Quick Transmigration: The Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character's Revenge

"Could it be that you want me to announce to the public that I already knew Yun Jing's true identity, and that this is a deliberate attempt to humiliate her and the Chu Kingdom?" Yue Zeyuan asked.

"Um……"

Qi Ning pondered for a moment.

“Your method isn’t entirely ineffective. I’ve heard that there have indeed been instances in history where, in order to deliberately humiliate an enemy country, a princess was made a slave, while the princess’s maidservants were favored.”

"But such deliberate acts of humiliation usually involve openly demoting the princess to a slave, then openly favoring the maid, making a big fuss as much as possible, in order to humiliate the enemy country and the princess, rather than trying to cover it up."

"Your current situation, although you have made the real princess a slave and doted on me, a maid, outsiders are unaware of this. In the eyes of outsiders, you still dote on the nominal Chu princess. At most, you have only humiliated Yun Jing, but not Chu."

Her analysis was very logical and well-reasoned.

Upon hearing this, Yue Zeyuan nodded slightly: "Yes, you're right."

"Besides," Qi Ning added, "if you really did it on purpose, then when Yun Jing pointed it out at the palace banquet, you wouldn't have said she was talking nonsense. You should have said it out loud on the spot, making her look bad in front of everyone, so as to achieve the greatest humiliation."

"Your explanation doesn't stand up to close scrutiny; anyone who thinks about it will find it rather far-fetched."

"Unless... unless you have some other reason that would make people think you already knew the truth and were indeed intentionally insulting Chu and Yun Jing, but couldn't let outsiders know, which is why you didn't announce it to the public."

Listening to Qi Ning's analysis, Yue Zeyuan realized how meticulous and thoughtful she was.

With a hint of interest in his eyes, he looked at Qi Ning and asked, "Then tell me, what is the reason? Is it related to the method you came up with?"

Qi Ning smiled and didn't keep them in suspense.

"My idea is that you can publicly declare that I am a spy you sent to the State of Chu years ago, and that I am one of your people."

The original owner entered the Chu Kingdom's palace as a slave at a young age. She had no father or mother in Chu. Even if she was said to be a spy sent to Chu by Yue Zeyuan, no one would be able to expose her.

Even if Chu Hanfeng and the others heard this, they would only think that Qi Ning was good at disguising herself and had not been exposed by them.

"A spy?" Yue Zeyuan raised an eyebrow slightly.

"That's right, let me finish."

Qi Ning continued, "After I came to Yue with Yun Jing, Yun Jing ran away. You then made me take Yun Jing's place. After you caught Yun Jing, you made her acknowledge the identity of a servant to humiliate her."

"You don't want Yun Jing and Chu Guo to know my identity as a spy yet, so that I can get more secrets from them. That's why you haven't revealed my and her true identities to the public yet, nor have you admitted it at the palace banquet, because it's not the best time to reveal it yet."

"In this way, it will be understandable. Outsiders will not think that you are a foolish emperor who can be deceived by a maid. On the contrary, they will think that their emperor is far-sighted and wise."

Qi Ning leaned closer to Yue Zeyuan, as if seeking praise, and said, "How about it? I've thought of everything for you to save His Majesty's face, haven't I? What do you think?"

Actually, Qi Ning had her own ulterior motives for coming up with this method, but she didn't say it out loud.

She wasn't just doing it for Yue Zeyuan; she was doing it for herself as well.

If Yue Zeyuan's wishes were followed and her true identity were revealed to the public, she would have to live the rest of her life as a "Chu Kingdom maid."

But if we follow Qi Ning's explanation, then she has transformed from a lowly maidservant from an enemy state into one of Yue Zeyuan's own people, and even a meritorious official who has been infiltrating the Chu state for many years to gather intelligence for Yue Zeyuan.

In this way, not only was Yue Zeyuan's reputation enhanced, but Qi Ning's own reputation was also enhanced, achieving two goals at once.

After listening to Qi Ning's words, Yue Zeyuan looked at her with a hint of appreciation.

"I only realized today that you have so many clever ideas in your head."

Before he knew Qi Ning's true identity, he only regarded her as a princess of Chu who was sent to marry a foreign ruler. He liked her spoiled and bold personality and doted on her a little.

Now that they know her true identity, the two are open with each other, and Yue Zeyuan has become even more aware of her other valuable qualities.

After Yun Jing fled, her courage in boldly impersonating a princess in order to survive is commendable.

Not only that, she was able to impersonate him so convincingly that she could fool him, which shows that she was indeed quite capable.

