Pei Chiyan looked at Yu Miaohua with a gentle expression. "Did they upset you?"
Yu Miaohua nodded, then shook her head. "They're actually quite nice."
But she wasn’t the type to fully indulge in such pleasures. Though she often watched suggestive videos with her system, it was just for entertainment. She felt that once she opened the door to that world, it would be easy to lose herself. And once that happened, her moral boundaries would keep lowering. She didn’t want to become someone unrecognizable.
Pei Chiyan’s lips curled into a soft smile. "They’ve all figured out your temperament and are trying their luck."
Given Yu Miaohua’s personality, if she truly fell for someone, she wouldn’t waver—she’d likely disband her harem altogether.
For them, becoming a Divine Consort was just the starting point of the competition, not the end.
Yu Miaohua sighed. "I can’t give them what they want."
Several of these Divine Consorts had special statuses, so she couldn’t casually reward them. As for giving them affection—that was too difficult.
She had an instinctive distrust of men in this era.
Pei Chiyan said, "You’re misunderstanding something. You don’t need to give them anything extra. Just being chosen as a Divine Consort is already an extraordinary blessing—they shouldn’t ask for more."
"If you’re bored, you can seek amusement with us. If you grow tired of us, you can dismiss us all—it would only mean we failed to serve you well."
Yu Miaohua was stunned. "My status is that high?"
[Exactly, Host! We’re just that awesome!]
Not only was Yu Miaohua dazed by his words, even her system couldn’t help but gloat.
Pei Chiyan smiled warmly. "This is what you deserve."
Honestly, Yu Miaohua was genuinely delighted by Pei Chiyan’s words.
"No matter what I do, none of you will complain?"
"Mm." Pei Chiyan agreed without hesitation.
Yu Miaohua suppressed the urge to order the Fifth Prince to perform a pole dance. His looks and physique were perfect for it… Ahem, she shouldn’t get too carried away.
"Then… can I pretend to favor you?"
"It would be my honor."
"But that might make you a target for the others…" Yu Miaohua hesitated.
Pei Chiyan almost laughed. He had thought Yu Miaohua sought him out because she couldn’t stand their competition and wanted to dismiss them.
Instead, she wanted him to act as a shield.
He said, "If they bother you, you can always send them away."
Yu Miaohua shook her head. "If I dismiss them now, people might assume they did something wrong and gossip about them."
Pei Chiyan wasn’t surprised by her response.
Even with her exalted status, she still didn’t know how to wield power ruthlessly—her heart remained too soft.
Yu Miaohua continued, "But this way, you might face their hostility."
"If they bully you, you have to tell me. I’ll definitely stand up for you."
Pei Chiyan nearly laughed out loud.
He never imagined the day would come when someone worried about him being bullied.
It was a refreshing feeling.
"I will."
In fact, he hoped the others would make a move—it would give him the perfect chance to play the victim.
Seeing the Crown Prince’s easygoing demeanor, Yu Miaohua felt both concern and deep gratitude.
He was truly loyal. She hadn’t even begged, yet he agreed without asking for anything in return.
[As a Divine Maiden with nine Divine Consorts, you must distribute your favor evenly to maintain harmony in the harem. Host has triggered Main Quest 6.4: Comfort each Divine Consort to prevent resentment over the Crown Prince’s favor. Reward: Low-grade Body Tempering Elixir recipe and 2,000 points.]
Yu Miaohua had been saving most of her points for weather-related skills, so 2,000 points was a tempting offer.
And this new recipe…
[What’s the Body Tempering Elixir? Does it strengthen the body?]
[Yes. For example, if someone’s base physique is 60, one course of treatment increases it by 10%, a second course by 8%, and a third by 6%.]
It was essentially a low-grade version of a body-enhancing pill—and it could be mass-produced.
What a treasure.
Yu Miaohua immediately changed her mind and said to Pei Chiyan, "On second thought, they left their families to come here—it must have been hard for them."
"Meeting like this is fate. If possible, I’d like them to be happy in my Divine Maiden Manor."
"But I don’t know how to comfort them, and I’m afraid of giving them false hope. Can you help me?" Her gaze remained fixed on Pei Chiyan.
Pei Chiyan wasn’t surprised by her request. He could never refuse Yu Miaohua.
This wasn’t her fault. The blame lay with his father, who had sent so many men to her manor despite knowing she wasn’t suited to handle such situations.
He sighed inwardly. "If you trust me, leave it to me."
"For the next while, you can summon me frequently."
…
After reaching an agreement with the Crown Prince, Yu Miaohua began summoning Pei Chiyan whenever he returned to the manor.
Sometimes they strolled through the gardens, other times they fished together, and on rest days, they visited the countryside estate. For a time, the other Divine Consorts were completely overlooked—Yu Miaohua’s eyes and heart seemed to hold only the Crown Prince.
Pei Yuheng, Ceren, and the others, who had been competing fiercely, never expected their rivalry would instead pave the way for the seemingly indifferent Crown Prince to win Yu Miaohua’s favor. Their jealousy was practically palpable.
