Yu Wanyin was writing a note to Duke Duan.

The greatest advantage of the Cold Palace was that she didn’t have to meet Duke Duan face-to-face. The guards outside, while seemingly imprisoning her, were actually protecting her, invisibly blocking all prying eyes. Inside the main gate was another layer of hidden guards, making it as impenetrable as the Noble Consort’s Palace had been before.

After that bloody magic trick, Duke Duan seemed to have decided she was a useful tool, and would send her notes from time to time.

His notes were quite elegant, with graceful handwriting and refined wording, always full of tender sentiments. Reading between the lines, Yu Wanyin could see the entire paper was simply saying “get to work.”

Sometimes Yu Wanyin’s heavenly eye opened quite actively, helping him struggle against the Empress Dowager. Using the books left behind by Xu Yao as reference, she could give precise predictions about his actions, accompanied by a few auspicious words like “I see you achieving great victory.”

Sometimes it opened in strange directions: “Last night I dreamed of Xie Yong’er weeping alone, her belly swollen. I wonder what omen this portends.”

Perhaps her probing was too obvious, as the other side didn’t respond.

At other times, she also had to help Duke Duan suppress Xiahou Dan.

According to Xu Yao’s notes, if Duke Duan continued to act according to plan, he would soon defeat the Empress Dowager’s faction and turn his attention to the throne.

But Yu Wanyin couldn’t act rashly yet.

As they had discussed before, she actually only had one chance to betray him. After that one time, regardless of success or failure, she would never again be able to influence Duke Duan.

Each exchange of notes was like a move in a game of intricate chess, with no take-backs allowed. Her reactions were far slower than Duke Duan’s, often requiring much deliberation before making a move. Previously, when facing him and exchanging verbal sparring, she would be so nervous her hair stood on end. Now, with a thick palace wall between them, her pressure was considerably reduced.

Another advantage of the Cold Palace was that it shielded her from the imperial harem outside.

Since Xie Yong’er’s earth-shattering vomiting incident, the harem had been in turmoil, and the palace drama had long broken free from the script like an unbridled wild horse, never to return.

Yu Wanyin stayed away from the drama, knowing she wasn’t cut out for it. To avoid becoming collateral damage, it was best not to step out at all.

But as the saying goes, what you fear most is what you get.

She wasn’t engaging in palace intrigue, but the palace was coming to intrigue against her.

Yu Wanyin had just finished writing her note when a sharp voice came from outside: “This Consort wishes to enter. What right does a mere disgraced consort have to block me?”

Yu Wanyin: “…”

That voice sounded familiar, but who was it…

In every palace intrigue novel, there’s always one or several ill-fated consorts who genuinely admire the emperor but can’t win his love.

In this story, that character was called Consort Shu.

Consort Shu had been living quite well for some time.

Ever since the once-favored and arrogant Yu Wanyin had failed to poison her and was herself banished to the Cold Palace, Consort Shu had been powdering her face and applying rouge daily, jingling with ornaments, taking delicate steps, and parading before all the other consorts with the bearing of the palace mistress.

Yet no matter how long she waited, Xiahou Dan never summoned her.

Consort Shu was confused, Consort Shu was anxious.

Xiahou Dan had even punished Yu Wanyin for her sake, so why wouldn’t he meet her even once?

Consort Shu used all her resources, bribed An Xian, and created an encounter as Xiahou Dan was passing through the Imperial Garden. When that long-awaited slender figure appeared in the corridor, she turned with feigned surprise, her eyes flowing with charm, greeting him with perfect etiquette.

Xiahou Dan: “Move aside.”

Xiahou Dan left.

Consort Shu was devastated.

She finally realized that this story had nothing to do with her from beginning to end. Xiahou Dan had punished Yu Wanyin because he was angry with Yu Wanyin—while she, Consort Shu, wasn’t even worthy of his anger.

If she couldn’t be happy, she wouldn’t let Yu Wanyin be happy either.

As days passed, Yu Wanyin remained trapped in the Cold Palace, with seemingly no chance of regaining favor.

Consort Shu had come today to settle scores.

The long-sealed door of the Cold Palace made a teeth-grinding creaking sound as Consort Shu, accompanied by several palace servants, stepped into the courtyard.

Yu Wanyin went forward to meet them, hiding her hands behind her back and shaking them slightly, signaling the hidden guards to remain calm. She couldn’t expose their existence just because of some palace drama scene.

Consort Shu looked her up and down, seeming somewhat surprised, and said with narrowed eyes: “My, my, after staying in this ghostly place for so long, sister’s fox-like face has become even more delicate.”

Yu Wanyin: “Thank you for the compliment, sister.”

Consort Shu angrily said: “Why don’t you bow when you see me?”

Yu Wanyin gave a proper bow: “This sister has overstepped. I beg for your forgiveness.”

Consort Shu glanced to the side, and a young eunuch stepped forward, saying in a shrill voice: “If you’re asking for forgiveness, you should look like you’re asking for forgiveness. Kneel down!”

Yu Wanyin froze for two seconds.

During these two seconds, she made some calculations: if physical conflict broke out, the hidden guards would definitely reveal themselves. Once Consort Shu knew the secret of this place, she would become a threat. Living people wouldn’t keep quiet, but she didn’t want to experience killing again.

“What? Unwilling to kneel?” The young eunuch raised his palm high, approaching menacingly.

Yu Wanyin fell to her knees with a thud.

But the young eunuch didn’t hesitate for a second and still swung his palm toward her face!

The hidden guard’s sword was already unsheathed.

Yu Wanyin suddenly raised her arm, barely blocking the slap, then stood up and ran.

Her running surprised everyone, even the hidden guards—this option seemed to never exist in palace intrigue.

Consort Shu: “Stop right there!”

The eunuchs and maids swarmed after her, chasing and hitting.

