“She is my own sister after all. I still have things to say to her. Scholar Fu, could you give us some privacy?” Shen Guiyan asked.

Scholar Fu nodded and withdrew with his people, leaving no one behind except Baoshan.

Shen Guiya was bound to the pillar, unable to move no matter how she struggled. At first, she glared hatefully at Shen Guiyan, but when she saw the outer door close, fear began to show in her eyes.

“Are you afraid?” Shen Guiyan sat not far in front of her, laughing softly. “Fifth Sister, how much do you remember about what happened when we were young? When you threw Concubine Qin into the lotus pond in the middle of the night, were you afraid then?”

Shen Guiya shook her head frantically. That wasn’t her doing—it was done by the original owner of this body. She didn’t want to do it either.

“Not afraid? That’s right.” Shen Guiyan nodded. “You dared to poison Concubine Qin to death. Throwing someone into a pond was nothing.”

No! Shen Guiya continued shaking her head. She desperately wanted to say that she wasn’t the one who poisoned Concubine Qin. She had only suggested it, just said a few words. Who knew that Madam Shen would actually go and do it?

But with her mouth gagged, she couldn’t say anything.

“You always feel that you’re never wrong, that everyone else is wrong.” Shen Guiyan laughed lightly. “So you certainly don’t understand why you’ve ended up like this today.”

If Shen Guiya had wholeheartedly stuck with Gu Chaobei, it wouldn’t have come to this. But she switched sides midway and even recklessly tried to use public opinion to threaten the Emperor.

No emperor of any dynasty would allow someone who threatened their ruling authority to live. Her mistake was being too foolish, not understanding human nature, only seeking profit without maintaining her position.

Actually, at first Shen Guiyan had quite admired Shen Guiya. Whether it was luck or something else, at least she had dared to fake her death after her affair was exposed, infiltrate the Drunken Flowers Pavilion, become the Crown Prince’s side consort, and step by step become the Emperor’s concubine.

If Gu Chaobei had been a bit stupider, a bit less able to resist temptation, then Shen Guiya would have succeeded by now, and even ascending to the Empress position wouldn’t have been difficult.

Fortunately, her husband was excellent.

Shen Guiya’s eyes burned with unquenchable fury. Her heart was unbalanced, just unbalanced. Didn’t people often say that if you like something you should fight for it? Why, when she fought for it, did it end up like this?

“In your next life when you reincarnate, remember that wherever you go, you must bring your conscience with you.” Shen Guiyan watched her struggle and said indifferently, “People can fight for what they want, but if you don’t walk the righteous path, if your thoughts aren’t proper, your luck will become very poor—poor enough to end up like you are now, with no good ending.”

Shen Guiya’s body trembled slightly.

Was she going to die? Didn’t transmigrated female protagonists all have an immortality law? Why was she about to die?

Baoshan sneered coldly, picked up a wooden stick from the side, and walked toward her step by step. Shen Guiya’s eyes widened. She shook her head while trying to call for help, but no matter how she struggled, the wad of cloth in her mouth remained firmly stuffed.

This was the closest she had ever been to death, so frightened she nearly lost control of her bladder. Shen Guiyan seemed to deliberately torment her, having Baoshan strike her on the back of the head with a stick. Not only did it hurt terribly, but she also heard:

“Master, this servant struck at the wrong angle.”

Shen Guiyan said calmly, “Try again.”

“Yes.”

She was like a fish at the market about to be slaughtered—first they had to stun the head, and if once wasn’t enough, they’d strike a second time. Shen Guiya had never regretted anything so much. Why had she transmigrated when things were perfectly fine in the modern world?

And having transmigrated, why did she have to encounter such an unromantic group of lunatics, completely unable to activate her cheat codes and lie back collecting money surrounded by beautiful men?

Fairy tales really were all lies!

Her head throbbed with a dull pain, and her vision finally went dark. Shen Guiya thought that if she died like this, it would actually be fine. Maybe she could transmigrate back and continue running her nightclub.

But after a long darkness, when she opened her eyes again, what she saw was—still darkness.

Her surroundings seemed to be made of wood, very narrow, only able to contain her alone. Looking around, there was a palm-sized hole at the head end, through which she could vaguely see a bit of light. At the hole they had even placed some steamed buns and water for her.

Maybe this was on the road to transmigrating back, Shen Guiya thought. She rubbed her aching head and planned to turn over and sleep a bit more.

Inside the Gu family ancestral tomb, in the grave of Gu Chaodong’s legitimate wife Lady Shen, the sound of even breathing continued once again.

“The tomb keeper will deliver food and drink to her every few days. Master need not worry,” Baoshan said as they walked. “His Majesty has already proclaimed to the world that she has been executed.”

Shen Guiyan walked slowly, listening and nodding. “Good.”

Although Shen Guiya had committed many evil deeds and should have been executed, how could it be that simple? Concubine Qin’s vengeance had not yet been repaid. She wouldn’t let her die for other matters.

Now, whether she was Shen Guiya or Shen Hanlu, she was a dead person. The Shen family couldn’t protect her, the Gu family wouldn’t protect her. She would wait until this chaos ended, then slowly settle those old accounts with her.

She wasn’t magnanimous at all. Whatever was owed to her, she wouldn’t let time passing make it not count. She would meticulously, from beginning to end, make sure it was all repaid without a single bit less.

