After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Turned on Easy Mode - Chapter 4

In the third reign of Daxin, from the founding by the Gaozu Emperor to the present, more than sixty years have passed. The second monarch was frail and died young; afterwards his third son took the throne and has ruled for twenty years now.
(TN: “Gaozu” is a temple name/title for a founding emperor.)

The present Son of Heaven governs with benevolence: he lightens the people’s taxes and harshly punishes corrupt officials, enjoying a fine reputation among the common folk. At the same time, customs in Daxin are relatively open; women’s social status has improved somewhat. It isn’t as strict as in the previous dynasty—women may hold posts in the army, though civil posts are still barred to them.

Every autumn, the imperial clan of Daxin hosts the Hundred Flowers Banquet. It’s said the current emperor’s mother favors chrysanthemums, hence the date was set in autumn.

Walking down the main street in a blazing red dress, Wu You stood out at once. The hawkers lining both sides, catching sight of this little tyrant, all stopped shouting and shrank like quail.

So the original’s fearsome reputation really is something… but how am I supposed to shop like this?

A bit glum, she’d come out today because she was bored stiff at home and wanted to soak up some old-timey street flavor—plus pick out a gift for Zhao Qingzi.

After what she’d said last time, she had to put real thought into raising the villain’s favorability.

She patted her shy little purse and sighed. Who’d have thought the dignified young lady of a general’s mansion could be this poor? No wonder—she’s obsessed with martial arts. There’s a practice ground in the Wu estate stocked with all kinds of weapons she bought at exorbitant prices, and her only income is from her general of a father. Result: broke most of the time.

Poor-as-dirt Wu You first went to the capital’s largest jewelry house, Fujinyun. One step inside and the glittering display of jewels nearly blinded her; after a bout of excited picking, the sky-high prices chased her out.

So she could only browse the street stalls—and now even those made her uneasy.

Wandering aimlessly, she heard a clamor ahead. A whiff of roasted meat seized all her attention, and her stomach obligingly rumbled.

She swallowed, eyed a fancy-looking restaurant in the distance, then weighed the silver in her hand.

…Forget it. I’ll just find somewhere casual to eat.

Teeth gritted, eyes shut, she was about to skirt the area when someone called out to her.

“Miss Wu You, if you would stop a moment.”

That voice was very familiar—she’d heard it just days ago. And she was supposed to be pretending to be sick…

She turned, putting on a very surprised look. “Miss Zhao—what a coincidence.”

Zhao Qingzi had only brought yesterday’s little maid again. A veil covered her face, revealing only a pair of eyes as tender as flowing water. Wu You couldn’t see her expression, but her intuition said Zhao Qingzi was smiling—seemingly in fine spirits.

This was no chance meeting. Having learned from Yungu that Wu You went out today, Zhao Qingzi had hurried to comb her hair, touch up her face, and rummage left and right through her wardrobe—only to discover, in dismay, that she owned nothing but white.

Helpless, she chose a style with more elaborate embroidery and set out.

Wu You studied the girl before her. Because Zhao Qingzi sat in a wheelchair, Wu You was looking down—and sensitively felt there was something different about her today.

“Has Miss Wu’s health recovered? Would you care to dine with me?”

Light danced in Zhao Qingzi’s eyes; with her petite frame, she inexplicably reminded Wu You of her real-world younger sister—rather cute.

Who knew whether that delight was genuine or performed. Either way, avoiding her wouldn’t solve anything—and Wu You’s stomach was empty.

Zhao Qingzi’s mother had been a deceased Eldest Princess, sister to the current emperor. Royal bl00d—she had to be far richer than Wu You.

So Wu You’s face blossomed into a bright smile. “You’re kind to ask, Miss Zhao. I’m quite recovered, and I’d be delighted to dine with you.”

They settled on a place: the very same restaurant once used to lure Wu You out—Tengyun Zhai. The first floor was noisy, the second elegant; Zhao Qingzi chose the second floor.

At the foot of the stairs, Wu You frowned. She looked at Zhao Qingzi and mentally noted the utter lack of anything like a ramp. What to do…

A spark lit. She bent close and whispered something by Zhao Qingzi’s ear.

Zhao Qingzi’s ears grew redder and redder; at last she gave a soft “mm” and nodded.

With Zhao Qingzi’s consent, Wu You had the maid wheel her outside and followed behind. The second floor wasn’t very high; Wu You gauged the distance, murmured, “Forgive my forwardness,” and—

Stooped, lifted Zhao Qingzi from the chair, tapped her toe, and vaulted up through the window.

