Xue Wanqiu was yanked so hard she stumbled, almost falling. In all her life, she had never knelt to anyone; even bowing felt beneath her dignity. But now, the gazes of the entire courtyard pricked her like needles. Her father's back trembled with tension, and her mother's nails nearly dug into her arm—for the first time, she realized that those who usually flattered her now wore expressions of pure spectatorship.
Wei Lin was on duty today and hadn't come. Liu Yan was also busy. Only Xiao Ce was present, but when she cast a pleading look his way, he instinctively avoided her eyes.
He wasn't foolish. Speaking up now would only lead to who-knows-what rumors later.
Finding no ally, Xue Wanqiu grew frantic.
"I won't kneel!" she said, her neck stiff, voice strained.
"How dare you defy me!" Her father whirled around, eyes bloodshot, and pressed down on the back of her neck, forcing her to kowtow heavily towards the Empress Dowager's direction. Thud! Thud! Thud! Three dull thumps made her forehead go numb and her vision darken.
Yin Tao made a grimacing expression.
Just as the Empress Dowager was about to tell the Xue family to rise.
"Miss Xue's temperament is rather... spirited," Yin Tao spoke up again, slow and deliberate. Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried just enough for those nearby to hear. "One just wonders if such spirit might one day turn into arrogance. After all, being too headstrong in front of the imperial family isn't really a virtue."
These words were like a soft thorn, gently piercing the hearts of the Xue family. Looking at her daughter's stubbornly stiff neck, Lady Xue felt for the first time that this child had likely been spoiled rotten. She disregarded the family's dignity and insisted on throwing a tantrum on such an occasion. If she really entered the palace and married Fang Zhiyi in the future, such lack of restraint could bring great disaster! The Xue couple suddenly felt a chill on their necks.
Dizzy from being forced to kowtow, the hatred in Xue Wanqiu's heart grew like wild grass. She couldn't understand how an insignificant concubine dared treat her like this? Even more, why were her own parents siding with outsiders! She stared fixedly at Yin Tao, nails digging deep into her palms: Just wait. Once I find Fang Zhiyi, I'll make sure that little wretch is torn to pieces!
Thinking of Fang Zhiyi, she lifted her head again, trying to find his figure in the crowd, but she was disappointed. Fang Zhiyi hadn't appeared. Before she could even sigh, she felt her father's hand on the back of her head again, pressing her to bow several more times towards the Empress Dowager and the Eldest Princess, until she felt lightheaded from lack of oxygen.
She even saw Xiaotao's smug smile, which filled her with extreme displeasure. Since I crossed into this world, I've never knelt to anyone! To suffer such humiliation today—you will all pay!
For the rest of the flower-viewing party, Xue Wanqiu, who should have been the center of attention, did not reappear, having been sent to reflect on her actions.
The Empress Dowager didn't seem to mind. Instead, she engaged Yin Tao in conversation, asking her this and that. Even the usually silent Eldest Princess offered Yin Tao pastries several times, making Yin Tao somewhat bashful.
"System, how did I do? Hahaha, all those palace intrigue and face-slapping dramas I watched weren't for nothing!" Xiaotao remained excited all the way back to her quarters. Her system replied lazily, "The host performed excellently. Keep up the good work," then fell silent.
"It's a shame Senior didn't come today. What is he doing?" Xiaotao wondered, but then thought, "Well, it doesn't matter. That female lead hasn't realized yet that her backer has already abandoned her, right?"
"Tell me, should I start with those admirers of hers? I don't believe all those men are utterly devoted to her." Xiaotao was clearly exhilarated. This was her first quick-transmigration mission. Today she had also noticed that Xiao Ce seemed unwilling to ruin his own prospects.
The system answered mechanically, "The host may decide."
Xiaotao didn't mind the system's perfunctory tone.
The Empress Dowager promptly sent over many gifts. Yin Tao's attention was immediately diverted. This being her first quick-transmigration mission, she found these treasures quite novel.
She had made up her mind: continue slapping the female lead's face. In the original plot, the imperial family members were too soft-hearted, actually letting the female lead run wild.
At the Xue residence, scolded by her parents, Xue Wanqiu shut herself in her room sulking. Having always had smooth sailing, being publicly humiliated today by that insignificant girl was unbearable. Several exquisite vases fell victim to her rage. Outside her room, several men exchanged glances, among them Wei Lin and Liu Yan who had just arrived. They had never seen Xue Wanqiu in such a state.
Wei Lin's face darkened. He would not allow anyone to bully Wanqiu. Perhaps... he could do something. A thought that should not have arisen surfaced in his heart, making it pound wildly.
