No sooner had Lin Anran brought Guo Luoli out of Cining Palace than the news spread throughout the various palaces.
…
Jinghe Palace.
“What did you say? The Empress brought Princess Shengshi back to Fengyi Palace?” The Worthy Consort clenched her fists in anger.
That idiot Empress.
She had already warned the Empress not to take Princess Shengshi away, lest she anger the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, yet the Empress still insisted on going her own way. She truly was mad beyond reason.
The Worthy Consort had been reborn, and she knew all too clearly what consequences would follow from the Empress bringing Princess Shengshi back to Fengyi Palace.
The Empress would be deposed because of it, while the Noble Consort would be promoted to Imperial Noble Consort, forever outranking her.
Five years later, she herself would die in childbirth—along with the child in her womb—after falling victim to the Noble Consort’s schemes.
After death, her resentment had been so intense that she awakened to discover she had been reborn, returning to the time when the Noble Consort was three months pregnant.
Armed with memories of her previous life, the Worthy Consort knew that the Noble Consort’s current pregnancy was actually a stillbirth. She had secretly rejoiced at this, only for news to suddenly spread that the Empress had pushed the Noble Consort down the stairs, causing her miscarriage.
But in the previous life, the Empress had never pushed the Noble Consort.
Although events had changed in this life, the Worthy Consort’s hatred for the Noble Consort remained unchanged.
The Empress had caused her miscarriage once before, so she hated the Empress—but she hated the Noble Consort even more.
With the memories of her previous life, she knew the Empress was not truly dangerous. The Noble Consort was her greatest enemy.
She wanted to kill the Noble Consort, to avenge both herself and her unborn child.
In the previous life, the Empress’s deposition and the Noble Consort’s rise to Imperial Noble Consort had been the beginning of every tragedy that followed. Therefore, she absolutely had to prevent the Empress from being deposed.
At least until she gave birth to a prince, the Empress could not fall.
“How is the situation with the Empress Dowager?” the Worthy Consort asked, considering whether she should personally go plead for the Empress.
“Replying to Your Highness,” the palace maid answered, “everything is normal on the Empress Dowager’s side. After the Empress left Cining Palace with Princess Shengshi, the Empress Dowager went to the Buddhist hall to pray as usual.”
“The Empress Dowager wasn’t angry with the Empress?” the Worthy Consort asked incredulously.
“She was not angry.”
The Worthy Consort bit down hard on her lip.
…Another thing had happened differently from the previous life.
…
Yongning Palace.
“The Empress really brought Princess Shengshi back to Fengyi Palace?” The Noble Consort lounged lazily on her couch, frowning at the palace maid below her.
The maid nodded. “Replying to Your Highness, this servant saw it with her own eyes. There can be no mistake.”
The Noble Consort asked again, “Did the Empress Dowager try to stop her?”
According to the plot of the original novel, the Empress Dowager should have been angered into fainting by the Empress. So why was there no commotion at all in Cining Palace?
“The Empress Dowager did not stop her.”
The Noble Consort’s eyes darkened, clearly dissatisfied with the outcome.
When she had first transmigrated into the novel, she had already been two months pregnant.
Originally, that should have been joyous news. But having read the novel, she knew the child in her womb had already died and could never be born safely.
So she had decided to play along with fate instead. She deliberately went to Fengyi Palace, intentionally provoked the Empress, then threw herself down the stairs to create the illusion that the Empress had pushed her and caused her miscarriage.
She had worked so hard to use the miscarriage to earn the Emperor’s complete disgust and the Empress Dowager’s hatred toward the Empress. How could she possibly allow the Empress a chance to recover?
She was still waiting for the Empress to be deposed so she herself could rise to the position of Empress by virtue of her “lost child.”
Thinking this, the Noble Consort ordered a maid to bring the nourishing soup prepared by the small kitchen. She intended to visit the Emperor and continue poisoning his opinion of the Empress.
…
Fengyi Palace.
