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

Qi Ning feigned gratitude: "Yes, thank you, Your Majesty, and thank you, Sister Xiangyun."

Xiangyun glanced at her, then looked away: "Alright, less talk, let's go."

"Yes."

Xiangyun didn't bring any other palace servants; she personally led Qi Ning, and the two of them headed towards Xiyuan Palace.

Qi Ning followed behind Xiang Yun, thinking that she would soon see the Second Prince. She silently complained to the system, "Are you sure you're not mistaken? The target of this world's romance is the Second Prince?"

"Yes, host," the system replied. "That's right, it's the Second Prince."

The system told Qi Ning about the mission of this world yesterday.

The revenge mission, needless to say, is to take revenge on Empress Liang Yuewu, who caused the original owner's death.

As for the target of her pursuit, it turned out to be the Second Prince.

"But the Second Prince Feng Ke is only ten years old. Isn't that a bit too young?"

"Host, you're quite young too. You're only fifteen. A five-year age difference isn't that big."

The system argued confidently, "Besides, it's not like we're asking you to do anything right away. Feng Ke needs more time to recover, and you need more time to recover too. Giving you enough time to cultivate your relationship, isn't that good?"

Qi Ning didn't think the age difference was a problem, but rather that she felt it was too young for her to make a move: "So, can we find someone else?"

The system did not give a direct answer: "Host, if you really can't accept it, you can stop treating Feng Ke as a conquest target and just treat him as a little prince who needs to be saved. Doesn't that make you feel much better?"

"We'll be at Xiyuan Palace soon."

Xiangyun suddenly spoke up, interrupting Qi Ning's communication with the system.

She looked up and glanced ahead, then responded with a sound of agreement.

This Xiyuan Palace was the residence of princes from various dynasties within the imperial palace of this world.

Generally, young princes would live in their respective mothers' palaces and leave the palace to establish their own residences after reaching adulthood. However, there are other situations where some princes who are not old enough to leave the palace and cannot live in the same palace as their mothers will live in Xiyuan Palace.

Take, for example, the Second Prince, Feng Ke.

Feng Ke originally lived with Consort Shu in Yonghe Palace, but after Consort Shu was executed by the emperor, the emperor ordered Yonghe Palace to be sealed off.

Although the emperor was furious about Consort Shu's plot to harm Consort Chen, he did not take his anger out on the second prince. When Feng Ke expressed his unwillingness to follow the other concubines, the emperor temporarily arranged for him to be placed in Xiyuan Palace.

Nowadays, all the other princes and princesses in the palace live with their respective mothers, but the second prince, Feng Ke, lives in Xiyuan Palace with only a few servants.

Qi Ning followed Xiang Yun into Xiyuan Palace, where Wei Jiqing, the personal eunuch who served the Second Prince, came out to greet them.

"Oh my, isn't this Aunt Xiangyun? What brings you here?"

"This servant is here on the orders of Her Majesty the Empress to deliver some refreshments to His Highness the Second Prince. Where is His Highness the Second Prince?"

"His Highness is inside right now."

Just as Xiangyun was about to step into the hall with the food box, Qi Ning reached out and stopped her.

"Sister Xiangyun, please let me go in alone."

"You're going in alone?" Xiangyun looked at Qi Ning with a puzzled expression.

"Yes." Qi Ning walked to Xiang Yun's side and whispered in her ear, "Those words of advice to the Second Prince must be spoken to him alone by this servant, otherwise they will not be effective."

Xiangyun frowned: "What exactly do you want to do?"

"Sister Xiangyun, don't you trust me? If there were other people present, I wouldn't be able to persuade the Second Prince, so how could I help Your Highness solve your problems?"

Upon hearing this, Xiangyun hesitated for a long time, but considering Liang Yuewu's current situation, she finally relented.

However, she did not forget to threaten Qi Ning: "I hope you know what to say and what not to say, otherwise, you will not only have to worry about your life, but also about your family outside the palace."

Qi Ning nodded: "Don't worry, sister, I won't say anything out of line in front of the Second Prince."

Xiangyun then handed the food box to Qi Ning, and led the other palace servants from Xiyuan Palace to stand guard outside.

Qi Ning carried the food box inside and closed the door behind her.

"System, mute the sounds inside, so that people outside can't hear it."

"Okay, host."

Hearing the system's approval, Qi Ning slowly walked towards the inner hall.

At this very moment, Feng Ke is sitting at his desk practicing calligraphy.

Qi Ning lifted the curtain and immediately saw the small figure beside the desk.

