Chapter 1 — My Mother, the Crowned Queen

The Emperor harbored an obsessive desire for a little princess, yet fate dealt him eighteen sons in relentless succession, every single one a prince. As the noble consort and my own mother approached their labor on the very same day, bizarre luminous scripts suddenly began to streak across my vision. Heavens above, the consort has birthed yet another prince; this Emperor's lineage is truly hopeless, absolutely laughable. Wait, look closely at what the consort is doing, is she actually planning to swap babies with Yun's concubine? But Yun's concubine hasn't even delivered yet, how on earth does she know whether the child is a boy or a girl?

Yet I knew with absolute certainty that I was a baby girl! What a catastrophic beginning; was I to be stolen away the very moment I drew breath? I instantly rebelled against the notion of being born, frantically demanding that King Yama rearrange my destiny. To my dismay, King Yama declared this to be my eighth mortal reincarnation, stubbornly refusing to alter the ledger under any circumstances. To pacify my tearful protest, he bestowed upon me a temporary infant-tongue ability, granting me the power to send a warning to the living world. I gathered all my hope and unleashed a piercing shriek: Imperial Father, save me! That vicious witch of a noble consort is trying to steal me away!

Yet the Emperor, pacing anxiously right outside the bedchamber, remained entirely oblivious to my desperate cry. Instead, an insignificant young eunuch cowering in the shadowy corner of the courtyard suddenly shivered violently from head to toe.

Who on earth is speaking?

Goodness gracious, just how badly must King Yama's hand have shaken to misdirect such a miraculous skill to the wrong person? The terrified young eunuch cast panicked glances left and right, cold sweat cascading down his pale forehead. Head Eunuch Hai, standing prominently at the front, snapped his head around and hissed in a venomous whisper.

You eyeless, worthless dog! Are you courting death?

If you dare disturb the Sacred Majesty, I will flay your skin right here and now!

His Majesty, Yen Xun He, paced restlessly back and forth across the flagstones, utterly blind to the commotion unfolding in the secluded corner. At this moment, his mind was utterly consumed by the infant struggling within the delivery room.

Imperial physicians! How fares Yun's concubine inside?

What this sovereign desires is a princess! If you fail to deliver her safely, bring your heads to me!

I curled myself tightly within my mother Yun Rui Zhu's womb, gripping the umbilical cord with all my might, too terrified to poke my head out. The glowing scripts continued to sweep across my sight in a frenzied blur. Utterly agonizing! The midwife employed by Consort Xue Ting Rong has already muffled the cries of her newborn prince, preventing him from uttering a single sound! Xue Ting Rong is wickedly cruel; her personal maid, Mama Liu, is currently hurrying toward Yun's courtyard carrying a three-tiered rosewood food box! On the surface, it appears to be ginseng soup, but the bottom compartment conceals a male infant. She is orchestrating a classic scheme to swap the imperial heirs!

I was so consumed by fury that I delivered a fierce kick into the surrounding amniotic fluid. Xue Ting Rong, that vile serpent! Terrified that my mother would birth me and eclipse all her splendor, she had plotted such a malevolent scheme. There was no way I could allow myself to be born right now! I desperately channeled the infant-tongue ability bestowed by King Yama, once again targeting the trembling young eunuch hiding in the courtyard.

Little Li Zi! Stop looking around, it is this princess speaking to you!

The consort has birthed a boy, and she intends to smuggle him inside the food box to replace me!

Go at once and inform my Imperial Father that Xue Ting Rong is trying to steal his precious daughter!

Little Li Zi's legs turned to jelly, and he collapsed onto the flagstones with a dull thud, his complexion drained of all color. Eunuch Hai was so incensed that he struck the youth's shoulder with a ruthless kick.

You hopeless piece of mud that cannot be plastered onto a wall! Does a mere trifle frighten you to your wits' end? Get out of my sight at once!

Sent tumbling across the ground by the heavy blow, Little Li Zi clutched his bruised shoulder, yet his gaze remained glued to the heavily guarded doors of the delivery room. He had heard the voice clearly! Yet he lacked the courage to utter a peep. A lowly eunuch who had entered the palace only recently, daring to accuse a powerful consort who held the inner court in the palm of her hand? Such an act was no different from thrusting his own neck onto a razor's edge.

