The Entire Harem has Transmigrated - Chapter 8

During the Qian Dynasty, Ruan Qingqing and Ye Shiyu were the closest in age, born on the same day of the same month and year. Ruan Qingqing was only born an hour later than Ye Shiyu.

Now, Ruan Qingqing remained at the nineteen years old she was when they parted, while Ye Shiyu had lived in this world for a full twenty-six years.

It felt as if time had suddenly shifted, customs had changed, and circumstances had altered, transforming everything into something vastly different from what it once was.

After catching up with Ye Shiyu, a hint of bewilderment lingered in Ruan Qingqing’s eyes, prompting Ye Shiyu to tease, “Why does Your Majesty look so troubled? Do you think I’ve grown old?”

“What are you saying?” Ruan Qingqing snapped out of her reverie. “A woman at twenty-six is in her prime, radiant with beauty. And you, so refined, lovely, and still young—I’d have to be blind to think you’re old! I was just feeling a bit wistful. Though I’m overjoyed to see you all again, so much has changed since we last met.”

For some inexplicable reason, the Imperial Preceptor’s misty gray eyes flashed through Ruan Qingqing’s mind.

She couldn’t help but wonder: if the stories of this era weren’t entirely the same as those of the past, and if the Imperial Preceptor had also come here, would her eyes recover?

If only they could.

Even when her vision was clouded in gray, the Imperial Preceptor had possessed an otherworldly grace. If those eyes could regain their radiant brilliance, how magnificent she would be.

If only I could see her again.

Yu Yunfei, seated to Ruan Qingqing’s right, chuckled. “Your Majesty is still the same—sweet-tongued, thoughtful, and skilled at flattery.”

Ruan Qingqing blinked and smiled. “I simply prefer to speak the truth.”

Ye Shiyu and Yu Yunfei flanked Ruan Qingqing, chatting and laughing with her. Li Qianxuan stood before them, her face twisting with fury at the scene.

“Have you said enough?” Li Qianxuan pressed a hand to her hip, striking a commanding pose in an attempt to drive them away. “If you’re done, leave immediately.”

But no one paid her any attention.

Ruan Qingqing glanced at her briefly before turning back to Yu Yunfei. Ye Shiyu, with graceful movements, slowly adjusted the hem of her skirt, her voice calm and unhurried. “The Noble Consort’s temper remains unchanged.”

Yu Yunfei put her arm around Ruan Qingqing’s shoulder, drawing closer to chime in, “The Noble Consort has always been fiery, fierce, and fiercely jealous. She only restrains herself around you, but when you’re not looking, she’s incredibly harsh to us sisters.”

Ruan Qingqing nodded vigorously, “She was harsh to me yesterday too.”

Ye Shiyu glanced at Li Qianxuan before taking Ruan Qingqing’s hand and placing it in her palm, her voice remaining gentle and refined. “The Noble Consort’s audacity knows no bounds.”

“Exactly! Even though we’re no longer in a ruler-subject relationship in this era, she’s completely forgotten all the kindness I showed her in the past. She openly bullies me, shows me no respect, and completely disregards our former bond. Can you believe how infuriating that is?”

“Don’t worry,” Ye Shiyu said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind Ruan Qingqing’s ear, her voice as soft and soothing as water. “This humble servant is different from the Noble Consort. I will always treat you with the utmost respect.”

Ruan Qingqing tilted her head at Ye Shiyu, her almond-shaped eyes curving into crescents. “You don’t need to treat me with constant respect. Just be a little kinder and stop bullying me.”

Ye Shiyu’s expression remained flawless. “How could this humble servant ever bully you?”

With that, she suggested to Ruan Qingqing that they leave Li Qianxuan’s residence.

Li Qianxuan finally reached her breaking point. She roughly pulled Ruan Qingqing’s two bodyguards aside, stepped in front of Ruan Qingqing, and said through gritted teeth, “Ye Shiyu, I knew you were up to no good, trying to steal her away from me. Fine, let’s settle this with a fight. If you can beat me, I’ll let you take Her Majesty.”

“That’s not fair!” Ruan Qingqing protested, stepping out from behind Li Qianxuan to stand beside Ye Shiyu and Yu Yunfei. “You were the daughter of a military general in your past life, and now you’re a boxing champion. Asking them to fight you is just bullying!”

