Chapter 3: 3.第3章 你们皇上还怪好嘞

Chapter 3: Your Emperor is Quite Something

Chu Chengye’s temple throbbed after hearing Cheng Jin’s words.

This vicious woman actually wanted to ram into him to her death.

However, seeing Cheng Jin before him—clearly displeased but forced to express gratitude on her face—Chu Chengye felt his mood improve significantly.

As Chu Chengye walked out of Cheng Jin’s bedchamber, he thought back to the inner thoughts she had just revealed.

There wasn’t a woman in this world who would go to such lengths just to get herself sent to the Cold Palace.

Afraid of dying by following him?

Chu Chengye gave a cold laugh. He had been licking blood off the edge of a blade since he was eight years old; he couldn’t imagine anyone capable of killing him.

He would like to see exactly who it was.

After Chu Chengye left, the young palace maids and eunuchs outside the door poked their heads in to look.

Cuizhu and Chuntao, who were outside, pushed aside those blocking their way and trotted into the room. Seeing that Cheng Jin was perfectly fine, they let out a sigh of relief.

“Your Ladyship, are you alright?”

“Your Ladyship, what did the Emperor say?”

Cuizhu and Chuntao spoke almost simultaneously.

Cheng Jin stared at the two of them, remaining silent for a moment.

Although both wore expressions of anxiety, the things they were concerned about were completely different.

Sure enough, after a moment, Chuntao lowered her head, seemingly realizing she had said something inappropriate, and immediately changed her tune.

“This servant did not mean it that way; I was just so worried about Your Ladyship that I spoke without thinking. This servant deserves to be punished.”

She changed her tune fast enough. Cheng Jin glanced at her.

She remembered that the book had descriptions of Chuntao. She was originally a palace servant who had simply been assigned to the original owner’s palace.

Those who had worked in the palace since childhood were all shrewd; she didn’t know when she had been bought off by Noble Lady Hui.

She had stolen her jade pendant and handed it over to Qu Wanxin, helping Qu Wanxin frame her.

However, she was ultimately stupid; she couldn’t bear to part with such a valuable item, so she had given her a fake one instead.

Even the original owner’s decision to go to the banquet to plead for mercy had been instigated by this Chuntao, who claimed that it would make the Emperor lose face, and that he would forgive her out of respect for Grand Tutor Cheng.

After the original owner entered the Cold Palace, this Chuntao had followed Qu Wanxin. Later, even without Qu Wanxin, Cheng Jin’s days in the Cold Palace were miserable, barely clinging to life.

Cuizhu, on the other hand, had been by the original owner’s side since childhood and had followed her into the palace, blocking many overt and covert attacks for her while in the Cold Palace.

“Since you know it was wrong, why haven’t you knelt? Do you still consider me your mistress?”

Cheng Jin’s voice was not loud, but possessing the original owner’s voice and appearance, it carried the same sense of oppression.

Chuntao was stunned, then immediately knelt down. “This servant knows she was wrong. Please, Your Ladyship, forgive me.”

Chuntao hadn’t expected Cheng Jin to suddenly lose her temper. In her eyes, Cheng Jin was nothing more than a pampered, wealthy young lady who only acted on impulse whenever something happened, completely ignorant of palace rules and etiquette.

If she weren’t Grand Tutor Cheng’s daughter, how could she have survived in this palace, and how would the position of Noble Consort have ever fallen to her?

She had lived in the palace for so many years, yet she remained a mere maid, forced to serve this ignorant official’s daughter.

Seeing her shocked expression, Cheng Jin instantly understood what she was thinking—she was merely resenting the unfairness of fate, wondering why she had to be the servant.

“Since you know you were wrong, that is good.” Cheng Jin thought of something; her expression changed instantly. With a smile on her face, she personally helped Chuntao up.

“Just now, the Emperor came to hold me accountable, saying that I pushed Noble Lady Hui into the lake.”

