Chapter 8 — Palace of the Moonlit Tower

Even if I cannot protect this imperial child, I will drag you down to hell with it! No matter how similar you look, you are nothing more than a counterfeit! Do you truly believe the Emperor cares for you?

With that final cry, the Noble Consort wailed and sobbed hysterically.

Someone, come quickly and save my child! I am bleeding!

Pain gripped her so fiercely that cold sweat drenched her forehead. The memory flashed violently in my mind—of my past life, when Chief Eunuch Cao whipped me every single night until my body was covered in raw wounds. Back then… I had suffered that exact same agony. Emperor Yan strode in swiftly, his expression terrifyingly dark. Beside him, Noble Attendant Li blinked quietly at me. I understood instantly. The trap had been sprung! The Noble Consort had thought she could use a dead fetus to drag me down with her, entirely unaware that Noble Attendant Li had already reported everything to the Emperor beforehand. Always considering herself supremely clever, Noble Attendant Li had known the Consort was planning to confront me and had proactively invited the Emperor to witness it. He had seen the entire spectacle with his own eyes. Tears and snot streaming down her face, the Noble Consort wept bitterly as she leveled her accusations.

Your Majesty, it was her… that wicked wretch Bai Zhi! As expected, she still wants to harm me and your imperial heir! I beg Your Majesty to decree a death by a thousand cuts for her! No… she must be torn apart by five horses to appease my fury!

I stood motionless, feigning absolute shock before fixing a gaze of profound grievance upon the Emperor. Still, I did not offer a single word of explanation. Men are forever inclined to favor the fragile and weak. Emperor Yan flew into a towering rage.

Audacious! Noble Consort, your boldness knows no bounds! Clearly, you were incapable of protecting my imperial heir, yet you still attempt to frame another! The Imperial Physicians have already made it clear that this pregnancy could never have been carried to term. Furthermore, I saw with my own eyes just now that you threw yourself against Palace Concubine Bai. Vile creature!

The Noble Consort stood frozen in disbelief. To her dying moment in favor, she would never understand why the sovereign who had showered her with tender sweetness mere weeks ago now looked at her as coldly as a demon. Among all the substitutes, only the one who resembled her most held ultimate value! Stripped of her imperial rank, the Noble Consort was degraded to a commoner and dragged away to the cold palace, forever banished from the grace of imperial favor. … Though my grand vengeance had been achieved, not a trace of joy touched my heart. Instead, a heavy melancholy lingered in its place. Having stepped onto this treacherous path, the performance must go on. That very night, Emperor Yan came to visit my chambers. The rims of my eyes were red, and I was far quieter than usual. Being a sharp man, the Emperor noticed the unusual demeanor at a single glance. He fell silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.

There is no need to take the words of the former commoner Luo to heart. That talk of a counterfeit… is utterly absurd.

The former commoner Luo was none other than the deposed Noble Consort. I bit my lower lip, and the moment I raised my head, tears fell silently from my eyes. The Emperor paused, his gaze filled with deep remorse. A bitter, sorrowful smile touched the corners of my lips.

On the day I was framed by the former commoner Luo, I nearly became the sparring partner for a eunuch's cruelty. Thanks to Your Majesty’s brilliance, I was spared that cruel fate.

As I spent more time by Your Majesty’s side in the days that followed, my admiration for you only grew deeper.

As long as I can remain with Your Majesty, it matters little if I am viewed as a mere replacement. It is only… that I occasionally yearn for Your Majesty to see me simply as a person in my own right.

Years ago, that elder sister loved Your Majesty with all her heart. That I can share even a fraction of her likeness is the greatest grace heaven has ever bestowed upon me.

I neither acted with arrogance nor groveled for favor, striking the perfect balance of gentleness. I praised the profound bond between the Emperor and his departed moonlight while firmly establishing my own stance. What a considerate, soul-soothing blossom I appeared to be. Naturally, the Emperor was deeply moved, pulling me tightly into his arms.

That you came to my side is heaven’s grace to me as well. Bai Zhi, I will never fail you.

Taking advantage of the Emperor’s softened state, I seized the moment to ask a favor.

I wish to bear a child for Your Majesty. And one day, I wish to raise our child with my own hands.

According to the laws of this court, only those holding the rank of formal consort or above possessed the qualification to raise imperial offspring themselves. I was using this opportunity to elevate my status. After all… a woman of my humble background could only rely on this face and an imperial heir to secure her footing. The Emperor nodded in agreement.

Very well. The moment you conceive, I shall bestow a higher rank upon you.

Leaning against his chest, the corners of my lips curled upward into a silent, cold smile. The former commoner Luo had once been granted the extraordinary exception of the Noble Consort title. But now, the Emperor could no longer afford such reckless indulgence, which was why he had set the condition that I must conceive first. It seemed that even the substitute of a moonlight could not remain forever precious. Should another woman with a face resembling hers appear in the future, this trick would likely lose its power entirely. Therefore, I threw myself into serving the imperial bed with even greater diligence. While my favor still burned bright, conceiving an imperial heir as swiftly as possible was the only correct path. Two months later. My wish was finally granted. With a sweeping wave of his hand, the Emperor issued an imperial decree promoting me to the rank of Zhaofian, bestowing upon me the specific title of Zhao. On the day of my investiture, draped in rich brocades and heavy with pearls and jade, I paid a personal visit to the cold palace. The deposed consort looked older by a decade, her ankles bound by heavy iron chains, presenting a thoroughly wretched sight. She glared at me with bloodshot eyes, as if she wished to tear me apart with her bare hands.

The Emperor is mine! I am the one he loves most!

I merely offered a faint smile.

The Emperor will never think of you again. Counterfeits grow tiresome in time; I alone am enough.

With a slight flick of my hand, a fierce-looking eunuch stepped forward.

Rest assured, Consort Zhao, this lowly servant will surely ‘educate’ the former commoner Luo with the utmost care.

The suffering I endured in my past life was something she deserved to taste in full. I turned and walked away, leaving behind the desperate, frantic shrieks of the deposed consort. The grudges of the past finally came to a close here. Before long, the new selection of imperial maidens would begin. My journey to conquer the inner court had only just commenced. The End.