Run! The Villainous Tyrannical Emperor Grabbed the Wrong Script! - Chapter 2

“This wine tastes so good…”

Yun Ruanruan drank one mouthful after another, finally releasing the emotions she had suppressed for three years.

She had endured so much…

She drank until her cheeks were flushed, until she staggered when she walked, until Xiao Yu turned into a big fish, and then several more, all blowing bubbles.

Yun Ruanruan shook her head and saw the sky outside the window.

In the sky, she saw herself from three years ago, staying up late and studying diligently.

“Eh? Isn’t that… that C-list actress, Yun Ruan? Hehehe…”

In the small study, Yun Ruan was immersed in reading the script, taking notes and writing down her thoughts with colored pens.

“Yun Ruanruan, Princess Hefeng, the Empress Dowager’s most beloved niece, living in the imperial palace since childhood, the most beautiful woman in the capital. Aren’t these conditions too good?”

“With such good conditions, why must she provoke the male lead? Why resort to sabotage after a failed confession? What kind of screenwriter is this? There’s no logic at all. For the sake of the protagonist’s halo, they deliberately write the supporting character badly. Negative review.”

“If it were me, I would…”

A knock on the door came. Yun Ruan turned her head and saw Yu Le, who had brought her late-night snacks.

“Ruan-jie, eat something before you continue reading. There’s no rush.”

“There is! I’m a C-list actress who finally managed to snag a role in a big production. I must quickly understand and get into character. I have to seize this opportunity.”

“Ruan-jie, how’s the script reading going?”

“Finished. I’m currently writing Yun Ruanruan’s inner thoughts. She really messed up a good hand. If it were me, I would definitely…”

A flash of light passed, and everything went white before their eyes. When they opened their eyes again, they were inside the book.

Slumped over the table, Yun Ruanruan opened another jar of new wine and took a big gulp.

“Why was I so talkative back then? Always saying ‘if it were me, if it were me.’ Now look, it really is me. Not only did I not get to eat that steaming hot late-night snack, but I almost lost my life. So stupid!”

“Bang!”

Yun Ruanruan’s hand slipped, and she accidentally dropped a jar of wine, spilling it all over the floor.

In the reflection on the surface of the wine, she saw herself from the moment she had transmigrated.

At that point in the plot, Yun Ruanruan had already completely offended Shen Ruizhi. That night, he was planning to use the assassins’ intrusion as an opportunity to kill her and frame them for it.

Dressed in black, Shen Ruizhi swung his long sword, aiming it at her delicate neck.

With a thud, Yun Ruanruan knelt down.

“Your Highness, I was wrong!”

Yun Ruanruan immediately switched into crying mode, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Third Prince, for the sake of my youth and ignorance, for the sake of the Empress Dowager, please don’t kill me! I’m willing to turn over a new leaf and start anew!”

“How did you know it was me?”

Shen Ruizhi pulled off his face covering, his expression grim.

“Because…” Yun Ruanruan steeled her heart. “Ruanruan loves you so deeply! Your scent, your figure, the way you walk – I recognize it all! Could you bear to kill a woman who loves you so much?”

“…”

With a “bang,” Yun Ruanruan smashed the newly grabbed wine jar.

“Tch, shameless! Shen Ruizhi, I’ll remember this. When I return to my fief…” Yun Ruanruan hiccuped. “I’ll make a voodoo doll and curse you.”

Yun Ruanruan grabbed another jar of new wine and drank mouthful after mouthful.

The more she drank, the drunker she became. In her swaying vision, she saw herself from the past three years.

A pitiful, weeping damsel in front of the thigh-hugging Empress Dowager.

A caring best friend in front of the female lead, Lu Junya.

A humble and loyal strategist in front of the male lead, Shen Ruizhi.

Constantly acting in front of and behind people, a hundred different faces for one person, just to save her little life, a cannon fodder life. So tragic.

Fortunately, Shen Ruizhi had finally defeated his rival, Shen Muzhi, and ascended to the position of Crown Prince. Now he was about to marry Lu Junya too.

