Chapter 1

Chapter 1

On the day I foresaw the Sixth Prince coming to break our engagement, I ordered my servants to sweep the street before our gates until not a single fallen leaf remained.

The Sixth Prince looked guilt-stricken. He told me he was in love with my concubine-born younger sister, Gong Qiuyue, and could only fail my sincere heart.

Clutching the jade pendant he had once given me as a token of love, my eyes grew red at the rims.

Unable to bear the sight, the Sixth Prince said in a heavy voice, “This matter will damage your reputation. This Prince promises to do one thing for you. If you have a request in the future, bring this pendant to find me.”

“Your Highness’s frankness proves your integrity. It is merely my lack of fortune that I cannot enjoy your favor. I shall keep Your Highness’s promise in my heart. Please excuse me; I am feeling unwell and will take my leave.”

I lowered my eyes and curtsied. A single tear struck the ground, blooming like a water lily.

Without waiting for him to speak, I turned and hurried away.

Back in my chambers, my maid Liu Cui tried to comfort me.

“Miss, His Highness is not heartless toward you. After you left, he stared at your back for a long time. In my opinion, this is clearly the Second Miss’s doing.”

I wiped away my tears, the corners of my lips curling slightly.

Of course this was Gong Qiuyue’s handiwork.

My younger sister-she was someone who had undergone Rebirth twice already.

In the first life, she chose the Sixth Prince, but the one who ascended the throne was my husband, the Ninth Prince.

In the second life, she chose the Ninth Prince, but the one who finally ascended the throne was my husband, the Sixth Prince.

This is the third life. No matter who I choose, she intends to ruin it.

Since that is the case, I will give her exactly what she wants and see if she can have the last laugh.

Within a few days, the news of the Sixth Prince breaking our engagement spread like wildfire.

Some said the Sixth Prince was like the moon in the sky, far beyond the reach of an ordinary woman.

Others said it was because of my improper conduct; that the Sixth Prince had discovered my flaws and thus called off the wedding.

It was easy to guess who was spreading these rumors.

After a moment’s thought, I added another rumor to the mix: that the Sixth Prince admired the Second Miss of the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion and wished to spend his life with her as a devoted couple of two.

The rumors pointed to the Sixth Prince being arrogant and overbearing, treating the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion like his private harem where the Grand Preceptor’s daughters were his to pick and choose.

They also pointed to Gong Qiuyue’s lack of righteousness for snatching her elder sister’s fiancé. They suggested that the one who was truly wanton and improper was actually her.

Once this rumor broke, it caused a massive stir in the capital.

The people did not dare mock the Sixth Prince, but they certainly dared to mock Gong Qiuyue.

They laughed at her overestimating herself, thinking she could actually expect a prince to have only her. Where did she think royal decorum stood?

Gong Qiuyue wept uncontrollably before our father.

“Daughter does not know when she caught the Sixth Prince’s eye, much less that he would break his engagement with Sister because of it. Even if I never marry and spend my life as a nun, I would not dare ruin Sister’s marriage. If Sister hates me for this, I can only shave my head and become a nun to prove my innocence.”

Father had always doted on her.

He frowned and said coldly, “Yaoguang, you should know in your heart that this has nothing to do with Qiuyue. It is because she is exceptionally gifted and elegant that the Sixth Prince favors her. No matter which of you marries the Sixth Prince, it brings honor to the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion. This matter is settled. Do not harbor resentment. I will find another good match for you.”

I had witnessed this scene twice before.

My heart had long since gone numb.

I offered a gentle smile. “Father is absolutely right. I have never blamed my sister. As the elder sister, I should look after her more. It is because Sister is too outstanding that she has suffered such slander. However, this matter does damage a young lady’s reputation after all. For Sister’s sake, Father should find a way to finalize the engagement between her and the Sixth Prince as soon as possible, lest she be exploited by those with ill intentions.”

“No!” Gong Qiuyue’s eyes flashed with panic, and she said resolutely, “Father, I do not wish to marry yet, and I certainly never thought of marrying the Sixth Prince. Setting the engagement so hastily would only trap me further in the rumors.”

She spoke with great earnestness.

Father’s expression shifted uncertainly. “I know what I am doing.”

But before long, the imperial decree for the marriage arrived at the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion. Her marriage to the Sixth Prince was set in stone.

The Sixth Prince came to find me. His face was solemn, his bright eyes burning with anger.

“I thought I had made things clear to you. Who knew you would use such methods to slander Qiuyue? You are truly malicious.”

“Your Highness, I do not understand. You came to break the engagement first, and now you berate me for being malicious? What did I do wrong to deserve such humiliation?”

“You’re still putting on an act?”

“Then why doesn’t Your Highness take me to the Court of the Imperial Clan for interrogation?”

“Do you think you’re worthy of being sent to the Court of the Imperial Clan?”

“And why wouldn’t she be?”

A clear voice rang out from the doorway as the Ninth Prince approached with measured steps.

He was dressed in purple, holding a folding fan. His posture was elegant, noble, and carried a hint of wicked charm.

I was momentarily dazed.

Across two lifetimes, I had been married to both of them.

