The next morning, the snow in the capital fell even heavier.
Chu Mingzhao sat before a rosewood dressing table carved with floral patterns, attended by four top-tier maidservants fussing over her.
This body she now occupied was truly too beautiful—eyebrows naturally dark without needing paint, lips naturally red without needing rouge, the corners of her eyes slightly upturned, carrying an innate three parts disdain and seven parts petulance.
Chu Mingzhao gazed at the polished bronze mirror and let out a long, wistful sigh.
In the mirror, her cloud-like hair and radiant face were accentuated by a pair of fox-like eyes that were naturally seductive, and even a casual glance exuded a sense of domineering arrogance. Beautiful as she was, in the world of web novels, this look practically had "villainess side character" stamped all over it.
"Miss, does this gold and ruby hairpin not suit your liking?"
Cuizhu, seeing her sigh, quickly and carefully lifted the jewelry box.
"It suits me perfectly," Chu Mingzhao replied flatly, thinking to herself that this hairpin was heavy enough to be used as a weapon.
She casually fiddled with the tassels at her temple, suppressing the utter despair in her eyes, and put on her usual haughty demeanor.
"You mentioned earlier that Mother sent someone with a message?"
"Yes, Miss. Nanny Li from the Lady’s side just came by to say that the Chancellor has the day off today. She requested that you freshen up and go to the front hall for breakfast, saying there is an important matter to discuss."
An important matter?
Chu Mingzhao’s eyelid twitched.
First rule of transmigrating into a novel: the moment an elder suddenly summons you, it means the main storyline is about to kick off.
She wrapped her outrageously expensive white fox-fur cloak tighter around herself and stepped out of the warm pavilion.
It had snowed all night long, blanketing the entire Chancellor’s mansion in silver. The majestic halls and pavilions showcased the extravagant wealth of a noble family.
Walking along the covered corridor, Chu Mingzhao stealthily swept her gaze toward the dilapidated stables in the distance, then quickly looked away.
Every time she remembered the absurd oath that had been forcibly altered last night, a chill ran down the back of her neck.
Inside the front hall, the floor-dragon heating system was blazing, filling the room with a warm, fragrant glow.
As soon as Chu Mingzhao entered, she adopted a sweet, innocent smile and cooed in a syrupy voice,
"Father, Mother."
The current Chancellor, Chu Weizhou, was holding a bowl of bird’s nest congee. Seeing his beloved daughter, the stern, imposing face he usually wore in court instantly softened into a warm paternal smile.
Lady Chu, the Chancellor’s wife, even beckoned her over to sit by her side, her eyes brimming with adoration.
"Jiaojiao, were you chilled yesterday? Why do you look so pale?"
Lady Chu touched her daughter’s hand with concern and turned to scold the maidservants.
"Mother, I’m fine. I just stayed up a bit late last night… reading," Chu Mingzhao lied casually, thinking to herself that she could hardly say she’d spent last night not only giving a full deep-tissue massage to the Deposed Crown Prince but also being forced to witness a dragon-soaring man’s shocking endowment, leaving her too terrified to sleep.
"You child, reading is so draining on the spirit. Those tedious books on women’s virtues or conduct—just go through the motions. As the legitimate daughter of the Chu family, are we supposed to follow the rigid rules of petty households?"
Lady Chu scolded with a smile, then lowered her voice and changed the subject.
"Speaking of which, we called you here today about an urgent matter."
Chu Mingzhao swallowed a bite of crystal shrimp dumpling, inwardly thinking, here it comes.
"Just now, an invitation came from the palace. The day after tomorrow is the Lantern Festival, and His Majesty has set up a lantern-viewing banquet by the Taiye Pool. He has specially decreed that officials of the third rank and above may bring their families into the palace to celebrate."
Lady Chu looked at her daughter’s strikingly beautiful face, unable to suppress the pride in her smile.
"Jiaojiao, this is a golden opportunity that comes once in a lifetime."