Yu Wanyin, with her back to the wall, was forced to her maximum speed, rushing into the room like a gust of wind, and slammed the wooden door shut with a “bang,” quietly calling to the hidden guards: “Quick, reinforce it!”

Outside, Consort Shu was fuming with anger and ordered her servants: “Push it down!”

The servants rushed forward, pushing with all their might, then used hands and feet, kicking and banging, but the wooden door seemed to be reinforced with steel, refusing to budge.

Consort Shu paced like an enraged lioness, saying: “Bring an axe and break down the door.”

Yu Wanyin: “…”

That’s too extreme, she’s really coming to take a life.

Hidden guard: “Please enter the secret passage to avoid danger, Consort.”

Yu Wanyin: “Remember to cover the entrance well, don’t expose the passage.”

Hidden guard: “His Majesty instructed that if anyone discovers the passage, they are to be killed on the spot.”

Yu Wanyin smiled bitterly: “This is what they call sending someone to their death…”

There was a loud crash on the wooden door as a servant brought down an axe.

Just then, a strange voice came from outside: “Consort Shu, what kind of fun are you having here?”

Consort Shu turned to see An Xian.

The chief eunuch’s appearance seemed to deal her a heavy blow. She swayed on the spot, her aggression instantly deflating: “Lord An?”

An Xian: “His Majesty has instructed that no one is to visit the Cold Palace. May I suggest Consort Shu take a walk elsewhere?”

After returning, Consort Shu gathered her sister’s group, crying and cursing.

“That little hussy, even after losing favor she still has such tricks up her sleeve, to have coaxed Lord An into protecting her!”

Xie Yong’er sat in the farthest corner, looking ill, listening quietly.

Xie Yong’er had once been most trusted by Consort Shu, but since her suspected pregnancy, she had ignited Consort Shu’s jealousy and was now severely ostracized in the sister group.

She listened as everyone cursed for a while before finally speaking: “Sister, there’s something strange about this matter.”

Consort Shu glanced at her: “What?”

“An Xian always follows the prevailing wind. If a consort has truly lost favor, he wouldn’t even spare her a glance, so why would he especially go to the Cold Palace? His standing up for Yu Wanyin means he thinks she still has value.”

Consort Shu was shocked: “Could that slut regain favor?”

Xie Yong’er lowered her head: “I don’t know, but for now, it’s best not to provoke her anymore.”

Meanwhile, Yu Wanyin was earnestly persuading Xiahou Dan: “You can’t keep dragging things out with Consort Shu.”

“I can.”

“If you drag her along, Duke Duan will know I haven’t lost favor, and all our previous acting will have been for nothing!”

“If I don’t deal with her this time, what if others come after you with axes in the future?”

“…My relationships aren’t that bad.”

Xiahou Dan said seriously: “Wanyin, the purpose of the Cold Palace is to protect you. If it fails, you must move out.”

Yu Wanyin felt a warmth in her heart, then firmly shook her head: “We’ve finally fooled Duke Duan…”

“I’ve already thought about this,” Xiahou Dan smiled. “Here’s how we’ll act next: Upon reflection, I decide I still need your heavenly eye, so I restore your position as consort and humbly beg for your forgiveness; but you, having suffered too much, have become estranged from me, and from now on, your heart opens only to Duke Duan.”

“The wife-chasing crematorium?” Yu Wanyin, well-read as she was, summarized precisely.

Xiahou Dan: “?”

Xiahou Dan: “Ah, yes.”

Yu Wanyin belatedly realized what she had said, blushed slightly, and quickly added: “We can consider it. After all, with Duke Duan’s intellect, he probably wouldn’t believe you’d leave me unused. This plot would seem more reasonable to him.”

Xiahou Dan sighed with relief and rose to leave.

Yu Wanyin stared at his back: “Where are you going?”

“To deal with someone.”

Yu Wanyin didn’t have a good impression of Consort Shu, but she only cautioned: “Don’t kill her—”

“I won’t,” Xiahou Dan replied lightly, concealing the bloodlust that flashed in his eyes.

Yu Wanyin became Consort Yu again, moving back to the palace she had inhabited when she first arrived in this world.

By the time she moved out of the Cold Palace, Consort Shu had already been confined to another, narrower and more dilapidated Cold Palace. Because of this, she didn’t see what state Consort Shu was in when she went in.

She only knew that when other consorts looked at her, there was a hint of fear in their eyes.

Xiahou Dan began performing his “wife-chasing crematorium” act, sending clothes and jewelry to her palace every few days. Yu Wanyin remained cold as ice, going bare-faced without makeup all day, presenting an image of ultimate heartbreak.

After a few days, the Millennium Festival arrived.

At the Millennium banquet, Yu Wanyin and other ladies gathered in the side hall for the meal.

Now just an ordinary consort, and disliked by the Empress Dowager, she was seated in the back row, right by the window.

To show her coldness toward Xiahou Dan, she wore a light cyan dress with only a simple silver hairpin as decoration—on such an occasion, this was rebelliously inappropriate. Yet paired with her face, it created a striking, cold beauty.

Countless gazes were cast her way, openly and secretly, all of which she ignored.

Since she couldn’t see what was happening in the main hall anyway, she focused on the food before her. Though she had decent meals in the Cold Palace, such a sumptuous feast had been long missed.

From afar came an announcement: “The Yan envoys have arrived—”

Yu Wanyin turned to look out the window.

There were over thirty visitors, both men and women, with high noses and deep-set eyes, clearly not of Central Plains origin. The men were all physically strong and wore fur coats; the women were beautiful and graceful, adorned with elaborate ornaments that jingled with each step, appearing to be dancers.

Leading them was a middle-aged man with a somewhat plump face, smiling quite amiably.

But Yu Wanyin’s gaze was drawn to the person beside him.

This person’s attire was no different from the other attendants, but he was the most burly, with a thick beard covering half his face, revealing only a pair of eyes deeply set in their sockets.