"He really is just a little kid."

Qi Ning muttered to himself.

At ten years old, Feng Ke was indeed still a child in the strict sense.

Perhaps because his mother had just passed away, he was dressed in a white robe. His small frame looked somewhat thin, and there was a hint of sorrow between his brows. His face had not yet fully developed and still had a childish quality, but one could tell from his features that he was naturally handsome.

The thought that this little brat was her target made Qi Ning silently curse herself twice.

Feng Ke had already noticed someone had come in, but he assumed it was Wei Jiqing.

"What are you standing there for? Come here and grind the ink."

"Your Highness, I am not Eunuch Wei."

Upon hearing the unfamiliar voice, Feng Ke abruptly raised his head to look at Qi Ning.

"you are?"

Qi Ning curtsied to him: "This servant is Ning'er, a palace maid in Her Majesty the Empress's palace. I have come to deliver some snacks to the Second Prince on Her Majesty's orders."

Feng Ke glanced at the food box in Qi Ning's hand and said in a low voice, "Put the things down and you can leave."

After saying that, Feng Ke lowered his head again to practice calligraphy.

For such a young age, he already has quite a presence.

Qi Ning walked to the side, placed the food box in her hand on the small table, but instead of going out as Feng Ke had instructed, she walked closer to him.

"Your Highness."

Feng Ke paused in his writing, put down the brush, looked up at Qi Ning, and asked with a slight frown, "Why haven't you gone out yet?"

"Ji Qing!" he called out again.

"Your Highness, Eunuch Wei is guarding outside the door. The Empress instructed me to speak with Your Highness."

Upon hearing this, Feng Ke took a closer look at Qi Ning.

"What did the Empress Dowager send you to say to me?"

His tone was unfamiliar and wary.

Qi Ning didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "This servant has come to persuade Your Highness. As for what to persuade you about, you should know."

"I know, but didn't I already decline Mother's offer? What are you doing here?" He was getting a little impatient.

Qi Ning smiled and said, "Let me guess, is the reason why the Second Prince refused the Empress because you suspect that Consort Shu was framed by the Empress?"

Feng Ke's expression changed slightly: "You..."

That's right, Feng Ke did have that suspicion.

His mother was kind-hearted, always kept a low profile, and did not want to make enemies. She would never have drugged Consort Chen; she was definitely wronged.

In this harem, there are only a handful of people capable of plotting against her mother. Feng Ke doesn't know who they are, but the most likely one is the Empress.

Feng Ke did not want to go to the palaces of other concubines, not only because he missed his mother and did not want to be someone else's child, but also because he was afraid that he would "recognize a thief as his mother".

Qi Ning continued, "However, Your Highness has no evidence, and it is only a suspicion."

Feng Ke looked at Qi Ning: "How did you know?"

"These are all my guesses, but I do know who the real culprit is in framing Consort Shu. Would Your Highness like to know?"

Upon hearing Qi Ning's words, Feng Ke immediately stood up.

He grabbed Qi Ning's wrist and asked urgently, "Who? Who harmed my mother?"

Qi Ning uttered two words softly: "Empress."

"Queen?"

"Indeed, the Second Prince's guess was correct. The one who framed Consort Shu was none other than Her Majesty the Empress."

Feng Ke's face turned pale, and his hand, which was gripping Qi Ning's, trembled slightly with excitement.

"how do you know?"

Qi Ning sighed softly and recounted how she had overheard the Empress and Xiang Yun talking the day before.

"According to Her Majesty the Empress, she initially wanted Consort Shu to poison Consort Gui for her, but Consort Shu refused. So the Empress devised a scheme to kill two birds with one stone, not only to poison Consort Gui but also to frame Consort Shu."

"It's just that Consort Gui was lucky enough to escape this calamity, but Consort Shu..."

Feng Ke released Qi Ning, his hand hanging limply on the desk. He sneered, "So after Mother died, she set her sights on me again?"

"That's right. As you know, Her Majesty the Empress has no children, but the Noble Consort is the most favored concubine in the harem. She has a prince and has been promoted to the rank of Noble Consort. Of course, Her Majesty the Empress wants an heir to protect her."

Feng Ke's eyes were filled with hatred as he recalled the scene of his mother's tragic death, and his hands, which were hanging on the desk, clenched into fists.

But he was still puzzled. After a moment, he looked up and asked Qi Ning, "As a palace maid by the Empress's side, why are you telling me this?"

A bitter smile crept across Qi Ning's lips.

