Morning.
After a night of rain, the sky was bluer than usual.
“Miss, Madam sent word: in half a month, it will be the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet. You’ll need to enter the palace then. Whatever gift you wish to prepare for the Empress Dowager, you may take from the storeroom.”
The Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet?
Shang Shiyan sat up, her smooth black hair falling over her shoulders. She recalled memories from her past life. The Empress Dowager was compassionate. After Empress Song took charge of the six palaces, the Empress Dowager devoted herself to Buddhism and kept two pet cats in Cining Palace for company.
Because of her status as the Crown Princess-to-be, Shang Shiyan had met the Empress Dowager several times, and the Empress Dowager had liked her. But after the birthday banquet, her attitude toward Shang Shiyan changed drastically.
The reason was that Shang Yunrou had embroidered a rare “Longevity as the Southern Mountains” picture as a gift.
In Great Sheng, Su embroidery was most prized—its stitches fine, its colors vivid and lifelike. Some Jiangnan women with extraordinary skill could sell a single piece for a fortune, showing how beloved it was among the people.
But the palace was never short of fine things. As exquisite as Su embroidery was, the Empress Dowager had seen plenty, so it no longer seemed novel.
Shang Yunrou’s gift, though poorly stitched and messy, was something she called “cross-stitch.” The Empress Dowager had never seen it before, and with the Crown Prince’s praise, it seemed rare and intriguing.
Meanwhile, Shang Shiyan’s painstaking “Pine and Crane” embroidery, which she had worked on for half a year, was mocked by Shang Yunrou as careless, even accused of being bought from a professional embroideress.
After feasting on delicacies, one craves simple fare.
The Empress Dowager rewarded Shang Yunrou generously, even bestowing a jade *ruyi* that made every woman in the capital envious.
That jade *ruyi* was already a rare treasure, and as a gift from the Empress Dowager, it symbolized status even more.
From then on, Shang Yunrou frequently entered the palace, gaining more opportunities to meet Shen Shian. The Empress Dowager, once fond of Shang Shiyan, grew critical of her “Pine and Crane” embroidery and gradually grew cold toward her. Later, when the Crown Prince annulled their engagement, the Empress Dowager played no small role.
Shang Shiyan pulled herself back from her thoughts. She didn’t care for the Empress Dowager’s favor—but Shang Yunrou had stolen her fortune. The rewards and honors that should have been hers were taken away.
Why should she hand everything over to Shang Yunrou?
Even if she didn’t care for the Empress Dowager’s favor, Shang Shiyan would reclaim her fortune!
After being helped out of bed, Shang Shiyan immediately went to find Shen Zuizhi and shared her thoughts.
Shen Zuizhi pinched her daughter’s cheek gently. “Don’t worry. Mother will make sure it’s done.”
“By the way, what’s going on with that maid Qiuyue in your courtyard?” Shen Zuizhi frowned. “The servants said she’s been kneeling in the back courtyard since early morning. No matter who calls her, she won’t rise, saying she doesn’t dare without your orders.”
Shang Shiyan sneered. “That’s just Shang Yunrou’s trick to ruin my reputation.”
“Troublesome girl. I’ll have her sold off immediately.” Shen Zuizhi hated servants who caused her daughter trouble.
“Mother, don’t rush. I have a way to deal with her. You don’t need to intervene.”
“What way?” Shen Zuizhi asked curiously, her eyes soft and indulgent. The more she saw, the more surprises her daughter brought her.
“Since she wants me to forgive her, then I’ll forgive her.”
Shen Zuizhi: “?”
“Ah Yan, are you sure?”
Shang Shiyan nodded, leaned close, and whispered her plan. Shen Zuizhi chuckled, tapping her daughter’s forehead. “You clever little fox.”
Shang Shiyan ordered Hubo to bring Qiuyue back to Yaoguang Courtyard.
Qiuyue hadn’t expected forgiveness. She thought Shang Shiyan’s temper would force her to kneel for days, until rumors spread that she mistreated her servants.
But instead, Shang Shiyan not only brought her back, but she also had the matrons prepare hot water for her to bathe and wash her hair, and even rewarded her with new clothes and jewelry.
“Qiuyue, since you truly repent, I am not one to hold grudges. Stay by my side, behave yourself, and I won’t make things difficult for you again.”
Qiuyue changed into fresh clothes and nodded. “Thank you, Miss.”
“In front of everyone here, tell me—how did you get that scar on your face?” Shang Shiyan asked, showing concern.
Qiuyue faltered. According to Shang Yunrou’s instructions, she was supposed to blame the wound on Shang Shiyan. But after Shang Shiyan’s kindness, and with so many servants watching, to accuse her mistress now would be sheer ingratitude. Her face went pale, and she dared not speak.
Shang Shiyan’s expression softened with concern. “Is it that person who forbids you to speak? Since you don’t wish to say, I won’t press you. Go back to your room and rest well. Hubo, fetch some fine ointment from the physician for Qiuyue.”
Her magnanimous, considerate manner quickly spread throughout the marquis’s household.
Those who had been waiting to see Shang Shiyan humiliated—especially Shang Yunrou—were furious. She smashed the teacup on the table into shards.
What was going on? Shang Shiyan, with her vengeful nature, how could she possibly forgive Qiuyue?
This wasn’t at all what Shang Yunrou had planned. Beside the broken cup lay her half-finished embroidery. She wanted to hurl it too, but remembering it was meant as a gift for the Empress Dowager, she forced herself to hold back.
Shang Yunrou recalled vividly how, at the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, Shang Shiyan had presented nothing more than a plain painting of pines and cranes—yet it caught the Empress Dowager’s eye, earning her a jade ruyi and the Empress Dowager’s favor.
Such fortune, Shang Yunrou thought bitterly, was nothing but the heroine’s destiny. Shang Shiyan had no right to it.
This time, Shang Yunrou vowed, she would seize all the Empress Dowager’s rewards and affection for herself. Then the heroine’s luck would fall into her hands.
Shang Shiyan had expected to meet Gu Peice at the riding grounds within three days. But the separation stretched into more than ten.
Soon, it was the eve of the Empress Dowager’s birthday feast.
Shang Yunrou ordered Qiuyue to spy on Shang Shiyan, to see if she was preparing another pine-and-crane painting.
Outwardly, Shang Shiyan did indeed have one ready. In her previous life, she had nearly finished it before the banquet. She remembered how she had worked late into the night, eyes bloodshot, just to complete it. Now, reborn, she thought it unworthy.
This time, she was clear-eyed. Yes, her destiny was strong—powerful patrons would always stand behind her. But she refused to be shackled by fate alone. In her past life, once her luck was stolen, her end was tragic. In this life, she would rise on her own terms. Even if one day that so-called destiny vanished, she would still be her own master. That did not mean she would hand it over to Shang Yunrou.
On the day before the banquet, Qiuyue reported to Shang Yunrou that the pine-and-crane painting was complete.
Everything was unfolding exactly as Shang Yunrou had foreseen. She relaxed, certain Shang Shiyan would be disgraced at the feast.
Thinking of the jade ruyi and the Empress Dowager’s endless favor, Shang Yunrou’s lips curved upward.
Even if she failed to enter the clan registry, as long as she won the Empress Dowager’s heart, what could she not obtain?
Even if the Empress opposed her marriage to the Crown Prince, could she outweigh the Dowager’s will?