Transmigrated as the Villainous Emperor's Disaster-Bringing Concubine - Chapter 3

Bai Fuxue lay flat on the cold, hard bed.

Songluo fanned her from the side, lamenting, “Your Highness, His Majesty hasn’t visited for several days now.”

Bai Fuxue replied, “Hmm, it’s good that he hasn’t come.”

Songluo’s pretty little face scrunched up in distress, and she nearly dropped the fan.

“Your Highness! Everything we have is given by His Majesty. Ever since the new emperor ascended the throne, you’ve been confined to the cold palace.”

How are we supposed to live like this!

Bai Fuxue’s mind was completely blank.

Not having to work was great no need to serve the boss (the emperor), no early mornings, no fetching tea or water.

It was the perfect retirement life.

Bai Fuxue’s train of thought was on a completely different track from Songluo’s.

The beauty sighed.

The hidden guard perched on the roof beam frowned deeply. This consort was far too calm.

Wasn’t she supposed to be playing hard to get, luring His Majesty to visit her?

The hidden guard picked up a small notebook and recorded Bai Fuxue’s daily activities.

Songluo heard footsteps outside and exclaimed joyfully, “Your Highness, the Imperial Kitchen has delivered lunch!”

Bai Fuxue lazily rose from the bed, draping a thin gauze robe over herself that left little to the imagination.

The hidden guard on the roof beam immediately closed his eyes, pondering for a long while before jotting down a few words in his notebook.

This consort was far too careless!

If they knew that Bai Fuxue wouldn’t even bother wearing the gauze if it weren’t for her maid, they’d probably be furious.

Bai Fuxue faintly heard an argument outside.

A shrill-voiced eunuch sneered, “Take a look at yourselves! Does your consort even deserve to eat lavish meals? Be grateful for what you get!”

This was followed by Songluo’s furious curses as she chased the eunuch away.

A moment later, Songluo returned with red-rimmed eyes, placing the meal on the worn wooden table and saying hoarsely, “Your Highness, look! The Imperial Kitchen sent this rubbish again!”

On the table were two plates of leafy greens and a small pot of stewed radish with only a few specks of oil floating on top.

It was utterly pitiful.

The greens even had bite marks from insects.

And when she sniffed, the rice had a slightly sour smell.

Bai Fuxue ignored the rice and picked up some greens to eat a few bites.

Songluo was on the verge of tears, saying, “Your Highness! How can His Majesty be so heartless, letting people treat you like this!”

Bai Fuxue slowly put down her chopsticks, feeling a bit troubled.

Where could she get some decent food.

Xiao Shizhi held a piece of paper delivered by the hidden guard, detailing Bai Fuxue’s daily activities and words.

Xiao Shizhi raised an eyebrow. “Has she been eating poorly lately?”

Li Dequan, standing nearby, felt his heart race, unsure of what schemes the emperor had in mind.

Since she was being watched, she must be favored, yet the emperor allowed the Imperial Kitchen staff to mistreat her.

Before Bai Fuxue could come to her, Xiao Shizhi couldn’t hold back any longer.

Xiao Shizhi said coldly, “I’ll go see her.”

With Bai Fuxue’s delicate, clingy-vine personality, how could she not be scheming in her heart?

Li Dequan followed cautiously, not daring to guess the empress’s thoughts.

The cold palace was quite a distance from the Zichen Hall.

The palanquin deliberately took shaded paths, so the journey took longer than usual.

Li Dequan cautiously said, “Minister Li is waiting at the Hanyuan Hall, Your Majesty. Isn’t this a bit inappropriate?”

Xiao Shizhi, seated in the palanquin, narrowed her phoenix eyes. Her dark green robe looked especially luxurious in the shifting light and shadow.

Xiao Shizhi said, “Let him wait, no rush.”

At most, he was just scheming against Bai Fuxue’s family again, like a swarm of flies circling a sickly lion.

Xiao Shizhi alighted from her sedan chair not far away, instructing the servants to wait nearby.

She smiled faintly, wondering what Bai Fuxue was doing at that moment.

Was she trembling with fear, weeping softly, or obediently doing needlework?

Such a delicate beauty must be drenched in tears, nibbling on bland vegetables without a trace of meat.

Before she even approached, Xiao Shizhi spotted several palace maids waiting outside.

Were they Consort Lin’s attendants?

Xiao Shizhi entered silently, signaling the maids not to announce her arrival.

Through a thin wall, she could faintly hear the voices of two women.

Consort Lin sobbed, “When the late emperor was alive, you always took such good care of me, sister. Every time I entered the palace, you looked after me. How could things have come to this wretched state.”

Bai Fuxue replied, “It’s alright, it’s not that bad.”

Bai Fuxue observed the other woman’s emaciated frame. Though traces of her former elegance remained, she always appeared sickly.

Her inner sorrow manifested as dark circles under her eyes, and her cat-like eyes had lost all their sparkle.

