Volume 5, Chapter 323 – You Act Too Poorly, Let Me Do It (Part 4)

Qi Huang’s mind raced. The poor girl inside was like a startled bird, utterly terrified. Though Qi Huang meant well, without a plausible excuse, the other party might not accept her kindness.

“Lady Qi, I’m a maid from the Office of Palace Ceremonies. Steward Zhou noticed you hadn’t come to the communal kitchen for meals, so she sent me to bring you some food.”

After a brief moment of thought, Qi Huang spoke these words.

As expected, Ouyang Tong inside the room fell for it. A look of pleasant surprise flashed across her delicate face. However, after taking two steps forward, she hesitated again and finally mustered a difficult refusal: “No need, thank you. I’m not hungry!”

‘She doesn’t even dare to come out and take it?’

Qi Huang was utterly speechless. She glanced around, then placed the bowl of rice on the windowsill. “Alright, I’ll leave the food here on the windowsill. You can take it inside when you’re hungry. Otherwise, I won’t be able to report back properly.”

Having said that, Qi Huang didn’t linger and walked away directly.

Ouyang Tong noticed the absence of movement outside but still didn’t act rashly. However, the aroma of the food soon seeped in through the gaps in the window.

Gurgle…

An undignified growl came from Ouyang Tong’s stomach. She licked her dry lips, her beautiful eyes filled with longing.

Another quarter of an hour passed before Ouyang Tong finally succumbed to temptation. Carefully, she opened the window and brought the food inside.

The moment she sat down, she began wolfing it down. Though the meal wasn’t lavish, it tasted exceptionally delicious to her, better than any delicacies she had ever eaten before.

Qi Huang had been observing the scene with her divine sense. Seeing this, she finally felt satisfied.

But soon, tears began streaming down Ouyang Tong’s cheeks, falling into the bowl like scattered pearls. Yet, as if unaware, she continued mechanically shoveling food into her mouth.

Qi Huang was momentarily stunned, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Dragging an innocent person into this for her own selfish desires went against her principles.

‘Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, you won’t suffer anymore.’

Qi Huang silently steeled herself.

Not long after, Qi Huang followed the other consorts to another courtyard for morning lessons, essentially learning palace etiquette from the “Rites and Music” instructor to avoid mistakes.

Qi Huang had little interest in this, but sitting among a group of beautiful young girls was psychologically satisfying. Before she knew it, an hour had passed.

At noon, Qi Huang reluctantly left the lecture hall and headed back to her quarters.

“Did you hear? Early this morning, the inner palace posted notices everywhere, saying that the Imperial Consort has safely entered the Office of Palace Ceremonies.”

“Really? When did she arrive?”

“Yesterday! Her arrival caused quite a stir. Didn’t you know?”

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“What’s the big deal?”

“How ignorant! She’s the first imperial consort personally chosen by His Majesty to enter the palace alive since his ascension. Not only that, but she’s also a doppelgänger of a cultivator, unprecedented in history!”

“More importantly, she’s from that wretched Huangtian Prefecture. This is absolutely unheard of!”

As Qi Huang walked, she faintly overheard several imperial consorts gossiping.

‘The notices are already up? It seems what’s coming can’t be avoided. Now the entire palace knows. Ouyang Tong’s pressure will only grow.’

Her expression grew more solemn.

When Qi Huang returned to her room, she found her roommates discussing her.

“Did you hear? That imperial consort has already arrived at the Office of Palace Ceremonies.”

Yang Cai asked curiously.

“Of course! I saw her enter yesterday.”

Yu Jie, the voluptuous one, replied.

“Really? Is she beautiful? How does she compare to you?”

Yang Cai pressed further.

“I don’t know. She was wearing a veil.”

Yu Jie answered truthfully but then added, “But her figure looked good, tall and well-endowed.”

“Tall and well-endowed? Like her?”

Yang Cai instinctively glanced at Qi Huang, her face unable to conceal her envy.

“Not as good as her, especially in the chest area.”

Yu Jie also eyed Qi Huang with a hint of jealousy.

“Why drag me into this for no reason?”

Qi Huang tugged at her collar in exasperation.

“Tch, what’s the use of a good figure if her face is average? She’s from that rat’s nest of Huangtian Prefecture, there’s no way she’s a beauty.”

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The plump Tang Lu sneered dismissively.

“Then why did His Majesty choose her as the imperial consort?”

Fan Ying, the prettiest of them, countered.

“Don’t you know? Cheng Hongling reached the Incarnation Realm at sixteen. His Majesty values her bloodline, not her looks.”

Tang Lu declared confidently, as if privy to inside information.

“But I heard Cheng Hongling scored full marks in all six categories of the Phoenix Selection Token. As her doppelgänger, she probably isn’t lacking either.”

