Black Shadow knelt on the ground. “Master.”
“Regarding the Jun Kingdom, this subordinate has already inserted those people into the Crown Prince’s faction.”
“Master, your injuries…” Black Shadow made a throat-slitting gesture. “Should this subordinate eliminate those…”
A faint laugh came from the bed, but the smile that had been as gentle as a spring breeze on the palace path moments ago now carried a chilling sensation in the pitch-black darkness.
“Among those ministers’ legitimate sons are spies sent by my dear elder brother to keep an eye on me. Even if they die accidentally, he will send others.”
“Staying in this Chu imperial palace as a useless person isn’t so bad. It will naturally make my dear elder brother in the Jun Kingdom lower his guard and rest easy.”
“If you have nothing better to do, among today’s people—except for those two spies—you can kill one or two for amusement.”
Black Shadow understood. “Yes, this subordinate understands.”
“It’s a bit dark.”
Suddenly, the person on the bed raised a hand. A cold breeze swept through, rustling the windows. Wherever the internal energy reached, two candles were lit—showing no sign of the rumored complete loss of martial arts.
The flickering candlelight cast shifting shadows across the bed.
The person on the bed curled their crimson lips slightly, long eyelashes concealing the gaze that held a smile as subtle as a snake’s flickering tongue.
“However, today I encountered a good Bodhisattva who saves all beings and rescues the suffering.”
“Even when she herself looks like she’s about to die any moment, she still has the heart to meddle in others’ affairs. How interesting.”
The slow tone made it unclear whether it was praise or sarcasm.
Black Shadow said, “Does Master mean… Princess Yun Xi?”
“This subordinate has heard that in the Chu imperial palace, Princess Yun Xi is the most kind-hearted and never abuses her power. She probably couldn’t stand seeing those people bully others today, so she stepped in to help.”
“Who would have thought that someone as sinister and cruel as Emperor Chu could raise such a kind-hearted, guileless daughter.”
“Only her body is too weak. Who knows how long she can live.”
Perhaps thinking of that slender neck on the palace path that looked like it would snap with a pinch.
The person on the bed laughed, the meaning unclear. “Is that so?”
Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Hearing Eunuch Desheng’s announcement.
Gu Xi curved her beautiful eyes into a gentle smile toward the hall’s entrance. “Aunt Consort is here.”
Emperor Chu patted her hand affectionately. “You girl, so happy to hear the Consort is coming. Do you miss your father more, or your aunt more?”
“I miss you both.”
In the Void Space, the Celestial Beast watched the scene before it and inexplicably recalled Gu Xi’s words from that day: “Blocking whose path.”
The Celestial Beast finally had an intelligent moment: 【You look so happy hearing about this Consort Rong—clearly planning something bad. The one who poisoned you, could it be this Consort Rong?】
The Little Beast scratched its head: 【But you just called her aunt—she’s the original host’s biological aunt. Why would she poison the original host?】
Gu Xi used her spiritual sense to tug the Little Beast’s ear: 【Want to know?】
The Little Beast nodded: 【Want to know】
Gu Xi: 【Beg this venerable one, and I’ll tell you.】
Celestial Beast: …
Gu Xi looked at the Celestial Beast’s foolish expression and slightly curved the corner of his lips: [If I’m not mistaken, she not only poisoned the original host, but she also had a hand in the death of the late empress.]
[Otherwise, why would the late empress, who was perfectly healthy at the time, fail to give birth to a legitimate heir for so many years? There was even a period when her illness worsened, ultimately leading to her demise.]
[After the late empress’s death, the one who benefited the most in this vast harem was naturally Consort Rong.]
[Everyone in the Chu Kingdom knows that Emperor Chu loved only the late empress and rarely favored other women in the palace, showing no particular lust for beauty. Yet, while the late empress was still alive, her own elder sister, Consort Rong, entered the harem.]
[It seems Consort Rong took a fancy to her sister’s husband and schemed her way in, relying on her resemblance to the late empress.]
[After entering the palace, day after day without receiving any favor, she naturally grew resentful of Emperor Chu’s deep affection and harmonious relationship with her sister.]
The Celestial Beast’s mouth hung open, as if it had just devoured a juicy piece of gossip.
The Little Beast sighed: [Human jealousy is truly terrifying.]
Gu Xi continued: [After the late empress’s death, she naturally rose to become the mistress of the harem. Thanks to her resemblance to the late empress, she has enjoyed unwavering imperial favor ever since. She now possesses both power and status.]
[I suspect it was later, when Emperor Chu became excessively doting toward the original host—his daughter—that she began to resent her. She couldn’t stand Emperor Chu’s affection for the only daughter left behind by her sister.]
[In the original host’s memories, Consort Rong was present during most of her fainting spells. Each time, Consort Rong would appear deeply concerned and worried, summoning imperial physicians to examine the original host.]
[The poison truly is peculiar. I wonder where Consort Rong obtained it—the entire Imperial Medical Institute couldn’t detect any signs of poisoning.]
Consort Rong’s footsteps echoed from the outer hall, drawing closer to the inner chamber.
Gu Xi smiled at Emperor Chu while continuing his conversation with the Celestial Beast in the Void Space: [Poor original host, naive and innocent, mistakenly believed that after her mother’s death, the closest people in the harem besides her father were her aunt.]
[She even transferred her feelings for her deceased mother onto her aunt. Whenever Emperor Chu bestowed any treasures upon her, she would send them to Consort Rong’s palace, treating Consort Rong as if she were her own mother.]
[It’s also Consort Rong’s fault for acting so convincingly. Everyone in the harem knows that after the late empress’s death, Consort Rong has been practicing vegetarianism and reciting Buddhist sutras in mourning.]
[She even treated Princess Yun Xi, the daughter left behind by the late empress, as her own, showering her with affection—more than she showed her own biological daughter. At the slightest sign of trouble with Princess Yun Xi, Consort Rong would be heartbroken.]
[Over the past two years, Consort Rong visited the Moon Embracing Palace almost daily to care for the original host. The original host often clung to Consort Rong, and to outsiders, their bond appeared incredibly deep. Who in the harem could have guessed that the mastermind behind it all was Consort Rong?]
The Celestial Beast understood: [Visiting the original host? I see—she was probably checking daily to see if the original host had died yet.]
[The late empress and the original host truly suffered. The late empress died, and the original host died on the day we arrived. Meanwhile, Consort Rong and her children have basked in the late empress’s reflected glory, enjoying Emperor Chu’s favor all along.]
[If we hadn’t come, the entire harem would have long been her domain alone.]
The bead curtain was lifted, and Consort Rong entered.
She gracefully bowed in greeting, “Your humble consort pays respects to Your Majesty.”
Her appearance and beauty were indeed remarkable. Though she held the rank of imperial consort, she wore no elaborate golden hairpins. Instead, she was dressed in a light blue palace gown, her hair tied up with a few jade hairpins, which made her skin appear even fairer. Her complexion glowed like a lotus, her brows were delicately curved, and her lips were touched with vermilion, exuding a natural and elegant charm.
That light blue attire, combined with her eyes—which resembled the gentle autumn waters of the late empress—created a hazy resemblance to the late empress in her youth.
Seeing Gu Xi sitting there, her voice carried a note of joy, but a flicker of malice flashed in her eyes.
“Xi’er is here too…”