Saving the Obsessive Villain Boss [Quick Transmigration] (GL) - Chapter 18

The long-neglected temporary palace finally saw a rare period of activity. The snow along the road had been cleared away. The female monarch’s temperament had become increasingly erratic recently, and in the vast palace, no one dared to make a sound. Even those who came to greet her bowed their heads.

In the world, there was only the sound of the wind howling and the snow falling heavily.

Xu Zhaosu took off the white fox fur cloak from her own shoulder and carefully draped it over the person next to her. Because she had to tie the knot in the middle, their distance was unprecedentedly close. Their breaths mingled and were audible, falling onto the exposed skin of the neck, stirring up a faint, ambiguous warmth.

Shi Qingyi wanted to pull away. Before her hand could even rise, she saw the gloomy blizzard in that person’s eyes and finally let her hand drop.

She spoke while tying the knot: “This temporary palace was built by my Imperial Father for my Imperial Mother when I was young. It’s warm in winter and cool in summer, suitable for living. Its construction cost countless resources. My Imperial Mother once jokingly called my Imperial Father a muddle-headed monarch, saying that building this place was like locking a beauty in a golden house. I was small back then, and I always thought that if I ever had a beloved, I must bring her here. Even abandoning the immense grandeur of the Imperial City, living the life of an ordinary person would be wonderful.”

Her eyes were dim. Not knowing what she was thinking, a trace of coldness rose in her gaze: “Unfortunately, she was unwilling.”

Her hands were still tying the knot, perhaps trembling slightly from the cold, occasionally brushing against Shi Qingyi’s long, fair neck, like ice, giving rise to a faint chill.

“I was truly deeply saddened then. What a pity that she never got to see all these plum blossoms in the palace.”

Shi Qingyi’s throat moved. She called out “Your Majesty.”

The person lost in difficult memories seemed to be roused by the call. She glanced deeply at the person before her, then suddenly cracked a smile: “Now I finally understand. If she is unwilling to see me, I can simply confine her here. It’s better this way, too. I no longer have to live in fear…”

Fear of when she would leave her, when she would turn her back on her and imprison her in a dark dungeon.

—She should have understood this long ago.

“Your Majesty,” Shi Qingyi lowered her eyes, raising her hand, overstepping her place, to clasp the person’s icy hand in her palm. She also took the umbrella held by the palace maid next to her. Her voice was slightly low: “The snow is getting heavier. Let’s go inside.”

The snow fell heavily, covering the woman’s eyes and brows. Xu Zhaosu was stunned for a moment, then took the lead, tightly gripping the person’s hand in her palm.

The nightmares had finally gone. Everything was real.

Shi Qingyi silently walked forward with her. She felt that Xu Zhaosu was bordering on madness. When did it start?

This was definitely not something that happened overnight. It wasn’t when she betrayed her, but perhaps in the more distant past, when she refused to accept her affection yet didn’t explicitly reject her, allowing her to harbor fantasies, gradually becoming anxious and possessive. It was just that she had suppressed it before, and now—

Her hand was squeezed. The female monarch looked back at her, her eyes bright yet secretly cold: “What is my dear minister thinking about?”

Shi Qingyi was startled to realize she had fallen back two steps. She shook her head and hurried to catch up: “Nothing.”

The snow was exceptionally heavy at the temporary palace. It was already dusk when they arrived. The palace servants who had arrived earlier had already prepared the meal. Shi Qingyi had little appetite and ate a little with Xu Zhaosu. The accompanying palace servants, however, were terrified.

How dare a mere physician share a table with the now moody female monarch?

Shi Qingyi didn’t remove her mask while eating, only taking small mouthfuls. She didn’t even dare to lift her head. Even without looking up, she knew a pair of eyes was constantly fixed on her.

“You also like to eat lotus pod tofu and hydrangea scallops. Qingyi also loved to eat them.”

She seemed to be reminiscing about the past, her voice slightly low. Shi Qingyi’s hand, reaching for the dish, suddenly paused, then forced itself to change direction and put the hand down.

