By 七英俊 Qi Ying Jun
Translation by Spider
Chapter 1: Corporate Slave’s Transmigration
Wang Cuihua was a new corporate slave who had just entered the workforce. Cui for blue-green jade and Hua for flower. As her name suggested, her earthy flavour had a hint of humour. Two years after joining a company though, she suffered under her boss and clients, smoothing away her edges.
What’s more, she originally had no ambitions. Her creed in life was to muddle along, and her only hobby is reading online stories. It was not so much a hobby, but more something forced onto her by her circumstances. After all, the subway to and from work was too long, and there was no other way to pass the time.
In the past two years, Wang Cuihua had read countless stories and could basically predict the plot after reading the first three lines.
On her way to get off work today, she clicked on a brainless novel.
It was called ‘Transmigrated: the Devil’s Beloved Consort’, which sounded like garbage. The reason why Wang Cuihua decided to read it was because the opening lines almost exactly described her own situation at the moment, “Ma Chunchun was an ordinary corporate slave. On her way home after getting off work that day, she clicked on a brainless palace intrigue novel… “
Was this written about me? Wang Cuihua became slightly interested and continued reading.
Ma Chunchun accidentally transmigrated into a palace intrigue novel called ‘A Thousand Trees Bloom at Night in the East Wind’ and became the cannon fodder in the story.
The life of this cannon fodder woman was tragic. She was involuntarily brought into the palace and was dragged into palace schemes against her will. The Emperor, who had power of life and death over her, was an unreasonable tyrant. In order to protect herself, the cannon fodder girl teamed up with others to persecute the female lead, and ultimately died tragically in a scheme.
But the female lead, who was loved by thousands, had a deep scheming mind. When faced with the tyrant, she feigned civility but at the same time she was in cahoots with a certain prince. In the end she helped the prince assassinate the tyrant. She helped the prince ascend the throne and became empress, reaching the pinnacle of her life.
Ma Chunchun transmigrated into that cannon fodder and immediately launched a counterattack. She made several plans to attract the attention of the prince before the heroine and successfully snatched the female lead’s route. Forcing the tyrant to death while also burying the female lead alongside him, she finally became the empress of the ages.
Wang Cuihua was not interested when she read this. She had read too many novels and had seen the same counterattack routine at least eighteen times.
She was about to quit and change to a different mindless novel to pass the time, when she heard a loud bang in her ears and her vision was flooded with white light.
Wang Cuihua found herself spinning through the heavens and earth and suddenly entered into the world inside her phone, diving headfirst into a transmigration novel that she had previously scoffed at.
Wang Cuihua was very calm after waking up. Her first reaction was to find a mirror to confirm who she had transmigrated into.
The original text of ‘Transmigrated: the Devil’s Beloved Consort’ had no illustrations, but the description of her appearance is quite detailed. The cannon fodder girl followed the setting of a plain little white flower. After being taken over by Ma Chunchun, she amazed the world with her makeup skills.
Wang Cuihua, upon seeing in the mirror her obviously barefaced but naturally beautiful features, instantly fell into despair.
She should have known that the role of the cannon fodder girl had already been taken by someone else and wouldn’t be left to her.
As for her, she ended up transmigrating into the original female lead, Yu Wanyin, who was destined to be persecuted to death by the cannon fodder girl.
A pang of anxiety ran through Yu Yuanyin.
She had only skimmed through the story, and only remembered the general trajectory of her fate.
Judging from the way she was dressed now; she must have just entered the palace as a concubine.
The cannon fodder girl entered the palace at the same time as her. She has already been taken over and will soon meet her true love, the low-born yet talented Prince Duan. The two of them will spend 100,000 words in romantic scenes, followed by 200 chapters of love and hatred, and finally, they will strategize to overthrow the tyrant and take his place.
After the tyrant’s death, Yu Wanyin was given three feet of white silk to hang herself. From her crying and pleading to her burial, only 300 words were used.
Yu Wanyin knew well that the so-called cannon fodder girl was only in name only. In the world of Transmigrated: the Devil’s Beloved Consort, she was the true protagonist, while Yu Wanyin herself was merely a stumbling block on her path and had no chance of winning.
If she wanted to survive, the best choice was to snatch up the destined Emperor, Prince Duan, before the cannon fodder girl did.
However intuitively, she knew that that wasn’t feasible.
First of all, the cannon fodder girl was a villain.
In Transmigrated: the Devil’s Beloved Consort, the character of the cannon fodder girl was unyielding and ruthless. She sought revenge over the smallest grievances and diverged from the traditional path of righteousness and beauty, using endless means to laugh triumphantly in the end.
Now that both the cannon fodder girl and the female lead have transmigrated, both of them have grabbed the same script, struggling for the same survival storyline. It was bound to be a perilous journey of mutual scheming and executing underhanded moves on each other for the sake of obtaining Prince Duan, causing chaos and risking their lives.
Secondly, Prince Duan is also a villain.
Although the original text described him as resourceful, decisive, and intelligent, it was all a matter of perspective. In the eyes of Yu Wanyin today, he was simply a deeply cunning old fox. With two transmigrators fighting before him, in his eyes, it was impossible not to be suspicious.
Even if she ultimately destroyed the cannon fodder girl, and helped him ascend to the throne, she would also be at risk of being killed in cold blood.
After a simple calculation, Yu Wanyin came to the conclusion that she had to find another way.
In this story where everyone was a villain, if she wanted to carve out a path, she had to be the biggest villain. First, she would need to help the tyrant kill Prince Duan, and then deal with the tyrant and aim straight for becoming the empress.
While Yu Wanyin was deep in thought, a lively maid with a pale face walked in and spoke the standard lines to her, “Miss, this servant is here to dress you up. You must serve His Majesty well tonight. Please be careful…”
“Tonight?” Yu Wanyin was surprised, realising what was happening.
The timing of her arrival was just right, tonight was her turn to serve in the Emperor’s bedchamber.
Seeing the maid’s hesitant expression, who seemed like she wanted to advise her but dared not to, Yu Wanyin knew that the original goods was unwilling to do this.
According to the original plot, because of her feelings for Prince Duan, she would resist the tyrant in every way possible. In the end, unable to refuse anymore, she would shed a tear of despair on the bed.