As Yu Wanyin was peering from the window, the man suddenly raised his head slightly, his grim gaze shooting straight at her.

Despite the distance, she felt a numbness throughout her body, like a wild animal spotted by a hunter, a chill spreading in her heart.

Yu Wanyin hurriedly pulled back her head.

When she looked again, the envoy delegation had already entered the main hall.

The plump middle-aged man was presenting gifts to Xiahou Dan, speaking with a heavy accent: “Yan envoy Hazina pays respect to the Great Xia Emperor, wishing Your Majesty longevity equal to heaven.”

Xiahou Dan politely accepted and gestured for them to be seated.

Hazina continued: “We have also brought Yan dancers to present a performance for Your Majesty.”

Xiahou Dan: “Excellent.”

Several Yan people borrowed instruments from the palace musicians, gently plucked a few strings, and exotic music flowed forth.

The drumbeat sounded, the music rose, and the beautiful dancers gracefully entered.

Just then, someone suddenly said in a shrill voice: “While beautiful women dancing is certainly wonderful, for His Majesty’s safety, perhaps they should be thoroughly searched first? After all, it hasn’t been that long since the last time a Yan beauty entered the palace!”

The music stopped abruptly, and the hall became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone could tell these words were alluding to the assassination attempt by the beautiful Shan Yi years ago.

Court officials silently exchanged glances, some sneaking looks toward the Empress Dowager seated beside the Emperor—the official who had spoken up was from the Empress Dowager’s faction.

Hazina’s jowls twitched strangely as he struggled to contain his anger.

Xiahou Dan: “Outrageous!”

The official skillfully knelt: “This subject risks death to advise, out of concern for Your Majesty’s safety!”

Hazina, however, waved his hand at this moment: “It’s fine. We came to celebrate Your Majesty’s birthday, not to provoke disputes. If these are the rules of the Great Xia Palace, then we shall be searched.”

The side hall filled with ladies had a more relaxed atmosphere. With the intimidating Empress Dowager and Emperor absent today, everyone behaved more casually than usual. The young women ate and chatted, like an ordinary gathering.

Faint music could be heard from the main hall. The consorts turned their heads with interest to listen, but the music suddenly stopped.

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

Such an interruption at the Millennium Feast was indeed strange. Several women left their seats to peek out the windows, while the rest engaged in heated discussion.

Only two people remained motionless in their seats.

One was Xie Yong’er. She drooped like a frost-bitten eggplant, seeming to glance toward the main hall before silently withdrawing her gaze.

The other was Yu Wanyin. She was observing Xie Yong’er.

Sensing someone watching her, Xie Yong’er suddenly looked up. Upon discovering it was Yu Wanyin, she didn’t avert her gaze but stared back blankly.

After a few breaths, she stood up and walked over with a wine cup: “Sister, let me toast you.”

Yu Wanyin: “Ah… I should be the one toasting you. I heard you advised Consort Shu not to provoke me again. I’m grateful.”

Xie Yong’er remained silent, then smiled bitterly: “I understand what you said now. We’re all just pitiful beings.”

With a heart full of worries, she raised her cup to drink, but Yu Wanyin stopped her: “Wine isn’t good for your health. Have some tea instead.”

Xie Yong’er caught her hint and hesitated, arching her body like an alert cat.

Yu Wanyin tried to dispel her wariness: “It’s alright, you can trust me…”

But Xie Yong’er had no intention of continuing the conversation. She drained her cup in one gulp and hurriedly returned to her seat.

Shortly after, she accidentally knocked over her wine cup.

Yu Wanyin turned in surprise to look, but Xie Yong’er had already left with her maid, bowing as she headed toward the side door of the hall.

Whatever excuse she had found, she passed the guards and disappeared into the night.

Yu Wanyin blinked hard.

She wasn’t seeing things—there had been a trace of blood on Xie Yong’er’s clothes.

Yu Wanyin belatedly stood up.

Damn, was she having a miscarriage?

Where was she running off to?

Yu Wanyin knew all too well how dangerous miscarriages were in ancient times—they could be fatal. If the chosen female protagonist died, wouldn’t the story be over? Could this novel be heading for an abrupt end?

Without further thought, she hurriedly left her maid behind and ran out. The guard outside looked at her suspiciously: “Does the Consort have an urgent business?”

Yu Wanyin smiled wryly: “…Nature calls.”

She looked around but saw no trace of Xie Yong’er.

Music had started again from the direction of the main hall.

As the music rose, it drowned out the whispers. The dancers, having passed the search, began their graceful performance.

Xiahou Dan raised his wine cup and took a sip, his gaze sweeping over the assembly from above the rim. Some people snickered, some looked puzzled, and others appeared extremely nervous.

One nervous man seemed to sense something and timidly glanced up.

This glance met the Emperor’s eyes directly, startling him. He suddenly stood up, and after a two-second delay exclaimed: “Oh… oh my! My jade pendant is gone!”

Those around him responded: “Don’t worry, Lord Wang, look again.”

“I’ve already looked, it’s not nearby. I was wearing it when I took my seat…” Lord Wang said, looking toward the Yan person sitting beside him.

The implication of this glance was unmistakable.

The Yan person’s face darkened, and he muttered something incomprehensible.

Hazina also came over and coldly said: “If you suspect, then search him.”

Facing the tall Yan man, Lord Wang’s fingers trembled slightly, but he steeled himself and reached toward the man’s collar.

When he withdrew his hand, he was holding a jade pendant.

Lord Wang: “How did it end up on this envoy?”

The Yan man was shocked, then flew into a rage, smashing his wine cup.

Smashing cups was an extremely dangerous signal. Nearby imperial guards immediately swarmed out, surrounding them with weapons pointed at the group of Yan people.

Hazina was shaking with anger as he turned to look at Xiahou Dan: “You… you all…”

Someone tapped his shoulder.

