“Lady Leak, may I know… your ladyship’s name?”
‘I’ve been caught.’
Julia bit her plump, red lower lip. Though inwardly she felt quite smug, outwardly she put on a troubled expression.
“Oh, Your Majesty. That person is from a foreign country and asked earnestly to keep it confidential as the transaction was done discreetly in the black market.”
So the maid who stole the necklace and ran away sold it in the black market. That must have been what happened. Having traded in the black market, they wouldn’t want it revealed right away even if it came to light someday. However, Patricia had to recover the necklace even if it meant paying a hefty price.
“Please convey my situation to the lady. It’s a wedding gift, and since the ice wall has been closed, we can no longer mine those diamonds.”
“The lady said she would be returning to her country soon.”
Patricia hesitated for a moment. Harchen was scheduled to leave the palace tomorrow. If he found out about this situation, he would surely try to investigate even the black market. Things might get noisy.
She wanted to find the necklace quietly. She decided that the right time would be when the Emperor had left the palace.
“Could I meet her before she leaves the country? Even tomorrow would be fine.”
“She might be troubled if she knew I reported this to Your Majesty. But I’ll try asking her anyway.”
“I would appreciate that.”
Julia said, tapping her left palm with her folding fan.
“But wouldn’t the lady be uncomfortable if Your Majesty brings knights? Her status in her home country is quite significant, you see.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll leave the knights behind and only bring one maid.”
“Well then, I’ll go meet the lady right away. When the amount the lady wants and the meeting place and time are set, I’ll send my maid.”
“Yes, if I recover the necklace, I won’t forget this favor.”
While conversing with the Empress, Julia subtly lowered her gaze to observe closely.
‘Hah. How could this be, she’s completely forgotten. She doesn’t recognize me at all.’
“The Emperor and I studied abroad together at Tane Academy.”
“I see. Tell me about your academy days next time we meet.”
‘If such an opportunity arises.’
Julia lowered her head further, twisting her lips into a smile. Then she slowly rose, gracefully bowed her upper body in greeting, and left.
Patricia thought she had done well to grant her an audience and went to her office.
She instructed a maid to go to Notos Palace and bring Eva.
In the office, she read the documents the administrator had given her for reference. The administrator was meticulous and thorough to the point of being fastidious, but explained things kindly.
First, he showed her the land register for the real estate allocated to the Empress. Apart from the profits gained from operating the real estate, the annual inner court grant was an astronomical figure.
The administrator explained how to use the key to the safe storing gold coins and the imperial checkbook.
Separate budgets were allocated for everything from the Empress’s ceremonial and personal item purchases, White Palace management and staff salaries, celebratory banquets and travel expenses, garden party costs, to minor events like academy visits, with reserves set aside for each.
The administrator also taught her how to classify various types of documents and gave her a few documents written by previous empresses.
At the end of each year, they would set a reserve budget and submit it to the administration office, which would go through the administrator and then through the aide to receive the Emperor’s approval. After that, the grant would be paid in the new year.
Most years ended with a surplus, and the remaining funds could be managed personally by the Empress.
Patricia couldn’t understand why her pre-amnesia self had delegated such a profitable business to the administrator and showed no interest.
In the case of the previous Empress Aldisha, she had set an excessive reserve budget, and even the Empress’s real estate flowed to her natal Orteo family. The Orteo family didn’t stop there and even touched the imperial finances.
The administrator carefully explained that when Harchen was the Crown Prince, he uncovered this corruption, and the head and key figures of the Orteo family were successively imprisoned, with some real estate and several stores in Epi Street being returned to the imperial treasury.
Patricia hadn’t spent a single gold leaf from the grant given upon her imperial marriage. She firmly grasped the key to the safe. She planned to cover the amount needed to recover the necklace from the ceremonial budget.
She intended to use it as little as possible after finding the necklace.
Her natal imperial family of Tane Empire wouldn’t need to request financial support once Patrick became Emperor.
Rather, she planned to reduce the size of the White Palace staff.
She wanted to do something meaningful with the remaining amount from well-managed grants. She didn’t have any immediate plans, but thought she should make plans over time.
Ah!
She focused on a thought that flashed through her mind like lightning.
A female inspector academy. Yes, let’s establish an academy for women. Patricia opened a notebook and calmly wrote down her thoughts, fearing her memory might become confused again.
A maid announced that Eva had arrived.
“Come in.”
Patricia offered Eva a sofa and instructed the maid to bring tea. After the maid left, Patricia got up from her desk and went to the sofa.
Sitting in front of Eva, she relayed what had happened with Lady Julia.
“The necklace is with a foreign lady?”
“Yes, so come here prepared after His Majesty leaves the palace tomorrow.”
“I will, but wouldn’t it be better to discuss this with Sir Lean?”
“We have to wait for contact from the lady’s side.”
“If there’s no word from the lady’s side, wouldn’t it be better to discuss this with Sir Calip or another knight?”
“Sir Calip would naturally side with His Majesty. My intuition tells me she’ll come. I said I’d give her the gold coins as she demands.”
“But didn’t His Majesty tell you not to dwell on it?”