“Your Majesty, I am full.”

“Hmm, since you’re full, let’s wash up and rest.” Xu Zhaosu didn’t say more, calmly putting down her teacup.

“May I ask if this minister will be staying with the other female officials, or with the other doctors?”

She was the only woman among these doctors, so she had always resided alone.

Xu Zhaosu cut her off, saying plainly: “Naturally, you will stay with me.”

Shi Qingyi: “…”

Seeing her silence, Xu Zhaosu looked at her good-naturedly, a hint of gentle, pleasant smile seeming to grace her eyes and brows: “What, is my dear minister unwilling?”

If she dared to say no at this moment, it would be questionable whether she would see tomorrow’s sun.

One hall was fine, but she thought she could at least manage a small couch in the outer hall for the night. However, Xu Zhaosu directly pulled her hand into the inner chamber, citing the need to sleep foot-to-foot.

Shi Qingyi: “…”

“My dear minister knows that I do not sleep soundly at night. A few days ago, it was even discovered that someone had poisoned me. With my dear minister not by my side, I truly cannot eat or sleep peacefully.”

The explanation was very reasonable, and the hand gripping hers refused to let go. Shi Qingyi was choked for a while, but still had to accept this fact.

The wind and snow howled outside the window, yet the room was warm like spring. Shi Qingyi closed her eyes and soon felt sleepy. Just as she was about to drift off, she noticed someone quietly moving closer.

Her current status was only that of a physician. Even if she was keeping watch for the female monarch, she absolutely could not sleep on the same couch as the monarch. Therefore, a small couch, half an inch lower, was set up adjacent to the main couch, allowing her to guard the monarch without overstepping.

Xu Zhaosu quietly watched the person before her. She kept feeling that everything was not real. Recently, she didn’t even dare to close her eyes, fearing that when she woke up, she would find everything was just a dream, and no one would be by her side.

Although she had sealed off all news and all paths into the mountain, confining her here, she was still afraid that she might disappear and leave.

Thinking of this possibility, a trace of anxiety and madness flashed in the eyes of the female monarch, who now commanded the world. She even thought that if only she had ropes, she would lock this person up, tie her up, so that she could only see her for the rest of her life, confined to this remote temporary palace, where no one could spy on her, and no one could take her away—

The outstretched hand hung in the air, suddenly grasped by a hand. Shi Qingyi turned over, overstepping her place to cover her eyes.

“Your Majesty, close your eyes and rest well.” Her voice was slightly hoarse. She was truly very sleepy. Under Xu Zhaosu’s intense gaze, it was hard for her to fall asleep.

Long eyelashes fluttered in her palm, stirring her not-so-strong defenses.

The female monarch moved closer, an undisguised insecurity in the deep night, a pleading murmur: “I’m afraid you’ll be gone when I wake up.”

“I won’t,” A slender, warm fingertip rubbed her forehead. The person’s voice sounded like a sigh, “Your Majesty, please be assured. This time, I won’t leave again… ”

Perhaps because she had received a guarantee, the female monarch finally fell into a deep sleep. In the last moment before drifting into a dream, someone seemed to whisper in her ear: “I should accompany you for your final time. I won’t leave again… Sleep.”

She didn’t understand what ‘final time’ meant, but hearing her say she wouldn’t leave again inexplicably put her at ease. The tight string in her heart, which had been stretched for half a year, finally slowly relaxed.

This was a rare, peaceful sleep for Xu Zhaosu in the past six months. Because she slept early, the sky was still dark when she woke up. The first thing she did upon waking was to check the position next to her.

The person was still there, sleeping soundly, her hand resting on Xu Zhaosu’s shoulder. The stone in her heart finally slowly settled.

She stared blankly at the crossbeam for a while, slowly taking a breath.

Someone suddenly rushed in, looking anxious as she knelt by the door and called out: “Your Majesty—”

Xu Zhaosu’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her slender fingers were placed on her lips, signaling silence. The person who came in glanced at the girl on the couch and immediately lowered her head deeply, not daring to look further.

