Chapter 1: The Choice

Great Yan.
The third year of Yong’an, midsummer.

It was the height of summer, and even in the early morning, the air was filled with heat and suffocating humidity.

However, in the Qingzhu Pavilion of Yunxi Palace, it was slightly better than elsewhere thanks to the shade from a large grove of green bamboo. The open windows let in a few wisps of cool breeze.

“Madam, are you really not going out for a walk today?”
In front of the dressing table, a tall and beautiful maid named Biwu stood behind a stunning woman, gently combing her hair while patiently persuading her.
“Madam, you’ve been in the palace for several months now, but you’ve only met His Majesty twice. If this continues, I’m afraid it won’t be good for you.”

She paused, lowered her voice a little, and continued,
“I heard that Beauty Gu received a reward yesterday. Madam knows, Beauty Gu has often been visiting Yongshou Palace lately. Yesterday, she accompanied the Empress Dowager to the Peach Garden and happened to see His Majesty. It’s said that His Majesty praised her on the spot for making the Empress Dowager happy. It seems she’s now left quite an impression on him.”

While speaking, Biwu quietly observed the woman’s expression in the bronze mirror.

Seeing that she remained completely calm and unhurried, Biwu furrowed her brows in concern.

In the deep palace, without the emperor’s favor, how could a concubine live a good life?

But her mistress didn’t seem to care about any of it.

Although His Majesty hadn’t summoned any concubines lately, which lady lived like hers—refusing to even leave the house for days on end?

Without even walking around, how would she get a chance to encounter the emperor by chance?

Biwu sighed inwardly and silently finished tying her mistress’s hair.

Just as she was about to continue persuading her, a cheerful voice suddenly interrupted.

“Madam, this servant brought back the ice!”

“It’s not much, but at least we can make an ice bowl later for you to enjoy—it’s the best way to beat the heat.”

The speaker was Biliu, another maidservant from Qingzhu Pavilion.

Yesterday, an order had come down that each palace could send someone to the ice storage to retrieve ice, and Biliu had gone early that morning.

“Luckily, I went early, so there weren’t many people yet and I didn’t have to wait too long. As soon as I got Madam’s share of ice, I rushed back.”
She smiled as she approached the dressing table.
“The ice chest has already been carried to the small kitchen.”

The beautiful woman seated at the dressing table turned her face toward her.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, her skin like jade, her cheeks flushed like peach blossoms—like a blooming lotus in the summer.

Such beauty, rare in its restraint, held a graceful charm that seemed to emanate from her very bones. Just one glance made it hard to look away.

This was Yun Ying.

The “ice bowl” mentioned was a refreshing summer treat.

Typically, crushed ice was placed in a small bowl, topped with fresh seasonal fruits like lotus roots, lotus seeds, and water caltrops. For added flavor, one could also include honeydew, peaches, walnuts, and other fruits and nuts.

Back when she lived in her maiden home, Yun Ying had always craved this dessert during the hot season.

Biliu, who had served her for years, naturally remembered.

Yun Ying looked at Biliu with a gentle smile in her eyes.
“Make sure to add more melon and peach.”

Biliu smiled and bowed slightly.
“Yes, Madam, I understand.”

Their light conversation completely cut off Biwu’s earlier comments.

But Yun Ying wasn’t truly ignoring her loyal maid. She gestured for Biliu to help her up and, while walking to the luohan bed, said casually,
“I’ll be going to Chaohui Hall to pay my respects tomorrow. Since I’ll be going out then, there’s no need to exert myself today. The sun is too harsh.”

Biliu helped her sit down and asked curiously,
“Where does Madam want to go?”

Biwu, following behind with a teapot, poured her a cup of tea and also asked,
“When you went to fetch the ice, didn’t you hear any news?”

“What news?” Biliu looked puzzled, then slowly caught on and laughed.
“Ah, Madam, I did run into Beauty Gu’s head maid while fetching the ice. After seeing His Majesty in the Peach Garden yesterday and getting so many rewards, her maid is now acting all high and mighty—so arrogant even the eunuchs at the ice storage were being ordered around. Truly eye-opening.”

His Majesty hadn’t visited the inner palace in a long time, and it was rare for the concubines to get a glimpse of him.

So, encounters like these—especially with rewards involved—easily made certain people overly proud.

Seeing that Biliu only treated this as gossip, Biwu said,
“In the end, Beauty Gu showed her face to His Majesty.”

Yun Ying smiled faintly and took a sip of her warm tea.
“That only shows she’s a lucky woman.”

Then, not saying anything further on the topic, she simply ordered breakfast to be served.

Biliu quickly obeyed.

As Biwu fanned her mistress, she grew even more anxious.

Because Yun Ying truly wasn’t interested in the emperor.

She couldn’t explain the reason to anyone, not even to Biwu or Biliu. But for her, the reason was more than enough.

Yun Ying had lived another life.

A little over a month ago, she had mysteriously returned to the age of seventeen, after having died young—on her sickbed—at the age of twenty-four.

At seventeen, she had just entered the palace, still living as a low-ranked “cairen” in Qingzhu Pavilion of Yunxi Palace.

Among the emperor’s women, the title “cairen” was fifth-rank, very insignificant.

At first, waking up in her seventeen-year-old body felt unreal. But as the days passed, she accepted the impossibility of her rebirth.

Then, she started thinking about her future.

When she had died in her past life, she was twenty-four. That meant she had lived seven years in the palace.

