The scholars of the Imperial Library had been overwhelmed these past few days. Though Great Qi’s customs regarding interactions between men and women were not overly strict, they still disliked having a crowd of imperial consorts bustling around them during their duties. Ever since Consort Yu had discovered the recipe for refined sugar in the library, many of the palace ladies had flocked to borrow books, hoping to become the next Consort Yu.
Fortunately, the chaos lasted only half a day before the Empress swiftly issued an edict, decreeing that consorts could only borrow books in the evening—thus avoiding the scholars’ working hours.
Beyond that, familiar officials couldn’t resist teasing them: "You’ve been in the library for so long—how did you miss such a valuable book?"
The scholars felt utterly wronged. The library’s collection was as vast as the sea—how could they possibly have read every single book? It could only be said that Consort Yu truly had the favor of fate. Otherwise, how could she have so precisely found that particular book?
The other consorts had borrowed books in droves during this time, some even taking dozens at once. Their intentions were far from scholarly—it was all for the sake of winning favor.
The Grand Academician Xue Bin flipped through the recent borrowing records and mused to himself: As long as they keep finding useful things, they’ll eventually settle down.
Just then, he spotted a familiar name in the ledger.
"Hmm? Consort Yu borrowed two more books?" Xue Bin wondered, assuming she was merely passing the time.
"Brother Xue, do you think they might stumble upon something useful again?" a fellow scholar asked quietly as he approached with tea. If another valuable recipe were uncovered, the Imperial Academy’s reputation would be thoroughly humiliated.
Xue Bin shook his head, dismissing the concern. "What are the odds? Even Consort Yu couldn’t possibly find a second book like that."
After a brief chat, they returned to sorting the books collected from the commonfolk this year.
As their duties neared an end, several palace eunuchs entered carrying trays. "Gentlemen, don’t rush to leave," one said with a smile. "His Majesty has ordered us to bring you some sugar."
Xue Bin and the others exchanged glances. Two days prior, after the refined sugar recipe was presented, the Emperor had bestowed the sugar upon the officials. Indeed, it was extraordinary—crystalline, flawless, and far superior to the imported sugar of the past.
As the highest-ranking official present, Xue Bin smiled. "Is it the refined sugar?"
The lead eunuch gave a knowing smile. "It’s rock sugar."
He unwrapped one package, revealing translucent crystals as clear as ice.
The officials’ eyes widened in astonishment.
The eunuch continued, "Consort Yu borrowed two books the other day. Who would have thought one of them contained the recipe for rock sugar?"
Consort Yu again?!
How does she manage to find treasures every time she casually picks up a book?
The room fell into stunned silence.
Previously, the Emperor had mentioned a dream visitation from the late Emperor. Xue Bin had dismissed it, even suspecting it was a ploy to elevate the favored consort. Only after Consort Yu presented the refined sugar recipe did he grudgingly admit her luck was extraordinary—though he still scoffed at the dream story.
But now, Xue Bin was a believer!
If not for divine blessing, how could Consort Yu keep uncovering these recipes?
At this point, even if she found something miraculous tomorrow, he wouldn’t be surprised. After all, it was better than admitting they were all incompetent.
As expected of His Majesty—wise and discerning. He wouldn’t bend propriety for personal favor, nor use the late Emperor as an excuse.
Though his pride had taken a beating, Xue Bin felt a flicker of joy. He looked forward to Consort Yu bringing more surprises, further enriching Great Qi. Such talent was wasted in the inner palace.
…
"Your Majesty, this is bird’s nest soup sweetened with rock sugar."
Pei Lingyue took a sip and smiled faintly. "Excellent. Compared to other sugars, rock sugar lends a richer, mellower sweetness without being cloying. From now on, use this for the soup."
After finishing the bowl, he asked, "Has the rock sugar been distributed?"
"It has. The officials are deeply grateful for Your Majesty’s generosity."
Pei Lingyue’s purpose was clear—through these ministers, word of Yu Miaohua’s deeds would spread among the people.
He knew some commoners already regarded her as a divine maiden, a notion he welcomed. As his consort, her prestige was intertwined with the imperial family. The higher her standing, the greater the people’s reverence for the throne.
It wasn’t entirely false, either. With divine favor at her side, who was more deserving of the title than Yu Miaohua?
