Chapter 1 is just about death, isn't it? I'll do it myself.
This novel is high-energy from start to finish, full of recklessness and madness, so exhilarating that you'll feel like you're flying, right up to the very end.
Brain storage area...
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Early summer of the seventh year of the Kangxi reign
The faint sound of the water clock in the Qianqing Palace could be heard, and Jiang Nan opened her eyes with a splitting headache.
What comes into view are carved wooden beams and a bluish-gray tent roof.
A faint scent of sandalwood and a bitter medicinal smell filled the air.
She sat up abruptly and found herself in a small room.
Beneath her was a hard wooden bed, and she was wearing only a thin white undergarment.
Memories flooded back—memories that didn't belong to her.
Her name was Jiang Nan, a food delivery worker in the 21st century. She died suddenly on her electric scooter yesterday after delivering orders for 72 consecutive hours.
Now, at the age of sixteen, he is a bondservant of the Imperial Household Department during the Kangxi era, and a member of a collateral branch of the Guarjia clan.
Last night, Emperor Kangxi was drunk at a banquet, and she was ordered to serve him, and then…
Fragmented images flashed by.
A bright yellow hem of clothing, scorching breath, pain and fear.
Then, after Kangxi went to court, several palace maids with indistinct faces pressed down on her.
He rudely gulped down a bowl of bitter, throat-irritating medicinal soup.
The original owner died in extreme pain.
And then, she arrived.
"Holy shit..."
Jiang Nan couldn't help but swear, her voice hoarse.
"I'm already dressed up? Or is it a hellish start?"
Although I was exhausted like a dog in my past life, at least I was a free man, wearing a yellow jacket and riding an electric scooter, with no worries about food or clothing.
Now look what's happened, I've been dressed up as a servant.
She finally got lucky and was favored by the most noble man in the world.
Before they could even understand what was happening, they were given poison.
The Kangxi Emperor's harem truly lived up to its reputation; its efficiency in killing was outrageously high.
She subconsciously touched her throat and stomach, finding no discomfort except for psychological nausea caused by the original owner's memories.
"It's all over, it's all over."
Jiang Nan quickly calmed down, her mind racing.
Emperor Kangxi probably forgot all about me as soon as he went to court.
Since the mastermind made the first move and discovered I wasn't dead, there will definitely be a second and a third...
Unless I possess extraordinary abilities, I won't survive past the second episode in this cannibalistic place.
Panic and despair spread.
How could she, a modern-day office worker, with no physical strength, survive in this palace where rules reigned supreme?
"Where's the cheat code? System daddy? Golden finger? Grandpa? Sign-in system? Spatial artifact? Just give me anything!"
Jiang Nan lowered her voice and muttered nervously to the air.
"Mother Earth, Transcendence Administration, give me some response! I'll start with one life, and I'll even pick up all the equipment myself."
Silence.
Only the faint sound of the wind outside the window and her own pounding heartbeat could be heard.
Well, Mother Earth really did forget about her unfortunate child.
Jiang Nan slumped his shoulders resignedly, it seemed he really had to start from scratch... no, he had to fight for his life with his bare hands.
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Just then, footsteps and hushed conversations came from outside the door, growing louder as they approached.
"The person has been taken care of? Is he in this room?"
"Yes, Eunuch Wang told us to pack up quickly and get out of the palace tonight, as soon as possible."
"Tsk, what bad luck... a slut who climbs into bed, and we have to take action against her."
"Say less. It's an order from above, especially from that person in Kunning Palace... They ordered us to keep things clean."
Before he could finish speaking, the old wooden door creaked open from the outside.
Two old nannies, dressed in dark blue palace attire and with stern faces, walked in one after the other.
Six eyes met.
The air froze instantly.
The expressions on the two old women's faces changed from indifference to astonishment to horror, as if they had seen a ghost in broad daylight.
Standing in front, Granny Li pointed at Jiang Nan with trembling fingers.
"You...you, how are you still alive?"
The old woman behind her, Zhang, was also quite frightened and suddenly looked at her companion.
"Did you not drink it? How is that possible!"
Granny Li's face turned deathly pale, and she said in a shrill voice.
"Nonsense! I forced it down his throat myself. Don't you know how potent that drug is? I even checked his breathing; he was clearly dead, his body was half-cold. This...this..."
Looking at Jiang Nan, who was sitting perfectly fine on the bed, her face pale but clearly a living person, she began to question the meaning of life.
Jiang Nan's last glimmer of hope was extinguished.
As expected, I have to die again.
run?
The entrance was completely blocked by the two old women.
Shout? In this deep palace, who would come to save a servant who has climbed into bed?
I'm afraid they'll die even faster.
A wave of exhaustion and a sense of absurdity washed over me.
She finally endured countless hardships to deliver food, only to die suddenly and then have to suffer in another place.
