Wang Cuihua was a newly employed corporate drone, whose name matched her personality—rustic with a hint of humor. After two years on the job, she had endured difficult treatment from both her boss and clients, and despite whatever aspirations she might have harbored, her edges had been worn smooth.

Moreover, she never really had any aspirations to begin with. Her life philosophy was to just get by, and her only hobby was reading web novels—though calling it a hobby was a stretch; it was more a matter of necessity, as the subway rides to and from work were so long that she had no other way to pass the time.

After two years of extensive reading, Wang Cuihua could predict a novel’s plot just by reading the first three lines.

Today on her way home from work, she clicked into a mindless transmigration novel.

The story was called “Transmigration: The Demon Consort’s Tale”—the title alone screamed trash. Wang Cuihua only kept reading because the opening matched her current situation almost exactly: “Ma Chunchun was an unremarkable office worker who, on her way home from work one day, clicked into a mindless palace drama…”

Is this writing about me? Wang Cuihua’s interest was slightly piqued as she continued reading.

Ma Chunchun accidentally transmigrated into a palace drama called “East Wind Releases a Thousand Flowers,” becoming a cannon fodder character in the story.

This cannon fodder’s life was tragic—forced into the palace selection against her will, unwillingly dragged into palace intrigue, and ruled by an unreasonable tyrant emperor who held power over her life and death. To protect herself, the cannon fodder joined forces with others to persecute the female lead, ultimately dying tragically in palace struggles.

Meanwhile, the beloved female lead was deeply calculating, playing both sides—feigning submission to the tyrannical emperor while secretly carrying on an affair with a certain prince. In the end, she helped the prince assassinate the tyrant, and they ascended to emperor and empress together, reaching life’s peak.

After transmigrating into the cannon fodder’s body, Ma Chunchun immediately began her counterattack. Through several schemes, she attracted the prince’s attention before the female lead could, successfully stealing the female lead’s plotline. She forced the tyrant emperor to his death while having the female lead executed as a burial companion, finally becoming an empress for the ages.

Wang Cuihua read to this point, thoroughly unimpressed. She’d read too many novels—she’d seen this same reversal plot at least eighteen times.

Just as she was about to exit and find another mindless novel to pass the time, there was a thunderous boom in her ears, and her vision was engulfed in white light.

In the chaos of the world spinning, Wang Cuihua transmigrated into her phone, plunging headfirst into the transmigration novel she had just sneered at.

When Wang Cuihua woke up, she was very calm. Her first reaction was to find a mirror to confirm who she had become.

“Transmigration: The Demon Consort’s Tale” had no illustrations, but the character descriptions were fairly detailed. The cannon fodder character had followed an unremarkable innocent flower route until Ma Chunchun took over and stunned everyone with her makeup skills.

Wang Cuihua looked at the clearly unmade-up but naturally gorgeous face in the mirror and instantly fell into despair.

She should have known—the cannon fodder role was already taken by someone else, not left for her.

And she? She had transmigrated into the original female lead destined to be persecuted to death by the cannon fodder—Yu Wanyin.

Yu Wanyin felt anxious.

She had skimmed through this novel quickly, only remembering the general fate trajectories.

Judging by her current attire, she had just entered the palace as a consort.

The cannon fodder entered the palace at the same time and had already been taken over by a transmigrator. Soon she would meet her destined love—Prince Duan, of humble birth but skilled in both civil and military affairs. They would spend ten thousand words in romantic encounters, two hundred chapters in a sea of love and hatred, and finally strategize to overthrow the tyrant and take his place.

After the tyrant’s death, Yu Wanyin was given a white silk noose, her story from pleading to burial taking only three hundred words.

Yu Wanyin knew perfectly well that the cannon fodder was only a cannon fodder in name. In the world of “Transmigration: The Demon Consort’s Tale,” she was the truly chosen one, while Yu Wanyin herself was just a stumbling block on her path to destiny, with no real chance of fighting back.

If she wanted to survive, the best choice would be to find the destined hero Prince Duan before the cannon fodder did.

But she instinctively knew this wouldn’t work.

First, the cannon fodder was an evil person.

The story was called “The Demon Consort’s Tale,” and the cannon fodder’s character was vindictive and ruthless, going against the traditional path of truth, goodness, and beauty, laughing her way to victory through endless schemes.

Now both the cannon fodder and female lead had been taken over by transmigrators, two people with the same script fighting over the same survival storyline, likely to use dark methods against each other in a fight to the death over Prince Duan.

Second, Prince Duan was also an evil person.

Although the original text described him as resourceful and courageous, perspective determines his stance, and from Yu Wanyin’s current view, he was just a deeply calculating old dog. With two transmigrators killing each other before him, getting more and more extreme, he couldn’t possibly become suspicious.

Even if she eventually eliminated the cannon fodder and helped him take the throne, he would still dispose of her like a rabbit after the hunt or an ox after the grinding.

After some quick calculations, Yu Wanyin concluded: that she could only forge her path.

In this story full of villains, if she wanted to cut her way out in blood, she had to become the biggest villain of all—first help the tyrant kill Prince Duan, then kill the tyrant himself and become empress regnant directly.

While Yu Wanyin was considering this, a pretty maid walked in, pale-faced, and delivered the standard line: “Miss, let this servant help you prepare. Tonight you must serve His Majesty well, you mustn’t be careless…”

“Tonight?” Yu Wanyin was startled, then understood.

The timing of her transmigration was just right—tonight was her turn to serve in the emperor’s bed.

Looking at the maid’s expression, wanting to advise but not daring to, she could tell that the original owner of this body was extremely unwilling.

According to the original plot, she would repeatedly refuse the tyrant because her heart belonged to Prince Duan. When she finally couldn’t refuse anymore, she would shed a beautiful tear like a falling pear blossom in bed.

The tyrant would smile at this sight and kick her into the Cold Palace.

Prince Duan would have met her by chance when he entered the palace, but the cannon fodder would seduce him away at the door. Having lost the chance for mutual love with her destined hero, she would become a clown, jealously competing with the cannon fodder and setting up stumbling blocks, her fate sliding into the abyss.