Li Qianxuan’s anger was boiling, but she managed to suppress her temper when addressing Ruan Qingqing, trying to sound reasonable. “Then I’ll let them team up against me. Is that still not enough?”

“Of course not,” Ruan Qingqing retorted. “Even if they fought together, they wouldn’t stand a chance against you. Besides, why should they even have to fight you? Your condition is absurd. I’m a living person, not a tool. I have the right to choose who I want to be with. Today, I’m leaving with Xiao Yu, and you can’t stop me!”

Where Ruan Qingqing couldn’t see, Ye Shiyu smirked and shot Li Qianxuan a deliberately provocative look.

Li Qianxuan was furious, her lungs about to burst. She grabbed Ruan Qingqing by the shoulders and said, “Qingqing, don’t be fooled by Ye Shiyu! She’s been a heartless monster since childhood. Her kindness now is all an act. If you go with her, who knows what she’ll do to you!”

Ye Shiyu remained calm in the face of this slander. She patiently waited for Li Qianxuan to finish before calmly replying, “Your Majesty and I grew up together. You know my character well. I don’t need to defend myself, do I, Your Majesty?”

“Of course,” Ruan Qingqing said, standing beside Ye Shiyu and giving her a look of unwavering trust. “Xiao Yu is the most refined, elegant, and virtuous girl in the world. She would only ever respect and cherish me, unlike you, Noble Consort.”

Li Qianxuan was about to faint from anger. “Ye Shiyu will be even worse than me! Ruan Qingqing, why won’t you believe me?”

Seizing the opportunity, Yu Yunfei gently stroked the back of Ruan Qingqing’s delicate hand, winked seductively, and purred, “Why don’t you come to my place first, Your Majesty? You said you like instant noodles, right? I can make them for you every day.”

Li Qianxuan: “?”

“No need,” Ruan Qingqing replied to Yu Yunfei. “I’m going to Xiao Yu’s place. You forgot about me earlier, so you deserve at least a day of reflection as punishment.”

Li Qianxuan sneered. “As long as I don’t agree, you won’t take Qingqing out of this room.”

Ye Shiyu glanced at the furious, radiant woman before turning to Yu Yunfei with a gentle smile. “Shall we collaborate again?”

Yu Yunfei raised an eyebrow, mouthing, How?

“Tomorrow, I’ll bring Your Majesty to see you. Just… help me stall her!” Ye Shiyu suddenly grabbed Ruan Qingqing’s hand and told Yu Yunfei.

Ye Shiyu fled with Ruan Qingqing, and Yu Yunfei reacted swiftly, throwing herself onto Li Qianxuan and grabbing her hand while shouting, “Indecent assault!” Li Qianxuan was caught off guard. By the time she broke free, Ye Shiyu had already dragged Ruan Qingqing into the elevator.

“Ye Shiyu!”

Li Qianxuan pounded the elevator in fury, while Yu Yunfei stood by, watching like she was enjoying a show. She brushed off the dust on her clothes and said calmly, “Noble Consort, why don’t you reflect with me? I only failed to recognize Your Majesty and have to reflect for a day. Given all the sins you’ve committed, who knows how long Your Majesty will remain angry?”

Li Qianxuan rolled her eyes at Ruan Qingqing and dashed downstairs.

But by then, Ye Shiyu had already driven Ruan Qingqing away in a cloud of dust.

Ye Shiyu was genuinely kind and attentive. Noticing Ruan Qingqing’s hastily changed clothes, she first took her shopping for suitable outfits and shoes.

The gap between the modern and ancient worlds was vast. Even though Ruan Qingqing had conceptually understood this era while in the void, many things remained incomprehensible. Ye Shiyu patiently explained everything to her.

In the past, Ye Shiyu had been the Grand Tutor’s granddaughter, renowned for her exceptional literary talent since childhood. Now, she was a university professor with two doctoral degrees. When explaining things to Ruan Qingqing, she always drew upon classical texts, making even the most mundane topics come alive. Ruan Qingqing listened with rapt attention, completely lost in the moment.

After coffee in the afternoon, Ye Shiyu bought Ruan Qingqing a smartphone, installed a SIM card, and taught her how to use it.

“This is truly miraculous,” Ruan Qingqing said, clutching the phone as if it were a priceless treasure, her lips curving into an involuntary smile. “In our time, I couldn’t even have imagined such a thing. And now, here it is, right in my hand.”

