later, it was also because of the child in her womb that she truly rose in status.

But now, the emperor is a woman, so the child in the protagonist’s womb…

Does the female protagonist really have a child?

The more Wei Ying pondered, the more she felt that the “dog emperor” was completely green in the head. Surely the dog emperor knows she’s been cuckolded, yet still generously grants the female protagonist the title of Guifei—it seems she’s quite the seasoned strategist.

But Wei Ying decided to just be a happy little fool—not only happy but foolish—and stopped overthinking the plot, quickly removing this matter from her mind.

She clapped her hands: “Let’s reopen the business!”

Xiao Qianxue jumped up excitedly: “Yay!”

Ever since Yingying’s Half-Immortal Agency reopened, Anle Hall became lively once more.

The noisy western wind changed to the northern wind, then to the eastern wind; changing winds, changing seasons—soon it was the day Wei Ying and Xiao Qianxue had to leave Anle Hall.

Wei Ying and Xiao Qianxue stood at the entrance of Anle Hall, eyes covered with black silk cloth.

The three-month period was up, the noble one returns! No more enduring in silence!

Inside, Hongzhu called out, “Master, come eat!”

They tossed aside their blindfolds and ran to the dining table excitedly, picking up their chopsticks. “So sumptuous!”

These past days, they had had a lot of fun together and grown close, so now, as parting drew near, they felt some reluctance.

Shi Pei specially prepared a farewell feast, laying out a table full of delicious food. By palace rules, servants could not sit at the same table with imperial consorts, but Wei Ying and Xiao Qianxue always disliked rules and invited everyone to eat together.

After eating, it was time to leave. The palace staff lined up to bid them farewell with reluctance.

Shi Pei held Wei Ying’s hand tightly: “Noble one, come visit often, okay?”

Wei Ying: “I’ll definitely come back.”

Xiao Qianxue also said enthusiastically: “We will definitely return!”

The warhorse neighed once and stomped its hooves. Granny Zhang patted its head, thinking quietly that, well… there’s no need to come again.

After spending three months together, her Cold Palace survival skills were severely shaken. When leaving Anle Hall, she felt somewhat dazed, as if she hadn’t been exiled to the Cold Palace with these two for three months, but had instead traveled the countryside, warmly received by the simple villagers.

The “simple villagers” held her hand and didn’t want to let go, putting on a scene of heartfelt attachment.

Finally, Wei Ying and Xiao Qianxue poked their heads out of the carriage, waving as it slowly drove away from Anle Hall and back to the bustling palace gardens.

Xiao Qianxue was the first to jump out of the carriage, glancing around.

Granny Zhang asked in confusion: “Young mistress, what are you looking for?”

Xiao Qianxue: “Didn’t Gongbei and Gongjieyu come?” Before anyone could answer, she sighed, melancholic: “I just feel like she would have come.”

At this moment, this person shouldn’t be showing up to mock them, belittle them, and flaunt the favor she received in the meantime?

She had rehearsed the scene for Gongbeinu in her mind, only to find the other party didn’t follow the script, and she felt a little disappointed.

Wei Ying also jumped out of the carriage and asked: “What’s the matter?”

Xiao Qianxue voiced her inner thoughts. Wei Ying couldn’t help laughing, eyes crinkling, patting her shoulder: “You’ve grown; now you even write scripts in your head.”

Xiao Qianxue clenched her fists: “Exactly! Maybe if I try hard, I could develop like Yi Nianpeng Qianqiu Yue!”

Wei Ying covered her mouth, smiling, walking side by side with her: “So, what do you want to write?”

Xiao Qianxue: “I want to write about Guifei!”

Wei Ying smiled, about to say something, when she noticed a golden flash approaching. Looking closer, it was Gongbeinu, dressed in gold and jade, swaying her tail like a peacock, walking toward them.

Xiao Qianxue’s eyes lit up, rushing forward: “You really came!”

Gongbeinu had been hiding there, watching them leave the Cold Palace in a mess. After seeing the two endure three months in the Cold Palace, seeing her in luxurious clothing, they would surely feel ashamed and kneel, calling her “Madam!”

Then she could easily mock them and show off that her outfit was a New Year gift from His Majesty, proof of the emperor’s favor.

But now Xiao Qianxue rushed over, disrupting her thoughts.

Gongbeinu, facing Xiao Qianxue’s sparkling eyes, lowered her head in embarrassment, hesitated, and finally remembered her purpose—to show off her beautiful new dress!

Before she could speak, Xiao Qianxue exclaimed: “Wow, your dress is so pretty!”

