While ordinary nobles entered through the west door, passing the ‘Room of Imperial History,’ the Emperor, royalty, and VIPs made their entrance using the spiral staircase spread like wings from the second-floor VIP room.
“The eleven Empress candidates are now entering.”
The music from the east glass balcony stopped, and the voice of the royal banquet manager echoed through the hall.
As he began to announce each candidate’s family and name, the nobles and representatives of various nations turned their heads to watch the staircase.
The banquet hall fell silent, so quiet that even a needle dropping on the floor could be heard. All eyes alternated between the Emperor descending the spiral staircase and the lady standing in the center of the hall.
The Emperor, in his dark gray tailcoat adorned with golden buttons and edging, drew the attention of women who moistened their dry lips and men who puffed out their chests and bellies.
Tonight’s first dance partner for the Emperor was Princess Lilybet of Sevillez.
As she smiled at the descending Emperor, she looked dazzlingly beautiful, like an angel descending from the heaven painted on the ceiling.
The Emperor, with a charming smile on his lips, briefly let his eyes linger on the candidates behind her before moving away.
“Lady Arabel… is not in a condition to dance, I’ve been informed.”
As the Emperor passed the VIP room to descend to the banquet hall, a flustered servant reported to him.
Without revealing any emotion, the Emperor listened as his aide, Kyle, hurriedly added.
“Just now, the ladies went to the powder room to change into their dance shoes, and Lady Arabel’s shoe heel broke. She didn’t injure herself severely, but she slightly sprained her leg, making it difficult for her to dance.”
At Kyle’s words, “She sprained her leg,” the Emperor’s eyebrows briefly twitched before returning to their usual position.
“The Emperor had the privilege to choose his first dance partner, so Lady Arabel was put at the top of the list, but it seems now he’ll have to dance in the order of the families.”
Kyle said, watching the Emperor’s expression.
“It can’t be helped. Was it Princess Lilybet, my first dance partner?”
“Yes, yes. From the Kingdom of Sevillez, the niece of Her Imperial Highness the Empress Dowager.”
“Understood. Let’s go down.”
With his cool, unshaken red eyes fixed ahead, the Emperor’s long legs confidently moved towards the entrance of the banquet hall.
“It looks like we’ll have a couple of hours to stretch our legs and relax. Oh, I’m so drained.”
“I couldn’t sleep a wink last night. I had to change her pearl face pack every hour.”
“If she isn’t chosen as the last dance partner tonight, how will we handle her hysteria…”
The maids, having sent their ladies to the banquet hall, briefly let out their pent-up emotions.
In the storage of the palace annex, where they distributed new bath soaps, fragrances, and laundry soaps, the trio of maids scrutinized the quality of the items they received.
“I knew this would happen. Why don’t they ever give us Hicteri soap? Last time, I saw the other ladies received Hicteri laundry soap. They give us these cheap soaps instead. Our lady’s clothes don’t get properly cleaned!”
“Look at this, Head Maid. They didn’t give us the Kerones hair oil either. That oil not only makes the hair shiny but its scent lasts for a week. If they discriminate against us openly like this, we will formally protest!”
Vera and Dina raised their voices, looking at the items in the other maids’ baskets. The maid in charge frowned and shouted back.
“If you have complaints, go to your lady. It was your lady who personally requested us not to give these to you!”
“That’s ridiculous…! Are you saying our lady asked you not to give us these quality items? Today, I saw the other ladies’ hair shining so much that ants could slip off it.”
“It’s your fault! Is your skin made differently from ours? Really, it’s disgusting to look at.”
“What does that mean?”
Vera stepped forward, questioning the maids who were glaring at them.
“Don’t you get it yet? Your lady requested that these items be removed because they harm the skin of her maids!”
The shout of the maid in charge drew more of the other ladies’ maids.
“Who doesn’t know that long-term use of Hicteri laundry soap causes skin sores and allergies? But we use it because it cleans well. And yes, Kerones oil causes blisters and itching on the hands, but we tolerate it for our ladies. It’s our job!”
The maids looked at their own hands, reddened and blistered without realizing it. Indeed, they used these products despite the side effects because it was their job. Using these items made their ladies stand out more.
The trio of maids also looked at their own hands. Now they realized why their hands and feet, which had been suffering from sores and allergies, were clean. They had been using these products daily back at the count’s house.
Choked up and unable to speak, the trio listened as the maid in charge asked.
“Then, are you telling me you didn’t know that your lady exchanged the expensive items meant for her for skin oils for you?”
The maids surrounding the trio looked at them with mixed emotions.
On the way back to the annex, Dina, with tearful eyes, rubbed them with the back of her hand.
“The oil the lady brought from the warehouse and gave to us… was it that oil?”
“Yes. That natural oil is so precious for skin recovery.”
“The oil greatly improved Rosa’s hands. Remember when Rosa was in charge of the former countess and her daughters’ hair? She had to use that terrible oil so much that her hands were a mess. She couldn’t even sleep properly at night. So, you knew about it.”
“To think she knew about our struggles…”
“Sob, actually… I’ve been regretting a little. Following Lady Arabel to the palace. Worried that we might make a mistake in front of the future Empress and suffer for it. Sob. I didn’t realize Lady Arabel was thinking about us this much, sob.”
As Dina sobbed, Vera glanced down at her own plump hands and nodded.
“Whoo-hoo-hoo…”
Suddenly, a loud cry came from behind them. Turning around, they saw Rosa had collapsed to the floor, beginning to wail uncontrollably.
“What should I do…uh-huh-huh… Lady, Lady’s shoes… I’ve committed a terrible sin!”
Male lead first thought she played hard to get, only to realize she
really disliked him
Short intro:
What she can’t stand the most is the streets full of effeminate men, especially that so-called top beauty whom she avoids at all costs.
Shen Yaoxing looks at Jiang Mingyue, who keeps approaching her with coy shyness.
Shen Yaoxing: Bro, don’t be like this, I’m really about to throw up!
She fears nothing in heaven or earth, except for him getting close to her.
*
At first he thought she was just using the trick of feigning indifference to attract his attention. Later, he learned that she truly despised him.
This dealt a heavy blow to Jiang Mingyue, and he vowed to make her, like everyone else, fall at his feet in worship!
***
Synopsis:
Before transmigrating, Shen Yaoxing only wanted to find a reliable man to spend her life with. Who knew that after transmigrating, she would become a reliable woman herself…
A forced misandrist, highly skilled, and reliable female lead
vs.
An initially aloof and arrogant, later morbid, obsessed male lead
_____
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