Ye Shiyu smiled, her eyes flickering slightly. “Times are always advancing, Your Majesty. You’ll learn what’s even better in the future.”

Ruan Qingqing asked, “For example?”

Ye Shiyu lowered her gaze, pausing before answering.

As night fell, she took Ruan Qingqing to a friend’s vacant villa, drew a bath for her, and waited until Ruan Qingqing was soaking in the tub before re-entering the room. Sitting by the tub, she said, “I’m here to teach Your Majesty what’s truly better.”

Ruan Qingqing grabbed a bath towel, clutching it to her chest, her expression bewildered. “Huh?”

Ye Shiyu leaned down, cupped a handful of water, and gently poured it over Ruan Qingqing’s jade-like shoulder. Her movements were graceful and tender, like a scene from a painting, yet her voice was rough and husky. “In this world, there’s nothing better than the pleasure of being a woman.”

Ruan Qingqing: “???”

What’s wrong with the Virtuous Consort? She’s acting so different from how she was during the day.

No, this isn’t just a little different—it’s completely different!

The usually refined and cultured woman had shed her elegant facade, revealing a predatory side. She was now staring at Ruan Qingqing with the same gaze a hunter reserves for their prey.

Ruan Qingqing paled in terror, clutching the bath towel to cover herself as she frantically kicked her slender legs in the water, retreating into the corner. “Wait! Virtuous Consort! Just wait a moment!”

“On such a beautiful night, what’s there to wait for?” Ye Shiyu untied her silk outer robe, revealing a thin camisole beneath. She stepped into the bathtub, one foot already submerged, and tugged at Ruan Qingqing’s towel with a soft voice: “Your Majesty, don’t you want to bathe with me? I’ll show you just how wonderful it is to be a woman.”

“No, calm down, calm down…” Ruan Qingqing was on the verge of tears.

How could Ye Shiyu act like this? How could she switch so suddenly, giving me no chance to react?

Ye Shiyu tugged harder at the towel, her expression still serene and refined, but her tone turned vicious. “How can Your Majesty expect me to remain calm?”

“Y-you…” Ruan Qingqing’s mind was a jumbled mess, her voice choked with sobs. “You promised you wouldn’t bully me! You clearly promised, right there at Qianxuan’s place…”

Ye Shiyu tilted her head, feigning confusion. “Your Majesty, I merely wished to bathe with you and attend to your needs. It is my duty as your consort. How could that be considered bullying?”

“Y-you… ugh…” Ruan Qingqing clutched the bath towel tightly, desperately trying to reason with the beauty before her. “I-I… Right! Didn’t I give you all letters of release? By that logic, you’re no longer my Imperial Consort. So, I… I don’t need your service. You can leave.”

Ye Shiyu remained unmoved, stepping further into the water and closing the distance to Ruan Qingqing. She leaned in close to the trembling girl and whispered, “Your Majesty, about those letters of release… I’m truly puzzled. You claim to be a girl? Is that really true?”

“Y-yes, yes, I’m a girl…”

“How am I supposed to believe that?” Ye Shiyu’s tone shifted, her voice growing even softer as she pressed closer. “Perhaps… you should let me verify it myself?”

“Ah!”

The bath towel had already been torn away. Ruan Qingqing trembled, forcing herself to remain calm. She took a deep breath and feigned composure as she addressed Ye Shiyu, “Virtuous Consort, stop this nonsense. I know you wouldn’t treat me this way.”

Unexpectedly, Ye Shiyu burst into laughter, her refined image completely shattered. After a long moment, she regained her composure and said, “My adorable little Majesty, did you say the same to Li Qianxuan? How unfortunate. What worked on her might not work on me.”

As she spoke, she traced her finger across Ruan Qingqing’s soft, damp cheek. At this point, Ruan Qingqing finally snapped, bursting into loud, uncontrollable sobs.

“Waaah… Waaah…”

Ye Shiyu raised her eyebrows repeatedly at the sight of Ruan Qingqing’s tears. She stood up, fetched a large towel to cover Ruan Qingqing’s body, and then sat back down by the bathtub, resting her chin in her hand as she watched with amusement.

Ruan Qingqing: “Waaah… Hic…?”

“Keep going, Your Majesty. You look so pitiful and utterly adorable when you cry,” Ye Shiyu said, reaching out to ruffle Ruan Qingqing’s hair with a smile. “Your humble servant loves watching you cry the most.”

Ruan Qingqing: “???”