It was that exceptionally burly attendant. Hazina turned, and the two exchanged a swift glance.

Hazina took a deep breath and said through gritted teeth while bowing: “We are people from the wilderness, unfamiliar with such splendor. Perhaps he momentarily gave in to greed. Please forgive us.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the burly attendant backhanded the man accused of theft, knocking him to the ground.

Hazina: “Do with him as you please.”

The Empress Dowager, who had been watching the drama unfold, finally spoke leisurely: “Well, if the envoy likes the jade pendant, just give it to them. Don’t ruin the friendship between our countries over such a small matter.”

Lord Wang smiled and tossed the jade pendant onto the fallen man.

The Yan people changed color, their faces turning blue with anger.

The man didn’t even look at the jade pendant. He slowly stood up, allowing the pendant to slide off with his movement and shatter into two pieces with a clear sound.

The atmosphere in the hall was tense like a bowstring stretched to the breaking point.

Xiahou Dan spoke: “Lord Wang, where exactly did you find this jade pendant?”

Lord Wang was taken aback, then bowed: “In response to Your Majesty, it was in… inside his collar.”

Xiahou Dan: “Is that so? Specifically, where?”

Lord Wang’s searching motion had been witnessed by everyone. He could only say reluctantly: “It seemed to be at his chest.”

Xiahou Dan: “I observe that these Yan people’s clothes don’t appear to fit closely like ours. How could such a small object placed inside the collar remain fixed at the chest? That’s interesting. Please demonstrate again.”

Lord Wang: “…”

Hazina gave some instructions in their language. The accused man bowed, picked up half of the jade pendant, and placed it inside his collar.

With another clear sound, the pendant fell straight to the ground, breaking into even smaller pieces.

Lord Wang was now pale as dirt: “This… perhaps there’s some misunderstanding…”

Xiahou Dan: “Your sleeve, however, looks like it could hold a jade pendant. Why don’t you try putting it in so we can see?”

Lord Wang no longer dared to move, only kowtowing.

Xiahou Dan said, bored: “Fine, take him away.”

Lord Wang was dragged out.

Hazina was visibly moved, repeatedly praising the Emperor’s wisdom; Xiahou Dan wore an apologetic expression, personally offering a cup of wine to the wrongly accused man.

The music started again.

No one spoke for the remainder of the feast.

Everyone present received the same signal: the Emperor had completely broken with the Empress Dowager.

If looks could take physical form, the Empress Dowager would have shot Xiahou Dan full of holes.

Xiahou Dan acted as if unaware and respectfully said: “Mother Empress, may I toast you?”

Just then, a eunuch hurriedly approached and whispered something in the Empress Dowager’s ear.

The Empress Dowager paused, her angry expression vanishing, and a smile suddenly appeared on her lips. She said to Xiahou Dan: “I hear that two consorts suddenly left their seats, exited the side hall, and seemed to be heading toward the trees in the Imperial Garden. Who were they?”

The eunuch bowed: “Consort Yu and Consort Xie.”

Xiahou Dan’s brow twitched slightly.

“And it seems one consort had blood on her clothes…” the Empress Dowager said helplessly. “I’ll go see what’s happening. My son, please continue hosting the birthday feast.”

The Empress Dowager left with a flick of her sleeve.

While the entire court was secretly watching the imperial family drama, only one person remained watching the Yan envoy delegation.

As the Yan people gradually returned to their seats, Duke Duan also stood up.

He seemed about to toast the Emperor, but as he passed by the Yan people, he accidentally dropped his wine cup.

—It fell toward someone’s foot.

The person’s foot instinctively flicked up and to the side, catching the cup steadily without spilling a drop.

But it was only for an instant.

After this instant, the cup appeared to continue along its original path, rolling off his foot and splashing wine everywhere.

“I’m truly sorry,” Duke Duan said with refined elegance, looking up at the burly attendant.

Attendant: “…It’s nothing.”

Duke Duan widened his eyes as if surprised: “Your official language is excellent.”

The attendant bowed and walked away.

Duke Duan turned to watch the beautiful women dancing with their jingling ornaments in the hall, and muttered as if to himself: “Such beauty is rare in this world, but alas, still inferior to the beautiful Shan Yi from years ago.”

He didn’t look at the Yan people’s reaction, feigning regret for his slip of the tongue before falling silent.

Returning to his seat, he subtly signaled his confidant with an elegant gesture.

Only his confidant knew what this gesture meant: follow him.

At this moment, with all the important personages gathered at the Millennium Feast, security around the Imperial Garden was relaxed.

Yu Wanyin wandered in the pitch-dark grove for a while before her ears finally caught the sound of heavy breathing.

“Sister? Xie Yong’er?” she followed the sound.

Xie Yong’er was slumped against a tree, gasping for breath. By the moonlight and faint distant lanterns, Yu Wanyin saw the mottled bloodstains on her skirt.

Yu Wanyin: “You’re…”

She anxiously scanned the ground, relieved not to find any horrifying fleshy mass.

Footsteps approached from afar, with several palace lanterns swaying—a group of people seemed to be heading in their direction.

In her urgency, Yu Wanyin didn’t think too carefully: “Can you stand up? Go back and change your clothes first, I’ll hold them off.”

Xie Yong’er stared at her with a confused look.

Yu Wanyin saw she was at the end of her strength: “We’ll talk later, go now.”

Xie Yong’er didn’t move.

She smiled bitterly: “I can’t stand up anymore.”

The approaching people had arrived.

Empress Dowager: “What are you two doing? Oh my, how could there be blood in that place.” She covered her face with her sleeve, looking away as if unable to bear such filth.

Yu Wanyin explained nervously: “This consort doesn’t know either, perhaps she’s injured?”

Xie Yong’er, seemingly delirious on the ground, murmured: “It was that cup of wine just now…”

She took a short breath, her head tilted, and she fainted.

