Yu Miaohua rejected the mission assigned by her system and mustered her energy to continue dealing with the emperor.
She couldn’t tell if it was just her imagination, but the emperor seemed somewhat distracted tonight as well.
He soon picked up a book from the shelf and began flipping through it.
Yu Miaohua was more than happy to avoid conversation, so she also pretended to be busy practicing calligraphy.
[Host, are you really not going to complete this mission? The rewards are substantial, and with the accumulated energy from recent tasks, we could level up again! Going from Level 1 to Level 3 within a year—we’d become legends in the Transmigration Bureau! We might even earn extra rewards and buy some beautiful skins.]
In its excitement, the Palace Intrigue System accidentally revealed its true motives. Clearly, it hadn’t given up yet.
Yu Miaohua scoffed at it.
[I knew it! You’re just pushing me to do missions for the sake of skins! Forget it—I’m not doing it.]
If the target of the mission had been a villain, Yu Miaohua might have considered the rewards and acted without hesitation. But ever since entering the palace, the empress had treated her exceptionally well. Whenever she visited Fengyi Palace, if she so much as glanced at a particular pastry, the empress would make sure it was prepared for her next time—making her feel genuinely cared for.
Whether the empress’s kindness was genuine or an act didn’t matter. Someone who could maintain such a benevolent image for years, benefiting all the concubines, had effectively made it real.
Moreover, despite Yu Miaohua’s overwhelming favor and high reputation among the common people—enough to provoke jealousy—the empress had never schemed against her. Instead, she had consistently protected her.
If Yu Miaohua became the kind of person who would harm others for the sake of a mission, she’d wake up in the middle of the night and slap herself in regret.
[If you keep nagging, I’ll mute you. And honestly, I doubt leveling up will even be worth it.]
The system had hyped up its previous upgrade, filling her with anticipation—only for it to add a measly weather forecast function. This time, she suspected the upgrade would at best grant her more chances to block the system.
[I swear, reaching Level 3 will unlock so many amazing rewards!]
[If I believe you, I’d be an idiot.]
Distracted, Yu Miaohua made an extra stroke in her calligraphy. She glanced nervously at the emperor—thankfully, he hadn’t noticed. She discreetly tucked the flawed page away and continued practicing.
That night, following his usual habit at Guanju Palace, the emperor slept on the outer couch.
Sometimes, Yu Miaohua wondered if the emperor simply preferred avoiding the harem’s demands by staying with her, using her as a shield to maintain the illusion of his favor.
She understood—older men sometimes lacked energy for such matters. But since it didn’t affect his capability as a good ruler and even improved her standing in the palace, she was willing to play along.
Of course, she never mentioned this theory to the system, lest it start promoting its so-called "Dragon-Horse Vigor Pills."
By the time Yu Miaohua woke naturally the next morning, the emperor had already left.
Normally, she would have lazed in bed longer, but with her mother and younger sister visiting the palace, she didn’t want to waste a single moment.
She rushed to Ningshou Palace without even eating breakfast.
The empress dowager wasn’t surprised to see her at this hour and calmly instructed, "Bring another pair of chopsticks for Miaohua."
Yu Miaohua spotted her latest favorite—bean curd skin buns—on the table. She sat beside the empress dowager, beaming. "Your Majesty truly spoils me."
The empress dowager’s lips curled slightly. "I can’t very well let you go hungry under my roof, or the emperor would hold me accountable."
"You jest. The emperor reveres Your Majesty above all."
Wang Yaning watched her daughter’s affectionate banter with the empress dowager, her heart finally at ease.
She and her younger daughter had rested well in Ningshou Palace the previous night, attended to with utmost care by the palace maids—all out of respect for Yu Miaohua’s status.
After breakfast, Yu Miaohua didn’t immediately leave. She stayed to recite a Buddhist sutra with the empress dowager, though the system continued its relentless persuasion.
[Host, the mission! I’m begging you—please complete it! I really want to level up within a year and make all those systems that looked down on me grovel at my feet!]
[If you feel guilty about the empress, you can always compensate her later! Our store has so many wonderful items—Beauty Pills, Detox Elixirs…]
Yu Miaohua remained firm.
