The massive bedchamber was brightly lit by candles.
From the deepest corner of the room came a series of ragged gasps.
"Your Highness, I sent thirty-six beauties to the General Huo's Mansion today. You wouldn't blame me for overstepping my bounds, would you?"
Beads of sweat clung to her collarbone, and the corners of Jiang Wumei’s eyes were flushed red. Her arms, delicate and supple as lotus roots, clung to the man’s shoulders with a fragile grace, her voice dripping with a cloying, seductive charm.
Sensing the man’s body stiffen, Jiang Wumei curled her red lips. She traced a pink, slender fingertip from his Adam’s apple downward, slowly sinking into the man’s sweat-slicked, tense abdomen.
Jiang Wumei measured her movements perfectly. Her eyes, clouded with passion, held the most alluring desire. Like a vixen who had cultivated her arts for a thousand years, she stoked the man above her until his breathing grew heavy and his dark eyes intensified their rhythm.
From beginning to end, Crown Prince Xiao Tong did not utter a single word in reply, yet his movements were more aggressive than ever.
The activity in the chamber did not cease until the middle of the night.
Servants waiting outside hurried in with hot water to bathe their master and change the bed linens.
The next day, before dawn, the Crown Prince rose to attend the morning court.
Jiang Wumei dragged herself out of bed, still thick with sleep, to help Xiao Tong dress and wash.
Xiao Tong was over six feet tall. Years of martial training had given him a lean, muscular frame—hidden under his clothes, his eight-pack abs were Jiang Wumei’s favorite feature.
Standing together, the tall and imposing Xiao Tong made Jiang Wumei appear tiny.
Xiao Tong looked down at her. Dressed in a lotus-colored nightgown that revealed a patch of fair, delicate neck, she looked like a downy fledgling, stirring an urge to crush her.
Xiao Tong’s gaze was heavy and tangible. Jiang Wumei kept her head bowed, a slight smile playing on her lips. As she tied his waistband, she deliberately turned her head, letting him take in the full view of her undulating, exquisite curves.
Xiao Tong held out his arms, letting Jiang Wumei dress him in his outer robes. He watched her movements, his gaze dark and unreadable, devoid of any real emotion in the depths of his eyes. Just before leaving, he threw out a cold, sharp sentence.
"Do not let this happen again."
With that, Xiao Tong donned his heavy cloak and strode away.
The remark was inexplicable, yet Jiang Wumei instantly understood he was referring to last night. She quickly put on a look of gratitude and bowed in thanks.
"My deepest thanks for your leniency, Your Highness."
Outside the palace, thick snow was falling, and the biting wind was piercing, but inside, the charcoal fire kept the room warm as spring.
Xiao Tong, draped in his cloak and wearing black boots, stepped into the snow, escorted by his guards, and strode off.
The wind and snow, mixed with the cold, blew into the chamber. Jiang Wumei stood at the entrance, watching the line of footprints stretching into the distance with a smile on her lips, while internally cursing.
"What a pretentious prick! Putting on such an act!"
"If it weren't for the fact that you’re great in bed and a walking fountain of wealth, do you think I’d be happy serving you?"
"Just you wait. Once I’ve saved up enough gold, I’ll kick you to the curb!"
Jiang Wumei cursed with gusto in her heart, but in front of the Crown Prince’s servants, she had to play the part of a deeply devoted wife, posing as a "waiting-for-husband stone" for a full minute.
Only when Xiao Tong’s figure had completely vanished did she feign a lingering, longing look, turn back to the bed, and collapse onto it for a comfortable second nap.
She slept until the sun was high in the sky.
It wasn't until her trusted maid, Qingzhi, came into the chamber to announce that the General's Wife had arrived that she finally rose, yawning, to dress and apply her makeup.
The entire Capital knew that Crown Prince Xiao Tong doted solely on his Noble Consort, Jiang Wumei. To treat her chronic coldness, he had spent a fortune to build a conservatory in the Crown Prince's Mansion for her to live and recover.
But as to the truth of the matter, only a handful of people truly knew.
