The more Princess Consort Zhuang thought about it, the more convinced she became. She summoned Pei Yuesheng to her chambers.
When Pei Yuesheng arrived, she was still unsure of the reason.
Princess Consort Zhuang first dismissed her nephew, then turned to Pei Yuesheng with a gentle expression. "I’ve heard you get along well with Consort Hui?"
Pei Yuesheng replied cautiously, "It’s only because Her Highness doesn’t hold my faults against me."
Gone was the deliberately haughty demeanor she displayed in front of outsiders. With her eyes lowered, she appeared docile and obedient.
Princess Consort Zhuang said lightly, "I’ll send an invitation to the palace. If you’re free, you may accompany Consort Hui for conversation."
If Consort Hui allowed Yuesheng into the palace, it would confirm her suspicions—that the consort indeed had intentions toward the girl.
Pei Yuesheng didn’t dislike Consort Hui. In fact, she rather admired her, especially after seeing how effortlessly the consort humiliated Fu Congbai.
Fu Congbai always insisted she act spoiled and unreasonable so he could step in as the magnanimous savior. Because of him, she had gained quite the reputation for arrogance in Zhuangzhou. But with Princess Consort Zhuang holding the reins of the household—and control over her and her sister’s marriages—she had no choice but to comply, becoming a mere prop to highlight Fu Congbai’s virtues.
Besides, she also wanted her mother to be given proper recognition.
"Mother, what should I do?"
Princess Consort Zhuang studied Pei Yuesheng’s delicate features—though not yet fully matured, they bore traces of her birth mother’s beauty, alluring and fox-like.
Suppressing the disgust in her eyes, she said, "Gather information from the palace and relay it to me. Do your best to win Consort Hui’s trust."
Princess Consort Zhuang dared not directly oppose the so-called divine maiden, lest she invite heavenly retribution.
But she could at least ensure Consort Hui remained neutral.
After a pause, she added, "If possible, try to obtain the shipbuilding techniques from Consort Hui and find a way to deliver them to me."
After the Emperor received the shipbuilding technology—bestowed upon Consort Hui by divine favor—the imperial shipyards constructed massive vessels spanning forty meters, capable of sailing thousands of miles to distant foreign lands. In comparison, the Fu family’s once-proud ships now seemed like worthless scraps. Their vessels could only navigate nearby islands, their range severely limited.
Princess Consort Zhuang had long coveted this technology. With it—and the innovations Pei Yueli was developing—the Fu family could reclaim their dominance over the seas.
Pei Yuesheng didn’t understand why her stepmother believed she could accomplish such a task, but she knew better than to voice her doubts. With her father and sister absent from the manor, displeasing Princess Consort Zhuang would only invite suffering.
Once Pei Yuesheng was dismissed, Princess Consort Zhuang personally selected several exceptionally beautiful maids to serve her.
She also ordered the manor’s seamstresses to craft elegant new robes and commissioned dazzling jewelry for them.
…
When the invitation from Prince Zhuang’s residence arrived, Yu Miaohua was reviewing documents related to the household—materials the Emperor had gathered for her after learning of her interest.
[As expected of the host! Not even Empress yet, and already influencing court affairs!]
Her system showered her with praise.
Yu Miaohua found it ridiculous—this hardly counted as meddling in politics.
After devouring the juicy details about Prince Zhuang’s household, she couldn’t help but scorn Pei Lingjun.
Pei Lingjun had a childhood sweetheart, his cousin Xu Caixuan. But because the Xu family lacked influence, he married the eldest daughter of the powerful Fu family in Zhuangzhou as his primary consort, intending to make Xu Caixuan a secondary wife.
Before his cousin could enter the household, however, Zhuangzhou was rocked by a scandal—officials colluding with pirates, slaughtering civilians, and plundering their wealth.
The Xu family was scapegoated as the masterminds. The late Emperor, furious but mindful of the deceased Consort Xu’s memory, spared the family from complete annihilation. Still, Xu Caixuan’s father—Pei Yuesheng’s maternal grandfather—was executed, while the other men perished during exile. The women were condemned to the pleasure quarters.
Pei Lingjun used his power and wealth to rescue his cousin, keeping her hidden outside. The two daughters she bore him were registered under a concubine’s name.
Xu Caixuan’s health deteriorated after giving birth to Pei Yuesheng, and she passed away after years of illness. Following her death, Pei Lingjun immersed himself in Taoist practices, spending most of his time in monasteries.
People praised his undying devotion, claiming he had renounced worldly desires out of grief.
But Yu Miaohua, reading the supplementary reports, wanted to spit in his face.