Seeing her state, the tyrant smiled and kicked her into the Cold Palace.
When the Crown Prince entered the palace, he was supposed to encounter her in the Cold Palace, but the cannon fodder girl intercepted him at the door. Missing the chance to fall in love with her destined love, the female lead would become a clown, competing jealousy with the cannon fodder girl and secretly sabotaging her, her fate slipping into the abyss.
Yu Wanyin needed to turn the tables and tonight was her last chance. She had to impress the tyrant, form a strategic alliance with him, and eliminate Prince Duan and the cannon fodder girl.
Yu Wanyin was determined to win.
If the cannon fodder girl could change her appearance with makeup skills, why should she, as the main female lead, remain plain-faced? As a corporate slave, how wouldn’t she know how to flatter the client? Yu Wanyin had long understood that the Emperor in this type of story played the role of a client: demanding sunshine and flirtatiousness without wavering, good humour while also maintaining elegance and dignity.
Having been tormented by clients for two years at that company, Yu Wanyin had long become experienced. She didn’t believe she couldn’t charm this so-called tyrant.
Yu Wanyin smiled and said, “Um… what’s-her-name?” She recalled for a moment, “Xiao Mei, just help me style my hair. I’ll take care of the rest myself.”
She studied the ancient cosmetics in front of her for a while, applied powder, drew her eyebrows, applied lipstick, and adorned her hair with flower hairpins. She transformed her already beautiful face into that of a bewitching fox. She then changed her attire as the maid looked on in shock
“How does it look?” she asked.
Xiao Mei became increasingly hesitant, “Miss, isn’t this attire too ostentatious?”
“It’s no problem.” Yu Wanyin was confident because in the original text, the tyrant fell for this. After the cannon fodder woman took the glamourous route, she gained some favour as well. With the female lead’s baseline beauty, this new appearance would exponentially increase her attractiveness.
Since she couldn’t avoid it anyway, she might as well take the initiative and face life with a conquering mindset.
Amidst the curious gaze of the eunuchs and palace maids, Yu Wanyin was sent to the Emperor’s bedchambers.
As soon as she stepped into the chamber, she felt the temperature drop by two degrees.
The room was silent, with a sense of deathly stillness. The tyrant who suffered from chronic migraines, laid on the bed while someone massaged his temples. Most of his body was covered by the canopy, so from Yu Wanyin’s perspective, she could only see a pale hand hanging from the edge of the bed.
The medical maid massaging him was trembling with fear, afraid that any wrong move would lead to her being dragged out and executed.
The eunuch guiding her said, “Your Majesty, Imperial Concubine Yu has arrived.”
Yu Wanyin knelt gracefully before the bed.
She could feel a gaze fixed on her head, but after waiting for a while, all she heard from behind the canopy was a cold, “Leave.”
His tone was indifferent with a hint of weariness.
Yu Wanyin looked up in shock.
This is absolutely not in the original text.
The tyrant’s guards were also hot-tempered. Upon hearing this, though they didn’t know how she had offended the tyrant, they immediately stepped forward, one on each side, and seized her, preparing to drag her out.
Yu Wanyin, “???”
Yu Wanyin hadn’t figured out how to fight her fate yet when the guard’s actions paused again. The voice from behind the curtain sounded annoyed, “Does she have to die if she doesn’t stay for the night?”
Guards, “?”
The guard didn’t understand his meaning, but knelt down to apologise anyway, “Your Majesty, please spare her.”
The tyrant seemed even more impatient. Yu Wanyin saw his pale hand casually wave, and all the palace servants filed out, leaving only her in the spacious hall.
Yu Wanyin remained kneeling for a long time. Seeing that the tyrant had no intention of speaking, she boldly reached out and pulled back the bed curtain.
The current reigning Emperor, Xiahou Dan, had an exceptional appearance.
When Yu Wanyin read the novel, she secretly scorned the author who was definitely a beauty lover. Not only did they depict the face of the male protagonist Prince Duan’s face as heavenly, but they also depicted the Emperor, who was supposed to be a villain, as unnecessarily handsome.
Now, seeing the real person up close, the impact was even greater.
His brows and eyes were like ink, lips red as blood. He had not a hint of righteousness in his appearance, with a gloomy and sinister aura swirling between his features, like a demon that even a thousand-year-old monk couldn’t exorcise.
Yu Wanyin, with her fox-like appearance, deeply understood the meaning of ‘the lesser devil meeting the greater devil* upon meeting him.
* 小巫见大巫: to pale into insignificance by comparison
The Emperor didn’t expect her to approach. He frowned at her but remained silent.
Yu Wanyin was so intimidated by his imposing manner, and her prepared lines flew out of her mind.
The two of them inexplicably locked eyes for a while. Xiahou Dan parted his thin lips and finally spoke, “Uh, what’s-her-name again…”
Yu Wanyin, “???”
Yu Wanyin reminded him, “Concubine Yu.”
The current tyrant readily acquiesced, “Concubine Yu, just make do with a mat on the floor for tonight.”
With that said, he turned over in place and seemed ready to sleep.
Yu Wanyin was completely dumbfounded.
She stood frozen in place, recalling every word and action of the Emperor since they met, carefully pondering the eerie sense of familiarity. Unable to resist, she tentatively probed again, “Your Majesty?”
The current tyrant turned his head back again, “Is there anything else?”
Yu Wanyin dreamily asked in English, “How are you?“
Xiahou Dan fell silent for a long time, his eyes reddening. “I’m fine, and you?” he replied.
Ten minutes later, the two major antagonists from the original text sat facing each other, exchanging information.
Xiahou Dan said, “I just transmigrated two hours ago. I was lying on a cruise ship, enjoying the sun with champagne and playing on my phone, when a stupid pop-up appeared and pushed me into this story… I blinked, and here I am.”
“Two hours ago? Sunbathing? I was on my way home from work when it was already dark. Are you across the ocean or something?” asked Yu Wanyin.
Xiahou Dan nodded, “I was on vacation.”
Yu Wanyin was speechless, “You wouldn’t happen to be a legendary domineering CEO, would you?”
“I don’t know if I’m domineering or not, but I am indeed a CEO. Life was pretty comfortable.” Xiahou Dan slapped his knee, “Damn it! How did I end up in a place where there’s no water heaters and waiting to die from a brain tumour!”
