Unlimited Save System for Palace Intrigue

Chapter 47: A Nighttime Visit to the Marquis’s Mansion Perhaps it was because Ruyi looked too easy to bully, or perhaps she had been waiting outside for too long and was seething with pent-up frustration. Seeing Ruyi looking so relaxed and carefree, one of the court ladies couldn’t stand it anymore. “You’re done bathing, so why aren’t you leaving? What are you standing here for? Showing off?” Su Molili said. Her words were dripping with jealousy. Ruyi looked at the court lady who had spoken; it seemed she had been waiting quite a while. It was only natural that she would be jealous now that Ruyi had finished her bath. However, since the other woman was picking a fight, Ruyi couldn’t afford to be too timid—otherwise, everyone would take advantage of her. Besides, once she entered the palace, she would no longer represent only herself, but her entire family as well. “What a sour remark. You’re just brainless for not coming earlier. Now that you see I’m done bathing, are you jealous? But no matter how jealous you are, it won’t do you any good. Just wait your turn obediently,” Ruyi said. “You—don’t get too cocky. Just you wait!” Su Molli retorted. In public, Su Molli couldn’t do much, but she certainly held a grudge against Ruyi. Ruyi knew she might have made an enemy today, but she didn’t regret it. After all, she couldn’t just let others bully her without fighting back. If she did that, everyone would see her as an easy target, and it would never end. If she didn’t speak up today, would she have to do so later? Before long, Ruyi’s two older sisters came out. Noticing the strange atmosphere around Ruyi, they said nothing and simply returned to their room with her. Once back in the room, Li Rumeng asked, “What happened just now? The atmosphere seemed a bit strange.” “After I finished washing, I saw you two weren’t done yet, so I waited for you outside. One of the court ladies, named Su Mo Li, snapped at me, so I snapped back. It’s no big deal—we just exchanged a few sharp words,” Ruyi said. “The palace isn’t like home, Fourth Sister. You need to rein in your temper a bit. Making too many enemies won’t do us any good—after all, we can’t be sure if they’ll strike from the shadows. But since she provoked us first this time, we can’t back down. Her family isn’t a match for our Marquis’s estate; she’s just latched onto Lin Wanxian and lost all sense of her own place,” Li Rumeng said. “Lin Wanxian—is that Lin Wanxian, the niece of the Empress Dowager’s maternal family? Su Mo Li has aligned herself with Lin Wanxian. Now that we’ve offended Su Mo Li, might we have offended Lin Wanxian as well? If Lin Wanxian decides to make things difficult for me later, could that affect you two? I acted too impulsively and have dragged my two elder sisters into this.” ” Ruyi said. “Don’t worry. The young ladies of the Yong’an Marquis’s Household aren’t ones to be trifled with. Besides, Lin Wanshan wouldn’t target us over such a minor matter. Still, we must be cautious in the future. With the Empress Dowager backing her, we’d best not provoke her for now,” Li Rumeng said. “I’ll listen to you, Sister. From now on, I’ll stick close behind both of you and won’t cause any trouble again,” said Ruyi. “Get some rest. It’s good that you know. We have to get up early tomorrow morning. Our family has already arranged for someone to teach us the proper etiquette, but don’t let your guard down. After all, there are many rules in the palace. Besides the basic etiquette, there are also some important points to note. You must listen carefully; otherwise, if you commit any taboos, it could bring trouble upon our family,” Li Rumen said. As the eldest of the three, Li Rumeng had always looked out for the other two. Being the legitimate daughter of the first wife, she naturally possessed a dignified demeanor, and Ruyi felt quite close to this cousin. Although it was still early, they had to rise early tomorrow. To ensure she’d have enough energy for tomorrow’s training, Ruyi heeded her cousin’s advice and went to bed early. Lying in bed, listening to the sound of cicadas outside the window, Ruyi gradually drifted off to sleep. This was Ruyi’s first night in the palace. She didn’t know if she would be selected, but after seeing so many other candidates, Ruyi realized she wasn’t particularly outstanding. There were plenty of candidates who were more beautiful, talented, and unique than she was; it would be perfectly normal if she wasn’t chosen. It seemed she had been far too naive before, thinking that as long as she prepared diligently, she was sure to be selected. Come to think of it, which of the candidates here was truly lacking? Ruyi was certainly not on the list of pre-selected candidates. Once those guaranteed spots were accounted for, there were only a few spots left out of the twenty available. It was truly a competition where hundreds vied for a handful of places—a riot of colors and beauty. Ruyi lacked confidence in her ability to stand out. Never mind. All she had to do was be her best self and give it her all. Even if she didn’t make the cut, she wouldn’t have any regrets. Besides, the imperial harem was full of intrigue; with her intelligence, she might not even be able to outmaneuver the others. Perhaps being eliminated wasn’t such a bad thing after all. With that thought, Ruyi’s mood lifted. Whether she was selected or not, it didn’t really matter much to her. Just after Ruyi participated in the selection, a shadowy figure in black slipped into the Yong’an Marquis’s mansion and made his way to Ruyi’s room. However, he found the room completely empty. He was puzzled—how could there be no one there? But since he had sneaked in under cover of night, he couldn’t go around asking people. It seemed he would have to find out tomorrow. Finding no one, he left Ruyi’s room directly and exited the marquis’s estate. No one in the entire estate knew that someone had actually entered the grounds and even gone to the Fourth Young Lady’s room. This shadowy figure was the man in black whom Ruyi had saved earlier. Lately, Leng Feng had been busy purging traitors from his organization. That was why it had taken him so long to come find Ruyi again. Leng Feng was deeply grateful for the life Ruyi had saved. He was a man who repaid both kindness and enmity. He had originally intended to come find Ruyi sooner, but he hadn’t anticipated that the situation within the organization would be far more complicated than he’d imagined, which is why it took him so long. He had sped things up as much as possible, yet it wasn’t until yesterday that he finally purged the organization. He had come straight to the marquis’s residence without delay to find Ruyi, only to discover that she wasn’t at home. This was also because Leng Feng had been out of touch with the outside world for too long; otherwise, he would certainly have known that it was the season for the imperial selection, and given Ruyi’s status, she would undoubtedly be entering the palace for the selection. In truth, aside from wanting to repay her kindness, the more important reason Leng Feng had come to see Ruyi this time was that he had begun to miss this amusing young woman. Thinking back to when he had taken her hostage—her composed demeanor, the way she had tended to his wounds, and how she had examined him closely—Leng Feng’s heart felt warm.