Farm Tough Girl
Chapter 553 - 553 554 Already Dead_1

Chapter 553: Chapter 554: Already Dead_1 Chapter 553: Chapter 554: Already Dead_1 The family was now both crying and laughing; Muniang, however, did not dare to make a sound and interrupt. It was the maid who, worried that Muniang would feel awkward, quickly announced, “Lady Yu has arrived.”

He Fangfei then wiped away her tears and ran over to Muniang, excitedly pulling on her, “Muniang, I’ve succeeded! Just now, an eunuch came to deliver a decree; tonight, I will serve in the emperor’s bedchamber.”

Muniang took out a handkerchief to wipe the tear marks on her face, and smiled, “I naturally knew about this. That you could have such an opportunity is also your good fortune. But from now on, you can’t neglect any part of the journey ahead.”

He Fangfei nodded earnestly, visibly overjoyed.

Madame He was also grateful at this time. Initially, she had only wanted to take a gamble; she hadn’t expected that Qiao Muniang really had some tricks up her sleeve, actually managing to secure imperial favor for her daughter—an honor of immense magnitude.

Seeing Muniang had arrived, she naturally went through a whole round of thanks, and Muniang responded to each. Then Muniang said, “We should start getting ready soon, I have some things to say to Fangfei first.”

Madame He now had complete trust in Muniang. Knowing that the advice she was about to give must be regarding the emperor, she didn’t dare to delay and immediately had the maid lead them to He Fangfei’s boudoir to talk.

“Muniang, do you have any advice for me?”

Once inside the room and with the door closed, Muniang spoke solemnly, “This time, you have managed to draw the emperor’s attention and gained affection to warrant an invitation to the palace. However, getting into the palace doesn’t mean everything will be smooth sailing from here on—this is just the beginning, Fangfei, do you understand what I mean?”

Fangfei nodded, “I’ve been prepared for a long time. I will walk cautiously in whatever way I should.”

Muniang said, “It’s not just about being cautious, you must also be strategic. The He Family doesn’t have enough power to support you; listen to me, you must conceal your brilliance. Nobody should notice the schemes in your heart, especially the empress.”

Fangfei was startled, “Why not?”

“Do you still remember my first requirement of you? Lady Rong must go, but if you stand alone in the palace, she will be hard to deal with. If you reveal your own cunning strategies, the empress will not keep you around either. Rather than having one more enemy, it’s better to have an additional helper. Continue to play the fool; that way, the empress will stand with you.”

“How can I make the empress stand with me…?”

A smile played on Muniang’s lips, “Don’t worry, she will come to you. Before that happens, just focus on pleasing the emperor and keeping his heart attached to you.”

He Fangfei finally nodded her agreement, “Alright.”

“And remember, don’t forget your fairy-like charm. After serving tonight, you’ll be conferred a title tomorrow morning. Although it won’t be as solemn as in the palace, it’s still a status. I guess there will be some rewards. You shouldn’t always wear white, as it’s inauspicious, but also avoid loud colors. You must wear clothes that are plain but elegant; otherwise, the emperor won’t see the spirit in you, and he might just ignore you.”

He Fangfei laughed, “I naturally know about this, don’t worry.”

But how could Muniang not worry? He Fangfei was the most important piece in her game, not to be treated carelessly. She held onto her and gave a lengthy list of instructions.

He Fangfei was not rash and took note of each point, but it wasn’t until the end that Muniang said, “If you really can defeat Lady Rong, the glory she now enjoys will be yours in the future.”

He Fangfei complied and sighed, “It seems that the feng shui of the palace is indeed nourishing; Rong Suqing appears even more beautiful than ever. Though she wore a veil and I couldn’t see her face clearly, she truly took my breath away. Just those eyes, they must be many times more captivating than before.”

Muniang listened but couldn’t shake off a feeling of unease, still, she said, “No matter how charming one’s eyes are, after looking at them for a year, one would grow tired. His Majesty certainly has you in his heart; rest assured.”

That very night, He Fangfei was taken to Rong Mansion and ascended the dragon bed.

Qingya specifically came to inform Muniang of this news. Muniang responded nonchalantly, but her mind was occupied with other thoughts. Yu Ze returned home relatively early that day and, seeing Muniang’s demeanor, joked, “I heard His Majesty let He Fangfei attend to him in bed tonight, why don’t you seem happy?”

“Of course, I am happy, especially since you didn’t see Rong Suqing’s expression. It was so satisfying to me,” Muniang laughed.

But immediately after, her face took on a solemn expression, “Husband, don’t you find Rong Suqing very strange?”

“I haven’t paid special attention to her, nor have I had any interaction with her, so it’s difficult for me to sense anything. Why, do you feel something unusual?”

“Today at the He Family, I saw Madame He and Mr. He seeing off their daughter, and I heard He Fangfei say, ‘Even if I enter the palace and become my Lady, I will still be your daughter for life.’ She even knelt to her own parents. But Lady Rong…”

Yu Ze’s eyes also sharpened, “She accepted the bows from Old Mr. Rong and Lady Rong as if she was entitled to them.”

Muniang continued, “At first, I thought it was natural for someone who had become my Lady to feel that way, but when I saw the He family, I realized it wasn’t like that at all. Moreover, today Fangfei told me something very strange. She said she couldn’t see Rong Suqing’s face clearly because of the veil, but those eyes seemed much more alluring than before…”

Muniang’s suspicions became clearer as her heart tightened, “Is she really Rong Suqing?”

Yu Ze spoke coldly, “If it’s true, the real Rong Suqing is probably long dead.”

“Yet the Rong family treats her as if she were their own daughter…”

“For the prosperity of the family, the life and death of one daughter probably don’t matter much.” Yu Ze’s fist clenched inside his sleeve. No wonder Nangong Qian chose the Rong family, a family from such a remote little city, sent far into the palace, with no one knowing she had been swapped out.

He should have realized that if she were truly just the former Miss Rong, how could she stand tall in the treacherous waters of the deep palace and even step into a life of increasing grandeur!

This kind of woman must have been trained from a young age; a small household from a place like Qinghua City couldn’t possibly raise such a person!

“Yet knowing Qinghua City is a place easily exposed, she still urges the Emperor to visit, willing to take the risk. Her plans must be significant,” Muniang suddenly said.

“Whatever she plots, it’s all aimed at me. This matter cannot be taken lightly; I will arrange it.”

Yu Ze’s words always managed to reassure Muniang, who softly acknowledged.

But then, she immediately thought of He Fangfei. Muniang exclaimed in alarm, “This is bad! He Fangfei recognizes Rong Suqing’s face. Now that she’s in the mansion, she will inevitably see what Rong Suqing looks like once her veil is removed. If she shows the slightest bit of surprise, Rong Suqing will not let her live!”