My lord, hold me tight! (Quick Transmigration)

The Empress Dowager deliberately ignored her, focusing only on talking to Mu Qianyan. Song Nuan stood quietly to the side, feeling a strong gaze fixed on her.

She looked up slightly and saw Wen Ke'er sitting among a group of concubines. Her beautiful face stood out, but the look in her eyes as she looked at Song Nuan was vicious and sinister, making her feel uneasy.

Song Nuan ignored her, thinking, "Come and bite me if you dare!"

The Empress Dowager invited Mu Qianyan to dine in the palace. After lunch, the two were supposed to leave the palace and return home, but unexpectedly, Mu Qianyan was summoned by the Emperor and led to the Imperial Study by a eunuch.

Song Nuan had no choice but to wait in a pavilion in a garden.

On a bright and sunny day, hundreds of flowers bloomed in the garden, vying for attention and beauty, just like the women in the palace, striving to show their most beautiful and attractive side.

"Oh, what brings the Ninth Princess Consort here?" A slightly sarcastic voice suddenly rang out, breaking the tranquility.

Song Nuan turned around and saw Wen Ke'er looking down at her from behind, her eyes contemptuous and her smile cold and sarcastic.

"What, does the Ninth Princess not even know how to bow to me?" Wen Ke'er looked at her with disgust. "Sure enough, a concubine's daughter is a concubine's daughter, forever so lowly!"

Song Nuan still didn't reply, but just looked at her with her clear black and white eyes, expressionless.

Seeing this, Wen Ke'er looked around and, seeing that there was no one else besides the palace maids she had brought, smiled smugly: "Since the Ninth Prince's wife is so ill-mannered, then I will teach you a lesson on behalf of the Ninth Prince today!"

Then, she laughed arrogantly, waving her hand to slap Song Nuan's face. Her sharp nails, dyed crimson with balsam flowers, were slightly curved, as if she wanted to maliciously scratch Song Nuan's face.

Song Nuan narrowed her eyes, blocking the hand that was about to slap Wen Ke'er. She grabbed Wen Ke'er's wrist, and her previous timidity and cowardice completely disappeared. Her whole aura changed suddenly. Song Nuan, who was expressionless and exuded danger, made Wen Ke'er want to run away.

"What...what do you want to do? Someone come quick! Yuehua!" Wen Ke'er shouted, her voice slightly weak.

The palace maid, eager to protect her mistress, tried to step forward and pull Song Nuan away.

Song Nuan tightened her grip on Wen Ke'er's wrist slightly, and the delicate and frail Wen Ke'er immediately cried out in pain. The palace maid named Yuehua then dared not approach any further.

"You? Hmm?" Song Nuan whispered in Wen Ke'er's ear.

Wen Ke'er couldn't help but get goosebumps, and she withdrew her hand in fear, wanting to break free from her grip.

Seeing that the intimidation had been enough, Song Nuan released her flailing hands.

Wen Ke'er immediately retreated to a safe position, still unwilling to give up, and ordered the maids behind her: "Song Nuan, you bitch, how dare you treat me like this! All of you, go up and slap her!"

Several strong and robust old women came out, their eyes fierce, and rolled up their sleeves as they approached her.

"Your Highness, what are you doing?" A clear and gentle male voice rang out at the critical moment.

Mu Qianyan strolled out from among the flowers, his handsome face bearing his ever-present charming and warm smile. Several old nannies stopped what they were doing, deeply attracted by the man, not to mention Wen Ke'er and the young palace maids beside her, all of whom blushed and their hearts pounded, unable to control themselves.

Mu Qianyan bypassed the others and went straight to Song Nuan. He put his two slender hands on her shoulders and looked at her with doting and tender eyes, seeing Song Nuan's surprised and silly expression.

He asked gently, "My queen, what's wrong?"

