TFRLTOP Chapter 63

Chapter 63 – The Tyrant’s Beloved 

◎The Butterfly◎

“The armor set you wanted…” Ming Ming groaned as she clutched her waist and tossed a box in front of Jiang Fuling.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Ming Ming looked utterly devastated. “Do you have any idea how much I’ve suffered to get you that armor set?!”

“No idea.”

Jiang Fuling glanced at Ming Ming’s completely ruined manicure, made a disgusted “eww,” and quickly covered her ears. “Don’t tell me. I’m not listening. I refuse to hear about whatever twisted little ‘play’ you and your man have been up to.”

Ming Ming: “…”

She swallowed down the “WTF” that was on the tip of her tongue and instead feigned confusion. “What’s ‘play’?”

“You don’t need to know.” Jiang Fuling picked up the nail armor set and slipped it onto her fingers, admiring it with satisfaction.

Ming Ming sat down beside her, still supporting her sore waist. When she looked at her own nails, she had to admit—they did have a bit of an ombré aesthetic.

…But seriously, what the hell!

Either she’d brushed against herself or that damned emperor.

And now it wouldn’t even wash off with water.

Damn it. How do you say “nail polish remover” in ancient Chinese?

“System, are you still alive?”

The system had been locked in its “black room” for almost ten days. It was completely sluggish now, like a device left uncharged for too long, its battery completely dead.

It gave a weak hum in response.

“Why do you sound more exhausted than I do?” Ming Ming asked seriously. “Are you sure you were the only one in that black room?”

“…” System: “Get lost!”

“Okayyy~”

Her mood improved instantly. She turned her head and leaned on her hands, watching Jiang Fuling. “Hey, got any way to get this nail color off? It’s smudged, looks awful.”

Jiang Fuling gave her a side-eye. “Who told you two to go so hard? There’s no fixing that. Just wait a few days—it’ll fade on its own.”

“Fine.” Ming Ming sighed and accepted her fate, lying on the table and stretching her arms out to examine her “claws” from a distance.

While Jiang Fuling happily went back to her nail art, Ming Ming got bored watching and decided to take a walk. She hated being followed—it made her feel all stiff and uncomfortable—so she always went out without attendants.

She wanted to really explore the palace. After all these days, she’d barely figured out the layout—she only knew where the Imperial Garden was. Last time, she’d tried to catch a butterfly there but ended up getting scolded and chased off by Jiang Fuling.

To give her system something to do—and maybe jumpstart its “processor”—Ming Ming told it to pull up a palace map and plot her real-time route like a GPS.

“You think I’m Doraemon or something?”

“Be good—you’re my little Dorae-System!” Ming Ming said cheerfully, as if she’d already forgotten every grudge she had against it.

Unfortunately, the system wasn’t as easy to sweet-talk as Jiang Fuling. Compliments didn’t work on it.

It grumbled the whole time, but still complied with her random requests.

“Wow!” Ming Ming gasped softly. “It’s like one of those holographic games! Full-body VR!”

“Don’t compare your primitive Earth tech to this.”

Ming Ming paused, then enthusiastically agreed, “You’re right! Alien technology changes the world!”

System: “…”

“Don’t roll your eyes at me! We humans are impressive too, you know! Who do you think made it possible for you to hop between worlds and resurrect me, huh? It’s us! It’s the Main System!”

As she followed the map and muttered to herself, she said, “Man… now I’m craving pig brains.”

System: “…”

Half an hour later, the girl and the system were still arguing, occasionally bickering over which path to take.

System: You’re dumb— just follow my directions!

Ming Ming: No! I’ll follow my heart and forge my own path!

And the result of her “independence”?

She was, quite possibly, lost.

“Wait, wasn’t it supposed to be this turn?”

The system was on the brink of a breakdown. “Are you kidding me?! I gave you a full-scale 3D map and you still got lost?!”

Ming Ming was totally calm. “No worries. We’ll just try another way. System, save my progress here.”