When Xie Yong’er first discovered she was pregnant, she could hardly believe it.

The cause was nothing more than some passionate moments, some jealousy, and a deliberately intoxicated night. She wanted to secure Duke Duan’s heart. She thought that having drunk the contraceptive soup, she would be completely safe.

Who could have imagined that the damn thing wouldn’t work on her?!

When Duke Duan found out, he remained calm and even comforted her gently: “It’s alright, the Emperor and I look similar enough. No one will notice anything unusual when the child is born.”

Xie Yong’er said in panic: “But the Emperor hasn’t…”

“Hasn’t what?”

Xie Yong’er stopped speaking. At that moment, she felt something terrifying stirring in Xiahou Bo’s gaze.

She couldn’t let Duke Duan know the Emperor hadn’t touched her, because he would certainly force her to abort.

As a modern person, she knew how dangerous abortion methods were in ancient times.

But she still had a way—she could sleep with Xiahou Dan before she started showing, to give the child legitimate status.

This should have been a simple task—if Xiahou Dan weren’t such a freak.

Xie Yong’er couldn’t for the life of her understand how, even when she offered herself so directly, Xiahou Dan could remain unmoved like some legendary gentleman.

Could he be impotent? The original story didn’t say that!

As time passed, the situation slid toward the abyss of despair.

An accidental bout of vomiting drew the Empress Dowager into the matter.

The Empress Dowager began trying every means to drug her.

Initially, she thought the Empress Dowager’s actions were because she had discovered her affair with Duke Duan. Later, upon careful consideration, she realized that if that were the case, she would have been executed long ago. The Empress Dowager didn’t know the truth, yet she still took action.

There was a reason no royal children had been born in the harem for years—the Empress Dowager would only allow one little Crown Prince.

In other words, whether the child was officially recognized or not, it was destined to die.

Xie Yong’er finally gave up and turned to finding a scientific way to abort safely.

As the chosen one, she always had special opportunities, such as a talented apprentice at the Imperial Medical Institute who was fond of her. She was gradually gaining his favor, hoping he would secretly help her prepare a safe medicine.

At the same time, she had to constantly be vigilant about all food and drink, lest the Empress Dowager succeed in her plans. She had read the original story and knew the Empress Dowager’s methods were deadly—if she took what the Empress Dowager gave her, she would almost certainly die.

Just as the safe medicine was about to be prepared, everything fell apart at the Millennium Feast.

After drinking that cup of wine, she felt excruciating pain in her abdomen, her vision darkened, and she barely managed to escape from the side hall, only to collapse in the grove before she could get any farther.

During that nightmarish process, only one maid accompanied her.

She was grateful for the darkness that prevented her from seeing the fetus. She told the maid to escape alone and bury the remains elsewhere.

After that, Yu Wanyin arrived.

When Xie Yong’er regained consciousness, she was already in her bed.

An imperial physician was taking her pulse.

Standing by the bed were the Empress Dowager and a very frustrated Yu Wanyin—Yu Wanyin was an innocent bystander, unable to leave because she had been at the scene, and was now brought in for questioning.

Empress Dowager: “How is she?”

Imperial Physician: “This… there’s been significant bleeding, her pulse is weak and floating, it seems like a miscarriage, but there’s no sign of the fetus…”

The Empress Dowager immediately said: “If it’s a miscarriage, that’s a serious matter. Quickly inform His Majesty.”

Xie Yong’er suddenly looked up.

Xiahou Dan mustn’t know! If he finds out, I’m dead!

She struggled to sit up: “Mother Empress, please allow me to explain. This consort was never pregnant! I only… only vomited in public that day due to stomach discomfort. Someone must have mistakenly thought I was carrying a royal child and put poison in my wine…”

Empress Dowager: “You mean someone poisoned you thinking you were pregnant, so even though there was no child in your womb, you still bled and fainted?”

Xie Yong’er: “Yes.”

The Empress Dowager blinked: “Then who administered the poison?”

Xie Yong’er slowly raised her head, not daring to meet her eyes, only staring at her chin.

The Empress Dowager’s crimson lips opened and closed: “If Consort Xie knows something, you must identify the culprit.”

Xie Yong’er’s thought process slowly reconnected.

She couldn’t accuse the Empress Dowager unless she had a death wish.

But her bleeding was a fact, so someone had to take the blame.

Yu Wanyin watched helplessly as Xie Yong’er slowly turned toward her.

Yu Wanyin: “?”

The Empress Dowager was delighted: “It seems Consort Yu is implicated in this matter.”

Yu Wanyin suddenly knelt: “It was Consort Xie who took the initiative to toast me. I never touched her wine cup!”

Empress Dowager: “Then why did you follow her out?”

Yu Wanyin: “…This consort was only concerned…”

The Empress Dowager had no interest in explanations: “Guards, confine these two consorts here. They are not to leave without my instructions.”

She departed with a swish of her sleeves, and the door creaked shut.

If looks could burn, Yu Wanyin would have set Xie Yong’er’s entire bed ablaze.

It was deliberate—this woman was doing this on purpose.

She knew the fetus had to be aborted, and that she had no choice but to drink the poisoned wine, so in the end, she wanted to drag Yu Wanyin down with her. Her toast was bait!

Who knew how Xiahou Dan was handling things on his end, while she was trapped here unable to leave, and would probably be charged with some crime by the Empress Dowager later?

Xie Yong’er avoided her gaze, showing an unprecedented hint of guilt.

But Yu Wanyin was completely disappointed in this person.

Even for a fictional character with a modern background, how could she be so petty?

Weary and angry, she impulsively made a decision.

It was time to abandon the appeasement strategy.

Duke Duan was close to defeating the Empress Dowager and would soon turn his full attention to dealing with Xiahou Dan. They didn’t have much time left.

A palace maid approached with a medicine bowl: “Consort, please take your medicine.”

