Chapter 15: To Accomplish a Great Deed
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As Yuan Peipei read on, she suddenly understood.
What the Emperor had given her was actually a detective novel.
She began earnestly searching for the mastermind behind the plot.
“Ah! I guessed wrong again. That woman looked so decent, but she turns out to be wicked.”
“I got this one right. She really isn’t a good person.”
Nanny Yuhuan went to the Imperial Study to report on her progress.
Dugu Jin asked, “How is she reading it? Has she learned anything?”
Remembering Yuan Peipei’s serious expression, Nanny Yuhuan replied, “Her Highness is reading with great concentration. She carries the book everywhere and never lets go of it. I’m sure she’ll learn a great deal from it.”
Dugu Jin was very pleased. It seemed this method really did work.
Especially that night, when he climbed into her bed, Yuan Peipei actually asked him to give her another book.
Dugu Jin was exceptionally gentle that night.
He even coaxed Yuan Peipei into agreeing to his request.
“Act it out once?”
“Yes. Act out everything in the book. Once I’m sure you’ve been reading carefully, I’ll give you the next one.”
【It really is you, Great Villain. You’re actually teaching your own consort how to fight for power in the palace!】
【Still, our darling Peipei really does need to grow.】
【Say yes! Darling Peipei, say yes! He’d even give you his life!】
“All right.” Yuan Peipei agreed between breaths.
Dugu Jin gently bit her earlobe and said, “But this is a secret between you and me. You mustn’t tell anyone else, understood?”
Yuan Peipei did not even remember when she had fallen asleep. All she knew upon waking was that she had promised the Emperor she would act out the scenes.
And she could not tell anyone.
It seemed being Emperor really was boring. Very well, she would play along with him for a while.
Following the instructions in the book, she dressed even more elegantly and went out with Cuizhi and Lanxin.
In the corridor outside the Palace of Diligent Governance, Consort Yun had already been waiting for quite some time. She kept asking the palace maid beside her, “Are you certain the Emperor will pass this way?”
“Of course. I’ve made sure of it. Her Highness is dressed so beautifully today. In a moment, she only needs to pretend to fall into His Majesty’s arms, and everything will proceed naturally.”
On the other side, Dugu Jin once again asked Du Heng, “You’re certain Peipei has already come out?”
Du Heng nodded repeatedly. “Absolutely. Consort Rou took this route. Your Majesty will certainly run into her shortly.”
Yun Peipei spotted Dugu Jin from far away. She quickened her pace, then slowed down again.
The book said to be affected and artificial…
She immediately began swaying her waist and rolling her hips, walking with a catlike stride.
At the three-way intersection, they were finally about to meet.
Suppressing her excitement, Consort Yun bent gracefully and saluted. “Your servant pays her respects to Your Majesty.”
At the same moment, Yun Peipei twisted her ankle. “Ow! Your Majesty, I’ve sprained my foot.”
Her face looked so aggrieved that tears seemed ready to spill at any moment.
Even her voice carried a faint sob.
【Yes! Exactly like that! How could the Great Villain possibly resist?】
【His eyes are practically shooting flames.】
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【Darling Peipei’s acting is superb.】
Dugu Jin immediately scooped Peipei up into his arms, though his face remained cold. “How could you be so careless, my beloved? Be more careful next time.”
As he spoke, he carried her toward Nishang Palace.
Consort Yun was still half-crouched and had not yet risen. “?”
Had she just been intercepted?
“Damn that Consort Rou! She’s actually learned how to compete for His Majesty’s favor!” Consort Yun seethed with rage, but could only stand up and return angrily to her own palace.
Nishang Palace.
“Waaah…”
Yun Peipei cried so pitifully that Dugu Jin’s heart nearly melted.
He held her and comforted her. “All right, all right. I’m here now, aren’t I? Show me where your foot hurts.”
Crying, Yun Peipei pointed to her ankle. Dugu Jin took one look and realized that it was truly swollen.
He had thought her acting was simply excellent. He had never imagined that she was genuinely injured.
Only then did Dugu Jin begin to panic.
“Send for the imperial physician!”
