The hall was so silent one could hear a pin drop.
This was truly a moment to remember. The Emperor, known for his composure and decisiveness since youth, had rarely been at a loss for words in his life. Yet at this moment, he found himself unsure of how to begin. Originally, he had planned to sternly point out Lady Cheng's numerous shortcomings, making her realize how incredibly fortunate she was to secure this marriage. By doing so, she would surely be overwhelmed with gratitude toward his adopted son and serve him with meekness and gentleness... But now, what should he say next?
The Emperor clenched his fist and coughed lightly, glancing sideways. The dignified Empress sat with a faint smile, motionless, her body language clearly refusing to take the lead. It was the good-natured Crown Prince who, after a three-beat delay, caught his father's signal and hurriedly said to Shao Shang, "As Confucius said, 'To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.' It's rare for someone so young to understand this principle..."
The Crown Prince's speech slowed, his wandering eyes making it clear he couldn't continue improvising.
The Emperor remained silent. With his usual quick wit and resourcefulness, he certainly could have come up with diplomatic words, but following the Crown Prince's lead would go against his original intention.
"Lady Cheng," the Emperor said solemnly, "since the marriage is settled, you should think about how to make up for your shortcomings rather than belittle yourself. If you were truly so unworthy, what would that say about Zisheng, who sought your hand?"
Impressive! A true master reveals his skill with a single move. Shao Shang knelt obediently like a quail, not daring to move a muscle.
"Zisheng now has his own residence outside the palace, and his every word and action draws much attention. As his new bride, you must be even more careful and thorough in managing affairs, both inside and outside the household. Any mistake would reflect poorly on Zisheng. Without learning, there is no skill. To learn without action is negligence and laziness. From now on, you must redouble your efforts under the Empress's guidance, not using false modesty as an excuse to shirk responsibilities." The Emperor's words were sharp and stern.
Shao Shang could only bow her head and murmur in agreement, not daring to show any cleverness.
Seeing the girl's meek response, the Emperor thought to himself that youthful mischief was inevitable—after all, his adopted son had taken a liking to this type. She could be taught properly over time. Having concluded his admonishment, the Emperor, worried he might have frightened her too much, softened his tone: "As for the details, you may follow the Empress's instructions in the future. That's all for today. Do you have anything else to say?"
Shao Shang raised her head slightly and glanced cautiously at Ling Buyi, as if seeking his opinion.
Ling Buyi said gently, "Say whatever you wish. His Majesty is busy with myriad affairs and rarely has time like this."
Hearing his adopted son's words, the Emperor stroked his beard and smiled, feeling somewhat mollified.
Like a tender sprout pushing through soil, Shao Shang slowly straightened her shoulders and spoke clearly and bravely: "Your Majesty, today this humble one wishes to lodge an imperial complaint against someone. May I?"
The Crown Prince and his consort were both startled. The Emperor found this intriguing: "You are bold indeed. This is only your third imperial audience, yet you dare to lodge a complaint. Do you know that offering advice or making accusations is a serious matter? The slightest misstep could be a grave offense."
Ling Buyi watched her quietly, a hint of puzzlement in his eyes.Shao Shang raised her head and looked directly at the Emperor and Empress with childlike sincerity: "Your Majesty speaks of court affairs, which I do not understand. Today, I wish to bring forth a matter concerning young men and women. Though it may seem trivial, if Your Majesty could grant me justice, it would spare me many unnecessary troubles while serving by the Empress's side. Lord Ling often speaks of Your Majesty's benevolence, regarding you as a father. Thus, I dare to see Your Majesty as my own elder. I am ignorant of proper etiquette and do not know if this is appropriate. If it is not, I shall say no more." These words exhausted her greatly.
The Emperor thought to himself that regardless of other qualities, this young girl was certainly eloquent, speaking with grace and clarity, unlike the daughters of officials he had met before, who were either incoherent or timid. He smiled and said, "Very well, I permit you to speak."
Having received permission, Shao Shang first bowed deeply to the Empress and declared loudly, "Today, I wish to accuse Wang Ling, daughter of General of Chariots and Cavalry Wang Chun, of improper conduct. She slandered me at the Lou family's wedding banquet the other day."
At these words, both the Emperor and the Crown Prince were taken aback. The Crown Princess gasped and quickly looked toward the Empress, exclaiming, "Young Lady Cheng, be cautious with your words. Do you know that A Ling is—"
Shao Shang bowed respectfully to the Crown Princess. "I know Lady Wang's mother is Your Highness's cousin, but Lord Ling was also raised under the Empress's care. If Lady Wang is allowed to spread slanderous rumors, would it not harm both others and herself?"
The Crown Princess frowned. "The matter between you and Lady Wang is merely petty quarreling. How could it be so serious? Why must you drag Zisheng into this and bring it before His Majesty and Her Majesty, disturbing their peace?"
The Crown Prince said softly, "At least hear Young Lady Cheng out before deciding whether this concerns Zisheng or not."
The Crown Princess flushed and fell silent.
