Palace of Guanju.
"Cough, cough, cough..." Yu Miaohua coughed violently, her face flushed red from the effort.
She was utterly exasperated—the rumors outside had truly gone too far this time. They were even claiming that she had framed the Empress because she was pregnant.
Did she look that brainless to them?
Even if she were pregnant, whether the child could be carried to term and raised was another matter entirely. In this era, children were prone to dying young, even in the imperial family.
Whoever spread such rumors was both foolish and malicious.
Cuiwei fumed, "Why do they always have it out for you, Your Highness?"
Yu Miaohua set down her teacup. "Such is the life of a favored consort."
Every bit of blame was tossed her way.
She added, "Don’t let my mother or Miaoping hear about this."
Her mother and Miaoping rested at the Palace of Eternal Longevity at night and spent their days with her. Due to the cold weather and the snow outside, they hadn’t even visited the imperial gardens lately. Under normal circumstances, such gossip wouldn’t reach their ears.
Cuiwei nodded. "This servant has already given the orders. Your Highness, should we clarify the rumors?"
Yu Miaohua frowned. "Ignore them."
She couldn’t very well step forward and declare she wasn’t pregnant—that would only make her a laughingstock.
If push came to shove, she could always go cry in front of the Empress Dowager.
Her successful scheming earlier had given her unprecedented confidence in her acting skills.
But before Yu Miaohua could even attempt it, the Empress’s side took action.
Aunt Fang personally led a group of people, dragging a string of palace servants who had spread the rumors to the Hall of Qian Yuan for the Emperor to deal with.
Among them was a maid from Li Zhaoyuan’s palace.
As a result, Li Zhaoyuan personally came to the Palace of Guanju to apologize.
Yu Miaohua said bluntly, "Tell her I’m resting with a headache from the rumors and won’t see her. And I won’t accept any gifts she brings."
Since being promoted to Consort, Yu Miaohua had indeed gained more confidence and acted more freely.
She had worked so hard—if she still had to maintain superficial harmony and play nice with people she disliked, she’d suffocate from frustration. Those who disliked her wouldn’t change their minds no matter how friendly she acted. If anything, they’d just think her weak and easy to bully.
Cuiwei responded crisply and went out to deal with Li Zhaoyuan.
With an apologetic expression, she said, "Consort Li, my mistress is suffering from a headache due to the rumors and cannot rise to receive you."
Li Zhaoyuan looked remorseful. "This is my fault for disturbing Consort Yu. I never imagined Chuntao would slander her behind my back. I misjudged her."
"I’ve brought some medicinal herbs, hoping Consort Yu will accept this small token of my sincerity."
Cuiwei replied, "Her Highness is currently recuperating and cannot take any tonics without permission. This servant thanks you on her behalf."
Li Zhaoyuan hadn’t expected Guanju Palace to reject her so thoroughly. Not only did Consort Yu refuse to see her, sending only a maid to dismiss her, but she wouldn’t even accept her apology gifts. It was clear she held a grudge.
Resentment simmered in her heart: Since being promoted, Consort Yu had grown truly arrogant, not even sparing her this bit of face.
Yet she couldn’t afford to clash with her—in both rank and favor, she paled in comparison. For instance, despite entering the palace over a decade earlier than Consort Yu, she still had to grit her teeth and address her as "elder sister."
Last year, when Consort Yu was first enfeoffed as a Noble Consort, her rank had still been beneath Li Zhaoyuan’s. Who could have guessed that in just a month, she’d rise to stand equal with Consort De and Consort Xian?
Forcing a gracious smile, Li Zhaoyuan said, "Then I won’t disturb Consort Yu further."
Before leaving, she played a small trick—pretending to "forget" her gifts behind.
As she stepped out of Guanju Palace, a faint smirk curled her lips.
But barely a moment later, hurried footsteps sounded behind her.
In the palace, servants were trained to walk quietly unless the situation was urgent. Who dared to be so unruly?
The next instant, someone called out, "Consort Li!"
That voice—wasn’t it Consort Yu’s personal maid?
