Quick Transmigration: Leisure

"Hahaha......"

Xia Youmi laughed loudly and, taking advantage of Qi Zhuo's momentary daze, snatched his BMW.

With fluid steps and agile movements, she and her horse worked in perfect harmony, leaving the three men far behind. Without needing to discern directions, she followed the horse's lead and gracefully returned to the imperial estate.

The village was quiet, but there were many more soldiers on guard.

However, she wasn't there for Xia Youmi. She had already sent a message to His Majesty, saying she would return to the estate after finishing the painting. If he couldn't wait, she could order the main force back to the palace first, and she could stay for a few days; surely he wouldn't refuse.

Shi Yi reported back to His Majesty that he neither agreed nor refused, but only instructed them to go and fetch Consort Xian.

In the end, he returned to the palace with the entourage.

It was a decent experience, if not enjoyable.

As for teasing Qi Zhuo, Xia Youmi acted on impulse, without much consideration for gains or losses; it was simply speaking the truth. She figured he was loyal to the emperor and wouldn't cause any trouble or disturbance; at most, he would just avoid her.

I don't know why, but I just feel happy.

They sent someone to deliver the sunrise painting to the Empress's Phoenix Palace, along with a complimentary set of delicious pastries made by Chef Qian.

At least it can help this poor person understand the source of their feelings and bring them some joy.

Several high-ranking officials in the palace reacted differently upon hearing about the gift of the painting, but none of them came to make things difficult for her.

She was happy to be free.

Meanwhile, Qi Zhuo developed a rare high fever after returning home. He only said that he caught a chill at night and was granted two days of rest by His Majesty.

He lay on his not-so-soft four-poster bed, reflecting on all the unbelievable events.

Perhaps Miss Xia was just joking and shouldn't be taken seriously.

But he certainly had impure intentions.

He was struck in a vital spot and could not calm down for a long time.

Perhaps Xia Youmi herself didn't even remember their first meeting. At that time, she had just saved Prince Jin and hadn't yet processed the plot. She suddenly collapsed from exhaustion, half-fainting, and was caught by her attendant Qi Zhuo. There were no maids or nannies around, and everyone was worried about Prince Jin's injuries, so he had to carry Miss Xia back to the mansion in a hurry.

Although he was covered by his outer garment so that no one else could see him, he could clearly feel the softness in his arms.

And, in his unconscious sleep, he turned over. Though his face was pale, the heat radiating from his body made him feel as if he had been touched by a fire. From that moment on, this person was no longer on the same level as the others. In his eyes, it was as if he were bathed in a glowing light.

The more you see it, the more profound it becomes.

......

October.

With the three-year mourning period over, the court is eagerly urging the selection of a new heir. Many officials and nobles have been preparing for this for a long time, and various factions are vying to produce the next generation of successors.

Lian Shaoyuan understood the ministers' thoughts; he had originally been the one who was lauded to the throne. Now, with his position being coveted, he could only accept it with resentment. Without the birth of more heirs, his rule and the court could not be stabilized.

Much of the unrest simply went unnoticed.

If he has a huge weakness, then anyone would want to take a bite out of him.

Rather than being held hostage, let the dogs fight each other.

The seeds of infighting within the imperial harem were sown from this moment on.

The Prime Minister's Residence, the Ye Residence.

An internal dispute was the first to unfold.

The reason was that Prime Minister Ye suspected that his concubine daughter was pregnant and that the second prince was too weak to inherit the throne, so he decided to take an extra layer of insurance.

He himself rose to the position of Chancellor, one of the Three Dukes, by virtue of his service to the emperor. Now, he dares not gamble on how many people might pull him down if he slows down even a few steps.

So, looking at the five remaining unmarried concubine daughters in his household, he decided to send one more into the palace.

The concubines naturally used every trick in the book, including some underhanded methods.