Xu Caixuan’s father had been a mere sixth-rank official—hardly capable of orchestrating such crimes. The true culprits were the Fu family. But since the Fu clan’s downfall would cripple Prince Zhuang’s power, he allowed them to pin the blame on the Xu family.
As for his later religious pursuits? Pure pretense. After the late Emperor’s passing and the current Emperor’s ascension, Pei Lingjun—who had previously schemed against the new ruler alongside Pei Lingyou—feared retribution. Hiding in monasteries was merely a cover, his so-called enlightenment a convenient lie.
Yu Miaohua pitied Xu Caixuan. In life and death, she had been thoroughly exploited.
To this day, the Xu family remained vilified in Zhuangzhou as traitorous pirates.
Princess Consort Zhuang was ruthlessly cunning, with multiple lives on her hands. Of course, Prince Zhuang was no better—fully aware of his wife’s nature, he turned a blind eye for the sake of power, tacitly endorsing her actions.
Still, Yu Miaohua marveled at the Emperor’s thorough intelligence. The Prince Zhuang household undoubtedly had imperial spies.
For Prince Zhuang to think he could oppose the Emperor was pure delusion.
[System, doesn’t Prince Zhuang remind you of those male leads in harem novels?]
[The kind who, for the sake of ‘the bigger picture,’ dotes on the primary wife while ignoring the female lead’s suffering? Only after torturing her for an entire book—once his position is secure—does he finally turn on the villainess to avenge the heroine.]
She had read several such novels in her past life. In her youth, she’d wept buckets, pitying the leads and despising the antagonists. Now grown, she wanted to shake some sense into her younger self.
[Don’t worry, host. We’re the ones doing the tormenting—no one gets to torment us.]
Setting the documents aside, Yu Miaohua picked up the invitation. "Since Princess Consort Zhuang wishes to pay her respects, let her come."
The next day, the approved guests arrived—Princess Consort Zhuang and Pei Yuesheng, followed by four stunning maids, each as radiant as spring orchids or autumn chrysanthemums.
Yu Miaohua hadn’t expected Pei Yuesheng’s attendants to be so striking and couldn’t help but glance at them a few times.
Princess Consort Zhuang noticed, further confirming her suspicions.
With a dignified smile, Princess Consort Zhuang said, "I heard Yuesheng offended you outside the palace, so I brought her to apologize."
Yu Miaohua waved it off. "It was nothing worth mentioning. The young lady is still growing—no need to punish her."
The Princess Consort Zhuang was well aware of Consort Hui’s formidable reputation in the palace—many concubines had been either confined to their quarters or banished to the cold palace because of her. She didn’t believe for a second that Consort Hui’s gentle demeanor was genuine.
Her sudden amiability now could only mean she had taken a genuine interest in Pei Yuesheng.
Quickly shifting the topic, the Princess Consort smiled and said, "Yuesheng has been spoiled rotten since childhood. How could I bear to truly punish her? Ever since returning home, she’s been talking nonstop about Your Grace—how kind and beautiful you are, like a celestial maiden. She’s been begging to see you again. I couldn’t refuse her, so here we are."
Yu Miaohua observed Pei Yuesheng’s expression but saw no eagerness—only poorly concealed nervousness.
Was the Princess Consort trying to plant her by her side? To use her as a spy?
Yu Miaohua couldn’t quite decipher the Princess Consort’s intentions.
Playing along, she replied, "The young mistress is indeed lively and charming, quite delightful."
The Princess Consort’s lips curved into a pleased smile. "It’s an honor for her to earn Your Grace’s favor. I only hope that by staying close to you, she might learn a thing or two about grace and temperament."
Yu Miaohua didn’t mind chatting with the girl, but having her stay in the palace was out of the question.
Then, the voice of her system suddenly echoed in her mind.
[Oh? Recommending talents for the court is also part of a virtuous consort’s duties. Host, strive to establish yourself as a discerning judge of character. Host has triggered Main Mission 5.4: Become Pei Yuesheng’s confidante and win over Pei Yueli. Reward upon completion: Thunderclap Bomb technology.]
Pei Yueli, Pei Yuesheng’s full-blooded elder sister, was rumored to be gentle and filial, often accompanying Prince Zhuang. Compared to Pei Yuesheng, whose domineering reputation was widely known, the eldest daughter of Prince Zhuang’s household was so low-profile she was nearly forgotten.
Judging by the mission details, Pei Yueli must be the talent the system had identified.
The destructive power of the Thunderclap Bomb was undoubtedly greater than that of the fire lance, making it ideal for sieges.
If possible, Yu Miaohua would love to see talented women like her showcase their abilities—and she was more than willing to lend them a hand.
