Chen Mingyu was doing everything in her power to amuse the Empress, her charm enhanced by the small rouge-colored mole between her brows. It made her look ethereal, like the Dragon Maiden seated beside Guanyin, bringing an air of joy and comfort to all who beheld her.

  Elders, especially, adored her appearance without exception. Even the officials of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau commented that the small rouge mark between her brows was an auspicious sign of wealth and fortune.

  She used to dismiss such remarks as nonsense. After all, her grandfather was a Grand Secretary, a figure of immense power and influence. Naturally, she was destined for wealth and privilege. But after Song Chuyi was beled with the ominous fate of a "lone star destined to bring camity," she began to believe in such things. She now saw herself as far superior to Song Chuyi, whose fate seemed to carry only misfortune. This belief even caused her to carry herself with greater pride in public, her back straighter than ever.

  At the moment, she was holding a wolf-hair brush, meticulously transcribing the Chapter on Perfect Penetration Through Contemption of the Buddha from the Great Compassion Sutra for the Empress. Every stroke was deliberate and precise.

  Even Xie Siyi couldn’t help but smile as she praised Chen Mingyu to the Empress, "For such a young girl, there are few like Miss Chen who can remain so composed."

  The Empress also smiled, her dimples faintly visible. With her noble lineage, grace, and beauty, Chen Mingyu embodied the qualities of a dignified and refined dy from a prominent family. Coupled with the Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s prediction of her auspicious fate, she was undoubtedly an exceptional young woman.

  The atmosphere in the hall was warm and pleasant. However, Lan Zhi suddenly entered briskly from outside and whispered a few words into the Empress's ear. The Empress's expression instantly sharpened, and she rose abruptly, instructing Xie Siyi to prepare her attire.

  Chen Mingyu, unaccustomed to seeing the Empress’s expression shift so drastically, was momentarily stunned before quickly prostrating herself on the ground.

  The Empress, unable to fully conceal her anger, pressed her lips together before calling Chen Mingyu to rise. Her usual gentle smile returned as she said, "Good child, did I frighten you? Stand up. I have some matters to attend to outside. Stay here and continue your transcription. Once you’re finished, I’ll have someone escort you out."

  Chen Mingyu respectfully agreed, her gaze lowered as she watched the Empress leave. She picked up her brush and resumed her meticulous work. Whatever had provoked such anger from the Empress must have involved either the Princess or the Crown Prince. In any case, it had nothing to do with her. Her sole focus now was to transcribe the sutra and pray for the Crown Prince’s well-being.

  Noble Consort Xian had never imagined that the group left behind by Prince Duan would fail. As Yuanhui had assured her, those individuals were elite operatives left in the capital as a contingency pn, each one as capable as the Emperor’s Jinyiwei. Yet they had failed—against a mere twelve-year-old girl, no less!

  Clenching her fists, her long nails, painted with crimson polish, dug deep into the steward’s arm as she shrieked in disbelief, "You’re lying! Lying!"

  How was it possible? No matter how capable that Song girl was, could she truly be some demon reincarnated?

  "It’s true…" The steward could feel blood seeping from the punctures in her arm caused by Noble Consort Xian’s sharp nails, but she dared not cry out in pain. Instead, she kowtowed repeatedly. "His Highness the Heir Apparent and Young Master Ye were also there… It seems someone leaked incorrect information. Both the Heir Apparent and Young Master Ye had skilled guards with them…"

  Noble Consort Xian widened her eyes, feeling increasingly uneasy about the whole situation.What did the Heir Apparent have to do with this? How did this seemingly straightforward matter suddenly involve him?

  Before she could interrogate further to get to the bottom of it, the pace doors were pushed open. Eunuch Xia entered leisurely, wearing a faint smile. Without paying any attention to the scene before him, he calmly bowed and announced, “His Majesty is waiting for you in the Tai Ji Hall.”

  Noble Consort Xian instinctively sensed danger. She had no time to prepare as she was abruptly caught off guard by Princess Rongcheng’s devastating accusation.

  Song Chuyi’s incident had occurred at Princess Rongcheng’s residence?! How could her people have chosen that pce to act?!

  Tears brimming in her eyes, Princess Rongcheng clutched Emperor Jianzhang’s arm and sobbed, “Father, your daughter only quarreled with Noble Consort Xian over Ninth Sister’s matter. I thought it was just a small disagreement... Who could have imagined that Noble Consort Xian would actually want me dead?”

  Emperor Jianzhang pursed his lips, his gaze cold as he looked up at Noble Consort Xian. He tilted his chin slightly, signaling her to speak. “What do you have to say?”

  What could she say?

  Noble Consort Xian’s mind was in turmoil. Could she admit that the people she sent weren’t there to kill this foolish Rongcheng, but rather Song Chuyi? Her complexion alternated between pale and ashen, veins bulging on her neck.

  The Empress didn’t enter the hall. She stood outside for a while before turning and heading back to Qingning Pace.

  She didn’t want to make things more difficult for him, knowing that Noble Consort Xian was an old companion from his time before ascending the throne and that he had always valued such connections.

  Emperor Jianzhang sighed heavily. Over the years, Noble Consort Xian had taken advantage of the Crown Prince’s poor health to carry out her schemes. He had turned a blind eye, out of concern for the Crown Prince. However, the more the Empress and the Eastern Pace retreated, the bolder Noble Consort Xian and her faction became.

  Now, over a mere argument, she had dared to order an assassination—bold enough to directly storm into Rongcheng’s residence. If it hadn’t been for Weizhao’s guards being on high alert, the consequences could have been unimaginable.

  Emperor Jianzhang didn’t even want to look at Noble Consort Xian. Rising abruptly, his gaze icy, he said, “Ever since Ninth Princess married, your health has been poor. Move to the Jingshen Hall to recover.”

  Noble Consort Xian’s face turned deathly pale. Kneeling, she wept uncontrolbly. She still wanted to question Yuanhui about how such a blunder could have occurred and to salvage Ninth Princess’s prospects. But now, Emperor Jianzhang didn’t even order an investigation—he had her sent straight to the Cold Pace.

  Jingshen Hall? That was a pce of exile. If she went there, it wouldn’t be long before she was “ill-fated” to the point of death.

  Chen Mingyu finished transcribing the sutra and was personally escorted out of the pace gates by Lan Zhi. After returning home and changing her clothes, she immediately went to pay her respects to Old Lady Chen.

  Third Lady Chen stood nearby, her brows arched sharply, clearly indignant but too afraid to express her anger.

  Chen Mingyu didn’t spare her a gnce. Third Lady Chen resented that Chen Mingyu was chosen to enter the pace to transcribe sutras for the Empress. However, she refused to acknowledge that her husband’s low status as a concubine-born son was the reason for her exclusion.

  Old Lady Chen dismissed Third Lady Chen before turning to Chen Mingyu and asking, “Why did you return earlier than usual today?”

  Lowering her voice, Chen Mingyu recounted how the Empress had left midway to go to Tai Ji Hall. “It’s likely that the Crown Prince has awakened, or perhaps something else has happened… In any case, judging by Xie Siyi’s expression, it didn’t seem like a minor matter. Even the Empress’s face looked unusually grave.”