Mist drifted through the air, dense and hazy.
The bath barrel was filled with milk. Inside it, a woman lazily rested her arm over the edge, leaning her body against the wide rim. Tiny droplets of water slid down her smooth, delicate back.
“Your Majesty, the Empress is bathing!”
A maid’s anxious voice came from outside, followed by chaotic footsteps.
Hearing this, Hua Shu frowned and looked up. The exquisitely carved peony screen was pushed open.
The man who entered wore a purple dragon robe. He was handsome, tall, and upright—but his eyes were dark and stormy.
“The Empress truly has outrageous courage—jealous, malicious, and now even scheming against the imperial heir!”
His voice was filled with rage, veins bulging at his temples. He was clearly furious.
Hua Shu inwardly sighed. She had only arrived in this unfamiliar state of Chu a few days ago, and already she had to deal with such a mess.
She was Hua Shu, yet not entirely Hua Shu. Before opening her eyes here, she had been a famous Empress Dowager of Zhao.
Famous because she had risen from a mere maid, raised a young emperor to the throne, and firmly secured her position as Empress Dowager.
In the eyes of others, she was the embodiment of a seductive demoness—one who bewitches rulers and corrupts the harem.
Confucian scholars condemned her endlessly, imagining countless filthy dealings behind her rise to power. She endured it all in silence at first. But once she gained control, she became ruthless and decisive, purging political enemies without hesitation.
She won—and rewrote Zhao’s history with her own hand.
The only regret was the years she had suffered in obscurity, her body left with lingering illness and pain.
Yet when she opened her eyes again, she was in Chu, a country she had never even heard of, now the Empress.
An Empress—such a noble identity, backed by a powerful family, the emperor’s only legitimate wife.
Unfortunately, the original owner of this body was foolish and unstable, leaving behind many problems.
And now she had provoked the emperor’s beloved Consort Rong, leaving evidence behind and getting herself set up.
Facing the emperor’s rage, Hua Shu had no choice but to endure it—but the current situation was clearly not ideal for confrontation.
The emperor had stormed in angrily without regard for propriety, so she saw no need to care about etiquette either.
Thinking this, Hua Shu calmly stood up.
Water cascaded down her body, droplets splashing softly. Her jade-like skin was fully exposed before the emperor’s eyes.
Her skin, freshly soaked in milk, was smooth and fair like condensed cream. The two peaks of her chest resembled ripe cherries.
The Empress was not a peerless beauty, but her features were delicate and refined. With her black hair scattered over her waist and no ornate robes on her body, she looked unexpectedly fragile and alluring.
Indecent!
Emperor Chu Ze turned his gaze away, unconsciously clenching his fists inside his sleeves.
At that moment, Hua Shu stepped out of the bath. The maid hurried forward to serve her. After being rinsed clean, she moved casually, water splashing with every step.
The emperor felt a trace of awkwardness and turned away stiffly, moving into the inner chamber.
Seeing him leave, Hua Shu smiled faintly and continued dressing herself in an orderly manner.
As long as one is bold enough, it is always others who retreat.
She changed into a red peony-patterned dress, loosely tied her hair at the back, and dismissed all attendants with a wave.
Parting the beaded curtain, she saw the emperor seated there, idly rubbing a teacup, lost in thought.
Hua Shu walked over slowly and bowed.
Seeing her, Chu Ze’s anger from earlier returned. He slammed the teacup onto the table.
“Absurd! As Empress, you are jealous and unvirtuous. From today onward, you are no longer fit to manage the six palaces.”
Stripping her of harem authority—this was a serious punishment.
Normally at this point, there would already be cries and pleas for mercy.
But Hua Shu did not do so today. Instead, she calmly admitted fault.
“I failed to handle things properly and caused Your Majesty anger. I am guilty.”
Chu Ze froze for a moment, as if realizing something. His gaze darkened further.
“Are you threatening me? Do you think I wouldn’t dare depose you?”
“Your Majesty need not humiliate me. I do not mean that.” Hua Shu replied softly. “You may take the Phoenix Seal. My health is poor, and I am indeed incapable of managing the harem.”
Under the flickering candlelight, she lowered her eyes. A faint sense of loneliness seemed to envelop her slender figure.
After a long silence, a cold laugh came from above her head.
He bent down, his large hand gripping her neck and forcing her chin upward.
“The Empress is becoming quite skilled at pretending. For the sake of power, what else would you not do?”
He knew very well what she had done before. Seeing her now act so innocent only made his anger rise further.
Hua Shu was forced to look at him directly, fully aware that the emperor despised her. Anything she said would be useless.
Besides—who doesn’t love power?
Power can forge gods, and also kill them.
“So what does Your Majesty want me to do?” she asked, meeting his gaze.
To be honest, this man’s face was indeed striking—sharp brows, bright eyes, excellent appearance among all the men she had seen.
If it had been her in the past, she might have even been interested in playing along.
Unfortunately, she was now a neglected Empress, and had to act carefully.
Their eyes met. Hua Shu’s gaze was clear and pure, without the slightest impurity.
Chu Ze’s mind wavered for a moment, his grip loosening slightly. When he realized it, he abruptly stood up, irritation flashing across his face.
“The Empress is incompetent. Strip her of harem authority.”
As he left, he glanced at the milk baths placed outside.
“Since the Empress values frugality, such luxuries as milk are unnecessary. Inform the kitchens—no more milk will be sent to her in the future.”
Manager Li, waiting outside, quickly followed, thinking to himself: The Empress is probably finished now—even milk has been cut off.
The group hurried away.
Hua Shu stood up. Her gaze changed in an instant—no longer innocent. Her eyes turned deep and unfathomable, flickering with ambition.
In that moment, it felt as though her outer shell had peeled away, revealing a completely different person beneath.
She sat on the couch, propping herself up with one arm, her raven-feather lashes fluttering. Shadows trembled beneath her eyes.
Her fingers played with the teacup the emperor had thrown onto the table. With a half-smile, she pushed it outward.
It shattered on the floor into pieces.