The Empress smiled gently and said to Shao Shang, "Speak freely."
The Emperor gave silent consent.
Shao Shang continued, "The Crown Princess is right—it began as a trivial quarrel. Yet, a tongue three inches long can disrupt households and ruin affairs. At the Lou family's wedding banquet, Lady Wang and several other young ladies joined forces to accuse me of being 'seductive, pretentious, and feigning weakness,' claiming Lord Ling was bewitched by me into marrying me, among other such remarks."
The Crown Prince chuckled. "I thought it was something serious. It turns out to be mere jealousy. Ever since Zisheng became engaged, countless young ladies in the Capital City have wept at home."
The Emperor thought to himself that even if these words were true, it wouldn't matter.
Facing the amiable Crown Prince, Shao Shang relaxed slightly and smiled. "Your Highness, if I may be so bold—if I truly were seductive, pretentious, and feigning weakness, then what does that make Lord Ling, who was supposedly bewitched by me?"
The Crown Prince's expression changed, and the Crown Princess was stunned. Ling Buyi glanced sideways at the girl, his eyes seeming to understand something.
Shao Shang turned slightly and bowed deeply again to the Emperor and Empress. "Your Majesty, I know I lack talent and virtue, and I do not understand why Lord Ling favors me. But whatever the reason, it cannot be that he is 'indulging in lust and bewitched by me.'"
The Empress had been listening with a smile, as if watching fluffy yellow chicks pecking at one another, but her expression gradually darkened at these words. The Emperor, however, remained impassive, showing no emotion.Shao Shang looked at her with clear, innocent eyes, her expression utterly sincere: "Your Highness, though I may be ignorant, I also find this inappropriate. Lady Wang and the others did not merely whisper these words in private but spoke them openly without reservation. Even if the speakers meant no harm and were merely venting their frustrations over trivial matters, one cannot guarantee that the listeners might not take them to heart."
The Empress, always dignified and reticent, fell into brief contemplation upon hearing this. The Crown Prince and his wife exchanged uneasy glances but remained silent.
At this moment, the Emperor suddenly spoke: "Earlier, when you encountered the Third Princess in the palace corridor, she also spoke improperly and even sought to humiliate and strike you. Why did you not report her? Could it be that you fear the strong but bully the weak?"
By the last four words, the Emperor's voice had taken on a tone of authority. The Crown Princess was the first to panic, prostrating herself in fear. The Crown Prince quickly glanced at Shao Shang, worried the young girl might be overwhelmed by the Emperor's imposing presence.
To his surprise, Shao Shang straightened her back, neither flinching nor avoiding his gaze: "Your Majesty, I cannot report matters I do not fully understand myself." Her heart pounded wildly—the Emperor already knew about an incident that had occurred barely twenty minutes prior. Truly, those in power always had their ways.
"Explain yourself," the Emperor said coolly. "Did not Lady Wang and the Third Princess both speak improperly?"
A fine sweat broke out on the back of Shao Shang's neck. Suppressing her nervousness, she dug her nails into her palms to steady herself before replying: "There are two reasons I did not report the Third Princess. First, though her words and actions were improper earlier, the Second Princess sternly admonished and stopped her, followed swiftly by Lord Ling's decisive intervention. By the time the Third Princess departed, though she appeared aggrieved, her mind had already cleared. With the Second Princess's patient guidance in the days to come, this matter can be considered resolved."
The Crown Prince exhaled in relief and, cautiously observing the Emperor's expression, chimed in: "Shao Shang speaks truly. Our third sister is merely impulsive, but she heeds our second sister's words. It's nothing serious, nothing serious!"
Fearing Shao Shang might incur the Empress's displeasure, he turned to her and added, "But A Ling is different. Ever since Zisheng and Shao Shang became engaged, she has repeatedly voiced her resentment, both publicly and privately, claiming Shao Shang is unworthy of Zisheng. Even I have heard of it... Isn't that so?" The last question was directed at the Crown Princess.
Caught off guard, the Crown Princess glanced nervously at the Empress and awkwardly admitted, "This daughter-in-law has... also heard some rumors." Among the many young women in the Capital City infatuated with Ling Buyi, Wang Ling was rather notorious.
"And the second reason?" The Emperor pressed, his gaze fixed on Shao Shang.
Taking a deep breath, Shao Shang chose her words carefully: "Second, I have long heard of the Second Princess's exceptional talents in poetry and dance. Earlier, I noticed she had not even changed out of her dance attire when she rushed into the palace, likely having been practicing at home when she abruptly learned of the incident. The Third Princess, however, has not frequently visited the palace these past months. How then did Her Highness know the exact date and time I was summoned to the palace, managing to intercept our party on the way? This is something I do not understand. How can I report what I do not understand?"
In simpler terms, this meant: 'The waters run too deep—best not to wade into muddy currents.' But Shao Shang knew there was a ninety percent chance that Wang Ling, that little viper, had tipped off the Third Princess to cause trouble for her. At the Lou Family's wedding banquet the other day, even if others had learned of it, they had no ties to the Third Princess. As for who had fanned the flames in such a short time—that was a score she would settle with Wang Ling later!The Emperor faintly revealed a hint of a smile. "Hmm, if Third Princess has ulterior motives behind her actions, doesn’t Wang Ling have them too?"
