Abused Female Lead And Beautiful Villainess (Quick Transmigration)

“Princess, I’ve heard that the Emperor is looking for a consort for you!” Once back in their chambers, Shen Wan pouted. “I’ve also heard he’s not satisfied with anyone, saying all those men are impure. Now the Emperor is considering selecting boys who are just ten or eleven years old, with clean backgrounds. He plans to have secret agents watch them grow up. Whoever turns out best will be chosen for you. The Emperor truly dotes on you.”

He Qingning nearly burst out laughing hearing these words spoken through gritted teeth. She pinched Shen Wan’s cheek and said softly, “I don’t like stinky men.”

“Then what do you like?”

“Naturally, women who smell lovely all over.” He Qingning looked at Shen Wan with smiling eyes, her meaning completely unconcealed. There was no need to say anything more; everyone understood what she meant.

“I’ll go speak to Father about this matter.”

“Princess, those men are all fickle-hearted radishes, not good at all. Don’t be fooled by their appearances. I’ve investigated them all. By fourteen or fifteen, they all have one or two concubines. Some lecherous ones visit brothels daily. They’re not good people at all. Having such impure people by Princess’s side would pollute your eyes and the air around you.”

As she spoke, Shen Wan pulled out a thick stack of information from her sleeve. “Princess, I’ve investigated all the young masters in the capital with some ability. Not one of them is worthy of you.”

He Qingning flipped through the papers, finding the information incredibly detailed. Her Wan Wan was truly capable, having investigated even these people’s ancestors back eighteen generations. It clearly recorded how many meals they ate, how many times they used the toilet, what crude words they said, which maids they slept with, how often they visited brothels—everything was crystal clear.

“Don’t worry, I’m not interested in such people.”

Shen Wan was satisfied. She knew these stinky men wouldn’t catch Her Highness’s eye. As for women, hmph, she didn’t even consider them. She’d frighten them to tears with one punch if they dared approach.

A few days later, He Qingning saw that the Emperor was still worrying about her consort matter, truly considering selecting from among those young boys as Shen Wan had said. If he found one pleasing to the eye, he planned to bring them into the palace to raise. Personally cultivating them would put his mind at ease.

He Qingning hurriedly went to find the Emperor, frightened that if Shen Wan learned of this news, she definitely wouldn’t get to eat half an egg for breakfast tomorrow morning.

“Father, I am still young. Please don’t force these matters.”

The Emperor was a very open-minded person, mainly because deep in his heart, he had only ever loved one person. So hearing He Qingning’s words, he wasn’t angry, nor did he insist like others that she must choose a consort. His Qingning didn’t need a husband’s family power to consolidate her position. If he had been more capable back then, he wouldn’t have needed to take consorts to strengthen his position, causing rifts between him and the empress, even though they still loved each other.

“Qingning, do you already have someone you like? Who is it? Bring them for me to see.”

“Father, please let me decide these matters myself, alright? For now, I don’t want to expose her, fearing it might bring her danger. My plan is to bring her for everyone to see when I can protect her.”

After hearing this, the Emperor fell into reminiscence for a while before finally agreeing. Perhaps he had too many regrets, irretrievable regrets, and didn’t want to see them repeated with He Qingning.

“Very well, I’ll let you have your way. Qingning, protect the person you cherish.” Don’t be like him, sitting in a high position, controlling the realm, yet unable to share the glory with her.

“I will, Father.”

The Emperor nodded. “I think that He Wan girl is not bad. If cultivated well, she could be a great help to Qingning in the future. Being female, she’s more suitable to be by Qingning’s side. Qingning, do you have any plans for her?”

“Father, I want her to become an official,” He Qingning said softly. “She’s skilled in both civil and military affairs, can do anything, and has protected me for three years, slaying countless assassins who pursued me. She’s actually rendered great service. Now she just follows me around, and I haven’t rewarded her yet. She’s different from other women.”

“Then let her try.”

He Qingning was truly overjoyed. If the Emperor hadn’t agreed, she would have had to wait until after her ascension to the throne to appoint Shen Wan as an official. Skyrocketing to power wasn’t easy. Now that the Emperor had agreed, she could use Shen Wan’s previous merits to appoint her to a position first. She could climb step by step, and when He Qingning held power, it would be much easier to elevate her rapidly.

When Shen Wan received the imperial edict, she was stunned for a moment.

He Qingning placed the edict in her hands. “I didn’t lie to you, did I? Father has allowed you to become an official. Now you can even attend court.”

Shen Wan cradled the warm edict, opened it and looked again, then jumped up happily. Although she hadn’t been made a marquis or minister yet, and her position wasn’t very high, she could now truly attend court.

Just thinking about it was so exciting!!