Qi Huang interjected nonchalantly.

“You believe hearsay? I could also claim I scored full marks in all six!”

Tang Lu mocked.

Qi Huang smirked slightly. How foolishly fearless.

“Since she’s already here, why speculate? Why not just see for ourselves whether she’s beautiful or ugly?”

Fan Ying suggested.

The others agreed, and the conversation died down.

In the afternoon, Qi Huang followed the other consorts to music lessons. After a life of constant battles, this peaceful routine was a refreshing change.

Of course, whether it was the morning etiquette lessons or the evening music class, Ouyang Tong never showed up. As the Imperial Consort, the stewards didn’t dare force her, especially since Chief Steward Zhong had already given instructions.

Before long, evening arrived. Qi Huang went to the communal kitchen to fetch food for Ouyang Tong and overheard more gossip about herself.

“Isn’t that imperial consort already here? Where is she?”

“Seems like she’s absent again.”

“Ever since she entered the Office of Palace Ceremonies yesterday, she hasn’t shown her face, not for lessons, not even for meals.”

“Lessons aside, even if she gets special treatment, she still needs to eat, right? Doesn’t she feel hungry?”

“You don’t understand. She’s a cultivator’s doppelgänger. Even without cultivation, her physique far surpasses ordinary people’s. Missing a meal or two is nothing, she could go without food for ten or twenty days.”

“Ten or twenty days without eating? That’s not cultivation, that’s hibernation.”

“Whatever she is, it’s best not to provoke her.”

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“You overestimate me. That Imperial Consort has a bright future, who would dare mess with her?”

The consorts chattered away, but most were just venting. None dared take real action, they weren’t fools. Battles were only fought against equals. Provoking the imperial consort would be like an egg striking a rock.

Qi Huang relaxed slightly. Given the current situation, at least within the Office of Palace Ceremonies, most people wouldn’t dare trouble Ouyang Tong.

She then carried the food back to the consorts’ quarters and straight to Ouyang Tong’s door.

Meanwhile, Ouyang Tong sat inside, staring at the door like a begging puppy, hoping the maid from the morning would return to feed her again.

“Wishful thinking. I already refused her this morning—why would she come back?”

She laughed at herself and prepared to sleep.

“Sleep. Once I’m asleep, I won’t feel hungry.”

With this self-comfort, she lay down in her clothes.

Knock knock…

Just then, knocking sounded again.

“Who is it?”

Ouyang Tong instantly sat up, her voice deliberately gentle, her beautiful eyes brimming with hope.

“Lady Qi, it’s me. I’ve brought you food again.”

Qi Huang’s calm voice came from outside.

“Thank you. Just leave it on the windowsill. I’ll take it later.”

Having learned her lesson, Ouyang Tong no longer hesitated.

“Alright. If you need anything, just let me know.”

Qi Huang didn’t forget to reassure her. As long as this woman stayed in her room, Qi Huang would fulfill any request.

“Could you… fetch me a basin of water to wash up?”

After a pause, Ouyang Tong made her request. Having hidden in her room all day, she hadn’t even washed her face, let alone bathed. The discomfort was unbearable.

“Wait a moment.”

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Qi Huang smiled in satisfaction and stepped away. For some reason, she felt like she was tending to a little pet—a strangely fulfilling experience.

Meanwhile, in the inner palace, news of the Imperial Consort’s arrival had spread like wildfire, stirring undercurrents of tension.

In the empress’s chambers, Empress Zheng summoned her spy from the Imperial Consort Escort Team to confirm the matter.

“Xiao Huan, you should know—today, the inner palace posted notices declaring that Qi Huang has safely arrived at the Office of Palace Ceremonies.”

The empress inquired impassively.

“Your Majesty, that’s impossible! I saw it clearly, even Chief Steward Zhong said the consort was doomed. We even carried an empty palanquin back to the palace!”

The maid, Xiao Huan, insisted firmly.

“The notice explained that Qi Huang foresaw the danger and had her main body recall her. Could she have arrived later?”

Empress Zheng speculated.

“Uh… Your Majesty… This servant is no cultivator, so I wouldn’t know.”

Xiao Huan answered cautiously.

“Very well. Starting tomorrow, I’ll assign you to the Office of Palace Ceremonies. Find a way to confirm whether that’s the real Qi Huang.”

The empress ordered.

“Yes!”

Xiao Huan accepted the command and withdrew respectfully.

“Your Majesty, is this necessary? Under the suppression of the Heavenly Tribulation, she couldn’t have used her divine sense to contact her main body.”

An elderly maid interjected.

“Better safe than sorry. Only by confirming she’s a fake can I rest easy.”

Empress Zheng replied gravely.