Volume 5, Chapter 314 – If I Don’t Impersonate Qi Huang, I Die

“Your Majesty, this old servant fears there may still be flaws in this arrangement. Chief Steward Zhong has already reported that Imperial Consort Qi Huang went missing at an inn in Ronghua County. They searched for so long that it must have drawn considerable attention. So, will merely ordering the Imperial Consort Guard to keep silent truly suffice?”

Inside Longshun Palace, Eunuch Ma cautiously voiced his concerns.

“Is it impossible for a missing person to be found?” Emperor Lin Tu frowned slightly. “On behalf of the Inner Court, issue a proclamation stating that although Imperial Consort Qi Huang encountered severe weather during her journey, she was promptly summoned back by her main body and has now safely arrived at the palace. Understood?”

“Your Majesty is truly wise! This way, the onlookers in Ronghua County will no longer harbor suspicions.” Eunuch Ma hurriedly flattered. However, he then shifted his tone. “But Your Majesty, this old servant remains puzzled, why did you instruct Chief Steward Zhong to have a palace maid impersonate Consort Qi? As everyone knows, palace maids are failed candidates from previous Imperial Consort selections. On the first day of next month, the Inner Court will conduct preliminary screenings for this batch of consorts. What if the impostor fails the evaluation? Therefore, this old servant suggests… perhaps we should have a concubine from the rear palace take her place instead?”

“Eunuch Ma, why would We ever want an impostor to pass the screening? What benefit would keeping a fake in the palace bring Us?” Lin Tu’s expression remained unreadable as he posed the question.

“Your Majesty means…?” Eunuch Ma was momentarily baffled.

“Qi Huang is a minor celebrity within the Western Radiance Dynasty. If an impostor passes the screening, she will inevitably be exposed sooner or later. Rather than risk that, why not use this opportunity to eliminate the palace maid? Once she’s dismissed, whether Qi Huang lives or dies, what she experienced, or what becomes of her in the future, none of it will have anything to do with Us. That is Our true objective.”

Lin Tu’s lips curled into a cold smirk.

Eunuch Ma froze in place, his face gradually twisting into an expression of dread. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that Lin Tu’s schemes ran so deep—what seemed like an unsolvable predicament had been effortlessly resolved with such a simple maneuver.

“Your Majesty’s wisdom leaves this old servant in awe! For the Western Radiance Dynasty to have such a brilliant emperor is truly a blessing for all its people!” Eunuch Ma promptly raised his voice in sycophantic praise.

“Hmph. Man proposes, Heaven disposes. Now, it all depends on the person Chief Steward Zhong has chosen. If she exposes herself prematurely, even the most meticulous plan will be for naught.”

A trace of ruthless ambition flickered in Lin Tu’s eyes.

“This old servant dares to suggest, once that palace maid registers at the Office of Palace Ceremonies, we should immediately send someone to kill her. That way, there’s no fear of her exposing the truth. After all, by then, everyone will already believe Consort Qi Huang has arrived at the palace.”

Eunuch Ma, thinking himself clever, offered his own proposal.

“Eunuch Ma, if she dies within the palace, what then of Our dignity? What purpose would all Our prior arrangements serve? You are the Vice Chief of the Inner Court, how can you speak without thinking? Just how did you even rise to this position?”

Lin Tu’s expression turned sharp, his voice like a blade.

“Your Majesty, spare this lowly one! This old servant is foolish, utterly foolish!”

Rеαⅾ оո ΚαtReaԁіոgСαfе

Eunuch Ma paled, immediately dropping to his knees and kowtowing frantically.

“Hmph. It’s fortunate We never entrusted you with full control of the Inner Court. Truly, you are unfit for any real responsibility.”

A trace of disdain surfaced on Lin Tu’s face.

Eunuch Ma’s wrinkled face flushed crimson with humiliation.

Qi Huang, observing everything from the shadows, grew increasingly unsettled by Lin Tu’s ruthlessness. Not only was he bloodthirsty and warlike, but his cunning was unmatched. The people of the Western Radiance Dynasty were truly cursed to have such an emperor, rising in rebellion was impossible; they could only resign themselves to slaughter.

Meanwhile, Chief Steward Zhong had already arrived alone at the rearmost section of the palace. Though the structures here were just as grand, they stood in stark contrast to the opulence of the outer court. An eerie silence pervaded the area, so profound that the drop of a needle could be heard. Only the occasional wails and howls, like tormented ghosts, broke the stillness, as if this place were a gateway to hell itself.

With brisk steps, Chief Steward Zhong soon reached the entrance of one particular palace and knocked on its weathered doors.

