Chapter 137

Yun Yaoyao beckoned Di Shunzhi over and asked him outright, “What were you two just talking about? Was it something related to me?”

Di Shunzhi shook his head and denied it three times in a row. “Huh? Nothing at all! How would I dare?”

So he wasn’t going to talk, was he?

Yun Yaoyao revealed a threatening smile. “What new story has Mr. Fugui been writing lately? I rather liked the way Mr. Fugui used to be—so bold and unruly, always slandering and badmouthing His Majesty~”

Di Shunzhi was sweating buckets. “Your Highness…”

Yun Yaoyao said, “Out with it. What were you two saying about me just now?”

Even so, Di Shunzhi stubbornly stuck to his story, smiling helplessly as he repeatedly protested, “Really, Your Highness, it was nothing. Even if we were bored, we wouldn’t dare gossip about you. Please let me off, Your Highness. Whatever you do, don’t tell His Majesty.”

Only half-convinced, Yun Yaoyao let Di Shunzhi go.

The very next second after he turned around, that sincere and spineless face instantly became smug and triumphant.

Heh heh. Your Highness, you never would have guessed, would you? I confessed everything to His Majesty some time ago. Trying to threaten me with that now is like kicking a cotton ball~

Still feeling uneasy, Yun Yaoyao summoned Zhou Siren.

“Minister Zhou, are you hiding something from me?”

Zhou Siren looked innocent and scratched his butt. “No, Your Highness. Why would you think that?”

Yun Yaoyao gave him a cold smile. “Oh? You still refuse to tell me the truth? Then I suppose I’ll have to tell your tigress wife that on the night of the Autumn Sacrifice banquet, a woman threw herself into your arms and you nearly lost control…”

Zhou Siren’s legs almost gave out. Terrified, he stammered, “Your Highness, please don’t! You absolutely mustn’t let her know! That wasn’t my fault—the woman was carrying an unusual fragrance! I’ll talk! Just now, I was discussing when His Majesty and Her Highness might have an heir with my colleagues. We were speculating about imperial family matters. Please forgive me, Your Highness!”

Yun Yaoyao frowned. “That’s all?”

Zhou Siren nodded vigorously. “I would never deceive you, Your Highness!”

Yun Yaoyao waved him away, though she still looked suspicious.

The moment Zhou Siren turned around, the corners of his eyes crinkled with delight.

Thank goodness he had confessed and apologized to his tigress wife on the very night it happened. Although she had scratched him a few times and his colleagues had mercilessly teased him for several days, at least Her Highness couldn’t use it to threaten him now!

Yun Yaoyao still felt that something was off, so she summoned Lin Qingti and Ning Shoujiang as well.

She figured that one was her uncle, while the other was an iron-blooded, upright old general who had earned countless military merits. Surely neither of them would lie to her.

And yet, she still failed to find out anything.

At last, Yun Yaoyao summoned Yan Qinghong and decided to use the same trick to get the upper hand.

“Minister Yan, as long as you tell me—”

Yan Qinghong looked up and gave her a sinister grin. “Your Highness… ke he he he he he…”

Yun Yaoyao: “…”

Damn it! She had forgotten that this man was still in the middle of his villainous descent into darkness. Better not ask him!

And so Yun Yaoyao returned to the imperial palace with a bellyful of questions and curiosity that left her scratching her head.

Tu Shanjin changed into his dragon robes and headed to the Xuanzheng Hall to lecture the assembled officials, while Yun Yaoyao went to stroll around the rear palace.

Only then did she discover that the rear palace had lost all its former liveliness. Everywhere she looked, it seemed desolate and lonely.

Where had her whole flock of beautiful and capable consorts gone? Had they all been banished to the Cold Palace?!

Yun Yaoyao called over a palace maid who was sweeping and asked her about it. That was when she learned that His Majesty had dismissed all the women of the rear palace.

The palace maid looked thrilled, as though she had just witnessed the greatest romance in the world. Seeing that Her Highness, whom she had not seen for many days, looked especially kind and approachable today, she boldly said, “Your Highness, His Majesty must have abolished the harem for your sake!”

“Among three thousand beauties, His Majesty has eyes for you alone!”

“His Majesty has broken through the shackles of feudal propriety and is pursuing a life of devotion to you and you alone!”

“By now, he must be arguing with the ministers in the Xuanzheng Hall, defending his love for you. What a touching, tear-jerking, magnificent romance!”

Yun Yaoyao felt slightly moved when she heard the first few remarks. But the more the maid spoke, and the more she saw that dreamy, lovestruck look on the girl’s face, the more something seemed wrong.

Had this child read too many of Mr. Fugui’s romance stories and ruined her brain?

This kind of lovesick romanticism was dangerous.

Thus, Yun Yaoyao said to the maid earnestly, “Have you finished today’s work? Have you achieved the dreams you promised yourself? Have you gotten a promotion or a raise lately?”