Xie Yong’er had developed a psychological aversion to any liquid offered by palace servants: “No need, I’m fine…”

Yu Wanyin said sarcastically: “Sister is unwell, you should take your medicine properly. Don’t neglect what’s important.”

Xie Yong’er lowered her head in silence.

Yu Wanyin: “It’s like if one day you were riding a horse, got lost in the mountains, and had no food. You searched and searched, finally finding a river with fish, and you wanted to catch some.”

Xie Yong’er: “…?”

Yu Wanyin: “But you had no bait, so you looked at your horse.”

Xie Yong’er stared at her with a blank expression.

Yu Wanyin: “You killed the horse, and chopped up the meat for bait. You caught the fish, but your horse was gone. Was it all worth it?”

Xie Yong’er froze completely.

She didn’t know when the maid had left, or how long she’d been staring at Yu Wanyin.

After what seemed like an eternity, she finally opened her mouth: “You… you are…”

“Is there any other possibility?” Yu Wanyin walked to the bedside and looked at her, saying softly, “I’m tired. Let’s be frank with each other.”

Xie Yong’er’s eyes lost focus, her vision blurring.

She tried to refocus but saw a tall shadow reflected on the door behind Yu Wanyin.

Xie Yong’er’s hair stood on end as she tried to stop Yu Wanyin: “Don’t say anymore.”

But Yu Wanyin ignored her silent warning: “Avoiding it is useless. You already know who I am.”

Xie Yong’er broke into a cold sweat: “What do you mean ‘who you are’? I don’t understand…”

“I think you understand my meaning perfectly.”

Seeing Xie Yong’er still evading, Yu Wanyin became increasingly frustrated. She had originally intended to say “How are you,” but remembering the guards outside the door, she instead went to the table, picked up a brush, and wrote the phrase in a flourishing script on imperial paper.

She carried the paper back to the bedside, but halfway there she paused and also looked toward the door: “Your Majesty?”

The shadow moved, and Xiahou Dan pushed open the door and entered.

Xie Yong’er’s emotions had risen and fallen dramatically throughout the night, pushing her to the edge of a mental breakdown. Before Yu Wanyin could say anything, driven by survival instinct, she blurted out: “Your Majesty, Consort Yu has been saying strange things and writing unintelligible symbols on paper. This consort is frightened!”

Yu Wanyin: “…”

Xiahou Dan placed a hand on Yu Wanyin’s shoulder and asked Xie Yong’er: “You had already discovered I was outside the door, and deliberately provoked her to speak and write?”

Xie Yong’er: “?”

Xiahou Dan: “You caught the fish, but your horse was gone. Was it all worth it?”

Xie Yong’er: “…”

Xie Yong’er: “……”

While Xie Yong’er remained frozen like a statue, Yu Wanyin patiently waited for her to recover, meanwhile asking softly: “Why did you come?”

Xiahou Dan: “I heard someone was framing you, so I came to get you out.”

“But the Empress Dowager…”

“She had someone examine the cup of wine Xie Yong’er drank before leaving her seat, which contained abortifacient medicine. Then she said Xie Yong’er personally told her you administered the poison and brought people to arrest you. I stopped her.”

“Then what?”

“Then I said I wanted to interrogate Consort Xie myself. She accused me of wanting to extract a false confession through torture. I replied that if we truly want to investigate, we should get to the root of the matter.”

Xiahou Dan furrowed his brow and began acting on the spot: “‘Mother Empress, treating the symptoms isn’t as good as treating the cause. Everything entering and leaving the palace must be recorded. Consorts cannot leave the palace without reason, yet such poison was smuggled in—such a security lapse is outrageous!'”

Yu Wanyin played along: “‘What does my son mean?'”

“‘In my opinion, we should first question all the eunuchs and maids who served at the banquet under torture. If no one confesses, we’ll gradually expand the scope—even the gate guards must be investigated one by one. We must find out who obtained the medicine. Guards!’ —Then I pointed at the chief palace maid beside the Empress Dowager,” Xiahou Dan narrated, “‘If I’m not mistaken, you were also at the Millennium Feast, weren’t you?'”

Yu Wanyin raised her eyebrows, perfectly imitating the Empress Dowager: “‘Hmph, is my son insinuating something?'”

Xiahou Dan said with concern: “‘Mother Empress, please calm your anger. I only fear there are evil people around you, endangering you.’ —And then the matter was dropped. The Empress Dowager already has three thousand grudges against me, one more hardly matters.”

He spoke casually, but Yu Wanyin listened with trepidation.

“You’re something else, Xiahou Dan,” she said, still somewhat frightened. “You don’t get stage fright, do you?”

“Of course not. She’s the one with a guilty conscience, so she should be the first to panic when it comes to a serious investigation.” Xiahou Dan noticed the paper with English writing in Yu Wanyin’s hand, took it, and held it to the candlelight, burning it to ashes.

Seeing him completely ignore the English, the frozen Xie Yong’er finally lost her last hope: “So, you two are like me, also transmigrated into this world?”

Yu Wanyin thought there was a subtle difference but didn’t point it out: “Yes. Since we’re all the same kind—”

Xie Yong’er, with an ashen face, interrupted: “You were hidden while I was exposed. You’ve been watching me all along. From the beginning, I never had a chance of winning, did I?”

Before Yu Wanyin could answer, Xiahou Dan jumped in: “That’s right. Watching you make me a cuckold the whole time was quite stimulating.”

Yu Wanyin started coughing, quickly signaling with her eyes: Enough, don’t provoke her.

Xie Yong’er was silent for a moment, then laughed bitterly: “If that’s the case, why reveal yourselves now? Wouldn’t it be better to just kill me and claim I died in childbirth? That wouldn’t arouse Duke Duan’s suspicion.”

Xiahou Dan cut in again: “Indeed, I find it strange too. Wanyin, why did you tell her? Just kill her and be done with it.”

Yu Wanyin: “?”