A bad feeling settled in Li Zhaoyuan’s stomach. She stiffly turned and saw Cuiwei and another maid she didn’t recognize running after her, carrying the very gifts she had "left behind."
In a voice just loud enough for nearby ears to catch, Cuiwei said, "Consort Li, you forgot these. This servant has brought every piece back for you."
She curtsied, then stepped forward with Hong Xing to shove the gifts into Li Zhaoyuan’s maids’ hands.
Li Zhaoyuan was stunned, nearly coughing up blood in fury. She had never imagined such a ruthless countermove!
Guanju Palace truly fought dirty.
She could feel the weight of countless eyes on her—by tonight, the entire harem would know her apology had been publicly rejected.
Her fists clenched inside her sleeves, face burning with humiliation. Guanju Palace had gone too far!
Yet she couldn’t even complain. To outsiders, her maid’s actions were her own.
Chuntao had been careful, but she’d still been caught.
And this incident revealed another truth—the Empress hadn’t fallen from the Emperor’s favor. Otherwise, Aunt Fang wouldn’t have dared make such a spectacle of punishing the rumor-mongers. It was a clear warning to the rest.
For now, she’d have to keep a low profile.
Taking a deep breath, Li Zhaoyuan turned and marched back to her palace.
After successfully returning the gifts, Cuiwei gleefully recounted the scene to Yu Miaohua.
"Well done!" Yu Miaohua shot her an approving look.
Cuiwei explained, "This servant originally planned to remind her, but then thought that’d be letting them off too easily. They clearly did wrong yet still tried to brush it aside with underhanded tricks—leaving the gifts showed they weren’t truly remorseful. So I waited until they’d gone farther before chasing after them."
Now the entire harem knew.
In excellent spirits, Yu Miaohua decided to treat her mother and sister to another feast that evening.
With the Empress’s intervention, the restless harem quickly settled back into order.
As an official’s wife, Wang Yaning couldn’t overstay her welcome in the palace, even with the Empress Dowager’s permission.
After three days, she took her leave after morning greetings.
"As the New Year approaches, this humble wife should return home to manage household affairs and prepare for the celebrations."
Her husband would arrive in the capital within two days.
Though reluctant, Yu Miaohua didn’t press them to stay. With just over ten days until the New Year, she’d see them again soon.
The Empress Dowager smiled. "These days with you and your daughter have spared this old one much boredom."
She lavished the mother and daughter with jewels and fine silks.
Following her lead, the other consorts had no choice but to grit their teeth and offer gifts as well.
The Empress’s presents arrived swiftly, followed by those from the Noble Consort, Consort De, Consort Xian... until every high-ranking consort had contributed.
This resulted in Wang Yaning and her companions receiving enough imperial rewards to fill two carriages, making their treatment the highest among all the families of imperial concubines in the harem.
After seeing them off, Yu Miaohua returned to the palace and took the opportunity to claim the reward from Consort De's task the previous day.
At a glance, she couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.
Unlike this year's massive floods, next year would bring a once-in-a-decade drought to the regions of Xiazhou and Songzhou, followed by a locust plague.
On the seventeenth day of the third month, Lizhou would be struck by a major earthquake—equivalent to a magnitude 6.3 in her past life.
Yu Miaohua now felt incredibly fortunate to have completed this task, as it would allow her to minimize casualties and losses. Comparatively, knowing the specifics of natural disasters made it easier to mitigate the damage from earthquakes.
She needed to find a way to reveal this information quickly, but without making others dependent on her or expecting her to predict every future calamity.
The main issue was that she couldn’t guarantee receiving future disaster prediction rewards, so she had to eliminate any potential risks in this regard.
After all, some people were simply unreasonable.
[Only those who fear not to reveal their divinity before mortals are true goddesses. Ding—Host has triggered Main Quest 3.2: Please seize the opportunity to make a grand prophecy in public, stunning all in attendance. Reward: Iron ore distribution maps for Great Qi, Liang Country, and Half-Moon Country.]
