Chapter 1: Discovering Transmigration into a Book

Chapter 1: Discovering Transmigration into a Book

The most fleeting in this world

Zhu Yan bids farewell to the mirror and the flowers and trees

— Excerpt from Wang Guowei's "Butterfly Loves Flowers"

The fourth year of Yuanhe, the sixth day of the ninth month.

Autumn rain falls gently and steadily.

The Grand Yu Palace welcomes a new group of exceptional women.

In the splendidly decorated main hall of Fuhua Palace, Zhu Yan looks at the radiant and elegant Lady Su before her. Her face shows no change, but her heart is overwhelmed by a tsunami of emotions.

Lady Su, whose maiden name is Wanqing.

She emerged as the top choice in this selection, and upon entering the palace, was granted the title of a fifth-rank talented lady.

What truly astonishes Zhu Yan is not Lady Su's natural beauty, nor her rank. Three years ago, Zhu Yan herself won the top spot in the selection and was similarly titled a fifth-rank talented lady upon entering the palace.

After four years in the deep palace, Zhu Yan has come to realize that the Emperor is undeniably captivated by beauty.

Thus, Lady Su Wanqing’s appearance and rank don’t surprise Zhu Yan. What shocks and amazes her are the coincidences of Lady Su’s name and everything around her at this moment.

It seems, quite possibly, that she has transmigrated into a book.

Previously, she hadn't considered this perspective because she was transmigrated into the Zhu family of the Da Yu dynasty.

The novel "Hou Gong" she read had Su Wanqing as the female lead, set primarily in the imperial palace. It started with the protagonist entering the palace, facing jealousy and bullying from the main antagonist, and then being rescued by the Emperor.

The plot wasn’t new; melodrama was enough.

Don't ask her why she remembers it so clearly after twenty years.

The main antagonist shared her name and surname, and the female lead shared the same name as her best friend. The friendship fell apart over a dispute about the book, right before she transmigrated, when the plot reached the part where the antagonist was sentenced to death.

Cough, cough.

How could I not remember vividly?

In the book, the main antagonist and the protagonist became enemies from chapter one. Their constant struggles contributed a significant portion of the story. The antagonist was eventually ordered to hang herself with a white silk scarf, her final act illuminating the protagonist's unique position as the emperor's favorite consort.

The entire book was not only about vying for the emperor's favor and status but also about bearing children.

At that time, stories about childbirth were popular. The antagonist had seven sons and two daughters, while the protagonist had five sons and five daughters. Together, they accounted for more than half of the princes and princesses in the entire harem.

Reading it was fun, but when it came to experiencing it personally, Zhu Yan shuddered.

"Your Majesty, the autumn rain is cold. Let me add a cloak for you."

Warmth enveloped Zhu Yan. She turned to see Qu Gu, the palace manager, draping an apricot-red cloak over her shoulders and subtly signaling her with a glance. Touching the white fox fur on the edge of the cloak, Zhu Yan fully regained her composure, realizing she had been silent for too long, creating a tense atmosphere in the hall.

She smiled before speaking, "Su Cairen is so beautiful, I was completely mesmerized."

"I can hardly bear such high praise from Your Majesty. It is you who truly embodies the beauty that can overthrow cities and states. I am but a humble reed in comparison."

"If you are but a humble reed, then the rest of the palace must be filled with mediocrity," Zhu Yan scoffed.

"I dare not compare myself. Your Majesty's divine beauty and grace are unparalleled, making someone like me feel utterly inferior," Su Cairen said, hurriedly kneeling, her head bowed low. Her pale, jade-like face instantly blushed crimson, trembling slightly, appearing as though deeply aggrieved and frightened.

Zhu Yan frowned slightly.

Hadn't she said anything out of line?

"I didn't do anything, did I?"

"How did I end up scaring her like that?"

"Truly a born nemesis."

"Our auras just clash naturally."

"Stand up," Zhu Yan, disliking people kneeling before her, turned to ask Qu Gu, "Which palace have the new entrants been arranged in this time?"

"Minghua Palace," Qu Gu promptly replied.

Liu Zhongshi, the senior eunuch accompanying Su Cairen, flashed a look of surprise. The selection process had been a grand affair lasting three months, and yet the host was unaware of where the newcomers were placed. The servants attending to the palace seemed to be negligent. Qu Gu, noticing Liu Zhongshi's expression, also felt quite helpless.

Fuhua Palace was different from the other palaces.

Their mistress never inquired about palace affairs, nor did she allow her attendants to gossip – not due to negligence on their part.

"Since they're all in Minghua Palace, send her there too," Zhu Yan said without hesitation, as if it was the most natural decision, "I won't accept her."

Fuhua Palace didn't accommodate any other concubines.

It never did in the past, and certainly not now, especially not Su Wanqing.

She wanted to send the newcomer away as soon as possible.

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhongshi, no longer concerned with other matters, responded, "Your Majesty, assigning Su Cairen to Fuhua Palace was a direct decree from the Empress herself." He had anticipated this task to be difficult, which was why the Empress had personally sent him, but he didn’t expect Zhu Yan to refuse so straightforwardly.

"Take her away. I'll explain myself to the Empress later."

