From cute to empress

I stumbled out of the secret passage, only to find myself in a desolate forest. Tall trees blocked out the sun, and only a few rays of sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. I was lost, unsure of where I was or where to go.

Just as I was feeling hopeless, I suddenly heard footsteps in the distance. Startled, I quickly hid behind a large tree and peered out. I saw several men in black approaching. Each of them had a stern expression and wore a sword at his waist, clearly not someone to be trifled with.

I suddenly understood that these people must have been sent by Noble Wang to hunt me down! Thinking of this, I dared not act rashly and could only pray that they didn't find me.

However, things went against my wishes. One of the men in black seemed to notice something and glanced sharply at the tree I was hiding in. I was startled, knowing that I was exposed, and quickly turned and ran away.

"Stop!" the man in black shouted, drew his sword and chased after him.

I ran as hard as I could, but how could my physical strength compare to these well-trained killers? Soon they caught up with me and surrounded me.

"What...what do you want to do?" I asked calmly, but my voice couldn't help but tremble slightly.

"By order of the noble lady, I am sending you on your way!" a man in black said coldly, with a murderous look in his eyes.

My face instantly turned pale. It seemed I was doomed today. At that moment, an idea suddenly struck me, and I shouted, "How dare you kill me? I'm the Emperor's personal court lady! Aren't you afraid of the Emperor's reprimand?"

Hearing this, the men in black showed a hint of hesitation on their faces. Although they were the subordinates of the noble lady Wang, they also knew that the imperial power was inviolable.

Seeing my words had worked, I secretly breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "I advise you to release me immediately. I can pretend that nothing happened. Otherwise, when I return to the palace, I will definitely report this to the Emperor, and then none of you will be able to escape responsibility!"

The men in black looked at each other, not knowing what to do. At this moment, a burst of rapid horse hooves suddenly came from the distance, and then they saw a group of people and horses galloping towards them.

The person in the lead, wearing official uniform and holding a token, was none other than Doctor Sun!

"You bold lunatic, how dare you commit murder outside the palace! Surrender now!" Imperial Physician Sun shouted angrily, and the guards behind him immediately stepped forward and surrounded the man in black.

Seeing that the situation was not good and that they were doomed today, the men in black dropped their weapons and knelt down to beg for mercy.

Doctor Sun ignored them and walked quickly to me, asking with concern, "Miss Niu, are you okay?"

I shook my head, suppressing the fear in my heart, and said, "I'm fine. Thanks to Doctor Sun's timely arrival, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous."

Doctor Sun smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, Miss Niu. I have arranged everything. You will be able to return to the palace safely soon."

I was deeply moved and filled with gratitude to Dr. Sun. I knew that I was able to escape danger this time thanks to Dr. Sun's help.

After returning to the palace, Imperial Physician Sun told me that he had found out that Concubine Wang wanted to frame me because she was worried that I would discover her secret collusion with the neighboring country.

"Miss Niu, don't worry. I will definitely seek justice for you!" Imperial Physician Sun said firmly, a cold glint in his eyes. I nodded, but I felt a mixture of emotions. Concubine Wang's cruelty terrified me, but it also made me realize that in this deep palace, kindness and innocence are far from enough.

Sure enough, within a few days, the emperor summoned me to an audience. In the imperial study, I recounted the entire story in detail. The emperor, furious, immediately ordered Concubine Wang banished to the cold palace and ordered a thorough investigation into the matter.

"Niu Mengmeng," the emperor's majestic voice sounded, "You did very well this time. You were not afraid of power, and you were resourceful and brave. I am very pleased."

I quickly knelt down to express my gratitude: "Thank you for the praise, Your Majesty. I was just doing what I should do."

The emperor smiled slightly and said, "Get up. I believe you will achieve greater things in the future."

I thanked him and stood up, but I didn't feel the joy I had imagined. I knew that being Noble Lady Wang was just the beginning of my struggle, and there were many more challenges waiting for me in this deep palace.

Leaving the Imperial Study, I noticed that the maids and eunuchs around me looked at me with a different look, a mixture of awe and curiosity. I knew that my narrow escape and exposure of Concubine Wang's conspiracy had caused quite a stir in the palace.

However, I was not carried away by this short-lived victory. I knew that in this ruthless harem, I had to be more cautious in order to survive.

When I returned to my residence, I found Aunt Li waiting for me. In the past, she always had a stern face and was very strict with me, but today, she had a relieved smile on her face.

"Mengmeng," Nanny Li walked over to me and patted my hand gently, "You did a great job this time. You didn't embarrass me."

I looked at Nanny Li in surprise, not understanding why her attitude towards me suddenly changed.

"I know you're still young and don't understand many things." Nanny Li sighed, "But you must remember that in this harem, kindness and innocence are far from enough. You also need to learn how to protect yourself and how to survive in this cruel environment."

I nodded, half understanding. Nanny Li's words filled me with doubts, and I also had a vague feeling that something I couldn't predict would happen in the days ahead...

