At the exact Hour of the Dragon (7-9 AM), the carriages slowly began to move.

Xiaoyan glanced at the three white porcelain jars neatly arranged on the small table in the carriage.

Vinegar-pickled dark plums.

But he never liked sour plums.

He closed his eyes lightly and let out a subtle sigh.

“Stop.”

The imperial driver heard the command and pulled the reins. “Does Your Majesty have any instructions?”

“Send someone to invite Imperial Concubine Gu here.”

Gu Yi was once again called to the imperial carriage to ride together with Xiaoyan.

As she entered the carriage, she looked up to see Xiaoyan’s expressionless face and felt somewhat timid. She prostrated herself and said, “This concubine thanks Your Majesty for your great favor.”

“Rise.”

Gu Yi raised her head and carefully looked at Xiaoyan, seeing his crow-feather-like eyebrows slightly drawn together. She summoned her courage and asked, “Is Your Majesty displeased with this concubine?”

Xiaoyan watched as she blinked nervously.

“Imperial Concubine Gu, why do you say that?”

He’s already calling her “Imperial Concubine Gu” and still asking why she would say that!

“Though this concubine is foolish, she observes Your Majesty’s every move and can guess from them.” Gu Yi’s eyelashes trembled, “For instance… this morning at the Hour of the Dragon, Your Majesty did not acknowledge this concubine.”

Xiaoyan laughed coldly, “Then why did you take your leave on your own?”

Gu Yi paused, then answered honestly, “This concubine saw Talented Lady Zhao approaching, so this concubine tactfully withdrew. Talented Lady Zhao received Your Majesty’s favor last night, so this concubine assumed she would be accompanying Your Majesty this morning!”

Xiaoyan’s icy expression began to thaw, “So you… Were you jealous?”

Gu Yi shook her head, firmly denying it: “This concubine was not!”

Saying one thing but meaning another.

Xiaoyan’s lips curved slightly upward, but his voice remained cold, “Gu Yi, wasn’t it you who schemed to use Talented Lady Zhao? What’s the matter now, have you changed your mind?”

Unable to explain the terrifying rules of the plot game to him, Gu Yi deflated and said, “Whatever Your Majesty says is correct. This concubine admits her mistake.”

Her tone could hardly be called respectful, but the indignation in Xiaoyan’s heart dispersed further.

Jealousy was not a grave offense.

He even hoped that Gu Yi would be jealous.

Rather than scheming all day, viewing the imperial favor as a matter of gain and loss, secretly calculating how to manipulate him.

Gu Yi was feeling stifled inside, but she saw that Xiaoyan’s expression had instead brightened. He even reached out to hand her a white porcelain cup, “Inside are newly pickled vinegar plums.”

Gu Yi took it and angrily opened it to eat one.

Immediately, her teeth were set on edge from the sourness.

Xiao Gouzi! Today you’re using sour plums for a double kill!

When I finally make it out of the palace to become a wealthy woman, I’ll keep ten or eight handsome men to enjoy myself!

Xiaoyan watched her eat the sour plums as if venting her frustration, her facial features puckering from the sourness, and couldn’t help but laugh.

*

Zhao Wan sat in her carriage, examining her new personal palace maid, Xiuhe, who was only fifteen years old and originally a maid from the Wushan Imperial Villa.

Wearing a palace uniform washed to paleness, Xiuhe cautiously looked at her and asked, “The journey to the capital, I’ve heard, takes a whole day. Would the Talented Lady like some refreshments?”

Zhao Wan shook her head and said softly, “No need to trouble yourself. I’m not hungry either.”

Xiuhe blinked her eyes, “The matron instructed that since the Imperial Concubine has newly received the Emperor’s favor, she should rest today.”

A bitter feeling spread through Zhao Wan’s heart.

She didn’t understand why the Emperor had left abruptly last night.

Once back at the palace, with the full harem in place, how long would she have to wait before seeing Xiaoyan again?

