Quick Transmigration: Vicious Female Side Character Role-play Plan

“According to the rules of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Emperor rests in the Kunning Palace on the fifteenth of every month, and accepts the greetings of all concubines during the morning court session to demonstrate the harmony between the dragon and phoenix.

Jiang Xin Ren found it a bit hard to accept having to rise before six o’clock to dress and groom herself, her face full of weariness, which actually matched the state of being poisoned and lacking in spirit.

Chun Hua firmly memorized these details, turned around, wrote them on a note, and sent it to the Kunning Palace.

When she returned to the room, she happened to see Qiu Ye coming in from outside. Thinking of how the Mistress had gotten close to her yesterday, her eyes flickered. She took a step to block Qiu Ye’s path and reprimanded:

“The Mistress is still waiting in the room, where did you run off to? Do you not have any sense of propriety? I’ll have Gui Fei properly teach you the rules of serving the master later.”

“No need for Sister Chun Hua to go to the trouble,” Qiu Ye pushed her aside with one hand, sneering. Still thinking of using Gui Fei to threaten her?

Before, the Mistress may not have seen through it, but now…

She leaned in close and whispered in Chun Hua’s ear: “But Sister Chun Hua should return to the Ye Ting and listen to Madam Li’s admonishment again.” With that, she circled around Chun Hua and entered the room.

Chun Hua stood frozen in place. Madam Li was the housekeeper in charge of instructing the palace maids in the Ye Ting. Every batch of palace maids that entered the palace would be admonished by her:

As a servant, one must never betray one’s master.

The Mistress knew she had turned to the Empress?!

Inside the room, Qiu Ye recounted what had just happened and presented the item hidden in her bosom for the Mistress to see:

“Mistress, everything you ordered has been prepared by this servant.”

“Very good,” Jiang Xin Ren allowed Qiu Ye to support her, “Then let us hurry to the Kunning Palace to pay our respects, lest we be late and anger the Empress.”

“The Empress is magnanimous and is praised by all as a great benevolent person, how could she be angry with the Mistress.”

“You have a point.”

————–

The Empress sat on the high seat alongside the Emperor, and with one glance spotted Jiang Xin Ren’s enchanting face among those below. Her dignified and virtuous smile nearly failed to hold as she took two deep breaths and said: “You may all rise.”

She had thought that even if the poison couldn’t take her life, it would at least make her face withered and greatly diminish her looks. But looking at her today, she still had that bewitching appearance!

Jiang Xin Ren naturally sensed the Empress’ malicious gaze, but pretended not to notice and looked at the Emperor admiringly like the other concubines.

Her appearance was ranked first in the palace, with autumn wave-like eyes, beautiful and captivating. The Emperor naturally took notice of her, and seeing that lovely face, returned her smile.

“Your Majesty, what do you think?”

The Empress clearly saw the exchange of glances between them, fuming inside. She used official business as an excuse to interrupt their flirting.

The Emperor spoke with the Empress, his thoughts still on Jiang Xin Ren.

The beauty’s charm remained, but her complexion was a bit pale, and he saw clutching her heart.

Glancing over, he indeed saw her pressing a hand to her chest, slightly furrowing her brows, looking very feeble.

After the morning court ended, he would have Li De Gonggong send some tonics to Concubine Jiang. The Emperor turned the jade thumb ring on his finger, happily deciding.

But Jiang Xin Ren’s expression grew more and more abnormal, her face gradually revealing a pained look. The slender hand pressed to her chest changed to grasping at the clothes over her heart, her figure swaying as if about to collapse.

The Emperor had been observing her from the corner of his eye. Seeing her getting worse and worse, he was about to order for the Imperial Physician to be summoned to take Concubine Jiang’s pulse.

But then he saw her body go limp as she slumped over the table, the plates and tea cups on it all crashing to the ground. The immense noise immediately drew the attention of the many concubines. They looked at each other, not knowing what had happened.

The Empress frowned: “Concubine Jiang, your propriety…”

“Ugh!” Jiang Xin Ren urgently gasped for breath a few times, as if unable to endure anymore. She turned her head and spat out a mouthful of bright red fresh blood, then collapsed on the table, passing out.