Xu Junjun was waiting for Jiang Wumei in the conservatory, idly admiring the pots of orchids in bloom.
Outside the room, the ground was a sea of silver, with the blue bricks and green tiles blanketed in snow. Only this conservatory remained as warm as spring, with various rare flowers competing for beauty, filled with vibrant greenery and vivid blossoms.
"Why are you here so early today?"
Jiang Wumei stepped into the conservatory, her makeup exquisite and her robes luxurious. Followed by a dozen maids, her entrance was grand and imposing.
Xu Junjun’s sharp eyes immediately caught the dark circles under Jiang Wumei’s eyes. Following her gaze downward, she saw what she expected: the spots of red "plum blossoms" visible beneath the collar of her robes, glaringly obvious.
*Tsk, tsk, tsk.*
Her best friend really had it hard.
Every day, she had to act in this Crown Prince’s Mansion while moonlighting as a sex worker.
Fortunately, she had transmigrated into the General’s Mansion; Huo Qiming didn't require her to sleep with him, or the world would have collapsed.
"Nothing going on today, so I figured I’d come over early to see you."
After saying this, Xu Junjun glanced at the long line of servants behind Jiang Wumei, her mouth twitching.
The two had been best friends for years and had transmigrated to this place together half a year ago. The moment Xu Junjun raised an eyebrow, Jiang Wumei knew exactly what she meant.
"Qingzhi, have them bring lunch to the conservatory. Also, without my order, no one is allowed to disturb the General's Wife and me."
In front of others, Jiang Wumei reverted to the arrogant and domineering Noble Consort.
Her face, a hibiscus bloom unrivaled in the Capital, was impossible to read. If anyone paid close attention, they would notice that her current aura was one-third reminiscent of the cold Crown Prince Xiao Tong who had left that morning.
"Yes, Your Grace."
Qingzhi was Jiang Wumei’s most trusted confidante. Hearing this, she knew Jiang Wumei had serious matters to discuss with the General's Wife.
Leading the others out of the conservatory, Qingzhi gave orders for lunch and deployed guards to secure the area, ensuring no one would intrude.
Xu Junjun stared at Qingzhi’s retreating back with a touch of jealousy.
"Niaoniao, we both transmigrated into this novel, so why is it that you have such loyal maids, while I’m surrounded by nothing but monsters and demons? This isn't fair!"
Inside the conservatory, the charcoal fire was abundant. The floor was covered in thick Persian rugs, and the vases and jade ornaments on display were all worth a fortune.
Jiang Wumei scoffed and led her forward.
"Want to swap? You can take on the mercurial Xiao Tong and the predatory Empress in the palace, not to mention the conniving Chun Yurong?"
The Chun Yurong she mentioned was the true love of Crown Prince Xiao Tong.
As for Jiang Wumei, she was merely a shield Xiao Tong used to handle the Empress’s various lethal plots.
Precisely because she stood at the front, absorbing the pressure from all sides, Chun Yurong would later be able to ascend the throne alongside the Crown Prince, unscathed.
Xu Junjun shook her head like a rattle, her face full of refusal.
"Never mind. Xiao Tong is too high-level; it takes a psychology major like you to deal with him. I’ll just stick to handling that cheap cousin of Huo Qiming at the General's Mansion."
At the mention of this, Xu Junjun was livid.
To think that she and Niaoniao—one a PhD in Medicine and the other a PhD in Psychology—were model citizens and the backbone of the nation.
Half a year ago, just as they had finished their studies and were ready to make their mark on the world, they suddenly transmigrated into this trashy romance novel, becoming two shameless villains!
Calling them villains was giving them too much credit; they were nothing more than complete cannon fodder.
One was a shield set up by the Crown Prince to face palace plots for his true love!
The other was a vicious legal wife who blocked the General’s happiness and was despised to the point of being discarded!
In the end, one would be pulled apart by five horses, and the other would be sliced to death—neither would even have a whole body left. It was truly pathetic.
They had read half of the novel and were fully aware of their original selves' fates. After transmigrating, they had to roll up their sleeves and cooperate to play their parts just to survive.