After traveling for most of the day, the voices outside the carriage grew louder.

Imperial Concubine Gong lifted the carriage curtain to look outside. The golden crow was descending, and the city gates could be seen in the distance.

Chunya sighed, “My Lady, please endure a little longer. We’re almost there.”

Imperial Concubine Gong smiled lightly, “When His Majesty returns to the palace with a beautiful Talented Lady Zhao suddenly by his side, who knows how exciting the harem will become.”

Though a Talented Lady’s rank was low, she had been personally appointed by the Emperor, not selected through the usual process.

One Imperial Concubine Gu was already enough, and now there was another Talented Lady Zhao…

She lowered the carriage curtain and sighed, “Liu Piaopiao must be getting restless…”

Chunya agreed, “The tenth month is approaching. Imperial Consort De has always loved polo games and will likely invite the concubines to play again this year. My Lady should take care of her ankles during this time.”

Outside the carriage came the neighing of horses—it was the sound of the guards’ horses clearing the way ahead. They were finally entering the city.

Passing through the palace gates, except for the imperial carriage, all others had to disembark and proceed on foot.

Gu Yi rubbed her calves and looked toward Xiaoyan. If she sat any longer, she wouldn’t be able to straighten her legs.

Xiaoyan leaned against the carriage wall, still reading a book.

Gu Yi deliberated for a moment before speaking, “Your Majesty, we’re almost there. This concubine should disembark.”

Xiaoyan made a sound of acknowledgment.

Gu Yi called out, “Please stop the carriage.”

The carriage didn’t stop.

Gu Yi said awkwardly, “Your Majesty…”

Xiaoyan put down the book in his hand, “Stop.”

The driver immediately made a whoa sound and pulled tight on the reins.

The palace attendant lifted the curtain, and Gu Yi, holding her leg-massaging stick, got out of the imperial carriage.

The imperial carriage continued forward as Gu Yi walked slowly along the palace path. Tao Jia came up from behind to meet her.

“My Lady has had a difficult journey. When we return to the palace, this servant will massage you!”

Gu Yi nodded and said, “Tao Jia, you treat me so well!”

Zhao Wan disembarked and immediately saw Imperial Concubine Gu walking slowly ahead.

Riding in the same carriage with the Emperor was a great honor.

From now on, she would be living in the same palace as Imperial Concubine Gu.

Gu Yi dragged her stiff legs back to Heluo Palace.

Just before entering the palace, she turned to look back and saw two palace lanterns lighting the way in the distance.

Looking carefully, she saw it was Zhao Wan, coming to live in the side hall of Heluo Palace.

In the book, Beauty Wan lived in Jian Jia Palace, which was very close to the main palace and adjacent to Imperial Consort De’s Luoying Palace. The two had frequently clashed.

But now Talented Lady Zhao was going to live in Heluo Palace, and she might have to continue correcting the plot online.

Gu Yi’s heart was as heavy as the sea, but at this point, there was nothing she could do except wait until she could leave the palace and become a wealthy woman!

At this moment, putting herself in the other’s shoes, she decided not to stay and exchange pleasantries with the female protagonist tonight.

When she had lived in the side hall of Xiuyi Palace, she had often hoped that Imperial Concubine Wang would leave her alone.

With this thought, Gu Yi didn’t linger but walked straight into the main hall of Heluo Palace.

Zhao Wan saw her figure pause briefly before entering the palace.

Xiuhe asked, “Talented Lady, what should we do? Should we still go pay our respects to Imperial Concubine Gu?”

Zhao Wan looked up at the night sky, “No need. I’ll go to the main hall early tomorrow to pay my respects.”

Gu Yi was so tired that her bones felt like they were falling apart. After a bath, she lay on the bed, allowing Tao Jia to massage her.

Tao Jia had strong hands and an uncanny ability to find acupressure points.

