In the Palace of Eternal Peace.
Yuan Huirou paced back and forth inside the hall. "Who could have bribed Siqi to frame me like this?"
She recalled that Siqi had served in the palace for over a decade. When she turned twenty-five, Yuan Huirou had even asked if she wished to leave the palace—she never stood in the way of any palace maid who wanted to depart and would even bestow gifts upon them. But Siqi had only said that the man she loved had already married, and she wished to spend the rest of her life serving Yuan Huirou in the palace. At the time, Yuan Huirou had pitied her deeply and rewarded her generously.
She couldn’t understand—how could Siqi betray her now?
More than anger or sorrow, she felt confusion and bewilderment.
Siqi had already been taken away by the Emperor, and to this day, she insisted she had acted out of indignation, unable to bear seeing Consort Hua overshadow Yuan Huirou.
Yuan Huirou gritted her teeth. As the supposed victim, she didn’t feel wronged at all—what need was there for Siqi to "defend" her? It was clearly just an excuse.
Miaohua was favored because she deserved it. If Yuan Huirou had even a tenth of Miaohua’s accomplishments, she’d look down on everyone with disdain.
"Your Highness, don’t dwell on it. You’ve done nothing wrong by her. No matter what her reasons were, betrayal is inexcusable."
Yuan Huirou took a deep breath. "You’re right. I shouldn’t blame myself over her."
She hadn’t done anything wrong.
Rather than this, she ought to visit the Guanju Palace.
She and Miaohua had been close friends for years, and she didn’t want misunderstandings to come between them.
Yuan Huirou didn’t arrive empty-handed, bringing gifts with her.
Yu Miaohua greeted her warmly. "I knew you’d come. I had the kitchen prepare your favorite dishes."
Hearing this, Yuan Huirou relaxed—Miaohua still trusted her.
She sat down, accepting the tea Miaohua handed her, and grumbled, "If I ever find out who framed me, I’ll make them regret it!"
Miaohua dismissed the others and asked, "Do you have any suspects?"
Yuan Huirou pondered. "I’ve suspected Consort Hua, Concubine Xian… even Noble Lady Sun. I wondered if she orchestrated this herself."
It wasn’t unreasonable for Yuan Huirou to think so. If this scandal escalated, it would put Miaohua in a difficult position—if anything happened to Noble Lady Sun, people would assume Miaohua wanted to eliminate the mother and keep the child.
Miaohua didn’t hesitate. "It’s not Sister Sun. She once offered to let me raise her child, but I refused. I hate taking care of children."
Yuan Huirou sighed. "I sent Ning home to ask my father to investigate Siqi’s background. Maybe we’ll find some clues."
Miaohua nodded. "Lay low for now. It’s safer if you stay out of sight."
Yuan Huirou was touched. "I didn’t expect you to trust me so much."
Miaohua smirked. "If you hated someone, you wouldn’t scheme against them—you’d just confront them directly."
Back when Yuan Huirou had mistakenly believed Miaohua framed the Empress, she’d stormed over with weapons, ready to cut ties on the spot.
The two whispered back and forth, listing possible suspects, and Yuan Huirou’s frustration gradually eased.
After dinner, she returned to the Palace of Eternal Peace.
Her eldest daughter, having heard about the accusations against her mother, came to comfort her. Seeing her sweet, thoughtful child lifted Yuan Huirou’s spirits further.
Just before the palace gates were locked for the night, Yuan Huirou’s confidante, Su Ning, returned.
"My lord said he’ll investigate Siqi’s case thoroughly and will inform Your Highness as soon as there’s news."
Yuan Huirou looked relieved—she didn’t notice the faint guilt in Su Ning’s expression.
During her visit to the Yuan residence, the lord had ordered her to cooperate in having Yuan Huirou placed under house arrest for a time.
He claimed it was to lull the mastermind into complacency, drawing them out. Yuan Huirou might suffer some injustice, but given her guileless nature—like Miaohua, she was terrible at hiding her emotions—Su Ning resolved not to tell her. If Yuan Huirou punished her afterward, she’d accept it.
…
Knowing Yuan Huirou’s father and the Emperor were both investigating the matter, Yu Miaohua felt at ease. She resumed her usual routine—eating, drinking, and occasionally visiting other palaces.
Lately, she frequented Consort Li’s quarters, where a litter of newborn kittens had her utterly smitten.
"You like them so much—why not take one back with you?" Consort Li suggested.
Miaohua shook her head. "No, my interest only lasts as long as an incense stick burns."
"I’ll just visit you whenever I want to see them."
She gently pushed over a black-and-white kitten, which immediately wrapped its tiny paws around her finger, rubbing its head against her like it was scratching an itch.
