Wagging Tail - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

That afternoon, after a servant came to report to me, I stormed over to the Eastern Palace in a fury.

I looked at the young man painting before me, my tone full of exasperation. “I heard from the palace servants that you only glanced at the poetry collection I sent over twice before setting it aside?”

“Imperial Sister, you’re here?” Seeing that it was me, the young man put down his brush and gave me an exceedingly obedient smile. “Have you eaten yet, Imperial Sister? Would you like to stay and have something?”

“No. Where is the poetry collection I sent?” I strode quickly to his desk.

“Right here.” He casually picked up the poetry collection from the side, then asked with another smile, “Were you satisfied with the bolts of cloud brocade I sent over two days ago, Imperial Sister?”

“Satisfied.” I nodded distractedly and kept pressing him. “Since it was delivered into your hands, why didn’t you listen to me and memorize all of it?”

“There was too much. I was too lazy to memorize it.” He seemed completely oblivious to the oddness in my tone and continued smiling as sweetly as ever.

“Oh, right. A few days ago, I obtained a beautiful coral tree. Don’t forget to take it with you when you leave later, Imperial Sister.”

“And those two large eastern pearls that the Eastern Sea paid tribute with last month-I had someone take them to make shoes for you…”

“I don’t care about any coral tree right now, and I don’t care about any pearls.” I cut him off and looked at him with a grave expression. “Since when did you stop listening to me?”

Damn it. If I weren’t afraid that, just like in the original novel, you’d stupidly worship the transmigrated woman as a divine talent because of one Tang poem, would I need to go to all this trouble?

The more I thought about it, the angrier I became.

“Don’t be angry, Imperial Sister.” Seeing this, the young man immediately reached out obediently and took my right hand, swinging it back and forth like he was acting spoiled. “Of course I listen to you, Imperial Sister. But first, tell me, would you like shredded chicken congee for dinner, or abalone congee?”

“Shredded chicken congee, of course.” After answering on reflex, I frowned. “Have you forgotten you’re allergic to seafood?”

“Of course I remember.” At that, the young man before me smiled even more happily. “I was only afraid Imperial Sister had forgotten.”

“How could I possibly forget? When you accidentally ate seafood at seven, you broke out in red rashes on the spot. I was the one who sent for the imperial physician.” Bringing up the past, I suddenly felt a little emotional as well.

Back when I was transmigrated into this book as a fetus, it took me several years to slowly adapt.

Qi Yuan was three years younger than me. Mother Empress died from a difficult labor giving birth to him, so Qi Yuan had practically grown up trailing after me since he was small.

That was precisely why I wanted even more to change the plot.

The male lead I had raised with my own hands absolutely could not be snatched away so easily by a transmigrated woman.

He was gentle and kind, with righteousness in his heart. He should have smoothly ascended the throne and become a wise ruler revered for generations.

Not, after meeting the transmigrated woman, willingly give up the throne for her, scatter all his wealth, and survive brush after brush with death countless times, all just to be with her.

Wasn’t that the textbook definition of losing all intelligence for love?!

“I still remember when I was bedridden and recovering, Imperial Sister would keep watch by my bedside every day.”

“Of course. You’re my only younger brother.” I gave him a somewhat puzzled look. “Why are you suddenly bringing this up?”

“Nothing.” Qi Yuan shook his head. Only then did he finally open the poetry collection in his hand. When he turned to one particular page, he pointed at the poem on it and looked at me with a bright smile.

“Actually, there was no need to go to so much trouble. The one Imperial Sister wanted me to see is this poem, isn’t it?”

I followed the direction of his finger and looked over. The contents of that page in the poetry collection were shockingly the very Tang poem Ning Yuanqing was about to recite at the palace banquet.

I was stunned and blurted out, “How did you…”

“How did I know?” He chuckled softly and narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at me. “Actually, Imperial Sister, you’re the same as me, aren’t you?”

I didn’t answer. Countless thoughts flashed through my mind at once.

But he seemed to take my silence as confirmation.

This time, he finally stopped smiling. Instead, he looked at me with a solemn expression and said, “Don’t worry, Imperial Sister. This time, I won’t repeat the same mistakes.”

“You’re that certain?” I asked, pretending to stay calm.

“Naturally.” I saw the hand Qi Yuan used to hold the poetry collection clench tightly. In those eyes that had always been gentle and obedient, a flash of ruthlessness appeared-one that did not belong to someone his age.

“Everything from my past life is already in the past. This time, I won’t be so easily bewitched again.”

I looked at Qi Yuan before me as if I were seeing him anew.

So when he’d asked me about the past just now, he had actually been testing me.

He had sent me so many things because he felt guilty.

At last, I could not hold back anymore and let out a soft laugh.

The same as you?

No. I’m not the same as you at all.

“Imperial Sister?”

“It’s nothing. I’m just happy.”

And why wouldn’t I be? Who could have imagined that I would actually run into something like rebirth too?

This was truly… exciting.