Panic burned fiercely within my chest; my water had broken long ago, and my mother's physical strength was rapidly failing. From within the delivery room came Yun Rui Zhu's heart-wrenching screams of agony. The wrinkled, aged face of the senior midwife, Madame Li, loomed menacingly close to my awareness, her eyes gleaming with greed and malice. She was not delivering the child at all; rather, she was pressing heavily against my mother's abdomen, intentionally draining her remaining vitality.

Imperial Consort, you must push! The birth position is breech, and this humble servant must lend you a hand!

While Madame Li's words sounded pious, her fingers were viciously pinching the tender flesh of Yun Rui Zhu's lower abdomen. This makes my blood boil! The wicked old hag is deliberately torturing her! Yun's concubine was already facing a difficult labor, and under such torment, hemorrhaging would soon become inevitable! Mama Liu has already reached the courtyard entrance! The food box is firmly in her grasp!

I could sense my mother's breathing growing increasingly faint, the rhythm of her heartbeat sounding dangerously muffled against my ears.

My child... protect my child...

Yun Rui Zhu's voice was barely a whisper, steeped in profound despair. Hot tears welled in my tiny eyes. Mother! I could not emerge into the light just yet. If I were born now, I would likely be snatched away by that malicious consort before I could even draw a breath of grief! But if I remained hidden, my mother would be ruthlessly drained of life upon this very bed of anguish!

Once more, I forced every ounce of my spiritual voice directly into Little Li Zi's mind.

Little Li Zi! If you fail to speak up and I perish, I shall transform into a vengeful spirit, and yours shall be the very first throat I tear out!

Go! Go and intercept that woman carrying the food box!

In the courtyard below, Little Li Zi suddenly lunged upward from the stone floor. Trembling violently, he bit down hard on his lower lip.

Over by the terrace, Yen Xun He had grown utterly impatient, sending a heavy bronze incense burner crashing to the ground with a furious kick.

Why hasn't the child been born yet! Neither the consort's quarters nor Yun's residence show any signs of progress. A pack of useless quacks!

His eyes bloodshot, the Emperor glared fixedly at the sealed doors of the delivery room, appearing on the very brink of madness.

Hear my imperial decree!

Yen Xun He's voice suddenly soared, echoing across the courtyard.

Today, whoever delivers a little princess for this sovereign shall immediately be elevated to Empress of the Great Yen Dynasty!

They shall be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold and granted the authority to oversee the six palaces!

As these words fell, every eunuch and palace maid in the courtyard dropped to their knees, not even daring to draw a heavy breath. An Empress! For the entire decade since ascending the throne, this was the very first time Yen Xun He had ever spoken of establishing an Empress! His longing for a daughter had reached a fever pitch. For the sake of a daughter, he had directly cast out the most prestigious title a woman could hold beneath the heavens.

The glowing text stream in my mind reached a state of absolute frenzy at that very second. He has truly gone mad! Yen Xun He has administered a dangerously potent dose! If Xue Ting Rong hears these words, she will no longer bother with pretense; she will undoubtedly seize the little princess by force! Look at Mama Liu! Upon hearing the imperial decree, she has broken into a dead run, gripping that food box for dear life!

My heart plunged into an abyss. This imperial decree from Yen Xun He was no lifeline; rather, it was the final spark that ignited Xue Ting Rong's murderous intent! With the coveted crown of the Empress dangling as bait, she would unquestionably stop at nothing to ensure her baby-swapping scheme succeeded!

Imperial Consort! Did you hear that? His Majesty has declared that whoever births a princess shall become Empress!

Madame Li deliberately raised her voice within the delivery room, seeking to stimulate a frantic reaction. At that exact moment, a loud announcement rang out from beyond the threshold.

Her Grace the Noble Consort, deeply concerned by Yun's arduous labor, has specially bestowed a bowl of century-old ginseng soup!

Mama Liu, hauling the massive rosewood food box, crossed the courtyard threshold while gasping heavily for breath. My mind felt as though it were about to shatter. It had arrived! The sinister food box laden with treachery was finally here!

Little Li Zi! Stop her! A male infant is concealed within the lower compartment of that food box!

If she crosses that threshold, both my mother and I are doomed!

The most agonizing wriek echoed within the depths of my soul. Little Li Zi's eyes flushed crimson. He watched as Mama Liu stepped onto the stone steps, now merely a single pace away from the delivery room door. It was his sole remaining chance, and mine as well.

Your Majesty!

Driven by sheer desperation, Little Li Zi flung himself toward Mama Liu, wrapping his arms fiercely around her ankles and nearly sending her sprawling. Mama Liu reacted with startling agility, instinctively protecting the food box in her arms and hoisting it high above her head.

