Chapter 123: The Little Bald Darling

Although the Great Xun dynasty requires women to keep their hair pinned up, there is no strict mandate that every strand must be gathered. The palace is certainly not lacking in concubines who use bangs to conceal their flaws. Consort Shu trimmed a lock of her hair, finally managing to cover her startlingly prominent forehead. After applying makeup and dressing herself, she finally looked somewhat presentable. Carrying the shredded scraps of paper, she gritted her teeth, steeled her heart, and headed straight for the Golden Throne Hall.

Inside, Qin Zhiyi was discussing state affairs with his officials. When Chang Fu saw her at the door, he almost failed to recognize the bangs-wearing Consort Shu. After a careful look, he said, "Greetings, Consort Shu. Why have you come at such an hour?"

Noticing Chang Fu’s surprise, Consort Shu’s expression darkened. "I have matters to discuss with the Emperor."

"Your Ladyship, the Emperor is currently in a meeting with the ministers. I fear he has no time to see you at the moment," Chang Fu replied.

"No hurry. I shall wait here. Inform me once the Emperor is finished," Consort Shu said, steadying her resolve. She had rehearsed this in her mind several times; this time, she was determined to win the Emperor’s pity and reclaim his favor in one fell swoop.

Seeing her insistence, Chang Fu did not stop her. After she had stood there for nearly an hour, during which Qin Zhiyi’s voice could be heard erupting in anger several times, a consensus seemed to have been reached. The ministers emerged one by one, looking dejected. Seeing this, Chang Fu went in to announce her arrival.

"Consort Shu? What is she doing here?"

Qin Zhiyi was in a foul mood. A locust plague had broken out in several western commanderies, and his officials had been unable to propose a single useful solution. Between allocating funds, exterminating locusts, and transporting grain for disaster relief, they had finally settled on a plan today. Concerned for the people in those regions, Qin Zhiyi felt a headache coming on the moment he heard Consort Shu was there.

"Let her in." Qin Zhiyi took several deep breaths, but when he saw the bang-wearing Consort Shu enter, he was still taken aback. Without thinking, he blurted out, "Why have you turned yourself into this ghost of a thing?"

Although he felt no romantic affection for her, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, Consort Shu looked much better with her forehead exposed and her appearance dignified. These bangs hid her eyebrows and made her face look smaller—it was nothing like her former self!

Consort Shu’s heart sank immediately.

Overcome with grievance, her eyes turned red as she knelt on the floor. "I pay my respects to the Emperor. I beg the Emperor to seek justice for me!"

Qin Zhiyi frowned as she tearfully recounted, "I do not know what method Consort Xian used to turn me into this state. When I woke up, I discovered she had arrogantly left a note. I beg the Emperor to punish her!"

Consort Shu carefully lifted her bangs, and the sight of her shiny, hairless forehead truly startled Qin Zhiyi!

So that was it! No wonder he had slept so soundly last night without being kicked awake!

So Shen Fuyu had run off to the Jingrou Palace to stir up trouble!

"Your Majesty, Consort Xian is truly going too far! How can I face anyone like this?" Consort Shu sobbed, breathless. "I truly do not wish to live anymore!"

The shredded paper, which Qiu Ying had pieced together, was handed to Chang Fu, who then passed it to Qin Zhiyi.

Qin Zhiyi glanced down at it.

*Good morning, my little bald darling — Shen Fuyu.*

That woman! She committed such a foul deed and left him to clean up the mess!

"Consort Shu, have you lost your mind?" Qin Zhiyi frowned. "I was with Consort Xian all night. How could she have snuck into your palace in the middle of the night to shave your head?"

"Your Majesty… but this note…" Consort Shu’s momentum faltered under Qin Zhiyi’s sharp tone, but she remained persistent. "I know it sounds unbelievable, but in this world, no one else could do something so absurd except Consort Xian!"

"Then tell me, if she truly had such ability, why would she sneak into your palace in the middle of the night just to shave your hair?" Qin Zhiyi asked, looking at her. "Surely not out of jealousy."

"Furthermore, if it were truly out of jealousy, she could have shaved your head entirely, or even killed you without a sound. Do you think you would have escaped?" Qin Zhiyi dismissed the story as too fantastical to believe. "I think you have been too busy lately and can no longer distinguish between dreams and reality!"

Consort Shu opened her mouth, kneeling on the floor, unable to defend herself.

"Your Majesty…" Consort Shu shook her head. "I am not lying…"

"Enough." Qin Zhiyi did not intend to continue the conversation. "I know you have been working hard since taking over the harem, so I will not hold this against you. Go back and rest. If I have time, I will come to visit you."

Though she had received a shred of comfort, Shen Fuyu had effectively been let off the hook by Qin Zhiyi. On her way back, Consort Shu longed to storm into the Xianyue Palace and tear her to pieces!

Of all things to do, why did she have to touch her hair!

Halfway back, Consort Shu’s sedan chair ran into Qin Shihuang.

As the dog kept by Shen Fuyu, Qin Shihuang had been eating exceptionally well lately. Its golden fur was glossy and thick, and with autumn approaching, the dog had grown a dense coat for winter, making it look round and fluffy. Qin Shihuang glanced at Consort Shu and trotted triumphantly past her sedan chair!

Even the dog kept by that wicked woman had more hair than she did!

Perhaps sensing Consort Shu’s fury, Qin Shihuang sped up and ran off!

Upon returning, Consort Shu flew into another rage and smashed many things! All of this reached the ears of Shen Fuyu, who laughed until she shook. She could imagine how angry Consort Shu must be upon seeing her own forehead! And she had even left that cheeky note!

"I hear that Consort Shu is already having people search for secret hair-growth remedies," Green Tea said, kneeling beside Shen Fuyu to massage her legs while sharing the gossip she had gathered. "But some of the recipes have not only failed to work but have actually caused her to lose even more hair!"

"Let her search," Shen Fuyu waved her hand. Hair growth wasn't that simple. While she had super-effective hair-growth medicine in her spatial dimension, the Great Xun dynasty only had things like ginger and sesame. How could such ineffective, useless remedies help Consort Shu’s hairline return?

If it were that easy to grow hair, so many people in the modern world wouldn't be saving money for hair transplants.

Inside the Shou'an Palace, when Shen Tangyu regained consciousness, her wounds had already been bandaged. She struggled to rise, but Cui Yingsu pressed her back down. "Sister Shen, stay still and don't speak. The imperial physician has already examined you. With careful rest, you will recover as before."

Shen Tangyu looked around, feeling bewildered. Where was she?

"Sister Shen, this is the Shou'an Palace," Cui Yingsu smiled. "The Empress Dowager saw how pitifully you were bullied by Consort Xian and decided to have you brought here."