Chapter 192: Provoked in My Own Palace

Outside Jingren Palace.

A crowd of concubines and palace maids who enjoyed the spectacle and didn't mind the commotion hadn't dispersed yet when they saw the little eunuch who went to report being blasted out, rolling and crawling.

The onlookers exchanged knowing glances.

Sure enough, trying to summon that demon god wasn't that easy.

Inside the main hall.

Hui Guifei was polishing the cold, gleaming long sword in her hand, without even lifting her head.

Her voice was so cold it could drop ice shards: "I won't go. Does this palace know her well?"

Ning Daying squatted nearby, propping a cheek with a hand, face full of doubt: "Sister, aren't you and Virtuous Consort sister very close?"

She even hung the lantern you gave in the most conspicuous spot of the main hall!

Hui Guifei's sword‑polishing halted abruptly, nearly leaping up: "Who said that?!"

Ning Daying grinned mischievously, eyes curving like crescents: "Now the whole Imperial harem knows it!"

They said, "Sister, you and Virtuous Consort cherish each other like heroes, strangers who become acquainted through combat, as if you were one person!"

"And they said your first gift to anyone was given to Virtuous Consort!"

She said that, then suddenly clasped Hui Guifei's arm and began to act coquettishly.

In a sour tone: "Sister—will you only like Virtuous Consort from now on and stop liking me?"

"Impossible!" Hui Guifei blurted out without thinking, her tone decisive.

She grew angrier as she thought, then slammed the long sword back into its scabbard, producing a crisp "clang."

"Where is Virtuous Consort?" she stood, the pressure around her unnervingly low.

Ning Daying was startled by her sudden action.

Instinctively said: "She…should still be over at Yuhuayuan…"

Hui Guifei said no more, lifted her sword, and strode out briskly.

Outside the hall, the little eunuch who had been blasted out hung his head in dejection, preparing to return and report.

Suddenly the hall doors slammed open, and Hui Guifei emerged, her mask frosted with cold, startling him so that his legs went weak and he almost knelt.

"Lead the way!" Hui Guifei's voice was icy, leaving no room for doubt.

The little eunuch was bewildered, completely unable to make sense of the situation, but he dared not ask further and scrambled to his feet to lead the way.

Hui Guifei held her sword, following behind.

"Look! Hui Guifei really went!"

"What a deep friendship—upon hearing Virtuous Consort's request, she went immediately!"

"Seems their bond truly is strong……"

The crowd whispered, their eyes on Hui Guifei's "eager" silhouette, filled with awe and certainty.

【Hehe, from the start Tangtang and Xiao Huihui set the trap, brilliant, brilliant, as long as Xiao Huihui goes, it's perfect.】

【Exactly, in this Imperial harem, the Empress's only woman she dares not provoke is her.】

【Now Bai Wei is still hiding behind the flower cluster, just to verify whether Wan Tang and Hui Guifei are truly that close.】

Upon hearing that Hui Guifei had actually arrived, Wan Tang's previously gloomy and heavy heart over the Empress's matter suddenly brightened considerably.

Her eyes flickered slightly, and without a hint of emotion she glanced toward a dense thicket of flourishing foliage not far away.

Sure enough, a familiar hem flashed by—it was Bai Wei, hiding there to spy.

Wan Tang sneered inwardly, though not a trace showed on her face.

The Empress wanted to see how she would display sisterly affection with Hui Guifei.

Fine, then she would perform enough for her to see!

Hui Guifei appeared, sword in hand, mask frosted with cold, striding forward.

Ning Daying followed behind her, and upon seeing Wan Tang waved cheerfully.

Wan Tang seemed not to notice Hui Guifei's murderous gaze, focusing solely on cradling Minghui in her arms.

In a soft, gentle voice she taught: "Minghui, who's coming? It's Hui Niangniang, quick, call 'Niangniang'…"

The little Princess was only a few months old; she couldn't speak.

But her pink little face seemed to sense the atmosphere, eyes wide and dark.