Brother, are you here to undermine me? Yu Wanyin glared at him more forcefully, then turned to Xie Yong’er, trying to speak as kindly as possible: “The plot has already progressed to abortion and framing. If we didn’t reveal ourselves now, it would become a life-or-death situation. Since we’re all the same kind, have you considered another possibility?”

Xie Yong’er clutched her blanket and gave a cold laugh: “I accept the consequences of my gamble. You don’t need to pretend. You didn’t tell me at the beginning but watched me sink deeper and deeper into the mire. Now that I’m at my lowest, you come claiming we’re the same kind. Isn’t that ridiculous?”

She was now pale, sitting wrapped in her blanket, looking as frail as a willow, with only her eyes still alive, burning with defiant anger. Seeing this unyielding gaze, Yu Wanyin felt immense helplessness: “If we had approached you as soon as we arrived in this world, would your first reaction have been to cooperate?”

Xie Yong’er: “…”

Xie Yong’er was stumped by the question.

At that time, she believed heaven gave her a chance to start over, abandoning her previous ordinary, boring life to make a grand impact in this new world.

She foresaw Xiahou Dan’s inevitable death, so she unhesitatingly sided with Duke Duan, who naturally accepted her. She was full of confidence, each step leading toward a certain victory.

If she had suddenly discovered then that Xiahou Dan was an unknown variable, her first reaction would probably have been panic, fearing his revenge. Then she would have informed Duke Duan to eliminate this potential threat while it was still weak.

Yu Wanyin’s question hit a sore spot: “What do you mean? I just wanted to survive until the end. Is that wrong? Don’t you want the same?”

Yu Wanyin: “I do.”

She softened her tone: “Actually, I don’t think it’s entirely your fault. This terrible environment is to blame. If possible, I hope you can also survive until the end. All of us together, having hot pot, playing cards…”

She intended to comfort her, but Xie Yong’er reacted as if deeply insulted, glaring at the couple: “Winners write history, losers are vilified. Stop pretending to be a saint. If our positions were reversed, your choices wouldn’t have been different from mine!”

Xiahou Dan gave a scornful laugh: “The difference would be enormous.”

He seemed determined to undermine her completely today: “If Wanyin were like you, how would you still be alive?”

Yu Wanyin: “No, no, it’s not like that. Yong’er isn’t as ruthless as she thinks she is. Before you came in just now, she wasn’t trying to bait me into talking—she was trying to warn me.”

Xie Yong’er choked, her expression becoming unclear.

But Xiahou Dan shook his head and took Yu Wanyin’s hand: “I don’t think there’s anything more to say to her. Let’s go.”

Yu Wanyin looked at him incredulously, but Xiahou Dan secretly applied pressure, forcibly leading her out the door, then turned back to add: “Send more guards. While Consort Xie is recovering, keep this door under strict watch. No one enters or leaves.”

When they reached a place with no one around, Yu Wanyin slowed her pace: “What are you doing? Xie Yong’er is still useful. She’s emotionally vulnerable right now—I was planning to use both threats and inducements to turn her to our side.”

Xiahou Dan was very calm: “I know. I was coordinating with you.”

“You call that coordination?”

“Yes. I threaten you entice. I’ve been made a cuckold—it’s only natural that I’d torture her a bit, right? You can sneak back in later with food or medicine to break down her psychological defenses.”

Yu Wanyin: “…Torture?”

Xiahou Dan nodded: “Trust me, words alone won’t work.”

“Don’t be hasty. At least let me try.”

Xiahou Dan shrugged: “I knew you’d say that. Try if you want. If you can win her over, fine. If not, forget it. She’s a truly evil person. Even if you turn her, you’ll still have to be wary of her acting. She’s more trouble than she’s worth.”

Yu Wanyin hesitated for a moment.

“I was mostly sincere earlier. Thinking about it now, her actions tonight might not have been deliberate, just a stress response. And I want her to survive partly because I’m afraid the story will end abruptly—ultimately for my self-preservation…”

Xiahou Dan stopped walking.

Yu Wanyin didn’t notice and continued forward: “I’m not so different from her.”

“You are.” Xiahou Dan said decisively.

Yu Wanyin turned back: “?”

Xiahou Dan stood in place looking at her with a strange expression: “Have you never considered that there are many ways to keep someone alive? Cut off her legs, imprison her for life—as long as she doesn’t die, wouldn’t the goal be achieved?”

“…” The hair on the back of Yu Wanyin’s neck suddenly stood up.

“You can’t even think of this, yet you dare call yourself evil.” Xiahou Dan seemed amused. “Xie Yong’er would think of it. Let me remind you again—she’s a fictional character. The plot requires her to be evil, so she’s as evil as needed.”

Yu Wanyin stared at Xiahou Dan in a daze.

He was still wearing his formal attire from the banquet, though he had removed his crown, leaving his hair bun tilted to one side. He must have been toasted many times, as a faint smell of alcohol lingered about him. Perhaps because of this, he was speaking more tonight than usual, and more casually.

So casually that it was somewhat unsettling.

Yu Wanyin: “You—”

“Hmm?”

You need to stay vigilant, don’t be assimilated by this character.

“You—” Yu Wanyin pressed her lips together, “Did you notice anything strange about those Yan people at the banquet?”

Xiahou Dan replied carelessly: “There’s a problem. The Empress Dowager was so provocative, yet they endured it without showing any temper. It seems they’re planning something bigger.”

Yu Wanyin nodded absent-mindedly.

“But the Millennium Feast is when security is tightest. They wouldn’t choose today to make trouble. Most likely they’re waiting to create difficulties when we negotiate privately. Let’s not think about this now. It’s cold outside. Let’s head back.”

But as she turned to leave, Xiahou Dan caught her hand.

Yu Wanyin’s heart suddenly leaped as she looked back at him.