If Yu Wanyin wanted to turn the tables, tonight was her last chance. She had to move the tyrant, form a strategic alliance with him, and deal with Prince Duan and the cannon fodder first.

Yu Wanyin was determined to succeed.

If the cannon fodder could transform herself with makeup skills, why should she, the rightful female lead, go bare-faced? They were both office workers—who didn’t know how to flatter clients with a few words? Yu Wanyin had figured it out—in these kinds of stories, the emperor played the role of the client, wanting you to be sunny yet seductive, wanting to see you passionate yet elegant and proper.

After being tortured by clients for two years at her company, she was already experienced and didn’t believe she could handle this supposedly tyrannical emperor.

Yu Wanyin smiled: “Hey… Xiaomei, right? Just help me with my hair, I’ll handle the rest myself.”

She studied the ancient cosmetics before her for a while, applied powder, drew her eyebrows, put on lip rouge, and stuck on flower decorations, transforming her already devastatingly beautiful face into something like a newly human-formed fox spirit, changing into her outfit under the maid’s shocked gaze.

“How is it?”

Xiaomei seemed increasingly hesitant: “Miss, isn’t this style too… flamboyant?”

“It’s fine.” Yu Wanyin was confident because in the original text, the tyrant had exactly this taste—the cannon fodder had gained quite a bit of imperial favor after taking the seductive route. And with the female lead’s base beauty stats, the impact of this appearance would only increase geometrically.

Since she couldn’t escape anyway, better to turn passive into active and face life with a conquering attitude.

Yu Wanyin traveled under the watchful eyes of eunuchs and palace maids until she was sent to the imperial bedchamber.

As soon as she stepped into the chamber, she felt the temperature drop two degrees.

The room was deathly silent. The tyrant, who suffered from chronic migraines, was lying in bed having his temples massaged. Half his form was hidden by bed curtains—from Yu Wanyin’s angle, she could only see one pale hand hanging from the bed’s edge.

The medical woman doing the massage was trembling in fear, worried that one wrong press would get her buried alive.

The leading eunuch announced: “Your Majesty, Consort Yu has arrived.”

Yu Wanyin knelt with alluring grace.

She could feel a gaze fall on her head, but after waiting for a long time, she only heard a “Get out” from behind the bed curtains.

The tone was cold with a hint of exhaustion.

Yu Wanyin looked up in shock.

This wasn’t in the original text.

The tyrant’s guards were also agitated—hearing these words, though not knowing how she had offended the tyrant, they immediately moved to grab her left and right, ready to drag her out.

Yu Wanyin: “???”

Before Yu Wanyin could figure out how to fight for her fate, the guards’ movements stopped again. The voice from behind the curtains carried a hint of irritation: “Does she have to die if she doesn’t stay to serve?”

Guards: “?”

The guards didn’t understand his meaning but knew kneeling and begging forgiveness couldn’t be wrong: “Your Majesty, spare us!”

The tyrant seemed even more impatient. Yu Wanyin only saw that pale hand wave casually, and all the palace servants filed out, leaving only her in the vast chamber.

Yu Wanyin knelt for a long time, and seeing the tyrant had no intention of speaking, she boldly reached out and lifted the bed curtain.

The current emperor, Xia Hou Dan, was devastatingly beautiful.

When Yu Wanyin read the story, she internally criticized that the original author must have been obsessed with looks, not only describing Prince Duan’s face as heaven-sent and earth-unique but even making the villain emperor unnecessarily beautiful.

Now seeing him up close in person, the impact was even greater.

Eyebrows and eyes like ink, lips red as blood. There wasn’t a trace of righteousness in his appearance, a gloomy killing intent twined between his brows, like a demon that even a thousand-year senior monk couldn’t exorcise.

Yu Wanyin, wearing her fox spirit makeup, met his gaze and deeply understood the literal meaning of “meeting one’s match.”

He hadn’t expected her to come close, frowning as he looked at her, still not speaking.

Yu Wanyin was intimidated by his aura, and the lines she had prepared flew to the ninth heaven.

They just strangely stared at each other, stuck in a deadlock for a while, until Xia Hou Dan’s thin lips parted and he finally spoke: “Hey, you…”

Yu Wanyin: “???”

Yu Wanyin reminded him: “Consort Yu.”

The current tyrant emperor smoothly continued: “Ah, Consort Yu, just make yourself a bed on the floor for tonight.”

After speaking, he turned over on the spot, ready to sleep.

Yu Wanyin was completely stunned.

She froze in place, recalling the emperor’s every word and action since they met, carefully pondering that strange feeling of familiarity, until she finally couldn’t help but probe again: “…Your Majesty?”

The current tyrant emperor impatiently turned his head back again: “What else?”

Yu Wanyin asked as if in a dream: “How are you?”

Xia Hou Dan was silent for a long time, his eyes reddening: “I’m fine, and you?”

Ten minutes later, the two major villains from the original text sat facing each other, beginning to share information.

Xia Hou Dan: “I just transmigrated here two hours ago. At the time I was lying on a cruise ship, sunbathing and drinking champagne while playing with my phone, when a stupid pop-up appeared recommending this novel… I closed my eyes and opened them and ended up like this.”

Yu Wanyin: “Two hours ago? Sunbathing? I was on my way home from work then, it was already dark—are you from across the ocean?”

Xia Hou Dan nodded: “I was on vacation.”

Yu Wanyin was speechless: “Don’t tell me you’re one of those legendary overbearing CEOs.”

Xia Hou Dan: “I don’t know about overbearing, but I am indeed a CEO, living quite comfortably.” At this point, he slapped his knee again, “Damn it! How did I end up in a place without even a heating lamp for baths, with a brain tumor waiting to die!”

He had that face of a venomous beauty, his two crimson thin lips flipping up and down, creating an extremely surreal scene.

