At the Ci'en Temple, after reading the letter sent by Madam Gu, the Empress Dowager was initially furious. But once her anger subsided, rationality returned, leaving her half-convinced and half-doubtful.
According to the letter, her wise and capable son had lost his senses ever since bringing Yu Miaohua out of the cold palace. Not only had he orchestrated a public campaign to glorify her, fabricating divine miracles, but he had also annihilated his younger brother’s entire family just to avenge her. Worse yet, he had kept it from her—over a month had passed before she received the news.
If her son had truly become so irrational, wouldn’t the court officials have raised an uproar?
She knew the temperament of the son she had raised well. To him, everything and everyone took a backseat to the stability of the nation.
He might indeed dote on that concubine, but it was unlikely to be out of true love. If he had fallen for her at first sight, why would Consort Yu have been sent to the cold palace in the first place? Perhaps the main branch of the Gu family had crossed some line, and he had used Consort Yu as an excuse to destroy them.
So, the Empress Dowager ordered her trusted aides to investigate and soon learned two things.
The Emperor had exterminated the main branch of the Gu family because the secondary branch had publicly impeached them for crimes too numerous to mention. Their fate was well-deserved, and they had no one to blame but themselves.
As for her son, he was indeed deeply infatuated with Consort Yu, going so far as to fabricate a dream visitation from the late Emperor to justify his actions.
If the late Emperor truly appeared in a dream, he would have beaten their son senseless—certainly not given him advice.
Thus, she needed to meet this Consort Yu in person to understand what was really going on.
As for Nanny Li, who had tearfully pleaded on behalf of the Gu family’s main branch, the Empress Dowager had her bound and sent back to the capital once she discovered the woman’s true loyalties.
Due to the urgency of her journey, she hadn’t had time to inquire further about Consort Yu.
But today, at their first encounter, the Empress Dowager noticed from Consort Yu’s court attire that she had been promoted yet again in such a short time—now a Noble Consort, a rank high enough to preside over her own palace.
Her rapid ascent even surpassed that of the woman from the Guanju Palace back in the day.
Could it be that her son was truly becoming the kind of love-struck royal fool he had once despised?
The Empress Dowager studied Yu Miaohua intently—only to see lines of text materializing above her head.
"Palace Struggle Mission"? And something about "Mission Rewards"? She understood the concept of printing, but "movable clay type printing" was beyond her.
The mission seemed designed to drive a wedge between her and the Emperor!
If the Emperor publicly humiliated her for the sake of a concubine, word would spread that he had defied his mother for a beautiful woman—an act of grave filial impiety. His brothers in their fiefdoms would surely seize the opportunity to stir trouble.
For the Emperor’s sake, she couldn’t reprimand Yu Miaohua in public and grant her wish.
The Empress Dowager’s loathing for Yu Miaohua reached its peak.
So it was true!
This woman was possessed by some evil spirit, using dark arts to bewitch the Emperor. Otherwise, why would he suddenly elevate a concubine to such heights, breaking precedent after precedent for her?
Thankfully, she had returned in time. She would never allow this demon to wreak havoc in the palace.
Her grip tightened on Nanny Zhou’s hand, her lips pale.
Nanny Zhou steadied her discreetly.
Pei Lingyue noticed his mother’s fixed stare in one direction.
Her expression was one of shock, barely masked by forced composure. What had she seen?
He approached, pretending to offer support. "Mother, you’ve had a taxing journey."
Following her gaze, he realized she had been looking at Yu Miaohua.
So he too turned to Yu Miaohua, who stood with bowed head, the picture of demure obedience.
But the words floating above her head betrayed her thoughts:
[Host, the Empress Dowager is staring at you! Go on, don’t forget the mission you just triggered—it’s movable clay type printing!]
[Shut up! Keep nagging and I’ll lock you in the dark room!]
Pei Lingyue perked up. What? Had Yu Miaohua triggered another mission? And it involved his mother? No, don’t lock the system away—he needed to know the mission details and rewards first!
Couldn’t she show some respect to the divine being instead of threatening to imprison it?
At this moment, he might as well have been the King of Impatience, his thoughts wholly consumed by this.
Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager regained her composure, aware that many had noticed her earlier lapse.
She forced a kindly smile. "This must be Consort Yu. Such a delicate beauty—truly a delight to behold."
She then turned her attention to her grandchildren, with the Crown Prince naturally being her primary focus.
The Crown Prince was growing older. At his age, the Emperor had already married. The Emperor had previously selected a bride for him, but before the betrothal could be finalized, the girl’s father was exposed for selling official posts and exploiting the people, leading to his demotion. Subsequent candidates all had flaws, and with the frequent natural disasters, the matter had been postponed.