Pei Yuheng gritted his teeth and turned his efforts against Pei Chiyan.
But the more he challenged the Crown Prince, the more Yu Miaohua clung to him—even having him read stories aloud. She spent every possible moment with him, never tiring of his company, making her affection unmistakable.
Some, like Li Zongming, didn’t mind. They preferred the Crown Prince’s favor over anyone else’s.
For them, moving from their homes to the Divine Maiden Manor was just a change of scenery—and they felt even more at ease here.
Yu Miaohua never mistreated them, and she forbade any disrespect from the servants.
Pei Yuheng and Ceren, however, set aside their differences and joined forces to sabotage Pei Chiyan.
Soon, they realized their mistake.
The Crown Prince could have easily avoided their schemes. Instead, he deliberately let minor injuries linger—just enough to be noticeable but not serious—and made sure Yu Miaohua saw them.
She never scolded them, only looked at them with disappointment as she tenderly applied medicine to Pei Chiyan’s wounds, her expression full of pity.
Pei Yuheng was furious.
Just like Pei Lingyue’s son—such a damn good actor.
To compensate, Yu Miaohua granted Pei Chiyan unrestricted access to her private quarters.
After catching Yu Miaohua's eye, the Crown Prince acted as if he had been granted an imperial sword of authority and began managing the household affairs.
As a result, Pei Yuheng and the others soon found their freedom significantly restricted, with several new household rules imposed.
The inner and outer courtyards were strictly segregated, and access to Yu Miaohua's main residence now required a token and constant registration.
Pei Yuheng and the rest were also assigned duties.
Some were tasked with managing Yu Miaohua's wardrobe, others with painting for her, and some oversaw her meals...
Each had their own responsibilities. Though no longer as free as before, everything became more orderly. More importantly, if they performed well, they might even earn a chance to appear before Yu Miaohua.
For instance, Pei Yuheng, with his refined taste, was put in charge of Yu Miaohua's attire.
He even designed hairpins and clothing styles for her, discussing these matters with her directly.
"I love this hairpin—the color and design suit my taste perfectly," Yu Miaohua said with a smile. "It’ll be perfect for the next banquet."
Pei Yuheng suggested, "If you choose this peony hairpin, it would pair beautifully with that water-red grape-patterned brocade gown."
"Agreed. It’s settled then," Yu Miaohua remarked appreciatively. "You’re truly remarkable. With you here, I no longer have to worry about these things."
Hearing this, Pei Yuheng couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at his lips.
When it came to fashion and aesthetics—without any romantic undertones—Yu Miaohua genuinely enjoyed Pei Yuheng’s company.
She even invited him to stay for a meal.
Pei Yuheng noticed that several of the dishes served were his favorites.
His heart stirred.
He had assumed the goddess would never spare him a thought, her eyes only for the Crown Prince.
After enduring a period of neglect, the sudden realization that Yu Miaohua did care about him dissolved much of the resentment he had harbored.
"The Eight-Treasure Duck is exquisite," he said, his voice tinged with quiet emotion.
Yu Miaohua replied, "If you like it, have more. This fish stew should also suit your taste."
In truth, she had no idea about Pei Yuheng’s preferences—the Crown Prince had gathered this information for her.
Seeing the undisguised gratitude in Pei Yuheng’s eyes, Yu Miaohua felt a pang of guilt, as though she were a heartless seductress toying with an innocent young man’s affections.
[System, the Crown Prince is such a perfect helpmate,] Yu Miaohua mused inwardly. She had to admit that under his management, her quality of life had improved dramatically.
He had even assigned tasks based on each person’s strengths.
Keeping them busy was ideal—it prevented them from obsessively vying for her attention.
[Indeed, he’s so virtuous—worthy of the empress’s throne,] the system praised the Crown Prince’s impeccable domestic virtues.
After the meal, Pei Yuheng left the main courtyard and happened to cross paths with the returning Crown Prince, Pei Chiyan.
Meeting the Crown Prince’s composed gaze, Pei Yuheng felt a mix of emotions. "I never expected you’d give us a chance."
Had it been him, he would have seized the opportunity to make Yu Miaohua fall for him completely and driven away all rivals.
Pei Chiyan smiled faintly. "I want her to be happy. And she doesn’t wish for any of you to be unhappy."
"To love someone, one must not be selfish. True love means granting them genuine freedom."
Pei Yuheng couldn’t help but reflect—was it because they had been so fixated on competing for favor, unlike the selfless Crown Prince, that Yu Miaohua favored him more?
Perhaps his love wasn’t as profound as the Crown Prince’s. Was his love truly selfish?
After Yu Miaohua moved out of the palace, her authority shifted from the Guanju Palace to the Goddess’s Residence.
The system immediately broadcasted this scene to her.
[Host… the Crown Prince is basically helping you gaslight Pei Yuheng, isn’t he?]
Judging by Pei Yuheng’s expression, the words had clearly sunk in. And the Crown Prince’s rhetoric was so polished.
[What a perfect partner—truly the Empress’s son.]
Yu Miaohua was deeply moved!