At the sight of Hui Guifei, she opened her toothless little mouth and giggled "gurgle‑gurgle," her tiny hand reaching toward her.

All of Hui Guifei's fury and accusatory stance, when met with that pure innocent smile, instantly deflated like a punctured balloon, losing most of its pressure.

She could brandish her sword with a cold face toward anyone, yet against such a soft, pliant little doll she could not muster any temper.

She froze in place, her complexion shifting, finally emitting an awkward hum, her gaze unintentionally softening a bit.

Wan Tang took in her reaction fully, chuckling inwardly, while her own face grew ever more gentle.

She lifted the child a few steps forward, her voice affectionate and natural: "Sister, look, Minghui likes you so much; he smiles the moment he sees you."

Her tone was neither loud nor soft, just enough for those nearby with ears perked to hear the gist.

She turned again, smiling at the daughter in her arms: "Does Minghui also want Hui Niangniang to hold him?"

"Unfortunately Hui Niangniang is bearing a sword today; we mustn't disturb her training, right?"

That remark drew their relationship even closer, as if such familiar jokes were everyday.

Hui Guifei was irritated to the point of teeth‑tingling by her affectation, yet unable to flare up with the little Princess present, she could only glare at her fiercely.

Seeing the moment was right, Wan Tang smiled and extended an invitation.

Her voice clear: "Since you're here, Sister, why not come to my Palace of Eternal Joy for a visit?"

"We've just acquired some fine tea, and it'll let Minghui soak up your heroic aura."

When Hui Guifei heard 'Palace of Eternal Joy,' she instantly recalled the broken lantern that made her feel utterly uneasy.

Old grudges and new hatreds surged to the fore, and she almost said through clenched back teeth, "Perfect! I, this palace, will go and cut down that eyesore of yours in the hall!"

The words were spoken with murderous aura, and Wan Tang's face showed a hint of awkwardness: "Sister was just joking, then could Sister move a step?"

Bai Wei, hiding behind the flower cluster, furrowed her brows and felt uneasy and uncertain.

Hui Guifei took a step, but her foot suddenly halted.

Her gaze was sharp as a hawk, she snapped her head back and precisely locked onto that slightly trembling cluster of flora!

"Sneaky thing!" she barked coldly.

She flicked her wrist, and the long sword in her hand traced a cold arc, accompanied by a sharp whooshing sound, slashing straight down!

Leaves and branches flew wildly, that carefully cultivated cluster of plants was cut off at the roots and crashed down with a boom.

It revealed Bai Wei behind, terrified to the point of soul fleeing, limp on the ground.

The sword tip stopped a half‑inch before her nose, the cold sword qi made her hair stand on end.

Bai Wei's face turned as pale as paper, her pupils dilated to the extreme, her whole body trembled like a sieve.

A gush of foul, stinky liquid instantly soaked her skirt hem.

She almost rolled and crawled, collapsing onto the ground, kowtowing like crushing garlic.

Her voice turned mournful: "Noble Consort spare me! Noble Consort spare me! I (serving woman)… I (serving woman) was only passing by… absolutely no ill intent!"

Hui Guifei looked down from above, her gaze cold and disgusted, as if looking at a filthy bug.

"Sneaking around, spying on this palace? Looking for death!"

She slightly moved her wrist, the sword tip advanced another inch, causing Bai Wei to shriek, nearly fainting.

"Get back and tell your Master."

Hui Guifei's voice wasn't loud, but every word carried a blood‑soaked killing intent, striking clearly into Bai Wei's ears.

"If you dare again to play these petty tricks in front of this palace, don't blame this palace's swords for having no eyes!"

Bai Wei wept profusely, repeatedly saying, "I (serving woman) dare not!"

"I (serving woman) will never dare again!"

"I (serving woman) will definitely deliver the message!"

"Thanks to Noble Consort for sparing my life! Thank you, Mother…"

"Get out!" Hui Guifei impatiently withdrew her Chang sword, as if even a glance at her was filthy.

Bai Wei, as if granted a great pardon, used hands and feet to scramble up from the ground.

