Chapter 427
Li Qingling's delicate face turned pale as she hurriedly covered her mouth.0
Her father, the Emperor, was the son of a concubine. After ascending the throne, he detested distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate children and treated all his offspring in the palace with relative fairness. If Li Qingling's words reached the Emperor's ears today, he would undoubtedly be furious.0
Li Qingling was at a loss.0
Meanwhile, Li Qingxun swayed weakly before dramatically collapsing to the ground, "fainting from hunger."0
...0
...0
By the time Li Qingxun slowly woke again, it was already the next day. She discovered that the conditions of her residence, the Qiuliang Palace, had vastly improved.0
The crumbling courtyard walls had been repaired, the broken windows were now properly sealed, and she was wrapped in a warm silk quilt. The air carried the strong scent of medicinal herbs.0
Yuan'er entered, carefully carrying a bowl of warm medicine, which she presented to Li Qingxun.0
Suppressing the bitterness, Li Qingxun gulped down most of the medicine. As she did, Yuan'er quietly filled her in on the recent upheavals in the imperial harem.0
The day before, Li Qingxun had gone to the imperial gardens to play the victim, and Consort Xie had made sure the Emperor heard all about it. The Emperor, already displeased with the Empress and further angered by the "illegitimate children are inferior" remarks, stripped the Empress of her authority over the inner palace and handed control of all harem affairs to Consort Xie. He also placed the Seventh Princess under house arrest for two months.0
Now that Consort Xie held power, she naturally had to put on a show of benevolence. She sent servants to repair Qiuliang Palace and gifted Li Qingxun clothes and medicinal supplies.0
In short, Li Qingxun's days of hardship had eased.0
The imperial kitchens no longer dared to withhold her meals, the imperial physicians delivered medicine daily, and even the long-withheld allowances meant for a princess were finally delivered.0
"Your Highness, Consort Xie has sent us so many generous gifts. Shouldn’t we go and thank her?" Yuan'er suggested cautiously.0
Li Qingxun waved her hand dismissively. "No, I can’t be bothered."0
Any other princess with a shred of sense, having gained Consort Xie’s favor, would have rushed to flatter and express gratitude.0
But Li Qingxun had no intention of currying favor.0
In her past life, others had always fawned over her—never the other way around.0
Besides, as an overlooked princess who had never received proper guidance from palace matrons, the outside world already saw her as a "clueless, ungrateful, and naive" fool.0
If she suddenly went to thank Consort Xie, it would only draw unwanted attention from the harem, making the Empress and other consorts wary of her.0
"All these schemes and endless mind games are exhausting. I’d rather spend my time on scientific research—at least that contributes to society," Li Qingxun grumbled irritably before rolling over and drifting back into a deep slumber for the rest of the day.0
In the following weeks, she focused on recovering her health, eating well, and dutifully taking her medicine.0
Two months passed in a blink.0
As early summer approached, Li Qingxun felt like she was growing moldy. Confined to Qiuliang Palace with nothing but bitter medicine and no entertainment, she was utterly bored.0
"I want to work. I want to do research. I want to contribute to my country..." With her injuries mostly healed, Li Qingxun was practically suffocating.0
She refused to be trapped in this tiny palace. She hadn’t studied so hard and dedicated herself to great causes just to play princess in a cramped courtyard.0
This wretched palace wasn’t even as big as her old research lab.0
One morning, Li Qingxun rose early and examined herself in the mirror. After two months of careful recuperation, her once gaunt cheeks had filled out, and her complexion had brightened.0
She stared at her reflection for a long time.0
The young girl in the mirror looked exactly like her younger self. Li Qingxun theorized that perhaps the neutrino experiment had triggered a spacetime rift, sending her to a parallel universe.0
She clung to the optimistic thought that if she could gather enough neutrinos and reactivate the experimental device, she might still find a way back.0
"Yuan'er, let’s go out for a walk," Li Qingxun declared, setting the mirror aside and springing out of bed with a nimble flip.0
Yuan'er, ever the timid one, hesitated. "Your Highness, you’re still not fully recovered. Shouldn’t we stay inside? The Emperor has already arranged a marriage for the Fifth Princess. Soon, he’ll surely select a husband for you too. Once you’re wed, you’ll be free to leave the palace."0
Li Qingxun wrinkled her nose in distaste.0
Marriage?0
What good was that?0
Her brilliant mind belonged in a laboratory—men would only distract her from her work.0
Moreover, in this feudal dynasty, an overlooked princess like her was just a political tool for the Emperor to stabilize the court.0
The Empress had a say in royal marriages, and since Li Qingxun had offended her, any husband chosen would likely be a worthless scoundrel.0
"Enough about that. Let’s go explore. The imperial garden’s pond is full of carp—we’ll catch a couple and make fish soup," Li Qingxun declared, grabbing Yuan'er’s hand and darting out of Qiuliang Palace.0
...0
Early summer sunlight dappled the pond, where lotus leaves unfurled across the water’s surface.0
Li Qingxun leaned over the railing, wielding a makeshift fishing net. The pond was clear, the lotus leaves lush, but the fish proved frustratingly agile, slipping through the net’s gaps every time.0
What had started as a casual pastime soon became a challenge.0
Determined, Li Qingxun analyzed the carp’s speed and trajectory, predicting their escape routes with scientific precision.0
Splash—0
A fish landed in the net.0
Yuan'er, caught up in the excitement, clapped joyfully. "Your Highness is amazing!"0
Li Qingxun smirked triumphantly and handed the catch to Yuan'er. "Later, we’ll pick some wild onions to flavor the soup."0
As the two happily discussed their culinary plans, steady footsteps approached from behind.0
Li Qingxun turned.0
A young man in embroidered robes stood there, a jade crown adorning his head, his refined features softened by an amused smile.0
Li Qingxun didn’t recognize him, but judging by his scholarly aura and noble bearing, she guessed he must be the famed official Zhang He'an.0
She felt a pang of disappointment.0
Zhang He'an looked gentle and refined, even kind—but to Li Qingxun, he radiated the danger of a smiling tiger.0
The original owner of this body must not have met many handsome men if she’d pined for someone like him.0
"I heard the Seventh Princess had you whipped. Have you recovered?" the man asked.0
Two months late with his concern—what a heartless scoundrel.0
Li Qingxun tightened her grip on the fishing net. "I’m fine, thank you for your belated concern, Lord Zhang."0
The man arched an eyebrow.0
Li Qingxun continued coolly, "Adversity reveals true character. That beating made me see through your hypocrisy. I was blind before, but now my eyes are clear. I won’t bother you anymore."0
The man blinked, then threw his head back with a delighted laugh. "Sixth Sister, your illness must still cloud your mind if you mistake me for Zhang He'an. I never realized what a fascinating person you are."0
Yuan'er tugged urgently at Li Qingxun’s sleeve, whispering, "Your Highness, this is the Third Prince, Li Ang—Consort Xie’s son—not Lord Zhang!"0
Li Qingxun: ...0
Why didn’t you say so earlier?!0
She had heard of Consort Xie—a songstress the Emperor brought back from his travels, who later became his favorite consort. She bore him two children: a son, Li Ang (the Third Prince), and a daughter who had died young.0
Li Qingxun wondered, "What does that Zhang He'an look like?"0
Yuan'er scratched her head, unsure how to explain. She glanced into the distance, and her eyes suddenly brightened. Tugging discreetly at Li Qingxun's sleeve, she whispered, "Your Highness, Lord Zhang is over there—he's coming this way."0