After entering the abusive novel, I became the empress - chapter 5

Little General Lu loses his way to find a wife…

Nothing happened over the next two days. After the two princesses finished copying the scriptures, they left the National Preceptor’s tower, but throughout their stay they never once laid eyes on the National Preceptor himself.

“Elder Sister, what do you think the National Preceptor looks like? What kind of person could he be?” After three days together, Qin Yuqing had figured out that Qin Qinqin was someone who yielded to gentleness but resisted force—a personality rather suitable for her own awkward temperament.

“That’s not something we’re meant to know.” Qin Qinqin turned around, her expression solemn. “We’ll stop here. The rest of the way, Sixth Sister, you’ll walk by yourself.”

Qin Yuqing nodded knowingly, and when she saw Chuntao waiting not far off, she left the carriage supported by her.

“Sixth Sister, I’ll send some tonics to your palace. Don’t forget our cooperation.”

Qin Yuqing gave a small nod, then looked at Chuntao. “There are a few things I’d like to ask you.”

Chuntao nodded, helping her step by step toward the narrow courtyard.

“Your Highness, forgive this servant, but please believe me—I will follow your lead alone. For you, I would go through fire and water without hesitation.” Chuntao was a clever woman. Without Qin Yuqing needing to say a word, she took the initiative to ask forgiveness.

“Your Highness has met with my master, so you should already know my true identity. What I say may sound arrogant and unbelievable, but…” Chuntao took a hand warmer from her sleeve and placed it in Qin Yuqing’s hand. “From beginning to end, this servant has only ever been loyal to you, Princess.”

Qin Yuqing’s gaze shifted from Chuntao’s face to the palace wall at the side. More and more, she realized that things were straying from the plot of the original book. Yet one of the system’s tasks was precisely to rewrite the story.

But was she supposed to rewrite the novel’s plot—or was she meant to bend this world’s plot back into line with the original book?

The thought had barely surfaced before Qin Yuqing gave a self-deprecating laugh. With a mission like becoming Empress, how could the system possibly want her to follow the novel’s development? If she truly went along with the book’s course, not to mention becoming Empress, she wouldn’t even survive the harem.

“You’re too impatient. That’s your only flaw.” Qin Yuqing looked up at the towering palace walls. The oppressive weight pressed down on her chest. She shifted the topic: “Isn’t the Fifth Princess’s birthday banquet coming soon?”

In the original story, it was mentioned in passing that before the banquet, the heroine quietly celebrated her own birthday and accidentally encountered the Emperor while he was playing chess. Unfortunately, her panic and cowardice caused the Emperor to lose all interest in her. From then on, the heroine was bullied by everyone in the palace and eventually reduced to being the male lead’s appendage.

“Your Highness is right. This servant has erred.” Chuntao looked at her anxiously. “The banquet will be tomorrow at dusk. If Your Highness wishes to celebrate your birthday, I can notify the Empress and the Imperial Kitchen.”

“No need.” Qin Yuqing had long since stopped caring about birthdays. What concerned her wasn’t the day itself. “Tell Lu Jingchuan that during tomorrow’s banquet, no matter what His Majesty says, he must refuse.”

Chuntao looked at her, hesitating with confusion. After a long pause, she asked softly: “Your Highness… you aren’t going to kill me?”

As Qin Yuqing stepped into the courtyard, white snowflakes drifted from the sky. She caught one in her palm and said lightly, “Kill you, of course.”

Chuntao was about to kneel and swear loyalty, but Qin Yuqing held her up. “But I should at least give you a chance, shouldn’t I? I’m not the kind to strike someone dead in one blow.” Snow fell thicker, and Qin Yuqing’s mood brightened as she watched. Born in the South, snow had always been rare and precious to her.

Even later, when she had wealth enough to see many heavy snows, she still held a bone-deep obsession with it—a near sickness.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Chuntao draped a coat over her shoulders, then offered another hand warmer. “Please don’t linger outside too long, Your Highness. Be careful not to catch cold.”

“Aren’t you going yet?” Qin Yuqing calculated the time. If she delayed, the palace gates would soon close. With the guards tightening patrols, how could Chuntao leave?

“My master should be here any moment. Today the little prince had martial lessons—if I count the time, my master should be getting lost around here soon.” Chuntao pointed to the swing beneath an old locust tree. “Your Highness, please wait there for a while. I’ll fetch some charcoal.”

“Getting lost at a designated spot?” Qin Yuqing couldn’t help but laugh. The first time she’d heard Lu Jingchuan was directionally challenged, only one thought had crossed her mind: if he can’t find his way in a palace, how could he command an army in the field?

Now she thought about it again—perhaps his “bad sense of direction” was just an act.

“But… I don’t recall the Household Department granting us charcoal.” Qin Yuqing sat on the swing, idly pushing herself. “This charcoal—did Lu Jingchuan give it to you?”

“Yes.” Chuntao admitted openly. Since only the two of them were in the courtyard, she wasn’t afraid of being overheard. “But don’t worry, Your Highness. My master said it’s on account. It will be repaid later.”

“So stingy.” Qin Yuqing smirked, but after hearing that, she accepted the gift. Still, she wondered how much charcoal was worth in this world. She’d have to leave the palace someday to find out.

“Forgive the intrusion—where is the way out of the palace?” The familiar cold voice sounded, but this time it carried a hint of laughter. “I heard it from the corner.”