The private room was tastefully arranged: greenery, landscape scrolls on the wall, a round table with four round stools, the wood all quite good.

Wu You couldn’t help thinking: the life of the wealthy is truly extravagant.

Looking down, she found the girl in her arms staring straight at her without blinking. For once, Wu You felt a twinge of shyness and gently set her on the stool by the window.

There was a reason for it—the novel’s most-painted scene was the beauty by the window gazing at the view, and that beauty was, of course, Zhao Qingzi.

Maybe she’d feel more at ease there.

Truth be told, she could have carried her up the stairs, but Wu You’s fingers itched—she wanted to test the original’s qinggong.
(TN: qinggong = light-body skill; leaping/parkour-like martial movement.)

They ordered. With dishes still on their way, they fell into idle talk.

Zhao Qingzi removed her veil. Sharp-eyed, Wu You noticed her lips were a vivid red—she’d applied lip rouge.

The discovery surprised her: in the original, this snake-scorpion beauty never wore makeup, and even her hair ornaments were scant.

Why dress so finely today? Looking closer, Wu You realized it wasn’t just rouge—her brows were done, and there were noticeably more hair ornaments than usual.

Seeing Wu You staring a bit dazedly, Zhao Qingzi secretly rejoiced, though her face stayed placid. It itched at her heart, though, and she couldn’t help asking:

“Does Miss Wu feel I’m any different today?”

Hm? Isn’t that the classic lethal question girlfriends ask their boyfriends?

Wu You couldn’t help roasting her internally.

“Miss Zhao looks even more beautiful than a few days ago. Are you in good spirits?”

Pleased with the answer, Zhao Qingzi couldn’t quite hide the corners of her smile lifting.

“I don’t know why, but meeting Miss Wu fills me with joy. I feel the two of us are very congenial. May I call you A-You?”

Ah-you?? Is this your way of reminding me that the stab hurt?

She swallowed and yielded under the villain’s oppressive charm. “Of course, Miss Zhao. And… how is your injury?”

Zhao Qingzi rolled her shoulder and smiled. “It’s nothing. No need to be so formal with me, A-You. You can call me Qingzi—or A-Zi.”

This progression feels… off. Bracing herself, Wu You called her A-Zi a few times.

Watching the big bad’s smiling eyes curve like crescent moons, Wu You felt a chill. The original said the more furious Zhao Qingzi was inside, the brighter her smile grew.

So right now she must be seething. Wu You strangled the urge to bolt. She reminded herself: this is a crowded market; she can’t make a move. Even in the book, she lured her target outside the city and struck in the woods.

Sensing Wu You’s oddness, Zhao Qingzi asked nervously, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I went out without breakfast—feeling a bit faint.”

Zhao Qingzi tittered behind her sleeve. “Didn’t you say those who practice martial arts are sturdy and can bear a little illness? One missed meal and you’re reeling?”

Wu You rubbed her nose. “Can’t be helped—high martial power, high energy burn.”

Zhao Qingzi kept teasing: “I think you’re just afraid of bitterness.”

As they chatted, the dishes arrived in succession. As expected of a high-end restaurant, both color and flavor were excellent—though to Wu You, used to modern fare, it still tasted a bit bland.

Whose place is this anyway? It seems quite famous.

Zhao Qingzi ate little and was picky—she disliked meat. After a small bowl she was full. She meant to set her chopsticks down, but seeing Wu You still eating with gusto, she thought a moment, then picked up her chopsticks again to add to Wu You’s bowl.

Feeling embarrassed to focus only on feeding herself, Wu You also picked up a chopstickful of cabbage for Zhao Qingzi—and then, feeling that wasn’t enough, steadily piled her bowl high.

“A-Zi, you eat too. The food here’s delicious.”

Zhao Qingzi looked at the little mountain in her bowl, then at the bright smile on the other’s face, as if she were eagerly awaiting Zhao Qingzi to eat.

She swallowed—and in the end couldn’t bear to disappoint that kindness. She began to eat, slowly.

And in fact, she finished it all.

Zhao Qingzi paid first. She knew Wu You’s purse all too well and was certain she couldn’t afford this meal.

Up the same way, down the same way: Zhao Qingzi lightly looped her arms around Wu You’s neck. Breathing in her scent—perhaps she really had taken medicine later—there was a faint, astringent herbal note.

Before she could think more, she found herself back in the wheelchair. As Wu You bent to set her down, a wisp of hair brushed Zhao Qingzi’s cheek, tickling.

