Chapter 2

Just as Zhao Mingzhu was about to relax and play dead, she snapped awake. She stared blankly at Qiao’er. “Gu? What gu?”

Without turning her head, Qiao’er replied, “Crown Princess, did you forget? It’s that gu poison we paid a fortune for from the Western Regions—it cost us a hundred taels of gold!”

Turns out, Zhao Mingzhu had known she’d schemed her way into the Eastern Palace and would likely be disliked. So she’d come up with a plan: use the gu poison on her wedding night to control Gu Qingheng.

Zhao Mingzhu slowly forced a pained expression onto her face. “Right… how could I forget? Qiao’er, remind me again—what does this gu do?”

She emphasized the word “gu,” and only then did Qiao’er turn around, reaching out to feel her mistress’s forehead. No fever?

“Crown Princess, this gu makes the person who consumes it fall hopelessly in love with the first person they see. The cup in front of you had the mother gu, and His Highness’s cup had the child gu.”

Zhao Mingzhu’s expression became unreadable. Inside, her mind was screaming. Save me save me save me save me!

There was a whole plotline about this? Why hadn’t the story summary mentioned it?!

“Qiao’er, what if… I drank both cups myself?”

The moment she said it, Qiao’er’s eyes widened and darted to her abdomen, more panicked than Zhao Mingzhu herself.

“Heavens! Crown Princess, you drank both? What do we do… what do we do? Will you die from it?!”

Watching Qiao’er flail like a headless chicken, Zhao Mingzhu: “…”

She realized Qiao’er had no idea either. Rubbing her temples, Zhao Mingzhu could only comfort herself with the thought: at least she drank both, so Gu Qingheng wasn’t poisoned—no disaster left behind.

She figured it should be fine. Worst case scenario? She’d fall in love with herself. A little self-love romance, why not?

As night deepened, the glazed lanterns in the study remained lit. Gu Qingheng entered, removed his wedding robe, and slowly washed his hands in a copper basin.

“Burn it.”

Someone behind him immediately nodded. “Yes, Your Highness.”

Before leaving, he thought of Zhao Mingzhu back in the main residence.

“Your Highness, shall we assign more shadow guards to watch Zhao Mingzhu?”

He had assumed she’d meet a bloody end tonight and had already prepared to collect her corpse. But unexpectedly, Zhao Mingzhu had survived.

Gu Qingheng lifted his hands from the water—long and elegant like carved jade, his movements languid as he dried them. “Mm. If she wants to buy more gu poisons, let her.”

Though he didn’t know why she’d suddenly abandoned her plan, she’d entered the Eastern Palace with a mission. This wouldn’t be her only attempt.

“Yes, I’ll give the order right away.”

The next morning, daylight poured in. When Qiao’er entered with a basin of toiletries, she found Zhao Mingzhu sprawled out in bed, limbs flung in every direction. She couldn’t help but chuckle—just last night, someone had been fretting with a furrowed brow, swearing she’d stay up all night to figure out how to deal with the gu poison in her belly.

“Crown Princess, Crown Princess, wake up. You’re expected to pay respects at the palace today. It wouldn’t be good to be late.”

Qiao’er set down the copper basin and went to rouse Zhao Mingzhu, only for her to bolt upright in panic, “Late? My perfect attendance!”

Qiao’er didn’t understand the term and asked what “perfect attendance” meant. Zhao Mingzhu grabbed a handful of her hair and looked around, finally remembering—she’d transmigrated last night. Her reflex was to protect her attendance record, but then her face fell. What kind of beast-of-burden fate was this—she’d transmigrated into a novel and was still worried about attendance?

She sat up with a jolt, tossing her hair behind her. “Nothing. Just a bad dream.”

Qiao’er nodded and began dressing her. Today’s palace visit required full formal preparation. She styled Zhao Mingzhu’s hair into an elaborate updo, then placed the Five Phoenix Rising Crown atop it. She carefully aligned the pearl-inlaid phoenix hairpins and adjusted the tassels, gazing at Zhao Mingzhu’s reflection in the bronze mirror with satisfaction.

“I knew it—Crown Princess, you were born for this look. Regal and radiant. With your beauty, His Highness will surely be enchanted and stay the night. Who knows, maybe a little heir will arrive soon.”

Zhao Mingzhu had been dozing off, but now she lifted her head to look at the face in the mirror. Honestly, it wasn’t bad. Skin like a blooming lotus, eyes like autumn water, and a single dot of cinnabar on her forehead. Clearly, the seductive supporting character.

Trouble. Deep trouble!

But Zhao Mingzhu had no intention of changing. She liked this version of herself—wrapped in luxury, adorned with pearls and jade. She never wanted to live a shabby life again. Then she turned to Qiao’er, speaking with heartfelt gravity, “Qiao’er, from now on, don’t try to matchmake me with His Highness. He’s a flower on a high mountain—we can’t reach him. Let’s just live quietly in the Eastern Palace.”

She had no intention of throwing away a life of wealth and comfort to get entangled in the drama between Gu Qingheng and the heroine.

Survival was her ultimate goal from now on.

Qiao’er was thoroughly confused. Her mistress had schemed so hard to marry into the palace, and now that she’d finally succeeded, she suddenly seemed to have changed her mind?

But as always, if Zhao Mingzhu said it, Qiao’er would follow blindly. “Yes, Crown Princess. I understand.”

Though honestly, Qiao’er didn’t believe Zhao Mingzhu would truly give up on Gu Qingheng. A thought struck her, and she leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, “Crown Princess… have you fallen for someone else?”

Then came the devil’s whisper: “Who is it? We’ll find a way to get him.”

Zhao Mingzhu stared at her reflection in the bronze mirror, utterly stunned. She spun around and clamped a hand over Qiao’er’s mouth.

“No, no, no—important things must be said three times!”

When she’d transmigrated into the book, she hadn’t felt any connection to the original character’s arrogance and brazenness. But now she was starting to understand.

Her personal maid—her loyal maid—was actually suggesting that she, a married woman and royal daughter-in-law, should have an affair?

Most terrifying of all, Zhao Mingzhu remembered that Qiao’er was supposed to be a devoted servant. She thought the Zhao family might need to call in a spiritual master to take a look at things.

Just as Zhao Mingzhu was about to give Qiao’er a serious lecture, a voice called from outside, “Crown Princess, have you finished dressing? His Highness has official duties and has already gone ahead to the palace to meet His Majesty. He said you needn’t rush and may follow at your leisure.”

Zhao Mingzhu could only shake her head and whisper to Qiao’er, “I would never do such a thing. Not in this lifetime. You must never speak of it again!”

Qiao’er nodded obediently, signaling that she understood.

Zhao Mingzhu wasn’t convinced she truly did, but now wasn’t the time to press. She took a deep breath, put on her outer robe and skirt, and stepped outside. As she passed the man waiting by the door, she nodded politely. He said, “I am Chang He, His Highness’s personal attendant.”

Zhao Mingzhu nodded again, wondering if he’d overheard Qiao’er’s outrageous words. Then she turned and tattled, “Guard Chang He, thank you for waiting.”

Chang He, calm and composed, replied with courtesy, “Crown Princess, you flatter me. I’ve only just arrived—hardly a long wait.”