After another half stick of incense, she had to face reality—she’d somehow gotten herself trapped in a dead-end loop, inside the imperial palace, in broad daylight, with a navigation system running.

Leaning against the wall, she questioned her life choices.

“Maybe… I should just listen to you?” she said reluctantly.

“Oh, now you admit I was right? Too late!”

Ming Ming projected the map onto the palace wall, stroking her chin. “So where did I mess up…? From here, which way should I turn?”

A deep voice suddenly came from behind her. “Has it really been only a few hours, and you already missed me so much?”

The system let out a relieved sigh in her mind. Thank the heavens. At least you’ve found your way back in one piece.

Ming Ming turned around. Emperor Wan Qian was standing not far away, a faint, knowing smile on his lips. He wasn’t wearing his usual majestic dragon robe today, but a riding outfit. Behind him stood a group of attendants, some holding bows, others iron-tipped arrows.

Archery practice?

He walked over and took her hand. “Why are you wandering around alone? Didn’t bring anyone with you? I can’t believe my beloved consort actually made it all the way here. How long have you been walking? Are you tired? Good thing I happened to be nearby—come, rest with Me in the palanquin.”

Ming Ming’s eyes welled up. There are palanquins in the palace?! And I’ve been walking everywhere on foot?!

The emperor seemed to read her mind and chuckled. “Do you think you’re like everyone else? You’re My Lan Consort. Anything you want, you have. If you had attendants with you, they’d ask where you were headed. And if they knew you wanted to stroll far, they would’ve prepared a sedan chair for you.”

“You really don’t know anything…” he said, half-scolding, half-amused.

He helped her into the palanquin. It was large—roomy enough for two—but the emperor still pressed close, one hand sliding around her waist.

Her palace robe was loose and flowing, but the way he held her outlined her waist perfectly.

“Let go,” she said, giving him a sideways glare.

The emperor ignored her. “Good thing I was nearby. Who knows how long you’d have wandered otherwise.”

“The training grounds are only eight zhang away. You knew I was there—you came on purpose.”

She was right. Even without attendants, there were hidden guards stationed around. The emperor had known she’d gotten lost and had hurried over, pretending to “coincidentally” bump into her.

“So you didn’t come looking for me on purpose? What mission did they give you this time?”

“I told you, none!”

“Hmm…”

I don’t believe you.

Ming Ming tried to pry his arm off again. “Let go. I don’t want to sit with you.”

Look at her—never a smile in front of him. Not even pretending anymore.

The emperor tightened his hold and whispered in her ear, “Don’t make me take you right here.”

And just like that—Ming Ming turned into a docile little quail.

See? Works every time.

“Be good. I’ll take you to the training grounds to play.”

Training grounds?

Ming Ming perked up immediately.

When Jiang Ruotian passed by Jiang Fuling’s place later, she dropped off two buns and a box of dragon’s beard candy.

“Where’d you go? How’d you get all this?” Jiang Fuling asked.

“Oh, just went out of the palace for a bit.”

She said it as casually as if she’d just gone to the bathroom.

A question mark slowly formed above Jiang Fuling’s head. Her brain froze for a moment before she suddenly shot up in shock. “Wait—you can leave the palace?!”

“Shh! Keep it down. If anyone hears, who’s going to sneak you food again?”

Jiang Fuling quieted immediately and sat back down, eyes bright with curiosity. “How’d you get out? Can you take me next time?”

“No. You’re too conspicuous. Everyone in the harem knows you’re the one doing nail art now. When I’m gone, no one notices. When you’re gone, the whole palace goes into chaos.”

“I can close shop tomorrow!” Jiang Fuling said eagerly.

“No.”

“Please~ Sister, sister, sister~~~” Jiang Fuling tugged on her sleeve and shook it back and forth.

“…Still no.” Jiang Ruotian added flatly, “And whining won’t help.”

Jiang Fuling instantly deflated like a balloon, slumping over with a pitiful whimper.