When Shen Wan was appointed as an official and began attending court, the civil and military officials looked at the small figure standing in the middle-rear ranks, their expressions twitching slightly, but they paid her no mind. They knew this woman. It was said that her small fists could take down assassins one by one. She was very fierce. They didn’t understand why the Emperor had appointed her to a small civil position when, given her merits, she could have been a military official.

But they didn’t care. A brainless woman with big breasts, grown in size but short on wisdom, who only knew how to punch people, couldn’t pose any threat.

A few months later.

The entire court regretted not stopping Shen Wan from becoming an official and attending court. This was no mere woman who only knew how to use her fists; her belly was full of schemes that surpassed even their own.

They had miscalculated terribly.

They watched with their own eyes as Shen Wan rendered meritorious service, got promoted, rendered more service, and got promoted again!

Three years had passed since He Qingning was appointed Crown Princess. The Emperor’s hair had turned completely white. Seeing He Qingning handle matters with ease, and noticing Shen Wan’s position had moved considerably forward, he smiled with satisfaction. The grand plan was complete; he had arranged everything he needed to arrange. The rest was up to Qingning.

That day, not only the court officials but even He Qingning and Shen Wan were caught off guard when the Emperor announced his abdication. Even though he had aged considerably and his voice lacked its former strength, not a single official in the Hall of Supreme Harmony objected. They had witnessed the Crown Princess’s abilities. The Emperor had arranged everything, the situation was set, and in the future, at most, they could only participate in the Crown Princess’s choice of a consort. They couldn’t change anything else.

The Fifth Prince and Prince Yan, confined to their residences for three years, had never been released by the Emperor. Even if they were released now, what could they change?

He Qingning ascended the throne, becoming the Xiyun Kingdom’s first Empress Regnant. After her ascension, He Qingning sent the Fifth Prince and He Xiyan to frontier territories, earning praise for her mercy.

Shen Wan was promoted again, now a second-rank official. She was now a figure who could make others tremble with a stomp of her foot. Everyone thought her official career was progressing too smoothly, but the things she had done truly warranted her promotions; they couldn’t find fault. Besides, could they object to whom the Emperor wanted to appoint? If someone was appointed and could hold their position steadily, that was their ability.

A month after He Qingning’s ascension, the Emperor passed away.

Before his death, the Emperor met with He Qingning alone. Looking at his emaciated, aged face, He Qingning was in tears. Her path had been so smooth thanks to the Emperor’s support all along. Without him, her journey would have been much more arduous. It could be said that her father had shielded her from most of the difficulties.

“Qingning, I’m going to see your mother now.”

“Qingning, the person in your heart is Shen Wan, isn’t it?”

He Qingning nodded tearfully, “I’m sorry, Father.” So Father had known all along that He Wan was Shen Wan, but had never exposed it.

“That girl is truly no less than General Shen, worthy of you.” The Emperor raised his hand to wipe He Qingning’s tears. “Did you think I would oppose your relationship?”

“If I were ten years younger and your mother was still here, I truly would have opposed you two, and might even have secretly sent someone to eliminate her.”

He Qingning didn’t doubt the Emperor’s words for a moment. Understanding this, she had never dared to reveal that Shen Wan was the one in her heart.

She didn’t want to put her loved one in danger, nor did she want to oppose her beloved father. Shen Wan understood this too, so she had planned to announce their relationship after her father passed away, when no one would dare to object. She hadn’t expected that her father was still her father, old ginger is spicier. He had seen through everything long ago. Of course, her father had been Emperor for decades, with his people everywhere in the palace. How could he not know her little secret?

“After your mother left, I sat alone in that cold place for over twenty years. Countless people praised and extolled me, but I felt no excitement. No matter how warmly I dressed, I couldn’t feel any warmth. Even under the scorching summer sun, I felt cold all over. The finest silks and brocades couldn’t compare to the coarse cloth garments your mother sewed for me.”

“Shen Wan’s willingness to risk death to protect you reminds me of your mother. She too was willing to use her frail body to shield me from blades. Back when I was sent as a hostage to a neighboring country, those humiliating days weren’t actually difficult. Because your mother was there, no matter how miserable the days were, at night I could always feel the warmth from her body. In the dead of winter, with thin blankets and clothes, on a hard bed, embracing your mother to sleep, I wasn’t cold at all.”

“When my shoes and socks wore out, she would mend them for me. When the steamed buns were cold, she would warm them for me. When I was dejected, she would always say, ‘This too shall pass. Don’t give up. One day, we will reclaim everything.’ Later, after countless dangers, we returned. We fought our way through a sea of blood, and the Xiyun Kingdom grew stronger and stronger. Your mother’s health wasn’t just depleted from giving birth to you.”

At this point, the Emperor choked up, “It was because back then, she always saved food for me. On the journey back, things weren’t smooth. After we reached the capital, once we succeeded, she fell gravely ill for over a year… The court wasn’t stable, and she personally selected concubines for me, personally sent me to their chambers. If I didn’t go, she wouldn’t eat or take medicine…”

He Qingning sat beside him, listening for a long time, her tears soaking her clothes. The Emperor was already sobbing.