Setting aside the matter of the demonic Yu Miaohua for now, the Empress Dowager mused that since she had returned to the palace, she ought to arrange the Crown Prince’s marriage after the new year. He couldn’t possibly leave the palace unmarried.
Seeing his mother poised to fuss over her descendants indefinitely, Pei Lingyue cleared his throat. "Mother, you must be exhausted from your travels. Let us escort you back to rest."
The Empress Dowager nodded. "Very well." She truly was weary.
Turning to the Empress, she said, "Accompany me, Empress."
She held the Empress in high regard—fair, impartial, and every bit the dignified ruler of the inner palace. She hoped the future Crown Princess would inherit even a fraction of her virtues.
The Empress stepped forward to support her other arm.
Thus, the highest-ranking couple in the realm escorted the Empress Dowager back to the Palace of Tranquil Longevity.
The rest of the courtiers dispersed after bowing them off.
Some concubines felt a twinge of disappointment. Seeing the Empress Dowager fixated on Noble Consort Yu, they had expected her to publicly chastise the woman. Instead, she had praised her.
Yu Miaohua adjusted her fur-lined cloak. The day was bitterly cold—best to return to her palace for some hot tea.
This year’s cotton harvest had been modest, leaving few winter coats to go around.
Even Yu Miaohua, as the celebrated favorite and the project’s chief contributor, had received only two. By next year, with more cotton cultivated across the empire, even palace maids would eventually have their share.
Her brows relaxed. This palace struggle system wasn’t entirely useless.
The system nearly launched into another lecture about mission discipline, then remembered the oppressive terms its host had forced upon it and wisely held its tongue.
...
Though the Empress Dowager had been away from the capital for nearly a year, her palace had been scrupulously maintained—spotless windows, fresh bedding warmed by braziers, and the finest smokeless silver charcoal glowing in the hearth.
As soon as she stepped into the palace, the Empress Dowager was met with a wave of heat, beads of sweat even forming on her forehead. Attended by her palace maids, she retreated to her chambers to change out of her clothes, wash her hands and face, and apply some cream. By the time she finished freshening up, much of her weariness had dissipated.
Returning to the front hall, she saw the Empress leisurely sipping a cup of tea.
The Emperor was even more relaxed, reclining on a daybed where a small table held several new pastries the Empress Dowager had never seen before.
She took a seat on the daybed, and Nanny Zhou gently draped a woolen blanket embroidered with bats and longevity motifs over her lap. The Empress Dowager casually picked up a delicate seashell-shaped pastry and popped it into her mouth. The first sensation was the crisp outer layer, followed by the smooth, velvety white filling that melted on her tongue—its softness forming a perfect contrast with the flaky crust.
"This pastry is excellent. Have the imperial kitchen send another batch tomorrow," the Empress Dowager remarked, her mood lifting slightly from the delicious treat.
The Empress smiled gently. "This recipe was discovered by Consort Hui from a book. I found it quite delightful as well."
The Empress Dowager repeated, "Consort Hui? The Yu girl?"
The Empress nodded. "Consort Hui is generous. Whenever she comes across a good recipe, she always shares it."
Hearing the Empress speak so fondly of Yu Miaohua, the Empress Dowager tensed—had this Yu girl not only bewitched her son but also the Empress?
Her dark arts must be formidable indeed.
Turning to Nanny Zhou, she said, "Bring me the talismans I requested."
Nanny Zhou soon returned with a sandalwood box, opening it to reveal an array of talismans, all blessed before the Buddha.
Looking at the talismans, the Empress Dowager felt a pang of regret—she should have asked for more. Every person in the palace should have one, lest they all fall under Yu Miaohua’s spell.
She took out two protective charms and solemnly placed them in the hands of the Emperor and Empress.
"Wear these at all times. Do not remove them. I had them specially made for you," she emphasized.
The Empress accepted them with both hands, fastening one to her person and thanking the Empress Dowager.
Sensing that the Emperor wished to speak with his mother privately, the Empress tactfully excused herself.
As for Pei Lingyue, he still needed to discuss the Gu family matter with his mother.
Once the Empress had left, the Emperor dismissed the others and recounted the misdeeds of the Gu family’s main branch over the years.
"Aside from Nanny Li, there are three more spies from the main branch in your palace."
"Two months ago, Gu Shishi attempted to drug Yu Miaohua, framing her for a false pregnancy."
The Empress Dowager despised any interference in matters of the imperial heirs. "They’ve grown too bold," she said coldly. "They want a future crown prince born from a Gu daughter, ensuring their family’s everlasting prosperity."