Two other kittens pounced at her skirt, their sharp claws snagging the fabric.
Just as she was enjoying herself, Miaohua heard a series of shocked exclamations in her mind.
[System, did you catch a virus?]
[Host!!! Emergency! The mission’s completed!]
Miaohua froze. What mission?
[Did one of the targets’ favorability hit 70? What’s the reward?]
Her first thought was—had a target’s affection risen without her realizing?
[No!! It’s the main mission!]
[Host has completed Main Mission 5.2: Frame the Imperial Consort, resulting in her house arrest. Rewards have been issued.]
Knowing how close Miaohua and Yuan Huirou were—unlike the usual shallow friendships in the palace—the system, which often trampled over her temper, had learned tact and didn’t even say "congratulations."
[What?! Huirou’s under house arrest? Who framed her? Does it count if someone else did it?]
Miaohua was stunned.
[The system registers it under your name. The mission’s marked complete.]
"Miaohua, what’s wrong?" Consort Li asked, noticing her dazed expression.
Miaohua snapped back to reality, making up an excuse. "Nothing. These kittens just reminded me of a folktale I read—about a cat spirit repaying a kindness."
Consort Li smiled. Miaohua’s love for stories was well-known. Rumor had it some Hanlin scholars even secretly wrote tales and left them in the library, hoping to catch her eye.
But Miaohua’s mind was now wholly occupied by Yuan Huirou’s predicament. No matter how adorable the kittens were, they couldn’t hold her attention. She soon excused herself and returned to Guanju Palace.
The moment she arrived, Cuiwei rushed to her, face full of shock. "Your Highness! The Imperial Consort has been placed under house arrest by His Majesty!"
Miaohua took a deep breath. "Let’s talk inside."
Once seated, Cuiwei relayed what she’d heard.
"His Majesty dined with the Imperial Consort. Afterward, while resting and listening to her play the qin, he felt the divan was uneven and ordered the bedding changed. That’s when they found a cursed doll bearing Noble Lady Sun’s name and birthdate hidden beneath."
"Enraged, His Majesty confined the Imperial Consort to her palace."
Miaohua frowned. "This is obviously a setup."
Cuiwei sighed. "The main issue is that the doll is indeed embroidered with Noble Consort’s handwriting, using the stitching technique she excels in. The silk fabric used was a recent gift from the Emperor to Noble Consort—only she possesses such material."
"Sister Yuan, it seems there’s a traitor among your people."
Since ancient times, imperial consorts embroiled in witchcraft scandals rarely met a good end—especially when it involved another pregnant consort.
And both of them were close to her.
Yu Miaohua stood up. "I’ll go see Sister Sun first."
The news of Noble Consort’s house arrest must have already spread throughout the rear palace.
When Yu Miaohua arrived at the Pear Blossom Palace to visit Noble Lady Sun, she was in the middle of eating bird’s nest soup, her complexion looking quite well.
Upon seeing Yu Miaohua, she set aside the half-finished bowl and dismissed the attendants. "You’ve come about Noble Consort’s situation, haven’t you?"
Yu Miaohua nodded. "I’m at a loss right now."
Noble Lady Sun said, "Noble Consort isn’t the type to resort to such methods."
Yu Miaohua: "..."
It seemed Noble Consort’s reputation for lacking cunning was deeply ingrained—even Noble Lady Sun, the victim, didn’t suspect her.
Noble Lady Sun continued, "If we analyze this from the perspective of who benefits—if something were to happen to me during childbirth, the most likely candidates to raise my child would be either you or Noble Consort."
"The Empress handles palace affairs, and the Emperor is unlikely to assign her another child to raise."
"Those two maidservants from before were likely meant to implicate you, disqualifying you from consideration."
"As for today’s framing of Noble Consort—if successful, it would drag her down. If it failed, given Noble Consort’s temperament, she would likely withdraw from contention to avoid suspicion."
"Consort De already has two children—the Fourth Prince and Second Princess are still young. She wouldn’t have the energy to care for another."
"Consort Li comes from an unremarkable family and already has the Third Prince. Raising two children would draw too much attention, and she lacks the influence to protect them. The Emperor wouldn’t consider her."
"Consort Hua is from Daliang, so she was ruled out long ago."
"That leaves Concubine Xian and Li Zhaoyuan as the most likely candidates."
Noble Lady Sun calmly eliminated each eligible high-ranking consort one by one, her expression unreadable.
Yu Miaohua couldn’t help but admire her composure—discussing her own hypothetical demise so matter-of-factly.
