001. The Reborn Noblewoman Is Imposingly Bold
Tianlong Kingdom, Imperial Palace.
It was the height of early spring, and flowers and grass were flourishing everywhere.
A flower appreciation banquet was held in the palace that day. The palace blooms were, of course, splendid, yet none of the young ladies from noble families had any real interest in the flowers. Instead, their attention was wholly devoted to the princes, flitting about them with laughter and lively chatter.
Only one young woman crouched down, a few strands of hair slipping over her shoulders. With her head slightly bowed, she reached out and plucked a clump of red-stemmed grass from the ground.
Le Qianxue wrapped the herb in a handkerchief. It might have seemed insignificant to others, but to her, it was an excellent ingredient for alchemy.
She had never expected to find it in the imperial gardens; her trip to the palace was not in vain after all.
No one could have guessed that the soul within this body had already changed. The new occupant was the head of the Tang Clan from the modern era, a master of alchemy.
Just as she stood, someone blocked her path ahead.
“Isn’t this the eldest daughter of the General’s Manor? Why would my aunt invite someone like her? Isn’t she afraid she’ll ruin the flower banquet as well?” The speaker was Yang Ning’er, daughter of the Prime Minister, whose aunt was none other than the Empress herself.
Le Qianxue searched her memory and finally recalled who this was. She had been in this world for three months now. Though she had adapted to life here, she had little memory for those who did not matter.
She replied calmly, “Move aside.”
“My, what arrogance!” Yang Ning’er raised her brows. She hadn’t seen Le Qianxue for several months, and now found her more stunning than ever.
If Le Qianxue were to attract the princes’ favor today, that would be intolerable.
By Yang Ning’er’s side stood the Third Princess, who regarded Le Qianxue with equal disdain.
Yang Ning’er turned to the Third Princess and said, “Your Highness, this is Le Qianxue I told you about—shameless, always clinging to the Fourth Prince and even demanding that he marry her.”
The Third Princess burst into laughter, her mockery plain.
She stepped forward deliberately and said, “Le Qianxue, you really are insufferable!”
Often, a woman’s dislike for another stemmed from jealousy of her beauty.
Le Qianxue chuckled softly. “You dislike me, and I don’t care for you either. We’re well matched, aren’t we?”
With that, she turned to leave.
Just then, a palace maid carrying a food box happened to pass by. The Third Princess recognized her as one of the imperial kitchen staff, delivering a meal to the Prince of War.
She immediately strode over. The maid, startled and about to bow, was suddenly shoved hard by the Third Princess.
“Ah—this is the Prince of War’s meal!” the maid cried instinctively.
Hearing this, Le Qianxue moved swiftly and caught the food box steadily.
The maid was knocked to the ground and heard Le Qianxue say, “Third Princess, you should watch where you walk—otherwise, what use are your eyes? If they’re of no use to you, I’d be happy to relieve you of them.”
The Third Princess, furious, pointed at Le Qianxue and shouted, “You! Le Qianxue, just wait and see!”
Yang Ning’er added, “Don’t be upset, Your Highness. She may not leave the palace unscathed today.”
With her little scheme thwarted, the Third Princess stalked off in a huff.
Le Qianxue returned the food box to the young maid, who quickly thanked her, “Thank you very much.”
Le Qianxue said nothing more. She understood that the Third Princess had intended to frame her by having the meal spilled; the Prince of War was notorious for his temper, and even princes would not escape punishment if they offended him.
The little maid hurried off to deliver the meal, not daring to linger.
As the flower banquet was about to end, Le Qianxue made her way toward the exit of the imperial gardens, intent on leaving the palace. Suddenly, the gardens were surrounded by a surge of Imperial Guards.
Le Qianxue frowned. Something was amiss.
The Imperial Guards blocked every exit, and tension gripped the guests.
“What’s going on?”
“Yes, why have so many guards appeared out of nowhere…”
Some of the noble ladies turned pale with fright.
The Imperial Guards spread out, as if searching for someone. The commander stopped before Le Qianxue and declared, “Le Qianxue, you have poisoned the Prince of War! By order of Her Majesty the Empress, I am to arrest you!”
Le Qianxue was stunned. Poisoned the crippled prince? When had she ever done such a thing?
Could it be the meal?
Phoenix Hall.
The Empress and the four consorts were all present. The Emperor happened to be away on a southern tour.
Under the Empress’s interrogation, the maid responsible for delivering the meal, Little Cui, had already confessed.
She claimed that Le Qianxue had bribed her to poison the Prince of War’s food. Little Cui was already in custody; now only Le Qianxue knelt in the hall, refusing to confess.
Yet both the Third Princess and Yang Ning’er testified that they had seen Le Qianxue speak with Little Cui, making it difficult for her to prove her innocence.
