Happy reading~

Chapter 89: So Much For the Innate Domineering Aura of a Main Character

From the looks of it, staying on Li Wen's side and not getting involved with Duan Xinghui had been the right path to take. She was a genius!

Ning Shu curtsied towards Li Wen and said firmly, "This subject-sister no longer has any feelings for Duan Xinghui and will not have any relations.h.i.+p with him again. This subject-sister will definitely uphold the imperial family's dignity."

Li Wen peered at Ning Shu before nodding. "It's good that you understand. From this incident, it could be seen that Duan Xinghui isn't a very good man. He is clearly ignoring the customs of the generals in bringing a woman while leading a march."

Ning Shu expressed her agreement. "Imperial Older Brother, you're right. You're very right!"

Li Wen smiled slightly, then said, "You can head back."

As Ning Shu bowed and was about to retreat, a little gray ball jumped out from her collar and flew speedily towards Li Wen.

Ning Shu almost wet her pants from fright. This little thing's claws were very sharp. If it injured Li Wen, she wouldn't be able to compensate for it even with ten lives. At that time, there would be no need to worry about being betrothed, she would head directly to the execution grounds.

"Imperial Older Brother, DOO…dge," cried Ning Shu reflexively. In the end, the scene in front of her stifled her words and made her super depressed.

The little gray ball was affectionately rubbing itself against Li Wen's face while hugging his ear with its claws.

Ning Shu became even more depressed. She gave this guy good food, good drinks, and shelter. Yet in the end, it instantly forgot about all of that when it saw Li Wen. She had thought that her innate domineering aura of a main character had finally been released, that she had managed to get an amazing pet.

But it turned out she was still just a fudging cannon fodder supporting lead. This kind of event had nothing to do with her.

Ning Shu's eyes filled with distress as she looked towards the little gray ball.

Li Wen's face was filled with surprise as he pulled the little thing off his face to look at it. A pair of little, glossy, black-bean eyes sparkled as they looked towards him.

"What is this?" Li Wen put the little gray ball on the table as he asked mildly.

Ning Shu curled her lips unhappily as she answered, "This is something this subject-sister found in Manor Garden. This subject-sister doesn't know what it is either, it just eats a lot. It likes eating pastries."

"Oh…" Li Wen raised his eyebrows as he picked up a pastry and gave it to the little gray ball. The little gray ball took the pastry and started munching on it happily. It looked very innocent and adorable.

"Alright, you can go back," said Li Wen after the little gray ball finished eating.

Ning Shu gave an 'en' in reply, then walked up to grab the little gray ball in preparation to scram.

"Jiji…" The little gray ball jumped onto Li Wen's shoulder as it squeaked noisily at Ning Shu. It grabbed onto Li Wen's collar tightly.

Ning Shu: …

What the f.u.c.k!? All the pastries she gave couldn't compare to one pastry from Li Wen? f.u.c.k! How could there be such a disparity between two people.

"Imperial Older Brother, since the little gray ball likes you, then this subject-sister will have to trouble you to look after it," said Ning Su with a bright smile. "When Imperial Older Brother gets tired of reading through memorials, you can tease this thing a little. Just treat it as a present from this subject-sister."

"Then, many thanks, Jiahui." The corners of Li Wen's lips hooked up.

"Not at all, not at all." Ning Shu forced a grin uncomfortably. She shot the little gray ball a glare, then left the Imperial Study.

Happy reading~

Chapter 90: Empress, Part-time Expert in Abortion and Director of Family Planning

Right after she stepped out of the Imperial Study, a palace maid came over and curtsied towards her. "This servant pays her respects to Princess. Her Majesty the Empress invites Princess to her palace."

Ning Shu thought about it for a moment, then decided to go. If she didn't go, based on how petty the Empress was, she'd definitely hold a grudge. She had probably gotten on the Empress's bad side ever since she left the palace for the Princess Residence.

When she got to the Empress's palace, the Empress greeted her with a warm smile. Ning Shu felt like this Empress was quite pitiful as well. She had to manage all the orioles and swallows of the Inner Palace while remaining magnanimous and tolerant. Sometimes she would even have to hold multiple job positions simultaneously, such as acting as an expert in abortion and the director of family planning.

