I traveled through time and space and became a drama queen in the harem!

The Emperor's "Strange Favor"

Lin Chen sat on her gorgeous bed, her heart restless for a long time. The harem was indeed not as simple as she had imagined; it was even absurd. She had traveled through time and space, originally thinking she was just a comfortable concubine, but once she got to know the situation, she found it was a place full of life-and-death games and scheming struggles.

And she was totally unprepared.

At that moment, the bells outside the palace rang, heralding the arrival of night. A thought struck her, and she suddenly recalled the rumors of the "Heaven-shaking Banquet." The woman had mentioned that the emperor would personally judge each concubine's performance, and that this banquet was more than just a performance. It turned out that this "life challenge" involved a life-or-death struggle. She suddenly realized that she might have already been drawn into this absurd power struggle.

Just as she was deep in thought, the door was suddenly pushed open and a palace maid hurried in.

"Miss, the emperor invites you to go to the 'Golden Palace' tonight." The maid lowered her head and said, her tone revealing a hint of nervousness and uneasiness.

Lin Chen was stunned. The Emperor? Her heart trembled. Was the Emperor going to give her "special favor" today? Was her fate going to change from tonight? But after thinking about it carefully, she felt that something was wrong - why did the Emperor summon her so suddenly?

"You...you go down first." Lin Chen said calmly, with a hint of deep meaning in his eyes.

After the maid cautiously left the room, Lin Chen couldn't help but ponder. Since the emperor had made such a "special arrangement" to summon her, what exactly would tonight's banquet be like? A bold idea began to emerge in her mind - she had to meet the emperor and discover the truth behind this "life challenge."

After some dressing, Lin Chen donned the gorgeous palace dress that hugged her figure tightly, deliberately hiding any inappropriate emotions deep within. She knew that this banquet was not something she could handle easily. Behind every concubine were complex relationships and power struggles, and she, as a newly promoted noble, could not just sit back and enjoy the fruits of her labor.

"Golden Palace?" She muttered the palace's name softly, and suddenly felt something was amiss. The palace's name was too—contradictory. A place of splendor and a place of intrigue and power struggles—how could it possibly match? She couldn't help but wonder, was the emperor summoning her out of kindness or ulterior motives?

She walked lightly through the long corridor and finally arrived at the gate of the Jinbi Palace. The gate was wide open, as if waiting for her arrival. She took a deep breath and stepped inside.

However, as soon as she entered the door, the scene before her almost made her lose her balance.

Inside the Jinbi Palace, a massive stage was unexpectedly set up. A dazzling light shone brightly, its backdrop embroidered with intricate dragon and phoenix designs. In the center of the stage stood a throne, and upon it sat a man dressed in a ridiculous imperial garb. His expression was extremely serious, almost a bit too stern.

"Are you... the emperor?" Lin Chen asked subconsciously, his voice full of uncertainty.

"Of course!" The "Emperor" slammed his hand on the table, stood up suddenly, and laughed. "Hahaha, look at me, what? Haven't you seen me dressed so differently?"

Lin Chen was stunned. Not only was the "emperor" before him wearing an extremely exaggerated outfit, but even the crown on his head looked particularly ridiculous. Not only was the crown inlaid with glittering gems, it even had a few feather-like decorations. It looked like a parody product from some other world.

"You..." Lin Chen couldn't believe what he saw. "Is this the emperor?"

"That's right!" The emperor laughed wildly and patted his chest, "I am the emperor. Don't worry, tonight, I will personally arrange a special 'performance' for you. But don't worry, our 'challenge' is very 'fair'." He smiled meaningfully, obviously hiding some ulterior motive.

Lin Chen felt a chill run down his spine, his thoughts racing like lightning. This emperor was clearly not normal. He wore such ridiculous clothing and had such a funny expression, he seemed to lack any of the dignity expected of an emperor. Could it be that he had actually traveled to a world completely contrary to common sense?

Just as she was feeling somewhat bewildered, the Emperor suddenly waved his hand and ordered, "Begin! Let's begin today's 'Life Challenge'! Today's performance is very special. The concubines will use their abilities and wisdom to showcase their talents for this Emperor. If you perform well, the rewards will be incredibly generous!"

"Talent?" Lin Chen was stunned, suddenly realizing that she had become a "performance" at this ridiculous banquet. Every concubine in the palace had to be like a performer, vying for the emperor's attention and favor, and she was completely unprepared for this "life challenge."

"This Emperor has specially prepared a 'magic pool' for tonight's banquet." The Emperor suddenly revealed a cunning smile. "Each concubine will be required to jump into the pool. If they can find the hidden treasure within and successfully retrieve the 'treasure' at the bottom of the pool, they will be considered successful! However, those who fail will... sink into the pool, never to see the light of day again!"

"Magic pool?" Lin Chen was stunned, unable to believe her ears. Was this the Emperor's "life challenge"? Jumping into the pool to find treasure? This was simply a huge joke! She couldn't even imagine whether she could successfully find the treasure if she jumped in, let alone the threat of "never seeing the light of day again."

"Don't worry, the emperor has prepared special props for each concubine." The emperor smiled and waved his hand, and the palace guards brought several strange props that looked like some kind of strange magical items.

Lin Chen felt her world spinning. Having traveled to this absurd palace, she had initially thought she was merely a "noblewoman" in the harem, only to discover she had been caught in an absurd game of life and death. This "life challenge" was merely one part of the game.

The next performance will determine whether she can survive in this palace.

Chapter 5: "Strange Challenge" in the Magic Pool