With his snake-scorpion-like handsome face, his crimson lips fluttering, it created an exceptionally surreal scene.
Yu Wanyin forced herself to accept this setting, “Well, calm down. Maybe your migraines aren’t caused by a brain tumour. After all, if a tumour were pressing on your nerves, there should be other clinical symptoms.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
“I’m not. Just guessing. On the bright side, maybe you’ve been slowly poisoned instead?”
Xiahou Dan, “?”
Xiahou Dan asked, “So have you read this novel? What’s my situation here?”
“I did, but I only skimmed it. Simply put, your mother hates you, your elder brother Prince Duan also hates you. Your concubines hate you, your ministers hate you. According to the original text, I hate you too.”
“What unspeakable things have I done?!”
Yu Wanyin sighed, “Your mother isn’t your birth mother and didn’t raise you well. You suffer from migraines, have had a stubborn personality since childhood, and are cruel and bloodthirsty. By now, all the loyal ministers in the court have either been killed by you or exiled. You’ve also implemented a bunch of rubbish policies, stirring up public resentment. According to the original storyline, towards the end, Prince Duan will execute justice on behalf of heaven and overthrow you.”
“…How do I die?”
Yu Wanyin thought for a moment, “I forgot. By then I was really tired and skipped several pages. It seems like you were assassinated but I can’t remember the details like which year or month, or who did it.”
Yu Wanyin began to believe that the person in front of her was indeed a CEO who had seen his share of storms. Because he pondered for a long time before calmly asking, “What about you? Judging from your character’s appearance, you don’t seem to be a good person either.”
“I’m a villain,” Yu Wanyin admitted. “Normally, in these romance novels, the female lead has a bunch of awful family members and backstabbing friends. But since I’m the villain, there aren’t such detailed settings for me. It seems like my family sent me to the palace as a pawn, but I fell in love with Prince Duan. So, I’m always causing trouble for the cannon fodder girl, and naturally, end up losing miserably. After you die, I’ll accompany you in death.”
“Oh.”
They exchanged a glance, and in that instant reached a consensus: if they wanted to survive, they had to collaborate strategically, even if it meant acting disgracefully.
Xiahou Dan proposed the first plan, “I could kill them both now.”
He finally said a line that didn’t contradict his own villainous face.
Yu Wanyin shook her head, “That’s 80% not feasible. Your power has been nearly completely usurped, so killing Prince Duan won’t be that easy. Besides, they are the protagonists in the original story, all the main plotlines revolve around them. If we kill them directly, it’s equivalent to cutting the backbone of this novel. Then whether we can survive afterwards is anyone’s guess.”
“So do you propose?”
“Only by controlling variables first, gradually changing the plot little by little, seeing what consequences it leads to, can we make plans…”
Xiahou Dan raised a finger, “Wait a minute. In the original story, our characters aren’t transmigrators, right? Since we’re here, will the cannon fodder girl still be transmigrated into? And if there are three of us, what about Prince Duan? Is he still the original goods?
“I have an idea to confirm their identities.” Yu Wanyin said.
The next day, the cannon fodder girl, Xie Yong’er, was dressing up in front of the mirror when a maid suddenly excitedly ran in and said, “Miss, I heard His Majesty is hosting a palace banquet, and all the concubines can attend. You should dress up nicely. I’ve learned two trendy hairstyles recently…”
Xie Yong’er smiled and said, “You have so many ideas.” She appeared gentle and kind, letting the maid work on her hair, but a flash of cunning passed through her eyes.
No one knew that who was once Xie Yong’er has already been swapped out for another soul, and now, in charge of her body, was Ma Chunchun from the world of Transmigrated: the Devil’s Beloved Consort.
Ma Chunchun has no idea that there exists a novel called Transmigrated: the Devil’s Beloved Consort, nor did she know that someone has already read through her entire life from a higher plane.
For her, she was browsing a palace intrigue novel called ‘A Thousand Trees Bloom at Night in the East Wind’ when she transmigrated into this world. Where she was the only real person present, all-knowing, and controlling the fate of all the fictional characters.
For example, the female lead Yu Wanyin had already secretly harboured feelings for Prince Duan. And after poorly serving the Emperor the previous night, she would be banished to the Cold Palace. Tonight, Prince Duan will encounter her again at the Cold Palace gates, thus beginning their romantic entanglement.
And what she needed to do was to intercept Prince Duan and seize the storyline that originally belonged to Yu Wanyin.
Thinking this, Xie Yong’er turned and casually asked her maid, “I wonder how Wanyin is doing after attending the Emperor last night. Any news?”
The maid replied, “I heard that His Majesty was greatly pleased last night, and this morning issued an edict to promote Concubine Yu to the rank of Consort Yu.”
Xie Yong’er’s hand shook and dropped a hairpin on the table.
How could this happen? Could her arrival have caused a deviation in the original storyline?
But it doesn’t matter; she can handle this. As long as she firmly grasped the main storyline, her future would be bright.
Xie Yong’er changed into inconspicuous clothes that didn’t reveal her identity, applied exquisite makeup that she was proud of, and relying on her memory of the original text of A Thousand Trees Bloom at Night in the East Wind, she wandered around the inner palace and soon arrived near the Cold Palace, waiting at the place where Prince Duan would pass by.
She knew that before long, Prince Duan would arrive here to secretly communicate with his informants in the palace.
Moments later, footsteps approached. Xie Yong’er turned around and saw the young prince walking slowly towards her. Dressed in a white python robe, wearing a golden crown on his head and a jade belt around his waist, the prince exuded unparalleled elegance.
Though surprised to encounter someone near the Cold Palace, Prince Duan showed no signs of panic. He merely claimed to have lost his way, and with a demeanour that dazzled her, he politely asked her for directions.
Blushing with shyness, Xie Yong’er glanced back at him and successfully captured the astonishment in his eyes.
She did not disclose her identity and only said, “Let me lead you there.”
They walked side by side talking happily. It wasn’t until they approached their destination that she stepped back and said, “I won’t be able to accompany you further. Your Highness, please take care.”
Prince Duan was taken aback, “Who are you?”
She then revealed her identity, “I am a concubine in the palace.”