The Grand Priest incident caused an uproar throughout the capital. Fortunately, the Imperial Astrologer was still there. He took up his duties again, set up an altar to perform rituals, and after a summer rain, declared that all sins had been eliminated. The common people were skeptical until several days passed without any major incidents in the capital, and the rumors gradually dissipated.

Without the Grand Priest’s facade, Consort Fu’s claim of heavenly mandate naturally became unreliable. Fu Youyi became anxious and quickly obtained Yellow Spring Powder, delivering it all to Consort Hua.

“Watching that Noble Consort Yan become more and more arrogant, I can only rely on you, Sister,” Consort Fu said earnestly.

Consort Hua nodded, smiling as she accepted all the Yellow Spring Powder, then turned to head toward Yonghe Palace.

“Your Ladyship, His Majesty is currently drinking tea in Yonghe Palace,” Hongzhi said softly. “Do you want to go now?”

Consort Hua nodded. “If not now, when should I wait?”

“But…” Hongzhi looked worriedly at her sleeve where the Yellow Spring Powder was kept. Wasn’t she supposed to drug Noble Consort Yan? Her mistress wasn’t preparing anything, going empty-handed, and right when His Majesty was there—it was too risky.

Consort Hua ignored her and walked step by step through the magnificent palace.

Sold into a brothel since childhood, she was sensitive and sharp, wanting a good life, wanting to stand above those people. This feeling was something sheltered young ladies could never understand.

She wanted great power, wanted lots of money, wanted there to be no one in this world who dared look down on her anymore.

But she had also inadvertently been blinded by this prosperity. White Fox was dead, Water Lily was dead, Consort Qing was dead, and Consort Jiang was dead too. What a terrifying place this harem was. For that one man’s favor, or for that unique phoenix position, she could transform from Baihe who simply adored Gu Chaobei into Consort Hua with blood on her hands.

Now that the Emperor would never look at her again, she realized how boring this harem was. She had once thought she had walked into Gu Chaobei’s heart. Now it seemed that heart simply couldn’t contain a second person.

She had entered the palace for Gu Chaobei’s sake. That was her original intention.

Only now did she remember.

“Your Ladyship, Consort Hua requests an audience,” Baoshan reported, her expression somewhat strange.

Shen Guiyan was discussing Shen Guiya’s matter with Gu Chaobei. Hearing this report, Gu Chaobei frowned. “Don’t see her.”

Baoshan was startled and looked toward her own mistress.

Shen Guiyan pressed her lips together. “Your Majesty, for Consort Hua to request an audience at this time, she may have some urgent matter. You should listen first before deciding.”

The Emperor’s expression was displeased. After a moment of silence, he said, “Summon her then.”

“Yes.” Baoshan quickly went out and invited Consort Hua in.

“This concubine has something to say to Your Majesty,” Consort Hua said with a stern face, kneeling below.

Shen Guiyan was startled. Consort Hua seemed somewhat different from usual. That normally smooth and tactful person had actually come in today and immediately said such a blunt sentence.

Gu Chaobei said with displeasure, “This is Yonghe Palace, Noble Consort Yan’s palace. Are you actually asking her to withdraw?”

Consort Hua nodded. “Yes, what this concubine has to say can only be heard by Your Majesty alone.”

The Emperor snorted coldly and was about to rebuke her when Shen Guiyan stood up. “This concubine was just thinking of going out for a walk. Baoshan, come help me.”

Baoshan responded and helped her mistress walk outside.

“Your Majesty, please have a good talk with Consort Hua.”

The palace door closed. Gu Chaobei was extremely uncomfortable. Without looking at Consort Hua, he only looked at the water clock beside him and asked, “What do you want to say?”

Consort Hua knelt properly before the Emperor and kowtowed three times with resounding thuds.

Gu Chaobei was slightly startled.

“This is the contract personally written by Consort Fu and this concubine,” Consort Hua said. “With this evidence of her crime, plus the Yellow Spring Powder in this concubine’s sleeve, Your Majesty can execute Consort Fu and even implicate the Fu family.”

The Emperor finally turned his head.

He took the contract, and the words written on it made his heart skip a beat.

“Fu Youyi willingly establishes this contract. Today I seek Consort Hua Baihe’s help in ascending to position, and promise to repay her. If Consort Hua can poison Noble Consort Yan’s unborn child with Yellow Spring Powder, then when Fu ascends to the Empress position, it shall be the day Consort Hua is granted the consort title. This contract is hereby established, binding both parties’ lives, seeking no regrets.”

Below were Fu Youyi’s seal and handprint.

His eyes narrowing slightly, Gu Chaobei laughed coldly. “When there are too many women in the harem, do they have nothing better to do? So fixated on harming my women and children?”

Consort Hua kowtowed. “The evidence of her crimes is already in Your Majesty’s hands. This concubine is willing to testify in court, to prove Consort Fu’s treasonous intentions.”

His fingers tightening slightly, the Emperor looked down at her. “If you testify, you’ll be executed along with her. This contract also has your name on it.”

“This concubine knows,” Consort Hua—or rather, Baihe—raised her head to look at Gu Chaobei and smiled faintly. “From the moment this concubine tricked Consort Fu into writing this, this concubine knew she wouldn’t have a good ending either. This is the punishment this concubine deserves, and also… the last thing this concubine can do for Your Majesty.”

How many people had she killed, directly or indirectly, stirring up countless murky waters in this harem? His Majesty probably didn’t know exactly what she had done. Otherwise, how could he still be looking at her with such a pitying expression now?