Yu Wanyin forced herself to accept this setting: “…Calm down first, your migraine might not be from a brain tumor. After all, if a tumor was pressing on your nerves, there should be other clinical symptoms.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Not sure, I’m just guessing. Look on the bright side, what if someone’s been slowly poisoning you?”

Xia Hou Dan: “?”

Xia Hou Dan: “So have you read this novel? What exactly is my situation now?”

Yu Wanyin: “I did read it, but I skimmed through it quickly, not very carefully. Simply put, your mother hates you, and your brother Prince Duan also hates you. Your consorts hate you, and your officials also hate you. According to the original story, I hate you too.”

“What unforgivable things did I do?!”

Yu Wanyin sighed: “Your mother isn’t your birth mother, and she didn’t raise you well. You also have migraines and have been paranoid since childhood, cruel and bloodthirsty. Now the loyal officials at court have either been killed or exiled by you. You’ve also implemented a bunch of garbage policies, causing public resentment to boil over. According to the original text’s development, you will be righteously overthrown by Prince Duan near the end.”

Xia Hou Dan: “…How do I die?”

Yu Wanyin thought carefully: “I forgot, I was already quite tired by that point and skipped several pages. I think you were assassinated, but exactly which year and month, or who assassinated you, I really can’t say.”

Yu Wanyin started to believe that the person before her was an experienced CEO. After pondering for a long while, he asked calmly: “What about you? Your character, judging by your face, doesn’t seem to be a good person either.”

Yu Wanyin admitted: “I’m a villain. Logically, in this kind of romance novel, the female lead should have a bunch of terrible family members and backstabbing friends. But since I’m a villain, there isn’t such a detailed background. I think I was sent into the palace by my family as a pawn, but I fell in love with Prince Duan, so I kept setting up obstacles for the cannon fodder and naturally lost miserably in the end. After you die, I’m executed as your burial companion.”

Xia Hou Dan: “Oh.”

They exchanged a glance, reaching a consensus in that instant: to survive, they must form a strategic alliance and work together as partners in crime.

Xia Hou Dan proposed the first plan: “I’ll just kill them both right now.”

He finally said something that matched his face.

Yu Wanyin shook her head: “Probably won’t work. Your power has been almost completely stripped away, killing Prince Duan won’t be that easy. Moreover, those two are the chosen ones in the original work, all the main plot lines serve them. If we kill them directly, it’s equivalent to cutting the book in half. Whether we could survive then would be unknown.”

“So what’s your proposal?”

“We can only control variables, change the plot bit by bit, see what consequences it triggers, then make plans…”

Xia Hou Dan held up a finger: “Wait. In the original work, our two characters weren’t transmigrators, right? Now that we’re here, will the cannon fodder still be taken over? If all three of us are transmigrators, what about Prince Duan, is he still the original person?”

Yu Wanyin: “I have an idea to confirm their identities.”

The next day, the cannon fodder Xie Yong’er was doing her makeup in front of a mirror when a little maid suddenly ran in excitedly: “Miss, I heard His Majesty is holding a palace banquet, and all consorts can attend. You must dress up well, I’ve recently learned two fashionable hairstyles…”

Xie Yong’er smiled: “You have so many ideas.” She seemed to docilely let the maid mess with her hair, but a dark light flashed in her eyes.

No one knew that the so-called Xie Yong’er had already been replaced, and at this moment, controlling her body was Ma Chunchun who had transmigrated into the book.

Ma Chunchun didn’t know there existed a transmigration novel called “Transmigration: The Demon Consort’s Tale,” nor did she know someone had already viewed her entire life from a higher perspective.

For her, she had transmigrated into this world while browsing a palace drama called “East Wind Releases a Thousand Flowers,” and she was the only real person, omniscient and omnipotent, controlling the fate of all these paper characters.

For example, the female lead Yu Wanyin had already secretly given her heart to Prince Duan and was thrown into the Cold Palace last night for failing to properly serve the emperor. Today, Prince Duan would meet her again in front of the Cold Palace, forming a romantic bond.

And what she needed to do was to get ahead of her, intercept Prince Duan on the way, and claim for herself the plot line that originally belonged to Yu Wanyin.

Thinking of this, Xie Yong’er casually turned to ask the maid: “Sister Wanyin went to serve in bed last night, I wonder how she’s doing now. Has there been any news?”

The maid: “I heard His Majesty was greatly pleased last night, and this morning issued an edict promoting Consort Yu to Noble Consort Yu.”

Xie Yong’er’s hand trembled, dropping a hairpin onto the table.

How could this be? Had her arrival caused the original plot line to deviate?

But it didn’t matter, she could stay steady. As long as she firmly held onto the main plot line, her future was bright.

Xie Yong’er changed into plain clothes that didn’t show her status, applied her proud exquisite makeup, and based on her memory of the original “East Wind Releases a Thousand Flowers,” wandered around the back palace, making her way early to the Cold Palace, waiting in ambush at Prince Duan’s inevitable path.

She knew that soon, Prince Duan would come here to secretly exchange intelligence with his palace informant.

A moment later, sure enough, footsteps approached. Xie Yong’er turned around to see the young prince coming slowly, wearing white python robes, a gold crown, and a jade belt, incomparably noble and elegant.

Suddenly encountering someone near the Cold Palace, he showed no panic at all, only claimed to be lost, and asked her for directions with dazzling grace.

Xie Yong’er looked back at him shyly, successfully capturing the amazement in his eyes.

She didn’t reveal her identity, only said: “I’ll lead you there.”

They walked side by side, chatting pleasantly. Only when approaching the destination did she step back: “I shouldn’t go any further ahead, Your Highness please continue on your own.”

Prince Duan started: “Who are you?”

Only then did she state her identity: “This servant is a palace consort.”

Prince Duan’s eyes showed a trace of disappointment: “I thought you were a female official…”

Xie Yong’er watched his reluctant departing figure, a smile curling on her lips.

The game was set.

The next day, Xie Yong’er still had to attend the palace banquet.

She followed the other consorts to sit according to rank, secretly looking up to see the legendary tyrant.

