「Imperial Palace, outside East Yang Gate」
The Shadow Guard kept looking up toward East Yang Gate. "Why isn’t he out yet? Could sothing have happened?"
Xuan i leaned in the shadows, her arms crossed over her sword, her figure poised and graceful.
Suddenly, she snapped her head up, her short sword already drawn. "Who’s there!"
At the sa mont, the Shadow Guard also sensed the presence. He moved forward to stand beside her, the two of them flanking the area. "Co out!"
A man in black jumped down from the wall and walked straight to Xuan i. He cupped his fist in salute. "Miss Xuan i, my Commander has a ssage for you..."
—
Song Lianhe stood alone in the courtyard. Perhaps she had eaten too much at and was having trouble digesting it, but she felt inexplicably restless tonight.
Shuang Ye had gone to the kitchen to brew her so digestive tea. anwhile, Chao Junyu had heard Shen Fu was back and went to find him, saying he had sothing to discuss.
Song Lianhe looked down at her hand, which was bandaged into a clumsy ball. It was inconvenient for doing anything. She had her own special ointnt for external wounds, and combined with a secret military formula Huai Xu had given her, the injury didn’t hurt much. It just hadn’t healed yet and looked rather grueso.
In a fit of irritation, she ripped the gauze from her hand. ’I can handle a little pain like this.’
’I don’t know what’s wrong with tonight,’ she thought, unable to sit still. ’I have a feeling sothing bad is about to happen.’
She lay on the chaise longue, recalling the plot from the book.
According to the original plot, Zhou Junlin married both her and Song Xilan at the sa ti. She beca Princess Consort Ling, while Song Xilan beca his Concubine.
And that was when the countdown to her doom as the disposable side character officially began.
Song Lianhe shook her head. ’After I transmigrated, I changed that outco long ago. The engagent is off, Song Xilan has been married off by imperial decree, so of course I won’t suffer a tragic death!’
Thinking this, she began to relax.
’I’ve co into the world of this book, and without figuring out the rules, all I can do is fight to survive!’
’If I die in this book, who knows if I’ll return to my original world or just be dead for good?’
’It’s a rare chance at a second life. I cherish it far too much to risk it on an experint.’
Suddenly, a sound ca from behind her.
Song Lianhe jumped in fright. "Who’s there?"
She turned to see Xuan i and patted her chest in relief. "I’m telling you, Sister i, with all the doors in this residence, you can’t find a single one you like? Do you have to be so unconventional and jump over the wall?"
’Don’t you know how scary that is in the middle of the night? Especially when I was just contemplating matters of life and death!’
Xuan i didn’t waste any words, getting straight to the point. "Our lord angered the Holy Emperor in the Imperial Palace. The Holy Emperor ordered him to be given twenty lashes."
"What!"
Song Lianhe’s eyes flew wide. She shot up from her chair and asked urgently, "Why would the Emperor have him flogged? Could it be because of..."
’Because of ?’
"Right now, the only one who can help our lord... is you, my lady."
Before Xuan i could finish explaining, Song Lianhe was already shouting for Shuang Ye. "Shuang Ye! Help change, quickly! I’m going to the Imperial Palace!"
Song Lianhe returned to her room and imdiately changed into her formal attire as a County Princess.
After a mont’s thought, she added, "Bring my mother’s Ei Needles."
"Yes, my lady."
Shuang Ye could see the urgency of the situation, so she asked no further questions and turned to fetch a brocade-lined sandalwood box.
Song Lianhe opened it. Inside lay a pair of Ei Needles.
They were about a foot long, with diamond-shaped points at each end. In the middle was a ring, perfectly sized to slip over the middle finger, allowing the weapon to be spun with a flick of the wrist, making it incredibly lethal.
This pair of Ei Needles was nad "Frozen Clarity." They were Lin Shuniang’s personal weapons, a gift from the late Emperor.
Her lady had specifically instructed her to bring them when they left their old residence.