There was a hint of disappointment in Prince Duan’s eyes, “I thought you were a lady-in-waiting…”
Seeing his reluctant figure, Xie Yong’er’s lips curled into a slight smile.
The overall situation was set.
The next day, Xie Yong’er still had to attend the palace banquet.
She followed the other concubines and took their seats according to their rank. She quietly raised her head to catch a glimpse of the legendary tyrant.
Xiahou Dan lazily leaned his head on one hand against the table, sitting askew with his long hair cascading down, his beauty approaching that of a demon. If you didn’t know the cruel nature hidden beneath his appearance, you would probably be bewitched at first sight and be shattered to pieces.
What surprised her was that beside the tyrant sat a graceful figure serving him meticulously, pouring wine and serving dishes.
It appears that when Yu Wanyin was conferred the title of imperial consort, her attire and demeanour was also upgraded. She wore a pomegranate red dress and was adorned with gold hairpins. She was radiant with a smile that was as beautiful as the clouds and mist. Her intimate closeness with Xiahou Dan, whispering and leaning against him created a scene so out of control it seemed like the cave of spider silk web had opened.*
*盘丝洞: cave of silken web from journey to the west. This was a den of demon spider ladies.
Xie Yong’er was somewhat surprised. It seemed her arrival had indeed changed the plot. Yu Wanyin not only did not anger the tyrant into sending her to the Cold Palace, but also won his favour and was given the title of imperial consort.
Of course, she didn’t care about that short-lived position of consort. As it was still unclear who would have the last laugh.
Thinking of this, she became even more low-key, keeping her head down in the crowd, unwilling to attract unnecessary attention.
However, contrary to her wishes, after three rounds of wine, she heard Yu Wanyin charmingly suggest, “Your Majesty, the atmosphere is perfect now. How about letting the sisters* present their talents and perform a dance or song?”
* Referring to the other concubines
Xie Yong’er sneered disdainfully in her heart. She knew this female protagonist must have prepared a performance in advance and wanted to take the opportunity to be in the limelight.
Unfortunately, the tyrant, under who knows what kind of influence, applauded, “Good idea. If anyone performs poorly, bury them on the spot.”
The concubines trembled like sifted grain.
Xie Yong’er looked coldly at the pair of villains on the dais who trampled on human lives.
Little did she know that those evil people were communicating with their eyes
Xiahou Dan: Did I overplay it?
Yu Wanyin: No, it was quite authentic.
The consorts and concubines, in order to preserve their lives, all presented their talents one after another. The sound of silk swishing and bamboo instruments filling the hall.
Xie Yong’er transmigrated into the book and had never learned any ancient songs and dances. However, she remained composed, confidently bringing out something and loftily taking a seat in the hall, “Your Majesty, this is an instrument I have crafted in my spare time, please forgive my audacity.”
Xiahou Dan, “Hmm, this thing…”
It was a guitar.
Xiahou Dan vigorously pinched his thigh under the table to avoid bursting into laughter.
“….it looks quite novel.” He spoke.
Xie Yong’er began to calmly play the first verse.
Yu Wanyin buried her head low, trying hard to control her expression.
It was Canon in D.
“…Good, good.” Xiahou Dan said.
Lowering her head, Yu Wanyin happened to see his vigorous thigh-pinching motion, causing her to lower her head even further.
While playing, Xie Yong’er missed a note. But relying on the fact that no one in the audience knew the original song, she showed no shame and remained calm.
Yu Wanyin also started to pinch her thigh.
When Xie Yong’er finished her song, she saw Yu Wanyin’s face distorted with anger, and couldn’t help feeling a bit of satisfaction. So, what if you are the female lead? I can still turn the tables with my talent.
Xiahou Dan, “Good, good.”
After finishing her performance, Xie Yong’er returned to her seat.
Xiahou Dan raised his glass to drink, using it to cover his mouth, he whispered, “She’s a transmigrator.”
Yu Wanyin nodded, “Obviously.”
Xiahou Dan said, “And it looks like she’s not very clever.”
“No, no, no, I advise you not to underestimate her.” Yu Wanyin said.
Just then, a eunuch announced, “Prince Duan has arrived.”
Xiahou Dan put down his glass and chuckled darkly, causing everyone around him to shudder. “He’s finally here.”
Prince Duan, Xiahou Bo, came forward to salute. Xiahou Dan lazily motioned for him to sit and asked, “Imperial Brother, was your journey from the border smooth? Has your injury healed well?”
Before this, Prince Duan had volunteered to accompany the troops to the border and had won several beautiful victories, becoming close with several military officers. He had established his reputation for his intelligence and bravery. So much so that the people on the border knew only of Prince Duan and not the Emperor’s surname or first name.
But he was polite and friendly in front of the Emperor, smiling and said, “Your humble servant was incompetent, and fell off my horse, but it’s nothing serious.”
Yu Wanyin got goosebumps. She had just been laughing earlier, but now facing such a smiling tiger, she felt the chill of the guillotine hanging over her head.”
If this guy was also a transmigrator, then the Oscars owed him a little golden man.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with the emperor, Prince Duan Bo swept his gaze across the seats, inadvertently locking eyes with Xie Yong’er.
Xie Yong’er’s heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, she heard the Emperor pointing at her and saying, “This Concubine Xie, she was just playing a little tune with her self-made instrument earlier, it was quite interesting.’
Xiahou Bo’s gaze fell on her guitar, his eyebrows raised slightly, without showing any other expression he just said a “Oh?”
“Play another piece for Imperial Brother to listen to.” Xiahou Dan ordered her.
This time, Xie Yong’er played ‘Love Story*’.
爱的罗曼史: at first I thought she was playing Love Story by Taylor Swift but looking it up, it appears she was playing Romance De Amor AKA Spanish Romance. I kept it as Love Story since it’s the literal translation and also funnier
She hadn’t practised this song for a long time, and without sheet music, she freestyled, improvising beats from time to time.
Xiahou Bo listened with lowered eyes, lightly sipping from his cup, seeming to enjoy it. He neither showed surprise nor any sign of amusement
Xie Yong’er delicately plucked the strings with her slender jade-like fingers and quietly raised her eyes to look at him. Her gaze was like spring water, gentle and deep. But on closer inspection, they gleamed with a strong desire for survival. She aimed to firmly grasp the heart of the world’s chosen protagonist.