"Think about it, when I overheard this secret, Her Majesty the Empress would certainly not tolerate me and wanted to kill me to silence me. In order to save my life, I made a boast to Her Majesty, promising that if I could persuade the Second Prince, she would spare my life."

Feng Ke smiled sarcastically: "Since you want to convince me, why did you tell me the truth? Do you think I would acknowledge the Empress as my mother after I knew she was the one who killed my mother?"

“Why not, Your Highness?” Qi Ning replied.

Why not?

What's wrong with that?

At this moment, Feng Ke wished he could kill the Empress immediately to avenge his mother. How could he possibly acknowledge the Empress as his mother?

Feng Ke found the palace maid's words inexplicable: "What do you mean?"

Qi Ning knew that Feng Ke had just lost his mother at a young age and had just found out who the murderer who framed his mother was. He must be thinking only about revenge and killing his enemy. He had no time to think about other roundabout things.

She patiently explained, "Your Highness, please calm down and think about it. In this situation, if you cannot do as the Empress wishes, do you think she will tolerate you?"

"Why should I need her to tolerate me?" Feng Ke slammed his fist on the desk. "I'll go to Father Emperor right now and expose the Empress's true colors, and beg Father Emperor to avenge Mother!"

Having said that, Feng Ke couldn't contain himself and wanted to go find the emperor.

"Do you have any evidence?" Qi Ning asked from behind him.

Those five short words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Feng Ke's head. The ice cubes, not yet fully melted, kept hitting him, bringing him back to his senses.

Feng Ke suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Yes, he has no evidence, and who would believe him even if he spoke up? His father wouldn't believe him either.

Feng Ke turned to look at Qi Ning.

Qi Ning shook his head at him.

"Although I told Your Highness the truth, I will not testify for Your Highness before His Majesty. It is not that I do not want to, but that I cannot."

“Firstly, I have no evidence, and His Majesty would not believe me even if I spoke; secondly, the lives of myself and my family are in the hands of the Empress, and I cannot act rashly.”

Qi Ning looked at Feng Ke, who was standing there in a daze, and knew that he should calm down completely by now.

She then returned to the main topic.

"Therefore, what I said just now about why it is not impossible was not nonsense."

"Your Highness, think carefully. The Empress urgently needs a prince to counter Consort Chen. His Majesty has only four princes in total. The First Prince and the Third Prince each have their own mothers, and those two consorts come from powerful and influential families."

Qi Ning was right. Among the concubines who had sons, the family of the deceased Consort Shu was the weakest.

Consort Shu was His Majesty's concubine when he was a prince, and she gave birth to the Second Prince. Therefore, after His Majesty ascended the throne, she was granted the title of Consort Shu based on her seniority and status as the mother of the Second Prince.

Upon hearing Qi Ning's words, a flash of hatred crossed Feng Ke's face.

Yes, his mother's family was the weakest and easiest to bully.

Therefore, the Empress easily turned against her mother, and so the Emperor, without saying a word, arbitrarily gave her poisoned wine.

“Your Highness, the Empress will not try to take away the First Prince and the Third Prince. Now that you have lost your mother, you are the most suitable candidate. She will not give up easily. Even if Your Highness does not agree, she will find a way to make Your Highness agree.”

Feng Ke knew that Qi Ning was right, but he still stubbornly said, "If I don't agree, what can the Empress do? Father Emperor said that he would consider my wishes and would not force me."

Feng Ke's thinking was too naive. What good is an emperor anyway?

"His Majesty said he wouldn't pressure Your Highness, perhaps it's really for Your Highness's sake, but Your Highness should know that the Empress's brother, General Liang, was recently ordered to fight against the Japanese pirates, and I'm afraid good news will come back soon."

"When the Liang family has rendered meritorious service, Her Majesty the Empress can take the opportunity to make a request to His Majesty. His Majesty will surely not refuse out of consideration for the Liang family."

Feng Ke understood Qi Ning's meaning, and he shook his head in despair.

"No, I will never agree to that."

Qi Ning took two steps closer to Feng Ke and patiently advised, "Your Highness, why be so stubborn? Changing your perspective on some things might not be a bad way out."

"The Empress is His Majesty's legal wife. Whether you register her name under your name or not, she is your legal mother in name only, and you should always call her Mother."

Feng Ke knew that Qi Ning made sense, but he still couldn't convince himself to pretend to be a loving mother to his mother's killer.

"Your Highness, if you truly wish to avenge Consort Shu, you must learn to be patient, to lie low, and to leverage external forces. Only when you become powerful will you have the ability to avenge Consort Shu and do whatever you desire."

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