She couldn't care about her disheveled, stinky state, stumbling, wobbling, and fleeing in a mess of urine.

Only then did Hui Guifei snort coldly, lifting her sword, and said to Wan Tang irritably, "Aren't you leaving yet?!"

Returning to Palace of Eternal Joy, the wet nurse hurried forward and carried the peacefully sleeping Minghui to the Side Hall to settle.

Inside the hall only Wan Tang and Hui Guifei remained, and the atmosphere instantly became tense and rigid.

Wan Tang knew there was no escape, and took a deep breath.

She placed a gentle smile on her face, personally poured a cup of tea and handed it over, attempting to ease the mood.

Her words carried obvious flattery: "Sister, today you were truly mighty, that sword just now was really…"

"Virtuous Consort!" Hui Guifei abruptly cut her off, not even taking the tea.

With a "swish" she planted the Chang sword into the ground, crossing her hands on the hilt.

Her gaze, like an ice blade, pierced Wan Tang; there was no trace of the "ease" from the Yuhuayuan, only pure coldness and disdain.

"Don't treat this palace like a fool."

"All these filthy schemings and petty hustles in the Imperial harem, this palace has no interest in knowing, let alone getting involved!"

Her tone was decisive, with crisp contempt, "The grievances between you and the Empress are your business; sort them out yourselves!"

She stepped forward, aura imposing: "If you dare again treat this palace as a pawn against the Empress, dragging me in, don't blame me for turning ruthless!"

Before the words finished, she flicked her wrist sharply!

A flash of cold light appeared!

"Chi—!"

The damaged palace lantern that Wan Tang had hung on the main hall's beam was split in two by Hui Guifei's sword.

It cleanly split into two halves, the debris "clack" twice as it fell to the ground, rolling a few times.

Hui Guifei didn't even glance at the lantern fragments, she sheathed her sword.

She gave Wan Tang, whose face was slightly pale, a cold glance and said, "Take care of yourself."

Having said that, she turned and left, without any lingering.

Wan Tang stood where she was, looking at the completely ruined lantern on the ground, then at Hui Guifei's resolute departing silhouette.

The smile on her face finally vanished completely, leaving only a cold solemnity.

The attempt to win over failed.

This path was completely cut off.

Ning Daying watched Hui Guifei's angry departing figure, stamping impatiently.

She looked at Wan Tang with worry: "Virtuous Consort sister, ah! Don't take it to heart, I, I will go persuade sister!"

Saying that, she lifted her skirt and hurriedly chased after her.

Xiao Shunzi looked at the lantern fragments split in two on the ground, and thinking of the Empress's glaring deadly leverage, his face was full of worry.

She was about to cry: "Master, what… what should we do?"

Wan Tang, however, remained unusually calm.

She slowly walked to the lantern fragments, bent down, and let her fingertips lightly brush the rough broken surface.

Her face not only lacked anger, but showed a hint of clear composure.

"No problem." She sat up straight, her voice calm and even, "This is who she truly is."

"Noble Consort Hui Guifei has always been herself."

"She does not depend on the Emperor, does not fear the Empress, and will never become a knife in anyone's hand."

Wan Tang's gaze turned to the empty courtyard outside the hall, where there was no jealousy, no scheming, only a deep and genuine envy.

"She lives truly carefree."

A person like that, with such willful recklessness and loyalty to herself, Shei would not yearn for it?

Xiao Shunzi, however, could not be so open‑hearted; they were so distressed they almost wanted to pull their hair: "But what about the Empress's side, how should we deal with it?"

"In this Imperial harem, aside from Noble Consort Hui Guifei, who else can suppress the Empress's momentum?"

"Nubi truly cares for you!"

With a fierce tiger ahead and no reinforcements behind, this is almost a dead end.

Wan Tang withdrew her gaze, the hint of envy in her eyes quickly replaced by cold resolve.

She exhaled softly, her voice unusually steady: "Why must we always rely on others to suppress?"

"The road is forged by people." She turned, walking toward the inner hall, her back straight, "Without aid, carve a bloody path yourself."