After a moment, the doors creaked open, revealing a palace maid with waist-length hair. She possessed an oval face of breathtaking beauty, her features delicate and flawless, like a masterfully carved work of art. Though lightly adorned, her cherry-red lips glistened temptingly, as if begging to be bitten. A small mole at the corner of her mouth added a touch of mature charm.

But what truly set her apart was her tall, voluptuous frame. Unlike most women, she had broad shoulders and a striking figure that even the loose folds of her ruqun could not conceal. The sunlight filtering through the thin fabric of her skirt faintly outlined the curves of her long, shapely legs.

The moment Qi Huang saw this maid, her eyes gleamed with fascination. At this instant, her mind had never been clearer, she was a man, a man who adored beauty.

“Chief Steward Zhong!”

The maid, recognizing the head of the Inner Court, gave a slight curtsy.

“Ouyang Tong, how is Consort Yu faring?” Zhong asked casually, though his eyes roamed over the maid’s figure, his satisfaction growing with each passing second.

“Same as always. She clamors daily to see His Majesty.”

The stunning maid, Ouyang Tong, answered without subservience or defiance.

“Bah! To think a discarded woman in the Cold Palace still dreams of an audience with the Emperor? Ridiculous.”

Reаd оո ΚatRеаԁіnɡСαfе

Chief Steward Zhong scoffed derisively.

“So this is the Cold Palace… No wonder it’s so desolate.”

Qi Huang, still eavesdropping, finally understood.

“You’ve been attending to Consort Yu for three years now, haven’t you?”

Chief Steward Zhong abruptly changed the subject.

“Yes. This lowly one was part of the Imperial Consort selection three years ago. Having failed the first round, I remained as a palace maid and was later assigned here to serve Her Majesty.”

Ouyang Tong’s rosy lips parted slightly as she replied.

“Life in the Cold Palace can’t be easy. Aside from that deranged consort, you have no one to speak to.”

Chief Steward Zhong probed further.

“It’s bearable. I’ve always preferred quiet.”

A faint quiver touched the corner of Ouyang Tong’s lips.

“Quiet is one thing, but prolonged solitude becomes loneliness. You’re still in the bloom of youth, you shouldn’t waste it here.”

Chief Steward Zhong cut straight to the heart of the matter, then delivered his pitch:

“There’s an opportunity to leave this place. Would you like to take it?”

“Chief Steward, of course this lowly one wishes to try. But I can neither shoulder burdens nor lift heavy things—I fear I may not be suited for whatever task you have in mind.”

Ouyang Tong bit her lower lip, feigning nervousness.

“Don’t worry. There’ll be no burdens to carry. All you need is the ability to act.”

Rеaԁ οո КαtRеαԁiոɡСαfе

Chief Steward Zhong reassured her.

“Act?”

Ouyang Tong blinked in confusion.

“Let’s speak inside.”

Chief Steward Zhong stepped past her into the hall, leading her to a secluded corner where he explained the situation in hushed tones.

“You want me… to impersonate Imperial Consort Qi Huang? But why?”

Ouyang Tong’s bewilderment was palpable.

“Apologies, but the reasons cannot be disclosed.”

Chief Steward Zhong shook his head.

“But… will this work? Though I rarely leave the palace, I’ve heard of her reputation. What if someone here has seen her before?”

Worry flashed across Ouyang Tong’s exquisite features.

“It’s fine. You can wear a veil. I’ll arrange for the Office of Palace Ceremonies to assign you a private chamber. All you need to do is remain there until the screening on the first of next month. Once you’re eliminated, you’ll be free to either leave the palace or stay, as you wish.”

Chief Steward Zhong laid out the plan plainly.

Ouyang Tong fell into thought, her expression shifting rapidly. After a long pause, she ventured cautiously:

“Chief Steward Zhong… this lowly one dares to ask, what happens if my identity is exposed?”

“You die.”

Rеаⅾ οn ΚаtRеaԁiոɡСаfе

Chief Steward Zhong’s face hardened.

“Ah… Then… may I choose not to accept?”

Ouyang Tong tested the waters.

“Then you die now. This matter requires absolute secrecy. The moment you heard my words, there was no turning back.”

Chief Steward Zhong’s eyelids drooped like a corpse’s, devoid of all warmth.

“Very well. This lowly one will comply with the Chief Steward’s arrangements.”

Defeated, Ouyang Tong exhaled in resignation.

“Good. I’ve always appreciated clever maids.”

A pleased smile crept onto Chief Steward Zhong’s face

“Put on a veil and follow me. I’ll have another maid take your place here.”

Accepting her fate, Ouyang Tong obeyed without another word.

Having witnessed everything, Qi Huang now pondered her next move.

“What do you plan to do now?”

The voice of Yaoyao echoed in her mind.

“Find a way to sneak inside!”

After a moment’s deliberation, Qi Huang made her decision.