Hearing her words now, one can see that she speaks with substance, is thoughtful, and has a sharp mind.

Yue Zeyuan wondered if it was because of his love for Qi Ning that she became, in his eyes, a woman who was brave, resourceful, intelligent, decisive, and exceptionally capable.

Looking into Qi Ning's cunning and lively eyes, he suddenly asked, "Are you really just a maid?"

"how?"

Qi Ning's face was filled with bewilderment.

"I've already been honest with you, do you still doubt my identity?"

Yue Zeyuan chuckled: "No, what I mean is that although you are a maid, you are much smarter than Princess Yun Jing."

In Yue Zeyuan's eyes now, she is worlds apart from Yun Jing.

Upon hearing Yue Zeyuan's praise, Qi Ning chuckled softly, "What? You haven't told me yet what I thought of your idea."

"Of course, that's a great idea. I just need to find a suitable time to announce it to the public."

The two of them nestled together behind the bed curtains, whispering to each other, and together they came up with a story that could cover up the palace banquet incident.

The next day, everyone in the palace realized that His Majesty had not neglected Consort Ning because of what happened at the palace banquet. He still went to Yaohua Palace to rest and continued to show Consort Ning great favor.

No, to be precise, he favored her even more than before, and he also bestowed many rare treasures upon Consort Ning.

Originally, everyone was skeptical of what Yun Jing said at the palace banquet. Some people thought it couldn't be baseless and began to doubt Qi Ning's identity. Rumors gradually spread both inside and outside the palace.

However, after seeing Yue Zeyuan's performance, their doubts became even more uncertain.

After all, it's impossible for His Majesty to know that he was deceived by a maid and still treat her with great favor. It doesn't seem like he was doing it on purpose for others to see.

After hearing Qi Ning's suggestion that day, Yue Zeyuan planned to find a suitable time to announce it to the public. In this way, Qi Ning would no longer have to use Yun Jing's identity, and the outside world's speculations would be dispelled.

Amidst a flurry of speculation both inside and outside the palace, Yue Zeyuan decided to make the announcement directly in the imperial court.

However, before Yue Zeyuan could even finish speaking, a guard rushed in.

"Report——"

The guard ran into the main hall and knelt down before Yue Zeyuan.

"See Your Majesty!"

Seeing the guard's hurried manner, all the civil and military officials looked at him, wondering what had happened.

"What's the matter?"

Yue Zeyuan sat on the dragon throne and asked the guard.

The guard replied, "Your Majesty, a messenger from the State of Chu has delivered an urgent letter!"

As he spoke, he presented the letter of state with both hands.

Upon hearing this, Yue Zeyuan gave Xu Gonggong beside him a look: "Go and bring it up."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Eunuch Xu went down, took the letter of state from the guard, and then returned to deliver it to Yue Zeyuan.

Yue Zeyuan opened the letter and looked down at its contents.

The civil and military officials below looked at Yue Zeyuan's expression and wondered what the letter from Chu said. Could it be a declaration of war?

In fact, although the letter from the State of Chu was not a declaration of war, it was no different from a declaration of war to Yue Zeyuan.

His expression was mocking, and he let out a cold laugh.

The civil and military officials were even more puzzled upon seeing this.

One minister couldn't contain himself and asked, "Your Majesty, what does the letter from the State of Chu say?"

Yue Zeyuan raised his head and casually tossed the official letter to Eunuch Xu.

"Xu Deyou, read it to them."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Eunuch Xu took the letter of state and read it aloud in his shrill voice from beginning to end.

The contents of that letter were very simple.

One theory is that Chu Hanfeng learned that Yue Zeyuan had not treated the Chu princess who was sent to marry the king well, but instead made her a slave. He believed that Yue Zeyuan was deliberately humiliating the Chu kingdom.

Secondly, Chu Hanfeng also learned that Shen Yixiao, the eldest son of the General of the Northern Garrison of Chu, was also in Yue Zeyuan's hands. He believed that Yue Zeyuan had detained the eldest son of a high-ranking official of Chu without cause and was plotting something sinister.

Therefore, Chu Hanfeng sent an urgent letter to the state, demanding that Yue Zeyuan hand over Princess Yun Jing and Shen Yixiao, who were to be married off, and send them back to Chu.

In his letter to the state, Chu Hanfeng also threatened Yue Zeyuan, saying that if Yue Zeyuan did not hand over Yun Jing and Shen Yixiao, the State of Chu would not let the matter rest.

In order to get these two people back, Chu Hanfeng's attitude became abnormally arrogant.

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