Chapter 1: Ten Thousand Words Omitted Here

In the fifth year of the Qingyou era, after the new emperor of the Great Wei dynasty ascended the throne, the first selection of palace maids took place.

Prime Minister Yun was quite troubled.

His eldest daughter, Yun Jinjin, was proficient in qin music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and possessed a certain depth of character. Sending her into the palace as a consort would be no problem at all. However, the emperor was notoriously cruel; any consort who spent the night with him never lived to see the next day. Allowing Jinjin to enter the palace would only bring her harm.

Lady Yun, however, had an idea. “Why not send Peipei instead? She’s rather foolish and won’t be able to manage a household if married off elsewhere. Let her enter the palace first to test the waters for Jinjin. Besides, Peipei is quite pretty, so it wouldn’t be a mere formality from our family. She can also keep an eye out in the palace. Once the emperor recovers, we can arrange for Jinjin to meet him.”

Prime Minister Yun thought it over and agreed this was a viable plan.

Yun Peipei was indeed beautiful—truly breathtaking—but she was also timid and a bit of a crybaby, unable to stop once she started.

On the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, after the snow cleared and the sky brightened, a pink floral sedan chair carried Yun Peipei into the palace.

Thanks to the Yun family’s influence, she was the only maiden to be granted the title of consort upon entering the palace.

She was bestowed the title Rou and took residence in the Palace of Rainbow Garments.

The other palace maidens neither envied nor resented her; rather, they felt somewhat relieved.

“She’s a consort now, so she must be the first to attend the emperor’s bedchamber. Heaven protect me—please don’t let the emperor take a fancy to me. I don’t want to die.”

Just then, a group of dozens approached. Leading them was a woman dressed in a lavish rose-red silk skirt. Hearing the remark, she halted and cast a contemptuous glance at the speaker.

“How dare you! Not even kneeling upon seeing Consort Ning!” Except for Yun Peipei, everyone knelt.

Consort Ning snorted, “You? With that crooked and awkward face? Do you really think the emperor would be interested?”

Bang!

She delivered a sharp kick.

“How can such a jinx possibly catch the emperor’s eye? Throw her into the cold palace for me!”

The eunuchs quickly covered the maiden’s mouth and dragged her away.

The others shivered in fear, but Yun Peipei stood there foolishly, her lovely face marked with a hint of confusion.

“I want to see what kind of beauty would be granted consort status immediately upon entering,” Consort Ning said, pinching Yun Peipei’s chin to force her to look up, only to see tears brimming in her eyes.

She was indeed beautiful—but what a crybaby.

Tears dripped onto Consort Ning’s hand, causing her to recoil and promptly order a palace maid to wipe them away.

“Consort, the emperor would find her irritating. It’s none of our concern.”

Consort Ning agreed; she had already thrown one person into the cold palace today and didn’t want to overstep, as it might complicate matters with the emperor.

After Consort Ning left, Yun Peipei finally began to feel fear.

“Cuizhi, Lanxin, is the emperor very fierce? Is he very old? What if he scolds me? I heard he likes to kill people—should I run away?”

Before Cuizhi and Lanxin could respond, a eunuch’s voice rang out: “The emperor has arrived!”

Clad in a brocade yellow robe that accentuated his imposing figure, the emperor strode forward with long legs, reaching the inner hall in just two steps.

Eunuch Duheng gave a signal to Cuizhi and Lanxin, who were then politely excused. He closed the hall doors and stood guard outside.

Dugu Jin stared at the clearly nervous yet still exquisitely beautiful face before him.

In a deep voice, he demanded, “You see the emperor but do not bow—is this the courtesy of the Prime Minister’s household?”

Yun Peipei trembled and her eyes instantly filled with tears.

She quickly knelt, saying, “Your Majesty, your humble servant greets you.”

---

In the next moment, a large hand grasped her chin, forcing her to look up.

Their eyes met.

One pair cold and indifferent, the other moist with tears.

Dugu Jin’s gaze was aggressive as he examined the stunning face bestowed by nature.

“Am I very frightening?” he asked in a cold, low voice.

Just as Yun Peipei was about to speak, a dialogue box suddenly appeared before her eyes, with many comments scrolling rapidly.

