Unnamed
The Emperor was impressed by jinyue's answer and asked her a few more, to which jinyue answered perfectly.
Lady Zhao, grew anxious and jealous seeing this, she started looking around and immediately locked her eyes on the fourth princess...she slowly moved closer to the fourth princess.
It was unknown what she said to her as the fourth princess's expression grew darker and in the end she shouted,
SHUT UP!
everyone stopped what they were doing, including the emperor and looked at her.
Insolence!
The queen spoke before anyone could,even the Emperor's expression grew darker.
Realising what she had done, the fourth princess, Murong Xin hurriedly knelt down
To beg for forgiveness. The emperor, even though he was unhappy about it chose to forget about it...after all she is his favourite daughter and her mother died of poisoning, even though they caught the killer, he still felt somewhat guilty.
The Emperor just waved his hand and stood up to go..they all stood up and bowed,seeing the emperor out.
However, even though the Emperor doesn't mind, it didn't mean the empress doesn't.
The Empress's reception hall brimmed with a polite chill, thinly veiling the undercurrents of danger. Jin Yue observed from her seat, eyes cast downward, as the Fourth Princess knelt before the Empress.
One of the palace maid with fairly high rank saw an opportunity, a woman with sharp eyes and a subtle smirk, stepped forward. "Your Majesty, the Fourth Princess was... inattentive. In fact, she seemed to disregard His Majesty's words, speaking out of turn. Such disrespect cannot go unnoticed."
The Fourth Princess's face drained of color, though she maintained her posture. "I did no such thing," she said, her voice steady but strained. "I would never intentionally dishonor my family or His Majesty."
The Empress's cold gaze flicked to her daughter. "Disrespect is no small matter in the court," she said, her voice a dangerous calm. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
Jin Yue's sharp instincts immediately picked up on the trap being laid. Her eyes swept the room and caught the brief glance of satisfaction on the face of Lady Zhao, the daughter of a low-ranked concubine. This woman had positioned herself as an enemy of the Fourth Princess, subtly undermining her reputation. Jin Yue also noticed how the palace maids seemed complicit, their expressions giving away just enough, and also this lady Zhao doesn't it seem to like her (liking was an understatement) so she would just clip this threat off while it is just budding...she has enough enemies as it is.
So...It was time to act.
"Your Majesty," Jin Yue's voice rang out clear but soft. All heads turned toward her. "May I speak?"
The Empress tilted her head slightly, her brow raised. "What is it, Jin Yue?"
Jin Yue rose slowly, her posture graceful. "It seems that a grave accusation has been made, one that seeks to diminish the dignity of the imperial family. However, it appears to me that this matter may not be as it seems."
Her words hung in the air, and all eyes were on her now. Jin Yue turned her gaze toward Lady Zhao, her expression unreadable. Your Majesty, I distinctly recall the Fourth Princess being deliberately provoked. A voice called out to her...a voice that came before His Majesty spoke."
Lady Zhao's face tightened, but Jin Yue continued smoothly.
"It was Lady Zhao who made an offhand comment toward the Fourth Princess just as His Majesty was about to speak, creating a situation where the Fourth Princess seemed to have interrupted His Majesty. But in truth, the Fourth Princess was simply responding to Lady Zhao's words. If anything, it was Lady Zhao who caused the disruption."
The air crackled with tension as gasps filled the room.
"Lady Zhao," Jin Yue said, her eyes boring into the woman who had started this false rumor, "seems to have either forgotten the appropriate protocol, or perhaps she intended for the Fourth Princess to appear disrespectful. After all, who would dare to provoke a member of the imperial family, knowing the consequences?"
Her words were like knives, sharp and deadly, leaving no room for escape. Jin Yue took a step forward, her eyes never leaving Lady Zhao, who looked pale and panicked now.
"I cannot say if this was a simple misunderstanding or a deliberate act of malice, but the Fourth Princess has always conducted herself with dignity. To imply otherwise would not only be an insult to her but to the entire royal family. Your Majesty, I believe Lady Zhao must answer for this."of course, she didn't know the fourth princess nor did she know whether lady Zhao said provoking words or not ,she is just betting and guessing...in life you gotta take risks.
The Empress's gaze hardened, her eyes now fixed on Lady Zhao. Silence enveloped the hall. Lady Zhao trembled, her composure crumbling as she quickly knelt in a plea for mercy.
"Your Majesty, I did not—"
"Enough!" The Empress's voice rang with finality, her displeasure now unmistakable. "Lady Zhao, it seems you have overstepped your place in this court. To implicate a princess of such offense? You should be more careful where you step."
The low-ranked concubine's daughter could only bow lower, knowing her days of influencing the palace had come to a swift end. The Empress waved her hand, dismissing her.
The Fourth Princess glanced at Jin Yue, her eyes filled with gratitude, while Jin Yue remained poised, her victory evident without a trace of arrogance.
The Empress regarded Jin Yue for a moment longer. "You have a sharp mind, Jin Yue. It is no wonder you have caught the eye of many." Her smile was cool,
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Jin Yue said, bowing slightly, her face calm.
_____
Jin Yue returned to her room that evening, her entire body aching from the mental and physical exhaustion of the palace visit. Her mind was still buzzing from the schemes she had dodged, the careful words she had spoken, and the etiquette she had been forced to endure. The day had felt endless.
She dropped onto her bed, barely managing to kick off her shoes. A tired sigh escaped her lips as she let her muscles relax. The soft light of the room flickered, casting long shadows across the walls. Slowly, she closed her eyes, hoping for a brief moment that tomorrow would not come so soon.
But as she drifted off, something strange began to happen.
The moment she slipped into unconsciousness, an invisible force awakened within her. Unbeknownst to Jin Yue, the spiritual energy that had begun to accumulate inside her stirred once again. Her body, seemingly of its own accord, began to draw in the surrounding energy at a speed that would have astounded even the most experienced cultivators.
It was as though her very being was a vortex, pulling in the spiritual essence of the world around her. The air shimmered faintly as pure energy was absorbed into her body, enhancing her strength, nourishing her soul. Her peaceful expression betrayed none of the incredible transformation taking place within.
If anyone from the immortal realm had been present to witness it, they would have been driven mad with envy. What Jin Yue was doing without even realizing it was something thateveryonecouldonly dream of. She was cultivating in her sleep, and at a rate far beyond comprehension.
As the night deepened, the energy continued to swirl into her, silently changing her from within.
---
The next morning, Jin Yue woke to a knock on her door, blinking blearily as the sunlight streamed into the room. Her body felt strangely light, as if the exhaustion from the day before had evaporated overnight.
"Miss Jin Yue," a servant's voice called from outside. "Your brothers have returned."
Jin Yue sat up abruptly, confused by the words. Brothers?
Her heart skipped a beat. She had no memory of any brothers—at least not in this world. Yet, there was a faint tug in her mind, a distant memory that felt just out of reach,though she couldn't place it.
Before she could fully process it, the servant continued, "The master has summoned everyone to greet them. They arrived this morning."
Jin Yue's eyes narrowed slightly. Why now? Why were these supposed brothers returning at such a critical moment?