With that in mind, Yu Miaohua immediately changed her stance. "Lately, I’ve found my days rather dull. If the young mistress is willing, she may stay and keep me company."
The Princess Consort shot Pei Yuesheng a meaningful glance.
Pei Yuesheng hadn’t expected Consort Hui to actually agree. After a moment of stunned silence, she hurriedly replied, "It would be my honor."
Having achieved her goal, the Princess Consort was inwardly satisfied: Xu Caixuan’s daughters might yet prove useful.
If this succeeded, once His Highness accomplished his grand ambitions, she might even grant that woman a posthumous title. After all, she’d been dead for years.
The Princess Consort couldn’t linger too long in Guanju Palace and soon prepared to take her leave.
Just before she departed, Yu Miaohua stopped her, wearing an expression of hesitation.
The Princess Consort asked gently, "Consort Hui, is there something amiss with me?"
Yu Miaohua pressed her lips together, dismissed the attendants, and sighed deeply. "It’s only because I find you so amiable that I feel compelled to speak. Princess Consort, there are two women standing behind you."
The braziers in Guanju Palace kept the room warm as spring, but at Yu Miaohua’s words, the Princess Consort felt a chill seep into her very bones. Her fingers trembled slightly.
Had anyone else said this, she would’ve dismissed it as nonsense.
But these words came from Yu Miaohua—the divine maiden revered by the world. Yu Miaohua had no grudge against her, nor any reason to lie.
Over the years, the Princess Consort had taken many lives to secure her position. She couldn’t even remember how many had died by her schemes.
Now, guilt gnawed at her heart.
"What do these women look like?" she asked, struggling to keep her voice steady, but a trace of panic slipped through.
Was it Xu Caixuan? Or Consort Gan, who had died with her unborn child five years ago? Or perhaps Consort Shen, poisoned by her own hand?
Yu Miaohua tilted her head, as if studying something behind the Princess Consort.
The Princess Consort grew even colder.
"One wears an orchid-beaded bracelet," Yu Miaohua said hesitantly. "The other is holding a child."
Thanks to the Emperor’s gossip!
The orchid bracelet—it had to be Xu Caixuan!
And the other was undoubtedly Consort Gan.
The Princess Consort’s hands and feet turned to ice. Forcing a nostalgic expression, she shed a few tears. "It must be my late sister and aunt, coming to visit me."
She thought, since Consort Hui had never met Xu Caixuan or Consort Gan, she could easily brush this off.
But Yu Miaohua looked even more puzzled. "Princess Consort, did you not get along with your aunt? She’s… strangling you right now. Even if there were misunderstandings between family, it’s best to resolve them."
The Princess Consort’s breath hitched. Darkness swallowed her vision, and she collapsed backward.
When she awoke, an hour had passed.
Whether it was her imagination or not, the Princess Consort felt as though breathing had become difficult.
Yu Miaohua said, "The imperial physician examined you and said you’ve been overworking yourself lately. You must rest and take care of your health."
After expressing her gratitude and sipping some bird’s nest soup, the Princess Consort returned to the manor.
Still uneasy, she summoned the household physician for another examination.
He found nothing amiss, merely prescribing rest.
Yet the Princess Consort couldn’t shake the image of those two women Consort Hui had mentioned…
The flickering candlelight cast shifting shadows across her face, her eyes gleaming with malice—if they were dead, they should stay dead.
They couldn’t defeat her in life; even as ghosts, they stood no chance.
In a few days, she would seek out a master to suppress their spirits, ensuring they never reincarnated.
"Princess Consort, it’s time for dinner."
Though she had no appetite, the Princess Consort forced herself to order a meal.
Half an hour later, as a maid brought the dishes, she caught sight of the Princess Consort’s neck—and dropped the plate in shock.
The maid paled, falling to her knees. "Y-Your Highness… there are strangulation marks on your neck!"
The Princess Consort, who had been about to reprimand her, froze. She looked down—
Purplish-black bruises, stark against her pale skin, wrapped around her throat like vicious fingers.
They hadn’t been there when she left the palace.
All color drained from her face. Struggling to breathe, her eyes widened in rare panic.
Was this Consort Gan’s doing?
……
Back in Guanju Palace, Yu Miaohua was in excellent spirits. While the Princess Consort was unconscious, she’d applied a little of the medicine Wen Qingying had given her.
Lately, aside from studying the medical texts Yu Miaohua provided, Wen Qingying had been concocting all sorts of peculiar drugs—supposedly for her amusement.
The one used on the Princess Consort, Yu Miaohua suspected, was simply an allergen designed to mimic bruises.