As a veteran of palace intrigue, the Empress Dowager pieced together the scheme with just the Emperor’s words—Gu Shishi must have planned to use Yu Miaohua’s "pregnancy" to frame the Empress and target the Crown Prince.
Fortunately, the Emperor hadn’t been fooled. Instead, he cleverly used noble titles to provoke the second branch into denouncing the main branch, ensuring the main branch paid for their crimes while also warning the second branch. All without exposing the palace’s dirty laundry to outsiders, sparing the Emperor’s maternal family from public disgrace.
To her, the entire Gu family combined wasn’t worth a single finger of her son’s.
Now knowing the truth, the Empress Dowager had no sympathy for the main branch’s fate.
Gu Shishi and her mother, Madam Cui, were truly despicable. After committing such crimes, the Emperor sparing their lives was already an act of mercy. Yet instead of repenting, they sought to sow discord between mother and son.
Fingering her prayer beads, she said calmly, "While at the Temple of Compassion, I dreamed of your grandfather. He regretted not properly raising your uncle in life, allowing him to become a beast in human skin, shaming their ancestors. I cannot bear the thought of him restless in the afterlife. Send the main branch to the family temple. They are to copy ten volumes of the Heart Sutra daily and offer them before the Buddha."
The Heart Sutra wasn’t lengthy, but copying it required absolute precision—a single misplaced stroke or ink blot meant starting over.
The Empress Dowager also planned to assign two elderly aunts to supervise them. If they dared to have someone else write for them, it would prove their insincerity, and the task would be doubled.
Ten volumes a day would keep them thoroughly occupied.
Originally, after the main branch’s assets were confiscated, only Gu Shishi had been sent to Tianyi Nunnery to live austerely. The rest remained in the main residence, living off Madam Gu’s dowry. Though no longer in luxury, their lives weren’t exactly harsh.
Now that they had angered the Empress Dowager, she decided they would all embrace asceticism.
Pei Lingyue smiled—he had known his mother would be reasonable.
He then brought up Yu Miaohua’s contributions, from refined sugar and rock sugar to cotton, hoping to reassure the Empress Dowager that his favor toward Yu Miaohua was based on merit, not personal bias.
The Empress Dowager had initially suspected the Emperor was embellishing Yu Miaohua’s achievements. But after seeing the cotton, she fell silent.
She wasn’t an ignorant woman. Promoting cotton was a feat worthy of historical records—no one would credit such an accomplishment to a mere consort.
That Yu Miaohua could "discover" cotton from a book was likely due to the dark spirit possessing her.
Had she not witnessed that spirit trying to drive a wedge between her and the Emperor, she might have grown fond of Yu Miaohua for her merits alone.
After a moment’s thought, the Empress Dowager smiled warmly. "She seems like a good girl. No wonder you and the Empress both favor her."
"When she has time, have her visit me for a chat."
In front of the Emperor, she couldn’t show her dislike for Yu Miaohua—she even had to feign affection.
Pei Lingyue exhaled in relief. As long as his mother didn’t despise Yu Miaohua, he could rest easy.
Noticing the Empress Dowager’s faint weariness, Pei Lingyue didn’t linger. After instructing the palace maids to attend to her carefully, he took his leave.
He had initially intended to visit Yu Miaohua first, curious about the new task she had mentioned and its potential reward.
But the Empress Dowager’s Palace of Tranquil Longevity was closer to the Empress’s Phoenix Palace…
After some thought, he decided to stop by the Empress’s quarters before heading to Guanju Palace.
By the time he arrived at Guanju Palace, an hour had passed. Yu Miaohua hadn’t expected him, having already loosened her hair.
Knowing the Empress Dowager favored the Empress and despised concubines who overshadowed the main wife due to her own past experiences, she had assumed he would stay with the Empress that night.
For the Emperor to visit her on the very day the Empress Dowager returned—this was practically painting a target on her back.
[Ahhh! If the Empress Dowager ends up hating me, the Emperor will bear most of the blame QAQ]
[Host, pull yourself together! As the heroine of a palace intrigue novel, how can we be stuck at the mother-in-law hurdle? You must find a way to win the Emperor to your side! Complete this mission, and you’ll become the literati’s muse!]
Yu Miaohua felt like giving up just thinking about the task. She actually knew about movable clay type printing, but without the system’s cover, she couldn’t just present it out of nowhere.
Was she supposed to say she dreamed it up?
Yu Miaohua was already considering whether she could bypass the system and take a shortcut.
A mission? And one related to the literati and scholars?