She looked up at Wu You saying her goodbyes and watched her recede into the distance.

Zhao Qingzi lifted a hand to touch where the hair had grazed her skin and smiled to herself. She suddenly realized she’d forgotten her veil, hurried to put it on, and had the maid push her back to the marquisate.

After she left, gossip sprang up around Tengyun Zhai.

Commoner A: “Hey! Isn’t that Miss Zhao from the Yongding Marquisate?”

Commoner B: “It is! There’s only one rich young lady in the city with crippled legs.”

A: “How’d she end up with the little tyrant from the General’s mansion—and carried down by her, no less!”

B preened: “Shows what you don’t know! The little tyrant confessed to Miss Zhao the other day! Looks to me like they’re together!”

A hissed: “That’s… two women can’t—besides, wasn’t the little tyrant into Zhang Boyu?”

B: “You expect the little tyrant to be faithful? Miss Zhao might be disabled, but that face is something. Once the little tyrant gets bored, it’ll blow over. And what about two women? Happens plenty. Didn’t Zuihong House make a big fool of itself recently when the top courtesan ran off with a lady thief?”

A stared. “Old Wang… how do you know everything…”

Neither Zhao Qingzi nor Wu You knew the rumor mill had started grinding. Wu You was still pondering how to boost Zhao Qingzi’s favorability and sabotage the plot meant to unfold at the Hundred Flowers Banquet.

Meanwhile, Zhao Qingzi was rolling on her bed, hair damp with sweat.

Zhao Qingshu, seeing his sister so uncomfortable, paced in a panic and kept pressing the maids: “Why isn’t the physician here yet? Go hurry him again!”

A maid’s voice called from outside: “The physician is here, young master! The physician is here!”

The old doctor dared not dawdle. After taking her pulse, however, his expression turned strange.

Seeing this, Zhao Qingshu’s heart sank. “How is my meimei?”

The doctor set Zhao Qingzi’s wrist down. “No cause for alarm. Miss Zhao has merely… overeaten.”

Merely overeaten??? Zhao Qingshu’s face went strange too. He rose and bowed. “Thank you for coming all this way.”

“Not at all, not at all. Good as the food is, moderation is key.”

That only made Zhao Qingshu more embarrassed. After sending the doctor off, he returned to his sister’s room.

The girl on the bed had stopped rolling about. Zhao Qingshu recalled how she’d carefully dressed up before going out. Had some punk lured her away???

Seeing her brother’s face darken, Zhao Qingzi tugged his sleeve and coaxed, “Don’t be mad, gege. A-Zi knows she was wrong.”

He blinked. It had been a long time since his sister had acted spoiled. His heart softened; he tapped her forehead and smiled. “You—you never looked like the type to overindulge. What happened today?”

“Tengyun Zhai’s dishes were especially good, so I couldn’t help eating a few more bites.”

The important part was that Wu You kept her company—but that she only dared say in her heart.

Noticing the tiny curl at his sister’s lips, Zhao Qingshu’s mental alarm bells blared anew.

Lost in thoughts of Wu You, Zhao Qingzi suddenly remembered the Hundred Flowers Banquet was coming right up. Her plans still needed to proceed. She also recalled that Wu You might attend—her anticipation only grew.

So she asked, “Gege, will you be attending the banquet this year? Could you take me with you?”

A chill ran through Zhao Qingshu. Though called the Hundred Flowers Banquet, it was essentially a matchmaking fair. In past years his sister had shown not the least interest—so why this year?

Was it to meet her lover? No. I must stop this.

He answered with a hint of regret, “I won’t be going this time. And I won’t feel at ease if you go either. I’ll explain things to our imperial uncle.”

Puzzled and a bit unwilling, Zhao Qingzi pressed, “You don’t want to see Sister Yingying? It’s a good chance.”

A flash of yellow passed through his mind’s eye, and Zhao Qingshu wavered. But one look at his sister—who seemed even more nervous than he was—and his resolve hardened.

“I won’t go. Seeing your Sister Yingying can wait. I’ve decided to stay home and keep you company.”

Zhao Qingzi’s expression turned a bit odd, but she had to agree. So her preparations were for nothing; what a pity—she’d meant to buy a few brightly colored outfits to go see A-You.

Well then… I’ll just slip out quietly when the time comes. A thousand little schemes flickered through the girl’s mind. Since gege wasn’t going, the original plan could be scrapped.

She could calmly prepare her own business.

If she really couldn’t get out, she’d just spike her gege’s tea with wine—one cup to knock him out, hehe!