Princess Consort Zhuang had committed many misdeeds, and Yu Miaohua decided to play another trick on her with the help of some medicine, certain it would give her a good scare.
She asked Pei Yuesheng about her usual food preferences. At first, Pei Yuesheng was nervous, but as she spoke more, she gradually relaxed.
In a hushed voice, Pei Yuesheng asked Yu Miaohua, "Consort Hui, why did you choose to keep me here?"
Yu Miaohua turned her head slightly, her clear gaze resting steadily on Pei Yuesheng without evasion. "Because if I didn’t keep you, you’d face trouble when you returned, wouldn’t you?"
Pei Yuesheng froze for a moment before stammering, "I—I don’t know what you mean. My mother treats me very well, dotes on me. Everyone says it’s because she spoils me too much that I’ve developed so many flaws."
Yu Miaohua replied, "I could tell the other day that your status in the prince’s household is lower than that of Princess Consort Zhuang’s nephew, Fu Congbai. That Fu Congbai looks like a schemer through and through—you must have suffered quite a bit under his shadow. You’re around the same age as my younger sister. Seeing you reminds me of her, and I couldn’t bear the thought of you going back just to be scolded."
The best way to bond with someone was to gossip about others together.
Pei Yuesheng’s eyes reddened. She hadn’t expected Consort Hui, whom she had only met a few times, to see through her situation so clearly. Even knowing she might have ulterior motives, Yu Miaohua had still kept her here, just to spare her from her mother’s harsh treatment.
"Aren’t you afraid I might harm you if I stay?"
Seeing her teary-eyed expression, Yu Miaohua couldn’t help but think to herself: She’s still just a child.
"At most, you’d leak some information. What real harm could you do? I doubt you’d actually hurt anyone."
Aside from her own elder sister, Pei Yuesheng had rarely experienced such selfless concern. It moved her deeply. "I would never harm Consort Hui."
Yu Miaohua had overlooked her rudeness outside the palace, and now she was even considering her well-being so thoughtfully. If she still betrayed her, what kind of person would that make her?
"It’s fine. If you need to pass on information, go ahead—just let me know first."
Pei Yuesheng nodded vigorously. "I will."
The system watched as Yu Miaohua effortlessly charmed the young girl into seeing her as a confidante and couldn’t help but marvel.
[Host, you really have a talent for being a siren.]
Yu Miaohua thought so too.
Since Pei Yuesheng was still a princess of Prince Zhuang’s household, Yu Miaohua needed to inform the three highest authorities before keeping her in the palace.
She took Pei Yuesheng directly to see the Empress Dowager.
"Your Majesty, don’t you think this girl is quite charming?"
The Empress Dowager was already aware that Yu Miaohua had kept Pei Yuesheng. She smiled. "She has a lovely face, and she looks somewhat familiar. Which family is she from?"
Yu Miaohua replied, "She’s the princess of Prince Zhuang’s household. I took a liking to her, so I thought I’d have her stay with me for a while."
The Empress Dowager had always indulged Yu Miaohua. "Let her stay in the Princesses’ Quarters, then."
The Princesses’ Quarters weren’t far from Guanju Palace, and it wouldn’t be appropriate for Pei Yuesheng to stay in a consort’s residence anyway. Yu Miaohua agreed immediately.
Out of consideration for Yu Miaohua, the Empress Dowager bestowed some gifts upon Pei Yuesheng, who hurriedly expressed her gratitude.
Pei Yuesheng had long heard that the Empress Dowager and Consort Hui were as close as mother and daughter. Now that she had seen it for herself, the rumors were true. No wonder the Empress Dowager adored Consort Hui—she was truly kind.
But was she really going to stay in the palace?
Staying in the palace was still better than staying in the prince’s household, where she wouldn’t have to tiptoe around Princess Consort Zhuang’s moods.
Yet, as soon as she remembered the princess consort’s orders, Pei Yuesheng’s briefly uplifted spirits dimmed again.
Nanny Zhou led Pei Yuesheng to the Princesses’ Quarters to arrange her accommodations.
Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager took the opportunity to ask Yu Miaohua, "Why did you suddenly decide to keep her?"
Yu Miaohua wasn’t the type to invite trouble for herself.
Unable to reveal that it was due to a system task, Yu Miaohua vaguely replied, "I just had a feeling that keeping her might bring benefits."
The Empress Dowager took one look at her reaction and guessed it was likely related to a mission, so she didn’t press further.
After all, when it came to missions, the Emperor would handle it.
She gazed at Yu Miaohua affectionately. "There’s a winter hunt at the end of the year. Would you like to join?"
Great Qi’s winter hunt was held once every three years and was always a grand affair.