"Between those two, who do you think is more likely? I’d guess Concubine Xian," Yu Miaohua said.
Li Zhaoyuan had once been subordinate to Concubine Xian, but after Concubine Xian fell from favor and was demoted, Li Zhaoyuan distanced herself. On the surface, however, Li Zhaoyuan still treated Concubine Xian with apparent warmth—as if wary of something.
Noble Lady Sun replied, "Given Concubine Xian’s nature, she’s unlikely to act directly. She prefers fanning the flames, letting others take action to achieve her goals."
Yu Miaohua understood—Noble Lady Sun believed both Li Zhaoyuan and Concubine Xian were suspects, with the former possibly being used as a pawn.
"Concubine Xian already has the Second Prince. Does she really want to raise another?"
Noble Lady Sun said, "The Second Prince has grown more reserved these past few months. Rumor has it he avoids paying respects at the Qionghua Palace out of consideration for Consort Hua."
Yu Miaohua thought this was just an excuse. Clearly, the relationship between mother and son had soured.
Was Concubine Xian treating this like a failed account and starting over with a new one?
Noble Lady Sun added, "When you visit the Eternal Peace Palace later, could you check the birthdate written on the doll for me?"
Yu Miaohua was surprised. "You anticipated this?"
Noble Lady Sun smiled. "Knowing your character, you wouldn’t stand by and do nothing for Noble Consort. You’d definitely go see her."
Even in the rear palace, Noble Consort Yuan had always adhered to her principles.
Yu Miaohua nodded. "Exactly. Even if I can’t do much now, at least I can let her know someone trusts her. That way, she won’t act rashly out of anger and make things worse."
After speaking with Noble Lady Sun a while longer, Yu Miaohua didn’t delay and headed straight for the Eternal Peace Palace.
The palace gates were shut, guarded by armed sentries.
Yu Miaohua had assumed she’d need to petition the Emperor for permission to enter, but the guards didn’t stop her. One respectfully said, "His Majesty only forbade Noble Consort from leaving. He never said you couldn’t enter, Noble Consort Yu."
Relieved, Yu Miaohua stepped inside.
She’d braced herself for shattered porcelain, but the scene was far tidier than expected. The room was in order, with no missing vases.
Yu Miaohua found Yuan Huirou expressionlessly crafting white silk flowers. A finished one lay at her feet—clearly, she’d been at this since receiving the news.
Well, at least her emotions seemed stable.
Hearing her footsteps, Yuan Huirou set aside the half-made flower. "I knew you’d come."
She tried to keep her voice steady, but a trace of grievance slipped through in front of her friend.
Yu Miaohua sat across from her. "I just saw Sister Sun. She believes it wasn’t you, too."
Yuan Huirou’s face softened with gratitude.
Yu Miaohua asked, "Do you remember the birthdate written on the doll? Sister Sun wanted to know."
Yuan Huirou shook her head. "I don’t."
Her mind had been in turmoil, focused solely on denying the accusation—she hadn’t paid attention to the details.
Su Ning, standing beside her, spoke softly. "This servant remembers."
She recited the birthdate marked on the doll.
Yu Miaohua committed it to memory, then reassured Yuan Huirou, "The Emperor must believe you too—otherwise, he wouldn’t have just placed you under house arrest."
Knowing several people trusted her visibly lifted Yuan Huirou’s spirits.
"Mm, I know. It’s all that villain’s fault! Given the circumstances, His Majesty couldn’t just ignore it."
"Once I find out who did this, I’ll beat them senseless!" Her voice dripped with venom, her eyes blazing.
Su Ning, standing beside her, trembled slightly—she was the one who’d planted it. Of course, she hadn’t made the doll. The birthdate, her master had said, wasn’t Noble Lady Sun’s real one.
Yu Miaohua nodded. "Absolutely. I’ll keep watch for you."
Best to humor her and lighten her mood.
Yuan Huirou gestured to the silk flowers. "See these? They’re all for him."
Su Ning opened her mouth but hesitated.
After keeping Yuan Huirou company through dinner, Yu Miaohua returned to the Pear Blossom Palace.
Upon hearing the birthdate, Noble Lady Sun’s expression cleared. "This involves the Sun family."
Yu Miaohua was puzzled. "Your half-brothers? How are they connected?"
Noble Lady Sun explained, "I was born at the estate. My mother was unwell at the time, so she was recuperating there. When my birth details were sent to the Sun residence, my mother’s attendant misrecorded the time—off by an hour."
"Later, my mother was busy with her postpartum confinement, and the Sun family had many incidents at the time, so no one corrected it. Eventually, my mother and I were sent to the countryside estate on some pretext."