The palace maid’s face blushed. The warmth of a midnight tryst. If it weren’t for a genuine emergency, she wouldn’t dare to trouble His Majesty.

The female monarch carefully moved away from the girl and got up. The palace maid leaned in to report. When she finished, the coldness in the monarch’s eyes was completely solidified. She took her clothes from the side of the couch, dressed, and gave instructions.

“The winter is very cold. If she wants to sleep, let her sleep longer. Do not disturb her. The small kitchen should keep the Ru-Hui porridge warm. Let her eat it first to line her stomach, and prepare some pastries and fruits to wait. Remember, she doesn’t like cold food. I will return to have lunch with her. If… if I cannot return, ask her what she would like to eat.”

Her undergarments were already on. The palace maid brought the complicated outer robe. The female monarch glanced at the palace maid waiting at the side, her voice chilling: “Don’t let her run away. If anything goes wrong, bring me your head.”

Shi Qingyi, feigning sleep: “…”

It was just a short trip out. Why all this fuss?

Her eyelids fluttered twice. She pretended to have just woken up, opening a pair of sleep-laden, watery eyes.

Hearing the movement behind her, Xu Zhaosu turned her head. Her voice instantly changed from the chilling coldness of a moment ago to the warmth of blooming spring: “Did I wake you?”

Shi Qingyi shook her head, squinting her eyes as if just adjusting to the lamplight. Xu Zhaosu was completely composed. Even though her intention to imprison had just been overheard, she showed no panic. Instead, she leaned closer, touching her forehead to Shi Qingyi’s with restraint: “Wait for me to return well. Don’t think about running away, okay?”

“…”

How openly she admitted it. She couldn’t even be bothered to conceal it anymore. Shi Qingyi was silent for a moment. She reached out a hand to straighten the cloak on the female monarch, and tucked her long, scattered hair behind her ear. She hummed with a nasal sound, then said: “It’s cold outside. Your Majesty, remember to put on an extra layer of clothes.”

After speaking, as if she hadn’t fully woken up, she closed her eyes again. Xu Zhaosu tucked her into the quilt. Finally, filled with reluctance, she left.

Her aunt wanted to see her. She had to go. And there was Jing E. These matters haunted her incessantly. Xu Zhaosu’s eyes were icy as she quietly turned her head.

The girl nestled in the soft silk quilt was gently asleep, seemingly ready to wait for her return at any time. She couldn’t run away. Just a little longer. Once she severed all her ties in this world, she would truly belong to her alone.

Shi Qingyi didn’t know why, but she had become increasingly sleepy recently. It wasn’t to put on a show for Xu Zhaosu; she really did fall asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. When she woke up, the sun was high in the sky. She had slept for almost six hours, and her head was aching. She sat still in the hall for a while, then pushed open the window, finding that the wind and snow had stopped. It was a rare sunny day in winter.

The bright sunlight shone into the lonely palace, finally bringing a trace of warmth that made her squint slightly.

When she picked up the teapot to go out, everyone blocked her path as if facing a formidable enemy. There were three or four groups of people, as if afraid she would run away.

Shi Qingyi rubbed her forehead: “I’m just going out to enjoy the flowers. Can’t I even go outside the palace gates?”

She should still have that much freedom. As the palace maid hesitated, she had already passed through the crowd and walked straight towards the garden.

Her favor with the Empress was currently high. Everyone hesitated but didn’t dare to stop her. If they were to anger her, and she were to whisper about them to His Majesty…

They shuddered at the thought.

It was deep winter. All flowers had withered. Only the cold plum blossoms bloomed in the chilly wind. Indeed, the palace had collected rare varieties from all over the world. The plum blossoms, shaded, were all different. She chose a secluded spot under a flowering tree to brew tea. Across a corridor, a few palace maids who were sweeping snow were talking in low voices.