[Even if I compensate her later, does that erase the harm done?]
[But this mission offers an improved papermaking technique! Don’t you want commoners to afford books?]
Yu Miaohua refused to be guilt-tripped. This wasn’t her responsibility to begin with, and she had already contributed enough—introducing Champa rice, cotton, and clay movable-type printing. That alone justified her transmigration.
The empress dowager, observing their exchange, finally pieced together the mission’s details.
Ah, so the empress was the target this time.
Sympathy for her daughter-in-law welled up in her heart—last night, the emperor had surely seen the mission while resting in Guanju Palace. Knowing her son, even if Yu Miaohua refused, he would find a way to complete it himself.
Poor empress—what rotten luck.
Unaware of the mission, she might be confined without understanding why.
What worried the empress dowager more was the potential feud between Guanju Palace and Fengyi Palace.
How could this mess be resolved?
The rewards were simply too tempting—she herself was tempted, let alone the emperor.
She decided to discuss the matter with him properly.
......
After chatting with the empress dowager all morning, Yu Miaohua finally returned to Guanju Palace with her mother and sister.
The empress dowager had been unusually clingy today. Was it because of her mother’s presence, sparking some competitive instinct?
Well, there was no helping it—she was just too popular.
Back in Guanju Palace, the kitchen served the dishes Yu Miaohua had specially requested—all tailored to her mother and sister’s tastes. While the empress dowager’s palace had her favorites, these were different.
Wang Yaning sampled each dish before pointing to a bamboo shoot soup. "Serve this again at noon—the broth is exquisite."
As for Yu Miaoping, she wasn’t picky. At her age, she had a hearty appetite and devoured most of the spread.
Yu Miaohua teased, "Pace yourself, or you’ll be begging me for digestive pills later. Cuiwei will write down the recipes for you to take home."
Wang Yaning smiled. "Now I know what to serve for the New Year’s banquet."
Previously, she had followed her husband on his official postings. But with her daughter now an imperial consort—able to summon family for monthly visits—she chose to stay in the capital. Nothing compared to seeing her girl.
The Wang family was, after all, a wealthy merchant household, and Wang Yaning was the only daughter of her generation. When she married, her dowry was quite substantial, including a three-courtyard residence in the capital and a manor. She didn’t even need to purchase another property.
On top of that, her elder brothers had secretly given her a considerable sum of money this time, along with two hot spring manors, saying it was thanks to Yu Miaohua that they had obtained the license to sell white sugar—this was their way of sharing the profits.
She had converted the money into smaller-denomination silver notes and brought them with her, intending to give them to her daughter. Although her daughter lacked nothing in the palace, having money on hand was always useful for unexpected needs.
Yu Miaohua patted her head. "Oh right, Mother, I happen to have something for you—a better dyeing technique, including two colors not yet available outside: woolen blue and grape purple. Make sure to pass them on to Uncle and the others later. And if they share any profits, you keep them. No need to give them to me."
The purples currently on the market were lighter in shade, and highly saturated hues like grape purple were rare and often unstable when dyed.
As for woolen blue, its dyeing method was centuries ahead of this era.
With these two dye formulas, along with the more advanced technique that produced brighter, longer-lasting colors, the Wang family could dominate the fabric market.
Her tone was brimming with smugness. "I found all these techniques in the Imperial Library and Dexin Pavilion!"
Wang Yaning was stunned. Just how many treasures had her daughter uncovered in the palace?
She said, "Your uncles also gave me some money to bring in for you."
These silver notes had been inspected when she entered the palace. This time, Wang Yaning had brought two thousand taels’ worth, planning to bring more later. It wouldn’t do to carry ten thousand taels all at once.
She handed the silver notes from her pouch to Yu Miaohua.
Yu Miaohua’s eyelid twitched—her mother’s pouch was unusually spacious.
Rarely reunited with her family, Yu Miaohua couldn’t help but act a little childish.
Remembering she hadn’t yet claimed her reward for the distilled liquor, she decided to give them both a little surprise.