At the estate, her so-called brothers hired local ruffians to harass her and her mother, forcing them to flee.
"The birthdate I recorded when entering the palace is the accurate one." Her true birthdate was known to the Emperor and the Empress, and the Imperial Astrology Bureau likely had a record as well.
Yu Miaohua understood—the birthdate on the doll was the false one known to the Sun family, which was how Noble Lady Sun confirmed their involvement.
Good. She would report this to the Emperor tomorrow.
Starting from the Sun family, they should quickly uncover the mastermind behind this.
[Host, you’ve been running around all day—it’s been exhausting. Once this matter is resolved, Yuan Huirou will surely be deeply moved and grateful, becoming your steadfast ally in the future.]
Noticing Yu Miaohua’s improved mood, the system finally made its presence known.
[I’m not helping her just for gratitude. If I ever face trouble, she’d undoubtedly help me too.]
The system was speechless. Other users of the "Palace Intrigue System" dominated the harem with ruthless schemes, while its host used it to showcase the warmth of human connections.
Then again, her host’s efficiency in completing tasks was unmatched. Whether by luck or not, her achievements were undeniable.
Perhaps her approach was the right way to navigate palace politics?
As Noble Lady Sun was pregnant, Yu Miaohua didn’t want to burden her further and soon took her leave.
The next day was the routine audience with the Empress.
Yuan Huirou, being under house arrest, was naturally absent.
Noble Lady Sun was also excused—her pregnancy was advanced, and after yesterday’s incident, the Empress had exempted her from attending.
Consort De, seated near Yu Miaohua, asked, "I heard you visited Sister Yuan yesterday. How is she?"
Consort De didn’t believe Yuan Huirou would curse Noble Lady Sun. As a high-ranking consort with a daughter, she had no motive—and it simply didn’t align with her character.
Yu Miaohua replied calmly, "When I arrived, Sister Yuan was making white silk flowers for the person who framed her." She hoped to clear Yuan Huirou’s name before she finished crafting all forty-nine flowers.
Consort De’s lips twitched—that was exactly the kind of thing Yuan Huirou would do.
"Hearing this, it seems the Noble Consort shows no remorse for her crimes. Does she not appreciate His Majesty’s mercy?" Li Zhaoyuan interjected, looking rather pleased.
Yu Miaohua turned to her. "Why should she admit to something she didn’t do?"
Having suffered many losses at Yu Miaohua’s hands, Li Zhaoyuan avoided direct confrontation but invoked the Emperor’s authority. "His Majesty has already placed her under house arrest. Are you questioning his judgment, Noble Consort?"
"The Emperor only confined her—he never declared her guilty. Your eagerness to condemn her—does it stem from guilt?"
Li Zhaoyuan gritted her teeth. Was Yu Miaohua a fool? Why defend Yuan Huirou so fiercely?
Forcing a smile, she said, "I merely sympathize with Noble Lady Sun after hearing about the curse."
Yu Miaohua feigned surprise. "How touching. When Noble Lady Sun once failed to greet you in time, you made her stand under the sun for half an hour. Back then, you showed no such sisterly affection. Now you’re suddenly so concerned?"
She’d learned of this incident from Noble Lady Sun herself.
Li Zhaoyuan stiffened—during her days of favor, she’d been notoriously arrogant. This old grievance had slipped her mind, but Yu Miaohua, who hadn’t even entered the palace then, must’ve heard it from Noble Lady Sun.
Was Noble Lady Sun still holding a grudge?
The Empress cast a glance at Li Zhaoyuan and said coolly, "Until His Majesty decrees otherwise, the Noble Consort is innocent. Are you attempting to override the Emperor’s judgment, Li Zhaoyuan?"
Li Zhaoyuan paled and immediately knelt. "This concubine misspoke. I’ve been restless lately and spoke out of turn. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness."
Yu Miaohua added, "Restless? Perhaps excessive internal heat is disrupting your sleep. Try some coptis to cool your temper."
The Empress nodded. "Summon the imperial physician later to prescribe Li Zhaoyuan some heat-clearing remedies."
Li Zhaoyuan wanted to slap herself—why couldn’t she keep her mouth shut?
She shouldn’t have let her glee over Yuan Huirou’s confinement show.
Concubine Xian observed Li Zhaoyuan’s regret with faint disdain—truly, a hopeless fool.
With Li Zhaoyuan’s blunder as a warning, the conversation shifted to trivial matters, and the atmosphere superficially eased.
When the audience concluded, Yu Miaohua addressed the Empress. "Your Majesty, I wish to pay respects to the Emperor."
The Empress wasn’t surprised. Miaohua was too kindhearted to ignore Yuan Huirou’s plight.