Although she didn’t have a habit of eavesdropping, she couldn’t help but hear when the gossip was right next to her ear.

“In the past six months, His Majesty has been searching everywhere for beauties who resemble the Grand Preceptor. The Western Six Palaces are almost full, but she only looks at them. It’s strange that she only favors a physician who doesn’t look like her at all and is disfigured.”

“I heard the women in the Western Six Palaces are all peerless beauties, rarely seen by common people. But that place is definitely not as good as the temporary palace. Could this be considered ‘locking a beauty in a golden house’?”

Shi Qingyi: “…”

She had been speechless too many times. She slightly raised her delicate eyebrows, rubbed her temples, and asked the System: “Xu Zhaosu did such a thing?”

Searching for a substitute didn’t seem like something Xu Zhaosu would do.

The System said expressionlessly: “Isn’t this the mess you made? You pretended to be a spirit to visit her. She thought you were dead and was listening to a group of Taoist priests who fooled her into trying to bring you back to life…”

Something flashed through Shi Qingyi’s mind, and she suddenly had a realization: “The female lead is—”

“Yes,” the System ground its non-existent teeth and said resentfully, “Because she looks like you, the female lead was killed by a single strike in the early stages of the rebellion in the previous life. In this life, because she resembles you, she was taken into the palace as soon as she arrived at the Imperial City, ready to be sacrificed at any moment.”

If Xu Zhaosu hadn’t become so completely twisted, giving the female lead no chance to live, the Main God wouldn’t have thrown Shi Qingyi back to reload the save file.

Just as they were talking, a small eunuch rushed over. He seemed to have missed the path and bumped into Shi Qingyi’s arm. The young eunuch was apparently terrified of having bumped into a noble person. He looked back at her in fear, then stumbled and ran away.

The cold wind was biting. Shi Qingyi seemed to understand something. A note had somehow appeared on her waist.

Xu Zhaosu pressed her temples, feeling restless.

With Shi Qingyi not by her side, even a momentary separation caused panic in her heart. She wished she could keep the person by her side at all times to feel secure.

The secret guard seated below remained as solid as a rock under the female monarch’s cold gaze, but cold sweat quietly beaded on his forehead. The news he brought was definitely not good for the female monarch.

“Jing E and others have secretly infiltrated the city for several days. They have now split into two groups, one infiltrating the palace, and the other going to the temporary palace outside the city.”

The memorial in Xu Zhaosu’s hand was forcefully crumpled into a wrinkled ball. The vermilion annotations seemed stained with fresh bl00d, deeply scoring the paper. She spoke word by word, like a continuous cold rain.

“You said, where are they going?”

The secret guard wished he could bury his head in the ground, but he braced himself and repeated: “Going to the temporary palace outside the city.”

The pen in the female monarch’s other hand finally broke with a snap.

The secret guard was silent for a moment, then continued cautiously: “There is one more thing. Your subordinate has been tracking Jing E and the others during this time and found that they seem to have ties to the former dynasty…”

Xu Zhaosu’s Imperial Father was the founding monarch, rising from a commoner to an enlightened ruler. He was perhaps not a hero but certainly a formidable figure. Xu Zhaosu had grown up safely under his protection, always poised and composed, until later—

Until later, she harbored wild ambition and acquired an Achilles’ heel.

The female monarch slightly closed her eyes, hiding the fierce hostility within.

“Tell my aunt that I have an urgent matter today and cannot go to pay my respects. I will come to apologize in a few days—Mobilize all the Jinwu Guard to rush to the temporary palace in the suburbs and surround it. Without my personal order, no one is allowed to leave. Those who force their way in will be killed without mercy!”

She wouldn’t believe that anyone could abduct the person right under her nose. She had finally found her. How could she let her run away again!

Absolutely impossible!

The secret guard responded with a solemn affirmation, then asked: “What about the Imperial Palace—”

The female monarch had already walked out quickly. Her hurried pace brought a slight cold wind with it, and her voice was as cold as ice: “The priority is the temporary palace.”