"Let’s go to the Imperial Library! I’ve finished most of the books I borrowed the other day and need to get a few more."
"Can Mother and I come too?" Yu Miaoping asked.
Yu Miaohua thought for a moment. "I’ll ask the Emperor for permission." Generally, the Emperor wouldn’t refuse such trivial requests.
Speaking of which, Yu Miaohua had been enfeoffed as a consort for her contributions to movable-type printing. Once the Champa rice harvest came in next year, she’d have another achievement to her name.
Would they eventually run out of titles to confer on her?
As for the oil-pressing technique, since she had gifted it to the Empress Dowager, Yu Miaohua wouldn’t interfere further.
If only the credit for the Champa rice could be used for her sister—perhaps securing her a noble title.
Well, no point mentioning uncertain plans. She’d surprise her sister once things were settled.
Qingluo, following her orders, went to the Qianyuan Palace to request permission.
She returned with two tokens in hand.
Yu Miaohua beamed. "Let’s go, off we go~"
…
An hour later, Wang Yaning and Yu Miaoping stared in shock as Yu Miaohua exclaimed excitedly, "This book contains the technique for distilling liquor!"
"My luck is just too good!"
Witnessing her daughter stumble upon such a precious technique by casually picking a book, Wang Yaning was left questioning reality.
Was her daughter truly not the heavens’ favorite? When her husband returned to the capital, she’d have to tell him—let him be amazed too.
Yu Miaoping gazed at her sister with admiration. "Sister, you’re amazing!"
She couldn’t resist adding, "Sister, can I touch your hand?"
She wanted to soak up some of her sister’s good fortune. This New Year, she’d definitely be the first to bite into a dumpling with a coin!
Yu Miaohua basked in her sister’s adoring gaze and stretched out her hand. "Go ahead, touch as much as you like."
Clutching the book, she prepared to head to Qianyuan Palace.
If the Emperor acted quickly, the palace might even have distilled liquor by New Year’s.
Not to criticize, but the alcohol of this era was truly lacking—cloudy in appearance and weak in flavor. Even someone with an average tolerance like Yu Miaohua could down a whole jar without feeling much. As a child, she’d tried some bought by her family, but the sour taste had immediately put her off. The palace’s clear wine was of better quality, free of cloudiness, but still low in alcohol content.
Distilled liquor would be a game-changer, a product of unmatched quality that could even be sold at a premium to the northern tribes.
Since she was going to see the Emperor, Wang Yaning and Yu Miaoping naturally stayed behind in the Guanju Palace. To keep them entertained, Yu Miaohua arranged for them to tour her treasury before she left.
Brimming with excitement, she was halfway there when the system’s voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
[What the—?!]
[Host, you’ve got to believe me—I’m innocent this time! I really didn’t do anything!]
[Oh my god!! I can’t even imagine!]
The system’s exaggerated reaction gave Yu Miaohua a sinking feeling.
[System, what’s going on?]
[Ahhh, the mission’s completed!! Our main mission 2.4 is done!!]
Yu Miaohua felt as if struck by a club, her mind reeling. She stopped in her tracks.
[System, explain! How did the mission complete?]
[I don’t know! The backend just shows it as done! The Emperor reprimanded the Empress and placed her under confinement. Anyway, I’m off to upgrade! Don’t worry, this one’s quick—unlike last time’s three days, I’ll be back in an hour!]
Yu Miaohua was furious.
"Your Highness, what’s wrong?" Cuiwei asked, noticing her standing frozen in place.
Yu Miaohua forced a smile. "We won’t go to Qianyuan Palace. I have a bit of a headache."
Cuiwei looked concerned. "Shall I summon the imperial physician?"
"No need. I’ll rest for a while—it’s probably from the cold wind earlier." Yu Miaohua hadn’t known she was such a good actress. She tugged at her cloak for effect. "I’ve only just been enfeoffed as a consort. No need to trouble the Imperial Medical Bureau over something minor."
She turned back the way she came.
Wang Yaning was startled to see her return so soon.