Lin Anran had wanted to hold Luo Li’s hand and walk back together, but the moment she reached out, Luo Li reflexively dodged away, as though afraid Lin Anran might hit her.
Seeing the wariness written all over the child’s tender face, her weak and innocent appearance made Lin Anran’s heart ache.
“Little A’Li, go play with Xia Mo for now. Mother will call you over when it’s time for lunch.”
Lin Anran did not force her. Noticing that Luo Li seemed more comfortable around the lively and energetic Xia Mo, she smiled and instructed Xia Mo to take good care of Luo Li before heading toward the main hall herself.
At the moment, Lin Anran was deeply troubled.
In her previous life, both her parents had died when she was very young. Before the age of five, she had depended solely on her grandmother, but after her grandmother passed away as well, she was sent to an orphanage.
Because she was already old enough to remember things, no one wanted to adopt her. So she remained in the orphanage until she turned eighteen, only then leaving to live independently.
On top of that, she had never had children herself and barely remembered what it felt like to have parents or family. She truly had no idea how to be a good mother.
Especially not to a child who had been abused by her own mother since infancy.
After thinking it over, Lin Anran decided she could only let things happen naturally.
Chunhua brought over a cup of tea.
“Your Majesty need not worry. The princess is still young and cannot yet understand your suffering. Once she grows older, she will naturally understand your hardships and know that everything you did was for her sake.”
Lin Anran sighed.
The original owner had indeed loved Luo Li deeply. But her mindset had become far too despairing. After losing one child and miscarrying twice more, she could no longer manage even the most basic emotional control. Her love had turned into a blade aimed at her only remaining hope.
And Luo Li was that only hope.
“Have Luo Li’s bedding been replaced with new ones? Were they dried under the sun? And what about her daily necessities—have they all been changed? Are there warm clothes prepared?”
Lin Anran figured that since Luo Li had been away from Fengyi Palace for two months, all her belongings must have sat untouched during that time.
Seeing the Empress finally showing concern for the princess’s daily life, Chunhua smiled with relief.
“Your Majesty may rest assured. This servant has already replaced everything with new items. The blankets were only just brought in from the sun—they still carry the scent of sunshine. The princess will surely like them.”
Lin Anran nodded.
She felt these ordinary domestic matters were the only things she could think of doing right now.
At that moment, Xia Mo’s cheerful laughter drifted in from outside.
Curious, Lin Anran walked to the window and looked out.
Under the tree in the courtyard, Xia Mo was playing with Luo Li.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering mottled spots of light across the ground. Luo Li’s tiny figure stood among those golden patches, a radiant smile blooming on her face. Her curved brows and bright eyes carried the innocence and sweetness unique to children.
It was the first time Lin Anran had ever seen Luo Li smile.
The sight was healing.
As if sensing Lin Anran’s gaze, Luo Li turned her head in confusion. But the moment she saw Lin Anran, her smile froze. Fear gradually surfaced in her eyes, and eventually she lowered her smile entirely, standing stiffly beneath the tree like a child who had done something wrong.
Xia Mo also noticed Lin Anran. The smile vanished from her face as well, and she nervously froze in place.
Lin Anran: “…”
Was she really that terrifying?
Chunhua shot Xia Mo a meaningful glance before cautiously reporting, “Your Majesty, the palace tutors are already waiting in the Hall of Learning. Shall the princess proceed to her morning lessons?”
As she spoke, Chunhua handed over Luo Li’s daily schedule.
Ever since the fifteenth—when the Emperor had favored the Empress—Her Majesty had seemed like a completely different person. Today, after bringing the princess back, she had not immediately sent her to the Hall of Learning for morning lessons, so Chunhua could no longer guess the Empress’s intentions.
Lin Anran accepted the schedule and stepped away from the window so as not to disturb Luo Li and Xia Mo playing.
Looking at the tightly packed schedule—with even mealtimes, bathroom breaks, and water breaks rigidly regulated—Lin Anran felt suffocated.