Her expression softened. "Go ahead."
Before leaving, Yu Miaohua deliberately passed by Li Zhaoyuan, flashing her a meaningful smile.
Hehe, let her stew in anxiety!
Li Zhaoyuan’s hands turned cold—was the Noble Consort planning to complain to the Emperor? How petty!
She tried to reassure herself—the Emperor wouldn’t punish her over such a trivial matter.
But recalling Yu Miaohua’s track record of successful "advice"—her face drained of color.
Watching this, the Empress shook her head in amused exasperation—the girl had learned to play mind games.
As usual, the Emperor received Yu Miaohua promptly unless occupied with state affairs.
Noticing two teacups on the table, Yu Miaohua deduced he’d recently met someone.
Following her gaze, Pei Lingyue explained, "The Grand Tutor was here earlier."
Yu Miaohua understood—of course. As Yuan Huirou’s father, the Grand Tutor would be worried.
Pei Lingyue asked, "I heard you visited both the Noble Consort and Noble Lady Sun yesterday?"
Yu Miaohua had been busy shuttling between palaces.
She relayed the birthdate discrepancy, concluding, "The Sun family is undoubtedly involved."
Pei Lingyue feigned nonchalance. "Indeed, this is a valuable lead. I’ll have it investigated. If the Noble Consort is innocent, she’ll be compensated."
For instance, she and the Grand Tutor could personally select a spouse for the eldest princess.
Ever the opportunist, Yu Miaohua seized the moment to tattle. "Li Zhaoyuan’s behavior today reeked of guilt. I suspect her involvement."
Even if she wasn’t part of this scheme, a thorough investigation into her past misdeeds would surely bring consequences.
Pei Lingyue arched a brow—she was sharp.
Li Zhaoyuan did have ties to this affair. The Grand Tutor had merely dangled a thread, and certain long-hidden rats had scurried forth.
Pei Lingyue adopted a thoughtful expression before saying, "This Emperor understands."
After sharing all the clues she had gathered, Yu Miaohua felt somewhat relieved. She had done all she could—now it was up to the Emperor. Just then, the voice of the system echoed in her mind.
[Through the host’s efforts, the conspiracy looming over the imperial harem has begun to reveal a corner of its truth. Congratulations on triggering Main Mission 5.3: Clear Consort De’s name, apprehend the mastermind behind the scheme, and make them pay. Completion of this mission will reward you with large peanut seeds and a cultivation map.]
[I remember the Great Qi already has peanuts.]
Peanuts were one of Yu Miaohua’s favorite snacks. Compared to the ones she had eaten in her past life, the peanuts of the Great Qi were much smaller but exceptionally fragrant.
Pei Lingyue grew excited upon seeing the new mission. Noting Yu Miaohua’s response, he nodded inwardly—indeed, the Great Qi was not lacking in peanuts. But if the system was offering them as a reward, perhaps these peanuts had some extraordinary qualities?
[The Great Qi’s peanuts are nothing compared to the large peanuts we’re rewarding! Their peanuts are small, yielding only a few dozen catties per mu, with low oil content—utterly unsuitable for pressing oil. The large peanuts we’re offering yield over a hundred catties per mu and have high oil content, rivaling even sesame seeds.]
Thanks to Pei Lingyue’s vigorous efforts to improve the spiral pressing method among the common folk, the oil extraction rates of sesame, soybeans, and rapeseed had increased significantly, leading to greater consumption of vegetable oil. Among these, sesame oil, with its highest extraction rate, was particularly favored by the people. As for the Great Qi’s peanuts, their low yield and poor oil yield relegated them mostly to snack status.
Pei Lingyue’s eyes gleamed. This mission was excellent—foreign peanuts not only produced more oil but also had a higher yield per mu than sesame oil, promising the people access to cheaper and more delicious oil.
This mission had to be completed!
[System, your missions are truly baffling. First, you had me frame Consort De, and now you want me to clear her name. If I had actually framed her, would I have to expose myself?]
[Host, the backend is very flexible and adjusts missions according to changing circumstances. We would never assign a mission that forces the host to slap their own face.]
[This mission depends on the Emperor now. I hope His Majesty catches the culprit soon.] Yu Miaohua had done all she could.
Pei Lingyue’s lips twitched—would he have to arrest himself?
No, this matter was primarily orchestrated by the Grand Tutor. If anyone was to be arrested, it should be him. What did it have to do with the Emperor? Surely Consort De wouldn’t hold too much of a grudge against her own father.
Thus, Pei Lingyue felt at ease.
Grand Tutor: "...The inevitable has come."