Yu Miaohua simply pouted and claimed she hadn’t slept well the night before due to excitement, leaving her with a headache. She worried about embarrassing herself before the Emperor and decided to wait until she felt better.
The excuse sounded perfectly reasonable on the surface.
Wang Yaning said gently, "Then rest well. Don’t worry about your mother and sister."
This was her daughter’s domain—no one would dare slight them here.
But…
She had raised this child herself. A single furrow of her brow told Wang Yaning everything.
Yu Miaohua’s gaze was unfocused, tinged with faint fear—clearly, something had shaken her. But since her daughter didn’t want to worry her, and Wang Yaning couldn’t help in the palace anyway, she pretended to be fooled.
Cuiwei didn’t seem overly concerned, meaning she’d been kept in the dark too.
After Yu Miaohua went inside to rest, Wang Yaning said to Cuiwei, "Take me to the kitchen. I’ll make some soup for Miaohua."
When Miaohua was frightened as a child, she would always personally prepare sweet soup for her.
...
Lying in bed, Yu Miaohua had a strong urge to punch someone.
If the Emperor punished the Empress because of her, how could she ever face the Empress again?
She didn’t need the Emperor to avenge her at all—the ones causing trouble were Madame Lu and Yang Zhaorong. What did the Empress have to do with it?
Even the Emperor himself said it was those two acting on their own.
If she were the Empress, even the best temper would snap.
Yu Miaohua treated the pillow as the Emperor, pounding it repeatedly.
Because several braziers were lit in the room, after a while, she ended up sweating from the exertion.
With some resignation, she called Qingluo inside—she needed to bathe again to avoid feeling sticky.
These small distractions helped shift her mood, and by the time she finished bathing, Yu Miaohua wasn’t as furious as before.
She made a decision in her heart.
Just then, her system returned from its upgrade.
Yu Miaohua had no patience for idle chatter with it.
[System, put the improved papermaking technique in the Dexin Pavilion.]
[...Alright, I’ll exchange it right away.] The host’s current state was a bit terrifying.
The palace intrigue system even changed its font to a peacock-like iridescent color—its new skin—but Yu Miaohua didn’t notice at all.
Seeing her daughter emerge from the room, hair still damp but visibly more at ease, Wang Yaning sighed in relief and had someone bring the sweet soup from the stove.
"I had some free time earlier, so I made you some soup. Try it."
Yu Miaohua sat down. The familiar taste of the sweet soup, just like in her memories, made her eyes curve slightly.
Her mother must have noticed but chose not to say anything.
Warmth filled her, but her heart also ached faintly.
After finishing the soup, Yu Miaohua said, "I remember there’s a travelogue in the Dexin Pavilion I haven’t finished. I need to borrow it again."
She planned to use this excuse to retrieve the mission rewards—then take both the distilled liquor technique and the papermaking method to the Emperor.
With these two things, even if she accidentally angered Pei Lingyue, her newly acquired consort rank wouldn’t be revoked.
The Emperor might not understand people well, but he had one redeeming quality—if something benefited the Great Qi, no matter how angry he was, he’d grit his teeth and endure it.
Just as she was about to leave, Jin'er from her palace hurried in, hastily bowing before speaking.
"Your Highness, the Empress is unwell and will be recuperating for some time. She has handed palace affairs to the Empress Dowager and exempted everyone from morning greetings. The Fengyi Palace has been sealed."
Yu Miaohua froze.
So the official explanation was that the Empress was ill?
At least some face was spared—it wasn’t as severe as she’d feared.
Should she still go to the Qianyuan Palace?
After a brief hesitation, she decided yes. A faint intuition told her the Empress’s punishment might be related to her. If she did nothing, she wouldn’t be able to live with herself.
Going now might lead to regret later, but not going would haunt her conscience forever.
She stood. "I’m going to the Dexin Pavilion."
Huh?
The others looked at her in surprise. At a time like this, Her Highness still wanted to visit the Dexin Pavilion?
Qingluo asked, "Your Highness, should we prepare a gift for the Fengyi Palace?"
After all, the Empress was ill—it wouldn’t do to show no concern.
Yu Miaohua replied, "We’ll discuss that after I return."