Cheng Jin feigned a look of lingering fear, acting so weak she nearly collapsed into the chair behind her. Fortunately, Cuizhu caught her. With a look of terror on her face, she continued.

“I don’t know who framed me, nearly causing me to be wrongly accused. Fortunately, the Emperor is discerning and did not pursue it. However, the Emperor was furious; he must be deeply worried about Noble Lady Hui.”

“Go to Noble Lady Hui’s palace now and tell her that I am worried about her, and that I will certainly come to visit her personally another day.”

When it came to tasks arranged by Cheng Jin, Cuizhu was always the first to step up. “This servant will go at once.”

Cheng Jin reached out and grabbed her. “Let Chuntao go. You stay and help me change my clothes.”

Chuntao was naturally unwilling to serve Cheng Jin, but she could use this opportunity to get in touch with Qu Wanxin, the future favored concubine. Although she hadn’t succeeded this time, she could still discuss future schemes.

She was naturally eager and quickly agreed, heading out to deliver the message.

After she left, Cuizhu called out to Cheng Jin, “Your Ladyship, shall we change your clothes?”

Cheng Jin stared at Chuntao’s retreating back for a while. “Go, but do one thing for me first: go to Chuntao’s quarters and take a look.”

Although Cuizhu didn’t understand why Cheng Jin would suddenly want to check a servant’s room, she did as she was told.

Even though she and Chuntao were both maids serving Cheng Jin, they did not live together, and Chuntao had explicitly forbidden anyone from going to her quarters.

They didn’t know until they saw it; the moment Cuizhu opened Chuntao’s door, she was stunned. The room was filled with jewelry and ornaments, many of which Cheng Jin had brought from her family estate before entering the palace.

Stealing palace property was a capital offense, yet she had hidden so much.

Shocked, she returned to explain the situation to Cheng Jin.

Cheng Jin nodded with satisfaction. She instructed Cuizhu to have a few people collect the items in her room that didn’t belong to her, and then find some eunuchs to search the palace—preferably along the route Chuntao had taken—and make sure she heard them.

When a cat catches a mouse, it doesn’t always have to eat it immediately; scaring it is much more interesting.

After Cuizhu left, Cheng Jin searched the room for any thick clothing or defensive items she could hide on her body, just in case her clothes were too thin and she died too quickly.

When Cuizhu returned, she found Cheng Jin wearing all of her winter cotton-padded clothes at once, with a bronze mirror hanging over her chest.

Cuizhu hurriedly went over to help her take them off. “Your Ladyship, why are you wearing so much in this weather? You can’t dress like this.”

Cheng Jin nodded and muttered to herself, “Right, I can’t wear this to a banquet. Go find me a suit of armor.”

Cuizhu:???

Going to a banquet, wearing armor?

Is this a trap?

Although Cuizhu didn’t find any armor, she did find a thick wooden board for Cheng Jin.

Cheng Jin wasn’t picky; as long as it kept her alive, that was enough.

However, the wooden board looked unsightly stuffed inside her clothes, so Cheng Jin draped a cloak over it.

Just as she finished dressing, a eunuch was sent by Chu Chengye to invite her.

Seeing Cheng Jin dressed like this, he was taken aback. He remained silent for a long moment before asking

“This servant dares to ask, is Your Ladyship feeling unwell?”

Seeing him ask, Cheng Jin nodded like a pounding pestle. “That’s right. I have a headache, a backache, and a stomachache. I’m afraid I won’t be able to accompany the Emperor to the banquet tonight.”

“That is no matter.”

Wei An waved his hand, and Cheng Jin’s eyes brightened.

“The Emperor specifically arranged for this servant to bring an imperial physician. We can observe as we go. The Emperor is concerned that Your Ladyship has been pampered since childhood and cannot walk such a long distance, so he has ordered that you may ride in a palanquin.”

Cheng Jin couldn’t smile at all after hearing this.

Your Emperor is quite something.