It's still this godforsaken place where there are no human rights and people are killed at the drop of a hat!
A surge of anger, a feeling of "what's the use of trying" welled up inside him.
She suddenly stood up, startling the two old women who shrank back.
"Alright, alright, stop yelling."
Jiang Nan spoke, her voice so calm that even she was surprised.
"So what if I die again? I understand. Come on, where's the medicine? Give me a quick death, stop torturing me."
Her gaze swept across the room, and she immediately spotted a familiar empty bowl on the small table next to her.
There were still some dark brown medicinal stains at the bottom of the bowl, and next to it was a small soup bowl that was obviously freshly served.
Looks like it's a backup poison, in case she comes back to life? Perfect, that solves everything.
She strode over, leaving Li Mama and Zhang Mama staring in disbelief.
He yanked open the lid of the soup bowl, tilted his head back, and gulped it down into his mouth.
The medicine was extremely bitter and had a strange, fishy smell that made her roll her eyes.
But she gritted her teeth and drank it all in one go.
"Clang!"
She slammed the empty soup bowl back onto the table, wiped the medicine from the corner of her mouth, and looked at the two old women with a look of grim determination.
"Alright, I'll just sit here and wait to die. You guys wait a bit!"
He thought to himself, "I don't want to be a slave in the Qing Dynasty anyway. The sooner I die, the sooner I can be reborn. Maybe I can even travel back in time."
The two old women were completely dumbfounded, their mouths agape, unable to close them for a long time.
They served in the palace for decades and handled all sorts of shady matters.
I've seen people cry and beg for mercy, I've seen people faint from fright, and I've seen people silently weep and resign themselves to their fate.
I've never seen anyone so eager to drink poison and even urge others to die quickly!
Is this girl who climbed into bed scared out of her wits?
Granny Li was the first to react, looking at Jiang Nan with a surprised and uncertain expression, and whispered to Granny Zhang.
"What...what's going on? That medicine..."
Granny Zhang was also horrified.
"That medicine was freshly brewed by me, exactly the same as the previous bowl, absolutely no problem, how could she..."
Time passed little by little.
Jiang Nan sat there, eyes closed, waiting for the familiar pain and death to come.
One breath...
Two breaths…
Ten breaths…
One minute...
Nothing happened.
There was no severe abdominal pain, no burning throat, and no difficulty breathing.
Aside from feeling a slight chill and discomfort in my stomach from the cold medicine I had been given, I felt nothing else.
Jiang Nan opened her eyes in confusion, stood up, touched her stomach, and moved her limbs.
Intact and undamaged.
She even felt a little better than before?
Why am I not dead yet?
She murmured to herself unconsciously.
The two old women stared intently at her, their eyes filled with growing terror.
They knew the effects of this drug all too well; it was effective the moment it touched their lips, and it was impossible for it to remain unresponsive for so long.
A ridiculously absurd thought suddenly flashed through Jiang Nan's mind.
"No way... Am I immune to all poisons?"
What kind of outrageous setting is this? What happened to the Qing Dynasty history? How did it turn into a martial arts fantasy?
So Mother Earth still loves her after all?
That's some seriously amazing cheat code...
She suddenly looked up at the two terrified old women.
The three of them stared at each other, bewildered.
The atmosphere became awkward and strange for a moment.
Jiang Nan's ecstasy lasted only three seconds before quickly cooling down.
What good is being immune to all poisons?
It's not like I'm indestructible!
These two old women were clearly not to be trifled with, and they were quite agile.
Why not call a few people and beat her to death? Make her suffer again before she dies?
Or you could knock her unconscious and bury her, but she'd still die anyway!
What to do? What to do now?
Playing tricks? Trying to scare them?
The surprise and suspicion on Li Mama's face gradually turned into ruthlessness. She had obviously thought of this as well, and the murderous intent reappeared in her eyes.
"You didn't die? Hmph, then don't blame me for sending you on your way. Girl, blame your bad luck for messing with the wrong person."
As she spoke, she gave Zhang Mama a wink, and the two of them approached Jiang Nan step by step.
Jiang Nan's heart pounded, and she instinctively stepped back, her back slamming against the wall.
There's no way out!
At the critical moment, a flash of inspiration struck me.
He suddenly raised his hand and shouted sharply, "Stop right there!"
Her shout was so abrupt and fierce that it actually made the two old women stop in their tracks.
Jiang Nan forcibly suppressed the fear in her heart and forced a strange and mysterious smile onto her face.
He lowered his voice, mimicking a mysterious, rambling tone.
"Two old women... haven't you ever thought about why I'm still standing here and talking to you perfectly fine after drinking that bowl of deadly poison twice?"
"The King of Hell won't take me... He just told me that my lifespan isn't over yet."
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Dear readers, please be patient. The protagonist's path to becoming an empress dowager begins in the next chapter.
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