The Female Psychology PhD Who Time Traveled to the Royal Harem

This little palace maid reminded him of the small leopard cat he had hunted when he was eight years old, following his father the Emperor on a hunt.

That was his first trophy.

The leopard cat's mother had been struck by the Emperor's arrow and died immediately, leaving behind the helpless little kitten. It was he who had shot it in the leg, rendering it immobile.

The Emperor had praised him for being skilled in riding and archery.

He had originally intended to finish it off with another arrow, but when he drew back his bow and looked at it, he saw the leopard cat glaring fiercely at the Emperor, as if it understood that it was his father who had killed its mother.

He liked the hatred in that leopard cat's eyes.

So, he brought it back to the palace to keep as a pet.

Now, that leopard cat had grown up, and while it still had an unfriendly look for the Emperor, it was as docile as a domesticated house cat in his presence.

Yan Jinsha's gaze reminded him of that leopard cat.

He reached out his hand, intending to help her up from the ground, but Yan Jinsha quickly wiped away the water stains from her face and swiftly backed away.

This person had knocked away her only means of self-defense, the silver hairpin, and he wasn't any better.

Did he not realize that he couldn't possibly take on so many assailants on his own?

"Capture her!"

The palace maid whose face was swollen from being struck stood up and shouted, rushing toward Yan Jinsha. As Yan Jinsha’s eyes darted around, searching for an escape route, she suddenly saw a young man standing in front of her: "I'm warning you one last time, don’t bully her."

No matter who or what he took a fancy to, no matter how fierce it was, he would tame it.

He enjoyed this process immensely.

His cold, detached gaze formed a stark contrast with his sunny, warm appearance, and the little tiger tooth that peeked out gave off a devilish gleam.

Just moments ago, he seemed like a harmless, adorable young noble, innocent and carefree. But now, his aura had shifted, transforming him into a cold-eyed, menacing little demon ready to reap lives.

The palace servants looked at each other, some hesitation flickering in their eyes.

"Maybe we should just let it go! He doesn’t seem easy to deal with."

"Today ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‍is the day Empress is selecting brides for the Crown Prince. If this escalates, it won't end well for us."

"He seems both wealthy and noble. We can’t scare him off, so maybe we can wait for another time. Can he protect her forever?"

The palace maid who had been slapped clenched her teeth and glared fiercely at Yan Jinsha: “Just you wait.”

These slaps were something she would certainly repay.

The crowd dispersed, and the hidden guards lurking in the shadows breathed a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness...

The Crown Prince hadn’t engaged in a fight with these palace servants. If his identity had been exposed, it would have blown up in Empress and Emperor’s face, and they would have ended up getting scolded as well.

"Who are you?"

"Why did you help me?"

"What do you want?"

"I won’t be offering my body as thanks, nor do I have gold or treasures to repay you, so you’re out of luck."

She threw out a string of questions, like a little porcupine, trying to push her savior away.

Her vigilance was indeed strong.

"Crown Prince... Crown Prince... Crown Prince!" Little Yuezi came running, out of breath, leaning on his knees: "Your Highness, how did you get here? Your servant has been looking all over for you. Empress is waiting for you!"

Little Yuezi caught his breath and looked up, only to see a drenched girl standing in front of the Crown Prince.

The girl had a porcelain-white heart-shaped face, with jet-black hair clinging to her cheeks. Under normal circumstances, such a hairstyle would be unflattering, but on her, it exuded a mysterious beauty.

Even in such a disheveled state, her detached temperament made her appear beautiful and stubborn, like a tender grass bent by the storm, waiting for the rain to stop so it could regain its vigorous life force.

Her facial features were exquisitely beautiful, a fresh and refined beauty that didn’t need makeup to stand out, exuding an air of serenity beyond her years.

However...

She was dressed as a palace maid, so why was she with the Crown Prince?

And that look in her eye...

Little Yuezi immediately imagined a scene of the Crown Prince using his status to coerce this beautiful little palace maid, and cautiously advised: "Your Highness... forcing a relationship doesn’t yield sweet fruit. Empress has prepared many sweet melons for you. Why not try a different flavor?"

Why insist on picking the bitter ones?

Yan Jinsha’s eyes widened, somewhat at a loss for words: “You... you are... not... Your Highness, you are the Crown Prince?"

Her teary-eyed expression, filled with excitement yet forcibly restrained, was all caught by Noble Consort's eyes. He smiled slightly: "Little palace maid, I, the Crown Prince, saved you, and yet you don’t even thank me. Instead, you suspect that I have ulterior motives? You’re really quite ungrateful."

"Ungrateful?"

Little Yuezi frowned. An ungrateful attitude towards the Crown Prince was unacceptable. He had to deal with this little palace maid according to palace regulations.

"Guards, take this little palace maid away. Give her thirty heavy lashes. She even dared to glare at the Crown Prince. I think she’s tired of living."

“You...”

"No one come!"

Noble Consort slapped Little Yuezi on the head with one hand: "I haven’t said anything yet. Why is a eunuch like you so hasty?"

"Ow!"

Little Yuezi clutched his head, his face a picture of misery, muttering: “Your Highness, you said she was ungrateful yourself. Your servant was just acting on your behalf!”

Who knew the Crown Prince’s 'ungrateful' was different from his own understanding of 'ungrateful'?

“Sss—”

Noble Consort’s hand lifted again: “You’ve even learned to talk back?”

“No no no no...”

Little Yuezi, bowing, chuckled: "Your servant wouldn't dare, your servant wouldn't dare... Your Highness, we've already wasted a lot of time. Let's go back quickly! Empress must be getting impatient."

Noble Consort finally withdrew his hand, urged by Little Yuezi to hurry away.

Outside the spacious servants' quarters, only Yan Jinsha remained.

“That was the Crown Prince…”

Suddenly, Eunuch Zhang's aged voice rang out behind the girl, speaking just one sentence before he began to cough violently: “My days are numbered, and I can only help you till here. The palace is dangerous, and the rest of the journey, you must walk it yourself.”

Yan Jinsha nodded with red eyes: “Thank you, Zhang Grandpa. I will definitely overturn the case of the Yan Family and make those who framed the Yan Family pay for their crimes.”

The path of overturning the case was not easy, but since she had no other way to participate in the imperial examinations and become an official, she had no choice but to resort to this scheme to manipulate the Crown Prince.

She had no other option…

As the descendant of a convicted criminal, sent to serve in the palace, she had no qualifications to become an official.

The Emperor was too old and devoted solely to Empress, their love unwavering. Becoming a concubine of the Emperor was obviously unrealistic.

Apart from the Emperor, the only one with the power to retry the Yan Family's corruption case was the Crown Prince.

She had to… become someone who could speak up for the Crown Prince.

After much deliberation, the only feasible path seemed to become his concubine.