"..." Although from an outsider's perspective, Mu Qianyan was exceptionally affectionate and doting towards Song Nuan, from her distance, there was not a trace of a smile in his eyes. His dark eyes were deep and unfathomable, with all his emotions hidden deep within them, impossible to discern.

Song Nuan shook her head and stopped talking, reverting to her usual timid and cowardly self.

A cryptic look flashed in Mu Qianyan's eyes as he tightened his grip on Song Nuan's hand.

Seeing the two of them showing affection as if no one else was around, Wen Ke'er twisted the exquisitely embroidered handkerchief in her hand, gritted her teeth and stepped forward. She smiled radiantly, was incomparably beautiful, and called out sweetly, "Ninth Prince!"

Mu Qianyan was taken aback, turned to look at her, and exclaimed in surprise, "Eh, when did Consort Ke arrive? I didn't even notice!"

Wen Ke'er's smile froze, and she said in a slightly aggrieved and coquettish tone, "I've always been here!"

Mu Qianyan raised an eyebrow: "It seems that I was negligent!"

Song Nuan felt a chill run down her spine as she looked at Wen Ke'er, who was flirting with Mu Qianyan. She deeply admired Mu Qianyan for being able to remain gentle at this moment.

"Your Highness, there's no need for such formalities!" Wen Ke'er said with a charming smile, covering her mouth.

Mu Qianyan avoided Wen Ke'er's silently approaching body and called out loudly behind her, "...Your Majesty, weren't you looking for Consort Ke? She's right here!"

Wen Ke'er's pretty face turned deathly pale, and panic flashed in her eyes. She quickly turned around and saw the emperor standing behind her with a gloomy expression and dark eyes. She immediately bowed down and knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects! Long live the Emperor!"

A large group of maids knelt behind her, all of them as respectful and fearful as their mistress.

"Now that Your Majesty has found Consort Ke, I will take the Princess Consort back to the residence first..." Mu Qianyan said, bowing.

"...Well, my brother and the Ninth Prince's wife are newly married, so I won't keep you any longer. Go now!" With a wave of his hand, the Emperor sent Mu Qianyan away with Song Nuan.

The Emperor then turned his gaze to Wen Ke'er, who was kneeling on the ground. Wen Ke'er's face was ashen, and despair flashed in her eyes.

He bent down and gently helped her up: "My beloved, there's no need for such formality, please rise!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Seeing that the Emperor's expression was not worried, Wen Ke'er finally relaxed and her pale face regained some color.

"Why did you decide to come to the garden, my beloved concubine?" The Emperor embraced her gently and tenderly, showing her utmost care.

"Your Majesty, I haven't seen you for a long time, and I'm so bored in the palace that I thought I'd come out for a stroll." Wen Ke'er leaned her head on the Emperor's shoulder and said coquettishly.

"Is that so? Then I'll keep you company today!" The Emperor half-embraced Wen Ke'er and strode towards her residence, Keyi Palace.

"Your Majesty..." Wen Ke'er said with a sweet smile.

The Wen family is still untouchable, and as the emperor, he can only feign compliance with these women. As for the future, who knows...

Meanwhile, under Mu Qianyan's careful "protection," Song Nuan walked towards the palace gate.

"Your Highness, slow down, don't tire yourself out!" Song Nuan was half-embraced by him as they walked quickly, her head covered in sweat. Little did she know that he was carrying her and walking briskly, which was nothing like what he said.

Faced with the reproachful gazes of many palace maids and eunuchs, Song Nuan could only smile bitterly.

When they returned to the palace gate, Song Nuan was panting heavily and exhausted, and could only lean on the carriage to catch her breath.

"Your Highness, look at you, you must be tired now!" Mu Qianyan gently scolded, then picked her up and carried her to the carriage.

"You..." Song Nuan was too exhausted to say a word.

Mu Qianyan entered the carriage, his expression immediately changed, all traces of his previous doting and warm demeanor vanished, and he directly tossed Song Nuan onto the wooden seat of the carriage.