But Xiahou Bo wasn’t looking at her.
He was discreetly glancing at Yu Wanyin beside the Emperor with a thoughtful expression.
Xie Yong’er’s heart skipped a beat and played a wrong note again.
When Xie Yong’er made that mistake, Yu Wanyin’s eyes flickered towards Prince Duan, her eyes sharp. Xiahou Dan nudged her with his elbow, and she blinked her sharp gaze away.
Xiahou Bo suddenly met those eyes, still calm and composed, smiling gently.
After listening to the piece, he clapped his hands and smiled, “Indeed, such celestial music is delightful.
Yu Wanyin looked away in disappointment. Beside her, Xiahou Dan twitched his lips slightly and quietly asked, “Another song?”
“It’s useless. He either isn’t a transmigrator, or he doesn’t listen to music.”
“How about you perform some radio calisthenics*?”
*It’s a daily exercise routine that Chinese school students do every morning. You can watch it here
Yu Wanyin looked at him in disbelief. With his status of friend or foe unclear, how could she expose her identity right away?
Xiahou Dan also realised this and stopped talking.
Xiahou Bo carefully observed the intimate interaction between the Emperor and the newly favoured concubine, then politely took his leave after a short while.
After the palace banquet was over, Xiahou Dan sighed, “There is no way to tell whether he’s been transmigrated or not.”
“I really hoped he was one of us,” Yu Wanyin said, “because the original’s hatred for you are as deep as the sea.”
Xiahou Bo, as the male lead of the original novel, followed the revenge plot.
Although he was born before Xiahou Dan, he was born of a lowly palace maid. She was just a maid of the empress, favoured by the late Emperor, and was promoted to a concubine due to her child. On the surface, the empress treated her equally to the other concubines, but after being caught in one of the palace schemes, she didn’t hesitate to push the maid out to take the fall.
When the palace maid was killed under the cane, Xiahou Bo was unable to forget the incident and how his mother tragically died in front of him.
Two years later, the empress gave birth to Crown Prince Xiahou Dan. Two years after that, she died of illness.
Later, the Emperor conferred the title of Empress to a new woman. The young stepmother, now the Empress Dowager, had no children of her own and became the nominal mother of the Crown Prince. She enjoyed showcasing her indulgence towards the Crown Prince in public, but often bullied the other princes. The palace staff acted according to her mood, finding various ways to humiliate the young princes who lacked powerful backing.
When Xiahou Dan first started studying, he complained that “it’s so boring,” so Xiahou Bo was summoned to accompany him as a study companion. From then on, every day was a struggle in hell, whenever the Crown Prince had a headache, there had to be someone around him who suffered more.
On the day Xiahou Bo left the palace to establish his own residence, only one phrase remained in his heart: ‘blood debts must be repaid with blood.’*
*血债血偿: a debt of blood must be paid in blood; blood calls for blood. Retribution.
If this Prince Duan was the original goods, then there would be absolutely no room for reconciliation between him and Xiahou Dan. It was a matter of life and death between them. He would gradually erode the Emperor’s power step by step until he crushed him underfoot, to never rise again.
Yu Wanyin originally hoped that he had also a transmigrator but after seeing him today, it would be even more terrifying if he was one.
After all, being able to listen to the Love Story song completely unfazed, that took superb acting skill. And that calm demeanour, especially those deep eyes, are something that only someone with ambitions could possess. It seemed that he intended to show off his skills here and pursue the road of becoming Emperor to the end.
In either case, the situation is quite critical.
However, perhaps it’s just her imagination, but she felt that this protagonist had looked at her a few more times today.
Could it be that she has already given herself away?
After nightfall, An Xian served Xiahou Dan in undressing, and asked as usual, “Is Your Majesty summoning someone to attend to you tonight?”
“Consort Yu.” The Emperor casually replied.
An Xian was quite shocked.
Three nights in a row.
As an old eunuch who has served the Emperor for many years, he knew Xiahou Dan’s temperament all too well. Over the years, enough corpses have been dragged out of this palace to form a small mountain. The fact that An Xian had to be able to survive unscathed to this day in this place was already a blessing in itself.
The Emperor suffered from migraines and had a violent and unpredictable temper, making it impossible for anyone to share his bed. The concubines who were unfortunate enough to be favoured often met bad ends and punished according to his whims if they failed to serve him properly.
Unexpectedly, a woman named Yu Wanyin appeared out of nowhere and inexplicably won the Emperor’s favour.
What was so special about Consort Yu?
An Xian was silent for a moment with so many thoughts in his mind, and suddenly felt icy fingers pinching his chin, forcing him to raise his head.
Xiahou Dan’s gaze was as if he was appraising livestock, but his tone was so gentle it made his hair stand on end. “Is there a problem?” He asked.
An Xian shuddered, “This servant will go invite her right away.”
Instead of sending someone to pass the message, An Xian personally went to escort her. Offering an exquisitely crafted box of jewellery with a smile he said, “Consort Yu, with your stunning beauty, wearing these will surely please His Majesty.”
Yu Wanyin vaguely remembered this old eunuch from the original story. He was characterised as a sycophant who bullied the weak and flattered the powerful. After Xie Yong’er rose to power, he also tried to ingratiate himself to her. But Xie Yong’er, remembering how he humiliated her, smashed the jewellery and found an excuse to throw him into prison.
Yu Wanyin accepted the jewellery box with a customer service smile and said, “Thank you, Eunuch An.”*
*公公: modern use cases are ‘father-in-law’ and ‘grandpa’ but here it’s used as a title for eunuch.
An Xian smiled and rubbed his hands together, “If Lady Consort is in need of anything else, please feel free to ask.”
Yu Wanyin thought for a moment, “Do you have hotpot?”
An Xian, “?”
A small hot pot was set up in the bedchamber.
After the palace attendants withdrew, the tyrant pulled up a small stool and sat across from the newly favoured consort around the hotpot.
Yu Wanyin dipped a piece of tripe into the pot and tasted it. “I feel like it’s missing a few seasonings.”
“It’s good enough that we have this, just eat,” Xiahou Dan listlessly poked at the mutton on his plate, “Who knows how many more meals we’ll get to eat like this.”
