Yun Jiao could infinitely reload her life.
So, even as a picky and delicate little Daying who lacked the Emperor’s favor, she could still live a smooth and satisfying life in the imperial harem.
The dishes from the imperial kitchen aren’t to my liking?
Reload, and get my favorite steamed pork with rice flour.
The color of the distributed fabric doesn’t suit me?
Reload. This time, I finally got my favorite lake-green.
The Emperor flipped my name-tablet?
Reload. Life is just as comfortable without his favor.
As long as the outcome wasn’t to her liking, she would just reload and start over.
Yun Jiao had transmigrated to the state of Yan Chi eighteen years ago. It was a fetal transmigration into the single-player palace intrigue game, “Deep Palace,” that she had been playing before she died. The body she now inhabited was the very character she had created herself—Yun Jiao, daughter of the Director of Studies at the Imperial Academy.
In her previous life, she had been frail and sickly, spending her days in a hospital ward. Her only entertainment was the free-to-play, single-player palace intrigue game, and her best gaming skill was the S/L (Save/Load) method.
In the game:
The Emperor won’t flip my name-tablet?
Load and start over! If the Emperor doesn’t come to my palace tonight, he can forget about going anywhere else!
Poor constitution leading to a difficult childbirth?
Load and start over! With enough patience, she could reload until she got a boy and a girl twin.
A palace maid trying to climb into the master’s bed, assassination by poison, verbal sparring? Reload and start over for all of them!
Speaking of which, Yun Jiao was filled with regret.
A pay-to-win player’s character could have all their stats maxed out at 999.
Yun Jiao had been stingy, unwilling to spend money on the game.
If she had known she would transmigrate into the game, she would have dropped 648 yuan on it without a second thought.
Fortunately, the character’s initial stats weren’t fixed. Because Yun Jiao had the patience to grind for stats, her character was top-tier among free-to-play players.
[Yun Jiao]
Constitution: 800 (Healthy and Resilient)
Demeanor: 500 (Gentle and Serene)
Appearance: 800 (Nation-Toppling Beauty)
Scheming: 100 (Naive and Gullible)
These heaven-defying stats came at the cost of being completely inept at the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
However, Yun Jiao soon discovered something.
Ever since her mother began teaching her the zither, the originally grayed-out skill points lit up, proving that she could change and improve herself.
If she were just to marry into an ordinary family, she could live a comfortable life without needing any artistic talents.
Unexpectedly, during the selection she thought was just a formality, she was noticed by the Empress Dowager, who kept her name-tablet and conferred upon her the title of Yun Daying, to enter the palace on a chosen date. Yun Jiao was initially terrified; after all, the real-life harem wasn’t a game. But that very night, she activated her reload ability. With three empty slots, she could save and load at will, which was equivalent to having a limited ability to rewind time.
What was there to be afraid of now?
As long as she saved diligently, she could brave even the most dangerous of lairs.
“Jiao’jiao, you must be cautious in your actions after entering the palace. Think thrice before you speak. Once an arrow is shot, it cannot be recalled.”
The night before she entered the palace, her mother held Yun Jiao’s hands and urged her.
“I know, Mother.”
Yun Jiao replied in a clear, crisp voice, her smile gentle and obedient. This carefree appearance made Madam Yun even more worried. Her daughter was blessed with good looks, her skin fair and supple, her eyes bright and her teeth pearly, yet she had developed a careless disposition. Who knew how much she would suffer after entering the palace, or what hardships would wear her down.
Yun Jiao wasn’t worried in the slightest.
It was said that once an arrow is shot, it cannot be recalled, but she could make the arrow return—
All she had to do was save before shooting it.
Yun Jiao used her second save slot on the day she entered the palace.
Her first save slot had been used the previous night, as she spoke while resting her head on her mother’s lap.
If she was ever wronged in the palace, she could reload to be comforted in her mother’s embrace and heal.
The moment she sat in the sedan chair, a wave of longing for her parents washed over her.
Yun Jiao fought the urge to lift the curtain and look back, sitting primly and properly until she reached the palace gates.
When she alighted from the sedan, a eunuch bowed and greeted her:
“Greetings to Little Master Yun.”
According to the new rules of the Yan Chi harem, newly entered consorts would all live in Chu Xiu Palace to learn the rules. Only after they had learned them well would they be assigned their own palaces and be officially promoted to consorts. If they failed to learn the rules, they would remain in Chu Xiu Palace until they received the approval of the teaching mama and the Empress.
Yun Jiao lived far away, and her mother was very reluctant to let her go, delaying her departure. As a result, she was the last to arrive. In Chu Xiu Palace, eight young women were either sitting or standing. When they saw a newcomer, they cast a glance her way. Upon discovering another top-tier beauty, those with less self-control immediately pursed their lips.
Her family background was the lowest among the selected ladies present, and she wasn’t one for socializing, so she found a quiet corner to sit down.
No one spoke to Yun Jiao, even by the time the teaching mama arrived.
A stern-looking Aunt Jiang read the palace rules and regulations to the group. After finishing, she said, “These are all things you little masters must memorize before you can serve His Majesty. Now, we will assign rooms. Two people to a room, no objections allowed.”