She bumped her head on the wooden seat and gasped in pain, but seeing Mu Qianyan's expressionless and cold face, she didn't dare to say anything. She could only shrink her neck and sit down silently to the side.

The two resumed their previous complete silence, and the carriage returned to quiet.

After the carriage had been traveling for a while, it suddenly came to a slow stop. Mu Qianyan's personal attendant, Alu, who was sitting outside, said to the carriage, "Master, something's wrong!"

Mu Qianyan gently lifted the curtain of the carriage. In the afternoon, the streets, which should have been bustling, were now eerily quiet, with only a few people walking on the street.

"Master, be careful!" Ah Lu shouted.

Mu Qianyan quickly ducked to avoid the arrow, only to find that an arrow that had been flying through the wind was stuck in the spot where he had just been standing.

He called out in a deep voice, "Shadow Guard!"

The sounds of fighting suddenly erupted outside.

Seeing this, Song Nuan realized that an assassin was likely attacking. An arrow rang out and embedded itself firmly in a wooden plank not far from Song Nuan's feet.

"Ah!" she exclaimed.

Mu Qianyan then noticed her presence, squinted and stared at her intently. Time seemed to stand still until Song Nuan couldn't help but shiver under his gaze, at which point he chuckled softly.

He took out a longsword and a dagger from a hidden compartment on the wooden table in the carriage, handed the dagger to Song Nuan, and held her hand gently, saying, "My princess, if you want to live, rely on yourself!"

Then he picked up his longsword and went out. Song Nuan stared blankly at the dagger in her hand, but a moment later, arrows of all sizes shot in from outside. Song Nuan had no choice but to get out of the carriage. The next second, the carriage was instantly engulfed by a rain of arrows.

The situation outside was chaotic and turbulent. Song Nuan was still shaken and held the dagger in her hands, at a loss for what to do.

Mu Qianyan's figure stood out prominently amidst the chaos of battle. Song Nuan spotted him immediately. His face was filled with murderous intent, and his cheek was stained with blood, which added a touch of sinister charm to him, making him fatally attractive.

Suddenly, a knife slashed horizontally towards Song Nuan. She froze for a moment, watching as the tip of the knife was about to reach her.

"Clang!" A dagger sent Dao flying. Song Nuan turned her head and saw General An's son, An Zhengyi, riding in on horseback, followed by a group of soldiers.

"Ninth Prince, Princess Consort, we are here on the Emperor's orders to protect you!" An Zhengyi said to the two, then led a group of men to join the melee.

With the protection of several people, Song Nuan was temporarily safe.

A soldier protecting her approached and grabbed her hand. Song Nuan frowned and was about to resist when the man looked up, revealing a handsome face.

Song Nuan exclaimed in surprise: "Miss An! An Ruoqing!? What is she doing here?"

"Shh, keep your voice down. I followed you out secretly, so we can't let them find out. Are you scared? Don't be afraid, I'll protect you!" An Ruoqing whispered.

"..."

Song Nuan really couldn't understand why she was here. The plot of this world was completely missing, and Song Nuan had to figure everything out on her own.

Her imagination ran wild: assassination, Mu Qianyan, An Ruoqing, rescuing the emperor? Could this be the legendary plot of sacrificing oneself to save someone, or taking an arrow for Mu Qianyan?

Song Nuan looked at Mu Qianyan, who had been escorted there by a group of people, and then looked at a few reflective spots not far away. An arrow shot out from there, aimed at Mu Qianyan's vital spot. He's doomed!

"Watch out!" Song Nuan and An Ruoqing shouted in unison, both heading towards Mu Qianyan.

Song Nuan reacted quickly, shoving Mu Qianyan aside, but her arm was grazed by an arrow, and blood gushed out, staining Song Nuan's long dress red.

Mu Qianyan looked at Song Nuan with a complicated expression, but it wasn't the kind of complicated expression that comes from being deeply shocked. Instead, it was a complicated expression that comes from being wary. Why would she risk her life to save him like this?