Chapter 8

“I'm laughing because you're ridiculous. A favored concubine in your household?…”

My mocking gaze passed over his lower half.

“If only that thing of yours were as big as your ego.”

Xie Jing'an shuddered, his face turning red.

“You're vulgar and shameless!”

“No matter what tricks you use, I will never marry you.”

He angrily flung his sleeve and walked away.

**13**

Not long after, Consort Shu was confined to the Cold Palace, and the Fifth Prince was sent away to his fief.

Consort Lin was triumphant. Everything was going her way.

Xiao Ce came to find me because he admired the strong.

“You've gone to all this trouble for my sake. I suppose you've just barely earned Grandmother's favor.”

“After all, she raised me. I have to show her some respect.”

The wound on his forehead was still there.

With a jade crown on his head, gold-trimmed boots on his feet, and a red robe draped over his shoulders, he looked like a flamboyant, arrogant young nobleman.

He sat across from me, his narrow eyes glinting with amusement.

“You helped my mother out of trouble, and saved me from a desperate situation. I…”

He shyly rubbed the bridge of his nose, his voice growing quieter.

“I quite like you, too.”

I shot him a sideways look.

“So I'm no longer scheming and calculating?”

“That's called being resourceful.”

“And I'm not sinister and treacherous anymore?”

“That's called using special measures in extraordinary circumstances.”

He cleared his throat and put his hands behind his back.

“Besides, if you had no feelings for me, why would you use a ‘kill three thousand enemies, lose eight hundred of your own’ tactic on me?”

“My mother said you had no other choice.”

“Even though I don't particularly like you, you've put this much thought into me. If I stubbornly refuse, what if you lose heart? Wouldn't that make me an ungrateful wretch?”

“Fine. I'll marry you. A man has to marry sooner or later, and start a household.”

“Oh, and what style of wedding robe do you like?”

“What do you want for the main courtyard?”

“Would you prefer a son or a daughter?”

“Would five children be too many?”

“Is the Grand Tutor too strict? Is he really suitable to teach our children?”

“No, no. We'll have to find a few more teachers…”

I—

“What did Your Highness say?”

He let out an “Ah,” then scratched his head.

“My mother said your schemes are excellent. She really likes you.”

**13**

Noble Lady Yu, the Emperor's new favorite, lost her seven-month-old male child because of a plate of pastries.

All the vague, confusing evidence pointed to Guanshu Palace.

The Fifth Prince, Consort Shu's son, was greatly favored by the Emperor and had become Xiao Ce's rival.

Consort Shu used her status as Noble Lady Yu's maternal cousin to fan the flames, hoping to deal a heavy blow to Guanshu Palace.

After we decided to fight a battle to the death, we used the same poison to kill Eunuch Li.

Consort Lin fainted dramatically in the Emperor's arms.

The Emperor ordered a thorough investigation. In the end, they uncovered Eunuch Li's true identity: a spy Consort Shu had planted.

They also found some unused Remnant Thread poison in Consort Shu's Yongning Palace.

It was the same poison that had taken Noble Lady Yu's child and Eunuch Li's life.

Once Consort Shu was left with no way to defend herself,

Consort Lin brought out the information I'd given her in advance, one piece at a time, before Noble Lady Yu.

Noble Lady Yu had been brought into the palace by the Li family, her mother's family, to help Consort Shu—whose beauty was fading and favor declining—secure her position.

People only knew that Noble Lady Yu had been raised by the Li family.

No one knew that after the Li family strangled Noble Lady Yu's wet nurse, they seized her dowry, worth tens of thousands of taels.

They had also pushed her into the water. She hadn't drowned, but she lost her memory.

To use her to the very end, they treated her like an object, sending her into the imperial harem to become a blade in Consort Shu's hand.

Noble Lady Yu was only half convinced.

Consort Lin cornered Consort Li in the Imperial Garden and mocked her.

“An exquisite scheme to kill with a borrowed knife.”

“You dealt with Noble Lady Yu and her child, and dragged me into it, too. Consort Shu, you're as vicious as ever.”

“It's a pity for your innocent cousin. After you used her up, she ended up like that.”

“Do you think her parents will crawl through your window in the middle of the night to demand your life?”

Consort Li clutched her handkerchief, her expression cold.

“I don't understand what you mean, Your Highness.”

Consort Lin shot her a sideways glance.

“But is the head maid serving Noble Lady Yu really one of her people?”

Consort Li flinched, panic crossing her face.

Noble Lady Yu, standing behind a peach tree, saw everything.

Later, to avenge her blood debt, she willingly allied herself with Consort Lin.

In just a few short days, she used fabricated evidence to execute the head matron and drag Consort Shu into the mess.

The old case against the Wang family was brought before the Emperor again.

Noble Lady Yu wept piteously, asking only for justice for her child and family.

The Son of Heaven was enraged.

He ordered the Three Judicial Offices to investigate thoroughly.

Under that storm of imperial fury, the Li family was wiped out overnight.

Consort Shu was confined to her palace under the pretense of recuperating. She would never be allowed to step beyond its gates again.

With everyone kicking them when they were down, the Fifth Prince's residence grew deserted. He no longer had the strength to compete with Xiao Ce.

Consort Lin had won a great victory.

In my previous life, that dear friend from another generation had promised me wealth and honor, showered riches upon me, and given me male companions. She did everything she could to keep me safe for the rest of my life.