Chu Mingzhao’s chopsticks, which held a shrimp dumpling, paused slightly.
Lantern Festival banquet? Taiye Pool?
"I know you’ve always admired the gentle, jade-like elegance of the Third Prince, and you also find the dashing, martial prowess of the Seventh Prince quite appealing."
Lady Chu was completely oblivious to her daughter’s instantly stiffened expression, continuing with her enthusiastic scheming.
"Both of these princes are currently at the height of imperial favor, and they will surely attend the Lantern Festival banquet. Dress yourself up nicely—if you can catch the eye of one of them…"
"Madam, watch your words," the ever-silent Chancellor Chu put down his porcelain bowl and gave a soft cough. There was no reproach in his eyes, only a gentle caution. "Although Jiaojiao has been formally betrothed to that man for now, the official wedding isn’t for another two years. A lot can change in two years, so these gatherings are still good opportunities to network with imperial relatives. Jiaojiao, mind your manners and don’t be reckless."
But Chu Mingzhao wasn’t listening to a single word at that moment.
An alarm was blaring in her head.
[Ding—System notification: Approaching the original story’s high-risk plot node—Lantern Festival Humiliation!]
In this rotten novel, this very Lantern Festival banquet was the pinnacle where the male lead, Pei Yan, suffered his early humiliation.
To curry favor with the Third Prince and the Seventh Prince, the original Chu Mingzhao not only forced Pei Yan to act as her horse-holding servant into the palace, but during the banquet, right before the eyes of the entire court and all the princes, she forced the once-high-and-mighty Crown Prince to crawl on the ground and eat like a dog!
That night, the plum blossoms by the Taiye Pool bloomed vividly red, as Pei Yan’s pride was ground into the mud.
And it was precisely after that night that Pei Yan descended into darkness, secretly contacting his old loyalists, setting in motion the plan to overthrow the imperial power and wash the Chancellor’s mansion in blood.
Chu Mingzhao’s stomach churned violently. The delicious shrimp dumpling suddenly tasted like sawdust.
Admire the Third Prince? Like the Seventh Prince?
Those two in the book’s ending… one was turned by Pei Yan into a turtle stewed in a wine jar, and the other was flayed alive to make a human-skin lantern.
What was there to admire? Their creative ways of dying?!
"Jiaojiao, why aren’t you eating? Is the dumpling not to your taste?" Lady Chu leaned in with concern, seeing her daughter’s face turn pale.
"No… no," Chu Mingzhao forced the dumpling into her mouth, barely chewing before swallowing it down, nearly choking on it and bringing tears to her eyes.
No. This banquet absolutely cannot follow the original plot! If it does, she won’t even have a complete corpse to leave behind—Pei Yan would ground her bones to dust and use them to polish the stone lions at the mansion’s gate!
Chu Mingzhao felt like she was sitting on a bed of nails. Her stomach was in turmoil, and she couldn’t stay any longer.
"Father, Mother," she suddenly stood up, "I’m feeling a bit dizzy. It might be from catching a chill last night. I’d like to go back to my room and rest."
Chancellor Chu furrowed his brows slightly, his face full of concern. "Go on. Have the family physician take a look at you. Be sure to get well before the Lantern Festival banquet."
Chu Mingzhao nodded hastily. Surrounded by her maidservants, she fled the front hall like she was escaping.
The moment she crossed the threshold, the biting wind, mixed with fine snowflakes, hit her face like needles. But instead of hurting, it seemed to clear her foggy mind.
The road ahead was long, and every path led to a dead end.
Chu Mingzhao pulled her white fox-fur cloak tighter and stepped onto the covered walkway.
Beyond the corridor, heavy snow was falling. A few red plum trees in the courtyard bloomed brilliantly, like spatters of blood staining the white snow.
"The sight of those plum blossoms stung her eyes, making her even more restless."
"All of you, leave. I want to take a walk alone and clear my head."
Chu Mingzhao waved away the maidservants behind her.