Iron was a controlled commodity, monopolized by the imperial court. Mining it privately was tantamount to treason. However, Great Qi was vast, and many undiscovered iron deposits remained beyond the court's control.
If she could obtain this map, the Emperor would surely be overjoyed.
The task had to be done.
She decided to publicly predict the earthquake. As for the drought and floods, to prevent local wealthy families from hoarding supplies in advance to profit from the disaster, she would privately inform the Emperor instead.
Yu Miaohua browsed the system’s marketplace, searching for any useful auxiliary skills or items.
Since binding with the palace intrigue system, she hadn’t spent any points on marketplace items. With daily check-in points and task rewards, she had accumulated quite a substantial amount.
The marketplace was overwhelming, its sheer variety dizzying.
Soon, she had an idea.
[System, I need an auxiliary skill or pill for my grand reveal—something that can create the illusion of me being severely weakened. Preferably something that makes me cough up a basin of blood, with even imperial physicians diagnosing me as on the brink of death.]
[Oh, and it mustn’t actually harm me or have any negative effects on my health.]
After all, Yu Miaohua cherished her life dearly. Helping others was fine, but not at her own expense.
Though the system was somewhat dim-witted, its search and summarization abilities were reliable.
[Host, how about the "Death Escape Pill," a must-have in tragic romance novels for faking one’s demise? One pill will make you cough blood on the spot, lose all breath after half an hour, and leave even the greatest immortals helpless. You’ll revive after another hour. No side effects—it even detoxifies and clears acne!]
Yu Miaohua gritted her teeth: Her skin was flawless, with no acne! She checked the price—2,000 points.
She could afford it. Perfect, this was the one.
[For the revival, how about pairing it with a "Fragrant Consort" skill? Let butterflies kiss you, bringing you back to life with a fleeting floral aura. Since you still have two unused auspicious skills, you could exchange for this. Imagine the ethereal, dreamlike miracle—you’d be the next Fragrant Consort!]
Yu Miaohua rejected it outright! Butterflies were beautiful, yes, but she refused to be kissed by them. Just picturing it made her shudder, wanting to scream for help.
Other auspicious signs were fine, but butterfly-assisted resurrection? Absolutely not!
She’d rather use "Buddha’s Radiance"—effective and without side effects.
She already had the timing planned: the New Year’s banquet.
Imagine—for the sake of Great Qi, she peered into the secrets of heaven and suffered backlash, her life hanging by a thread.
Anyone with a shred of conscience would be moved by her selflessness. If their favorability didn’t increase by at least ten points, it would defy all reason.
She’d pick the three with the highest favorability, claim the rewards, and then ignore them!
Yu Miaohua grew excited just thinking about it.
Ah…
Wait—her parents would surely be present. Would they be frightened?
Now she was worried.
……
As the New Year approached, the capital grew livelier, its streets packed with bustling crowds. People eagerly shopped for holiday goods, looking forward to the celebrations. Even those who usually pinched pennies now splurged, buying sweets for their children.
Among the busiest shops were those selling white and rock sugar, their queues stretching long.
Compared to months prior, prices had dropped further, making them affordable to more people.
With prices consistently falling, hoarding several pounds was no longer necessary.
As they waited in line, people chatted idly.
"Word is, Marquis Liewu found cotton near the southern borders—it can be used for clothing. A single plant yields loads, good for weaving or stuffing garments. Keeps you warm! They’re already planting vast fields of it down south."
"Something that good—can commoners like us afford it?" A sun-darkened peasant in hemp clothes scoffed.
"Why not? We couldn’t afford white sugar before either, yet here we are, buying half a pound without blinking. Rumor has it Consort Hui read about cotton in a book."
"Consort Hui? Since when was there a Consort Hui in the palace?" asked someone out of the loop. "His Majesty has a new favorite?"
"That’d be the former Lady Yu. She’s now Consort Hui."
At the mention of Lady Yu, the crowd nodded knowingly. "Then I believe it’s good stuff. Why else would the Emperor make her a consort, right?"
Since movable-type printing hadn’t yet spread among the common folk, most didn’t know the real reason behind Yu Miaohua’s promotion.