Insolent wretch! What does this deranged slave think he is doing?

Terrified out of her wits, Mama Liu began kicking wildly at Little Li Zi's chest. Eunuch Hai was frightened out of his soul, rushing forward in two giant strides.

Someone! Drag this mad dog away and beat him to death with clubs!

Two towering, robust imperial guards lunged forward, hoisting Little Li Zi into the air by his arms. Blood trickled from the corner of the young eunuch's mouth. Gathering every last fragment of his strength, he pointed a trembling finger at the food box in Mama Liu's grip and screamed at the top of his lungs.

Your Majesty! There is treachery within that food box!

The Noble Consort intends to swap the royal child! Contraband is hidden inside, she must not be allowed to enter!

Dead silence fell over the entire courtyard. Every eye snapped toward the contested food box. Yen Xun He's strides halted abruptly; he turned his head with an expression of profound disbelief, fixing his razor-sharp gaze upon Mama Liu.

Mama Liu's face turned ashen as she collapsed onto her knees, lifting the food box high with both hands.

I beg Your Majesty to discern the truth! This lunatic slave is raving mad!

This is simply the century-old ginseng soup painstakingly brewed by the Noble Consort prior to her entry into the labor chambers!

Eunuch Hai was equally terrified, dropping to his knees and kowtowing repeatedly, paralyzed by the fear of being implicated.

Your Majesty, Little Li Zi suffered a high fever just days ago; his mind must have been addled. This humble servant will sever his tongue immediately!

Yen Xun He narrowed his eyes, his piercing gaze locked onto Mama Liu. He harbored an insatiable hunger for a daughter. Yet he had secured his hold upon the dragon throne precisely because he was no fool easily deceived by parlor tricks. Why would a common eunuch dare to risk his life by falsely accusing the Noble Consort at such a crucial hour?

Open it.

Yen Xun He's voice was subdued, yet laden with an undeniable, oppressive authority.

Trembling from head to toe, Mama Liu gritted her teeth.

As Your Majesty commands.

She set the heavy food box upon the flagstones and, before the watchful eyes of the entire assembly, unlatched the lid of the uppermost tier. A dense, pungent aroma of herbal ginseng drifted into the air. Resting within the top compartment was a steaming bowl of dark brown medicinal broth. The second tier contained several plates of delicate pastries designed to mask the potent medicinal scent.

Your Majesty may inspect it for yourself; it is truly nothing more than ginseng soup.

Lifting her head, Mama Liu feigned an expression of deep grievance.

Little Li Zi froze in place. Nothing? How could there be nothing?

Yen Xun He's expression grew glacial; he felt as though he had been played for a fool by a mad eunuch. Heavens above, that old fox is utterly cunning! The bottom of the food box contains a deeply concealed secret compartment! On the surface, it naturally appears to be ordinary provisions, but that hidden space is specially crafted and cannot be opened without pressing a concealed mechanism! Yen Xun He, are you blind? Take the box and test its weight yourself!

Consumed by panic, I tumbled wildly within the womb, transmitting my desperate warning through the void.

At the bottom! Little Li Zi, there is a hidden compartment!

Yet Little Li Zi was already pinned firmly to the ground beneath the heavy boots of the guards. A filthy rag had been shoved into his mouth, reducing his frantic efforts to muffled groans, rendering him entirely incapable of vocalizing the truth.

Drag him away! Lock him in the Penal Bureau, and without my explicit decree, no one is to release him!

Furious, Yen Xun He flicked his sleeve in disgust. He turned his attention back to the kneeling Mama Liu, his tone softening marginally.

The Consort has taken great pains. Carry it inside and feed it to Yun's concubine, so she may deliver my child without delay!

This humble servant obeys the imperial command.

A flash of ecstatic triumph gleamed deep within Mama Liu's eyes as she snatched up the food box and strode swiftly into the delivery room.

It was over! The sinister food box had been brought inside! The doors of the sanctuary swung shut behind Mama Liu, completely cutting off the vision of those waiting outside. Within the room, Madame Li caught sight of Mama Liu's entrance, her eyes turning predatory.

Quickly! Yun's concubine has nearly exhausted her strength; pour the prepared draught down her throat!

Madame Li urged in a low, urgent hiss. From within her sleeve, Mama Liu produced a small, ominous black porcelain vial.