"So you mean you've forgotten everything that happened before?" Pei Jinxiu asked, looking completely unconvinced.
"Amnesia would be one thing, but think about it: I fell into the lake in the dead of winter and wasn't rescued for a whole hour—my body was already stiff as a corpse," Ning Wanwan said, before suddenly pausing as a thought struck her: Why would a Noble Consort, favored above all others in the inner palace, be left in a freezing lake for an hour before anyone saved her?
A conspiracy theory formed in her mind. When they pulled her out, her body was reportedly frozen solid, looking just like a female ghost.
She had thought herself done for, yet somehow she survived. No wonder those people in the palace were so terrified of her; it probably wasn't just because of her notoriously bad temper when she was alive, but rather because she had "returned from the dead."
So who was trying to kill her? She had transmigrated only after the original owner's death, with no script and no memories, and she couldn't get a straight answer out of the palace maids anyway, so she had simply let the matter drop.
If she hadn't transmigrated into this body, the original owner would likely have been buried long ago. Now that she was still alive, the person who had tried to harm her would surely strike again; all she needed to do was sit quietly and wait for them to make their move.
Besides, the fact that even Pei Jinxiu hadn't been able to investigate what happened to her—was the culprit that good at hiding, or was this whole affair a cover-up?
This emperor probably wasn't as deeply in love with her as he appeared on the surface. All that talk about childhood sweethearts and a deeply devoted couple was absolute bullshit.
By now, Ning Wanwan had more or less adapted to everything here, yet the original owner's consciousness still hadn't completely dissipated, lingering like an unavenged ghost.
Ning Wanwan hadn't wanted to get involved in all this, but the more time she spent with Pei Jinxiu, the more she dreamed about the events of "Ning Wanwan's" life, until it felt as though she and "Ning Wanwan" were one and the same. Those dreams flashed past like a lantern show, growing more and more painful with each recurrence, until eventually Ning Wanwan couldn't tell whether the pain belonged to her or the original owner.
Recalling horror movies she had watched in the past, Ning Wanwan wondered if the original owner wanted her to do something.
If she was actually expected to do something, Ning Wanwan would just have to admit she had no brain at all.
By evening, Pei Jinxiu and Ning Wanwan changed into ordinary clothes and headed out to the bustling main street.
"It's so lively and prosperous," Ning Wanwan murmured, experiencing for the very first time what an ancient, bustling street was truly like. It was even more magnificent than anything on television.
The marketplace was a sea of bustling voices; the roads were wide and smooth. Multiple markets operated at once, thousands of lights and fires reflecting off the azure clouds, while a bright moon hung high in the sky. The continuous cries of roadside peddlers blended with the music drifting down from gorgeous pavilions, creating what seemed like the most beautiful scene in the human world.
Just then, a woman selling wine stepped out from an open window on the upper floor of a magnificent pavilion. She possessed a graceful figure and exquisite makeup, every flutter of her eyelashes and curve of her smile oozing charm.
"My lord, come buy some wine. Drink the wine here, and I guarantee you'll be intoxicated by pleasure and unable to tear yourself away," the woman said with a laugh behind her hand, casually untying an intricate sachet from her slender waist and tossing it down. The sachet cut through the air and landed securely right in Pei Jinxiu's arms.
Onlookers chuckled at the sight, and one person even chimed in with a tease: "Mistress Niang, stop flirting with the young lord! His little lady there is going to get jealous!"
"Ah?" Ning Wanwan pointed at herself. *Me?*
Many people burst into laughter. A sudden wave of awkwardness washed over Ning Wanwan; her heart hammered and her face burned so fiercely she felt like she could dig a hole and crawl into it right on the spot—well, probably not a castle, since castles weren't allowed in ancient times.
Pei Jinxiu, however, remained entirely at ease. He held the sachet in his hand for a moment before tossing it back up.
The pavilion wasn't high, and the woman caught the sachet again.
Pei Jinxiu's soft chuckle brushed against her ear as he said, "My little lady gets jealous and isn't easily coaxed. Another day, perhaps." With that, his large palm wrapped around Ning Wanwan's hand, pulling her along.
"Hmph, what a bore," the woman on the pavilion laughed lightly, turning and walking away.
People streamed through the crowded streets as Pei Jinxiu and Ning Wanwan threaded their way through the throng, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
"Wow, these things are so pretty," Ning Wanwan exclaimed, eyeing the exquisite hairpins and various animal-shaped trinkets on the stall.
Noticing her interest, the vendor enthusiastically pitched his wares, showering them with flattery.
"Do you like them?" Pei Jinxiu asked.
"Obviously." Ning Wanwan felt like she liked everything in sight, and without another word, Pei Jinxiu bought the entire lot.
Her eyes shining, Ning Wanwan exclaimed, "Pei Jinxiu, you're so rich!" As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized it wasn't quite right—he was the Son of Heaven, the Emperor; the entire realm belonged to him, and this tiny sum of money meant nothing at all.
The vendor bit down on a piece of gold to test it, and upon confirming it was real, his face broke into a broad grin as he showered the couple with praise, calling them a handsome man and beautiful woman made for each other.
"You're welcome back anytime!" the shop assistant shouted after them.
Seeing how wealthy they were, the surrounding vendors redoubled their efforts to pitch their goods. Since Ning Wanwan was a newcomer who knew nothing of the world and liked everything she saw, Pei Jinxiu ended up buying out nearly every street they visited.
With no attendants following them, Pei Jinxiu was left carrying everything—bundles upon bundles of packages.
Looking at him, Ning Wanwan couldn't help laughing. She had never imagined that after transmigrating, not only would she get a husband for free, but he would also be a young, handsome emperor who was not only gentle and attentive but completely doting.
Their current appearance reminded Ning Wanwan of the couples she used to see everywhere on the streets in modern times; they seemed just like that—the girl willful and spoiled, the boy indulging her every whim.
Ning Wanwan felt herself sinking deeper and deeper. Even though he was an emperor with three thousand beauties in his harem, at least for this moment, he belonged entirely to her alone.
Ning Wanwan summed it up in two words: sheer bliss.