TFSRITA Chapter 14

The sight of Yan Qing in her poised stance was enough to make any man fall for her.

Her slender neck, though slightly bruised, didn’t detract from her appearance. Instead, it added a touch of vulnerability.

A formidable opponent indeed!

That was the first thought that flashed through the minds of the women in the hall. Their faces tightened with unease.

Author’s Note:
The next story’s summary is this: the male lead is a yandere type, while the female lead is of the “unafraid to die” type.

When Yan Qing transmigrated into the novel Becoming the Cherished Wife of the Disabled Master, she became part of the comparison group. Faced with parents who were willing to marry her off to a disabled master in exchange for family benefits, the female lead, soft and delicate, caught the master’s eye, while Yan Qing was destined to endure torment.

So, Yan Qing immediately turned to the disabled master and said, “I’ll marry you, but on one condition—destroy the Yan family!”

Yan Qing’s parents: “???”

Yan Qing: “You think you can use me to gain benefits? No way!”

PS: The title was chosen randomly.

PPS: I happen to have another completed story: Becoming the Fiancée of the Villain. It shares a similar background, except for the fact that the male leads aren’t disabled. You might want to check it out.

Yan Qing had been momentarily blinded by the light in the great hall, tears welling up in her eyes.

With assistance, she was seated at the head of the hall, looking down at the women flanking her sides, their expressions a mix of emotion. She pondered which of them had been the ones to bully the original owner of her body.

These consorts wore bright smiles, but their eyes were filled with scrutiny and caution. However, they couldn’t hide their fatigue.

They had been waiting from six in the morning until nearly eight. Though it hadn’t even been an hour, for girls who had been pampered all their lives, it had felt exhausting.

Their makeup had smudged, and their faces clearly showed their weariness.

But none of them dared to leave.

After all, none of them outranked Yan Qing.

Once Yan Qing sat down, the women immediately knelt before her. “Greetings to Noble Consort. Wishing you health and happiness…”

Their voices were sweet and harmonious, as only ancient girls could sound.

Yan Qing smiled pleasantly, her hoarse voice grating like sandpaper, “At ease. It must’ve been hard for you all to come so early for morning greetings.”

Some women thought to themselves that, indeed, Emperor Chen never showed mercy. Then again, they assumed that this was probably his idea of showing restraint. However, after hearing Yan Qing’s full sentence, their expressions stiffened. Hard work? If it weren’t for her, would they have had to wait this long?

Consort De, the most aggrieved, had never endured such humiliation. After waiting for so long, her backside was sore. Her eyes landed on the faint purple bruises visible even under the silk draped over Yan Qing’s neck, and she forced a smile, saying, “Your Highness is certainly grand. We’ve been waiting here for almost an hour. If we didn’t know better, we’d think you were exhausted from spending the night with His Majesty.”

Despite her injuries, she dared to act so arrogant! Everyone knew the emperor was aloof when it came to women, rarely setting foot in the harem. He hadn’t touched any woman at all.

This was a reminder to Yan Qing: although she sat in the position of Noble Consort, she, like them, hadn’t truly earned Emperor Chen’s favor. Being arrogant now was premature.

Yan Qing smiled kindly, but her words were sharp, “Did I ask you to wait?”

Consort De froze, her fake smile still plastered on her face. “No, but you are the Noble Consort, and we are of lower rank…”

Yan Qing cut her off coldly, “Then know your place and keep quiet.”

A gasp echoed through the hall as everyone stared in shock at the woman sitting above them. Her words were ruthless!

The women around were visibly nervous. Consort Xian hesitated for a moment before speaking up, only to be harshly shut down as well.

Before long, the entire hall was filled with the sound of Yan Qing’s raspy voice, as she mercilessly put each woman in her place. Many of them, delicate and thin-skinned, turned red-faced, and some even began to cry.

From that day onward, the Noble Consort became the second most feared figure in the palace.

The sound of shattering echoed throughout Consort De’s Yonghe Palace. Porcelain smashed for a solid fifteen minutes before a woman’s furious scream broke through: “Aaaah!”

“Please calm down, Your Highness!” Qinghe knelt on the floor, unmoving, surrounded by shards of broken porcelain. One wrong move and her knees could be badly injured.

“Calm down?” Consort De sneered. “How can I calm down? Yan Qing dares to act so arrogantly—why? Just because the emperor favors her differently?”

Qinghe, with her head bowed and her back covered in cold sweat dared not remain silent for long. After a moment of quick thinking, she finally spoke up, “Your Highness, while the Noble Consort may have the upper hand in the harem for now, there is still someone above her.”

Consort De’s face darkened. “The Empress Dowager doesn’t involve herself, and you know that!”

Qinghe chuckled softly, “The Empress Dowager is not as uninvolved as she appears. Otherwise, how do you think Consort Xian rose so quickly in rank?”

Consort De was reminded and immediately realized.

The emperor wasn’t stingy with titles, but they were usually linked to political affairs. The only exception was Consort Xian, whose promotion had come at the request of the Empress Dowager. The emperor hadn’t minded, so he had granted it.

“Are you suggesting Consort Xian?” Consort De asked.

Qinghe nodded. “Your Highness, the Noble Consort offended more than just us today.”

Consort De collected herself and slowly nodded. “Summon the sedan chair. We are going to Yongxiang Palace.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

When they arrived at Consort Xian’s palace, they saw several maids carrying out shards of broken porcelain, evidence of a recent cleaning.

Clearly, Consort Xian wasn’t in the best of moods either.

Just a moment ago, the newly arrived Noble Consort had kept all the consorts waiting for nearly an hour. That would have been tolerable as a mere show of authority, but the real blow came when they met face-to-face—Yan Qing’s sharp tongue had left many of them choking on their words.