Not every consort could attend, but given Yu Miaohua’s favor, a spot would undoubtedly be reserved for her if she wished to go.
Yu Miaohua had never seen a winter hunt before. She nodded eagerly. "Yes, I’d love to!"
The Empress Dowager said, "Then you’ll need to prepare some riding outfits. Do you know how to ride?"
Yu Miaohua replied, "I learned as a child, but I haven’t ridden in years."
The Empress Dowager grew even more enthusiastic. "Then you’ll need to brush up on your riding skills. The Crown Prince is an excellent rider—he can teach you."
"I’ve noticed the Crown Prince has been rather idle lately. It’s time to give him something to do."
Yu Miaohua: "??"
Having the Crown Prince teach her to ride—was that appropriate?
Besides, she didn’t really need lessons. She could just practice slowly. She wasn’t planning to hunt seriously—at most, she’d shoot a few rabbits for show.
[In past winter hunts, the stage belonged solely to men. Host, strive to break these stereotypes. Host has triggered Main Mission 5.5: Place in the top three during the winter hunt and astonish the world. Reward: One Disaster Mitigation skill.]
At first glance, Yu Miaohua scoffed at the mission—why should she compete for such a title? But then she saw the reward…
[??? Disaster Mitigation? What’s that?]
Even the Empress Dowager, who had been reclining on the couch, sat up straighter.
What kind of reward was this? It sounded incredibly valuable.
[For example, the snowstorm predicted for next year was originally classified as a red-level disaster, with snowfall reaching one cun (about 3 cm) in a day—equivalent to roughly 30 to 45 cm of snow. After mitigation, the snowfall would be reduced to one to three cun (3 to 10 cm) per day.]
Both Yu Miaohua and the Empress Dowager understood immediately.
Even in winters without snowstorms, people froze to death. If the severity of the snowstorm could be reduced, it would not only lessen economic losses but also directly decrease the number of deaths from exposure.
Yu Miaohua was just an ordinary person. While she might not be selfless enough to sacrifice for others, she wasn’t so cold-hearted as to ignore the chance to save lives when it was within her power. She truly wanted this reward.
More importantly, once she obtained it, she could purchase similar skills from the system’s backend store after future upgrades.
[…I’ll do my best. System, do you have any sharpshooter skills in the backend?]
[Host, there are no sharpshooter skills available at the moment.]
The light in Yu Miaohua’s eyes dimmed. The winter hunt was only a month away. Without any cheat skills, how could she possibly transform into a sharpshooter in such a short time?
Then, suddenly, she remembered something.
Wait—didn’t she have the Heartreader skill? That allowed her to communicate with animals.
Perfect! She’d rely on that!
As a divine maiden, commanding beasts was perfectly understandable, right?
The Empress Dowager, deeply concerned about Yu Miaohua’s newly revealed mission, quickly informed Pei Lingyue.
Pei Lingyue: !!
This reward—he had to secure it.
How can we ensure Yu Miaohua secures a spot in the top three? Yu Miaohua will undoubtedly put in the effort, but her hard work alone won’t be enough—she’ll need some external assistance.
Pei Lingyue summoned his trusted ministers, and they eagerly brainstormed ways to help Yu Miaohua cheat.
"Prepare the game in advance and drive them toward Consort Hui’s hunting zone."
"Drugging the animals to slow them down."
"From today onward, focus on improving Consort Hui’s riding and archery skills. The Crown Prince should personally instruct her." This suggestion came from a minister who never forgot to tackle side missions.
The earlier proposals sounded relatively reasonable, and Pei Lingyue nodded in approval.
"In previous years, the Duke of Pinghuai always took first place. Why not slip him some laxatives this year and let him finish last?"
"Cough, cough—" A fit of violent coughing erupted from the corner, where the Duke of Pinghuai was loudly clearing his throat to remind everyone of his presence. His face darkened. "I’m right here."
Suggesting to his face that they drug him—did they think he was dead?
The minister who had made the proposal offered an apologetic smile. "Then, Your Grace, perhaps you could… voluntarily hunt less this year?"
The Duke of Pinghuai was usually a man of few words, which often led others to overlook him unintentionally.
After a moment’s thought, the Duke of Pinghuai said, "I could provoke Marquis Wei and compete with him for game."
Marquis Wei’s riding and archery skills were nearly as good as his own—just slightly inferior.
Sabotaging the others? Now that was a topic they could get behind.
The ministers grew even more animated in their discussions.
Pei Lingyue continued nodding. If they could drag down the usual top ten contenders, Yu Miaohua’s path to the top three would become much smoother.
With such loyal and resourceful ministers, Great Qi was truly blessed.
