Scent Of Time

Chapter 2

“Princess Consort, it’s not early anymore. It’s time to get up. We need to go to the palace today.”

It felt like I slept only for a while before Qian Zhi’s voice resounded behind the curtain.

But this Princess Consort title makes people rather uncomfortable. Looking at Qian Zhi’s joyful face, I can’t help but sigh in my heart.

Last night, I was overly worried and barely slept for two or three hours, and now my head was heavy and aching.

Forcefully pressing down my discomfort, I let Qian Zhi dress me up.

Seeing a cupboard full of white dresses, I frowned and opened my mouth, “How come these clothes are all white?”

Qian Zhi looked surprised and said, “Doesn’t Miss always like white color?”

This white color fits her persona as a white lotus.

I was about to ask Qian Zhi to order clothes in other colors when I suddenly heard a voice outside the door, “This servant greet the king.”

Turning around, I saw a tall silhouette standing against the light, the early morning sun falling through his body, forcing me to squint my eyes before I could see his face.

Ice-like face, a little pale under the daylight, and when he squints his eyes, they will show hostility, like a sharp blade piercing people’s hearts.

As expected, he was born with good looks.

He took a few steps to my side and said: “Last night, I drank too much wine. For fear of disturbing you, I slept in the study. Ah Qian, don’t blame me.”

Looking at his slightly flickering gaze, I recalled that Mu Yao should be locked up in this King Jin Mansion. He has already had his heart set on the female lead, but he doesn’t know it himself.

While thinking about this, I did not show anything on my face. I saluted according to the etiquette Qian Zhi had taught me yesterday and said: “I won’t dare.”

Silence is gold. Before I understood the situation, I’d better be careful with my words and behavior.

However, halfway through the salute, a pair of broad palms pulled me up. His palm was like a branding iron on my wrist. Zhong Yelan’s eyes were genuinely pained. Before he learned Hua Qian’s true face, he was honestly kind to her.

“You and I don’t have to use these titles between us. Call me as before.”

Strongly resisting the urge to pull my wrist out of his hand, I raised my head and smiled at him, acting like the previous Hua Qian, who also disguised herself as a gentle person.

Time was short, and it was too late to have breakfast before we got on the carriage and headed to the palace.

Along the way, Zhong Yelan’s eyes fluttered. He should have been thinking about how to settle Muyao.

The two people on a carriage had the most intimate relationship, but there was no show of intimacy. Zhong Yelan hasn’t noticed it yet, and I’m just observing the scene. Is it possible that the second female lead in the novel was also aware that Zhong Yelan didn’t like her, and that’s why she’s going down the wrong path?

Coming soon was the second male in the novel, the current reigning Emperor, Zhong Xiwu. He was Zhong Yelan’s younger brother, and they had a good relationship.

The second male lead, Zhong Xiwu, during a chance encounter afterward, falls in love with Mu Yao at first sight and even tries to argue with everyone to set her up as the Empress, which starts the brotherly rivalry.

I realized many authors had this bad taste and seemed to enjoy watching brothers turn against each other for one person.

By the way, there was also a third male lead in the novel, Wu Shuomo, the prince of another country who should enter the stage soon. At the novel’s opening, on a night exploration of the Imperial City, he was almost caught. Fortunately, he could escape with Mu Yao’s help and then joined the competition to win the Mary Sue.

Thinking about it, Mu Yao was a heroine with a halo around her, and the three most outstanding youths all fell under her pomegranate skirt. It’s contrasted with me. In the novel, Hua Qian does not have someone sincere to her.

My mood suddenly turned sour. This author was too biased, right? No wonder the second female lead was so vicious. Her conditions were so good, but everyone loved the female lead. Over time, she was definitely going crazy.

While lamenting the injustice of fate, the carriage stopped and reached the palace.

Zhong Yelan got out of the carriage first, and just as I poked my body out, I saw him reaching out to me with a faint smile.

The beauty was showing off. This smile makes my feet flinch and almost fall.

Zhong Yelan came forward in time to support my crooked body, and I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.

At least I am twenty-three years old. Why did my skin become thinner after I transmigrate to a seventeen-year-old girl?

Following Zhong Yelan to the palace, I saw a bright yellow figure in the upper seat from a distance. Then, I saw him walk over without waiting for us to get closer.

“Royal Elder Brother finally came. Yesterday, I wanted to visit the King Jin Mansion to congratulate you. But Mother said she feared disturbing you, so I didn’t go.”

Hearing the voice, I slightly raised my eyes and saw a face similar to Zhong Yelan’s. It’s just that Zhong Yelan was fierce as an ice blade, while this Emperor was soft like a beautiful jade.

Zhong Yelan didn’t seem unfamiliar either, and they talked to each other.

Zhong Yelan was raised by the Empress when she was young, so naturally, she had a good relationship with Zhong Xiwu.

Like a wooden head, I stayed for half a day. After they finished exchanging pleasantries, they went to visit the Empress Dowager’s palace together.

Except for greeting me, Zhong Xiwu never looked at me again. Really, the Mary Sue aura will only happen in the female lead body. It was useless even though the other female was beautiful.

Entering the Empress Dowager’s chamber, I saw two people sitting in gorgeous clothes. The one with a wrinkled face and gray hair should be the Empress Dowager. The other one — should be the Noble Consort Qi in the novel. The Emperor did not select a Queen, so she was the one who managed the harem.

“This subject greets the Empress Dowager.”

The Empress Dowager smiled kindly, like a good-tempered elderly. But I didn’t dare to take her lightly. After all, she was the woman who won in the harem.

Moreover, in the novel, she doesn’t like Hua Qian. As a woman in the harem, she has always been most disgusted with the technique of using softness to win people’s hearts.

Sure enough, without saying a few words, the Empress Dowager turned her gaze to me, replacing the previous amiability: “Since you married into King Jin Mansion as you wished, from now on, put your heart and soul into being the King Jin Consort, and don’t do anything out of character.”

The Empress Dowager and the Emperor must know the truth about Hua Qian’s marriage, and that’s why they are so displeased. So, only Zhong Yelan could be fooled by Hua Qian while the others were all alert and sober.

Sure enough, it’s the usual routine in abusive novels, where the male lead trusts the second female lead at the beginning.

Yesterday night, I accepted this fact. It was too hard to change fate against the heavens, but it must be relatively easy to change one’s opinion.

If it was the usual Hua Qian, she would have been aggrieved and looked to Zhong Yelan for help, so the Empress Dowager saying such harsh words probably wanted to provoke me a little bit. She could have taken the opportunity to hammer me longer if I had shown my aggrieved look.

“Empress Dowager’s teachings, I bear it in mind.”

I raised my head and looked straight at the Empress Dowager, trying to visualize her as a boss who would raise my salary with reverence in my eyes.

The Empress Dowager didn’t expect me to react in this unassuming manner. Her gaze flickered, and she spoke again unwillingly, “It’s useless to memorize. It’s only good if you do it.”

I can’t help but like this old lady. This cynical and adorable look makes me almost laugh. I had a strange moe point.

“I will practice what I preached and restrain myself.” I didn’t even blush when I said these fake words.

The Empress Dowager’s face slowed down a little, and even the Emperor, who was listening, looked at me.

The first step in the strategy to save the vicious second female lead’ life: change the persona.