The secret guard was momentarily stunned. A monarch should not let their emotions show, and His Majesty had always adhered to this. This was the first time she had shown such an urgent and anxious expression, as if she were desperately afraid of losing some rare treasure if she were a moment too slow.

He didn’t understand, but he still followed the order. Thousands of Jinwu Guards gathered in the cold wind, braving the snow, escorting the female monarch to the suburban temporary palace at the fastest speed.

Spurring the horses and rushing back at top speed, Xu Zhaosu’s hands were tightly clenched. She slightly closed her eyes. This time, she would absolutely not be a moment too late.

The suburban temporary palace was as silent as when she had left. Only the cold plum blossoms bloomed quietly: “When did she wake up? Did she say anything felt uncomfortable? Did she eat breakfast?”

She asked as she walked. Pushing open the door of the bedchamber with a creak, it was empty inside. Xu Zhaosu’s face instantly went cold.

“Where is she?”

The hand gripping the doorframe almost snapped the door off. Her voice was low and chilling.

The palace maids knelt en masse on the floor, trembling: “The doctor said she went to the back garden to enjoy the flowers. She should be in the Plum Garden now—Someone has been following her all the time, Your Majesty, please be assured.”

“Without my command, you dared to let her out?” Xu Zhaosu laughed in extreme anger, her eyes like knives. But she didn’t even have time to punish them. She hurried towards the back garden.

At this moment, she only wanted to confirm that Shi Qingyi was still there.

However, the vast Plum Garden was completely devoid of people. No one could be seen at all. Xu Zhaosu was supported, barely managing to stand, her hands slightly trembling. Where else? The temporary palace was so small. Where else could she have gone?

In a flash of realization, she suddenly remembered something and quickly pushed open a door in a certain area.

Along with the creak of the door falling open came the faint light of dusk, falling onto the girl’s eyebrows and eyes. Hearing the sound, she turned her head. In the blurred light and shadow, her expression was unclear. She was holding a brocade box in her hand, and she just turned her head and looked at her quietly.

Xu Zhaosu stumbled and ran over, embracing the person tightly. Her arms trembled slightly, wrapping tightly around her neck like a vine.

“It’s good that you’re still here, it’s good that you’re still here…”

Her incoherent words made one’s heart ache.

Shi Qingyi didn’t turn around or push her away. After a long pause, she asked: “Your Majesty, why are you taking this?”

That was the first time Shi Qingyi had spoken to her in such a serious tone. Her face was also solemn, even appearing slightly angry in the light of the setting sun.

In her hand was a brocade box containing a dark-colored paste.

—Wushisan (Five Minerals Powder).

Its medicinal properties were intensely hot, causing the body to heat up, generating hallucinations, and confusing the mind. Legend said that taking it could lead to extreme bliss and immortality, allowing one to see what could not be seen.

But this thing was clearly poison. Sooner or later, it would destroy a person’s sanity and take the user’s life.

She had already sensed that there was something wrong with Xu Zhaosu’s body. The poisoning in the lamp was only part of it; there must have been other toxins. It turned out to be this.

Xu Zhaosu hugged her. Even though she was discovered, she was surprisingly unconcerned, restraining her, and murmuring in her ear with profound weariness: “My Qingyi died. I can’t find her anywhere between the underworld and the world of the living. I am in so much pain. Wushisan allows me to see her. It is my medicine, Doctor. If you want to heal me, what should I do if you take away my medicine?”

Shi Qingyi’s eyes darkened slightly. Her hand gripping the brocade box tightened even more. She truly hadn’t expected Xu Zhaosu to be so insane. She was playing with her life. No wonder her personality had become increasingly erratic lately. It was probably closely linked to this stuff.

“Your Majesty, what do you wish?”

This question was practically forced out from between her teeth.

She whispered softly in her ear, yet it sounded like a long-planned scheme: “Be my medicine, serve me in bed, all right?”

Shi Qingyi’s eyelashes trembled violently. She closed her eyes abruptly.