“Since you were injured while trying to save him, the emperor will definitely promote you. Once you obtain a perfect body, men will be more obsessed with you,” the favored concubine system said mechanically. “As for your wounds, they’ll quickly heal.”


  Attendant Zhou still thought this was the wrong approach. “Can’t we use a different method? Getting injured right now wouldn’t be worth it. If you give me the reward first then I’ll definitely find a way to attract Zhao Xu’s attention during the banquet.”


  “You have no right to object,” the system said coldly.

  Attendant Zhou sighed. Maybe she should take the opportunity to make a lasting impression on Zhao Xu.

  Attendant Zhou tried to lay out her terms. “Then don’t issue any more tasks during this time. Just let me get ready to participate in the banquet. And could you not punish me so I can recover properly?”


  “You aren’t qualified to bargain with me. Once a task is issued, all you have to do is complete it.” The voice of the favored concubine system remained frigid.

  “I’m not bargaining. You wouldn’t want me to go to the banquet looking haggard.” Attendant Zhou understood her situation. How could she bargain with the system when she still relied on it to succeed?

  “There will be no new tasks during this period. But if you fail again, you’ll be cut into pieces.”


  Attendant Zhou trembled when she heard what her punishment would entail: a thousand cuts, with the pain lasting for over half an hour.

  She would rather take a knife for Zhao Xu.

  “Is there anything that could improve my complexion and make me look more beautiful?” Attendant Zhou asked.

  “You only get rewards for completing tasks. You aren’t qualified to ask for additional perks,” the system replied.

  Attendant Zhou was a bit disappointed. The system was completely inhumane, leaving her with no choice but to patiently wait for the palace’s Mid-Autumn banquet.

  During that time, Zhao Xu never visited the Moonlight Palace. Instead, he went to see other concubines, and occasionally visited Ning Shu’s Palace of Prolonged Autumn.

  Every time that Ning Shu heard Zhao Xu was coming to her palace, she asked Qiu Ling to dress her blindingly gorgeously and wore all kinds of pretty hairpins.

  It was important to give off an aura of nobility and elegance. She was an empress, after all. She had to be dignified and virtuous.

  If Zhao Xu disliked her having the air of an empress, then she insisted on having it.

  She originally thought that she shouldn’t act too arrogant in front of Zhao Xu, but now she felt that acting arrogant had its benefits.

  Because she wore heavy makeup now, the original host could change her style when she returned. Only contrast would motivate comparison, and her style would seem fresh to Zhao Xu.

  Ning Shu took care of the body when she had nothing else to do, using strands of energy to strengthen it. The original host might even be able to give birth once she returned.

  She carefully checked the body again. There didn’t appear to be a problem, but if it hadn’t gotten pregnant after so many years there was definitely an issue.

  Ning Shu suspected that Zhao Xu was infertile. Why else were there so few children in the harem?

  Zhao Xu didn’t suppress his desires, yet he still lacked heirs.

  But dressing up like a jewelry shop every day was tiring. Not only that but it disgusted others.

  Qiu Ling felt extremely conflicted every time she dressed Ning Shu. When it came to jewelry and headdresses, more wasn’t necessarily better. Having one’s hair stabbed full of hairpins as the empress did was truly quite an ugly sight.

  Translator: Kaho