“That’s true, but I want to find it since it’s a set with the couple ring.”
Eva had never seen Lady Julia, but something didn’t feel right. It just so happened that the maid who stole the necklace was formerly Lady Julia’s maid.
“Then, shall I go alone?”
“The lady actually suggested that first, but then she thought for a moment and corrected herself. She probably doesn’t trust her maid either, since that Lena stole jewelry several times when she was the lady’s maid.”
“No, how could such a person be recommended as a maid for the Empress’s palace?”
The maid Lena that Eva had observed didn’t mix with other maids and was quiet. She always carried a book with her, and during idle times, she would sit properly and read, which made Eva look at her with affectionate eyes.
“Eva, prepare a black robe that can cover the head and entire body.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will do so.”
*
The Emperor received political reports from his aide and skimmed through summaries of important meetings.
“Your Majesty, these documents need your signature before you leave.”
“Leave them there.”
When the Emperor finished reviewing and signing dozens of pages of documents, Calip and the head of security entered.
“Your Majesty, we’ve met with him.”
“Report.”
Calip and the head of security had met with Bark, the leader of the Heun clan hunters.
They went directly to the hideout at the entrance of the Roche mountain range from Kaosan. Bark had met with Calip and the Minister of Foreign Affairs several times as a representative of the Heun clan.
There was a reason why they were called to their hideout instead of Arteum, which had been the meeting place until now.
Saying they had found and disposed of the hunter Billy who had violated the Heun clan hunters’ guidelines by using poison arrows, Bark took Calip and the head of security to a birch forest.
Flocks of black birds with fiercely glowing eyes were clinging to a corpse hanging between the white trees. He said he had called them to show this.
Bark also always expressed deep reverence for the Empire’s policy of accepting the Heun clan as imperial citizens and emphasized his loyalty as an imperial citizen.
He gave them blood oath documents from the remaining seven Heun clan hunters. Calip opened a circular leather container and handed the emperor a rolled-up mulberry paper.
“Calip. Bern will be here soon. When he arrives, explain and show him.”
The Emperor looked at the blood oath that had turned dark red with a serious expression and handed it back to Calip.
As Calip was picking up the lid of the leather container, a servant announced that Bern had arrived. The Emperor ordered the aide and administrator shuffling papers at the office round table to leave.
“Come in.”
It had been a long time since Bern had seen his lord. He moved his limping leg stiffly towards the Emperor. He knelt on his left knee and paid his respects.
“Bern. We leave for Tane tomorrow. You choose two knights and return to your post to guard the Empress.”
“By your command.”
“Ensure she absolutely does not leave White Palace.”
“By your command.”
“Don’t let your guard down even inside the palace, and for food as well, have her use only Argentum cutlery and taste it yourself before serving.”
“By your command.”
“At night, I allow up to the reception room, guard her with the maid from Tane until I return to the palace.”
“By your command.”
“If she gets even slightly injured, you’ll have to forfeit your life then.”
“By your command.”
“Lastly, one more thing, sword duels with the Empress are also forbidden.”
“Pardon? Yes.”
“Whether the Empress throws down a glove or a sword, it’s absolutely forbidden.”
“Everything according to my lord’s will.”
“Go and guard her from now. Tell her I’ll have dinner at White Palace.”
“By your command.”
Bern went to White Palace with two knights he had pre-selected. He knelt before the Empress, who was having tea with the maid from Tane on the office sofa, paid his respects, and announced his return as a guard knight.
“Your Majesty’s sword, Bern and the knights pledge their loyalty to Your Majesty.”
“Sir. I’m glad you’ve recovered. I’m counting on you.”
Patricia thought it fortunate that Bern, who was younger than Sir Lean and familiar to her, was in charge of the guard.
A maid sent by Julia brought a letter with the meeting place, time, and amount of gold coins. Patricia replied that she would comply and sent her back immediately. After memorizing the contents of the letter, she showed it to Eva and had her memorize it as well.
She burned the paper and was thinking of ways to shake off Eva, Bern, and the knights when a maid announced that the Emperor had arrived.
“Already? The dinner preparations probably aren’t finished yet.”
“Don’t you like it? I finished my work early and came because I wanted to see you as soon as possible.”
The Emperor entered the reception room, bent down to kiss Patricia on the cheek, and sat across from her. Eva greeted and asked,
“Your Majesty, shall I bring an aperitif?”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Then, I’ll come to inform you when dinner is ready.”
As Eva left, the Emperor sat on the armrest of the sofa where Patricia was sitting and took out a notebook he had been holding under his arm. It was the notebook Carolina had made as a gift.
“This. You left it in my bedroom.”
The Emperor flipped through a few pages and read aloud.
“I wasn’t interested in love. The sky and clouds, passing winds, the songs of birds. I had more affection for such things. But when I met you… The pain that struck like lightning, piercing my heart, and your voice and gaze spreading like a fantasy, all of these gripped my sleep and dreams…”
The Emperor reached out to grasp a handful of Patricia’s hair and held it to his nose to smell its fragrance.
“Your gaze, voice, breath, laughter. Through you, I learned love.”
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
