Chapter 2

Chapter 2

By my rough estimate, the number of people behind me was more or less the same as the number behind the emperor.

And since I was standing at the front, I looked even more like the leader of a rebellion.

“…”

Without a word, I took a step back and whispered to the people behind me, “Brothers, sisters, use your professional expertise and tell me-how are we supposed to handle this situation?”

A wave of hushed murmurs rose behind me.

“I’m a lawyer. Can I sue the emperor for disregarding human life?”

“I’m a teacher. Can I educate him?”

“I’m a driver. Can I drive us out of here?”

“I’m…”

Not a single useful option.

Never mind the fact that the other side was packed with guards holding weapons. We were all modern-educated people. What did any of us know about fighting and killing?

Then someone offered a deeply unreliable suggestion. “Hey, Xiao Su, aren’t you a concubine? Why don’t you try seducing him? Staying alive comes first!”

“Huh?” I froze. “Me? They didn’t teach that in college…”

“…”

Then, out of nowhere, someone said, “Speaking of which, since so many of us transmigrated here, is it possible the emperor did too?”

That was a very constructive hypothesis.

I cautiously looked across at him and began testing for a response. “Odd changes, even stays the same?”

The people beside and behind me joined in too.

“Hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, boron?”

“The Heavenly King covers the Earth Tiger?”

“How are you?”

“Which school has the best excavator training?”

“…”

And yet, that young ruler only watched us in silence.

After a long while, he finally spoke. “Lay down your resistance, and We will spare your lives.”

He wasn’t one of us.

In this entire palace full of transmigrators, the one person who held the power of life and death over everyone was, of course, a native.

We were doomed.

Running away without permission should have landed us in the dungeon.

But because there were too many of us and the dungeon couldn’t hold everyone, the transmigrated concubines were placed under house arrest in their original chambers, while the palace maids, older attendants, eunuchs, guards, and others were locked up separately.

I was confined for a full day. Aside from a palace maid coming to deliver meals, no one else came by.

No matter what I asked, she refused to speak. She put the food down and left in a hurry, as if I were some kind of terrifying monster.

Another day passed before a shrill voice rang out from outside. “His Majesty has arrived-”

Transmigration coming with an assigned husband was something I couldn’t exactly call good or bad.

My husband was rich, powerful, young, and handsome. The problem was, it really wasn’t illegal for him to kill people!

I was scared.

I knelt on the floor and performed a very awkward salute. “G-greetings, Your Majesty.”

No voice came from above me for a long time, but I could clearly feel him scrutinizing me.

After what felt like forever, a man’s voice finally sounded over my head. “Raise your head.”

Trembling, I lifted my head and met a pair of deep, dark eyes. There was not the slightest trace of emotion in this young emperor’s gaze.

“Su Cairen, do you know that it is a capital offense for an imperial concubine to flee the palace without permission?”

The words fell into my ears, and I shuddered.

I didn’t know!

And even if I had known, what difference would it make? Either way, I was dead.