Xia Hou Dan was propped up on the table, sitting lazily sideways, his long hair loose and flowing down, devastatingly beautiful to the point of being demonic. If one didn’t know the brutal nature beneath this skin, they might be enchanted by just one look, falling to their death.

What surprised her was that there was a graceful figure pressed close beside the tyrant, pouring wine and adding dishes, serving him attentively.

Yu Wanyin had been promoted to Noble Consort, and her equipment had been upgraded too—pomegranate palace skirt and golden hair ornaments, her spring breeze得意 smile as radiant as the sunset clouds. She was already naturally charming, and when she got close to Xia Hou Dan, necks touching and whispering in ears, the scene became extremely out of control, as the Spider Demon’s cave had opened for business.

Xie Yong’er was somewhat surprised. It seemed her arrival had indeed changed the plot—this Yu Wanyin hadn’t angered the tyrant into the Cold Palace, but instead won his favor and was promoted to Noble Consort.

Of course, she didn’t care about that short-lived position of Noble Consort; who would laugh last remained to be seen.

Thinking of this, she became even more low-key, just keeping her head down in the crowd, not wanting to attract unnecessary attention.

However, things didn’t go as wished. After three rounds of drinks, she heard Yu Wanyin say charmingly: “Your Majesty, the atmosphere is just right, why not let the sisters perform some songs and dances, show their talents?”

Xie Yong’er knew this female lead must have prepared songs and dances beforehand, wanting to show off, and coldly sneered in her heart.

Yet unexpectedly, that tyrant, who knows what love potion she’d given him, clapped and praised: “Good idea, if anyone performs poorly, we’ll just bury them on the spot.”

The consorts immediately started shaking like sieves.

Xie Yong’er coldly watched that pair of villains who treated lives as grass on the platform.

Little did she know that pair of villains was communicating with their eyes.

Xia Hou Dan: Did I overreact?

Yu Wanyin: No, quite true to character.

The consorts performed one after another to save their lives, strings and bamboo music filling the air.

Xie Yong’er was a transmigrator and hadn’t learned any ancient songs and dances. But she wasn’t afraid, confidently bringing out something and sitting lonely as snow on the platform: “Your Majesty, this is an instrument this servant created in her spare time, please pardon my poor performance.”

Xia Hou Dan: “Hmm, this thing…”

It was a guitar.

Xia Hou Dan pinched his thigh hard under the table to keep from laughing.

Xia Hou Dan: “…looks quite novel.”

Xie Yong’er, lonely as snow, played the first line.

Yu Wanyin buried her head very low, trying hard to control her expression.

It was Canon in D.

Xia Hou Dan: “…good, good.”

Yu Wanyin lowered her head, just in time to see him pinching his thigh hard, and immediately buried her head even lower.

As Xie Yong’er played, she hit the wrong note. But relying on the fact that no one in the hall knew the original tune, she maintained a shameless face, completely unabashed.

Yu Wanyin also started pinching her thigh.

Xie Yong’er finished her piece, seeing Yu Wanyin’s face twisted with anger, and couldn’t help feeling a bit of pleasure. So what if you’re the female lead? I can still turn the tables with my talents.

Xia Hou Dan: “Good, good.”

After finishing the piece, Xie Yong’er returned to her seat.

Xia Hou Dan raised his cup to drink, using it to cover his whisper: “She’s a transmigrator.”

Yu Wanyin nodded: “Obviously.”

Xia Hou Dan: “And she doesn’t seem very bright.”

Yu Wanyin: “No, no, no, I advise you not to underestimate her.”

Just then, a eunuch reported: “Prince Duan has arrived.”

Xia Hou Dan put down his wine cup, letting out an eerie laugh that made everyone around him shiver again: “Finally here.”

Prince Duan Xia Hou Bo came forward to bow. Xia Hou Dan lazily granted him a seat, asking: “How was the royal brother’s border patrol? Has your injury healed well?”

Prince Duan had previously requested to join the military at the border, won several beautiful victories, and became close with several military commanders. He was both wise and brave, his reputation was already widespread—the border people only knew of Prince Duan, not even knowing the name of the emperor in the capital.

But facing the emperor, he maintained a gentle and kind demeanor, smiling: “This subject is incompetent, fell off a horse, but it’s nothing serious.”

Yu Wanyin’s skin crawled.

She had been laughing frequently earlier, but now facing such a smiling tiger, she finally truly felt the chill of the blade hanging over her head.

If this brother was also a transmigrator, then the Oscars owed him a golden statue.

After chatting with the emperor for a while, Xia Hou Bo’s gaze casually swept across the seats, meeting Xie Yong’er’s.

Xie Yong’er’s heart skipped a beat, suddenly hearing the emperor point at her saying: “This Consort Xie was just playing tunes on her self-created instrument earlier, quite interesting.”

Xia Hou Bo’s gaze fell on her guitar, his eyebrows slightly raised, showing no other expression: “Oh?”

Xia Hou Dan then ordered her: “Play another piece for the royal brother to hear.”

This time Xie Yong’er played Romance d’Amour.

She probably hadn’t practiced this one for a long time, and without sheet music, she simply let herself go wild, playing quite freely, occasionally creating her rhythm.

Xia Hou Bo lowered his eyes to listen, raising his cup for a small sip, seeming to enjoy it. He showed neither curiosity nor any sign of wanting to laugh.

Xie Yong’er’s delicate fingers plucked the strings, secretly raising her eyes to look at him, her eyes seemingly full of spring water, but up close one would see they were flashing with survival instinct. She had to firmly grasp the chosen one’s heart.

Xia Hou Bo wasn’t looking at her.

He inconspicuously glanced at Yu Wanyin beside the emperor, his expression thoughtful.

Xie Yong’er’s heart skipped a beat, and she hit another wrong note.

When she played the wrong note, Yu Wanyin’s gaze “swooshed” toward Prince Duan, eyes blazing, until Xia Hou Dan elbowed her, making her blink and dim her sharp light.