Hearing they had to share a room, everyone showed expressions of surprise and indignation.
The selected ladies were all precious daughters in their own homes, some even having their own courtyards. To be housed worse in the palace than at home, they immediately felt the disparity. Moreover, they had heard that the rooms in Chu Xiu Palace were not all the same. If they were assigned a bad room, it would be truly miserable.
Attendant Zhang, who was next to Consort Ji, raised an objection: “Mama, are the rooms to be chosen according to rank? Although we are all here to learn the rules, our ranks have been set, so there should still be a distinction between high and low.”
She and Consort Ji were close friends, but she always acted as Consort Ji’s subordinate.
Today, with Attendant Zhang speaking up, everyone knew she was merely a mouthpiece for Consort Ji.
Consort Ji had received the highest initial rank in this selection and had the best family background, so she was naturally the most unwilling to endure hardship.
“The room assignments will be decided by drawing lots. Little Master Zhang may not be aware, but this is also Her Majesty the Empress’s decree. This servant is merely following orders.”
When addressing Attendant Zhang, the teaching mama put on a flawless smile and tone, but by bringing up the Empress’s decree, even Consort Ji dared not make another sound.
Yun Jiao wasn’t flustered at all. She immediately saved her game.
Drawing lots? Great. Isn’t this just like rolling for a starting setup?
She was all too familiar with this.
“Come, Little Master Yun, please draw. Whichever stick you get is the one you get. You can’t go back on it.”
Thus, compared to the others’ anxiety, Yun Jiao’s composure as she stepped forward to draw caught the teaching mama’s attention. She thought more highly of her, seeing her as a child who could keep her cool.
In this palace, only those who could keep their cool could go far.
After the ladies had drawn their lots, they could go to their rooms to settle in.
The person sharing a room with Yun Jiao happened to be that very Attendant Zhang. The moment she walked into the side room, her face darkened. “It’s actually a north-facing room, how unlucky! It doesn’t even get any sunlight during the day,” she complained. She glanced at Yun Jiao with a look of disgust. “I don’t want to share a room with you.”
Yun Jiao: “Me neither.”
Just as Attendant Zhang was about to flare up, the surroundings froze.
In the blink of an eye, what appeared before Yun Jiao again was the teaching mama’s amiable smile: “Come, Little Master Yun, please draw. Whichever stick you get is the one you get. You can’t go back on it.”
This time, the room she drew had a good orientation, but it smelled of mildew.
After asking a palace maid and confirming that the problem couldn’t be solved, Yun Jiao reloaded again.
“Come, Little Master Yun, please draw…”
This time, the orientation was good, but her roommate was Attendant Zhang again.
“Come, Little Master Yun, please draw…”
This time, the orientation was good and the roommate was amicable, but it was too close to the latrines.
“Come, Little Master Yun, please draw…”
After reloading six times, she finally drew a room that was satisfactory in all aspects. After settling in, they all gathered in Qing Xin Hall to listen to the teaching mama explain the palace rules and learn how to serve dishes. There was a lot to learn and memorize, and the day was exhausting. As Yun Jiao lay down, thinking of home and preparing to sleep, the sound of Attendant He’s snoring came from beside her…
Yun Jiao closed her eyes and resolutely reloaded.
She had to stay here for a month!
She had to get a perfect start!
“Come, Little Master Yun, please draw…”
…
That day seemed to be trapped in an endless loop.
After she finally got a room to her satisfaction, the other selected ladies began to get acquainted. The little Dayings with lower family status banded together for warmth, and Yun Jiao became the object of their envy.
“Sister Yun, your luck is truly amazing. You actually drew the best room, with the window facing a blooming magnolia tree. You can even enjoy the view to relieve boredom in your spare time. Unlike the room I got, my window faces a wall! If only we could draw again…”
“How could we? We’re lucky we don’t get a beating from the mama.”
Yun Jiao rested her chin on her hand. Before she could say anything, the stern-faced teaching mama walked in to teach them the rules for serving at the imperial table. “When His Majesty and Her Majesty dine, there are palace maids to serve the dishes. Normally, there is no reason for a master to do it herself. But in case the Emperor does not want others to serve, a little master cannot be completely clueless and commit the offense of losing decorum before the Emperor.”
Hearing that it was related to the Emperor, the selected ladies fell silent.
“Today is the first time. This servant will only teach some simple basics. I don’t ask for graceful etiquette, only that the steps and rites are correct. Then you may have your own meal.”
Only when the teaching mama mentioned it did the group remember they hadn’t eaten yet.
It was fine when it wasn’t mentioned, but now they all felt famished.
It seemed that if they didn’t meet the mama’s standard, they wouldn’t even get to eat! The selected ladies cried out in their hearts and felt timid—they had all been pampered at home. Their banquet etiquette was naturally impeccable, but they had never learned how to serve others.
Wet Nurse Ye took in everyone’s expressions.
Only when her gaze fell on Yun Jiao did she pause, noticing that she was surprisingly calm, not flustered at all.
…After all, in the N times she had reloaded to get the initial dormitory, she had already learned how to serve dishes seven times!