Fortunately, having inherited the original owners' memories, they hadn't slipped up in the past six months, or they would have already been burned as demons.
Thinking of everything that had happened over the past six months, Xu Junjun felt suffocated.
"Stop being angry. The Emperor will pass away in half a year. As long as we hold on, once Xiao Tong ascends the throne and the court falls into chaos, we can fake our deaths and leave. We’ll be free from these two prisons forever."
After all, they were best friends. Jiang Wumei still cared for Xu Junjun, so seeing her constipated expression, she immediately comforted her.
Jiang Wumei wasn't lying; the decision to fake their deaths had been made six months ago.
They had been suffering through the General’s Mansion and the Crown Prince’s Mansion for half a year—first, to ensure the original owners' families weren't implicated, and second, to save up money for their escape.
So far, they had accumulated enough for their "coffins"—they could live as wealthy commoners and enjoy the rest of their lives in luxury once they left the Capital.
"Has that cheap cousin of Huo Qiming been causing trouble this month?"
While Xu Junjun was lost in thought, Jiang Wumei asked about the situation at the General's Mansion.
"Even if she causes trouble, it doesn't matter. With the Old Madam there, she can’t flip the mansion over. If it weren't for Huo Qiming backing her, I would’ve dealt with her long ago."
Speaking of this, Xu Junjun gave a wicked grin.
"You should have seen it! After you sent those thirty-six beauties to the General's Mansion yesterday, Chen Yue'er was so angry her eyes turned red. I heard from the maid who serves in her room that she cried all night. Huo Qiming spent the whole night patting her back and promising her the moon, even writing a three-page letter of guarantee."
In the book, Xiao Tong had his heart’s desire, and Huo Qiming had his "white moonlight."
Xiao Tong’s heart’s desire was the secondary consort, Chun Yurong.
Huo Qiming’s "white moonlight" was his cheap cousin, Chen Yue'er.
Chen Yue'er’s parents had died young, and she had grown up in the Huo Estate alongside Huo Qiming. They were childhood sweethearts—a match made in heaven according to every cliche novel.
Unfortunately, Old Madam Huo was the champion of domestic intrigue. She had long ago seen that Chen Yue'er had ill intentions and refused to allow Huo Qiming to marry her.
The General and his wife were always at the border and hadn't fulfilled their filial duties, feeling they owed the Old Madam. Facing her insistence, they dared not disobey and agreed to their son marrying anyone *but* Chen Yue'er.
Huo Qiming was forced by Old Madam Huo to marry Xu Junjun, but he refused to consummate the marriage. Over time, this led to the original Xu Junjun—while Huo Qiming was away at war—taking a lover in the Capital, triggering a string of disasters.
Jiang Wumei felt it wasn't enough.
"It’s too early to cry. Just you wait. In a couple of days, after I probe Xiao Tong, I’ll send your 'cousin' an even bigger gift."
Chen Yue'er had bullied Xu Junjun many times, and Jiang Wumei never intended to let it slide. Even if she and Xu Junjun were planning to fake their deaths, she wanted to crush those who had harmed Xu Junjun into the dirt before they left.
Nobody was allowed to touch her people.
Lunch arrived at the conservatory, filled with Jiang Wumei’s favorite dishes. Xu Junjun shared the same taste and ate her fill.
After lunch, as they chatted, Xu Junjun checked Jiang Wumei’s pulse. Qingzhi walked in carrying a bowl of medicinal soup.
"Your Grace, the fertility decoction is warm now."
Jiang Wumei and Xu Junjun paused, both turning to look at Qingzhi. Jiang Wumei’s gaze lingered on the medicine for a moment before she nodded.
"Give it to me."
Qingzhi stepped forward, serving the medicine as Jiang Wumei drank it all, then retreated with the empty bowl.
Xu Junjun stared at the bowl in disgust and said bitterly, "You know perfectly well that this 'fertility decoction' is actually a contraceptive. Why do you drink it so obediently every time? If you ask me, we should just stop taking it to avoid damaging your health."