One question was all it took to leave the girl speechless.

Her beautiful romantic fantasies shattered, and she returned to the cruel realities of life.

Yun Yaoyao continued, “Remember this: a stable relationship requires both parties to be strong. There is no such thing as kindness given without reason. If someone treats you well, either they want something from you, or you are worthy of being treated well. There’s no need to belittle yourself… Improve yourself. The stronger you become, the better the men around you will be… and so on and so forth.”

“Nowadays, every woman has the opportunity to become a female official. Why not seize the chance to improve yourself? I can see that you’re clever and quick-witted. You may well have the potential to rise above your circumstances.”

This heartfelt advice, filled with earnest concern, made the palace maid’s blood race with excitement.

How fortunate she was to receive personal encouragement from the Empress! And yet she had been wasting her time thinking about finding a man and experiencing romance. How shallow!

Now, she only wished to finish sweeping this area as quickly as possible, so she could take out the books she had borrowed from the library but never had the time to read and study them with all her might.

“So,” Yun Yaoyao asked with a faint smile, “should you be fantasizing about romance now, or should you focus on building a career?”

To hell with fantasizing about romance! She wasn’t worthy of it yet. She was going to build a career! Study! Become a female official!

The palace maid bowed deeply. “Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness! His Majesty and Your Highness have blessed everyone in the palace by giving us the chance to advance ourselves. I must not let down your painstaking efforts. I will become a female official and establish my own household!”

Only then was Yun Yaoyao satisfied.

That was more like it.

In an age when everyone was competing to improve themselves, the ancient world naturally couldn’t be left behind.

As long as you won’t work yourself to death, work yourself to the bone!

Everyone, get rolling!

The green-robed palace maid, who would soon set off a wave of fierce competition among the palace maids, also answered Yun Yaoyao’s question about where the former residents of the rear palace had gone.

Some had gone to the Ministry of Revenue to serve as female officials. Some had taken master craftsmen as their teachers and devoted themselves to learning a trade. Some had fulfilled their dreams by opening a grand fragrance house in the capital and establishing their own households. Others had set off to travel the world while saving lives and treating the sick along the way…

One of them had even become the third-ranking official in the Ministry of Justice. Everyone who saw her had to respectfully address her as the greatest female coroner in the world.

Yun ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‍Yaoyao was immensely pleased to hear this.

They had all achieved their dreams and were shining brightly in the fields they loved.

From here on, they would live with even greater confidence and freedom, leading lives of brilliance and splendor. In the future, they would become role models in the hearts of countless women.

Yun Yaoyao was sincerely happy for them and wished them brighter and brighter futures.

Seeing that Yun Yaoyao had nothing else to ask, the palace maid respectfully curtsied and withdrew, preparing to hit the books.

Yun Yaoyao continued strolling through the rear palace. As she walked, she eventually arrived at Fuling Palace.

The palace maid had mentioned earlier that Consort Ling was the only person remaining in the entire rear palace. No—she should now be addressed as Commandery Princess Danling. Apparently, she had been waiting for Yun Yaoyao.

Yun Yaoyao had a vague guess as to why. The moment she stepped through the palace doors, a figure came rushing toward her excitedly.

“Your Majesty, you’ve finally returned to the capital!”

Du Luoling hooked her arm affectionately through Yun Yaoyao’s and walked inside with her as though they were sisters, chattering nonstop. “You have no idea how worried I was while you and His Majesty were away in Shu. I was terrified something might happen. Thank goodness you both came back safely!”

“Come in and sit for a while!”

“Lü Peng, bring tea and some snacks!”

Once they were seated, Du Luoling held on to her and chatted about this and that for quite some time. At last, she gave an embarrassed smile, her bright eyes filled with anticipation.

“Yun Yaoyao, can I call you that when we’re alone? Since you’re not saying anything, I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Now that the greatest hidden threats and rotten tumors in the court and throughout Yan Chi have been eliminated, this feudal world isn’t quite so ignorant and backward anymore. You… your mission should be almost complete, right?”

Yun Yaoyao had already guessed that this was what Du Luoling wanted to ask about. She let out a soft sigh, hesitating to speak.

Du Luoling had assumed Yun Yaoyao would be shocked that she knew about it. Instead, the other woman said nothing and merely looked at her with a complicated expression, as though she had anticipated this all along.

In an instant, a sense of foreboding flashed through Du Luoling’s heart.

She refused to think too deeply about it and continued sincerely, “Actually, there’s something I need to confess to you. It’s just that… when you and His Majesty visited the Princess’s residence before, I came to see you alone and overheard that you were a system transmigrator. Your mission was to correct this world, which was on the verge of collapse.”

“I admit that I had bad intentions toward you before, but I hadn’t gotten the chance to act on them. And after I overheard that you were a system transmigrator, I immediately mended my ways and started clinging to you for protection!”