Apart from her, the little cannon fodder, not dying, the plot remained unchanged. It was almost at the grand finale.

She could go to her fief and enjoy her old age. Wonderful.

In high spirits, Yun Ruanruan gulped down several more mouthfuls, and then… she didn’t know what happened after that.

The night was dark, the moon was bright, the wine was fragrant, and the person was drunk.

Yun Ruanruan drank from day to night, and slept from night to day.

When she opened her eyes and woke up, the sun was already high in the sky, almost noon!

Her luggage wasn’t fully packed yet. Packing and setting off now meant arriving at dusk. Leaving now meant traveling in the dark. It seemed she wouldn’t be leaving today!

“Xiao Yu! Xiao Yu! Wake up! We need to get on the road!”

Yun Ruanruan dragged her heavy, aching head and found Yu Le, who was dead drunk, amidst the pile of wine jars.

She reached out and patted Yu Le’s face. “Xiao Yu, wake up. Time to go to the fief to freeload and wait for death.”

The two of them swayed as they got up from among the wine jars. Before they could steady themselves, a loud yell from outside startled them back down.

“It’s bad! Princess, it’s bad!”

“Who is it? What’s wrong?”

Yun Ruanruan rubbed her head. Her temples were throbbing. She had a feeling something big was about to happen.

“The Seventh Prince, he’s attacking!”

Yun Ruanruan: ???

Yun Ruanruan didn’t understand at first.

“Princess, you need to make a decision quickly! The Seventh Prince is really attacking! No, no, I’m running away!”

Yun Ruanruan was dazed. She probably hadn’t woken up yet. She must still be dreaming.

“You’re on your own!”

The steward turned and ran, knocking over a vase in his haste, which crashed to the ground with a loud bang.

Yun Ruanruan snapped awake and rushed over in a few strides, grabbing the steward.

“What did you say? The Seventh Prince? Attacking? Wasn’t he banished to the Northern Wasteland?”

“Yes! But he’s attacking now!”

???

Wasn’t the story supposed to end after the main villain was defeated?

“No, this wasn’t in the script.”

“Princess, are you still asleep?”

“He’s attacking? What about the Emperor? Isn’t he stopping him?”

“He attacked the palace last night and put the Emperor under house arrest!”

That fierce? Yun Ruanruan was startled. This was rebellion!

“Then what about the Crown Prince? I’ll go hide with the Crown Prince.”

Shen Ruizhi was the male lead, protected by the protagonist’s halo. Hiding with him should be safe.

“The Crown Prince? He was beheaded by the Seventh Prince last night with a single sword stroke. He’s reporting to the King of Hell right now! Do you want to go with him?”

Yun Ruanruan: !!!

What happened to the protagonist’s halo?

Before Yun Ruanruan could react, the steward forcefully pried her hand off and ran away.

Just as he left, panicked shouts and commotion came from outside, as if someone had broken in.

Frightened, Yun Ruanruan quickly turned back to gather her belongings.

She didn’t care about the clothes, only the banknotes.

“Xiao Yu, quickly find the banknotes and let’s run!”

“Got them! I’ve grabbed a stack, enough for now. Let’s run! This is too scary!”

“Isn’t it scary? I was the one who taught Shen Ruizhi how to deal with Shen Muzhi! Won’t I be doomed if he comes back?”

Yun Ruanruan wiped the sweat from her forehead, trembling with nervousness.

Do they not need to inform the actors when they change the script? Don’t C-list actors deserve to know?

Or was it because she hadn’t died that the plot had gone off the rails?

The second male lead suddenly resurrected, and the male lead was directly beheaded. This was too exciting!

She was terrified.

“Shen Muzhi is a narrow-minded and vengeful person. He’s moody, ruthless, and psychologically twisted. Falling into his hands would be worse than death! We have to run, fast!”

Yun Ruanruan pushed open the door to run, only to bump straight into Shen Muzhi, who was standing outside.

Startled, she stumbled back a step and fell back into the room.

—Short Skit—

Shen Muzhi: Surprise?

Yun Ruanruan: Very surprised, but not pleasantly!