Chapter 13

The imperial couple’s return to the bride’s family was unlike ordinary households where they could stay overnight. As dusk began to fall, Eunuch An urged the Emperor and Empress to return to the palace promptly.

At that moment, Nie Long was being pulled aside by Madam Nie for some mother-daughter private talk in the chamber. She sent Chun Feng to relay that they would return a little later.

Madam Nie had many things she couldn’t say openly earlier, and now that someone came to hurry them, she had to make it brief while holding her daughter’s hand.

“My precious, how has His Majesty treated you these days since you entered the palace?”

Nie Long thought of the villainous emperor from the book and the real one before her, feeling slightly dazed.

Seeing this, Madam Nie smiled and patted her hand. “No need to tell me—I already know. Just look at how attentive he was to you at dinner, knowing your favorite dishes better than I do as your mother. That’s truly rare.”

“My precious is blessed, and your mother couldn’t be happier!”

Tears welled up in Madam Nie’s eyes, and she quickly wiped them with a handkerchief. Nie Long chuckled helplessly. “Mother, why shed golden tears when you’re happy? If Father sees this, he’ll surely scold me for making you cry.”

Hearing this, Madam Nie blushed slightly and poked her forehead. “You mischievous girl! Even after marriage, you’re still so cheeky, daring to tease your own mother?”

“Besides, your father keeps harping on about the distinction between ruler and subject. With his timid nature, would he dare reprimand the current Empress?”

Nie Long wrapped her arms around her mother’s waist, burying her face against her, and drawled sweetly, “Mother, no matter how my status changes, I’ll always be your and Father’s daughter!”

After coaxing a laugh from Madam Nie, Nie Long sighed in relief and then remembered something. “Mother, about that list you gave me last time—I haven’t had the chance to look into it. I brought it with me when leaving the palace this time.”

Seeing Madam Nie’s confusion, Nie Long nestled closer and said softly, “His Majesty is really kind, so don’t worry. Maybe it’s better if you take it back, lest someone accuses our family of planting spies in the palace. If discovered, it would embarrass His Majesty, and if labeled as ‘peeking at imperial traces,’ wouldn’t that be a loss outweighing the gain?”

Madam Nie frowned. “But what if His Majesty adds new consorts later? Without reliable people at your side, how will you manage? Even noble households and princely mansions have their share of strife, let alone the palace!”

“Don’t be fooled by how your father acts like a devoted husband now—he only settled down after marriage, dismissing all those concubines and maids. Few men in this world can resist temptation… You’ve never witnessed the dark schemes of the inner chambers—how could you outmaneuver others?”

“With your gentle nature, you might be devoured without a trace…”

“Mother…”

Nie Long recalled a scene from the book where, in the villainous emperor’s memories, a young eunuch attempted to poison him shortly after his wedding. Though the emperor was unharmed, he flew into a rage and ordered a thorough investigation, uncovering many officials and noble families who had planted spies in the palace.

That incident implicated countless people in the capital. While most offenses weren’t punishable by death, such matters could be trivial or severe depending on the ruler’s stance. Unfortunately, the Qi Yuan Emperor’s thunderous wrath meant they all walked into the line of fire—several high-ranking officials were demoted, some by one or two ranks with halved salaries, while others were stripped of their positions entirely.

The Qi Yuan Emperor was no fool. While his anger was genuine, he also seized this opportunity to rid the court of some corrupt officials and install his own trusted men.  

Later… the mastermind behind the poisoning was never uncovered. But by the story’s climax, when the antagonist was defeated and lost the throne, he recalled the incident and said to the male lead, who had by then successfully ascended the throne: “So it was you.”  

This “you” likely referred to the failed poisoning attempt years earlier.  

At the time, the male lead’s scheme had backfired, and he found himself outmaneuvered. Chu Ji, after all, was the antagonist who had dominated the male lead for most of the novel, only to be defeated in the final act.  

Nie Long calculated that they had already been married for several days now. Though the exact timing of the incident wasn’t clear in the plot, it could very well happen tomorrow or the day after…  

The narrative had glossed over whether the Nie family, the empress’s maternal relatives, had been implicated. But it was better to be safe than sorry—no emperor would tolerate officials meddling in his household affairs.  

Madam Nie explained, “It’s not like our family deliberately planted people there. It’s just that back when your grandfather and father occasionally entered and exited the palace, they happened to help someone in a tight spot. That person wanted to repay the favor someday.”  

Nie Long said, “Mother, let’s just act as if nothing happened. No need to reach out deliberately. If they’re willing to help us in the future, fine. If not, so be it.”  

“Besides, in the palace now, aside from the Emperor, I hold the highest position. No one can bully me.”  

Madam Nie shot her a glance. “Then what about Consort An the other day? I heard that if the Emperor hadn’t backed you up, you might not have been able to handle that shrew.”  

Nie Long flushed, recalling the scene—Chu Ji…  

She deliberately pushed aside thoughts of what happened afterward and recounted the events in the hall in detail.  

Madam Nie nodded approvingly. “That’s more like it. Don’t be afraid of her. Even without the Emperor’s support, our family has no reason to fear an out-of-favor prince.”  

“But… did you really take Little Prince An to the Secluded Courtyard?”  

“Mother, the child is only four years old and sickly. It’s pitiful.”  

