Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Cao Cheng and Liu Yunchu got into a fight in front of the palace gates.

As Cao Cheng fought, he demanded, “The Liu Family is supposed to be strict and upright. Is this what you call strict and upright?”

Forced back step after step, Liu Yunchu snapped, “Cao Cheng, mind your own business.”

I tried to hold Liu Yunchu back while persuading Cao Cheng.

“Young Master Cao, Young Master Liu and I are perfectly innocent. I rubbed off the chastity mark by accident. It really has nothing to do with Young Master Liu.”

“Also, Young Master Cao, if you keep fighting like that, you won’t kill anyone. The temples, throat, nape, waist, and kidneys are all vital points. Strike those, and you can guarantee a one-hit kill. Not even the greatest immortal could bring them back.”

At that, Liu Yunchu turned his head and glared at me.

In the pushing and shoving, I realized the plum blossom cord I carried with me was missing. The two of them stopped fighting and began helping me look for it.

Halfway through the search, Cao Cheng and Liu Yunchu were called away by a young eunuch, who said His Majesty had summoned them.

Only I was left.

So I continued searching along the road.

Whenever the palace servants saw me, they quickly lowered their heads, hastened their steps, and hurried away.

When I called out to them, no one answered.

They acted as if they couldn’t see me.

I had become invisible.

It was understandable that Empress Liu hated me.

After all, it was no secret that Empress Liu was a jealous woman.

The emperor had few heirs and often took new concubines, but the palace’s feng shui seemed unable to sustain people. One came in, and one died.

After so many deaths, the emperor lost interest.

In recent years, there had often been rumors of the emperor and Empress being deeply in love.

Among the imperial concubines, aside from Empress Liu giving birth to one son and one daughter, no one else had borne children.

After all was said and done, only Empress Liu, Consort Cao, and a Beauty Wei who survived by currying favor with the Empress remained in the harem.

Just the three of them.

By the time the sky was growing dark, the emperor still had not summoned me, the Empress still had not arranged quarters for me, and I still had not found my lost cord.

Fortunately, I ran into Cao Cheng just as he came out of the main hall.

Cao Cheng asked me, “Has no one made arrangements for Your Highness this entire time?”

I was still all smiles.

“And here I thought the two young masters brought me back to enjoy a life of luxury.”

Cao Cheng lowered his hands and apologized earnestly. “This subject will go see His Majesty again.”

I couldn’t help teasing him.

“Young Master Cao, a hero saving a beauty? I’m going to fall in love with you.”

Cao Cheng’s ears turned red at once.

I couldn’t help smiling. Everyone said Young Master Cao was a carefree playboy, but wasn’t he terribly innocent?

He covered his face and fled, then went to see the emperor again. The emperor sent someone to reprimand the Empress.

The Empress sent over a palace maid with her nose in the air and told me to follow her.

I followed her through countless twists and turns for a long while until we reached a remote courtyard.

The courtyard was overgrown with weeds and gave off a rotten smell.

The palace maid pinched her nose and pushed the door open with the tips of her fingers.

The sound startled the old residents inside. A swarm of rats scattered across the floor in fright.

The palace maid pointed at the room and said, “You live here.”

“Her Majesty the Empress was kind enough to give a bastard like you a place to stay. You ought to be grateful. Don’t fail to appreciate her kindness.”

As she spoke, she shoved me straight inside.

I stumbled, and by pure coincidence, stepped on a rat’s tail. The rat struggled beneath my foot, squeaking wildly.

My good mood vanished in an instant.

Having just arrived in a new place, I had planned to be a good person for a few days.

But I hated rats.

Because rats made me think of the Great Plague that took Mother away four years ago.

I moved my foot away, turned back, and asked the palace maid, “What’s your name?”

The palace maid burst into laughter.

“Don’t tell me you want to ask my name so you can go tattle. Fine, I’ll tell you. My name is Nan Ju-”

I snapped her neck.

Nan Ju’s words ended there, and she fell silent.

I said softly, “Nan Ju. I’ll remember it.”

I sprinkled powder over her corpse and tossed it into the room. As if they had scented a feast, the rats swarmed over her, then in the next instant, collapsed dead all over the floor.

When Liu Yunchu came to look for me, I showed him the room and said, “I want a different room.”

Liu Yunchu was stunned by the sight inside. “You did this? Are you insane? You killed someone in the palace on your very first day back?”

Liu Yunchu’s questioning made my mood even worse.

I shot back without the slightest courtesy.

“Young master, please take proper care of me and give me the ceremony and respect I am owed.”

“Otherwise, I will solve my problems myself.”

I took out a fire striker and casually tossed it into the room. Flames surged up in an instant.

Someone was alarmed by the fire and immediately shouted, “Fire! Fire!”

The palace descended into chaos in the blink of an eye.

I looked coldly at Liu Yunchu.

“Just like this.”