Chapter 1 – Escape

Eastern Palace, Cold Maple Pavilion.

This was the coldest and loneliest part of the Eastern Palace, practically no different from the Cold Palace itself.

The courtyard was overgrown with weeds. A shallow well barely a meter deep stood in the center; the stone steps were covered in dust, and the rooms were sparsely furnished.

Shu Ruohua, dressed in coarse, rough-spun clothing, rested her cheek in her hand as she sat beside a timeworn and slightly wobbly round table. Her chubby eyelids drooped heavily.

It seemed that if a little more time passed, she would fall asleep right there.

“Miss, are we really going to escape the palace?” the maid Qian Ning asked anxiously, her wrinkled eyes full of worry.

This was the umpteenth time she had asked this question that afternoon.

Shu Ruohua truly didn’t want to answer her anymore.

“Miss, why don’t you wait a little longer for His Highness the Crown Prince to return?”

“If the Crown Prince comes back, he will surely seek justice for you and clear your name!!”

Qian Ning’s voice trembled with suppressed sobs, her heart lodged firmly in her throat.

After all, fleeing the palace was punishable by death. And this wasn’t just anywhere—it was the Cold Maple Pavilion!

But…

Wait for the Crown Prince to come back?

Shu Ruohua suddenly let out a dry, awkward laugh. Her expression twisted as if she had a cramp.

Ever since the day she transmigrated here, this little maid had told her that the Crown Prince didn’t like the original host. He only married her because her father, the General Who Stabilizes the Nation, had the power to help him secure the position of Crown Prince.

Moreover, the two had been married for two years without producing any children.

And now this maid actually claimed the Crown Prince would return to uphold justice?

As if!!

Shu Ruohua lazily stood up, rubbing her still slightly sore rear end. She glanced at her current body, weighing in at more than 160 jin (around 80kg).

She let out a heavy sigh.

Her memory drifted back to three days ago—she had been a graduate student at a modern agricultural university. She had been fatally scratched by some inexplicable medicinal herb and died on the spot.

Dying was one thing—but then she transmigrated.

Fine, transmigration was acceptable. But she ended up in the body of a 160-jin fat woman.

If that wasn’t enough, the original host had just been beaten with thirty heavy paddles and stripped of her position as Crown Princess by the Empress.

On top of that, ever since the second day she woke up, the food delivered by the eunuchs—originally just barely edible leftovers—had turned into sour, rotten scraps that couldn’t be eaten at all!

If she hadn’t discovered purslane growing in the courtyard and relied on that to survive, she probably would’ve starved to death in the past few days.

Given how dire things were, even an idiot could tell someone wanted the original host dead. If she still didn’t run, what else could she do—wait here for someone to come kill her?!

…

“Miiiss…” Qian Ning dragged out the word, about to launch into another heartfelt plea.

But before she could finish, Shu Ruohua cut her off.

“Alright, enough!!”

Shu Ruohua rubbed her forehead, massaging her temples. Were all ancient people this naggy?!

…

Night gradually fell, and the sky sparkled with scattered stars.

“Miss…” Qian Ning now had a veil covering her face, revealing only her eyes, which looked pitifully at Shu Ruohua.

“Shhh!!” Shu Ruohua was similarly veiled, sneaking up to the wall at the edge of the courtyard like a thief, peering left and right before signaling Qian Ning to stay silent.

These past few days, Shu Ruohua had observed the guards outside multiple times. They always had a shift change at this hour.

And during this time, their vigilance was at its weakest.

Sure enough, tonight was no different.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Shu Ruohua grabbed Qian Ning and stealthily slipped out while the guards weren’t paying attention.

“Wow, I didn’t think the Cold Palace gatekeepers were this unprofessional. We just snuck out like that.”

On a narrow path, Shu Ruohua looked quite pleased with herself, sighing at how careless the guards were.

Qian Ning was speechless.

She also hadn’t expected the guards outside to be so lax. Had she known, she would’ve escaped long ago to seek help from General Shu.

Shu Ruohua had no idea how to navigate the Eastern Palace—after all, the original host had been so unreliable that she left behind not even a scrap of memory.

Fortunately, Qian Ning knew the way well. Under her guidance, the two of them crept along and were almost at the palace gates.

Suddenly—

“Who’s there?” A guard’s voice rang out from a short distance away.

Shu Ruohua’s body jolted with panic, her mind instantly flashing with an ominous premonition.

Her instincts screamed—grab Qian Ning and RUN!!