Speaking of which, her maternal grandfather was Wang Tengxi, a renowned merchant of Jiangzhou. Pei Lingyue planned to grant the Wang family the license to sell refined sugar. As for rock sugar, he intended to entrust it to the He family—relatives of the Crown Prince’s maternal clan. The prince was growing older; in two years, he would establish his own household. He needed to learn to cultivate alliances and wield influence, both of which required silver. With the He family’s support, the prince would never want for funds.
Pei Lingyue had been Crown Prince for over a decade. Neglected by the late Emperor and beset by ambitious brothers, he knew the sting of financial strain firsthand. He wouldn’t let his most cherished son tread the same thorny path.
With these two lucrative sugar recipes, the imperial coffers would soon recover. This year’s frequent disasters had drained the treasury, forcing austerity measures—even his birthday banquet had been canceled. To aid the afflicted, he had waived three years of land taxes in the disaster zones. The strain had weighed so heavily that he’d lost all inclination to visit the inner palace. Now, these recipes had arrived just in time.
In high spirits, he ordered a few boxes of southern pearls from the Imperial Household Department. Tomorrow, he’d send one to Consort Yu. Young women surely adored jewels—she often wore the pieces he’d gifted her before.
Just as Pei Lingyue settled into bed, Chai Xiu hurried in with a report. "Your Majesty, something has happened at Guanju Palace. Someone poisoned Consort Yu’s food."
Sleep vanished in an instant. A cold fury radiated from the Emperor as he sat bolt upright.
Anyone else could be harmed—but not Consort Yu!
"Prepare my robes," he commanded. "I’m going to Guanju Palace."
…
Guanju Palace was ablaze with light.
Yu Miaohua sat in the main hall, surveying the kneeling servants before her.
Every palace maid and eunuch was prostrated on the floor—except for Cuiwei and Qingluo.
Beside her rested a bowl of milk.
Since leaving the cold palace, Yu Miaohua had made it a habit to drink milk before bed, infused with dried jasmine to mask the gaminess. After obtaining rock sugar, she had replaced honey with it.
Tonight, as she took her first sip, Tongtong—her ever-present companion—had shrieked a warning. The milk was poisoned.
Yu Miaohua quickly told Qingluo that the cow's milk tasted off. Hong Xing, a palace maid sent by the Emperor who knew a bit of medicine, examined the milk and discovered it had been drugged.
All palace servants were immediately summoned, and Yu Miaohua instructed Cuiwei to notify Chai Xiu while they awaited an investigation.
[System, have you analyzed the results yet? What was added to the milk?]
[Results are in! The drug in it disrupts endocrine functions, creating a false pregnancy pulse.]
Yu Miaohua's lips twitched. She had been in the palace for a long time, most of it spent in the cold palace. After leaving, though she enjoyed the Emperor's favor, he seemed intent on building their relationship first—even when he stayed overnight, he slept in a separate bed. They hadn't even shared a bed, so how could she possibly be pregnant?
If she were falsely diagnosed as pregnant, the Emperor would surely think she had cuckolded him. What ruler could tolerate such humiliation? She might not even get a chance to revisit the cold palace—execution would be more likely.
The mastermind behind this was downright vicious!
Alas, her recent favor had drawn too much envy, making it impossible for Yu Miaohua to pinpoint a suspect. Everyone seemed suspicious.
[System, can you find out who drugged the milk?]
[Insufficient permissions—unable to investigate.] The palace intrigue system seized the chance to pressure Yu Miaohua into focusing on her tasks.
[So don’t slack off, Host. Completing missions is the key. Once the system reaches Level 5, you’ll unlock the "My Turf, My Rules" privilege. Within your domain, nothing will escape your sharp eyes.]
Not listening, not listening! She had already completed several missions, yet the system was still stuck at Level 1. Yu Miaohua had no intention of becoming some ruthless palace schemer just for some vague promise.
She’d leave the investigation to the Emperor.
With everyone gathered here, the culprit wouldn’t have time to destroy evidence. They’d be found sooner or later.
Before long, footsteps echoed outside the hall. Yu Miaohua rose to greet the visitor and saw the Emperor himself arrive, his hair hastily tied—clearly roused from bed.