Xuan i stood a short distance away, her gaze flickering between the "Frozen Clarity" needles and Song Lianhe. "You..."
She suddenly swallowed the rest of her words, said, "I’ll go find Uncle Liang," and turned to leave.
Once Song Lianhe had changed into her formal attire, she boarded the carriage, clutching the brocade box.
The carriage sped through the streets, not stopping until it reached East Yang Gate.
As Song Lianhe made to get out, Xuan i suddenly grabbed her arm.
"What is it?"
Xuan i stared at her intently. "...This is a dangerous path. You might not co out of this unscathed."
Song Lianhe seed unconcerned. She smiled at Xuan i. "So what? Your master has helped so many tis, and not once did he stop to think whether he would get away unscathed."
Xuan i froze for a mont, then slowly lowered her hand. "I understand. Rest assured, even if I have to die, I will protect you to the very end."
"Hey, hey, hey! Don’t say such unlucky things! You’re not going to die. None of us are. We’re all going to live to be a hundred!"
"Mm."
Xuan i nodded.
Not delaying any further, Song Lianhe jumped down from the carriage and saw the Shadow Guard waiting.
He was still wearing his half-mask, which, under the cold moonlight, gave him a grim, deadly air.
The Shadow Guard breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her. He stepped forward and cupped his fist in salute. "My lady, I thank you."
"There’s no need for thanks. It’s the least I can do. Besides, if I don’t help him, who will?"
’The reason he’s the chosen villain of the story is that a tragic backstory is part of the standard package!’
’Before, when I hadn’t interacted with him much, I just thought of him as a character on a page. I couldn’t really empathize with him.’
’But after he saved from danger ti and again, it’s beco difficult to remain indifferent. And when I rember the book’s description of how he was treated as a child, I can’t help but be overwheld with sympathy for him.’
Ti was short. Song Lianhe lifted the hem of her dress and hurried through East Yang Gate.
The Shadow Guard and Xuan i were Zhou Cangyan’s personal guards, so it was inappropriate for them to enter the Imperial Palace. Cao Jin’s n were already waiting inside and escorted her directly to Chongzheng Hall.
When the original owner of her body was a child, she had often entered the palace with her maternal grandparents. However, she had only ever frequented the residence of Zhou Junlin’s mother, Consort Jing, and had never been to Emperor Cheng Xiao’s personal sleeping quarters.
Unlike other parts of the palace, this area was a forest of high walls, with layer upon layer of imperial guards standing watch. The atmosphere was solemn and imposing. Walking this path, she couldn’t help but grow nervous, gaining a much more visceral understanding of imperial power.
’This is the Emperor I’m dealing with. If I displease him in the slightest, he could order my death with a single word, and my life would be forfeit!’
’Sigh, I shouldn’t have been so bold. It’s too late for regrets now; there’s no turning back. Zhou Cangyan is the Emperor’s own brother, does he really need an outsider like to save him? If the Emperor is determined to kill him, it must an he’s made up his mind to eliminate this potential threat once and for all!’
’In any case, my interference has already changed the plot, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the Emperor decided to act this way.’
’In fact, I’m the one who’s likely to lose her life for backing the wrong horse!’
Song Lianhe hurriedly asked the guard beside her, "Do you know exactly why the Holy Emperor is punishing His Highness Prince Qing?"
"I do not know." The man Cao Jin had arranged was clearly just as cautious as his master.
"Lianhe!"
Soone called her na from behind. Song Lianhe started, not expecting to see Cao Ying and Lady Cao!
"Sister Cao? Lady Cao?"
Cao Ying, supporting her mother, quickened her pace. "We received my brother’s ssage and rushed over to be with you!"
Lady Cao, dressed in formal court attire, stepped forward and took Song Lianhe’s hand. "Child, don’t be afraid. We’ve co to see this through with you."
"Thank you, Lady Cao. But... why have you and Sister Cao co here?"
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