Gongbeinu proudly puffed her chest: “Of course, it’s—”

Wei Ying smiled and cut in: “It’s the material gifted by His Majesty, right? His Majesty really favors you. We’re so envious!”

Xiao Qianxue nodded repeatedly: “Yes, we’re so envious!”

Gongbeinu, intoxicated by their envious gazes, said dazedly: “His Majesty favors me! You, staying in the Cold Palace, would never understand, hmph~”

Xiao Qianxue and Wei Ying exchanged a glance and then laughed.

“Yingying, see, my writing is great, exactly as I imagined the story going.”

Wei Ying smiled: “Yes, yes, so you must be hiding as Yi Nianpeng, right?”

Just as Gongbeinu thought they would kneel and call her “Madam,” the two walked past, happily chatting about the script—they left… leaving…

Gongbeinu, flustered, shouted after them: “You… you can’t leave!”

The two of them simultaneously turned their heads.

Gongbeinu seemed to want to prove something, twisted her hips, letting the skirt ripple: “This is the fabric gifted by His Majesty, rare material! Look at these pleats.”

She twisted again, twirled again.

Wei Ying couldn’t help but “pfft” and burst out laughing.

Xiao Qianxue laughed along: “Madam dances so uniquely.”

Little Bijie squinted, glaring at them: “I want to show you my dress!”

Wei Ying laughed: “It’s beautiful; we like it. Do you want to give it to us?”

Gongbeinu: “His Majesty gave it to me! These days, I’ve been the sole favorite!”

She had hinted so obviously, could they not show some envy?

Xiao Qianxue looked at her, suddenly understanding, and began twisting her own hips, letting her pleated skirt ripple like water, embroidered with flying butterflies.

“See my skirt?”

Only then did Gongbeinu focus on her dress, quickly realizing it was also made of valuable material. She paled and quietly asked: “Did His Majesty give this to you too?”

Xiao Qianxue proudly: “Guifei gave it to me~”

She linked arms with Wei Ying and walked away, still swaying her hips as they left.

Gongbeinu: …??

Shouldn’t receiving a gift from Guifei be something to brag about? Shouldn’t they be jealous since they are not the emperor’s women?

Inside Yulu Hall, a table full of food had already been prepared.

Consort Xian personally cooked, laying out a full table of delicious food to welcome the two little ones just returned home.

She stood at the door, lifted the beaded curtain, and smiled: “Welcome home.”

Xiao Qianxue ran forward to hug Consort Xian: “Sister Xianfei, we missed you~”

Consort Xian tapped her head: “You miss my cooking, right, Yingying?” She held Wei Ying’s hand: “Last time I saw you, you had gained some weight. How did you lose it again?”

Xiao Qianxue wanted to mention what happened on New Year’s Eve: “That’s because she—”

Their eyes met and they shrank their necks, suddenly silent: Yingying seemed to not want others to know.

Consort Xian noticed their interaction and first said sadly: “Yingying is starting to keep secrets from me.”

The little one she fed with her own hands had grown up and now was keeping secrets.

Then, she thought of something, softly asking: “Is this a little secret between the two of you?”

Xiao Qianxue thought and nodded: “I guess so?”

Consort Xian’s mood soared instantly, beaming with joy, eyes shining with familiar light: “That’s wonderful! Don’t tell me, and don’t tell anyone! You should have a little secret between you.”

Xiao Qianxue blinked in confusion but quickly turned her attention elsewhere: “Madam looks much better!”

Consort Xian’s complexion was radiant, without the previous fatigue, eyes always smiling, seeming very happy.

Hearing this, she still smiled: “Recently, the Empress has been communicating with me a lot. She’s open-minded and doesn’t care about past matters.”

The Empress seemed cold and unapproachable, but during collaboration, she was gentle, considerate, meticulous in thought, with high literary talent and eloquence.

Consort Xian thought, how could the busy scholars back then fail to see her modest talent? If the Empress were male, she would surely be a man capable of managing the empire.

Thinking of the Empress’s posture while reading memorials, Consort Xian sighed softly.

Wei Ying asked: “Why do you sigh, Madam?”

Consort Xian: “I was thinking that the sisters in the deep palace are all talented with lofty ambitions, yet I’ve been idle, thinking of writing scripts, practicing calligraphy, making pastries…”

Xiao Qianxue: “That’s good too!”

Consort Xian shook her head: “I just feel the sisters’ talents are wasted. Do you know? Before the Empress entered the palace, her fame amazed the world. Before Guifei entered the palace, she was a much-admired young general.”

Speaking of Guifei, Xiao Qianxue’s eyes lit up, nodding repeatedly, showering Guifei with praise.