>In China, there's a 'family planning' policy that basically limits the amount of children each household can have in order to lower the population growth. It used to be just one, but now it's two per household.

The Empress's facial color now exhibited a weariness not even her cosmetics could cover up. From the looks of it, the Inner Palace's situation was causing the Empress quite some trouble.

Ning Shu felt like the Empress was just pointlessly seeking out more trouble for herself. She was the Empress, it was completely fine for her to just remain aloof and distant. What need was there for her to partic.i.p.ate in the struggles between the consorts? Frankly, she was just a control-freak that insisted on having all the matters in the palm of her hand. No wonder she was so tired out.

The Empress asked her to come back to the palace with a very sincere expression, but Ning Shu only half-hearted brushed over the topic. When the Empress saw that she couldn't sway Ning Shu at all, her expression changed a little.

When Ning Shu left the palace, she happened to run into a lot of consorts. Ning Shu found it silly. These consorts were definitely just trying to find out if she was coming back to the palace and when since she had received special attention from Li Wen.

Ning Shu was exhausted from dealing with all of these people, so she just put on an arrogant 'rubbish like you guys don't have the right to talk with this princess' expression all the way until she got back to the Princess Residence.

Not long later, Ning Shu learned about the news that Li Wen had given a decree that dismissed Duan Xinghui from his post as a Standard cla.s.s, Rank 1 general. So now, Duan Xinghui was just a common citizen without any official position.

Yuan Dong was the one that had brought her this news. Yuan Dong paid very close attention to the general's residence. When she got news that Duan Xinghui was removed from office, she hastily came here to tell Ning Shu about it. It was clear she was hoping that Ning Shu would go ask the Emperor for leniency.

However, Ning Shu was very happy to hear this news. When she saw how anxious Yuan Dong was, she coldly sneered inside her heart as she asked, "Why do you pay so much attention to the general's residence?"

Yuan Dong's gaze flickered as she said, "Princess, this servant was only doing it for you. General Duan is your future husband after all!"

Ning Shu's gaze turned stern and she said coldly, "Yuan Dong, mind your status. When did Duan Xinghui become this princess's husband? It is unacceptable for you to ruin this princess's reputation like this."

Yuan Dong immediately dropped to her knees in front of Ning Shu, her face deathly pale. "This servant has overstepped. Princess, please be magnanimous and forgive this servant." She would never dare to say that Duan Xinghui was the princess's future husband again.

On the other hand, Er Ya had returned to the Duan Residence with Duan Xinghui. The Duan Residence was very large and decorated very magnificently and luxuriously. Er Ya was so awed she felt like two eyes weren't enough to take in everything.

Madame Duan, Duan Xinghui's mother, hadn't even had the chance to revive with joy from the news that her son had come back alive before she was almost made to faint when Duan Xinghui said that Er Ya would be his wife from now on.

Madame Duan almost fell apart when she saw Er Ya, who was wearing cotton garments, had dark skin, and didn't seem to know any etiquette at all. It hadn't been easy for her to raise her son all on her own after she was left widowed. However, she had managed to do it so well that he had been about to become the Emperor's Brother-in-Law. The future had seemed perfect with endless prospects and no obstacles.

So where did this little village girl come from!?

Madame Duan was a very shrewd woman. Although she inwardly itched to just bury Er Ya alive, on the surface she still maintained a warm smile.

When Duan Xinghui saw the smile on his mother's face, his usually stern expression also softened into a smile as he said to Madame Duan, "Mom, Er Ya is a very nice lady. She's simple and adorable, and will definitely show you great filial piety."

Madame Duan's face twitched and the warm smile on her face almost fell apart. Simple and adorable? Madame Duan looked at the dark-skinned Er Ya. She looked even older than Duan Xinghui!

Madame Duan's internal organs suffered terrible damage.

Was her son blind?

#comment: If you're curious about the system of honorific t.i.tles I'm using, it's half-based on European t.i.tles. Some stuff I stretched.

His Majesty for Emperor, Her Majesty for Empress.

Her Imperial Highness for favored princesses and high-ranking consorts. Her Highness for other consorts and princesses.

His Honourable for officials and suffix daren.

His Excellency for princes.

Her Grace for prince consorts and non-imperial princesses.