"Didn’t you hear? On the day Consort Hui was enfeoffed, Buddha himself manifested! Divine light bathed her, blessing her."
"That Buddha—they say he was even more compassionate than temple statues. Appeared right behind Consort Hui and the Empress Dowager. The Minister of Revenue’s mother was there—her chronic leg pain vanished!"
"So miraculous! Pity we weren’t there to witness it."
"Who are we to enter the imperial palace? The Yu family’s blessed to have a consort like her. Buddha surely watches over them. Heard many want to work for the Yus, but they’re not hiring now."
……
Nearby, a finely dressed youth listened for a while, fanning himself elegantly before returning to an elderly man with a youthful face.
"Master Qingsongzi, what do you make of this?" he asked.
As they spoke, the surrounding guards cleared the area, shooing away the nearby commoners. They also stood at a distance—close enough to allow their masters to speak freely yet far enough to intervene swiftly should any danger arise.
"Your Highness, it's merely the idle chatter of a few ignorant commoners," Qingsongzi stroked his long beard, exuding the air of an otherworldly sage.
The young man was Pei Yuheng, the eldest son of the Prince. As the heir of the princely household, Pei Yuheng was acutely aware of the ambition and resentment buried deep in his father's heart.
In his view, when his grandfather was alive, his father had been a renowned and virtuous prince in the imperial court. If not for sheer luck—being born to the Empress—the current Emperor would never have ascended the throne.
Yet, because of this twist of fate, his father's talents had only invited the Emperor's jealousy and suspicion. Their family had been exiled to the remote fiefdom of Fengzhou, and over the years, their authority had been repeatedly stripped away, even losing control over financial matters.
Fortunately, heaven still favored them—they had encountered the reclusive master, Qingsongzi.
With a single glance, Qingsongzi had discerned that his father was destined for the imperial throne, only to have his fortune stolen by the man now seated upon it in the capital.
He should have been the Crown Prince.
Qingsongzi had even discovered an untouched iron mine for them. The princely household purchased the land, built an estate over it, and secretly mined the ore to forge weapons.
Originally, they hadn’t planned to bring Qingsongzi to the capital. But the reputation of the Emperor’s favored Consort Hui had spread far and wide—even reaching Fengzhou.
Rumors about her were shrouded in mysticism. It was said she enjoyed divine favor, always uncovering hidden, extraordinary books in the imperial library.
The late Emperor had personally intervened in a dream to clear her name of false accusations.
During her consort investiture ceremony, when schemers tried to sabotage her, the Buddha himself manifested to support her.
Was she even human? If these tales were true, she might as well be the heavens’ own darling.
With her around, how could their princely faction ever hope to rebel?
This was precisely why they had brought Qingsongzi to the capital—to assess the true nature of this favored consort.
After listening to the commoners’ fervent adoration of Consort Hui, Pei Yuheng grew increasingly uneasy.
Qingsongzi remarked, "The frequent natural disasters this year are heaven’s warning against the current Emperor. To consolidate his power and divert attention, he has elevated Consort Hui."
Pei Yuheng asked, "My imperial uncle is not lacking in consorts—why her?"
Before Qingsongzi could answer, Pei Yuheng muttered to himself, "The other high-ranking consorts all have children. Consort Hui enjoys favor but remains childless, making her entirely dependent on the Emperor."
Choosing the Empress would risk the Crown Prince overshadowing the Emperor—a scenario His Majesty wished to avoid. Rumor had it that the Emperor had already grown wary of the Crown Prince. The Prince’s maternal grandfather, the Duke of Qin, had recently submitted a memorial admitting failures in household discipline and requesting a demotion. The Emperor had seized the opportunity to strip him of his dukedom, reducing him to a mere marquis.
Selecting the mother of another prince might embolden her son to vie for the throne.
Consort Hui’s background was simple—her maternal family were merchants, and her father, Yu Weihua, came from humble origins with no political backing.
Despite being favored for nearly a year, Consort Hui had yet to conceive. This was likely the Emperor’s design—ensuring she remained under his control. A childless consort, no matter how exalted, was like a flower reflected in water or the moon in a mirror—beautiful but ultimately illusory.