"While it's a different matter for the Beauty to speak with the Empress, Her Majesty's decree has already been issued, and Su Cairen is here. Please arrange for her accommodation first, so I can report back to the Empress. Otherwise, I dare not return," Liu Zhongshi, the senior eunuch, pleaded with Zhu Yan, bowing respectfully, yet his tone left no room for negotiation.

Liu Zhongshi is a highly trusted eunuch in the Empress's service.

Seeing this, Zhu Yan guessed that this was the Empress's doing and surmised her intention: to reconcile her relationship with the Emperor by deliberately placing a top-tier newcomer in Fuhua Palace, providing the Emperor a pretext to visit. A well-intentioned but complex plan.

Zhu Yan scrutinized Su Wanqing again, admiring her jade-like beauty and ice-sculpted complexion, akin to a celestial being. However, thinking of the Empress's arrangement, she felt an irritation rising within her, and said stiffly, "I wasn't aware of your arrival. You can temporarily stay in the spacious Luoying Pavilion to the east."

Zhu Yan, eager to send her away, quickly called for her chief maid, Xiangru, "Lead her there and get her settled. If anything is needed, ask the relevant department in the palace."

Xiangru, dressed in a green palace skirt, promptly stepped forward and acknowledged the order.

As the words were spoken, Su Wanqing visibly relaxed, quickly kowtowing in gratitude, "Thank you for your care, Your Highness. I appreciate your efforts." She had heard upon entering the palace that one should never provoke Zhu Yan of Fuhua Palace, who even dared to snub the emperor.

Rumors had it that Zhu Yan was fiercely jealous, and the emperor built Fuhua Palace specifically for her, without allowing other concubines to reside there.

She had never imagined being assigned here.

She had been apprehensive on her way here, and after entering the hall, the cold reception had made her even more jittery.

Now assured of her place, she was overjoyed.

"You may leave," Zhu Yan dismissed her with a wave of her hand.

Su Wanqing stood up, gave another bow, and was led out of the hall by Xiangru.

Seeing his mission accomplished, Liu Zhongshi seized the opportunity to take his leave, "The Empress is waiting. I won't disturb you further, Your Highness. I shall return and report back."

Zhu Yan's face remained cold.

Qu Gu immediately stepped forward with a smile, smoothing things over as she escorted them out.

Turning back, Zhu Yan sighed, "It seems peaceful days are over."

"As long as Your Highness wishes, no one can disturb your peace," Qu Gu chimed in.

Zhu Yan gave Qu Gu a nonchalant glance.

Feeling a sudden surge of nervousness, Qu Gu avoided eye contact, slightly lowering her head, and stood beside Zhu Yan as if nothing had happened, suggesting, "If Your Highness really dislikes Su Cairen, you could ask the Empress to transfer her. Your relationship with the Empress has always been close; she might agree if you ask."

She added thoughtfully, "Transferring her to Minghua Palace might be beneficial for both sides. There are no high-ranking concubines there, and Su Cairen would be the highest ranked, which she would probably prefer."

"Visit Fengyi Palace this afternoon," Zhu Yan withdrew her gaze, her mind in turmoil.

It was a panic she hadn't felt in a long time.

The Empress, a devout Buddhist, seldom interfered and was easy to get along with. The only flaw might be her excessive kindness. Two years ago, when Zhu Yan fell out with the despicable emperor, the Empress tried to mediate. But seeing Zhu Yan's resolute attitude and understanding her feelings, she didn't persist.

Unexpectedly, she intervened again today.

The Great Yu Palace was vast, covering an area estimated to be five times that of the Forbidden City in later ages. In these four years, with nothing much to do, Zhu Yan wandered through the palace, discovering numerous gardens besides the newly built Fuhua Palace and the Empress's Fengyi Palace, located along the central axis. There were six major palace complexes to the east and west, hence new entrants were usually assigned to one palace.

In the future, they might be promoted, relocated, or remain, depending on their wishes.

Time passed, and twenty years went by.

Zhu Yan could hardly remember the plot of the novel anymore, especially since she had given up on competing for favor two years ago. The main antagonist in the book started as a first-rank Imperial Consort, while Zhu Yan was now merely a fourth-rank Beauty, a far cry from the antagonist in the book.

One could say the plot had deviated right from the start.

She had no intention of antagonizing the heroine but, with her extensive reading experience, knew the wisdom of staying away from her.

From their initial encounter, Zhu Yan had already formed a preliminary impression of Su Wanqing: either genuinely weak or a master of pretense, with Zhu Yan leaning towards the latter.

Truly weak individuals could never become the despicable emperor's favored consort.

The author's note:

New story, seeking support! If you like it, feel free to add it to your favorites~~~

Harem Hierarchy:

Empress: Special Rank

Four Consorts: Imperial Consort, Virtuous Consort, Benevolent Consort, Wise Consort, First Rank

Nine Imperial Concubines: Zhaoyi, Zhaorong, Zhaoyuan, Xiuyi, Xiurong, Xiuyuan, Chongyi, Chongrong, Chongyuan, Second Rank

Nine Jieyu, Third Rank

Nine Beauties, Fourth Rank (later changed to Lady)

Nine Cairen, Fifth Rank

Twenty-seven Noble Ladies, Sixth Rank

Twenty-seven Baolin, Seventh Rank

Twenty-seven Selected Ladies, Eighth Rank