After a while, the Emperor said, “Go, bring that child Shen Wan here. I want to see her.”

The Emperor passed away not long after meeting Shen Wan.

For that month, He Qingning was deeply saddened, her face pale and exhausted. Shen Wan could only silently accompany her, not offering words of comfort. Nothing could console someone who had lost their most important relative.

When He Qingning recovered, Shen Wan finally said, “Your Majesty, I will always be by your side.”

“You promise? Don’t go back on your word.” He Qingning gripped Shen Wan’s hand tightly. “If you break your promise, I’ll go mad.”

“Have I ever lied to Your Majesty?”

He Qingning thought: She might as well trust her. If Shen Wan dared to leave this world before her in the future, she would… she would sleep with her corpse every day.

Shen Wan: Young lady, you’re so morbid.

Three years later.

Shen Wan had become the female Prime Minister of the Xiyun Kingdom. No one in court objected, and their gazes towards her now held a hint of fear.

At the same time, He Qingning issued another imperial edict, appointing Shen Wan as Empress, and even more surprisingly, restored Shen Wan’s surname and given name. At this point, the victor was king. Who Shen Wan was or what she was called no longer mattered. What mattered was that they couldn’t stop He Qingning’s actions, nor did they dare offend the fierce Prime Minister who could punch a hole in the floor when angry.

The court officials thought: Hah, let them explode on the spot!!

In court, Shen Wan was addressed as Prime Minister.

After court, the numerous officials, with smiling faces, called her Empress.

Shen Wan: “188, I never imagined that being second only to one and above ten thousand would be like this. The little princess really knows how to play. I bet she’s thinking of playing dress-up games with me or something.”

[188: “I remember you two were supposed to take turns doing that thing, right? Wan Wan, although you’re second only to one and above ten thousand during the day, it might not be the case at night.”]

Shen Wan: “When this is over, I’ll send you back to headquarters to debug. You’re really too deeply infected, still going on about that thing. What thing are you talking about?”

188 thought pitifully: Wasn’t he just afraid of being censored, which is why he used that euphemism?

At the Imperial Medical Institute, hearing this news, two imperial physicians sat facing each other, their faces full of disbelief.

Imperial Physician Chen: “Doctor Liu, Her Majesty has gotten her wish. The ministers must be stunned, right?”

Doctor Liu: “Indeed. Her Majesty is terrifying, and the Empress (Prime Minister) is even more so.” Who could have imagined that he, an ordinary small-time doctor, after being a quadruple agent, would end up as an imperial physician? This bizarre twist of fate was truly incredible.

When he had time, he would definitely write his experiences into a biography, letting future generations know that the Xiyun Kingdom had such an imperial physician. But honestly, the Empress was truly generous. This year, he had again purchased two large mansions in the capital and acquired many precious medicinal ingredients.

Life was getting better and better.

One day, after court, He Qingning stopped Shen Wan, “Prime Minister, wait a moment. I have something to discuss with you.”

The court officials thought: Her Majesty is being formal again. In a moment, it will probably be “Empress, are you cold? Are you hungry?”

Sure enough, as He Qingning led Shen Wan out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, she said, “Empress, are you hungry? Let’s go eat first.”

“A little.”

“I have something to tell you,” He Qingning said in a low voice. “He Xiyan is dead.”

Shen Wan was somewhat surprised. “How?”

“He was bled to death by Shen Shi. Apparently, He Xiyan had transferred his affections elsewhere, gazing at a woman’s portrait daily with longing. Shen Shi, in her resentment, drank his blood dry. My people have already sent up the portrait. Come, let’s go look together and see what kind of woman could catch He Xiyan’s attention.”

After a long while, both looked at the portrait. Shen Wan burst into laughter, while He Qingning’s face turned black as the bottom of a pot. They saw written beside the portrait: “Beloved wife Shen Wan.”

She was going mad.

He Xiyan had actually coveted her Empress.

The Little Hen, as if sensing He Qingning’s mood, suddenly flapped its wings and ran around the room, clucking. Upon closer inspection, they realized it was chasing an insect.

“Bring me brush and ink,” He Qingning called out angrily.

Shen Wan watched as He Qingning used the brush to blot out those words, then wrote “He Qingning’s wife Shen Wan” beside it. She hugged He Qingning tightly and kissed her hard, whispering, “Your Majesty, tonight you can be the bottom.”

“No, according to the schedule, it should be your turn tonight.”

“Your Majesty, I’m particularly happy today. I want to look down at your beautiful face from above.”

“Fine, as you wish.”

He Qingning thought: What happened to being second only to one and above ten thousand? Little liar. That sweet-talking mouth of hers often tricked her, and she still fell for it.