Consort Lin continued weeping, “Noble Consort Rong is truly outrageous. She sends nourishing soups to His Majesty’s palace every day, and His Majesty actually enjoys them! Even under house arrest, she’s restless, constantly complaining of heart palpitations and demanding His Majesty’s attention!”

Tears streamed down Consort Lin’s face. “Even the Empress can’t do anything about her! What are we concubines supposed to do?”

Consort Lin lamented, “Since I was brought into His Majesty’s residence, he has never once touched me! How am I supposed to live like this!”

Xiao Shizhi’s eyebrow twitched. She had completely forgotten about Consort Lin’s existence.

Bai Fuxue patted her sister’s shoulder. “What’s so special about His Majesty anyway?”

Consort Lin: ?!

Xiao Shizhi: ????

Bai Fuxue fanned herself. “You have everything you need, sister. You’re one of the Nine Concubines now – your food, clothing, and provisions won’t be lacking.”

Consort Lin looked horrified. “Sister, you mustn’t say such things! What if His Majesty hears? What would happen then?!”

Bai Fuxue said lazily, “Hah, I’m already in the cold palace. The worst His Majesty can do is hang me, right?”

Consort Lin: “True.”

Bai Fuxue lay on her bed like a salted fish. “There’s one thing I’d like to ask of you, sister.”

Consort Lin immediately responded, “Please speak, sister.”

Whether it was about leaving the cold palace or pleading for the Bai family, Consort Lin had her connections after all these years by Xiao Shizhi’s side.

Xiao Shizhi narrowed her eyes, her gaze flickering.

Here it comes.

Bai Fuxue was showing her true colors.

After hiding for so many days, she finally couldn’t hold back.

Bai Fuxue said in her salted-fish manner, “Do you have people in the Imperial Kitchen? Could you tell them not to send spoiled food tomorrow?”

Consort Lin: ???

That’s it?

Bai Fuxue whined, “It would be nice to have some meat. It’s summer, we should be eating duck. How about half a salted braised duck?”

Consort Lin: “…”

Bai Fuxue looked pitiful. “A quarter would be fine too.”

Consort Lin massaged her forehead. “Alright, I’ll have it sent to you tonight.”

Before leaving, Consort Lin looked at her with concern. “Sister, you.” Have you really given up?

What Consort Lin saw was Bai Fuxue rolling over like a salted fish on the bed, her eyes and mind completely empty.

Not a trace of worry remained.

All her concerns vanished in an instant, and she even came to terms with the fact that the Empress hadn’t summoned her.

After all, it wasn’t like she couldn’t survive without him.

Bai Fuxue could still laze around like this, so how could she not see things clearly?

After Imperial Concubine Lin and the maidservants left,

Xiao Shizhi stood behind the thin wall:

Eating duck?

Is that all you look forward to?

Xiao Shizhi didn’t even disturb Bai Fuxue and silently left.

Li Dequan saw that His Majesty’s face had turned dark and followed behind, trembling with fear.

Could it be that Bai Fuxue had angered His Majesty?

The more Xiao Shizhi thought about it, the angrier she became, and the more she felt something was off.

Wasn’t Bai Fuxue’s personality supposed to be weeping and wailing every day?!

She was confined in the cold palace, how could she be so carefree?

How could she even sleep?!

Xiao Shizhi stood by the scorching lake, feeling powerless, and asked, “How many memorials do I still have left to review?”

Li Dequan replied, “Your Majesty, there are still two stacks.”

Xiao Shizhi’s deliberately calm expression stiffened.

With a complicated expression, she returned to the Zichen Hall. The busier she was with work, the more her mind was filled with thoughts of Bai Fuxue.

During a break from court affairs, Xiao Shizhi asked, “Li Dequan, what do you think Bai Fuxue is thinking about?”

Li Dequan said, “Most likely, she is hoping for Your Majesty’s visit.”

By then, it was already evening, with a clear moon and sparse stars, and the cicadas had quieted down.

Without even glancing at the name plates, Xiao Shizhi slowly walked to the front of the cold palace where Bai Fuxue resided.

Bai Fuxue had a kind of magical allure that made Xiao Shizhi unconsciously want to draw closer.

It felt very intimate.

That day, Bai Fuxue had been wearing a sheer gauze dress, leaning loosely against her, giving her a hug.

The woman’s fragrance lingered in the air, pleasant and intoxicating.

Unconsciously, Xiao Shizhi quickened her steps and stood by the window, watching the little beauty inside, who had a table full of duck and exquisite fish dishes laid out before her.

The little beauty in the room had her clothes half-open, revealing her fragrant shoulders and collarbone in the sweltering summer heat, with the prominent butterfly bones on her back looking as if they were about to take flight.

As her fan swayed, strands of her hair floated in the air, tickling one’s heart.

Xiao Shizhi could vaguely make out the small undergarment embroidered with lotus flowers.

Uncontrollably, Xiao Shizhi thought: Is she waiting for me?