Quick Transmigration: The Female Supporting Character's Counterattack, A Guide to Cunning Strat

Not long after returning to the Qianqing Palace, a eunuch came to deliver a message saying that the Ninth Princess had fainted shortly after being submerged in water, and what should be done now.

What can be done? Send a royal physician to examine her. How can she die so easily?

The Ninth Princess had a fever for four days, and she was in a daze, waking up and then falling asleep again, muttering words like "help" and "I was wrong," but she didn't get better.

The prince consort outside the palace, having initially experienced joy and excitement upon arriving in the capital, has now calmed down. Having heard many stories of Li Shangxun's tyranny from within the capital, he is now filled with worry.

After much hesitation, he still submitted a memorial to the palace, wanting to inquire whether the Ninth Princess was well.

Not long after, he received a message from the palace that the emperor was willing to meet him.

He entered the palace with mixed feelings. As a scholar, and one who had passed the imperial examination, who wouldn't want to meet the emperor?

Although the current regime is brutal, he knows that the people are living much better lives now than when the previous emperor was alive.

Upon seeing Li Shangxun, the Ninth Prince Consort dared not look directly at the emperor's face and performed a deep bow.

"No need for formalities, brother-in-law. Please sit down," Li Shangxun said, his voice gentle and warm.

Upon hearing this, the Ninth Prince Consort felt even more strongly that the rumors were wrong. How could His Majesty, who was so gentle, be a cruel person?

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The Ninth Prince Consort rose, sat down, and still kept his eyes down, his gaze fixed on Li Shangxun's clothes.

The white robes embroidered with subtle gold patterns are a style favored by wealthy young men in Jiangcheng.

Putting aside his status, His Majesty is only in his early twenties, and is indeed still very young.

"I have heard that you and Ninth Sister have a very close relationship, and that you treat Ninth Sister very well," Li Shangxun said.

"Since the princess has married into our humble family, we dare not neglect her."

The Ninth Prince Consort replied cautiously, becoming even more certain that Li Shangxun and his wife had a good relationship. He was probably giving him a warning, telling him not to wrong the princess.

"You submitted this memorial because you're worried she's not doing well in the palace?" Li Shangxun asked.

The Ninth Prince Consort was so frightened that he immediately knelt down and kowtowed: "I dare not, I dare not. It was this humble subject who overstepped his bounds. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

“It’s alright. I’m pleased that you care about Ninth Sister.” Li Shangxun paused, then said, “I have a small matter concerning Ninth Sister here, I wonder if you would like to hear it.”

"Your Majesty's words are what this humble subject will humbly obey."

"I remember that back then, you were the top scholar in Jiangcheng and went to the capital to take the imperial examination, but unfortunately you failed. Do you have any regrets?" Li Shangxun said.

The Ninth Prince Consort was surprised that Li Shangxun still knew him. He was touched and answered more sincerely, with regret in his tone, but more so with relief: "I am grateful for Your Majesty's concern. It is my own lack of knowledge that is the problem."

“Sigh,” Li Shangxun sighed and said, “Do you know that you should have been able to enter the palace examination back then?”

The Ninth Prince Consort looked up in surprise at Li Shangxun: "What does Your Majesty mean by this?"

He was first taken aback, stunned by Li Shangxun's appearance. He had long heard that the current emperor was extremely handsome, but he did not expect that this was true. Even words seemed to fall short of describing it.

Now, draped in a long robe, he shed his imposing demeanor; in terms of appearance alone, he truly resembled a banished immortal.

Upon closer inspection, I was shocked again. His Majesty did indeed have a broken eyebrow, just as rumored. It did not detract from his appearance, but it did add a touch of fierceness.

The Ninth Prince Consort didn't dare to look closely and quickly lowered his head, forgetting to delve into Li Shangxun's words.

Seeing that he didn't understand, Li Shangxun patiently explained, "At the poetry gathering back then, your talent caught the eye of one of Ninth Sister's cousins, and he came up with the idea of ​​switching the poems, which of course succeeded. Oh, you should know that person too; he later entered the Hanlin Academy. By the way, I still don't know how you and Ninth Sister met?"

"I met the Ninth Princess at that poetry gathering." The Ninth Prince Consort was a little confused, but answered following Li Shangxun's words.

"That's how it should be. Ninth Sister likes talented people, but she feels that becoming an official will wear down one's talent, so she doesn't want to marry someone with an official position. However, the sons of noble families who don't want to be granted official titles are all just people who play with cats and dogs, and she doesn't like them. So she begged her father to let her leave the palace, hoping to find someone talented at the poetry gathering."

Li Shangxun seemed to be talking to himself, then said with relief, "Indeed, Ninth Sister has found someone. Her husband has no official position, and his talent and appearance suit Ninth Sister's taste. You two are a perfect match."

“Yes, they are a perfect match…” The Ninth Prince Consort looked dazed.

No wonder, no wonder the Ninth Princess said that the official was too bureaucratic and might spoil his talent, and asked him if he wanted to enter the court as an official.

How did he answer back then? He studied for more than ten years, just to obtain fame and fortune, to enter the court as an official, to realize his ambitions, and to seek happiness for the people. That was the most important thing.

As for talent, it's merely an external thing. Having it is like adding icing on the cake, but not having it doesn't really matter.

She didn't say anything at the time, but just looked at him deeply. Looking back now, I think her eyes must have been filled with disappointment and confusion.

Everything that followed fell into place. He failed the exam, while his brother Meng, who was clearly far inferior to him, unexpectedly became a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). He had assumed it was due to the help of his family, but it turned out that the help came from him.

He sincerely congratulated Brother Meng back then, but I don't know what Brother Meng was thinking at the time. Maybe he found it funny.

Brother Meng relayed a message to him, asking if he would be willing to become the emperor's son-in-law.

Was he disappointed when he failed the exam? Yes, he was.

After marrying the Ninth Princess, he could no longer take the exam. Was he willing to accept that? No, he wasn't.

But he dared not take the exam again. He came full of confidence, carrying the reputation of the top scholar in Jiangcheng, believing that he was full of knowledge, had a bright future, and would surely pass the exam, but he failed.

He was afraid; he was afraid to go back and face the disappointed looks of his parents and teachers. So when the Ninth Princess was willing to marry into his family, he agreed.

Why wouldn't he agree? Marrying the princess would be the end of his life, and he would have an explanation to give when he went back. No one else would mention his failure in the exam anymore.

Unexpectedly, the reason behind it was so!

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Li Shangxun said no more: "Alright, you may leave. Today I will have someone send Ninth Sister back. You two must get along well."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. This humble subject takes his leave." The Ninth Prince Consort kowtowed heavily on the ground and withdrew, his heart filled with complex emotions.

He didn't know what to do.

Should he resent Brother Meng? But he had no idea where Brother Meng was now.

Should he blame the Ninth Princess? But after nearly ten years of companionship, he had long since fallen in love with her; otherwise, why would he have submitted a memorial asking how she was doing in the palace?

Now that His Majesty has told him this, how should he handle it? Wouldn't it be better to let him live out his life in a daze?

"Then I'll just live out my life in a daze, pretending I know nothing," the Ninth Prince Consort silently told himself.

Can we really pretend we know nothing?

……