Behind him trailed not only a crowd of attendants but also the imperial physician on duty.
[Host, the Emperor rushed here without even sleeping for you. Aren’t you moved? Feeling any sparks?]
Yu Miaohua, who had been slightly touched, found her emotions abruptly cut short by the system’s teasing.
[Moved, yes. Sparks, no. Thanks!]
She stepped forward and bowed. "This humble one deserves death for disturbing Your Majesty’s rest over such a trivial matter."
The moment Pei Lingyue saw Yu Miaohua, he slipped into his act, gazing at her with deep affection. "To me, your safety is of utmost importance."
"Is Consort Yu unharmed?"
Yu Miaohua shook her head gently. "This humble one only took a sip. There should be no serious effects."
Still uneasy, the Emperor immediately summoned the physician to examine her pulse. Only after the physician confirmed her condition did he relax slightly.
The physicians then turned their attention to the milk.
Those in the Imperial Medical Bureau were no ordinary healers.
After careful inspection, the experienced Imperial Physician Zhang spoke gravely, "This drug resembles the ancient 'False Joy' from the previous dynasty. Consuming it creates a false pregnancy pulse—a cruel deception."
Pei Lingyue’s expression darkened like ink.
For the sake of Yu Miaohua’s mission rewards, he could even tolerate being cuckolded. But since someone had framed her, they would surely expose it publicly. Protecting her then would be difficult.
He immediately ordered a thorough search of everyone in Guanju Palace, including the servants’ quarters.
The maid who had drugged the milk had no time to dispose of the evidence. The remaining "False Joy" was found on her person and in her bedding.
This maid’s foster mother was a low-ranking matron in the Empress Dowager’s palace—who also happened to be a spy for the Gu family. She had recently sent messages to the Gus outside the palace.
Seeing this connection, Pei Lingyue knew exactly who was behind it—none other than Consort Gu.
This was likely Consort Gu’s personal doing.
The drugging maid and her associates were taken away, and everyone present was sworn to secrecy.
Once the initial handling was done, Pei Lingyue dismissed the others and solemnly assured Yu Miaohua, "Consort Yu, I will give you justice in this matter."
Reading his expression, Yu Miaohua ventured a guess. "Your Majesty, do you already know who did this?"
Pei Lingyue didn’t hide it. "If I’m not mistaken, it was Consort Gu."
Yu Miaohua wasn’t surprised. Gu Shishi was clearly cast as the villainess. She just hadn’t expected her to act so swiftly—drugging her within days!
She sighed softly. "Perhaps it’s because of our earlier quarrel. I only hope she repents sincerely and does not waste Your Majesty’s mercy."
[Ah, Consort Gu is the Emperor’s cousin. Out of respect for her father, she’ll probably just be demoted—not even sent to the cold palace.]
She couldn’t help musing to the system, only to hear it respond:
[The palace is fraught with danger—the best defense is a strong offense. Host has triggered Main Mission 1.3: Make the Emperor burn with rage for his beloved—punish his uncle for you, annihilate his noble house! Reward: Cotton seeds, plus a cotton cultivation map.]
[???]
Yu Miaohua mentally typed a row of question marks. Was this mission a joke?
[That’s the Emperor’s uncle! How could he possibly destroy his own uncle’s family over my poisoning? This mission is impossible.]
[Don’t give up so fast, Host! That’s cotton—warm and insulating. Don’t you want a cozy cotton coat in winter? Think of how the common people suffer, stuffing their clothes with straw and willow catkins to keep warm. With cotton, so many lives could be saved!] The system pressed on, appealing to her sense of compassion.
Yu Miaohua sighed inwardly. If it were just for her own advancement, she wouldn’t be motivated. But for the people’s sake…
The image in her mind pricked her heart like needles.
[I’d love to complete this mission, but it’s impossible. That’s the Emperor’s uncle!]
Pei Lingyue noticed the new mission immediately, his gloom vanishing.
What? Cotton that could keep ordinary people warm?
Such a treasure could be obtained just by sacrificing an uncle? Given how his cousin had poisoned his harem, his uncle’s intentions were clearly treacherous.
Uncle, may you rest in peace. Contributing to Great Qi’s prosperity will be your final act of worth.