Setting a bone was extremely painful. The moment the physician took hold of Yuan Peipei’s foot, his heart began to tremble. He had already decided how he would roll after the Emperor kicked him, and in what position he ought to land.
“Your Highness, this may hurt a little. Please bear with it. It is better to endure brief pain than prolonged pain.”
Crack!
“Waaah!” Yuan Peipei burst into loud sobs.
Bang!
Dugu Jin kicked the physician aside. “Couldn’t you be gentler?”
The physician rolled across the floor and ended up lying flat on his back. As expected, everything had happened exactly as he had anticipated.
He hurriedly scrambled to his feet. “Your Majesty, Consort Rou’s bone was displaced. This was the only way to set it properly.”
Yuan Peipei moved her foot around. Still crying and laughing at once, she said, “Oh? It really doesn’t hurt anymore.”
The tension in Dugu Jin’s heart finally eased.
He had nearly died of fright.
Cuizhi and Lanxin went to see the physician out.
Yuan Peipei looked at Dugu Jin with eyes still glistening with tears. “Your Majesty, was my acting convincing?”
“Not at all! You’re never acting again!”
She had been injured this time. Who knew what might happen if she continued?
Yuan Peipei, however, disagreed. “Why can’t I act anymore? It was so much fun! I just misjudged the distance when I stepped earlier. Next time, I’ll perform even better.”
Dugu Jin fell silent.
Did this count as bringing a stone down on his own foot?
【These two are still playing house over there. Is the next scene going to be Consort Shu plotting to poison the Great Villain, then joining Prince Qi in rebellion?】
【More or less. Otherwise, once Consort Shu starts showing, won’t her secret be exposed?】
【Consort Shu is clever. She bribed a palace maid beside Consort Ning and used Consort Ning’s hand to administer the poison. She’s using one blade to kill another.】
Yuan Peipei: “!”
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So Consort Shu was that wicked!
Just like the woman in the book.
How was she supposed to help the Emperor?
After Dugu Jin left, Yuan Peipei spent a long time thinking by herself.
First, she would write an anonymous letter informing the Emperor that Consort Shu and Prince Qi were planning a rebellion.
Second, she would imitate the woman in the book.
“Cuizhi, Lanxin, come with me.”
Neither of them had expected Yuan Peipei to go looking for Consort Ning.
Consort Ning was also surprised. “What brings Consort Rou here today?”
As she examined the various palace maids, Yuan Peipei replied, “Oh, I’ve been in the palace for so long without ever visiting Your Highness, so I thought I’d come and take a look.”
Consort Ning’s delicate brows drew together.
What did this fool take her palace for? Did she think she could simply come and go whenever she pleased?
Yuan Peipei casually found a chair and sat down, her gaze never leaving the palace maids.
Which one had been bribed by Consort Shu?
Consort Ning had tea and pastries brought out. Once Yuan Peipei had eaten and drunk her fill, she rose and left.
Consort Ning: “?”
She could not shake the feeling that there was some sort of conspiracy afoot.
Cuizhi and Lanxin were equally baffled.
“Your Highness, why did you go to Consort Ning’s palace for no apparent reason?”
“You needn’t worry about Consort Ning. Anyone can see that His Majesty still favors you.”
Yuan Peipei wore an extremely solemn expression.
She was about to accomplish something truly important.
After wandering around the courtyard for a while, she suddenly touched her ear. “Oh? Where did my earring go?”
Cuizhi and Lanxin searched the entire courtyard with the other palace servants, but they found nothing.
Yuan Peipei declared firmly, “It must have fallen in Consort Ning’s palace. Let’s go look there!”
And so she led a large group of people straight to Consort Ning’s residence.
Consort Ning had been cursing Yuan Peipei under her breath when, to her surprise, the woman returned—and appeared to have hostile intentions.
“Consort Rou, what are you doing bringing so many people to my palace?”
Yuan Peipei replied, “My earring is missing. It must have fallen somewhere here, so I’ve come to look for it.”
With that, she began directing the palace servants to search.
This was practically the same as conducting a search of the entire palace.
Consort Ning’s gaze sharpened. “Consort Rou! Who gave you the nerve to come here and cause trouble?”
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