Quick Transmigration: Knowing I'm a Bad Woman, Yet Still Liking Me?

The fragrance of sandalwood wafts through the carved wooden beams.

Bai Yuan leaned against the chaise lounge covered with brocade cushions, a gold hairpin inserted at an angle, and the pearls and jade at her temples swaying gently with her breath.

Beside the couch, a palace maid knelt down, her jade-like fingers gently massaging her feet.

On the other side, a palace maid holding a peacock feather fan slowly waved it.

"This is a wish-fulfillment novel, a female-centric wish-fulfillment novel," the little system excitedly said in her mind.

Who doesn't enjoy reading satisfying, action-packed stories? Bai Yuan is no exception. "How satisfying?"

"This is a female-centric novel, you could say there's no male lead. It tells the story of how the female lead goes from a peasant girl to an empress dowager."

"The female lead, Shen Xun'er, is an orphan. When she was a child, she was begging for food and was about to starve to death when she was rescued by Qi Hengxuan, the heir of a marquis's mansion, and became his maid."

"But not long after, His Majesty suddenly exiled the entire Qi family on charges of forming cliques for personal gain."

"Qi's father died unjustly, and the general's daughter, who was Qi Hengxuan's childhood sweetheart, also abandoned him and entered the palace, where she was even made a concubine by the emperor."

"Qi Hengxuan was unwilling to accept this, so he entrusted his parents to his younger brothers, changed his name to Wei Ci, disguised himself, and was castrated before entering the palace, hoping to find out the truth. Later, he even became the chief eunuch of the Eastern Depot."

"The female lead originally had a chance to escape, but she chose to be confiscated and enter the palace as a slave, hoping to help Qi Hengxuan investigate the wrongful case of the Qi family back then."

"The female protagonist coincidentally enters the palace of the Imperial Concubine. The Imperial Concubine discovers that the female protagonist bears a resemblance to herself and begins to make things difficult for her every day. Qi Hengxuan turns a blind eye to this and allows the Imperial Concubine to bully her."

"Later, the female lead, heartbroken, accidentally saved the fourth prince and caught the emperor's eye, being granted the title of Consort. Qi Hengxuan then discovered the vain nature of the Consort, and realized that he actually loved the female lead, and then he was filled with regret."

"The female protagonist climbs step by step to the rank of concubine, eliminating the vicious imperial concubine and the general's mansion, as well as the empress and the crown prince. After the emperor's death, the fourth prince ascends the throne, and the female protagonist directly becomes the empress dowager."

"By the way, you are that wicked imperial concubine."

Bai Yuan slowly opened her eyes after listening. "You mean, I, the legitimate daughter of a general's mansion, and a concubine personally appointed by the Emperor, neither scheme for the rise and fall of the general's mansion, nor vie for the Emperor's favor, nor seek power for myself? I spend my days making things difficult for a little maid, and what I'm fighting over is a eunuch?"

The system fell silent, and after a long pause, it finally realized, "It seems that's really the case. It seems that the original owner's brain did indeed have some problems."

Bai Yuan stared at the incense burner for a long time. "No, I actually think the original owner was very clever. Where is the plot now?"

"The female lead was sent to your palace the day before yesterday, and she's giving you a foot massage right now. This is Wei Ci, also known as Qi Hengxuan, who is not far from becoming the Grand Eunuch of the Eastern Depot."

Bai Yuan turned her head and lowered her eyes to look at the person beside the bed.

Her pupils were as black as ink, her nose was straight and rounded, and her lips were full and delicate, giving her an extremely intelligent and spirited appearance.

She had deliberately applied a layer of dark yellow grease to her face, making her skin appear sallow and rough if not examined closely.

Her half-worn palace dress was loose and bulky, completely concealing her figure.

The system hissed as it looked at her, "I think if she were cleaned up, she would look at least five-tenths like you."

Shen Xun'er noticed her gaze and immediately stopped what she was doing, placing her hands properly on her knees. "Your Highness, was the pressure too strong? Or is there anything you wish to instruct me to do?"