Jiang Wumei shook her head.
"This decoction was personally bestowed by the Empress. The Imperial Hospital has checked it and found no issues. If I stop without a reason, it will arouse the Empress’s suspicion and lead to unnecessary trouble. Since there's only half a year left, I’ll just bear it for the sake of our escape plan."
Midway through, Jiang Wumei looked at Xu Junjun’s grim face, reached out to pinch her puffy cheeks, and laughed.
"Besides, it’s impossible for me to bear Xiao Tong’s children. This contraceptive from the Empress comes at the perfect time. Furthermore, don't I have you, my little master of Chinese and Western medicine? With the health-preserving pills you’ve concocted, this contraceptive won’t hurt me."
Before transmigrating, Xu Junjun had come from a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. During her rebellious phase, she chose to study Western medicine. Now, combining both, she was Jiang Wumei’s trump card.
Over the past six months, Jiang Wumei provided the brains, and Xu Junjun provided the skill. The sisters supported each other, which was the only reason they had made it this far. They could not afford to fail now.
Seeing Jiang Wumei’s feigned ease, Xu Junjun gritted her teeth and started cursing Xiao Tong.
"It’s all that dog, Xiao Tong’s fault for being useless and letting you suffer like this. What’s even worse is that the bastard knows exactly what this decoction is and still lets you drink it every day. It’s clear he doesn’t care about you at all! Heartless, cold-blooded dog! Phew!"
Xu Junjun was indignant on her friend's behalf.
Mentioning Xiao Tong, the smile on Jiang Wumei’s lips faded.
"As the Crown Prince, Xiao Tong is decisive, ruthless, and cold to the core. As a chess piece he uses to shield Chun Yurong from disaster, he naturally wouldn't care about me."
The two sisters chatted for a while longer. Seeing it was getting late, Xu Junjun stood up to leave.
Before she left, she told Jiang Wumei that a new batch of health-preserving pills would be ready in two days, and she would send someone to deliver them to the Crown Prince’s Mansion.
These pills were a secret recipe passed down for generations in the Xu family of traditional medicine. They were known for nourishing the heart and strengthening the body; if taken for several months, a woman’s skin would become as fair and radiant as jade. It was a priceless treasure, and Jiang Wumei valued it highly.
Jiang Wumei ordered Qingzhi to escort Xu Junjun out of the mansion before she returned to her room to handle the household chores.
To play the part, one had to do it thoroughly. To make the Empress truly believe that Jiang Wumei was Xiao Tong’s most doted-upon consort, Xiao Tong had gone to great lengths—even knowing the original owner was foolish, he had handed the management of the massive Crown Prince’s Mansion to her, not the least bit worried she would cause a disaster she couldn't fix.
Fortunately, Jiang Wumei had learned management from her parents in her previous life, so she hadn't been in a panic when she took over.
However, to ensure Xiao Tong remained unsuspicious, she only put in fifty percent of her effort into managing the mansion. Over the past six months, her performance had been average—nothing outstanding, but no mistakes either.
"Your Grace, Noble Consort Chun is here. She’s waiting outside the conservatory."
Qingzhi returned after seeing Xu Junjun off, carrying two plates of snacks and placing them beside Jiang Wumei.
Jiang Wumei hummed.
"Coming at this hour, she must know His Highness slept in my chambers again last night. Let her stand in the snow for a while to clear her head. Let her in after the time it takes for one incense stick to burn."
Whether Xiao Tong was sincere or not, the special treatment he showed Jiang Wumei was real.
Now, everyone in the Crown Prince’s Mansion treated Jiang Wumei as the second mistress. No one dared to disobey her. If she said Chun Yurong should stand in the snow for the duration of an incense stick, Chun Yurong wouldn't dare stand for a moment less.
Qingzhi took the order and retreated, not finding anything improper about her mistress’s instruction.
In her heart, her mistress was the only one in the entire Crown Prince’s Mansion who had served His Highness. Any other woman was merely a leaf to set off the main flower; if they were to be humiliated, so be it.