Gu Yi enjoyed the comfort for a while, then said somewhat embarrassedly, “That’s enough. You’ve also been in a carriage all day and must be tired too. Go to bed early!”

Tao Jia smiled, “This servant isn’t tired. Let me loosen your legs a bit more so they won’t hurt tomorrow.”

Gu Yi: “Well… alright.”

Before the Hour of the Dragon (7-9 AM), Zhao Wan in the side hall was already awake.

She stared absently at the cream-colored rhombus-patterned bed curtains above her head.

Heluo Palace—the Emperor wanted her to be a chess piece in Imperial Concubine Gu’s hands.

With no support of her own, the Imperial Concubine’s protection was vital to her as she had just entered the palace.

And the Emperor’s favor…

Zhao Wan turned over.

And the Emperor’s favor, one day, she would hold it all in her hands.

Xiuhe heard movement in the bed and softly asked, “Is the Talented Lady awake?”

Zhao Wan sat up: “Yes, help me wash up.”

After a while, seeing Xiuhe return with a basin of water, Zhao Wan asked, “Has Imperial Concubine Gu risen in the main hall?”

Xiuhe shook her head, “When this servant went to fetch water, the lights were still dark, and the night-watch palace maids showed no signs of activity.”

Zhao Wan nodded: “I understand. Wait half a quarter of an hour and then check again.”

It wasn’t until the Hour of the Snake (9-11 AM) that Gu Yi finally woke up.

After the massage, she had indeed slept sweetly.

She stretched lazily and began to wash up.

Tao Jia asked, “What would My Lady like to eat today? The weather has cooled recently. How about porridge for breakfast, and we’ll have the kitchen send a hot pot for dinner?”

Gu Yi nodded, “Yes, yes, let’s do that! Put lamb and white radish in the pot.”

Tao Jia tilted her head and said, “It’s not yet the tenth month, My Lady. Let’s have lamb after the tenth month when the grassland sheep are sent to the palace—that’s when it’s delicious! Tonight, let’s have a beef hot pot. Find a chef with good knife skills to slice it paper-thin, making it most tender.”

Gu Yi: “Let’s do as you say!”

With the evening meal decided, she felt she had something to look forward to for the entire day.

Gu Yi quickly finished washing up and was drinking porridge when she heard a palace attendant announce that Talented Lady Zhao from the side hall had come to pay her respects.

Gu Yi again put herself in the other’s shoes, not wanting to make the female protagonist wait too long, and planned to deal with it quickly.

But Tao Jia, quick-eyed and quick-handed, ladled another bowl of porridge for her, “My Lady, don’t rush. This porridge is cooked to perfection. Have another bowl, and this pickled radish is delicious too!”

Gu Yi put down her bowl and said earnestly, “Be generous to others and strict with oneself. Our Heluo Palace is not a place that arbitrarily suppresses people.” Cross-story fighting is irrational! The female protagonist’s halo cannot be broken!

Tao Jia pouted, “This servant understands, but if My Lady doesn’t establish authority with Talented Lady Zhao, it will be difficult later if she continues to receive favor.”

In the future, she is supposed to continually receive favor, occupy the main palace position, disperse the six palaces, and stand at the pinnacle of the harem.

Gu Yi sighed, “I entrust my heart to the bright moon, and what becomes of the bright moon is not for me to worry about.”

Tao Jia murmured, “My Lady…” but didn’t pursue further.

Gu Yi quickly went to the main hall to meet Zhao Wan. She saw that Zhao Wan had flower ornaments in her hair, wore a white and green lined jacket with an apricot-colored dress, but for some reason looked rather haggard.

Zhao Wan curtseyed and said, “Greetings to Imperial Concubine Gu.”

Gu Yi smiled, “You may rise.” She sat down on a pear blossom chair and beckoned, “Sit down as well.”

Zhao Wan rose and sat at a lower position than her, “Thank you, Imperial Concubine.”