Bai Yuan chuckled softly, "You do resemble me somewhat."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xun'er's pupils contracted sharply, and her voice trembled as she said, "Your Highness is too kind to this servant... This servant is but a lowly maid, with unsightly features. It is already a great fortune to have caught Your Highness's eye. How could I possibly bear even the slightest resemblance to Your Highness?"

"What's there to be afraid of? There are plenty of people like that in this world."

Bai Yuan picked up her teacup and took a small sip. "Wan Yue."

A maidservant who was waiting to the side stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, this servant is here."

"This girl massages feet very well, reward her."

Shen Xun'er breathed a sigh of relief, her tone filled with joy, "This servant thanks Your Highness. If Your Highness feels comfortable, this servant will serve you even more diligently in the future."

Bai Yuan didn't look at her anymore. Having traveled from modern times to ancient times, she couldn't watch anime or watch videos anymore, which made her a little bored.

She sighed, "I'd like male models."

Wan Yue asked curiously, "Your Majesty, what is a male model?"

"It's a fruit from the south, sweet and sour, and thirst-quenching."

"Did Her Majesty see this in her notes again?"

Before their mistress entered the palace, she had traveled to many places with the old general. After entering the palace, she could no longer leave and could only read miscellaneous notes to pass the time.

Seeing the two chatting, Shen Xun'er seized the opportunity to interject, "Your Highness, when I came to our Jade Hibiscus Palace the day before yesterday, I saw that the apricot blossoms in the Imperial Garden were in full bloom. Many ladies brought their entourages there to admire the flowers. If you feel bored, why don't you go and take a stroll there and enjoy the spring scenery?"

Bai Yuan thought for a moment and then nodded, "Then let's go for a walk."

Wan Yue helped her up. "It's so pleasant to go out for a walk in the spring. I wonder which clothes you would like to wear, Your Highness? The few bolts of brocade that His Majesty bestowed upon me the other day have all been made. I'll go and fetch them for you now. Please take a look and see which one suits your taste."

"Then bring them all here for me to see." Bai Yuan sat down in front of the dressing table, and Ting Xue gently helped her put on her nail guards.

A short while later, several palace maids carried in three sets of clothes. The clothes were made of shimmering fabric and the embroidery was exquisite.

Bai Yuan brushed the fabric aside, her gaze sweeping over the several outfits. "They all look quite nice..."

Wan Yue and Ting Xue hesitated, and for a moment no one in the room spoke.

Shen Xun'er looked around and said softly, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, these three dresses each have their own merits and all suit your temperament perfectly. Especially the one on the left, the apricot blossoms are embroidered so vividly. We haven't even arrived at the Imperial Garden yet, but it feels like we can already see the apricot blossoms in full bloom."

After she finished speaking, she saw Bai Yuan nod slightly, and a faint, mocking smile appeared on her lips.

But before the smile could completely fade, Bai Yuan suddenly turned to look at her.

A face somewhat similar to hers, yet far more refined, slowly approached her, its eyes filled with undisguised mockery. "Today I will teach you that ambition can be written on your face, but desire and malice cannot."

After saying that, Bai Yuan straightened up and looked at the ruqun embroidered with apricot blossoms. "This one will do."

Shen Xun'er felt that in that instant, Bai Yuan had seen through all her thoughts.

However, seeing that she chose that dress without hesitation, I was a little unsure about this imperial concubine's temperament.

As the group left Yufu Palace, before they even reached the Imperial Garden, the unique fragrance of apricot blossoms was carried by the wind and went straight into their nostrils.

Wan Yue walked happily beside Bai Yuan, "Your Majesty, I'll have someone pick some apricot blossoms to take back later, and I'll make you apricot blossom yogurt tonight."

Bai Yuan nodded, "Apricot blossom cakes, apricot blossom soup, and the like, while the apricot blossoms are in bloom these days, you'd better arrange them all for me."