I knew their temperaments like the back of my hand.

The Ninth Prince was flamboyant and arrogant, a man of domineering whims. He was naturally devious and prone to suspicion.

In that life, he deposed and reinstated me as Empress three times, leaving me to wither away for years within the confines of the inner palace.

He had no love for beauties, but he adored fine horses.

So I tampered with his favorite thousand-li steed. He fell and broke his back, transforming from a spirited, young emperor into a paralytic confined to his bed for thirty years.

I refused to let him die. I forced him to watch with his own eyes as I stripped him of his throne and installed a prince in his place. I went on to depose three successive princes before finally supporting his grandson’s ascension, firmly grasping the Great Chu Dynasty in my own hands.

The Sixth Prince, on the other hand, was cold and aloof, looking down on everyone with disdain. He was prone to misplacing his anger and was utterly cold-hearted.

Though he married me, he always treated me with the formal courtesy one might show a military advisor. He respected me, but he did not love me.

And I never craved his love.

He brought Gong Qiuyue into the palace, doting on her and allowing her to become the most favored consort in the harem.

Life in the palace became an uphill battle for me.

Left with no choice, I filled his harem with countless beauties who shared a resemblance to Gong Qiuyue. They were of all types-some slender, some curvaceous-each with her own unique charm.

He lost himself among them, gradually distancing himself from Gong Qiuyue and neglecting his court duties.

I played the part of the dutiful wife, advising him on one hand while managing the affairs of state on his behalf on the other.

Later, he died in the bed of a favored concubine.

I dealt with Gong Qiuyue, became the Empress Dowager, and ruled from behind the curtain. I guided the Crown Prince to become a wise and just ruler, eventually passing away peacefully at the age of eighty.

Both of them were heartless men.

And I finally understood that in this world, I have no one to rely on but myself. Only through self-reliance can I carve out a path.

Therefore, in this life, I will choose neither of them.

But that doesn’t stop me from using them.

The day after the Sixth Prince broke our engagement, I made sure to “accidentally” encounter the Ninth Prince while appearing utterly devastated. Under the weight of his cold mockery, I indignantly solved his Zhenlong Chess Match and declared my grand resolution: “Even if I, Gong Yaoguang, must live out my days alone, I will never again enter the imperial family!”

But the Ninth Prince was born with a rebellious streak.

The more you forbid him from doing something, the more he insists on doing it.

Ignoring my crumbling reputation, he went to the palace to request an imperial decree for our marriage.

Before the decree could even be processed by the Department of State Affairs, the Ninth Prince was already impatiently arriving to rub it in my face.

He broke into my bedroom at night and mockingly informed me of the news.

Only after seeing my eyes fill with tears and my face cloud with indignation did he leave, laughing with immense satisfaction.

In short, both of them are deranged.

The Ninth Prince arched an eyebrow and said with a smile, “I forgot to tell my Sixth Brother-Yaoguang is now my fiancée. If anything happens to her, it should naturally be handled by the Imperial Clan Court. Does Sixth Brother truly intend to send my fiancée there? Might I ask what crime she has committed?”

The Sixth Prince was stunned by this revelation.

His handsome features instantly turned cold and solemn. Ignoring the Ninth Prince, his chilling gaze shifted toward me.

“Elder Miss Gong, you certainly have your ways. This Prince has underestimated you.”

“Your Highness may say whatever he wishes; Yaoguang has a clear conscience,” I replied. “It is improper for an unrelated man to enter and leave the inner chambers of a lady’s home at will. If Your Highness comes to demand accountability next time, please bring Sister Qiuyue along, or perhaps come with the Ninth Prince. This is to avoid any suspicion and prevent further damage to my reputation. If this happens again, I will have no choice but to hang myself before the gates of the Sixth Prince’s manor to prove my innocence.”

“You…”

The Sixth Prince was livid.

His face flushed red, and he stormed off, flicking his sleeves in a fit of rage.

I stared at his retreating back.

I felt a bit of pity for him.

The matter of a broken engagement would soon fall upon his head as well.

Poor man, still so focused on standing up for his precious Sister Qiuyue.

The Ninth Prince suddenly grabbed my chin, sneering, “Is he that good-looking? Don’t forget, the one who rescued you from this predicament was this Prince. The one you should be thanking is also this Prince.”

His grip was incredibly strong. It hurt, and my eyes uncontrollably welled with tears.

He gave a cold snort and released his hold.

“I’ll give you three days to drive him out of your heart. What belongs to this Prince must be mine in body and soul. Gong Yaoguang, I can save your reputation, but I can just as easily drag it through the dirt. Conduct yourself wisely.”

He snapped his folding fan open and walked out with a graceful, uninhibited air.

I called out softly, “Your Highness!”

He turned back and looked at me quietly, his gaze cold, arrogant, and wicked.

The corners of my lips curled slightly.

“Does Your Highness dare to make a wager with me? I bet that there is no fate between us, and it is even more impossible for us to be joined in marriage. If I lose, I will naturally follow your lead and devote my body and soul only to you. If Your Highness loses, you must promise to do three things for me in the future. Does Your Highness dare to bet?”