Yu Wanyin choked, “Don’t say such pessimistic words.”
“You have no idea how terrifying the atmosphere is when I attend court. Not a single minister talks about serious matters. One advises me on where to go for fun, another suggests something to eat. It’s like a massive end-of-life hospice care scene.”
“There’s nothing we can do.” Yu Wanyin said, “The original owner of this body drove away all the good ministers, leaving only those who humour you. The rest are in Prince Duan’s camp now, especially the military generals. Actually, you transmigrated a bit too late. All the big mistakes have been made. Even if you want to get rid of them, there’s no one to help you do it….”
Yu Wanyin made the comment indifferently, then looked up to see Xiahou Dan holding his head in his hands with a pale face.
She paused. “Is it really that painful?”
Xiahou Dan opened his eyes and smiled, “The original owner’s brain was useless, he was probably driven mad by the pain.”
Yu Wanyin lowered her head and dipped another piece of tripe into the pot, not letting him see her expression.
It had been three days since she had transmigrated here. Driven by survival instinct, her mind has been constantly moving and calculating the best path to stay alive. For this reason, she had also assessed the key players around her.
Xie Yong’er, the female protagonist, has yet to show her true abilities.
Xiahou Bo, the male protagonist, was formidable whether he was from this world or not.
And this Xiahou Dan, a fellow unfortunate soul. Honestly, apart from his adaptability, he hadn’t shown any outstanding abilities and even seemed a bit unreliable.
Moreover, the original owner had been driven mad by his migraines. How long could Xiahou Dan endure?
In this dead-end situation, could she and this person really defeat Prince Duan if they joined forces?
With this in mind, she feigned casualness and said, “I want to try winning over Xie Yong’er. After all, she is the female protagonist and an important ally of Prince Duan. If she can be on our side, our chances of success would greatly increase. Besides, if you think about it, we’re all transmigrators and we’re all just trying to survive. If we were open and honest with each other, what’s the point in fighting?”
In actual fact, she was considering more than that.
She didn’t know how much Xiahou Dan saw, but he didn’t object, “Okay, you go contact her tomorrow. What about me?”
“You…” Yu Wanyin slowly recalled the original plot, “You should try approaching someone named Xu Yao. He is Prince Duan’s strategist, has a very high IQ, and many of Prince Duan’s plans were advised by him… Oh shit, the pot is burning dry!”
They had been so preoccupied with thinking that they had neglected the boiling hotpot. Hearing the sizzling, she jumped up in alarm, “Water, water!”
“Don’t panic, it’s here.” Xiahou Dan went to pick up the prepared soup kettle and poured the broth into the pot.
Footsteps approached.
Yu Wanyin turned slowly and saw a young palace maid at the door, her face full of shock.
The young maid had been stationed outside to be called upon at any moment. Hearing the commotion, she rushed in, only to see the tyrant, known for burying people alive, adding broth to a hotpot.
Yu Wanyin stiffly turned her head to look at Xiahou Dan.
Xiahou Dan gently put down the pot, folded his hands behind his back, and glanced at the maid.
Even with the smell of hotpot lingering on him, that glance was dignified and cold, as if it were completely natural for him to pour soup, but the maid ought to gouge her eyes out.
The young maid immediately fell to her knees, wishing she could bury her face in the ground, “This lowly one deserves death.”
Xiahou Dan stared at her for three seconds before lightly saying, “Get lost.” His voice was soft, with a hint of madness.
The young maid got lost.
An epiphany struck Yu Wanyin as she recalled Xiahou Dan’s performance when they first met and looked at him with new eyes. “Are you a good actor?” She asked.
Xiahou Dan adjusted his small stool and sat down again. “I’m not bad.” He replied. “Negotiating business deals inevitably involves some deception so it’s a skill I’ve honed.”
“…No need to hone it to this extent!”
“Where were we? What’s the strategist’s name again?”
“Xu Yao…” Yu Wanyin’s mind raced, and she suddenly felt hopeful. “I am suddenly very optimistic about you. Maybe you can really turn him against Prince Duan.”
Xiahou Dan, “?”
Yu Wanyin explained, “The reason why Xu Yao sides with Prince Duan is because you exiled his father. His father was a loyal and virtual man but he was wrongfully slandered and exiled to the wastelands on your orders. Xu Yao was supposed to be exiled too, but Prince Duan secretly saved him, had him change his name and hid in his estate. Xu Yao then became his strategist. It’s said that Xu Yao never gave up and is still working to bring his father back.”
“So, I should tell him I can bring his father back if he pledges loyalty to me?”
“It’s not that simple. He would still resent you and ask: why did you wrongly accuse a virtuous person, causing my father to suffer an unjust fate?“
Xiahou Dan chuckled darkly, “I’m just a blinded and deafened mad king, aren’t I? Whether someone is loyal or treacherous is determined by a single memorial, isn’t it?”
Yu Wanyin, caught up in the scene, indignantly retorted, “Since you know Imperial Tutor Wei slandered my father unjustly, why do you still favour him?”
Xiahou Dan paused for a moment, then burst into laughter, “Imperial Tutor Wei? Xu Yao, Xu Yao, how pitiful that even now you think it was that old man who caused your father’s downfall?”
“He’s not that old.” Yu Wanyin reminded him.
Xiahou Dan corrected, “Xu Yao, Xu Yao, how pitiful that even now you think it was that bastard who harmed your father?”
Yu Wanyin, “…”
“Then who did?” she asked.
Xiahou Dan leaned in, his voice low and sinister, “Who predicted this and saved your insignificant life? Who, with a face full of pity and compassion, took you in as a watchdog?”
Yu Wanyin took a step back, “You- you’re lying!”
Xiahou Dan smiled, flicked his wide sleeves, and turned to leave. “You’re welcome to investigate it yourself.”
He took two steps, paused, then turned back and asked, “How was that?”
“Awesome.” Yu Wanyin said.
Because it was impossible to know for sure if there were spies inside or outside the palace, to avoid arousing suspicion, Yu Wanyin did not dare find another bed to sleep in and continued to sleep on the imperial bed.
The pillow was hard, the quilt was cold, and the empty bedchamber was filled with eerie winds. They drew a line in the middle of the bed with clothes, each sleeping on their own side, and occasionally spoke, saying things like:
“Did the story mention any palace servants sneaking in to poison someone?”