“After that, I was always thinking about how I could help you. By now, I truly regard you as a good friend.”

Du Luoling carefully watched Yun Yaoyao’s expression, afraid she would be angry.

“I know.” Yun Yaoyao’s expression was just as earnest. She reached out and clasped Du Luoling’s hand. “So there’s something I need to confess to you as well. Prepare yourself.”

“Go ahead.” The unease in Du Luoling’s heart grew even stronger.

Yun Yaoyao recounted the entire story from beginning to end. With every sentence, the smile on Du Luoling’s face stiffened a little more.

By the end, she could no longer smile at all.

Du Luoling tugged stiffly at the corners of her mouth. “Haha… How could that be? You’re so powerful. You’re the empress, Yan Chi’s walking lucky charm, the Goddess, and…”

Yun Yaoyao’s face was full of remorse. “Our circumstances and positions were different back then. That’s why I chose to deceive you.”

At that moment, a chill spread through Du Luoling’s entire body. Her last hope shattered completely.

“It was all fake…”

“So it really was fake…”

“It’s not your fault. We were enemies back then… You didn’t owe me anything.”

“I thought I might have a chance to go home…”

By the time she said this, Du Luoling’s voice had become choked with tears. Her eyes brimmed with sorrow, desolation, and deep despair.

Tears fell one after another as she sobbed and poured out her feelings.

“Yun Yaoyao, do you know? I can’t even remember what my parents’ voices sound like anymore.”

“I’ve been in Yan Chi for fourteen years. When I first arrived, the Du residence was truly unbearable. There were deadly schemes everywhere, constant intrigue, and knives in my back. While struggling to survive, I was also being trained and assimilated by this place.”

“I remember the first time someone tried to harm me. I was terrified and stunned. I felt sick and kept wondering how anyone could be so cruel. But later, I was able to execute servants who tried to hurt me without even changing my expression. I even began taking the initiative to eliminate anyone who stood in my way.”

“One day, I suddenly realized that I had become more and more unfamiliar to myself, more and more like the very people I had once hated. So I found a way to leave the Du residence and went to Pu County, thinking I could live out the rest of my life as a carefree princess.”

“But that damn Du Guanliu shattered my peaceful life again. I had no choice but to come back and compete with you for the emperor’s favor. To be honest, I was excited at the time.”

“It turned out that I wasn’t the only transmigrator in Yan Chi. I wasn’t some alien who didn’t belong in this era anymore. I had someone like me. She had once lived on the same land as I had.”

“Yun Yaoyao, you’re far more capable than I am. I’m a coward who only wants to flee this place, while you’re brave enough to change it. Watching you use modern civilization to influence this feudal society made me feel somewhat comforted, and it also made my longing to return home grow stronger.”

“I’m afraid that if I stay here any longer, I’ll forget even my parents’ faces. Boohoo…”

“Why did it have to be me who transmigrated?”

Yun Yaoyao could only comfort her. “Perhaps the Imperial Preceptor has a way. I’ll send people to inquire about his whereabouts.”

Du Luoling wiped her tears and sobbed, “It’s not as though I never thought of asking the Imperial Preceptor for help. He comes and goes without a trace. Unless he’s willing to show himself, there’s no way to find him. The only time I ever learned where he was, he avoided seeing me.”

“I can’t go back. I really can’t go back now… Waaaaah!”

The more Du Luoling cried, the more worked up she became. She abruptly stood up and raised her middle finger at the sky.

“Damn transmigration! Damn heavens! I’ll f—ing curse your ancestors for eight generations!”

“So many people in the world, and you just had to drag your father into transmigration! You’re a heartless bastard, a stubborn old turtle with a steely heart!”

“In my next life, I’m going to climb onto your head and take a dump! Aaaaaah!”

“Waaah, waaah, waaah!”

Whether she had become too emotional while venting or the heavens had truly heard her curses and taken offense, Du Luoling lost her footing and landed hard on her backside. One of her shoes even flew off.

Even so, she lifted her leg toward the sky and stubbornly raised her middle toe.

“F— your father! F— your mother! F— your grandfather! F— your grandmother! F— your great-grandmother! F— your aunts! F— your ancestors for eighteen generations—may not one of them ever be loved! F—, f—, f—!”

Perhaps she had been infected by Du Luoling’s sorrow and unstable state of mind, but Yun Yaoyao grew troubled as well.

Du Luoling was upset because she couldn’t go home. Yun Yaoyao was troubled by the possibility that she might suddenly be able to return.

What was her true identity?

Why had she come to this world?

And why had her soul ended up switching places with Tu Shanjin’s?

Too many questions lay before her like a thick fog, obscuring the road ahead. Yun Yaoyao felt dazed, lost, confused, and uneasy.

When she finally came back to herself, she realized that she had already left Fuling Palace.