Xia Hou Bo suddenly met these eyes, still maintaining his unruffled appearance, smiling elegantly.

After the piece finished, he clapped and smiled: “Indeed heavenly music to the ears.”

Yu Wanyin disappointedly withdrew her gaze. Beside her, Xia Hou Dan’s lips twitched as he asked quietly: “Another piece?”

Yu Wanyin: “Probably useless, either he hasn’t transmigrated, or he doesn’t listen to music.”

Xia Hou Dan: “Want to do some radio calisthenics?”

Yu Wanyin gave him an incredulous look. With friend and foe unclear, how could they expose their identities right away?

Xia Hou Dan also realized this and fell silent.

Xia Hou Bo took in all the intimate interactions between the emperor and this newly favored consort, and after sitting for a short while, gently asked to leave.

After the banquet ended, Xia Hou Dan sighed deeply: “No way to judge if he’s transmigrated or not.”

“I hoped he had been taken over,” Yu Wanyin said, “because the original person and you had an ocean-deep hatred.”

As the male lead in the original text, Xia Hou Bo followed a revenge storyline.

Although he was born before Xia Hou Dan, he was born to a lowly palace maid. That maid was just the empress’s servant, caught the previous emperor’s eye, and received his favor, gaining status through her son and being made a consort. The empress called her sister on the surface, but when caught in a weak position during some palace intrigue, unhesitatingly pushed her out as a scapegoat.

When the palace maid was beaten to death, Xia Hou Bo was old enough to remember, watching his mother die tragically before him.

Two years later, the empress gave birth to Crown Prince Xia Hou Dan. Two more years passed, and the empress died of illness.

Later, the emperor appointed a new empress. This young stepmother, who is now the Empress Dowager, had no children of her own and became the Crown Prince’s nominal mother. She delighted in displaying her doting affection for the Crown Prince in public, usually by bullying other princes. The palace servants, following her lead, found endless ways to humiliate those little ones without backing.

When Xia Hou Dan started his studies and said it was “boring,” Xia Hou Bo was called in as his study companion, and every day after that was a struggle in hell—the young Crown Prince was always having headaches, and when he had headaches, someone nearby had to be in more pain than him.

When Xia Hou Bo came of age and left the palace for his residence, only four words remained in his heart: blood debts require blood.

If Prince Duan was still the original person, there was no room for reconciliation between him and Xia Hou Dan—it would be either you die or I perish. He would gradually eat away at the emperor’s power until he could trample him underfoot, never to rise again.

Yu Wanyin had originally hoped he was a transmigrator, but after seeing him today, if this guy was a transmigrator, that would be even more terrifying.

After all, to remain unmoved while Romance d’Amour played—that superb acting, that composed demeanor, especially those deep eyes, could only belong to someone with great ambition. It seemed he planned to come here and show his skills, carrying through to the end his path to becoming king.

Either way, the situation was extremely critical.

However, perhaps it was an illusion, but she felt this chosen one had looked at her a few extra times today.

Could it be that she had already shown her hand?

After nightfall, An Xian helped Xia Hou Dan change clothes and asked as usual: “Does Your Majesty wish to summon anyone to serve tonight?”

The emperor casually replied: “Noble Consort Yu.”

An Xian was quite shocked inside.

Three nights in a row.

As an old eunuch who had served the emperor for many years, he knew Xia Hou Dan’s temperament too well. Over these years, the corpses dragged out of this palace could pile into a small mountain. That An Xian could live peacefully here until today was already a blessing.

The emperor was volatile and cruel and suffered from headaches, absolutely unable to tolerate anyone beside his pillow. The occasional unfortunate consort who was summoned usually didn’t meet a good end—one small mistake in service would lead to punishment, and as for what the punishment would be, that depended on his mood at the time.

Never would he have imagined that suddenly a Yu Wanyin would appear out of nowhere and inexplicably gain imperial favor.

What extraordinary qualities did this Noble Consort Yu possess?

As An Xian’s mind raced with thoughts, he fell silent for a moment, when suddenly he felt cold fingers grip his chin, forcing him to look up.

Xia Hou Dan’s gaze as he looked at him was like examining livestock, but his tone was so soft it made one’s hair stand on end: “Is there a problem?”

An Xian shuddered: “This slave will go invite her right away.”

An Xian didn’t send someone else to announce it, but condescended to go fetch her himself, even smilingly presenting a box of exquisitely carved jewelry: “Noble Consort Yu’s beauty, wearing these, His Majesty will surely be pleased.”

Yu Wanyin vaguely remembered this old eunuch from the original work—his character was that of a fence-sitter, fawning and submissive, bullying the weak and fearing the strong. In the story, after Xie Yong’er rose to power, this guy also put on a show of goodwill. But Xie Yong’er still remembered how he had humiliated her before, and immediately smashed the jewelry, finding an excuse to send him to prison.

Yu Wanyin accepted the jewelry box, giving a business smile: “Thank you, sir.”

An Xian smiled and rubbed his hands: “If Your Grace needs anything else, just say the word.”

Yu Wanyin thought for a moment: “Do you have a hot pot?”

An Xian: “?”

A small hot pot was set up in the bedchamber.

After the palace servants withdrew, the tyrant brought over a small stool, sitting opposite the newly favored consort around the hot pot.

Yu Wanyin dipped a piece of tripe and put it in her mouth: “I feel like it’s missing some condiments.”

“Be glad we have this much, just eat.” Xia Hou Dan listlessly poked at the lamb on his plate, “Who knows how many more meals we’ll get to eat.”

Yu Wanyin choked: “Don’t say such depressing things.”

“You don’t know how terrifying the atmosphere is when I hold court. None of the officials talk about real business, this one suggesting where I should go play, that one suggesting what I should eat, how to put it… it’s like a large-scale hospice scene.”