“I don’t think so, but I can’t be sure.”
While reading, Yu Wanyin used to chuckle like a fond auntie over the romance. But now that she had transmigrated into the story herself, she found those stories unrealistic. The protagonists seemed like fools, facing real danger and not knowing how many pages they had left to live yet still having the heart to fall in love. If she were Xiahou Dan, she definitely wouldn’t be able to get it up.
The next morning, she got up with dark circles under her eyes. She looked in the mirror, and exclaimed in horror, immediately taking out her makeup box. The same box An Xiang had given her with a smiling face.
By the time Xiahou Dan was dressed, Yu Wanyin had finished applying her makeup.
Xiahou Dan glanced at her casually as he passed by, paused for a moment, then looked again carefully. “You look different.”
“This is called the office worker look. Gentle, kind and endlessly patient.”
Xiahou Dan, “?”
“I’m going to extend an olive branch to Xie Yong’er later. It’s never wrong to look kind.”
She also looked at Xiahou Dan, frowning, “Aren’t you going to try to win over Xu Yao? Your face isn’t quite right either. Come here.”
Xiahou Dan, “?”
The tyrant and the demon consort left the spider’s cave of silk web with kind and benevolent faces, splitting up to complete their missions.
Xiahou Dan went to attend court, while Yu Wanyin returned to her side palace.
She was still inquiring about Xie Yong’er’s whereabouts when Xie Yong’er came to her door first.
Xie Yong’er felt a sense of crisis.
Yesterday, she had intercepted Xiahou Bo at the Cold Palace gates, killing the budding romance between him and Yu Wanyin, only to see them exchanging looks at the palace banquet.
The favoured consort nestled softly by the tyrant’s side while casting glances at Prince Duan. Her beauty was like a blooming peach blossom, radiating brilliance, perfectly embodying the role of a born female lead.
Could it be that Xiahou Bo was destined to be attracted to Yu Wanyin, and no matter what she did and couldn’t change her fate as cannon fodder, doomed to die like an ant?
Xie Yong’er didn’t believe in fate.
She always felt that the harem struggle and political intrigue novels she had read on her way to and from work would come in handy someday. Heaven had gifted her with talents which had to be meant for some purpose.
After returning from the banquet, Xie Yong’er discussed with her trusted fellow concubine sisters and devised a simple yet effective strategy to counter the rise of Consort Yu.
That day, she and a few concubine sisters, carrying exquisite snacks, came to visit with smiles.
Xie Yong’er said, “Elder sister is now highly favoured by His Majesty. Please don’t forget your dear sisters in the palace.”
“…” We’re both transmigrators, so why does your speech sound so authentically period-appropriate?
Xie Yong’er then opened the food box, claiming she had made the snacks herself and urged Yu Wanyin to try them.
Yu Wanyin, “…………”
She picked up a sweet pastry but hesitated, worried it might be poisoned, yet thinking the female protagonist wouldn’t resort to such a low-level tactic. If this was really her level of intelligence, then she probably wouldn’t be worth recruiting.
Xie Yong’er watched as Yu Wanyin placed the untouched pastry aside. Xie Yong’er’s face showed no reaction and continued to chat warmly with her.
Behind them, the maid Xie Yong’er had brought along quietly shifted her position, moving closer to the wall.
Yu Wanyin breathed a sigh of relief. Okay, okay, it seems that there are still sophisticated tricks at play.
She ignored the maid and seized the chance to build goodwill. “Don’t mention it, titles like ‘concubine’ and ‘consort’ are all the same in the end. Sister Yong’er, let me tell you a personal truth: The Emperor who lifts you to the heavens today can cast you into hell tomorrow.”
Xie Yong’er was stunned.
Was this the character of the original female protagonist?
The concubines behind her gasped and hurriedly urged Yu Wanyin to watch her words.
“I trust you won’t repeat this. In a place like this, we women are just pawns to be manipulated. If we don’t look out for each other, aren’t we playing into the hands of these wretched men?”
Xie Yong’er, “???”
What Yu Wanyin said was mostly sincere.
She wasn’t trying to win over Xie Yong’er for Xiahou Dan, but for herself.
If Xie Yong’er could let go of the idea of killing her, Yu Wanyin didn’t want to participate in any harem struggle either. They were both corporate slaves so why fight? Wouldn’t it be better to sit down and have hotpot?
She was now strategically cooperating with Xiahou Dan out of necessity but didn’t fully trust him. Even in the best case scenario, if they won, and Xiahou Dan secured the throne, he could easily get rid of her, saying, “You know too much.” The system inherently placed her at a disadvantage.
Surviving to the end of this game was no easy feat. Having one more friend meant one less enemy. She might as well hug the female protagonist’s leg.
However, she couldn’t directly reveal her hand: Actually, I’m a transmigrator too.
According to the original story, Xie Yong’er and Xiahou Bo were a couple and had already started their romance. Telling Xie Yong’er was equivalent to informing Xiahou Bo, and she wasn’t sure how he would use that information.
Yu Wanyin could only indirectly hint: sis, don’t be a love-struck fool. Forget about men, I’ll steal electric bikes* to take care of you.
*It’s an online meme which came from a man who was arrested for stealing. You can watch a video about it here
Policeman: “Why did you steal electric scooter batteries?”
Thief: “Because I want to provide for my girlfriend.”
Yu Wanyin’s efforts were in vain.
Xie Yong’er, seeing the urgency in her eyes, instead calmed down. The person before her was just a character in a story. She couldn’t deviate from her original role. Her sudden friendliness was merely an attempt to lull her potential enemy into a false sense of security.
Luckily, she had read the script.
Thinking of the embroidered sachet Prince Duan had sent her last night, Xie Yong’er felt everything was back on track. The situation was favourable. She just needed to be more decisive and eliminate this short-lived female lead early.
Xie Yong’er continued smiling, but her eyes betrayed a hint of impatience.
She watched Yu Wanyin fumbling for words as if observing a clown. There was no need to waste time on someone destined to die.
After her maid secretly gestured to her, she sat for a moment longer before taking her leave.
Once outside the hall, her concubine friends gathered around asking, “How did it go?”