She knew modern children were overworked with studies, but she had never expected ancient princesses to be just as overworked.
Even prison seemed freer than this schedule!
Without saying anything, Lin Anran walked to the doorway holding the schedule and beckoned Luo Li over.
Luo Li approached properly and respectfully.
“Mother Empress.”
Lin Anran crouched down and gently asked, “Does little A’Li have anything she especially likes?”
In a childish voice carrying strangely mature words, Luo Li replied, “Mother Empress, this daughter likes poetry, wine, flowers, tea, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. I also like ritual, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics. This daughter will study diligently and never lose to the boys, so I may bring honor to Mother Empress.”
Lin Anran froze.
Suddenly, her nose stung with tears as she pulled the little girl into a hug.
This child was simply too sensible.
Luo Li’s body stiffened visibly. She was afraid, yet she did not push Lin Anran away.
“Little A’Li, you do not need to bring honor to Mother Empress. You only need to live your own life well, work hard for yourself, and leave behind no regrets.”
Lin Anran had meant those words to comfort her, but the moment she finished speaking, Luo Li suddenly burst into frightened tears.
Panicking, Lin Anran hurriedly wiped away the child’s tears.
“Why is little A’Li crying?”
“Does Mother Empress not want this daughter anymore?” Luo Li sobbed softly, not even daring to cry loudly.
“How could that be?” Lin Anran exclaimed in surprise.
She immediately carried Luo Li into her arms and walked inside.
“Little A’Li is so lovable. Mother Empress doesn’t even have enough time to spoil you—how could I possibly bear not wanting you?”
Luo Li sniffled. “Then why does Mother Empress no longer want this daughter to bring honor to you?”
The childish question made Lin Anran laugh softly.
“Little A’Li, Mother Empress must first apologize to you. Before, Mother Empress was wrong. I should not have placed all my expectations onto your shoulders.”
“As your mother, I should become your strongest support. I should protect you, prevent others from bullying you, let you live happily and freely, pursue your own life boldly, and possess the grace and magnanimity worthy of a princess of the realm—not trap you inside a cage woven by others.”
As she spoke, Lin Anran tore apart the overly packed schedule.
“From now on, aside from the mandatory lessons, little A’Li only needs to choose one or two subjects you truly love. As for the rest of the time…”
She smiled warmly.
“You’ll spend it playing.”
“Playing?” Luo Li repeated blankly.
Though she could not fully understand Lin Anran’s words, she grasped the general meaning: her lessons had been reduced, and she was even being allowed time to play.
It was something she had never even dared imagine.
Lin Anran nodded with a smile.
“That’s right. Playing.”
“But then this daughter will fall behind the imperial sisters in lessons,” Luo Li worried.
The current Emperor had two sons and four daughters.
The First Prince and Third Princess were born to the Noble Consort. The Second and Fourth Princesses belonged to the Worthy Consort. The “imperial sisters” Luo Li referred to were the Second, Third, and Fourth Princesses.
Lin Anran asked, “Then let Mother Empress ask you—how old are your imperial sisters?”
“The Second Imperial Sister is six, the Third Imperial Sister is five, and the Fourth Imperial Sister is four.”
“And how old are you?”
“This daughter is three.”
“They are all older than you, which means you still have plenty of time to catch up slowly. There’s no need to rush.”
Lin Anran spoke as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Right now, your greatest task is simply to play happily while thinking about what you truly enjoy and what you want to learn. Can you do that?”
Truthfully, Lin Anran really wanted to play alongside Luo Li herself. But she worried the child would feel restrained around her. Thinking there was still plenty of time in the future, she once again asked Xia Mo to take Luo Li outside to play.
Just after Luo Li stepped outside, her sharp eyes suddenly caught sight of a familiar yet unfamiliar figure leaving Fengyi Palace.
Was that… Father Emperor?
Father Emperor hated coming to Fengyi Palace. Unless absolutely necessary, he would never step foot inside.
She must have seen wrong, right?