Yu Wanyin: “Can’t be helped, the original owner of your body drove away all the good officials, only left those who humor you. Especially the military commanders, they’re all in Prince Duan’s camp now. You transmigrated a bit too late, all the fatal mistakes have already been made, if you want to pull the rug out from under them, there’s no one left to help you pull…”

Yu Wanyin commented as if from an outsider’s perspective, then looked up to see Xia Hou Dan holding his head in his hands with closed eyes, face deathly pale.

She paused: “Does it hurt that much?”

Xia Hou Dan opened his eyes, smiling: “The original owner’s brain didn’t work well, probably driven stupid by the pain.”

Yu Wanyin lowered her head and dipped another piece of tripe, not letting him see her expression.

She had been here for three days now, driven by survival instinct, her mind hadn’t stopped working for a moment, constantly considering the best survival route. For this, she had also evaluated the characters around her.

The chosen one Xie Yong’er, hadn’t shown her level yet.

The chosen one Xia Hou Bo, whether transmigrated or not, was not someone to be trifled with.

And this fellow fallen person Xia Hou Dan—honestly, apart from decent adaptability, hadn’t shown any extraordinary qualities yet, and even seemed a bit unreliable.

Moreover, the original owner had been driven practically insane by those migraines—how long could he resist?

Trapped in a dead end, could she defeat Prince Duan by allying with this person?

Thinking of this, she spoke with forced lightness: “I want to try to win over Xie Yong’er. After all, she’s the chosen one, and an important support for Prince Duan. If she could stand on our side, our chances of winning would be much greater. And thinking carefully, we’re all transmigrators, just wanting to survive, why fight if we can talk it out?”

She had considered more than just this.

She didn’t know how much Xia Hou Dan had figured out, but he didn’t object: “Fine, tomorrow you go approach her. What about me?”

“You…” Yu Wanyin slowly recalled the original plot, “you should approach someone called Xu Yao. He’s Prince Duan’s strategist, very intelligent, many of Prince Duan’s actions were planned by him behind the scenes… oh crap, the pot’s burning dry!”

The two were so busy thinking that they had unknowingly neglected the boiling pot. Yu Wanyin heard something wrong with the sound and jumped up in shock: “Water, water!”

“What’s the panic, here it is.” Xia Hou Dan went to pick up the soup pot prepared on the side and poured the stock in.

Footsteps.

Yu Wanyin slowly turned around to see the horrified face of a palace maid at the door.

Although the maid had been dismissed earlier, she still stood guard at the door ready to serve. Hearing shouts from inside, she hurriedly pushed open the door, just in time to see that burial-loving tyrant holding a soup pot, adding water to the hot pot.

Yu Wanyin stiffly turned to look at Xia Hou Dan.

Xia Hou Dan gently put down the soup pot, clasped his hands behind his back, and glanced at the maid.

Though he still smelled of hot pot, that glance was otherworldly detached, his thin lips curling into a cold smile. As if his adding soup was perfectly natural, and it was the other person who should gouge out their eyes.

The palace maid’s legs went weak and she fell to her knees, wishing she could bury her face in the ground: “This slave deserves death.”

Xia Hou Dan stared at the top of her head for another three seconds before speaking airily: “Get out.” His tone was gentle, with a touch of madness.

The palace maid got out.

Yu Wanyin had a sudden revelation, remembering Xia Hou Dan’s performance when they first met, and suddenly looked at him with strange eyes: “Are you a really good actor?”

Xia Hou Dan straightened his small stool and sat back down: “Not bad, can’t avoid playing true and false when doing business, learned it over time.”

“…Surely you didn’t need to learn it to this degree!”

“Where were we? What was that strategist’s name?”

“Xu Yao…” Yu Wanyin’s thoughts raced, suddenly excited, “I suddenly have high hopes for you. You might be able to turn him.”

Xia Hou Dan: “?”

Yu Wanyin: “The reason this Xu Yao stands with Prince Duan is because you exiled his father. His father was a loyal minister of his generation, but you believed slander and charged him with a crime, casually sending him to a barren land. Originally Xu Yao was supposed to go too, but Prince Duan secretly saved him, had him change his name and hide in the prince’s residence, becoming his strategist. They say this person has never given up, still secretly running around trying to bring his father back.”

Xia Hou Dan: “So I go find him, say I can bring his father back, on the condition he submits to me?”

Yu Wanyin: “It’s not that simple. He’ll still harbor hatred, asking you: why did you misjudge good and evil back then, making my father suffer such injustice?”

Xia Hou Dan let out an eerie cold laugh: “I was merely a mad king with covered eyes and blocked ears, whether loyal or treacherous, wasn’t it all decided by a single memorial?”

Yu Wanyin was drawn into the role-play, putting on an indignant face: “If Your Majesty already knows Grand Tutor Wei spoke falsehoods, why still keep him in an important position?”

Xia Hou Dan was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing: “Grand Tutor Wei? Oh Xu Yao, Xu Yao, pity you still think it was that old man who harmed your father!”

Yu Wanyin reminded him: “He’s not very old.”

Xia Hou Dan: “Xu Yao, Xu Yao, pity you still think it was that kid who harmed your father!”

Yu Wanyin: “…”

Yu Wanyin: “Then who was it?”

Xia Hou Dan leaned close to her, speaking viciously in a low voice: “Who foresaw and saved your little life? Who showed a face full of sympathy and took you in as a watchdog?”

Yu Wanyin stepped back: “You’re… you’re talking nonsense!”

Xia Hou Dan smiled, swept his sleeve, and turned to leave: “You can investigate for yourself.”

He walked two steps, then stopped and turned back to ask: “How was that?”

Yu Wanyin: “Impressive.”

Because they couldn’t be sure who had spies inside and outside the bedchamber, to avoid arousing suspicion, Yu Wanyin hadn’t found another bed to sleep in these past few nights, still sleeping in the dragon bed.

The pillow was hard, the bed was cold, and ghostly winds whistled through the empty palace. They drew a line down the middle of the dragon bed with clothes, each lying on their side, occasionally speaking, only discussing things like: “Did the story mention any palace servants sneaking in to poison anyone?” “Don’t think so, but I can’t guarantee it.”

