The female lead was sitting on a high pedestal when Huang Qiaoli entered her palace. Si Hai followed her stiffly. After all, he still had a grudge against the main leads.

Qiaoli curtsied a little and said, "Forgive me for the lack of courtesy but I'm kind of illiterate of the ways of Great Han."

She lied with a straight face.

Before her, Nuo Ying Su's appearance was stunning. Her lips were held in a smile as her lithe body was hugged by the blue phoenix dress. Her hairstyle was ornate and seemed to be soaring to the sky. She was a perfect picture of the mother of the world.

"It's alright, bengong1 doesn't want to make you feel uncomfortable... But it seems, we still have not known what to address you by?" Nuo Ying Su's smile was unperturbed even if the other party was clearly making things difficult for her.

Without being invited, Qiaoli sat on the chair opposite the Empress. "Oh, would you look at that? I find myself inside the Royal Palace with the royalty not knowing me. If this was usual, wouldn't it be called abducting? But don't worry, knowing my circumstances, then this is probably just called rescuing. Her Majesty can address me by my surname, Huang."

Every action she took and word she said was courting death. The loyal eunuchs and maids of the Empress had their teeth aching and they all wanted to beat the foreign woman up.

The Empress was unperturbed and only nodded. "Bengong just wants to ask a few questions. Bengong heard that Captain Mao found Lady Huang outside the capital. Are you alright? Bengong heard that the situation wasn't something a maiden can stomach."

Qiaoli revealed a Cheshire smile while hearing this. Ever since she retrieved her memories, she was having a hard time putting up with people's bullsh*t. To the point that she was amazed by how Hong Chun could even converse with the people of this era.

When she was Quiet Plum, he had to fit in with normal people so they wouldn't find out that she was just a robot and also to prove to Papa that humans couldn't catch her. As Hong Chun, she needed to socialize sometimes so her family wouldn't lose face.

But as Huang Qiaoli, those burdens didn't bother her anymore so there was no need to address other humans' etiquette and emotions.

It felt refreshing to ignore some questions that she didn't like to answer and ignore people too.

"I feel fine, albeit a little weak still. But dare I ask... has the Empress gotten used to living in this feudalistic era?" Qiaoli counted in her head.

As she got to three, Nuo Ying Su's smile froze then her face went ugly.

"All of you, go out!" She shouted and the servants inside the palace obeyed.

The grand hall suddenly became desolate.

Huang Qiaoli turned to the person behind her. "You too, Xiaohu."

Si Hai stared at her for a few seconds before giving up. He would still know if she was in danger anyway.

As they were left alone, Nuo Ying Su's expression was frigid. "Who are you?"

Qiaoli sank in her chair. "I just asked you a random question. Why do you need to chase everyone away?"

"Who. Are. You." The Empress' body was taut like a pulled bow.

"Relax. I don't have the power to harm you, your beloved, or even the child inside you..."

As she said that, Nuo Ying Su's face twisted. Qiaoli wanted to tell her that face wasn't meant to be made by the female lead.

"You... are you also transmigrated here?" When she found a semblance of calm, Nuo Ying Su finally asked. Her Empress aura was diminished and she seemed to be taken back to the time when she was just a normal office girl.

But she was disappointed to see Qiaoli shaking her head. "I am an original resident of this world. Just more knowledgeable than the others. I know things that normal people shouldn't and don't know things that normal people should've."

Why would she tell the truth to the female lead?

Nuo Ying Su narrowed her eyes at the woman in front of her. "Don't talk bullsh*t with me. What do you want?!"

Her pupils were dilating and Qiaoli knew she would call the shadow guards anytime to silence her. Although she was bothered that the female lead could kill the author, she also knew this was reality.

"So impatient. Just let me warn you to rein your dog husband in. I'm nothing but dirt now but this dirt can cause serious problems in the future if mishandled." Unknowingly, Qiaoli released a killing intent so thick.

Nuo Ying Su was just an average office worker before she was transmigrated to Great Han. The skills she picked up here and the cheats she had were used to protect herself. Meaning, the people she killed were for defensive and protective measures.

On the other hand, Qiaoli lived her lives killing people and watching people die. The amount of blood in her hands was no joke and faced with the brunt of her intent to kill, the female lead paled.

She knew her husband, just like the other nations, hired people to kill this person in front of her. Because they saw her as a threat that shouldn't be used by their enemies.

Huang Qiaoli was a valuable chess piece against the mysterious Huo Ai. If they could grasp her, maybe they could sway Huo Ai according to their will. But the leaders of the nations were thinking that if they couldn't have her, they should just kill her.

It was tough to be seen as some tool.

Nuo Ying Su understood this so she nodded her head. "I get it. Then... do you want to leave the palace?"

Qiaoli knew that the female lead wanted her to leave so she wouldn't spill her secrets, it was also easier to kill her outside the palace.

"Leave? No, not yet. I'll be your freeloader for a while. Your husband might get mad if he learned that his dear wife let go of his prisoner. We don't want his paranoid disease to flare up."

The more Nuo Ying Su talked with the strange woman, the more she observed that the woman seemed to know her husband very well. She couldn't help but feel threatened. No matter what angle she looked at, this Huang Qiaoli oozed a natural complacency as though nothing could hinder her. The woman looked comfortable even though she was on Nuo Ying Su's turf.

In fact, the female lead just knew nothing of what was going on inside Qiaoli's head. She was only here to fish for information without knowing the effects of the things she was saying. She had an inkling of how valuable she was but she also knew that the best action was to kill her silently so Huo Ai wouldn't kick a fuss. Letting her live was akin to a ticking timebomb but why would Long Yi Ran take a risk?

Qiaoli wanted to get her hands on the male lead next. Aside from getting information, she also wanted to meet the characters she wrote and compare the book version with the real-life version.

Maybe, she would also get some answers as to why she was able to write about real happenings in this dimension when she was on modern earth.

Moments later, the tense atmosphere abated and the servants were allowed to go in again.

A new batch of tea and snacks were served as a eunuch announced, "His Majesty, the Emperor has arrived!"

Qiaoli stood up and greeted like a proper noble lady. She couldn't treat Long Yi Ran like the female lead because of their different personalities.

Nuo Ying Su was wary of her because she knew her secret but the male lead wouldn't buy that.

"You may rise." The Emperor's friendly voice echoed in the hall.

The Empress looked like she had seen superman when Long Yi Ran entered.

"Done for the day?" She greeted him with a composed smile which he reciprocated with his own while nodding.

Qiaoli could even picture the flowers surrounding the two. She mentally rolled her eyes.

"Lady, Zhen2 thinks that a captain of Our royal guards gave you a hard time."

Hearing this, Qiaoli's lips quirked up. She could feel Mao Zhu's presence behind her, his gaze penetrating the back of her head.

"Not at all, your Majesty. Captain Mao was just doing his duties."

Long Yi Ran's eyes curved into crescents. "Is that so? We're glad that Lady has a big heart!"

He paused as if for effect or for suspense. "But We would like to ask what Lady was doing in that woods and why you were alone for that matter. Were you lost? Where are your travel companions? We must find them at once to prevent misunderstandings in this important juncture in the congregation."

The Emperor's voice was steadfast like a firm rock repeatedly hit by rough waves. He didn't mention the corpses found in the forest with her. This kind of person that liked hiding swords under his words, Qiaoli didn't like.

If you have something to say, just say it. Her neurons were wasted trying to think of his meaning.

In a relaxed manner, Qiaoli replied. "I believe your Majesty knows what happened more than I do."

There were several people who sucked a mouthful of breath after hearing that. Qiaoli smiled.