Nanny Zhang rolled up her sleeves, picked up a long needle from a tray, and said, “Le Qianxue! Will you still not confess before Her Majesty?”
The interrogation had dragged on for half an hour. Since Le Qianxue refused to yield, the Empress was ready to resort to torture.
Le Qianxue turned her head, her gaze settling on Nanny Zhang.
She regarded the long needle without the slightest fear. As the head of the Tang Clan, she was more skilled with silver needles than anyone—whether to heal or to kill unseen.
“Nanny Zhang! Proceed with the torture!” The Empress, seated on her phoenix throne, could wait no longer. Le Qianxue’s stubbornness had knitted her brow.
Who was the Prince of War?
Though crippled, he wielded such power that the very foundation of the realm would tremble at his command.
Nanny Zhang obeyed, advancing with the long needle. Two palace maids seized Le Qianxue to hold her still.
Only then did Le Qianxue speak unhurriedly, “Your Majesty, I did not poison anyone. The maid is falsely accusing me. Why not have the Court of Justice investigate, instead of resorting to private punishment?”
At these words, the Empress’s expression darkened.
Le Qianxue was becoming too audacious!
“Le Qianxue! Are you instructing me on how to rule?” The Empress’s hand trembled with rage.
Among the four consorts, Consort Virtue let out a soft laugh. She glanced at the Empress and said, “Elder Sister, Le Qianxue has a point. Such a case should be investigated by the Court of Justice. Torturing her now is hardly appropriate, is it?”
The Empress, regal in her forties yet still strikingly beautiful in her blue-green imperial robe, was not pleased.
Consort Virtue, newly entered into the palace and not yet twenty, was a dazzling beauty and had quickly become one of the four consorts, ever ready to oppose the Empress.
The Empress shot her a furious glare. “There’s no need to involve the Court of Justice. The evidence is clear! Nanny Zhang, proceed!”
This time, Nanny Zhang did not hesitate. She raised her hand, preparing to drive the needle in.
Le Qianxue lifted her eyes, cool and measured. She was not here to submit to torture.
Had she been the old Le Qianxue, she might have wept and pleaded innocence, or confessed outright.
But she was not!
As Nanny Zhang’s needle descended, Le Qianxue moved, shrugging off the two maids restraining her. She seized Nanny Zhang’s hand, her eyes icy.
Nanny Zhang hesitated. Seeing Le Qianxue so bold, she counted on the Empress’s backing and felt no fear.
“Le Qianxue! How dare you resist Her Majesty’s orders?” Nanny Zhang shouted in scorn.
Without even glancing up, Le Qianxue tightened her grip. There was a crack, and Nanny Zhang’s wrist bone snapped in her grasp.
Nanny Zhang shrieked in agony, “Ah—Le Qianxue, are you rebelling? You dare lay hands on me? This is an affront to Her Majesty!”
Everyone in the hall was stunned.
Le Qianxue’s reputation had never been good, but to dare act violently within Phoenix Hall was a capital offense.
The Empress, sensing her authority challenged, stood up and pointed at Le Qianxue in fury. “Le Qianxue! Your unruly nature is beyond redemption! Guards, seize her!”
Le Qianxue seemed not to hear. She pushed Nanny Zhang away, who rolled helplessly across the floor, unable to rise.
At the Empress’s command, the Imperial Guards stormed in. Le Qianxue stood her ground and said in a slow voice, “Your Majesty, forcing a confession is hardly just. I request to see the Prince of War—I have a way to cure him.”
She had intended to keep her skills hidden, but the Empress had pushed her too far.
The Empress sneered, “The Prince of War was appointed by the Emperor himself, a pillar of the realm. You wish to see him only to finish him off while he is unconscious from poison, don’t you?”
Le Qianxue laughed coldly. In her three months here, she had come to understand the Empress’s character thoroughly.
The Crown Prince was the son of the former Empress, and recently the Prince of War had seemed to support him. The Empress, fearing for her own son’s claim to the throne, would find it most convenient if the Prince of War died.
Yang Ning’er, the Empress’s niece, was surely part of her scheme.
“Your Majesty, what is there to fear? With so many guards in the palace, if I attempted anything, I could not possibly escape,” Le Qianxue replied.
As long as the Prince of War recovered, there was still hope to turn the situation around.
With the Emperor away and her father stationed at the western garrison, she could rely only on herself.
But the Empress gave her no chance. “Enough! Le Qianxue, for plotting to harm the Prince of War, drag her away and await punishment!”
“Wait!”
The voice belonged to Consort Virtue.
She regarded the Empress coldly. “Your Majesty, convicting her on the maid’s mere word and a handful of silver is hardly sufficient evidence. Le Qianxue is the General’s daughter—such a sentence should at least await the Emperor’s return.”