During those seven years, she had risen from “cairen” to become one of the four consorts—Consort Shu—favored above all others.

She had also had two children, both of whom died young. On her deathbed, the Empress Dowager Zhou had mocked her, saying it was “divine retribution.”

Yun Ying knew why.

In those seven years, she had done everything she could to win the emperor’s love—scheming, enduring, sacrificing.

And she had succeeded—climbing step by step to become the most favored.

And then?

Then she fell ill, never recovered, and died. All her efforts vanished like smoke.

Now, reborn at seventeen, looking back on those seven years, Yun Ying suddenly found it all worthless. Seven years of tiptoeing, only to gain a consort title and fleeting favor—and once dead, all of it meant nothing.

If she was fated to only live another seven years, what was the point of repeating that path?

She regretted that once you entered the palace, there was no way out. Otherwise, she could have chosen a completely different life.

But since her fate as an imperial concubine was sealed, the only choice left was not to chase that same illusory love again.

Why not live peacefully and leisurely?

Though “cairen” was a low rank, she still had her own quarters and a small kitchen—life wasn’t bad.

With her past experience and knowledge of the emperor’s personality, if she just behaved quietly and avoided the spotlight, she could slowly rise in rank over the years.

She also knew the other concubines well.

Even if they played tricks in front of her again, she could easily protect herself.

After much thought, Yun Ying truly had no desire to walk the same path again.

Especially after experiencing a life of doing nothing—no worries, no schemes—it felt utterly freeing.

She understood Biwu’s concerns and knew they came from care.

In her past life, both Biwu and Biliu had been loyal to her. She would still treat them well in this life.

But as for hoping she would care about the emperor again? That was unlikely.

If her days were limited, she refused to waste them.

If the emperor flipped her nameplate and summoned her, she wouldn’t resist. But as for fawning and trying to please him? Absolutely not.

Soon, Biliu brought breakfast with a few young maids.

After eating at her leisure, Yun Ying reclined on a chaise and began reading a light novel.

As the day wore on, the sun grew hotter, and even Qingzhu Pavilion became stifling.

Biliu returned with the promised ice bowl, layered with sliced melon and peaches.

Yun Ying enjoyed it contentedly and went back to her book.

Just like that—eating, drinking, reading—the day passed. She ate a light dinner, bathed, and went to bed early.

The next day was the concubines’ day to pay their respects at Chaohui Hall.

After grooming herself, Yun Ying took Biwu and headed for Yijing Palace.

Since there was no empress and the Empress Dowager disliked being disturbed, all concubines only needed to greet Virtuous Consort Lü Lanshuang on the 1st and 15th of each month. She currently oversaw all palace matters.

Since Yun Ying’s rebirth, the emperor had not summoned a single concubine. The inner palace remained calm.

Every time they gathered for greetings, Virtuous Consort simply let them sit for a while before dismissing them.

Today was slightly different because of the rewards Beauty Gu had received. She became the center of attention, while Yun Ying, sitting in a corner sipping Chaohui Hall’s good tea, treated the subtle verbal jabs as harmless entertainment.

Once dismissed, Yun Ying left the hall with the others.

It was still early and not too hot. The last time she had left Qingzhu Pavilion was also to greet Virtuous Consort. Biwu urged her to walk around more. Yun Ying agreed and decided to visit the Imperial Garden, hoping to pick a few white gardenias to take back.

In full summer bloom, the lotuses were vibrant.

Boating on the lake and picking lotus flowers would’ve been even more delightful—but too troublesome, so she skipped it.

After a few hundred steps into the garden, they reached the gardenia bushes.

As Yun Ying leaned forward to pick flowers, a sugary voice sounded behind her.

“What a rare good mood from Yun Cairen today.”

“Out strolling in the Imperial Garden, are you?”

Yun Ying turned around and saw a sweet-looking lady standing a few steps away, smiling with curved brows and eyes.

“Greetings, Beauty Gu.” Yun Ying gave a respectful curtsey.

This was Gu Zhenzhen—the one everyone had been talking about earlier at Chaohui Hall.

Yun Ying had known her before entering the palace.

Their relationship had always been distant. To be exact, Gu Zhenzhen had never liked her much and wasn’t eager to be close.

“Ah… who would’ve thought we’d both end up in the palace together,” Gu Zhenzhen said as she adjusted the gemstone butterfly hairpin in her hair.
“And even more unexpected—someone as beautiful as Yun Cairen ranks below me.”
She smiled with smug pride in her eyes.
“Yun Cairen, don’t let that make you resent His Majesty.”

Gu Zhenzhen was ranked one level above her, a fifth-rank beauty.

That hairpin she kept flaunting was part of the emperor’s reward yesterday. She had already boasted about it twice in Chaohui Hall.

This was the third time.

Yun Ying knew she was showing off.

She had no interest in playing games with her and just wanted to pick flowers and leave.

“Clearly, you are the lucky one, Beauty Gu,” she said with a polite smile, then turned back to selecting flowers.

Gu Zhenzhen assumed Yun Ying was sulking about being outshined and became even more pleased. She touched her hairpin again and grinned.
“Don’t be upset, Yun Cairen. I’ll speak well of you to His Majesty.”

Yun Ying replied while calmly picking flowers,
“Thank you, Beauty Gu.”

Gu Zhenzhen laughed, stroking her hairpin again.
“There’s no need for thanks between us, Yun Cairen.”

But neither of them noticed a figure in yellow robes silently standing not far behind them—before quietly turning and leaving.