The Female Alpha Consort Mistakenly Marks the Empress

Perhaps it was a case of wanting something and having it appear—the eunuch from the palace soon arrived at the post station.

Lord Qi originally didn’t want Madam Xu to come along; he planned to go alone. But Madam Xu insisted on hearing everything with her own ears.

He had no choice. In front of the emperor’s envoy, Lord Qi couldn’t lie. He only tried to reassure the eunuch by saying they would rest for a few days, and then his younger daughter would definitely be sent into the palace.

The eunuch seemed to approve, nodding as they flicked the horsetail whisk in their hand. “Good. With your word, we can be at ease. In that case, wait here for the next few days.”

Their narrow, upward-slanted eyes darted back and forth between the two, carefully observing their expressions.

These two seemed weighed down with thoughts. Lord Qi looked like he wanted to send his daughter into the palace, but the woman beside him—her expression was different.

She clearly didn’t want Qi Yingzhu to enter the palace. Tsk, what kind of couple couldn’t even agree together?

Just as the eunuch suspected, Madam Xu was practically fuming.

“His Imperial Majesty only sent me ahead to inquire,” the eunuch added, giving a shallow bow before preparing to leave.

Outside, a young eunuch waiting nearby stepped forward. “Lord An, how did it go? Are we returning right away?”

The eunuch looked at him with those narrow, slanted eyes. “What do you think? When has His Imperial Majesty’s order ever been something that could be taken back?”

The young eunuch shivered under the rebuke and dared not say another word.

“As for returning to the palace… no rush.”

The young eunuch looked at her in surprise, clearly confused.

A subtle glint flickered in the eunuch’s eyes.

In truth, while she had just declared that His Imperial Majesty’s order couldn’t be overturned, she wasn’t so sure inside. Though she had come at the emperor’s command to inquire, she had also received a threatening letter.

The sender was likely someone who didn’t want His Imperial Majesty to take a new empress—attached to the letter were a few casually mentioned names and places, which happened to correspond with her long-standing secrets and crimes.

By the end of the letter, she was drenched in cold sweat. Anyone who knew so many of her secrets and could deliver a letter straight to her hand was certainly no ordinary person.

…Perhaps it was one of the Highnesses who didn’t want this aged emperor to remarry, fearing a newcomer would contaminate the palace.

It seemed the higher-ups didn’t value this matter too much either. Otherwise, the Qi family would’ve been welcomed into the palace by now. Then again, maybe it was exactly because that “the Highness” opposed it that the Qi family had only been treated this coldly.

Eunuch An rubbed her temples and told herself not to think too deeply.

No matter which side it was, she couldn’t afford to offend either—His Imperial Majesty likely had only a few days left to live. In the shifting tides of imperial power, the worst thing to do was to stand on the wrong side.

If this hidden Highness didn’t want another consort to enter Kun Ning Palace, then she had better act accordingly.

She had already fulfilled her task of delivering the emperor’s order. How to report back was now her own problem to handle.

She couldn’t offend either party. As for who this Highness was, she didn’t need to know. All she needed to understand was that this “the Highness” didn’t want the Qi family’s daughter in the palace.

***

As soon as the eunuch left, Madam Xu immediately erupted, angrily questioning Lord Qi: “Qi Zhongxuan, explain yourself! Weren’t we delaying it? Why are you now promising to send our daughter into the palace? Qi Yingzhu is in no condition to enter!”

Qi Yingzhu couldn’t enter, and Little Nian didn’t want to enter—in other words, no one could go. The whole thing had to fall through. No one should go into the palace!

He promised—but who was he planning to send?

Lord Qi still kept a calm face and tried to pacify her. “Wife, don’t be so upset. A command from the emperor cannot be defied. How about we have someone investigate Yingzhu, see if she lied? Or like I said, I’ll go speak with the eunuch… see if we can keep it hidden.”

“How can this be hidden?” Madam Xu shook her head. “I’ve already looked into it. Back in the emperor’s heyday, there was an omega who was found to have lost her purity and when she entered the palace—they executed three generations of that person’s family!”

Lord Qi went silent. He didn’t want to face the risk of family extermination.

He carried the hope of bringing honor to his ancestors. There was no way he’d doom his lineage.

“In any case, investigating Qi Yingzhu… fine,” Madam Xu’s eyes flickered with a complicated light. “But leave this to me. And it won’t yield results overnight. More importantly, why did you promise the emperor so quickly?”

Yingzhu couldn’t enter directly. The risk was too high.

“But Little Nian can’t go either,” Madam Xu added, pressing her lips together. “She’s still so young, and the emperor is so old. Wouldn’t she just become a living widow in that palace? The decision you just made was far too hasty.”

