Perhaps the emperor believed that whenever Wei Yao stayed by his side, the dizziness, weakness, and lightheadedness plaguing his body would ease considerably.
Because of this, he had grown increasingly fond of her—so much so that they were nearly inseparable.
Naturally, Wei Yao was overjoyed. It felt as though she had returned to the days when she had first entered the palace: young, beautiful, the most striking woman in the harem, and therefore the one most favored by the emperor.
She was extremely skilled with her words. She never openly accused Yunshang of deceit or trickery; instead, she spoke in roundabout ways, subtly guiding the emperor’s thoughts. Over time, with constant insinuation and quiet instigation, the emperor inevitably developed a trace of dissatisfaction toward Yunshang.
After all—had he truly done something wrong?
He had granted the Heavenly Maiden and the National Preceptor such exalted titles, yet those two seemed to want nothing in return. But did such good fortune truly exist in this world?
If one day a price had to be paid—and he could not afford it—what then?
“I’ve heard the Heavenly Maiden stays within the Tianji Palace these days and rarely comes out. I didn’t expect you’d still have the leisure to stroll around here.”
Wei Yao had deliberately asked people to investigate Yunshang’s recent movements. She calculated the timing carefully, coming here specifically to mock her.
She disliked this woman—truly disliked her.
“I didn’t expect to run into Your Ladyship again.”
Yunshang merely smiled gently.“Lately, His Majesty insists on having you by his side at all times. I never imagined you’d still have the spare time to concern yourself with me. I’m honestly quite flattered.”
As she spoke, Yunshang casually glanced at the sachet hanging from Wei Yao’s waist. The fragrance was fresh and elegant, faint and elusive—no wonder the emperor hadn’t noticed anything amiss.
“Why do I sense a hint of jealousy in the Heavenly Maiden’s words?” Wei Yao said with a faint smile.“Could it be that you truly envy me? Envy the favor His Majesty has bestowed upon me?”
In her own mind, Wei Yao believed she had seen through everything. This woman was clearly aiming for the harem itself—no wonder she held such hostility toward her.
If that was the case, then there was even more reason to eliminate them.
Recently, the situation within the palace had changed drastically. In the past, the emperor merely trusted the Third Prince somewhat, simply because of his capability. But now, with his health declining, the emperor spent his days within the inner palace.
Matters of the court had all fallen into the Third Prince’s hands, and the Third Prince was closely aligned with the An State Duke’s household.
As a result, An Guogong’s influence surged dramatically.
An Guogong had never regretted his past actions. If there was any regret at all, it was only that he had been too soft-hearted.
He should have eradicated that bastard child completely back then—so none of this trouble would exist now.
That day, after finishing his memorials, the emperor grew drowsy and lethargic once again. The familiar exhaustion washed over him, and he ordered Wei Yao to be summoned.
Only after catching the faint fragrance on her body did he feel slightly more alert.
This had been the case for some time now.
Perhaps he really was just growing old.
His spirit was nothing like it had been in his youth. After handling even a small amount of state affairs, he felt utterly drained—his vision blurring as he looked at the words before him.
People feared aging most of all.
A once-robust body gradually weakened, strength slipping away little by little.
“Your Majesty must be far too tired,” Wei Yao said softly, leaning into his embrace.“These matters can be left to the Third Prince. Didn’t you once say he truly pleased you? He handles everything with great order. All Your Majesty needs to do is rest and recover.”
As she spoke, she deliberately let the sachet show, hoping the emperor would inhale more of the incense.
From the moment she wore that sachet, she knew she had no way back.
She could only move forward, just like her father and brother.
She knew exactly how audacious her actions were—and precisely because she knew, she felt fear and guilt. But if she didn’t dare gamble now, when would she ever?
The emperor was already old. He could not sit on the throne forever. The empire needed a new ruler—and the An State Duke’s household had chosen to stand with the Third Prince.
As long as the next emperor was the Third Prince, the An State Duke’s household could rest easy.
With her father and brother supporting her, she would live comfortably in the harem—and most importantly, Yunshang and Adu could be dealt with once and for all.
Perhaps she and Yunshang were simply born to be at odds. From their very first meeting, she had sensed hostility.
Another half month passed, and the emperor’s body grew increasingly frail—yet he himself remained unaware, lost in indulgence and tenderness, never realizing he was being calculated against.
That night, Yunshang and Adu forced their way into the palace despite the guards’ attempts to stop them.
Adu stepped forward and took the emperor’s pulse, immediately confirming it—he had indeed been poisoned, and it was a form of intoxicating incense.
The sachet hung at Wei Yao’s waist. The emperor shared her bed day after day—how could he possibly have noticed that he was being ensnared by its scent?
Upon learning that he had been plotted against by someone at his side, the emperor was enraged.
Even in old age, he could not tolerate such betrayal.
He immediately distanced himself from the Third Prince, exiled the entire An State Duke’s household, and consigned Wei Yao to the Cold Palace—never to be pardoned.
When the news reached him, An Guogong finally realized that his family was finished.
The truth had been exposed so swiftly—it could only be because of that person in the palace.
In the end, he had been destroyed by his own son.
He was filled with regret.
Why hadn’t he eradicated them completely back then? Why hadn’t he killed the child outright, instead of letting him grow up and return for revenge?
When the imperial decree arrived, Wei Yao could not believe it.
Her entire family was exiled to a remote frontier. She herself would be confined to the Cold Palace for the rest of her life—never to be forgiven.
She cried and screamed, begging to see the emperor one last time.
But how could she?
After this incident, Yunshang and Adu became even more indispensable in the emperor’s eyes. Everyone in the palace knew that the emperor trusted the Heavenly Maiden and the National Preceptor above all else—no one dared show them the slightest disrespect.
As for the Third Prince, he would likely never regain the emperor’s favor.
Watching the An State Duke’s household exiled in such miserable fashion, Adu felt no particular emotion.
Hadn’t they brought this upon themselves?
He had merely gone along with the tide.
Neither he nor Yunshang wished to remain in the palace for long. The emperor’s trust existed only because they were useful.
And so, one day, the Heavenly Maiden and the National Preceptor vanished from the palace without a trace—just as though they had never been there at all.
Only Adu knew that, in this lifetime, he would remain by Yunshang’s side for a very long, long time.
They returned to the small wooden cabin deep in the mountains, just as they had in the beginning.