Seeing Madam Nie’s hesitation, Nie Long clung to her arm and cooed, “Mother, do you remember how Xiao Hu was as a child? Round and chubby. But that little prince is so thin and small—barely the size of our brother when he was two, and even skinnier.”  

Perhaps reminded of her own youngest son, Madam Nie softened. She pinched Nie Long’s nose. “You’ve always had a soft spot for the underdog since you were little. Kindness is good, but remember—your own well-being comes first.”  

Nie Long nodded. “Mother speaks wisely.”  

Though their conversation seemed lengthy, only a quarter of an hour had passed. The palace attendants, growing impatient, sent another messenger to hurry them along. Nie Long rose reluctantly. “Mother, I must return to the palace.”  

A flicker of regret crossed Madam Nie’s eyes—how she wished time could turn back to before her precious daughter had married, when they could share a bed and talk late into the night.  

She grasped Nie Long’s hand. “Wait, I have something special for you.”  

A smile played on Madam Nie’s lips. Nie Long assumed it was just another maternal gift and didn’t think much of it.

Who knew she would walk to the chest inside, rummage for a while, and pull out something wrapped tightly in a piece of blue cloth before stuffing it into Nie Long’s arms. With a mysterious smile, she said, “Hey, don’t look at it now. Wait until you’re back in the palace.”

Nie Long didn’t think much of it. If she wasn’t supposed to look, then she wouldn’t. In her heart, Madam Nie was the most reliable and gentle mother. It was probably like the last time when she had slipped her a list—only this time, she wasn’t sure what it was.

Before she could ask, the maid came to urge them again, saying the Emperor was waiting.

Only then did the mother and daughter walk hand in hand toward the front courtyard.

The little chubby boy bravely faced the death glare of the big bad guy, Chu Ji, clinging tightly to his sister’s arm and rubbing his little head against her stomach. Whining, he said, “A-Jie, can I go with you?”

“I don’t want Father or Mother anymore! Father’s bad, Mother’s bad, and Big Brother likes to trick people!” the little chubby boy complained.

Feeling Chu Ji’s gaze growing increasingly terrifying and worried it might scare the little boy, Nie Long turned around and hugged him, patting his little head. His big, grape-like eyes sparkled with obvious adoration and attachment to his sister, making Nie Long’s heart soften even more. Gently, she said, “Be good. Next time, A-Hu can come to the palace with Mother to visit A-Jie, okay?”

Faced with the child’s stubborn reluctance, Nie Long bent down and whispered in his ear, “If you go with A-Jie, you’ll have to sleep every night with that big, mean, scary person, and you won’t be able to run around and play. Would A-Hu be scared?”

Nie Hu’s eyes widened, his dark, shiny grape-like eyes filled with resistance and conflict. The little chubby boy struggled for a while before secretly peeking around his sister to look at the big bad guy standing behind her.

Chu Ji, tall and dressed in black, glanced at the child with a faint smirk.

The little chubby boy was so frightened he immediately retreated, nodding his head vigorously. “No, no! A-Hu will wait for Mother to take me to the palace to see A-Jie!”

“Good boy…”

Nie Long pinched his chubby little cheeks. As she turned back, she seemed to glance at the man unintentionally, whose ears turned slightly red.

Since the son-in-law was the ruler of the nation, the Nie family couldn’t help but feel somewhat uneasy. In his presence, they couldn’t say much and could only hurriedly offer a few words of advice.

Before leaving, Nie Long looked back one last time.

Nie Fu, Madam Nie, Nie Jue, and the little chubby Nie Hu all stood in place without moving an inch. Seeing her gaze, the little boy waved his arms vigorously, shouting, “A-Jie, A-Hu will miss you!”

——

Before bed, Nie Long remembered the item she had brought from Madam Nie. Taking advantage of the Emperor’s absence, she took it out to examine.

Wrapped in a piece of fine blue cloth and tied tightly, Nie Long felt it—it seemed to be a book.

Upon opening it, it was indeed a book, but the cover was blank, with no title or illustration, which was rather odd. She flipped to the first page and read.

It said: “Better to be envied as lovebirds than immortals.”

Just this single line. Turning to the second page, the actual story began.

It was a tale about a scholar and a fox demon. Nie Long found it utterly engrossing, thinking to herself how thoughtful Madam Nie was—worried she might be bored in the palace, she had sent her a storybook.

It had been years since she last read fiction. Initially, she had picked it up casually, but the author’s writing was unexpectedly captivating. The only pity was the lack of a signature; otherwise, she could have sent someone to search for more of his works in the bookstores.

The story begins with a fox demon arriving in the human world and encountering a scholar. Initially intending to drain his essence and be done with it, the scholar’s foolish antics and repeated blunders gradually softened the fox demon’s heart, stirring affection until she finally let him go.  

Later, when the scholar traveled to the capital for the imperial exams, a twist of fate brought him face-to-face with the fox demon once more. Fresh from bathing, she emerged from the lake, leaving the scholar utterly spellbound…  

Nie Long turned the page.  

“……”  

She blinked, unable to believe that such an engaging story had suddenly turned into an erotic novel???  

Complete with illustrations—flipping several pages revealed nothing but explicit images.  

For a moment, she froze, half-reclined on the soft couch, clutching the book in stunned bewilderment. Then, a deep, melodious voice drifted from above: “What has Bao’er found so engrossing?”