Lord Qi seemed annoyed and finally cast her a sideways glance. “The second daughter can’t go, the eldest doesn’t want to go, the emperor’s envoy has already come, and I’ve given my word. Do we have any other omegas in the family? All you ever say is Yingzhu can’t go, Little Nian doesn’t want to go…”

He let out a cold laugh.

His wife truly lacked foresight. Whether it was Qi Yingzhu or Qi Nian who entered the palace—it made no difference to him, or to the family.

Xu Yuan really couldn’t see the bigger picture.

That mocking tone immediately brought anger to Madam Xu’s face.

“Yes, neither daughter wants to go. We should wait and see,” she said slowly, a frown forming between her brows. Her lips twitched slightly.

But Lord Qi said carelessly, “What can waiting solve? If the younger can’t go, then the older one will. What’s with that look you’re giving me?” Seeing her sullen expression, he sneered. “What? You want to go instead?”

Those two mocking words—“You go”—instantly lit Madam Xu’s fury.

“You—what do you even understand,” she shouted, slamming the table and standing up abruptly. “You old bastard! You just want wealth and status. Now you’re selling your daughter for glory! Our daughters don’t want to go, but you’re acting like you’re dying to go yourself!”

“You—” Qi Zhongxuan was furious, his beard bristling, eyes bulging. “You know nothing! Shut your mouth!”

“What, you’re upset that you’re an alpha instead of omega? Like that’s any better! Don’t think I don’t know about all the filthy things you’ve done out there—”

“You’re spouting nonsense!”

***

Clang, crash—the sounds of dishes falling and shattering rang through the compound, startling everyone nearby as they tried to locate the source of the noise.

The post station housed all kinds of people, but this was the emperor’s city, the heart of the capital—this kind of chaos was unacceptable.

Little Mi, who had been sweeping the courtyard, was startled by the shouting and crashing. Clutching her chest, she barely calmed her nerves before dropping her broom and stumbling toward her mistress’s quarters, wanting to comfort her.

But when she opened the door, she found Qi Yingzhu calmly sipping tea, her expression indifferent. She glanced at Little Mi and said mildly, “Don’t worry. They won’t be fighting much longer.”

“They’re upset now, but soon, they’ll come over and try to make me happy,” Qi Yingzhu said as she skimmed the foam off her tea.

Little Mi didn’t dare say a word. Watching her mistress’s cool, detached demeanor, she felt fear for the first time.

The lord and madam were fighting. Older Miss was anxiously seeking help, but Younger Miss said they’d be trying to please her soon?

The capital’s bright scenery must have gone to her head.

Nervously, Little Mi picked up a glass of plain water. Not long after, someone knocked—it was Cuihong, Madam Xu’s personal maid.

She brought a luxurious headpiece, saying the madam felt guilty for not taking her daughter out after such a tiring journey, and that when the girl had come of age as an omega, she hadn’t given any proper gift. So now she was giving her this precious piece.

Little Mi was stunned, staring blankly, not even sipping the water in her hand.

As soon as Cuihong left, a young servant arrived—this time sent by the lord. He delivered a family token and several large silver notes to Qi Yingzhu.

The silver notes were generous, but the token mattered more—it symbolized the Qi family’s authority and was always held by the family head. It was said even Older Miss couldn’t borrow it.

Yet now it was given to Younger Miss—so she could carry it while going out?

In just one day, both master and madam had changed completely. They’d shown care before, but never like this.

Especially the lord.

Little Mi stared at the glass of water in front of her, swallowing saliva with a loud gulp.

The water in the cup remained untouched.

Little Mi recalled the words Younger Miss had spoken earlier that day.

Had Younger Miss changed somehow?

Qi Yingzhu, however, remained calm and composed.

Both sides carried their own schemes. After the quarrel, both seemed to think winning her over was the immediate priority.

Then she would just endure it. In her past life, she had never been treated this well, Qi Yingzhu thought.

This was only the beginning. Begging for help should never be this casual. A headpiece, a token, a few silver notes—was that all it took to placate her?

Qi Yingzhu couldn’t help but think sadly of the insults she had suffered in her previous life.

After all, she had been known as a hated “old witch.”

They couldn’t even see her in person—how sincere could they really be?

At least “some people” were straightforward about their feelings.

Thinking this, Qi Yingzhu suddenly paused, suppressing the strange thoughts that had arisen. This was her family’s matter, no one else’s concern.

The sounds of crashing and shouting still echoed faintly in her ears. She thought: she would have to play along with these people slowly—if the blade didn’t cut her, she wouldn’t know the pain.

***

TL/N:

她 tā=she. Eunuch An uses female pronouns. It might be because the setting is GL.