Chapter 242: Trespassing in the Forbidden Palace
Chapter 242: Chapter 242: Trespassing in the Forbidden Palace
"Xie Yuanjiu, the fourth young lady of the Xie family," the elder aunt announced.
It was like a drop of water in a sizzling wok; the crowd immediately erupted.
There was surprise, suspicion, and also envy among them.
Ye Shangyi was especially astonished, staring at Xie Yuanjiu. "Elder Aunt, did you make a mistake? In the five days we’ve been in the palace, Xie Yuanjiu only took the exams for two days, and she didn’t even pass!"
"Why was she chosen to be a female official?"
The elder aunt looked at her, her expression calm. "These were Consort Rong’s own words. I would never dare to falsify them."
Ye Shangyi indignantly clenched her fists, glaring angrily at Xie Yuanjiu.
Facing the crowd’s varied gazes, Xie Yuanjiu offered a mild, gentle smile, appearing as if she were completely unfazed.
"Thank you for Her Highness’s great favor. I will certainly not disappoint her expectations in the future." Though her words were calm, Shen Ningning could clearly see the smugness in her eyes that she couldn’t hide.
Afterward, everyone dispersed. They would pack up today and leave the palace to return home tomorrow morning.
Perhaps because Shen Ningning wasn’t chosen as a female official, the other noble ladies suddenly found her acceptable again, treating her as an ally.
They pulled Shen Ningning over, crowding around her and chattering with complaints—
"Commandery Princess, this Sister Xie of yours really came out of nowhere and shocked everyone."
"Exactly! Everyone thought you and Miss Qi had the best chance of becoming a female official. Or at the very least, Miss Ye’s family background should have given her a definite advantage."
"Who would have thought they’d pick Xie Yuanjiu, who failed at everything? Commandery Princess, why don’t you talk to Consort Rong and get her to change her mind?"
Xie Yuanjiu’s success was particularly infuriating to them.
Especially since these past few days, Xie Yuanjiu had not only failed the officials’ tests but had also been sick for several days.
This was what made them feel true injustice.
They would rather accept Shen Ningning as a female official than accept that the winner was Xie Yuanjiu, who was inferior to them in every way.
However, Shen Ningning waved her hand dismissively. "The elder aunt already said it, didn’t she? Her Highness made the decision herself. I’m sure she has her reasons."
Afraid they would keep pulling her into the conversation, Shen Ningning quickly made an excuse to return to her room and escaped the crowd.
Behind her, the noble ladies continued to complain heatedly about Xie Yuanjiu.
Just as Shen Ningning reached her door, she heard Xie Yuanjiu’s stern refusal from inside: "I will not give you the female official position."
She stopped in her tracks and pressed her ear to the door.
Unexpectedly, Ye Shangyi’s voice followed right after: "You won’t agree? Fine, fine, fine. You think just because you’ve gotten your way, I can’t do anything to you, is that it?"
"Let me tell you, Xie Yuanjiu, if you don’t give the female official position to me, I’ll go tell Consort Rong that in order to get into the National Academy, you had my father use his connections to bribe Mr. Guo of the National Academy with five thousand taels of silver!"
"Does your great-uncle, Chancellor Xie, know that your branch of the family skimmed off five thousand taels? I bet he doesn’t. When he finds out, let’s see how you’ll maintain your footing in the Xie family!"
Just then, Shen Ningning pushed the door open and walked in.
The hostile atmosphere in the room instantly vanished.
Panic flashed in Xie Yuanjiu’s eyes.
’Shen Ningning came in? Did she hear something?’
Ye Shangyi was also startled, not expecting someone to suddenly come in.
She came back to her senses, looked at Xie Yuanjiu, and said, "Think it over carefully. Hmph!"
With that, Ye Shangyi turned to leave, walking past Shen Ningning without a glance.
Ningning didn’t seem to mind. She acted as if nothing had happened, walking over to her couch to organize the clothes she’d brought with her.
Xie Yuanjiu slowly sidled up to her and said in a fawning tone, "Ningning, let me help you pack?"
There was nothing unusual in Shen Ningning’s tone. "No need! Aren’t you still recovering? You should get some proper rest. Go lie down, I can do it myself."
Xie Yuanjiu stared at her profile. The girl’s features were fair and delicate, and her expression was unreadable.
"Ningning, that Ye Shangyi is too much. She’s just jealous, so she’s spouting nonsense and trying to threaten me. I’ve really had enough," Xie Yuanjiu said, probing for a reaction.
Shen Ningning’s small hands, which were folding clothes, paused. She turned to look at her with wide, sparkling dark eyes.
"She threatened you? What did she say?"
’Judging by her reaction, it seems like she didn’t hear what Ye Shangyi said.’ Xie Yuanjiu suppressed her suspicion.
She gave a perfunctory smile. "She just wanted me to give her the position of female official, but I refused. I earned this with my own abilities, and I won’t give it to anyone."
Shen Ningning just hummed in response.
Afterward, when Xie Yuanjiu saw that Shen Ningning had finished packing and was now lying on her couch reading a book, she returned to her own couch to lie down.
But she kept her eyes trained on Shen Ningning from the side, secretly watching her, terrified of what she might be thinking.
’I’m sure Ningning heard what Ye Shangyi said, I just don’t know how much.’
’If Shen Ningning dares to tell the elder aunt, she’ll pay for it!’
As Xie Yuanjiu thought of this, a vicious glint flashed in her eyes.
「Night fell, sometime after 7 p.m.」
Xie Yuanjiu was under her quilt, seemingly asleep.
Shen Ningning quietly slipped off her couch, silently put on a cloak, pushed the door open, and left into the cold night.
On the couch, Xie Yuanjiu’s eyes snapped open. They were wide awake and filled with a sinister darkness, showing no trace of sleepiness.
She nimbly got off the couch, and after stepping outside, she saw Shen Ningning already on the long bridge. Xie Yuanjiu recklessly followed her.
There was only one voice in her mind—
’I absolutely cannot let Shen Ningning tell anyone about this!’
The north wind howled, crashing against the palace halls like an invisible beast.
The carved beams and painted pillars seemed exceptionally cold in the dark night.
Consort Li’s Forbidden Palace was unlit, pitch black everywhere. The shadows in the corners seemed to hide ghouls.
A furtive figure slipped quietly through a partially open door.
Before she could see where the path ahead led, a sharp shout from the Imperial Guard came from behind her—
"Someone really did break in! Seize her!"
A cluster of torchlights appeared from around a corner of the palace path. Commander Lu, with a cold, hard expression, led a small team of the imperial guard, hurrying over.
Hearing the commotion, the figure was startled and bolted forward.
In the firelight, Commander Lu saw that it was the figure of a young girl.
He waved his large hand and shouted sternly, "After her! We heard someone planned to disregard the Imperial Decree and trespass in the Forbidden Palace tonight. We must capture her!"
Colonel Pei Yin took the lead. Using his Qinggong, he took a few powerful steps and kicked the fleeing figure to the ground from behind.
"AH!" The young girl let out a pained scream.
Pei Yin showed no mercy. He grabbed her by the shoulder and flipped her over in one move.
The imperial guard immediately shone their torches on her. Commander Lu had also stepped forward, and upon seeing the captured person, he was suddenly taken aback.
"The fourth young lady of the Xie family? How can it be you?"
Xie Yuanjiu, her face covered in blood from the fall, cried out, "I was lured here! I didn’t mean to trespass in the Forbidden Palace, I didn’t!"