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The same night, in another palace.
The sound of loud footsteps can be heard in the hallway. The door to my room was then suddenly opened aggressively.
"Are you okay?!" Ji Zhen Tian looked like he rushed to here, being haggard and all.
"E-Emperor?! Why... here..." I was surprised to see him. I heard from my maid that another consort's plate was turned over for tonight. I wonder why he's here.
"You fell down earlier, didn't you? Are you alright? Injured anywhere?" He then grabbed me and checked everywhere. Through my clothes, though.
"I'm fine, Em-Zhen Tian. You don't have to worry. Why do you look so disheveled?" His hair was all over the place.
"I rushed here as soon as I heard the news." He explained, looking a little relieved.
"You didn't have to do that." I chuckled. "I only fell down because I bumped into the Great General."
"Exactly because it's that person that I..." He muttered, but didn't finish his sentence. "If you're just fine, then that's for the best." He sighed. "You should watch out better next time, okay?" He reprimanded me as if talking to a child.
"I understand."
"Ehem." He cleared his throat. "Then, I'm going now. In any case, you should just rest for tonight."
I nodded.
Ji Zhen Tian then fixed himself and left, though he looked reluctant to go.
He must be headed for that consort's palace now, huh.
I unconsciously shuddered. I suddenly felt dirty. .....Why?
"Mistress, dinner is served."
I didn't manage to dwell more on that thought as food was already prepared.
⊙ ⊙
The next day, nothing significant happened. I once again went back to my lazy lifestyle. My bottom does hurt, so I didn't go out and play with Ming Yi Fei. Instead, I once again entertained myself listening to my maid's stories.
"Imperial Consort..." suddenly she muttered in a soft voice, as if readying to say some conspiracy.
"Hmm? What is it?" I ate the cookies prepared by the kitchen.
"I recently heard from the maids in the Empress palace that..." she then lowered her voice even more and whispered, "Sir Xi Jiu seems to be the Empress' lover."
"?! Sir Xi Jiu?! As in, that imperial guard?! The one who helped me before?!" Now, I'm definitely surprised. He's not going to say now that before Li Zhen Zhen there was me, no? I hope so. ...Is he going to betray Ji Zhen Tian?! That can't happen! My plans! My tasks!
"Yes, Your Highness. I heard that Sir Xi Jiu goes to the Empress' inner chambers every night since about 10 days ago..."
Ten days ago? Wasn't that just immediately after I told him to be wary of Li Zhen Zhen? Is he betraying us, or is Xi Jiu planning to spy even closer, sacrificing even his body? Or is it that he just can't reject Li Zhen Zhen's advances and was forced to submit his body to her?
...I could totally imagine that. With Li Zhen Zhen's character, she's definitely the lunatic who can make other people simply give in rather than fall victim to her even more devious schemes.
"...and I also heard that they're definitely doing that..." My maid's face is red once again, when dwelling on this topic. "Because the Empress' lewd moans can be heard from the outside."
Were the people in her palace simply eavesdroppers, their hobby listening to someone else doing it, or is it just that Li Zhen Zhen's a screamer?
....I'm not really interested in knowing the answer, though.
"Why and how did they end up like that?" I asked instead.
"The maids also don't know, but I think..." my maid once again whispered, "...that the Empress is scheming something. Her Majesty even called back her brother the Great General. If she's not up to something, then I'm not sure why she would even make the General return from the borders."
I once again applaud this maid in my mind. She definitely should be an investigator. She once again proved that she absolutely can.
"Hmm... You shouldn't let this leak out to the other servants, okay?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
I didn't ask the maid another question again.
I know it's also useless to ask the system. This story is most definitely one building up the climax, so it definitely wouldn't answer any of my questions.
I continued eating my snacks silently, pondering on things, and thinking about my plans from now.