Seeing them discuss the mission, Pei Lingyue immediately perked up.
As the emperor, no matter how wise and mighty he was, without the scholars' pens extolling his great achievements, how would the common people ever know? The scholars' brushes were mightier than the warriors' blades.
So, what was the mission? Did it have anything to do with the Empress Dowager this time? Ah, why didn’t they discuss it a bit more so he could understand better?
Pei Lingyue couldn’t see all of Yu Miaohua’s thoughts—only when she spoke to the deity could he glimpse them.
Hmm, if the reward required damaging the Empress Dowager’s dignity… then he would have to reconsider, or see if there was another way to complete the mission without harming her.
Or perhaps he could tell the Empress Dowager the truth and have her cooperate with him?
No—the thought barely surfaced before he suppressed it. As an emperor, he couldn’t afford to trust anyone unreservedly, not even his own mother.
A gentle smile graced his face. "Consort Hui."
Yu Miaohua put on an expression of flattered surprise, and the two began their acting duel.
The servants of Guanju Palace tactfully withdrew, leaving them space to interact.
There was no longer any doubt in their minds about their mistress’s standing in the emperor’s heart. His Majesty clearly favored their lady.
Because she had to focus on entertaining the emperor, Yu Miaohua couldn’t afford to chat idly with the system. As a result, Pei Lingyue sat there for a long time without hearing any further discussion about the mission.
The reward involved the imperial family’s reputation among scholars, and until he understood it fully, Pei Lingyue wouldn’t give up easily. For this reason, he stayed the night at Guanju Palace.
His persistence paid off—Pei Lingyue eventually learned the complete mission details and reward. That noisy deity kept popping up to remind Yu Miaohua every so often.
Ahem, he shouldn’t call the deity noisy—that would be disrespectful.
So, all he needed to do now was find an opportunity to stand up for Yu Miaohua in front of the Empress Dowager, right?
He couldn’t help but speculate: Could that clay movable-type printing be a new printing technique? Books were exorbitantly expensive now, and only the wealthy could afford education. If the price of books could be lowered, making them accessible to more people, he would surely be remembered in history as a sage ruler.
He quietly ordered: If there was any unusual movement around Consort Hui, he must be informed immediately.
…
The day after the Empress Dowager returned to the palace, the Empress led the concubines to pay their respects, fulfilling their filial duties.
The Empress Dowager was in a foul mood today. She had learned that the emperor had only briefly visited the Empress yesterday before spending the night at Guanju Palace again.
Was His Majesty truly so inseparable from Consort Hui?
Had the protective talisman she specially blessed at the temple been completely ineffective?
Or was the evil spirit haunting Yu Miaohua so powerful that ordinary talismans couldn’t suppress it?
The Empress Dowager’s expression darkened as she tightened her grip on her prayer beads, as if drawing strength from them.
She could not allow such a dangerous woman to remain in the harem, corrupting the emperor.
Her resolve hardened.
In her small prayer hall stood a white jade Guanyin statue, meticulously carved by a high monk over forty-nine years—far surpassing ordinary Buddha statues. No evil spirit could hide from its gaze.
Let it purify the demons clinging to Yu Miaohua.
As for Yu Miaohua herself…
The Empress Dowager recalled Yu Miaohua’s resistance and sighed inwardly: The girl likely didn’t act out of malice. If the evil spirits could be fully exorcised, perhaps her life could be spared.
As the morning audience drew to a close and the Empress prepared to lead the concubines away, the Empress Dowager’s gentle voice rang out.
"Consort Hui, stay and keep me company."
The concubines all turned to look at Yu Miaohua.
Yu Miaohua, who had spent the entire morning trying to be as inconspicuous as a quail, nearly wept: Out of all the concubines, why was she the only one singled out? Was she about to be punished?
She truly hadn’t done anything!
Yu Miaohua felt more wronged than Dou E.
SOS!
[Host, I told you not to run away—what’s coming will come!]
[Do your best to get the emperor on your side!]
The Empress Dowager once again saw the floating words above Yu Miaohua’s head, and her smile faded.
Again! Was that thing still not giving up? She would never let it have its way.
A flash of sharpness and disgust crossed her eyes.
Noticing the Empress Dowager’s expression, several concubines nearly cheered in delight.
It seemed Her Majesty also disapproved of Yu Miaohua’s monopolization of the emperor’s favor and intended to restore order in the harem.
Yu Miaohua was about to suffer. They refused to believe the emperor would still shield her.
Consort Zhang and others who were friendly with Yu Miaohua frowned in concern: The Empress Dowager seemed hostile—would Miaohua be alright?