...
She successfully retrieved the book containing the papermaking technique, along with the one on distilled liquor, and headed straight to the Qianyuan Palace.
At this hour… the Emperor should be having lunch.
As she predicted, Pei Lingyue had just ordered his meal when he received word of Yu Miaohua’s arrival.
Though she was a favored consort, Yu Miaohua rarely sought him out on her own.
Could it be about the Empress?
Given how vehemently she’d resisted the task yesterday, it was possible. Even after nearly a year in the palace, she still carried that same naivety—or stubbornness—unlike the others, completely oblivious to weighing pros and cons.
"Did Consort Hui bring anything?"
Chai Xiu paused, then bowed. "Her Highness brought two books."
Two books? Just as expected.
Pei Lingyue thought for a moment. "Have Consort Hui wait in the side hall."
"Then quietly summon the Empress—make sure Consort Hui doesn’t see her."
Though Pei Lingyue had told the Empress that her confinement was partly punishment for failing in her duties as the palace’s mistress, and partly to warn the Duke of Qin against overstepping, lest he become a festering sore for the Crown Prince, he wasn’t sure if she’d suspect Yu Miaohua.
Perhaps it was best to let the Empress see Consort Hui’s attitude firsthand.
...
Fengyi Palace.
Though pale, the Empress calmly issued orders one after another—mainly that during her recovery, all entries and exits from Fengyi Palace must be recorded, and no one was to wander freely.
Seeing the unease among the palace maids, she announced their monthly allowances would be doubled to ease their worries.
Once the palace staff were settled, she returned to her chambers, exhaustion and confusion flickering across her face.
Earlier, after court, the Emperor summoned her, expressing sharp disapproval toward her mother.
"Were it not for you and the Crown Prince, I would have taken her life."
"Though you bear no blame in this matter, you were negligent. Take this time to rest and reflect in Fengyi Palace."
In all her years married to the Emperor, she had never been confined, even when she’d made mistakes. Though the official reason was recuperation, everyone knew it was a polite term for house arrest.
Even if the Emperor insisted this was more about warning the Duke’s household, a quiet resentment and sorrow welled up in her heart.
She thought they at least shared familial affection, if not love. Never before had the Emperor humiliated her for someone else’s sake.
His attitude yesterday had been nothing like this.
Had Consort Hui said something? Because her consort ceremony was ruined?
She told herself Consort Hui wasn’t that kind of person—she couldn’t have misjudged her so badly. But no other explanation made sense.
Nor had she ever imagined the Emperor would go this far for a concubine.
Yet for the sake of her and the Crown Prince’s dignity, she had to maintain composure.
Her fingers tightened unconsciously around the quilt.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor summons you to the Qianyuan Palace," her confidante hurried in, face alight with hope. "Has His Majesty changed his mind?"
The Empress pressed her lips together—she didn’t quite agree.
Her brows furrowed. "But has the Crown Prince gone to see His Majesty?"
Early in the morning, the Crown Prince had been summoned to the Ministry of Revenue. Now, the Empress was certain it had merely been an excuse for the Emperor to send him away.
Her maid shook her head. "The Crown Prince has yet to return to the palace. News likely hasn’t spread so quickly."
The Empress sighed. Even if Chi Yan didn’t know now, he would surely find out by the afternoon at the latest. She could only hope he wouldn’t clash with the Emperor.
She rose to her feet. "Accompany me to the Qianyuan Hall."
...
Upon arriving at the Qianyuan Hall, Pei Lingyue spotted her and gestured toward the inner chamber. "Zhaopei, wait inside. No matter what you hear, don’t make a sound."
The Empress—Yang Zhaopei—felt a complicated swirl of emotions at his words. The Emperor rarely addressed her by name. His tone didn’t sound as though he was still angry with her.
"This servant obeys."
Her posture remained flawless, without a single misstep, yet Pei Lingyue detected a faint trace of resentment—the Empress was indeed somewhat displeased.
Yang Zhaopei stepped into the inner chamber, where a folding screen by the entrance perfectly concealed her presence.
