TFSRITA Chapter 19

However, the voice of Hong Tao behind her sounded like a magic spell: “Your Highness, it’s time to get up.”

Suddenly, a cool, indifferent voice said, “Your Highness, aren’t you supposed to practice martial arts?”

Immediately, Yan Qing remembered.

Yesterday, Zhu Yin said that the plan was ready. Seeing that her neck injury and sore throat were almost healed, she had agreed to start training the next day.

So, it’s time to start training now?

Having gotten used to waking up naturally during this period, Yan Qing, who had always refused to accept the morning greetings, jumped out of bed, rubbed her warm face, and said, “I’m up, I’ll get ready.”

“Yes,” Hong Tao responded, drawing the curtain and calling in the waiting palace servants.

At once, the sleeping quarters became busy.

This time, Yan Qing was no longer dressed in the previous luxurious palace attire but in practical riding gear suitable for martial arts practice. The sleeves were narrow and tight, with no unnecessary trimmings, and she wore long boots instead of embroidered shoes. Her long black hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, and her smooth face had no adornments, looking as clear and rosy as high-quality jade.

With everything ready, Yan Qing excitedly ran outside, only to face Zhu Yin’s rigorous instruction.

“Horse stance.”

Legs apart, performing the bow stance, back straight, arms extended and not drooping…

With such demands, Yan Qing’s fragile body couldn’t hold on for more than a few breaths.

Zhu Yin watched, shaking her head and sighing repeatedly, silently adjusting the plan, increasing rest time, and reducing each session’s duration.

However, to everyone’s surprise, this seemingly delicate young lady persisted.

Even though she was exhausted every day and couldn’t think much, she kept at it.

Despite sweating profusely, she gritted her teeth and didn’t wipe it off. After every practice session, her clothes were drenched with sweat. The next day, her muscles ached terribly, but fortunately, as a favored concubine, she had many attendants. At the first sign of pain, a doctor would come to administer medicine, and palace maids would come to massage her, relieving her soreness.

Yan Qing said that although she was unaccustomed to it, she had no choice because she was too weak to even injure Ji Yechen.

After practicing martial arts, the change in her appearance was quite noticeable. From initially being delicate to now being bright and gentle, even just her looks had become much more pleasing.

Indeed, many people like delicate beauties, even sickly ones, but the more common aesthetic leans toward a slightly more vibrant appearance. A smile revealing white teeth, a pair of captivating eyes, and fair, tender, and rosy skin, radiant like blooming peonies, made her look striking and impressive.

Although it was only a few days and a major transformation wasn’t possible, Yan Qing’s consistent practice had led to noticeable changes.

She was much stronger now, and if given another chance, a hit to Ji Yechen’s nose would definitely not just make it slightly red but would at least cause a nosebleed.

Just as she was practicing, a palace maid came to report, “Your Highness, the Empress Dowager has summoned you.”

The Empress Dowager Jiang?

Yan Qing raised her brows, straightened her body, and asked, “What’s the matter?”

The palace maid replied, “I heard it’s because Consort Yu and Consort Xie have passed away.”

Yan Qing’s heart skipped a beat. No way? Just like that?

She wasn’t sure if it was purely because of her, although her goal was indeed to teach those two a lesson, she didn’t expect them to die so suddenly.

The result was somewhat unexpected, and Yan Qing, who might have indirectly caused their deaths, felt a cold sweat running down her back.

Hong Tao asked worriedly, “Miss, what should we do next?”

Yan Qing wiped the sweat from her forehead, tried to calm down, and said calmly, “There’s nothing to be done, let’s get changed.”

Those two were, in her past life, the murderers of the original owner!

Although she was a bit flustered by the possibility of their deaths being due to her, she felt no guilt.

However, one thing was puzzling. In her past life, the two of them had teamed up to kill the original owner, so it was unlikely they had no psychological resilience at all.

Moreover, although she had a sharp tongue that day, she hadn’t insulted anyone, just countered them in various ways.

Maybe there’s something fishy about this matter itself?

Yan Qing lowered her eyes, constantly speculating on various possibilities.

“Yes.” Hong Tao nodded, briskly bringing people to help Yan Qing change clothes, but her face showed a peculiar expression.

She had successfully been promoted to a first-rank maid for several days, but facing this master always felt odd and unspoken. She never managed palace affairs, and even when she saw a little eunuch with unclean hands, she merely watched coldly without saying anything.

Hong Tao even wondered if one day someone poisoned her, would she also be overlooked?

This master was too indifferent, even avoiding favor and constantly pushing it away. Occasionally, when the emperor came by, she didn’t even look at him.

She had never been so neglected, yet Emperor Shen seemed to say nothing, really just coming to appreciate her martial arts practice, sometimes even offering guidance.

Their interactions gave her a ghostly feeling.

She even suspected she had come to a fake palace. Where were the favored consorts and imperial concubines?

Lingyun Palace had become a sieve, with anyone able to probe into its conditions.

Fortunately, Zhu Yin was there to handle things. With her high martial skills and keen senses, she easily detected who was up to no good and quickly organized the scattered palace rooms into order.

In the Yong’an Palace, where the Empress Dowager resided.

All the concubines had gathered here. Some lower-ranked concubines didn’t even have a seat and had to stand.

In the grand hall, the Empress Dowager sat in the highest seat, with the De Concubine and the Xian Concubine a little lower on either side and below them were several other concubines in order. Looking at it, there were indeed quite a number of concubines in the harem.

This was Yan Qing’s first impression upon her recent arrival.

And when the concubines in the harem saw her for the first time, they were also unsettled.

In just a few days, this person seemed to be glowing. Even though she wore the slightly darker palace attire of a concubine’s rank, she still looked exceptionally bright, clearly in good health and spirits.