Vicious Plot, No One Believes in Serena Feng
The Empress was the first to hear about Serena Feng's wager with Princess Yara.
"She’s changing into her riding gear now?" The Empress tapped her lacquered nails lightly on the armrest, the sharp armor glinting as flecks of polish chipped away.
"Yes, Your Majesty." The palace maid knelt on the ground, not daring to rise.
A regal smile spread across the Empress's face, but look closer and it was chillingly sinister: "Nanny, what do you think would happen if Serena Feng's clothes tore during horse-taming and exposed her in front of the entire court?"
Whether Serena Feng wins or loses, the Empress has no intention of letting her off the hook.
Who does Serena Feng think she is? My daughter Princess Serenity is lying injured and unconscious, yet Serena is stealing her thunder at the Imperial Menagerie.
If Serena Feng loses, all the better. Even if she somehow snatches a victory, the Empress will make sure she suffers for it.
No one saw what happened to her before marriage, but if Serena Feng is disgraced in front of the whole court, that shame will never be wiped away. The Empress is determined to see how Serena survives then.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I understand. I’ll see to it right away."
"Bring out several sets for her to choose from, and assign a clever maid to help her change. That way, if anything happens, no one can be blamed." Every riding outfit prepared for Serena Feng had a flaw; no matter which she picked, she’d end up humiliated.
"Of course, Your Majesty." The old nanny smiled and withdrew.
...
The Imperial Menagerie had a special area for women to change. This menagerie was reserved for the Emperor and his consorts to enjoy; when the Emperor was in the mood, or a favored consort wanted to invite his attention, it was common to change into riding gear and perform for him.
"Lady Feng, here are your riding outfits." Ten palace maids presented ten ornate sets before Serena Feng, letting her choose.
Such extravagance—no wonder everyone covets imperial power. For a single ride, the Emperor could summon ten different sets of gear. The waste was truly beyond ordinary.
The styles were nearly identical. Serena Feng hesitated between black and red.
It wasn’t that Serena liked these colors; she chose black and red because blood wouldn’t show easily on them.
Horse-taming meant injury was likely. If she wore pale colors, even a small wound would stand out, making her look weak and vulnerable.
But with black or red, even if she bled, the color would hide it. It could confuse her opponents, making it hard for them to gauge her condition.
It was like two fighters facing off—if you wore white and were covered in blood, your opponent would know you couldn’t last much longer. Even if they were close to collapse themselves, they’d grit their teeth and push for one final blow, and you’d be finished.