Consort Xian smiled, rubbing her head, gazing out the window, muttering: “If one day the sisters can fly out of this cage and fulfill their wishes…”

But even if they could leave the palace, they could not escape worldly judgment. As daughters, they were always looked down upon, as if marriage and raising children were their destined path.

She rubbed her forehead and thought of the Empress focused under the lamp, sighing again.

The Empress is so beautiful! If only she could often be with Yingying! Then I would have new inspiration for my writing!

Wei Ying had a thought, poked at her bowl with chopsticks, smiling: “Madam, has Yi Nianpeng released a new work yet?”

Consort Xian instinctively said: “Recently, she’s been busy…” She quickly corrected: “She’s been busy, so she hasn’t focused on scripts. The palace maids haven’t told me, so presumably, she hasn’t published anything.”

Xiao Qianxue pouted: “Qianqiuyue hasn’t either. Sigh, is she busy? Did they make an arrangement?”

Consort Xian: …

Wei Ying asked: “Madam, what has the Empress been busy with lately?”

Consort Xian’s lips curved subtly: “Besides palace affairs, the Beiyue envoys are entering the capital to discuss border matters.”

Wei Ying then realized that spring was coming soon, and the Beiyue envoys were about to arrive.

In the original story, this is also an important plot point: the female protagonist discovers the envoys’ scheming, informs the emperor, and together they outwit the envoys, completing sweet and bonding interactions. After the envoys leave, the emperor grants the female protagonist the title of Meiren.

She thought of this as the palace intrigue system started issuing missions:

“After the envoy plot concludes, advance to become Meiren, complete the reward card draw once (guaranteed blue card), fusion degree 10, points reward 20.”

Wei Ying rested her chin on her hand, pondering the plot.

Thinking, Xiao Qianxue suddenly noticed the melting ice outside the window and exclaimed: “Yingying, didn’t you say we’d become sworn sisters in spring?!”

Consort Xian: “Sworn… sisters?”

Wei Ying stiffly nodded, pointing outside: “After the peach blossoms bloom in the imperial garden. By the way, it’s best to have three sworn sisters. Sister Xianfei, will you join?”

Consort Xian had been slightly moved at the idea of a sworn sisterhood, but the words “sworn sisters” made her think more deeply. She asked: “What’s the procedure for your sisterhood?”

Hearing the peach blossoms and flowing water, she imagined a romantic scene:

Peach petals drifting like rain, girls under the blossoms pledging lifelong sisterhood, never to betray each other—so beautiful!

Wei Ying: “Burn yellow paper, offer three sacrifices, cut a chicken’s head, pledge blood!”

Xiao Qianxue passionately: “Not same year, month, or day of birth, only wish to die on same year, month, and day!”

Wei Ying looked at her: “Good sister!”

Xiao Qianxue held her hand: “Good sister!”

The atmosphere shifted drastically, from romantic peach blossom scenery to battlefield grandeur, swords flashing.

Consort Xian’s heart thumped as if something shattered, clutching her chest, finally tremblingly speaking: “Stop. When you go, inform me in advance.”

Wei Ying asked happily: “Madam, will you come too?”

Consort Xian: “…I will stay away in advance.”

Spring wind blew, buds sprouted on the peach trees. Overnight, the blossoms bloomed in layers of pink clouds across the imperial garden.

Wei Ying and Xiao Qianxue stood amid falling petals, gazing resolutely at each other.

“Good sister!”

“Good sister!”

Green wax poured them each a cup of wine. They clinked cups heavily and drank in one go.

Xiao Qianxue felt heroic, even wanting to cry to the sky.

Hand in hand with Wei Ying, they looked into each other’s eyes.

The palace intrigue system sighed silently, trying to save the plot—it truly worked hard, but alas, the host was so talented.

In recent days, the emperor had summoned Wei Ying at night several times. Wei Ying had always declined, claiming illness, skillfully skipping attendance, just like skipping class in her youth.

Thus, when she and Xiao Qianxue returned to Yulu Hall, seeing the red-clad eunuch at the door, they didn’t think much: “Sir, please tell him I’m sick today, so I won’t go.”

Xiao Qianxue eagerly volunteered: “I’ll go!”

Wei Ying was skilled at grinding ink, an expert.

Onlookers whispered, thinking—even in sharing courtly duties, the bond between the two noble ones is remarkable.

With a benevolent smile, the eunuch said: “Noble ladies, this time it is not His Majesty summoning you.”

Xiao Qianxue: “Eh, then who is it?”

Yun Shao emerged from the hall, standing in shadow, staring at the girls’ flushed faces, then at their linked hands, before solemnly saying after a moment: “I heard Noble Ying is unwell, so I came to visit.”

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