"Ulterior motives? What ulterior motives?" Shao Shang was momentarily stunned. "It’s just... the goddess wanting to marry the King of Xiang but failing."
The Emperor couldn’t help but chuckle softly at this.
Seeing this, the Crown Prince knew the crisis had passed and laughed heartily. "Originally, it was just a trivial matter. But if A Ling refuses to let it go and continues to trouble Shao Shang in the future, what then? If this drags on, even a small matter could escalate."
Shao Shang nodded vigorously in gratitude. That mad dog Wang Ling—if she wasn’t quickly leashed, she’d run around barking everywhere, spreading rumors that Shao Shang was some kind of fox spirit. If lies were repeated a thousand times, she might actually start believing them herself. What if they dragged her out for sacrificial rites or forced her to drink talisman water?
"Shao Shang, come here," the Empress suddenly spoke, having remained silent until now.
Shao Shang’s heart skipped a beat. Trembling, she lowered her head and shuffled forward on her knees, wondering if she’d face reprimand for having just accused the Empress’s cousin’s daughter.
"Lift your head," the Empress commanded.
Shao Shang obeyed, raising her eyes to meet the Empress’s dignified and radiant countenance.
"Originally, I intended for you to reside in the palace for gradual refinement," the Empress said. "But Zisheng refused, insisting that your time reunited with your parents is short and that you’ve had little opportunity to bring them joy. Therefore, you shall arrive at Everlasting Autumn Palace before the hour of Chen each day and leave for home by the end of the hour of Shen. You’ll have one day of rest every ten days. How does that sound?"
Shao Shang was stunned—wasn’t this just a nine-to-five work schedule? "Ah, oh, yes yes. This humble one obeys Her Majesty’s decree," she quickly replied, bowing deeply.
Commuting was certainly better than boarding, especially since the depths of the palace were intimidating. Without having memorized XX Biography a hundred times, no science-minded girl would dare stay long—she’d be lucky to escape with her bones intact. Being able to return home daily to relax was truly a blessing. Shao Shang couldn’t help but glance gratefully at Ling Buyi.
Ling Buyi smiled, his eyes brimming with amusement.
After a few more instructions, the Emperor and Empress dismissed the four juniors.
The Crown Prince clapped Ling Buyi on the shoulder and joked with him, while the Crown Princess took Shao Shang’s hand warmly. "The Eastern Palace is just east of Yonghe Palace, not too far. Whenever you tire of Everlasting Autumn Palace, come find me for some leisure and fun."
Shao Shang beamed like a spring flower, but inside, she was setting up barricades—her palace intrigue alarm blaring loudly. What did Lady Ru say again? In this palace, if someone is kind to you, they want to use you; if someone draws close, they mean you harm.
Those words were damn classic. She’d write them in English and nail them above her bed as a warning... Wait, would English be mistaken for some kind of curse? No, no, in this superstitious era, accusations of witchcraft or hexes were deadly. Better not write it down—just remember it well. Good, good, she was already getting into the right mindset.
After parting ways with the Crown Prince and Princess, Ling Buyi’s team of ghostly personal guards closed in again, maintaining their usual distance behind the pair.
The two walked side by side in silence, about two paces apart. After a long while, Ling Buyi finally spoke. "Earlier, I was worried about your imperial audience. It seems you already had a plan."
Shao Shang walked slowly, her voice unhurried. "Since the marriage is already decided, it’s time to plan properly.""You didn't just accuse Wang Ling today to avoid future harassment and slander from her." Ling Buyi suddenly stopped walking, placing his hands on the girl's shoulders as he spoke each word deliberately. "You were testing the Emperor and Empress, throwing a stone to see the path ahead."
Shao Shang met his gaze without flinching, smiling faintly. "After all, I'll be living under the Empress's rule from now on."
Ling Buyi frowned. "If you wanted to know the Empress's temperament and character, why didn't you ask me?"
Turning sideways, Shao Shang tilted her head up against the glaring sunlight, shielding her eyes with one hand. "I also needed the Emperor and Empress to understand what kind of person I am." What's learned through inquiry could never compare to firsthand experience.
"In my life, I've never had patience for those who 'bend with every wind and flow with every current.' Better to die fighting with all my might than sit waiting to be captured." Shao Shang clenched her pearly white teeth, her resolute gaze seeming to speak more to herself than anyone else.
Ling Buyi suddenly felt as if he were holding a lively little creature in his arms—its fur soft and endearing, yet stubbornly trying to push its way out, each restless movement sending tremors through his heart.
Author's Note:
This chapter is just a meteor -
To those readers who thought in the last chapter that the female lead was making her final stand against marriage—you're all honest souls. She's already paving the way for what comes next -
This story isn't about palace intrigue, because there wouldn't be much to intrigue about 23333.
OpenNovel