No sooner had she settled onto the divan than she heard footsteps, followed by Yu Miaohua’s voice.
"This humble one greets Your Majesty!"
Consort Hui? Why was she here to see the Emperor?
Was this the reason the Emperor had summoned her?
"Your Majesty, did you punish Her Majesty the Empress because of me? If so, this is unjust to her."
At these words, the Empress gasped sharply, instinctively covering her mouth to stifle any sound.
Consort Hui was truly bold. Wasn’t she afraid the Emperor might punish her as well in a fit of anger?
Was she… standing up for her?
So, her punishment truly had nothing to do with Consort Hui after all?
She hadn’t misjudged her.
Unconsciously, the Empress’s lips curved into a faint smile, warmth flowing gently through her heart.
Beyond the screen, however, Yu Miaohua wasn’t nearly as bold as Yang Zhaopei imagined.
As she spoke, she clutched the two books in her hands tightly, her legs even going a little weak.
The worst part was that after she finished, the Emperor remained silent, merely gazing at her with an inscrutable expression that made her heart race. Couldn’t he at least give her an answer?
Even her system couldn’t take it anymore.
[Host, if you’re this scared, why even say it?]
[None of your business! I just had a momentary lapse in courage. Speaking of which, why doesn’t your backend sell bravery-boosting pills? What kind of business are you running?]
She chattered with her system to ease her nerves. Useless as it was, the warmth of the two books in her arms at least gave her some strength.
Pei Lingyue was torn between amusement and exasperation. On one hand, Consort Hui was bold enough to speak up for the Empress. On the other, she immediately turned timid afterward, even wishing for a courage-enhancing pill.
This contradictory mix of bravery and cowardice—how had she ended up like this?
"Consort Hui, are you pleading fairness for the Empress? Do you realize I was doing this to avenge you?"
At his words, Yu Miaohua bit her lower lip. "This servant knows Your Majesty cares for me, and I am deeply moved. But I cannot bear to see an innocent person punished because of me."
"The ones at fault are Her Majesty’s relatives, not Her Majesty herself."
"If Her Majesty suffers unjustly because of me, I would be unable to rest."
[Host, you really do like the Empress, huh.]
[I do admire her, but I didn’t come here just for that. The Empress has worked hard all these years—even if she hasn’t achieved great merits, she’s certainly put in the effort. If the Emperor harms her for the sake of a new favorite like me, it wouldn’t make me think, ‘Oh, how touching, the domineering Emperor loves me so much.’ I’d only feel terror. Do you understand?]
If he could do this for her today, he might do the same for someone else tomorrow. And next time, the victim could very well be her.
It was this unspoken fear, which she hadn’t even fully recognized earlier, that drove her to this seemingly reckless act. But she didn’t regret it.
Pei Lingyue began to understand Yu Miaohua’s perspective. Accustomed to his lofty position, he had assumed that the Empress’s grievances would be compensated for later.
But to those unaware of the truth, he would only appear as a lustful, cold-blooded ruler who favored concubines over his lawful wife.
After a moment’s thought, he said, "I lied earlier. This wasn’t for your sake. I simply took a day to rest, and the more I thought about it, the angrier I became. That’s why I decided to discipline the Duke of Qin’s household."
Yu Miaohua couldn’t help blurting out, "Then why not just punish the Duke of Qin directly?"
Why take it out on the Empress?
Inside the chamber, the Empress covered her mouth again to stifle a laugh. Consort Hui… was truly adorable.
The moment the words left her mouth, Yu Miaohua regretted them, her gaze darting away nervously.
Ugh, it was all the fault of that distilled liquor technique and papermaking method—they’d given her too much courage!
Pei Lingyue fell silent for a beat before saying, "You’re right. I was wrong in this matter. I owe you an apology—and the Empress as well."
One was his lawful wife, the other a blessed star capable of bestowing divine gifts upon the Great Qi. He truly ought to show them greater respect.
Then again, the improved papermaking technique had been so alluring that even he, usually so composed, had been swept up in the excitement, eager to obtain it as quickly as possible.
Of course, Pei Lingyue was fully aware that if given the chance, he would make the same choice again.
