Chapter 6

“Does the Li in Eunuch Li's name use the same character as Consort Li's? I heard Eunuch Li is from Ningzhou, the same hometown as Consort Li.”

Eunuch Li's body trembled. He jerked his head up and looked at me.

Consort Lin immediately noticed the panic in his eyes. The teacup in her hand stopped midair.

Perhaps she had finally put it together.

Ever since Eunuch Li, who had once risked his life to protect her, arrived at Guanshu Palace, her luck had begun to turn.

Every time, she either lost a move to her rival or was beaten to the punch by Consort Shu and her son.

Even the poison that caused Noble Lady Yu to miscarry had passed through the hands of one of Eunuch Li's apprentices. That was why all the Emperor's suspicions and Noble Lady Yu's resentment had fallen on Consort Lin.

When too many things happened by coincidence, they were no longer coincidences.

In my previous life, Consort Shu and the Fifth Prince had gradually gained the upper hand through one scheme after another.

Xiao Ce died. Consort Lin lost power.

That had nothing to do with me.

But then they tried to cut off my son's future, so they could give the credit to a cousin of the Fifth Prince, Xiao Yin.

Who could put up with that?

When I spoke plainly to Consort Shu, that sanctimonious woman who spent all day worshipping Buddha,

she even dared to send her only trusted maid to fetch a Heart Sutra and tell me to take it home and copy it at my leisure.

I only gave a contemptuous snort.

While she was turning away in triumph, I suddenly shoved her over the cliff.

Consort Lin, standing beside her, was so shocked she gaped at me.

“You… you just killed her in front of all these people?”

I smiled faintly and shook my head.

“Your Highness is mistaken. You saw Consort Shu lose her footing and fall.”

“If not, then you and I must have conspired to kill her.”

She was speechless.

But the astonishment in her eyes said it clearly: You really have nerve.

I had killed Consort Shu and dragged Consort Lin into it, making her my witness.

My methods had thoroughly won her over.

From then on, we became kindred spirits. On the battlefield of court politics, we took down the Fifth Prince, Xiao Yin, piece by piece until he had nothing left.

In private, she worried that I would be left a widow and suffer.

She always stood up for me.

She avenged me.

She never hesitated to shower me with money or send me guards.

Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, long strong legs, plenty of stamina—and skilled at pleasing people.

No wonder Consort Lin had chosen them herself.

In the second half of her life, she had nothing left.

Only revenge, and me.

Whenever she drank enough to grow tipsy, she would suppress the pain of losing her son and tease me.

“Marry anyone and it's all the same.”

“In your next life, marry my son. Whether he loves you or not won't change how much I love you.”

“A mother-in-law is still a mother, Miemian. Let me be your mother in your next life.”

She took excellent care of me through the second half of my life.

Even when she was dying, she still arranged futures and escape routes for my children.

So in this life, I came to her.

**09**

“He isn't someone who brings me good fortune.”

Consort Lin's expression darkened immediately.

“Then he can't be allowed to live.”

I stood and pulled the deadly poison hidden in my sleeve.

Before Eunuch Li could react, I gripped his jaw and forced the poison down his throat.

Then, under Consort Lin's astonished, hesitant, almost deliriously pleased gaze, I spoke slowly.

“If Consort Shu's snacks end up poisoning one of her own people, what would you call that?”

Consort Lin blinked.

“Self-inflicted?”

I laughed.

“It's cutting off your own limbs, Your Highness.”

Consort Lin suddenly understood. This was only the first time I'd handed her a knife.

Her throat bobbed with excitement.

“Feed him the pastries.”

The palace attendants came in one after another, forcing the poisoned pastries into Eunuch Li's mouth.

They stuffed the whole plate into him as he groaned and stammered, then dragged him to a side hall.

The hidden pawn who had caused trouble for Consort Lin and led to Xiao Ce's tragic death in my previous life had been rooted out for good.

No wonder she had been my closest friend from another lifetime.

After that one move, we were drawn to each other all over again, as if time and space meant nothing.

The ice in Consort Lin's eyes melted completely.

“I like your reckless, fearless madness. I wish I could be as wild as you and not care whether I lived or died.”

“You're living exactly the way I always wanted to. You're everything I wish I could be.”

“Tell me, what do you want in return?”

A smile curved my lips. I faced my dear friend and said boldly:

“I want to marry the Third Prince and become part of Your Highness's family.”

“Don't even think about it!”

**10**

As soon as the words left my mouth, Xiao Ce stormed in and shouted angrily at my back.

“Don't think no one knows what you did to me. I'm a noble prince of the imperial family. The woman I marry must be the finest among thousands…”

“What did I do to Your Highness?”

I turned around.

The wind swept down the corridor, sending my crimson robes and black hair flying.

Our eyes met. Xiao Ce's pupils trembled. He froze where he stood, and the tips of his ears turned red.

He raised a fist to cover his mouth and nose and cleared his throat.

“You… don't think that just because you saved me, you can do whatever you want with me.”

“I, the Third Prince… I won't lose my judgment because of gratitude or beauty.”