The Prime Minister's wife had naturally fought and struggled for her only precious legitimate daughter, but she couldn't overcome her husband's hardened heart. Looking at the beautiful women in the mansion, she made a decision she would regret for the rest of her life—to bring the female lead back to the mansion.

The female protagonist has no mother and was sent to the estate with the reputation of being a "jinx". She was born to bring misfortune to her mother, at the age of three she brought misfortune to her maternal grandparents, and at the age of five she caused her father to be injured.

As long as the Prime Minister's wife takes her back to her side and clears her name, the female protagonist, being helpless and alone, will only be able to rely on the Consort after entering the palace, and will certainly not hinder her daughter.

But the moment the Prime Minister's wife saw her after bringing her back, she regretted it! This Ye Linghua was truly a beauty of unparalleled grace, and possessed a lively spirit unlike any other noblewoman in the capital. She was definitely a huge threat!

She immediately wanted to find an excuse to send the person back to the estate, but the female lead was not someone who could be easily manipulated. She had made ample preparations before returning to the manor, having found out the mistress's purpose and having survived assassination attempts by some concubines to prevent her from returning to the capital.

Ye Linghua is a woman of strong will and perseverance.

Over the years, he not only did not neglect his studies, but also explored a wide range of subjects. At the same time, he had long suspected that there was something fishy about the deaths of his mother and maternal grandfather, and never gave up his desire for revenge.

Therefore, she would not leave easily. Not only did she have to enter the palace, but her father and stepmother also had to respectfully invite her to the palace!

Of the five half-sisters, one had already died before she returned. The remaining four each had their own strengths. She took advantage of one of them's desire to make comparisons, successfully escaped from the entourage sent by the mistress, and smoothly caught the eye of her father, the prime minister, becoming one of those to be examined.

The female protagonist is observant and understands that her father doesn't want them to compete in arts and crafts like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but rather to discover their true nature. He wants them to be intelligent but also easy to control, shrewd but capable of preventing the family from turning on each other.

With this keen observation, she once again exposed the two sisters' facades, orchestrating a conflict between them. She portrayed herself as an innocent and kind-hearted person caught in the crossfire. She also regained the Prime Minister's wife's approval, clearing her of the stigma of being a nemesis in the capital.

Xia Youmi watched the play with great interest.

Although she couldn't see into the heavens, the power struggles within the palace before entering the palace were written into the original plot. By estimating the timeline and matching it with the gossip of the capital, she could guess which stage the female lead was at.

For example, the wealthiest merchant in the capital had a daughter who became a concubine to the Prime Minister, giving birth to a pampered third daughter. However, due to this granddaughter's involvement, the entire mansion was raided and confiscated. The charge was colluding with an enemy country and smuggling state weapons, and the family collapsed overnight.

Because of this, the exotic items allocated to each palace all had different origins.

How could it not cause a sensation?

Fortunately, many noble families were involved in the commotion, except for the military families who remained silent. From the prime minister and the censor-in-chief to the vice ministers of the six ministries, everyone joined the fray. The female protagonist developed her career discreetly, almost unnoticed, except by the Ye family and Xia Youmi.

After the new year.

The list of candidates to be submitted is ready. The selection date is set for February. It's a bit rushed, but all the court officials are very attentive and work with exceptionally high efficiency. The women of the inner palace are also paying close attention to this matter, with Consort Ye handling everything. News often first reaches Yunlan Palace and then spreads "inadvertently" by the palace servants.

As a result, anyone with a bit of curiosity can get the first scoop.

The competition within the Ye family had escalated to a two-way battle, and one of the young ladies succumbed to the winter chill and fell ill.

This made the Prime Minister pay great attention to health. He took the pulses of the remaining two young ladies and confirmed that they were in good health and fertility. He then had them well cared for and taught them many secrets of womanhood.

They wear their faces on their sleeves, clearly intending to give birth! They don't care about their dignified image at all.

Perhaps only someone like this can be a good match for the male lead.

They all followed the same pattern of relying on women to pave the way.