Chapter 1
Ignoring the water still dripping from my hair, I took a cloth and polished my haul until every piece gleamed.
I was still basking in the joy of my newfound fortune when the door opened.
Prince Dun lumbered in. He was so round that he looked as if he were carrying twins.
He stopped in front of me, his fleshy face unreadable.
I was puzzled. Why wasn’t he comforting his delicate secondary consort? What was he doing here? Great heavens, could he be after my gold?
I clutched the treasure to my chest.
“Are you trying to take my gold? I fished it up myself. Don’t even think about it!”
His face instantly turned red. Blinking through eyes squeezed into slits by his plump cheeks, he said in a muffled voice,
“However poor I may be, I would never steal your things. The flower-viewing banquet is in three days. Don’t catch a chill.”
As he spoke, he set several packets of medicinal herbs on the table.
“These will ward off the cold. Remember to take them on time. I had them rescue the secondary consort first because she recently miscarried and is still weak. Please don’t hold it against me.”
With that, he turned and left without looking back.
His round figure seemed oddly forlorn as I watched him go.
I had arrived in this world three days ago. So far, the chubby prince had treated me with respect, and my food, clothes, and allowance matched those of princess consorts in other households. But the memories of this body told me that he was desperately poor.
This manor was so broke that mice came in crying and thieves left behind a couple of taels out of pity.
I couldn’t let myself stay trapped here. I needed to make some money and escape.
Under cover of night, I set off for the lake again, hoping there might be more valuables at the bottom for me to pick up and sell.
The lake was centuries old. Who knew how many tokens of love heartbroken couples had thrown into it, or how many cherished ornaments beauties had accidentally dropped?
On my way through the garden, I ran into the delicate secondary consort, Lin Chuxue.
She seemed startled to see me. The timid look in her eyes made anyone want to protect her.
“This concubine greets Your Highness.”
I stepped closer, motioned for her to rise, and gave her a careful once-over.
Beneath the moonlight, Lin Chuxue looked slender and ethereal, like a fairy from the moon palace who might float away on a beam of light at any moment.
Why would a beauty like her marry Prince Dun?
For money?
No, definitely not. Prince Dun was dirt-poor. I had the household ledgers, so I knew better than anyone.
For his looks?
Well… perhaps we should go back to discussing money.
“Tell me… did Prince Dun save your life or something?”
Lin Chuxue stared at me. “?”
She looked confused at first, then smiled in understanding.
“Yes. When I was still a lowly palace maid, I was often bullied. His Highness saved me, and ever since then, I have…”
Her face glowed with sweetness. Halfway through, she seemed to realize she should not be flaunting her love in front of me and promptly dropped to her knees.
“This concubine spoke out of turn. Please pay no mind to my foolish words, Your Highness.”
I had no interest in fighting for his favor, so her public display of affection did nothing to me. When she looked close to tears, I hurriedly helped her up.
“Get up. I heard you recently miscarried, and then you fell into the water. What are you doing out here in the middle of the night instead of resting?”
She rose, blushing as her voice dropped even lower.
“This concubine wanted to see how you were doing.”
Her eyes were red, and she did not appear to be pretending. I decided to walk her back and followed the body’s memories toward her courtyard.
“You seem afraid of me. Why did you still come to see me?”
Lin Chuxue hesitated, then answered softly,
“I’m not afraid of you, Your Highness. You’re different from everyone else. You have never used your position as the principal wife to bully me, and you have always treated me kindly. I just… feel ashamed.”
I knew why. The body’s original owner might have been the daughter of a minor official, but her family had doted on her. Naturally, she had resented being ordered to marry a prince with both a poor reputation and an unappealing appearance.
After the marriage, Prince Dun had treated her with distant courtesy while showering Lin Chuxue with affection. She had held the empty title of princess consort and lived in loneliness.
“You were perfectly healthy. How did you miscarry?”
Resentment flashed through Lin Chuxue’s gentle eyes, only to collapse into helpless misery.
“You may stop here, Your Highness. This concubine can make it back alone. Please take good care of yourself.”
She hurried away like a frightened rabbit.
There was a story behind this little secondary consort.