Though she wanted to complain, the system had learned its lesson and wouldn’t pour cold water on its host’s excitement.
Originally, the system had planned to synthesize a solemn, divine voice to deliver an oracle. But then it reconsidered—perhaps a voice conjured by imagination would be more fitting. So it switched to special effects mode.
In an instant, the clear blue sky turned into night, as if a black curtain had been draped over it.
[Wait, what are you doing, System?]
Yu Miaohua was also startled by the system’s sudden move.
[Fireworks aren’t as striking in daylight. Nighttime pairs best with them. Don’t worry, Host—we can attribute this effect to the power of your "Fiery Golden Eyes" ability. No points needed. Only darkness can truly highlight the magnificence of your divine vision.]
Under Yu Miaohua’s guidance, the system had mastered the art of exploiting the Transmigration Bureau’s resources to sustain itself and its host, spinning lies with remarkable ease.
[As expected of you, System—so clever!]
Normally, such special effects would fall under the "Auspicious Omen" skill, costing a thousand points.
The abrupt shift in the sky’s appearance drew everyone’s attention upward.
Pei Lingyue and his ministers felt a peculiar mix of emotions—such divine power, capable of turning day into night, was being used solely to amuse Yu Miaohua.
The palace servants, unable to hear the dialogue, panicked at the unnatural phenomenon—was this divine punishment? They instinctively dropped to their knees.
Yu Miaohua quickly reassured them, "Do not fear. This is a blessing."
Her gentle voice, amplified by the system, effortlessly reached everyone present.
A blessing? Was this a new auspicious sign?
The next moment, a series of booming sounds echoed as dazzling fireworks shot into the sky. The sparkling embers coalesced into words:
[In honor of the Divine Maiden, Great Qi and the grasslands shall be granted a year of favorable weather.]
Worried people might miss it, the system launched several more bursts.
Ceren, the Fifth Prince of the grasslands, had studied the language of Great Qi. When he deciphered the message in the sky, his body trembled.
Like the others, he had willingly served the Divine Maiden—partly out of admiration for her virtue, but also in hopes that their devotion might persuade the heavens to bestow blessings upon the grasslands. The previous year’s frost had devastated their livestock, causing heavy losses.
He never imagined the boon would come so swiftly.
A year of favorable weather meant freedom from natural disasters and an end to hunger for their herders.
Before this, the grassland tribes had rushed to serve the Divine Maiden, drawing mockery from the Fan Kingdom and the Half-Moon Country. They sneered at the proud Tuo people for groveling before a divine figure, calling it a disgrace to their royal lineage.
If they knew of this reward, they’d surely be green with envy.
The fireworks display lasted a full half-hour. To keep the audience entertained, the system interspersed it with other dazzling pyrotechnics—a thoughtful touch.
Once the spectacle ended, the system lifted the nighttime effect, restoring the clear blue sky.
This effortless reversal of day and night further awed the onlookers, cementing Yu Miaohua’s divine reputation with yet another miraculous feat.
Just as the Divine Maiden’s selection of consorts seemed to be concluding, Rong He suddenly spoke up: "This humble one is of lowly status and unremarkable appearance, unworthy of becoming a consort… Yet I have long admired the Divine Maiden. Even as a servant, I would be content to remain by her side."
He thought to himself—if even someone as seemingly foolish as Li Zongming could be chosen, his own disqualification must stem from his family’s disgrace.
If he could stay close to the Divine Maiden and win her favor, perhaps his great-grandfather’s sins could eventually be forgiven.
Better yet, if he could father a child with her… Surely the Divine Maiden wouldn’t allow her offspring to bear the shame of a disgraced maternal line.
His words dripped with humility, sounding utterly sincere. Had Yu Miaohua not known his background, she might have been moved.
But now…
She suspected he merely sought to leech off her divine favor, hoping to cleanse his family’s tainted legacy.
She despised people like this—those utterly lacking in self-awareness.
Her expression cooled. "Is that so? Then tell me—what is your real name?"
Rong He froze. "This humble servant’s surname is Rong, given name He, courtesy name Lianzhi."
Yu Miaohua smirked. "Really? Because I just heard a divine voice say your surname is Zhao."
"That your great-grandfather’s true name was Zhao Wenshi—that he murdered the newly appointed scholar Rong Heguang and stole his identity."
Originally, she had planned to discreetly reveal these dark secrets to the Emperor under the guise of a divine dream.
But now, she changed her mind.
Some people simply didn’t deserve courtesy.
Rong He’s face drained of color. He never imagined his bold confession would backfire so spectacularly, exposing his family’s crimes before the entire court.
"I—I—"
He scrambled for excuses, but before he could speak, thunder rumbled ominously overhead.
Gulping, a flicker of fear crossed his eyes.
This was undoubtedly a warning.
Lie now, and he’d be struck down by lightning.
Pale-faced, he dropped to his knees.
Pei Lingyue commanded, "Seize Rong He. Throw his entire family into prison."
After exposing Rong He, Yu Miaohua turned to Qin Jiuru with a deceptively gentle smile. "Shall I explain why you were eliminated too?"
Hypocrite!
