Volume 5, Chapter 327 – Palace Schemes? Child’s Play (Part 1)

“What? You’re taking over?”

Ouyang Tong froze in shock, then grew visibly agitated. “Th-This won’t do! Chief Steward Zhong said this matter is critical. If we fail, I’ll die!”

“Precisely why it should be me instead of you. With your performance, the risk of exposure is far too high.”

Qi Huang spoke patiently, her tone firm.

“Am I… really that bad?”

Ouyang Tong bit her lip, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

“What do you think? Cheng Hongling is famously known as the aloof and untouchable ‘Fairy Hongling’. Even her doppelgänger wouldn’t act like some meek, soft-spoken girl. Anyone familiar with her reputation would see through you in an instant.”

Qi Huang didn’t hold back her mockery.

Ouyang Tong fell silent. She knew her own limits, but the idea of entrusting her fate to someone else was terrifying.

“There are only two days left… Is it really necessary to switch now?”

After a moment, she clung to a sliver of hope.

“Those last two days are when the most trouble will arise. Anyone targeting the Imperial Consort candidates won’t let this final opportunity slip. You can’t even eat without someone delivering your meals, do you really lack that much self-awareness? Without me, you wouldn’t have survived Consort Hui’s test earlier.”

Qi Huang’s words were blunt, leaving no room for denial.

Ouyang Tong’s face twisted with resentment, but when she recalled how effortlessly Qi Huang had handled Consort Hui—calm, composed, and in complete control—her resistance wavered.

“Even if I agree, how can you impersonate me? After these past two days, everyone has already formed a fixed impression of the imperial consort candidate. We’re similar in height, but our figures differ slightly. And what about our voices?”

“Don’t worry about that. Do you think I’d intervene without a plan when lives are at stake? If the mission fails, Chief Steward Zhong won’t spare me either, he made that clear. Why else would I help you so much?”

Qi Huang’s impatience seeped through.

“…Fine.”

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After another moment of hesitation, Ouyang Tong finally relented. But then, a sudden realization struck her.

“Wait, what about me? If you’re taking my place, doesn’t that mean I’m useless now? Chief Steward Zhong said this mustn’t leak, will he silence me? And what will you do?”

“That’s exactly why you mustn’t tell him. When the final screening happens on the first of the month, we’ll switch back. All you’ll need to do is step forward and test the Phoenix Selection Token.”

Qi Huang laid out the plan.

“That’s doable, but where do I hide for these two days? I can’t impersonate you, can I?”

Ouyang Tong frowned, her brows knitting together.

“Smart. For these two days, you’ll be me.”

Qi Huang smirked.

“Wha—?! No! You’ve seen how bad I am at acting!”

Panic flashed across Ouyang Tong’s delicate features.

“Relax. I’ve already told Lady Zhou that I’ve caught a cold. She approved a separate room for me to recuperate. You can hide inside, no one will dare enter. If anyone asks, just speak in a hoarse voice. I’ll give you a pill to mimic the symptoms perfectly.”

Qi Huang’s reassurance eased some of the tension.

“That… that might work.”

Ouyang Tong exhaled in relief, her eyes flickering with admiration. The more she interacted with Qi Huang, the more she felt an inexplicable sense of security around her.

“Good. To be safe, I won’t leave the room either. But to keep you from starving, I’ll slip out to get some food. Go back for now. Once the room is ready, we’ll switch immediately.”

Qi Huang’s instructions were meticulous.

“Thank you.”

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Ouyang Tong’s gratitude was genuine. Without Qi Huang, she’d have been lost.

“Oh, and don’t enter your room when you return.”

Qi Huang suddenly remembered the spatial ring Consort Hui’s people had tossed inside and added the warning.

“Why?”

Confusion painted Ouyang Tong’s face.

“Too many questions. Just do it if you want to live.”

Qi Huang rolled her eyes and strode off without another word.

Watching her slender figure disappear, Ouyang Tong’s expression softened. She took a deep breath and headed back to her quarters with lighter steps.

Back at her residence, Ouyang Tong obediently waited outside her room, resisting the urge to enter. Meanwhile, Qi Huang secured permission to leave the palace under the pretense of seeking medical treatment.

When she returned, she carried bags of pastries, enough to last two days. Her new private quarters had also been arranged.

Without hesitation, Qi Huang moved out of the shared room. Though the view there had been… stimulating, she had greater ambitions.

Not that her self-control was exceptional, she simply no longer had male hormones clouding her judgment.

Once settled, Qi Huang discreetly met Ouyang Tong again, timing it perfectly when the other consort candidates were away at music lessons.

“Follow me.”

She brushed past Ouyang Tong like a stranger, not pausing for even a second. Now wasn’t the time for suspicious behavior.

Trusting her completely, Ouyang Tong trailed behind.

Inside the new room, Qi Huang sealed the door with a Sound-Blocking Talisman before speaking.

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“For safety, let’s finalize our disguises. You’ll become me, and I’ll become you.”

“Okay!”

Ouyang Tong nodded eagerly.

Since both wore identical consort candidate robes, the differences lay in hairstyle, makeup, veils, and accessories. They adjusted swiftly, but the results were unsatisfactory.

“Still not right. Your skin is too fair, your chest is fuller, your waist slimmer, and your hips more pronounced. The curves are too obvious, people will notice.”

Ouyang Tong was brutally honest. Her life was on the line, after all.

“Easy fix.”

Qi Huang rummaged through her belongings and pulled out a roll of bandage cloth. Stripping to her undergarments, she wrapped her chest tightly to reduce its size, then layered the bandages around her waist to mask its natural taper.

“Perfect.”

Ouyang Tong’s eyes lit up.

“Remember, stay here for two days. Don’t step out. Food and water are in the corner. If someone calls, claim illness and refuse entry. Understood?”

Qi Huang pressed a pill into Ouyang Tong’s hand.

“This is a Voice-Altering Pill. It’ll roughen your throat, mimicking a cold. No one will suspect a thing.”

“Mhm!”

Ouyang Tong swallowed it without hesitation. Then, another concern arose.

“What about the doppelgänger mark? Qi Huang is a cultivator’s doppelgänger, she has a pink lotus mark on her forehead.”

“Already prepared.”

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Qi Huang handed over a delicate forehead ornament designed to resemble the mark.

“You’ve thought of everything.”

Ouyang Tong couldn’t help but admire her.

“Of course. I made this a year ago.”

Qi Huang muttered the last part under her breath.

“What?”

Ouyang Tong blinked.

“Nothing. Just remember, follow my instructions if you want to live.”

With a dismissive smile, Qi Huang left, heading straight for Ouyang Tong’s quarters.

“Heh. Strictly speaking, this should’ve been my room from the start.”

She scanned the familiar space, a self-deprecating smirk playing on her lips.

Settling onto the bed, Qi Huang began meditating, but her divine sense remained locked onto the spatial ring hidden beneath.

‘Let’s see what tricks that Consort Hui has up her sleeve.’

Night deepened, and the Office of Palace Ceremonies grew quiet.

Then, near midnight—the ring stirred.

A shadowy figure slithered out, its oppressive divine sense crashing down toward Qi Huang before it even touched the ground.