"Palace intrigue? Hmph, let me show you what real palace intrigue is!" Xue Wanqiu, having finally calmed down a little, muttered viciously to herself. She refused to believe that someone like her, who had transmigrated into this story, couldn't outmaneuver a mere native!
When she gained power, that wretch must die! And die horribly!
She would also complain to Fang Zhiyi!
Strangely, however, Fang Zhiyi seemed to have vanished. He still wasn't attending court, but he wasn't in the palace either.
She had someone contact the little eunuch she had specially placed by Fang Zhiyi's side. The message she got back was that Fang Zhiyi was recently preparing a surprise for her.
This satisfied Xue Wanqiu a little.
The little eunuch who delivered the message trembled as he looked at the old eunuch before him, forcing a smile uglier than a cry. "Eunuch Wei, w-was that acceptable?"
Eunuch Wei smiled kindly. "You performed well. His Majesty said that as long as you are obedient, your parents and brothers will have food to eat. If you continue otherwise... you know the consequences."
The little eunuch shrunk into himself like a chick and quickly lowered his head.
He didn't understand how, overnight, his identity had been uncovered. Not only that, the entire palace seemed to have changed. The previously lazy eunuchs and maids were now bustling about, all looking hurried, some even carrying things out from time to time.
He had intended to pass a message to Xue Wanqiu, but before he could act, he was cornered here by Eunuch Wei from the Emperor's side.
After Eunuch Wei's "heart-to-heart talk," the little eunuch decided: he would take Xue Wanqiu's money, but he also wanted his whole family to live.
The court officials had grown accustomed to Fang Zhiyi's absence from court. They were also used to resolving matters through arguments. Of course, many senior ministers were deeply dissatisfied with Fang Zhiyi, but whether they admonished or remonstrated, it was useless. Over time, they got used to it.
It was just a bit strange today. The Minister of War, Li; the Minister of Personnel, Zhang; and the Grand Secretary, Yang, seemed unusually firm, repeatedly rebutting suggestions put forward by Xiao Ce and others without yielding an inch.
Weren't they afraid of the Emperor's displeasure? Everyone knew these young talents were deeply trusted by the Emperor.
Xiao Ce and Liu Yan were also frustrated. Why were these old fellows suddenly so stubborn?
However, when they sought an audience with the Emperor, they were informed that His Majesty had left the palace to offer prayers for the Empress Dowager's blessings and was not present. Both were left rather frustrated; even Wei Lin, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, was unaware of Fang Zhiyi's whereabouts.
and couldn't return to the real world. Finally, I gave up and decided to go with the flow, only to discover that writing a diary could make me stronger. Since no one could read it, Su Luo wrote freely, daring to pen anything and everything. Female Lead #1: "Not bad. This diary helped me steal all the protagonist's opportunities. I just want to get stronger." Female Lead #2: "I don’t care about reaching the peak of the cultivation world. Right now, I just want to enjoy the chaos." Female Lead #3: "What? Everyone around me is a spy? I’m the Joker Demon Lord?" ... It’s so strange. Why is the plot completely off track, yet the ending remains the same? Are you all just messing with me?!
ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!
e, Immortal Body, Transmigration, System, Progression Fantasy, Academy Setting, Third-Person Perspective. Alternate Title: Transmigrating into a High Martial World and Reading Live Comments. Bad news: I transmigrated. This is a terrifying high-martial world, and my original, pathetically weak body fell into a coma and never woke up. Good news: I got a Popularity Points system upon arrival. I can see live comments and even create an unkillable alternate identity. Starting out, the alternate identity has all stats at 1. The system tells me that to grow stronger, I must participate in the plot, gain popularity points to allocate stats and grow stronger, and ultimately awaken my original body. And so, carrying my original body on my back, I officially entered Huaqing Academy, where the story's protagonist resides. From that moment on, Chen Guan kicked the original plot to pieces. Live Comments: [Doesn't anyone find this mysterious coffin guy creepy? He can summon indescribable grey misty hands.] [Is this guy a hero or a villain? What kind of onion became a spirit?] [By the way, does anyone know who's in the coffin? Shouldn't the debt for saving his life be repaid by now?] [According to unofficial histories, the person in the coffin was Chen Guan's first love. Their love was once passionate and earth-shattering, but they were separated by life and death due to worldly circumstances. What a star-crossed pair.] ... Years later, the world knew of a demon god born from a coffin, shrouded in grey mist, impossible to gaze upon directly. His foremost divine emissary often wielded a scythe, reaping lives like the god of death. As war approached, facing former friends and a boundless sea of enemies, Chen Guan merely raised his scythe. "Would you like to dance as well?"
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