“Success.” Xie Yong’er answered, “The hem of the dress Yu Wanyin hung in the corner has been discreetly stained with weizi flower sap. It’s hidden well, she won’t notice it herself. All that’s left for us to do is wait for her to put on the dress, then we can proceed.”
That flower, known as Weizi, only grew in one corner of the peony garden.
One of the concubines was still worried. “Will a few drops of flower sap be enough?”
Xie Yong’er smiled, “His Majesty is a suspicious man.”
“……”
Behind her, Concubine Chu who was following behind her hesitated for a moment before quietly saying, “Consort Yu is indeed a beautiful woman. But her words suggest she’s a person of genuine feelings.”
Xie Yong’er didn’t respond.
Xu Yao left the imperial study, his heart still pounding.
He had been secretly summoned to the palace.
When he had arrived, he had already prepared himself for a life-and-death situation. If the tyrant was seeking him, it meant his hidden identity had been discovered, and he might even know that Xu Yao was still secretly working to bring his father back from exile.
But he never expected the conversation that awaited him in the imperial study.
Not only did Xiahou Dan not kill him, but he also said he could pardon his father.
Reflecting on the implications in Xiahou Dan’s words, Xu Yao still found it unbelievable.
So, it was Prince Duan who had instigated Imperial Tutor Wei to falsely accuse his father?
And Prince Duan had then saved him, only to recruit him as a strategist?
Xu Yao didn’t believe it.
Everyone knew the Emperor was a foolish and violent madman.
Would a madman… speak the truth?
Full of concerns, Xu Yao left the palace. Shortly after, Xiahou Dan also emerged from the imperial study, wiping his reddened eyes.
He had been so immersed in his performance just now that when he spoke about being kept in the dark and being unable to distinguish loyalty from treachery, he had even shed a couple tears.
Xu Yao’s expression at that moment was as if he had seen a ghost.
The weather was fine, so Xiahou Dan dismissed the palanquin and leisurely strolled towards the imperial garden.
After her midday nap, Yu Wanyin changed into a lighter dress and went out of the side palace to bask in the sun, unknowingly wandering into the imperial garden.
While observing the fish in the pond, she heard hurried footsteps. A young eunuch ran towards her, his voice sharp, “Lady Consort, something terrible has happened!”
“What’s wrong?”
The young eunuch was in a panic, stammering incoherently. Yu Wanyin vaguely heard the word ‘Emperor’ and leaned closer to him. “What did you say?”
As soon as she got closer, the young eunuch screamed and fell backwards into the pond. He flailed around in a panic, shouting, “Consort Yu, please spare me, this humble servant knows his mistake!”
Yu Wanyin, “……”
She had a premonition and slowly turned around.
Xiahou Dan stood ten steps away.
Xiahou Dan, “……”
Yu Wanyin, “……”
Xiahou Dan glanced at this classic palace drama setup and turned to leave.
The eunuch who was still thrashing in the pond, “?”
Xiahou Dan hadn’t walked far when the young eunuch climbed out of the pond again and hoarsely cried out, “Your Majesty, this servant has something to report.”
“Insolence!” An Xian, who was beside Xiahou Dan exclaimed.
Ignoring him, the eunuch’s tongue suddenly became astonishingly fluent, “This humble servant had happened to see Consort Yu walking with a man. From the back, he seemed like a guard. When discovered by this servant, he fled. When I asked Lady Yu about it, she pushed me into the water…”
“Guards, take this one away*.” Xiahou Dan said.
*He said “拖下去” which literally translates to ‘drag down’. He doesn’t use any particular pronoun.
The guards were confused, “……Your Majesty, who should be taken away?”
Xiahou Dan pointed at the eunuch.
The eunuch, “?”
Desperately struggling, the eunuch cried out, “Dare I ask if Lady Yu had been to the peony garden today!”
Seeing his dedicated performance, Yu Wanyin decided to play along. “No.” She replied.
“Then why is there Wei Zi flower sap on your dress?”
“Take him away.” Xiahou Dan repeated himself.
Eunuch, “???”
Dragged thirty metres away, the eunuch still couldn’t believe it and shouted with all his strength, “Your Majesty, this servant has a witness!”
“Where?” Xiahou Dan asked.
The guards paused.
An elderly palace servant tremblingly stepped forward, kneeling and said, “Reporting to Your Majesty, this old servant has been cleaning the peony garden-“
“Take them both away.” Xiahou Dan interrupted.
The elderly palace servant, “?”
Yu Wanyin, who was watching the scene unfold, was dumbfounded.
Wait, I was just watching the drama, why are you fast-forwarding so crazily?
Seeing both accusers being dragged away, Xiahou Dan flicked his sleeves preparing to leave, as if nothing had happened.
Yu Wanyin coughed lightly.
Xiahou Dan stopped and looked at her, “?”
Surrounded by palace staff, Yu Wanyin tried to convey a message with her eyes: Bro, you’re acting OOC*. I don’t know what a madman is supposed to be like, but it’s definitely not this.
*OOC: out of character
Xiahou Dan paused, seemingly understanding something, and slowly approached her. His cold fingers coiled up like a snake around her neck. Moving up to caress her cheek.
His tone was almost affectionate. “Beloved consort, you wouldn’t betray me, would you?”
“Your servant’s devotion to Your Majesty is as clear as the heavens and the earth. If Your Majesty doesn’t trust me…” Yu Wanyin replied timidly.
“How could I not trust you?” Xiahou Dan caressed her face. “Those I do not trust are already dead.”
The palace staff around them lowered their heads, trying to make themselves as inconspicuous as possible.
Xiahou Dan continued to smile. “Who framed you? Do you have any guesses in your heart, beloved consort?”
Who else could it be but Xie Yong’er?
This was the perfect opportunity to win over the protagonist, so Yu Wanyin decisively chose her lines, “I don’t know.”
“You truly don’t know?” Xiahou Dan asked ominously.
Yu Wanyin showed a tolerant and magnanimous bitter smile. “Your Majesty is burdened with state affairs, there’s no need to worry about such trivial matters. Moreover, your servant does not want to harm the harmony among the palace sisters. No matter who it may be, I believe she already regrets it in her heart after her scheme has been exposed. Your Majesty, please give her another chance.”
The surrounding palace attendants shuddered.
Translation by Spider
Next: Chapter 2