When Yu Wanyin used to read stories before, she would occasionally giggle at the romance plots. But now that she had transmigrated in herself, she felt those transmigration novels were too unrealistic, the protagonists were like idiots, not knowing how many pages they had left to live yet still having the heart for romance. In their shoes, if she were Xia Hou Dan, she definitely couldn’t get it up.

The next morning she crawled up with dark circles under her eyes, looked in the mirror, and exclaimed “Not good,” immediately reaching for her makeup case—which An Xian had also given her with a fawning smile.

By the time Xia Hou Dan had changed clothes, Yu Wanyin had already put on full makeup.

As Xia Hou Dan passed by her, he casually glanced over, paused, and then turned back to look carefully: “You seem different somehow.”

Yu Wanyin: “Today this is called office worker makeup. Gentle and kind, diligent and uncomplaining.”

Xia Hou Dan: “?”

Yu Wanyin: “I’m going to extend an olive branch to Xie Yong’er later, looking benevolent can’t hurt.” She also looked at Xia Hou Dan, frowning, “Aren’t you going to seduce Xu Yao? Your face won’t work either, come here.”

Xia Hou Dan: “?”

The tyrant and demon consort left the Spider Demon’s cave with kindly expressions, splitting up to carry out their missions.

Xia Hou Dan went to hold court, while Yu Wanyin returned to her side palace.

She was still trying to find out where Xie Yong’er lived when Xie Yong’er came to her door first.

Xie Yong’er had sensed a crisis.

Yesterday she had intercepted Xia Hou Bo at the Cold Palace gate, erasing the scene of his budding romance with Yu Wanyin, yet at the banquet, she saw those two exchanging meaningful glances.

That favored consort would softly nestle against the tyrant’s side while casting flirtatious glances at Prince Duan. What’s more, she was as beautiful as peach and plum blossoms, radiant at every glance, vividly demonstrating what it meant to be a natural female lead.

Could it be that Xia Hou Bo was destined to be attracted to Yu Wanyin, and no matter what she did, she couldn’t change her cannon fodder fate, destined to die like an ant?

Xie Yong’er didn’t believe in fate.

She had a feeling that all those political intrigue and palace drama novels she’d read on her commute to and from work wouldn’t be wasted—heaven made me thus, surely for a purpose.

After returning, Xie Yong’er discussed with her trusted sisterhood and came up with a simple but effective countermeasure against Noble Consort Yu’s rise.

That day, she and several sisters made plans to visit, bringing exquisite snacks and arriving with smiling faces.

Xie Yong’er: “Now that sister enjoys such imperial favor, please don’t forget your close sisters in the palace.”

Yu Wanyin: “…” We’re both transmigrators, why do you talk like a novel character?

Xie Yong’er opened the food box, saying she had made the snacks herself, urging her to try them.

Yu Wanyin: “……”

She picked up a sweet pastry, worried it might be poisoned, yet feeling the chosen one wouldn’t use such a low-level move, hesitating. If this was her level of intelligence, there probably wasn’t much value in trying to win her over.

Xie Yong’er watched her put aside the untouched pastry, showing no reaction, continuing to chat warmly with her.

Behind them, the little maid Xie Yong’er had brought silently shifted position, moving closer to the corner.

Yu Wanyin breathed a sigh of relief. Good, good, looks like there are some high-level moves after all.

She ignored the maid’s small movements, taking the chance to quickly build goodwill: “Don’t even mention it, noble consort or consort, it’s all the same in the end. Sister Yong’er, let me tell you something heart-to-heart, that emperor can lift you to heaven today and send you to hell tomorrow.”

Xie Yong’er was stunned.

Was this the female lead’s character setting in the original?

The sisters behind her all drew in sharp breaths, urging Yu Wanyin to be careful with her words.

Yu Wanyin: “I trust you won’t speak of this outside. We women in this place are just pawns to be moved around at will. If we don’t look out for each other, aren’t we just fulfilling those stinking men’s wishes?”

Xie Yong’er: “???”

Yu Wanyin was speaking largely from the heart.

She wasn’t trying to win over Xie Yong’er for Xia Hou Dan’s sake but for her own.

If Xie Yong’er could give up wanting to kill her, she didn’t want to engage in palace intrigue at all. Why should two office workers fight? Wouldn’t it be better to sit down and have a hot pot?

Her current strategic cooperation with Xia Hou Dan was out of necessity, and deep down she didn’t completely trust him. Even in the best-case scenario, if they won and Xia Hou Dan secured his throne, he could dispose of her with just one sentence: “You know too much.” The system inherently puts her at a disadvantage.

How could it be easy to survive until the end of this survival game? One more friend meant one less enemy, and the chosen one’s thigh was worth grabbing.

However, she couldn’t directly reveal: Actually, I’m also a transmigrator.

According to the original text, Xie Yong’er and Xia Hou Bo were a couple, already starting their romance. Telling Xie Yong’er meant telling Xia Hou Bo, and she wasn’t sure how that prince would use this information.

Yu Wanyin could only try to persuade subtly this way: Sister, don’t be love-brained, forget about men, I’ll steal an electric bike to support you.

Yu Wanyin’s efforts were completely wasted.

Xie Yong’er looked at her urgency-filled eyes and gradually became calm inside. The person before her was just a paper character, she wouldn’t break from her original setting. This inexplicable show of goodwill now was nothing but an attempt to lull a potential enemy.

Fortunately, she had read the script.

Thinking of the perfume sachet Prince Duan had sent last night, Xie Yong’er felt everything was getting back on track, and the situation looking good. She just needed to be more decisive and strangle this short-lived female lead in the cradle.

Xie Yong’er kept smiling on the surface, but her eyes couldn’t help showing a trace of impatience.

She watched Yu Wanyin still organizing her lines, like watching a jumping clown. No need to waste time with a dead person.

After the little maid secretly gave her a signal, she sat for a while longer before getting up to leave.

Walking out of the side palace, several sisters immediately surrounded her: “How did it go?”