Consort Hui’s reputation now mirrored the Emperor’s own.
If they could publicly expose her as a fraud, his imperial uncle would be utterly humiliated.
Pei Yuheng’s expression brightened with anticipation. "Reverend, in a few days, you shall accompany my father and me to the palace."
Qingsongzi smiled faintly. "It would be my honor."
"If I can gain the Emperor’s trust and become the court’s State Preceptor, I will surely aid His Highness in his grand endeavor."
Pei Yuheng was intrigued by the proposal.
…
Third Day of the New Year
Yu Miaohua sat stiffly before her bronze mirror, stifling a yawn, her eyes glistening with involuntary tears.
Since New Year’s Eve, she had been forced to attend endless banquets, leaving her utterly exhausted.
Today’s New Year’s banquet was the most crucial of all.
On this day, the court would host civil and military officials, while noblewomen would enter the palace to pay their respects.
In previous years, the Emperor, Empress, princes, and princesses would feast with officials in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, while the Empress Dowager, consorts, and noblewomen gathered in the Hall of Extended Blessings.
This year, however, the Emperor had decreed that both groups would convene in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
Admittedly, this arrangement made Yu Miaohua’s mission much easier.
Sometimes, she and the Emperor really were on the same wavelength.
"My lady, just endure a little longer. After today, you can rest properly," Qingluo encouraged her.
Yu Miaohua, who had been drowsy, jolted awake at these words, her clear eyes flickering with guilt.
After today, she would rest—because she’d be faking her death. She’d need at least half a month to recover.
"Today, I’ll wear the orchid hairpin gifted by Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, paired with the peacock-patterned gauze dress delivered the other day. Hong Xing, remember to paint an orchid design on my forehead."
The peacock gauze had been a gift from the Empress. The seamstresses had worked tirelessly to complete it yesterday according to her specifications.
Though she preferred peonies, Yu Miaohua chose the orchid motif to match the hairpin. Since becoming Consort Hui, she had been allotted four senior maids, and Hong Xing had recently been promoted.
Qingluo was surprised but obediently retrieved the orchid hairpin and the peacock dress.
Her lady usually preferred understated elegance for banquets, but today, she seemed intent on standing out.
In truth, Yu Miaohua simply wanted to leave an indelible impression. If she was going to put on a grand performance today, she might as well look her absolute best—cementing her image as the untouchable, radiant white moonlight in everyone’s hearts.
She had even practiced her fainting pose repeatedly, alarming Qingluo so much that the maid nearly called for a physician.
Yu Miaohua’s beauty was already striking, but adorned in full regalia, she became utterly dazzling—radiant beyond compare.
She cupped her face in her hands. "I’m so beautiful!"
Cuiwei and the others, who had been spellbound by her beauty, fell silent, abruptly brought back to reality.
No matter how much they revered their lady, they had to admit—sometimes, she was better off not speaking.
As Consort Hui, Yu Miaohua didn’t need to arrive early. When the time came, a eunuch escorted her into the hall.
By then, the officials and noblewomen had already been waiting for some time.
Yu Miaohua maintained her aloof, regal demeanor, though inwardly, she complained to her system.
Good grief, there are even more people than before! Feels like twice as many!
That’s because this includes regional officials, as well as the feudal lords and their families. Your father’s here too, by the way.
Yu Miaohua was well aware that her father was present—she had seen him during the New Year's Eve celebrations. The Emperor had graciously granted her father an audience after his official duties, allowing them to meet as father and daughter for nearly half an hour.
Compared to before she entered the palace, her father had grown thinner and darker, no longer the fair-skinned gentleman he once was.
Suppressing her wandering thoughts, she took her seat. Her place was right beside Consort De, a far cry from her earlier days as a lowly Cairen who hadn’t even qualified to attend banquets. Now, as a high-ranking concubine, she had truly risen in status.
When Consort De saw her, her eyes brightened, and she teased, "Sister, you’re absolutely radiant today. I shouldn’t have sat next to you."