Qin Yuqing clicked her tongue softly. Still rocking on the swing, she said, “The palace gate is in the opposite direction. Surely, Little General Lu didn’t just happen to get lost here?”

“So you’ve figured it out.” Meaning—why even ask?

“Tomorrow at the banquet, no matter what the Emperor says, you must refuse.”

“Reason?” Lu Jingchuan thought for a moment before asking.

Qin Yuqing could hardly say she knew the plot—that tomorrow the Emperor would pressure the Lu family to go to war, that Lu Jingchuan’s younger brother would step forward to take his place, only to die in battle.

And that, once news of his death reached the capital, the Lu family’s resistance would be twisted into accusations of treason. In the end, crushed by the male lead, the entire Lu clan would fall.

“I’ve heard the border has lost three cities in a row.” That much was enough. Lu Jingchuan was a clever man. He would understand without her spelling it out.

“Well, well, my dear Little General Lu—what brings you here?” Eunuch Ye’s voice rang out. “Your Highness, please forgive us. I was waiting for the general at the palace gate, but it seems he lost his way again. I hadn’t expected him to wander all the way here.”

“No matter, Eunuch Ye. I’ve only just returned to the palace myself.” Qin Yuqing cut him off, then asked first: “Has Fourth Sister arrived yet? We entered together, but parted ways since our paths diverged.”

“She has, she has. Ah, look at my poor memory. She even asked me if Sixth Princess had come.” The eunuch gestured politely at Lu Jingchuan. “General, you really must learn the way.”

Lu Jingchuan simply nodded and strode off. After apologizing again, Eunuch Ye followed him away.

Chuntao poked her head from the room, whispering: “Your Highness, was I right? My master did lose his way to you.”

“Does he often lose his way here?”

“No. Since he began teaching the princes, this is the first time.”

Qin Yuqing nodded. A chill crept over her body, and she hugged the hand warmer to her chest as she stepped inside. Only then did she remember—she’d forgotten to ask how much Lu Jingchuan intended to charge for the charcoal.

She’d have to wait for next time.

The following day, as dusk drew near, Qin Yuqing changed into a modest gown, plain and simple compared to the richly dressed young ladies around her. On her head was only a single hairpin. Among the glittering silks and jewels, she looked shabby in comparison.

“Your Highness, may I ask a question?” While arranging her hair, Chuntao asked quietly. “Why wear this, when the wardrobe holds so many finer dresses?”

“Because I have my reasons.”

Qin Yuqing didn’t miss the looks around her. Many were filled with surprise, eyes darting again and again toward the high platform.

There, dressed in fresh green, was a young woman adorned with only a few ornaments—but each was exquisitely costly. She greeted each visitor with a cool arrogance, clearly aware of her position.

“The Fifth Princess, Qin Youran.” Qin Yuqing’s fingers curled at her sides, nails digging deep into her palms. This was a reflex, a trace of the original heroine’s memories.

So this Fifth Princess still had secrets waiting to be uncovered. But when Qin Yuqing scanned the crowd, Qin Qinqin was nowhere to be seen. Strange—for such an occasion, she should have been here.

Her eyes met Qin Youran’s across the hall. Qin Youran smirked faintly, indifferent whether Qin Yuqing was present or not. In her mind, Qin Yuqing’s existence had no weight.

Qin Yuqing’s lips curved into a faint smile. She lifted a wine cup from a nearby maid’s tray, raised it slightly toward Qin Youran’s direction, then with a twist of her wrist, spilled it cleanly onto the floor.

A flicker of surprise passed through Qin Youran’s eyes. Then she smiled, composed as ever, and moved to her place—seated at the Emperor’s side, the seat reserved only for her.

“Well, she does have reason to be arrogant.” Qin Yuqing rifled through the original’s memories. The previous Qin Yuqing had never attended such banquets. Even if she had a seat, she wouldn’t have known where it was.

So… was she supposed to retreat?

Her gaze returned to Qin Youran, who sipped her wine with a mocking smile, waiting to see how Qin Yuqing would handle herself.

Qin Yuqing smiled thinly. No, she wouldn’t ask for a seat. That wasn’t what she wanted.

After several winding corridors, an elegant old pavilion came into view. Inside sat a man in dark green robes, focused intently on the game before him. A piece of white hair glinted at his temples, and his face bore the lines of age—fifty, perhaps more—but the air of authority around him was suffocating.

Her cheap father—the Emperor of Great Yin.

“If this stone falls there, the game will be lost.” Qin Yuqing’s slender finger tapped the very spot where the Emperor was about to place his piece.

The Emperor looked up along her hand, his deep gaze sharp enough to pierce through everything. It commanded awe, forcing submission.

But Qin Yuqing showed no fear. She stood poised, with a measured smile, meeting his scrutiny head-on.

“Why do you say so?” the Emperor asked. He pointed at the opposite seat with a casual wave, his voice low but carrying unquestionable authority. “Sit.”

Qin Yuqing smoothed her sleeves and sat. From the novel, she knew that her mother, Concubine Chen, though quiet and wooden in manner, had been a learned woman. Even with a daughter, she had carefully passed down her knowledge.

And besides—Qin Yuqing had studied Go in the modern world.

“A game of Go is about gains and losses, advance and retreat—that is its Dao. If one only clings to gain, one will, without realizing it, lose far more.”

She picked up a stone and placed it firmly on the board.

“This spot seems inconspicuous, but in the grand scheme, it can become the turning point that changes everything.”