Nanny Li's words, like a stone, stirred a thousand waves within me. I began to ponder her words, and gradually realized that in this deep palace, kindness and innocence were far from enough. I needed to become stronger, to protect myself, to survive this invisible war.

From that day on, Nanny Li's attitude towards me changed dramatically. She no longer spoke coldly to me, but patiently taught me the rules and etiquette of the palace and how to get along with the other ladies. She also told me that the hearts of people in the harem are unpredictable and that I must learn to read people's expressions and not trust anyone easily, nor offend anyone easily.

I listened carefully to Nanny Li's teachings, taking every word to heart. I began to learn how to manage my emotions, how to conceal my thoughts, and how to navigate this complex environment with ease. I practiced calligraphy, painting, and piano every day, hoping to become even better.

Besides learning palace etiquette and rituals, Nanny Li also taught me self-defense and medical skills. She explained that the harem was fraught with danger, and learning these skills could save my life in a critical moment. Although I didn't understand why Nanny Li taught me these things, I studied diligently, not slacking off for even a moment.

Under Matron Li's meticulous guidance, I made rapid progress. I learned how to bow gracefully, how to speak appropriately, and how to handle various emergencies. My skills in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting also improved significantly, and I even mastered some simple medical techniques.

I gradually understood that Matron Li's devotion to me was due to her recognition of my potential. She hoped I could become an excellent maid, secure a place within the palace. I secretly resolved to live up to Matron Li's expectations. I would strive to become a strong and independent woman, no longer a weak, docile young woman at the mercy of others.

However, I know that even though the crisis has been temporarily resolved, the shadow of the palace struggle still hangs over me. Concubine Wang's banishment to the cold palace does not mean that the matter is over. Perhaps, this is just the beginning...

My heart was in suspense. The fact that Concubine Wang had been banished to the cold palace weighed heavily on my heart, making it hard to breathe. Nanny Li said that if you don't remove the grass at its roots, it will grow back again in the spring breeze, and this was especially true in the harem.

One day, I was embroidering a new phoenix robe for the Empress, when suddenly a little palace maid ran in hurriedly, fell to her knees, and said breathlessly, "Niu, Sister Niu, something bad has happened. Concubine Wang..."

My heart sank suddenly, and an ominous premonition came over me. I quickly put down the embroidery needle in my hand and asked, "What happened to Concubine Wang? Please tell me slowly."

The young palace maid breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Noble Lady Wang has suddenly fallen ill. The imperial doctors are helpless. The Empress has ordered me to fetch Imperial Physician Sun to treat her."

Doctor Sun was the most skilled physician in the Imperial Hospital. He had treated numerous difficult and complicated illnesses for the Emperor and his concubines, earning him the Emperor's trust. A thought struck me: Could it be that Concubine Wang was feigning illness, hoping to seize this opportunity to turn things around?

Thinking of this, I immediately said to the little palace maid, "Go and get Dr. Sun quickly. I'll be there soon."

After the little palace maid left, I immediately changed into plain clothes and hurried to the cold palace where Concubine Wang was.

All along the way, my mind raced with thoughts: Was Concubine Wang truly ill, or was she feigning illness? If so, what was her purpose? Was she trying to use this opportunity to frame me?

The more I thought about it, the more frightened I became, but I told myself that the more it was at this moment, the more I had to stay calm and not lose my composure.

When they arrived at the cold palace, they saw Imperial Physician Sun taking Concubine Wang's pulse. His brows were furrowed and his face was solemn, as if he had encountered some difficulties.

I walked over to Doctor Sun and asked softly, "Doctor Sun, how is Concubine Wang?"

Doctor Sun glanced at me, shook his head, and said, "I've been practicing medicine for decades, and I've never seen such a strange illness. Lady Wang's pulse is disordered and her breathing is weak, but we can't find any cause. It's really strange."

I was a little moved. Could it be that Concubine Wang really had some strange disease? But I quickly rejected this idea. Before being banished to the cold palace, Concubine Wang had always been in good health. How could she suddenly get a strange disease?

Just then, I noticed that Lady Wang's face was extremely pale and her lips were purple, which were clearly symptoms of poisoning!

I was shocked. Could it be that Concubine Wang wasn't feigning illness, but was actually poisoned? But who could have poisoned her?

As I was pondering, I suddenly heard Concubine Wang's weak voice: "It's... it's Niu Mengmeng... it's her... she poisoned me..."

I was stunned. Concubine Wang actually accused me of poisoning her? How could this be possible? I had no chance to even get close to her, let alone poison her!

I immediately started to defend myself, "Noble Lady Wang, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say anything you want! I didn't poison you at all, please stop spitting blood on me!"

Lady Wang, however, seemed to have grasped a lifeline, and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Someone, come! Niu Mengmeng is trying to kill me! Someone, come!"

Hearing Concubine Wang's cry, the palace maids and eunuchs guarding outside the door immediately rushed in and surrounded me.

I was suddenly in a desperate situation and had no way to defend myself.