Yu Miaohua deliberately replied, "I hadn’t planned to dress so conspicuously, but this peacock brocade was a gift from Her Majesty the Empress. How could I refuse such kindness?"
Consort De sighed, "Her Majesty truly dotes on you."
A brilliant smile spread across Yu Miaohua’s face. "I’ve come to realize that earning Her Majesty’s favor is both an honor and a skill. Before, I thought it was enough to quietly appreciate her affection without flaunting it, lest it provoke envy. But since some insist on twisting our relationship with malicious rumors, I might as well make it clear—better to be misunderstood for being bold than for being secretive."
Some concubines couldn’t help but feel implicated, lowering their heads guiltily.
Consort Xian remarked calmly, "Only fools would misunderstand. Sister, why bother with such people?"
Yu Miaohua replied, "The world is full of fools who think themselves clever. Of course, Sister Consort Xian is certainly not one of them."
Consort Xian’s brow furrowed slightly, unsure whether Yu Miaohua was subtly mocking her.
But when her gaze landed on Yu Miaohua’s exquisitely beautiful face, Consort Xian—Qin Sang—decided she must be overthinking it. Consort Hui likely lacked the wit for such veiled insults. No wonder she got along so well with the Noble Consort.
Yu Miaohua suddenly felt the urge to sneeze but suppressed it, taking a sip of tea instead before resuming her conversation with Consort De as if nothing had happened.
[System, I bet plenty of people are cursing me behind my back.]
[Host, you’re the center of attention right now—the most dazzling star in the room!]
[Heh, I used to hold back on dressing up because I didn’t want to make others feel inferior. That’s just the kind of generous soul I am.]
After this self-praise, Yu Miaohua cheered herself up, her lips curling into a pleased smile.
Just as the system had said, the moment Yu Miaohua arrived, her striking beauty captivated the entire hall.
Among those spellbound was Pei Yuheng, the heir of the Feng Princely House. Yu Miaohua happened to be his exact type—a radiant, glamorous beauty who perfectly aligned with his tastes.
He couldn’t help but revise some of his earlier judgments.
His imperial uncle was far too cold-hearted, using such a stunning woman as a pawn and shield, utterly devoid of chivalry. And she seemed rather naive, easily manipulated.
What a pity. The plan was already set, and it was too late to change it now.
If she met an unfortunate end, he’d at least commission scholars to compose elegies in her honor, ensuring her name lingered in history.
Unaware that her newest admirer had already planned her posthumous legacy, Yu Miaohua continued chatting with her system.
[Host, so far, you’ve encountered thirty-five eligible candidates. You may select three from among them.]
[Wait, wasn’t it just twenty-six earlier? Who else got added?]
Yu Miaohua understood the system’s criteria—merely sharing the same space counted as "contact," even without conversation.
[The new additions include the Feng Princely House heir, the Chief Steward of the Yao Princely House, the nephew of Princess Zhuang…]
The system eagerly listed each candidate.
Yu Miaohua: "…"
Most of these were from the princely houses—former political rivals of the Emperor. Getting involved with them would be suicidal!
Then again, she wasn’t actually planning to pursue the mission seriously. She was just milking the rewards from their goodwill. If any of them had high enough favorability, why not pick them?
When Pei Lingyue arrived with the Empress Dowager and the Empress, making their grand entrance, his attention immediately zeroed in on Yu Miaohua.
The constantly updating text above her head was impossible to miss, especially the glaringly bright words from the "System Deity."
Thus, the three most powerful figures of the Great Qi Dynasty instantly spotted Yu Miaohua.
And then they saw the System Deity introducing the new batch of candidates.
Pei Lingyue’s heart leaped into his throat—how were these people even eligible?!
Ancestors, please don’t let Yu Miaohua choose any of them!
No sooner had he prayed than he remembered—he shared ancestors with the Feng, Yao, and Zhuang Princes.
If his late father were watching, he’d probably root for the others instead.
Pei Lingyue hastily amended his plea: Never mind the ancestors. Let Heaven decide.
Heaven: Are you sure about that?