As their skin touched, Xiahou Dan’s knuckles jerked slightly, as if he instinctively wanted to let go, but ultimately didn’t.

His long, pale hand, already cool by nature, felt cold as a snake in the night wind.

Yu Wanyin shivered.

This time Xiahou Dan let go: “You left in a hurry earlier. Did you eat enough?”

“…Ah? It’s fine. I’ll have the palace servants heat something for a late snack when I get back.”

Xiahou Dan took out several pastries wrapped in handkerchiefs from his robe: “They’re still warm. Have these to tide you over.”

Yu Wanyin accepted the pastries in a daze. They were indeed still warm, having been kept close to his body, at least retaining body heat.

This man was busy confronting the Empress Dowager and matching wits with the Yan people, yet he still thought about whether she might be hungry.

“No way, you’re too easily moved, you great villain,” Xiahou Dan smiled at her.

Yu Wanyin took a breath: “Walk with me for a while. I’m afraid the Empress Dowager might intercept me.”

“All right,” Xiahou Dan urged her, “Eat quickly, or I brought them for nothing.”

Yu Wanyin took a tasteless bite of the pastry: “By the way, what did you originally look like? After seeing the tyrant’s face for so long, I can hardly imagine your original appearance.”

Half a step behind her, Xiahou Dan narrowed his eyes and tried hard to recall.

“Just… ordinary, not ugly.”

“Ordinary?” Yu Wanyin laughed. “Weren’t you an actor?”

“That’s why I wasn’t successful,” he replied smoothly. “What about you?”

“Me? An ordinary office worker. With makeup, I might be called cute. Without makeup, it’s hard to say.”

“No need to be so modest. I’m sure you looked good.”

Xiahou Dan escorted Yu Wanyin back to her quarters before returning to the imperial bedchamber. They were still performing the “wife-chasing crematorium” act for others. Once they entered the range of the palace servants’ vision, Yu Wanyin’s face turned cold, and she said indifferently: “Your Majesty, please return.”

Xiahou Dan, whether acting or not, replied gently: “Then rest early.”

Yu Wanyin lowered her head and entered through the main door.

“Uncle Bei?” she said in surprise.

“Daner sent me over just now. I’ll be your close protection for this period,” Bei Zhou said softly. “What happened on your side tonight?”

“It’s a long story, with many twists and turns…”

“I can see that,” Bei Zhou nodded. “Your face is flushed with anxiety.”

At this moment, the Empress Dowager’s faction was having a small meeting.

Everyone wore grave expressions, maintaining a solemn silence. The Empress Dowager lowered her head, casually picking at tea leaves.

Since she didn’t speak, a courtier had to step forward and take the initiative to examine his mistakes: “It was this humble official’s incompetence. I didn’t anticipate that His Majesty would challenge us openly at the Millennium Feast. I didn’t know how to resolve the situation, causing Lord Wang to suffer…”

“Brother Wang was flustered at the time, unequal to the task. His imprisonment is not unjust,” said one who had always been at odds with Lord Wang, taking the opportunity to create difficulties.

“It seems His Majesty is growing up and forming his ideas. We are incompetent, and must ask the Empress Dowager to consider the state of the nation and discipline him more, to guide his sacred heart,” said one who was fanning the flames.

The Empress Dowager finally raised her head: “Discipline?”

She smiled: “He has made it clear that he will no longer listen to discipline.”

“In this official’s opinion, though they are father and son, His Highness the Crown Prince is wise and generous, with the bearing of an enlightened ruler,” said one who was hinting that the Empress Dowager should replace her puppet.

The little Crown Prince sat to the side with his head lowered obediently.

But tonight the Empress Dowager didn’t lose her temper. She spoke with a desolate tone: “The opportunity has passed.”

They had missed the best chance. Duke Duan’s momentum was too strong, firmly pressing them down. Killing the Emperor now would be nothing more than making wedding clothes for Duke Duan.

The courtiers continued arguing among themselves about whether to deal with the Emperor or Duke Duan first. The Empress Dowager set down her teacup with a “bang,” interrupting them: “Judging by the Emperor’s behavior, he is determined to make peace. If we reconcile with Yan and the border is secured, Duke Duan will become completely dominant.”

They must tie down the border troops.

She made her decision and said lightly: “Those Yan people can barely speak our language. As they move about the capital, they’re bound to create some friction with our people. They’re barbarians—they’re likely to resort to violence at the slightest disagreement. When that happens, blades don’t have eyes. There might be bloodshed.”

The courtiers fell silent.

Those who had been creating difficulties, fanning flames, and making petty calculations all stopped talking, staring blankly at the woman on the seat.

The Empress Dowager wanted more than just the failure of peace talks—that wasn’t enough for her.

She wanted to create the biggest scene possible, directly eliminating the Yan envoy delegation right here. When two countries conflict, killing envoys is the greatest insult. She wanted to provoke the Yan army to seek revenge, inciting a new war.

Evil—this was true evil.

Infighting was one thing, but involving Yan would escalate matters significantly.

One courtier wiped cold sweat: “This… the safety of our nation…”

Another hurriedly took a side: “What? Are you all afraid that if war breaks out, the central army will be defeated? Even if the central army is defeated, we can still transfer the right army there. By then, the Yan people and Duke Duan will both be weakened, and we’ll reap the benefits.”

With a casual joke, thousands of soldiers’ lives became mere chips on the table.

The courtier who was wiping sweat secretly glanced at the little Crown Prince, as if hoping he would speak up. The Empress Dowager noticed and simply asked outright: “What does the Crown Prince think?”

The little Crown Prince thought for a moment: “If Imperial Grandmother says fight, then we should fight.”

The Empress Dowager laughed heartily: “You truly are my good grandson, far better than the one currently sitting on the dragon throne.”

Even the most ambitious courtier felt uneasy now.

Thinking that the kingdom of Great Xia would one day fall into the hands of such a child sent a chill through their hearts.