Xie Yong’er: “Success. The dress hanging in Yu Wanyin’s corner has been stained with Wei purple flower juice at the hem. The staining is very subtle, she definitely won’t notice it. Now we just need to wait for her to wear that dress, then we can act.”

Wei purple was a flower name, with only a few plants grown in a corner of the peony garden.

One of the sisters still worried: “Can a few drops of flower juice work?”

Xie Yong’er smiled: “His Majesty is paranoid.”

“…”

Following behind her, Consort Chu hesitated for a moment before speaking softly: “That Noble Consort Yu may look seductive, but when she speaks, she seems quite genuine.”

Xie Yong’er didn’t respond.

Xu Yao walked out of the imperial study, his heart still pounding wildly in his chest.

He had been secretly summoned to the palace.

When he came, he had prepared himself for nine deaths, one life situation—if that tyrant would find him, it meant he had discovered his hidden identity, and might even know he was still secretly trying to bring his father back from exile.

But he never imagined that waiting for him in the imperial study would be such a conversation.

Not only did Xia Hou Dan not kill him, but he said he could pardon his father.

Thinking of what Xia Hou Dan had implied between the lines, Xu Yao still found it unbelievable.

Back then when Grand Tutor Wei spoke up to frame his father, the one behind it was Prince Duan.

And then Prince Duan turned around and saved him, going in such a big circle, just to make him his strategist?

Xu Yao didn’t believe it.

Who didn’t know that the emperor was muddle-headed and cruel, just a madman?

A madman… would he tell the truth?

Xu Yao left the palace with a mind full of thoughts. A moment later, Xia Hou Dan also walked out of the imperial study, casually wiping his reddened eyes.

He had gotten too into his performance earlier—when talking about being kept in the dark and unable to distinguish loyal from treacherous, he had even shed a couple of tears.

Xu Yao’s expression at that time was like he’d seen a ghost.

The weather was fine, and Xia Hou Dan waved away the imperial palanquin, walking leisurely toward the imperial garden.

Yu Wanyin had changed into cooler clothes after her afternoon nap and ran out of her side palace to sunbathe, unconsciously walking to the imperial garden.

She was observing the fish swimming in the pond when she heard hurried footsteps. A young eunuch ran quickly toward her, shrilling: “Your Grace, terrible news!”

Yu Wanyin: “What’s wrong?”

The eunuch was panicked, mumbling incoherently. Yu Wanyin vaguely heard the words “His Majesty” and moved closer: “What?”

As soon as she got close, the eunuch cried out in alarm, falling backward and tumbling into the pond. He thrashed about in panic, shouting: “Noble Consort Yu spare me, this slave knows his error!”

Yu Wanyin: “…”

She had a premonition and slowly turned around.

Xia Hou Dan was standing ten steps away.

Xia Hou Dan: “…”

Yu Wanyin: “…”

Xia Hou Dan looked at this classic palace drama scam scene and turned to leave.

The still thrashing eunuch in the pond: “?”

Xia Hou Dan hadn’t walked far when the eunuch climbed out by himself, crying shrilly: “Your Majesty, this slave has something to report.”

An Xian standing nearby: “How dare you!”

The eunuch paid no attention, his speech suddenly becoming incredibly clear: “This slave just happened to see Noble Consort Yu walking with a man, the silhouette seemed to be a guard, who fled when discovered by this slave. This slave just asked Your Grace one question, and she pushed this slave into the water…”

Xia Hou Dan: “Drag him away.”

The guards were confused: “…Your Majesty, drag who?”

Xia Hou Dan pointed at the eunuch.

The eunuch: “?”

The eunuch struggled desperately: “May I ask if Your Grace visited the peony garden today!”

Yu Wanyin saw how hard he was acting and played along: “No.”

The eunuch: “Then why is there Wei purple flower juice on your dress hem?”

Xia Hou Dan: “Drag him away.”

The eunuch: “???”

The eunuch was dragged thirty meters away, still unable to believe it, shouting with all his might: “Your Majesty, this slave has witnesses!”

Xia Hou Dan: “Where?”

The guards stopped.

An old palace servant tremblingly came forward, kneeling: “Reporting to Your Majesty, this old servant was cleaning in the peony garden…”

Xia Hou Dan interrupted: “Drag them both away.”

The old palace servant: “?”

Yu Wanyin, watching from the side, was dumbfounded.

Wait, watching is fine, but why are you hitting fast-forward?

Seeing both accusers dragged away, Xia Hou Dan was about to leave as if nothing had happened.

Yu Wanyin had to cough.

Xia Hou Dan stopped and looked at her: “?”

With palace servants all around, Yu Wanyin tried hard to convey with her eyes: Brother, you’re OOC (out of character). Though I don’t know exactly how a madman should act, it’s not like this.

Xia Hou Dan paused, seeming to realize something, and slowly walked to her, his cold fingers coiling around her like a poisonous snake, caressing her neck.

His tone could be described as tender: “Beloved consort, you wouldn’t betray me, would you?”

Yu Wanyin timidly said: “This servant’s feelings for Your Majesty, heaven and earth can witness. If Your Majesty doesn’t trust this servant…”

“How could I not trust you?” Xia Hou Dan stroked her face. “Those I don’t trust are already dead.”

The surrounding palace servants all lowered their heads, trying their best to minimize their presence.

Xia Hou Dan smiled again: “Does my beloved have any guess who tried to frame you?”

Who else could it be but Xie Yong’er?

This was a good opportunity to win over the chosen one, so Yu Wanyin decisively picked her lines: “This servant doesn’t know.”

“Don’t know?” Xia Hou Dan asked eerily.

Yu Wanyin showed a forbearing, magnanimous bitter smile: “Your Majesty has countless affairs of state to handle, no need to trouble yourself with such trifles. Moreover, this servant doesn’t wish to harm the harmony among the palace sisters. Whoever it was, now that the plot is exposed, they must surely regret it in their heart. Your Majesty, please give them a chance.”

The surrounding palace servants’ eyelids twitched as they listened.