Qiu Ye was so frightened she immediately held her, flustered and panicked: “Mistress! Mistress! What’s wrong, Mistress?!”

“Immediately summon the Imperial Physician! Hurry!”

The Emperor decisively commanded. The Empress also put on an alarmed appearance, ordering people to tidy up the side hall and send Jiang Xin Ren there, but secretly rejoicing inside.

Could it be that the poison had taken effect? Although the timing of its onset was a bit off, as long as she was eliminated…

The Imperial Physician hurried over, not daring to even catch his breath. He took out a silk handkerchief and placed it on Concubine Jiang’s wrist, carefully taking her pulse.

After a while, he put away the handkerchief and knelt down before the Emperor:

“Reporting to Your Majesty, Concubine Jiang has been afflicted with a deadly poison, causing her to vomit blood. But fortunately, the amount of toxin inhaled was not much. She only needs a few prescriptions and a few days of medication to clear the poison.”

But the Imperial Physician himself was a bit puzzled. The toxins in Concubine Jiang’s body were extremely minimal. Theoretically, it shouldn’t have been enough to cause her to vomit blood and fall unconscious, right?

Therefore, he took her pulse a few more times before reluctantly accepting it, comforting himself that it was Concubine Jiang’s delicate constitution that made her react so strongly to the toxins.

The Emperor was enraged and ordered a thorough investigation. Just as his fury was burning, Concubine Jiang’s personal maid ran out with a face full of joy:

“Your Majesty, the Mistress is awake and is longing to see you.”

Seeing this, Li De Gonggong stepped forward and reminded him: “Your Majesty, Prime Minister Zhuang is waiting for you in the Imperial Study.”

The Emperor hesitated for a moment, but still said: “Have Jing Mu wait for Us.”

Although Jiang Xin Ren put on a tearful appearance, she had been paying attention to what was happening outside and naturally heard the mention of “Prime Minister Zhuang”. Surnamed Zhuang, Zhuang Jing Mu?

Before she could recall the information about this person, the Emperor had already pushed open the door and entered. She instantly let out a few sobs and raised her face, calling out: “Your Majesty–“

The beauty cried until tears adorned her face like pear blossoms, her eyes full of fear and dread, her complexion still pale. She looked at him dependently, “Your Majesty, this concubine is so frightened.”

The Emperor’s heart itched. He strode over in a few steps and embraced the fragile beauty in his arms, comforting: “Do not be afraid. I have already ordered a thorough investigation. No one will harm you again.”

Jiang Xin Ren lay against the Emperor’s chest, her body shaking with sobs:

“This concubine, this concubine has just been staying put in Listening Rain Pavilion these days and never went out, yet was harmed with such a deadly poison. This concubine is really, really so scared. This concubine truly doesn’t know where it would be safe from poisoning. Your Majesty, Your Majesty…”

Delicate and pitiful, sorrowful and poignant, the dependence overflowing from her words made the Emperor’s entire body go numb.

He could only pat and caress her, gently comforting her. It took a long while before he managed to coax the beauty into falling asleep with tears in her eyes. Only then was he able to extricate himself. He tidied his clothes and left the side hall.

As soon as he stepped out the door, he remembered and said to Li De Gonggong:

“Go convey my decree to promote Concubine Jiang to Rank 5. No, make that Concubine Jiang of the Fourth Rank. Bestow more precious medicinal ingredients, she’s been frightened.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Jiang Xin Ren was still sleeping soundly in the side hall of the Kunning Palace when her promotion edict spread throughout the rear palace. Upon hearing the news, the Empress angrily smashed the cup in her hand.

“Trash! You’re all trash! The task I entrusted to you, plotted for so long, not only failed to eliminate Jiang Xin Ren but even let her rise two ranks to become a Fourth Pin Concubine! What use do I have for you?!”

Qin Zhu knelt on the ground, her forehead cut by the shattered cup and bleeding, but not daring to wipe it, afraid of further angering Her Highness and incurring greater punishment.

Qin Mei persuaded: “Your Highness, that Concubine Jiang is still lying in the side hall.”

“So what? Don’t tell me I’m afraid of a mere little concubine?!” The Empress sneered.

“If not for her luck in having the poison act up in front of His Majesty, making him spare no effort to investigate, I would have ensured she never returned!”