After that disastrous incident with the injured legs and the shadow guards who "saw too much,"Lian Wan'er decided one thing:
Avoid all humans for the foreseeable future.
For an entire week, she hid in her chambers, rejecting visits, pretending to be "in deep meditation" when in truth she was reading a Farming Encyclopedia for Spiritual Beginners.
Books and snacks surrounded her like a fort of isolation.
"Hmm… apparently, the higher the purity of spiritual essence in soil, the better the crop quality," she muttered, flipping through a page.She looked out the window."Then my soil must be like… a diamond-grade vegetable heaven."
Even though her new body had some sort of miraculous green thumb—everything she planted flourished like a heavenly garden—her scientist brain from her past life couldn't resist digging deeper.
She wanted data. She wanted formulas.She wanted to know why a Chinese cabbage glowed faintly under moonlight.
Meanwhile, her maid Ruan, now fully healed from their "joint leg injury," was busy brushing Wan'er's silky black hair.
"Your Highness, you're really beautiful. Even Imperial Consort Li Ruyi can't compare once her makeup fades."
Wan'er blinked, unimpressed."What's beauty good for? It expires faster than a vegetable."
Ruan: "…"
After a long stretch of lounging, Wan'er suddenly sprang up, her eyes gleaming."It's time!"
Ruan tilted her head. "Time for…?"
"Farming! My white radishes must be lonely without me!"
Before Ruan could stop her, Wan'er grabbed her hoe like a warrior lifting her sword and strode out of the palace halls with divine purpose.
Her destination: her "flower garden."
Which, to the horror of the palace staff, had been transformed into a full-blown spiritual farm—rows of glowing vegetables and perfectly arranged irrigation trenches.
From morning till afternoon, she plowed and planted without rest, humming a cheerful tune.
"The Empress is… working?" one maid whispered from afar.
"Not embroidery. Not music. Not tea."
"She's… farming."
"Maybe it's a new form of cultivation?" another guessed nervously.
Wan'er wiped her sweat, satisfied. "My beautiful farm~"The setting sun hit her face, and she smiled so brightly even the vegetables looked blessed.
As for palace management…Wan'er had "delegated" almost all official empress duties to Li Ruyi.
The Imperial Consort—who had been thrilled to finally gain responsibility—didn't realize Wan'er was just too lazy to attend morning greetings.It became an open secret: the Empress preferred hoes over politics.
Still, Wan'er's plan was working perfectly.No attention. No drama. No nightly "visits."
Or so she thought.
That night marked the fifteenth day since her wedding.The rumor had spread across the entire inner court:
"The Empress is unfavored.""His Majesty hasn't visited her chambers once!""She must've done something to anger him!"
Wan'er, blissfully unaware, was busy scribbling down a planting schedule.
Then suddenly—
"Ahhhh! My menstruation is here!"
She froze. Then panicked.
'Crap, I forgot this world doesn't have… modern supplies!'
Her eyes darted to the fabric box.How do ancient women survive this horror?! Will it leak through?! Am I going to destroy imperial sheets?!
Deciding it was safest to lie still and not move at all, she cocooned herself in her blanket and stared at the ceiling like a tragic hero.
Not long after, Eunuch Xin entered, announcing nervously:"Your Majesty, His Imperial Highness has informed this servant that His Majesty will be visiting you tonight. Please prepare to serve—"
Wan'er bolted upright."S-stop! Tell him I'm having menstrual pain and can't receive guests!"
Eunuch Xin blinked, taken aback. "A-ah… yes, Your Majesty."
Once he left, Wan'er sighed in relief and weakly waved at Ruan."Ruan, help me bathe and then I'm going to sleep for a week."
She giggled sleepily. "Hehehe… finally, I can rest in peace—A-AUCH!"
Ruan facepalmed. "Your Majesty, please stop jinxing yourself."
That night—
In another hall, Emperor Xiang frowned as he read the eunuch's report."She said… menstrual pain?"
The emperor leaned back, expression darkening."She hasn't called for me in fifteen days."
The shadow guard wisely remained silent.
Emperor Xiang scowled."Fine. Let her rest. Hmph."
But despite his words, he was in a bad mood all evening.The favored Li Ruyi tried to entertain him with poetry and music, but he only sipped his tea, bored out of his mind.
Meanwhile, far away in the Empress's quarters, Wan'er was curled under her blanket, drooling happily in her sleep.
Her farm was growing beautifully.Her plan to avoid her husband was working.And her life was—
"Perfect," she mumbled dreamily.
The next day, the entire palace whispered again.
"The Empress rejected His Majesty last night!""Maybe she's unwell?""No, I heard she's busy… cultivating radishes."