He already had someone he loved yet still tried to use her as a shield—too cowardly to relinquish his heir status, wanting to have his cake and eat it too.
Qin Jiuru inwardly cursed Rong He to the depths of hell—if you knew your family was tainted, why shamelessly parade yourself here? Even if the Divine Maiden was merciful, the heavens weren’t so forgiving. Now they were all implicated.
He shook his head frantically. "This unworthy one knows he is unfit for the Divine Maiden and dares not entertain such presumptuous thoughts."
Yu Miaohua said nothing, but Pei Lingyue snorted. "If you knew you were unworthy, why did you dare to cling to the Divine Maiden?"
"Throw him in prison too."
Thus, all the rejected candidates were hauled off to the dungeons.
Pei Lingyue marveled inwardly: The "Fiery Golden Eyes" ability was truly invaluable. If only it could be used indefinitely.
No one pleaded for mercy. Since Yu Miaohua didn’t object, the crowd assumed these men must have deserved their fate. The Divine Maiden was known for her boundless compassion—if she remained silent, there had to be a reason.
Even Fusong, Ceren’s cousin, was among those arrested.
Fusong’s crimes were grave—his family secretly worshipped a malevolent cult. He had sought to become Yu Miaohua’s consort, intending to take her back and use her divine blood to awaken his dark god.
Ceren asked, "Divine Maiden, what wrong has Fusong committed? If he has erred, allow me to deal with him. Do not dirty your hands."
He didn’t even call him "cousin" anymore.
Yu Miaohua said, "He wanted to capture me and offer me as a sacrifice to awaken the evil god he worships."
A murderous aura flashed across Ceren's face.
Fusong's expression changed drastically. "Ceren, don't listen to this woman's nonsense. She's trying to drive a wedge between us—"
Before he could finish speaking, an arrow pierced his throat. His eyes widened in shock, his death one of bitter resentment.
Ceren calmly put away his bow.
He had originally carried the bow just to look cool, never expecting it would actually come in handy.
Fusong had played his part too well—even Ceren had been deceived.
Fortunately, the Divine Maiden didn’t hold Fusong’s betrayal against him.
[That shot was so cool.]
Yu Miaohua couldn’t help but admire it, especially the sharp profile of his face, brimming with killing intent—it had a certain charm.
[Host, don’t worry, I’ve already recorded it for you!]
The system assured her that it had everything under control.
Yu Miaohua gave the efficient system a mental thumbs-up.
Pei Lingyue: "..."
These Tuo tribesmen were truly cunning, never missing a chance to show off.
Damn it, he should have made the Crown Prince wear a sword instead.
With Fusong dead, the remaining captives didn’t dare protest—mainly because they had their own guilty consciences.
When the emperor held a beauty selection, the worst that could happen was being dismissed.
But with Yu Miaohua, those who failed faced either imprisonment or death.
Thus, Yu Miaohua’s first Divine Consort selection came to an end.
Pei Lingyue also began his vigorous investigation.
The system had already dug up all the dark secrets of these people, which greatly lightened their workload.
The common folk reveled in the gossip, with teahouses and taverns buzzing about the Divine Consort selection.
"Did you hear? The Grassland Prince Fusong was shot dead with an arrow."
"That’s old news. The Emperor has already uncovered the Qin family’s embezzlement of river repair funds and thrown the whole family in prison."
"Oh, and my neighbor said Great Qi and the grasslands will enjoy a year of favorable weather—is that true?"
"Absolutely. The sky darkened for half an hour with fireworks. How could you have missed it?"
"Ugh, I was asleep at the time," lamented one citizen, full of regret. "When will the Divine Maiden hold another selection?"
They wholeheartedly supported the idea of Yu Miaohua choosing more Divine Consorts.
The emperor’s beauty selections had little impact on their lives, serving only as idle chatter.
But the Divine Maiden’s consort selection was different—it not only brought them prosperity but also gave them a front-row seat to the downfall of those high-and-mighty officials.
They wished it could happen every day.
"The emperor holds selections every three years. Surely the Divine Maiden can’t just bypass that."
Hearing they’d have to wait at least three more years, the people collectively sighed in disappointment.
Yu Miaoping overheard the chatter, laughed heartily, and hurried to relay it to her sister.
Yu Miaohua now resided outside the palace, in the former estate of Prince Zhuang.
"So, how many will you pick next time?"
Yu Miaohua scowled. "None."
If not for the mission rewards, she wouldn’t have done this in the first place.
But what troubled her more was this:
After the selection, the men kept appearing before her, seemingly competing to be the first to share her bed.
Yu Miaohua had a feeling that if she actually chose someone, it might open a Pandora’s box.
Better to just pick the Crown Prince. He didn’t love her—he was only in it for the benefits. He’d surely be willing to act as a shield. With him at the forefront, peace could be maintained in the harem.
[In most harem dramas, the emperor pretends to favor a side character to protect his true love, using her as a decoy. Right now, the Crown Prince is just your shield until your real love appears.]
Yu Miaohua felt a pang of guilt at the system’s words. Maybe she should ask the Crown Prince for his opinion first?