“Don’t be afraid, even though he looks cold, he’s actually excited inside.”

“The villain finally got his white moonlight but is still pretending to be cold—what a farce!”

“White moonlight, don’t be shy, charge! The more you cry, the more excited he gets. His palms are sweating!”

Yun Peipei: “?”

She had transmigrated to the Prime Minister’s residence with memories intact, initially thinking it was a simple reincarnation, only to discover she had entered a novel and could see live comments!

She shook her head. “Not scary at all, quite handsome.”

“Just hearing white moonlight compliment you makes us all swoon.”

“Everyone stand at attention, hurry up with the next step.”

“The villain and white moonlight’s first—and only—time together. I’m shipping them hard.”

Dugu Jin suddenly scooped Yun Peipei up in his arms, carrying her toward the bed.

“My beloved consort is truly beautiful. Even Prime Minister Yun dared to send you in—do you know what’s going to happen next?”

Tears welled in Yun Peipei’s eyes as she timidly asked, “Will it hurt?”

Dugu Jin finally lost patience, grabbing her hand and placing it atop his head. “Who taught you to be so seductive?”

(The following ten thousand words are omitted.)

---

At the hour of the snake the next day, Yun Peipei woke up crying.

“Liar!”

“You said it wouldn’t hurt!”

“You said it was the last time!”

“All lies!”

Cuizhi and Lanxin, seeing the obvious marks on their mistress’s body, couldn’t help but blame the emperor for not being gentle.

But that was a tyrant forged on the battlefield; how could he care about such things?

“Consort, we still need to freshen up before paying respects to the Empress Dowager at the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility,” Lanxin reminded her.

Yun Peipei’s mind was slow, but she understood the proper etiquette. Without an empress in the palace, the consorts visited the Empress Dowager daily to pay their respects.

However, as soon as she got out of bed, her legs went weak, nearly causing her to fall.

Cuizhi and Lanxin felt sorry for their mistress but were low in status and could say nothing.

By the time Yun Peipei slowly arrived at the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility, it was nearly noon.

She knew she was rather late, so upon entering, she formally bowed. “Your servant greets the Empress Dowager.”

“Oh! So this is Consort Rou, favored immediately upon entering the palace.”

“Truly a beauty.”

The Empress Dowager’s face was solemn. “Raise your head, let me see.”

Yun Peipei lifted her eyes timidly, tears still lingering.

Others also scrutinized her carefully. With such a face, no wonder the emperor’s illness was cured. She was the first consort to survive after spending the night with him.

Before the Empress Dowager could speak, Consort Mei sneered, “Who’s putting on airs? Are you so insulted by paying respects to the Empress Dowager? We’ve all been waiting on you.”

Yun Peipei pressed her lips, fighting back tears.

She hadn’t intended to be late.

It was just that last night...

“The emperor has arrived!”

Dugu Jin entered, and except for the Empress Dowager, everyone knelt immediately.

“Your Majesty,” they greeted.

But Dugu Jin ignored them all.

He went straight to Yun Peipei’s side and bent down, lifting her into his arms. “She is late because of me. If the Empress Dowager wishes to blame anyone, blame me.”

“Hahaha, rushing over from the imperial study, then acting so composed at the door—it has to be you, villain.”

“Look how tired our white moonlight is. You should show some restraint next time (not really).”

“When Consort Mei’s affair with Marquis Bo’an is exposed, the villain will have a field day.”

“Look at Consort Ning’s glare—it’s enough to devour dear Peipei. Villain, be careful not to let white moonlight suffer.”

Yun Peipei glanced back, indeed seeing Consort Ning’s eyes sharp and terrifying.

She shivered.

“Cry, white moonlight! The villain fears your tears the most. When you cry, he’d give his life for you!”

Tears filling her eyes, Yun Peipei looked up at Dugu Jin.

He stiffened instantly, his gaze turning even more aggressive, as if he wanted to devour her.

“You, you’re so fierce.”

“You promised you’d be good to me last night.”

“Sweetheart, never trust a man’s words in bed!”

“Yes, cry more like that—make him restless.”

“Villain, keep being arrogant and fierce if you dare!”