Yu Miaohua’s emotions were in turmoil. The Emperor had actually apologized, leaving her at a loss for words. This was almost unfair.
Being the Emperor really was advantageous—just a slight softening of his demeanor was enough to make people want to forgive him.
Pei Lingyue’s gaze dropped to the two books in Yu Miaohua’s hands. "Consort Hui, what are those books you’ve brought?"
Yu Miaohua snapped back to attention. "Your Majesty, I found more treasures in the library and the Dexin Pavilion! Just this morning!"
She cleared her throat lightly, remembering her purpose. "Perhaps the heavens intended for me to present them to Her Majesty the Empress."
Pei Lingyue: "…"
He had assumed Yu Miaohua meant to use these books to placate him. Instead, she wanted to leverage them to plead for the Empress?
She really did adore the Empress. Was it possible that in her heart, he ranked below the Empress?
If another auspicious omen appeared, would she only bring the Empress and the Empress Dowager along?
Pei Lingyue felt another pang of jealousy.
"So, you wish to use these to seek leniency for the Empress?"
Yu Miaohua’s eyes brightened. "Is that truly possible?"
Pei Lingyue replied with difficulty, "But I’ve already announced that the Empress is unwell and requires a period of rest."
Yu Miaohua thought for a moment, then waved the books slightly. "That’s precisely why I’ve brought the remedy—to cure Her Majesty’s ailment so she no longer needs to recuperate."
Since the rewards were already in hand, there was no taking them back.
Pei Lingyue understood now. The Empress mattered. His dignity? Not so much.
Still, if he refused, it would only cement his image as a heartless tyrant.
Very well. If she was willing to go this far for the Empress, why should he stand in her way?
Watching Yu Miaohua desperately trying to help the Empress avoid punishment, Pei Lingyue felt like he had become the villain in a romance novel—the one who cruelly separates lovers. But he was the Empress’s husband!
This realization made his mood even more complicated.
“I understand,” he said.
Yu Miaohua looked at him expectantly, only to see the Emperor turn slightly and speak toward the inner chamber.
“Empress, you heard that, didn’t you?”
Yu Miaohua froze.
Wait… the Empress was here too?
The next moment, she saw the Empress step out from the inner room, her face wearing a gentle smile, her eyes even slightly red.
The Empress truly hadn’t expected to hear such words. She had thought it was already rare for Consort Hui to plead for her, but now, Yu Miaohua had even tried to credit her with the merit.
She had indeed taken extra care of Consort Hui because she found her adorable and endearing.
And Consort Hui—not only had she appreciated that kindness, but she had also risked the Emperor’s wrath to stand up for her.
No wonder the Empress Dowager doted on her so much. At this moment, the Empress finally understood.
She walked up to Yu Miaohua. “Consort Hui, thank you.”
Watching this scene, Pei Lingyue suddenly wondered: Was his presence a little unnecessary? Should he, the Emperor, step aside to give them a chance to share their heartfelt feelings?
He could only console himself: At least it seemed the Empress would never hold any grudge against Consort Hui. Even if someone tried to drive a wedge between them, she would only cherish Yu Miaohua even more, protecting her as one of her own.
In a way, he had achieved his goal.
He should have been happy, but why did his emotions feel so tangled?
Meanwhile, Yu Miaohua, being thanked by the Empress, was so embarrassed she could have dug her toes into the floor.
[Ahhhh! Why is the Empress here?!]
[Host, isn’t it obvious? The Emperor didn’t want you to be misunderstood. He really loves you so much—I’m moved to tears! You should be happy. The Empress you like won’t misunderstand you anymore.]
[Or maybe it’s just that you’re useless! Even after upgrading, you didn’t gain any new functions or warn me!]
The Empress stared in shock at the lines of text appearing above Yu Miaohua’s head.
“Consort Hui, there seems to be something on your—”
Hearing this, Pei Lingyue immediately snapped to attention. Firmly cutting off the Empress, he said, “Empress, I just remembered I have something to discuss with you. Come with me.”
The Emperor: Just how many people are ranked ahead of me?
