Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

“Sigh. Sure enough, pretty women are really favored by God.” Huijun caressed her cheek with her right hand. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes seductive. She looked perfect from every angle.

She did not even want to look at the rouge and cosmetics on her dressing table. They were made from powder and glycerin, so applying them to her skin would do more harm than good.

The imperial maid beside her attended to her carefully. Ever since the favored woman had appeared next to the Emperor, there were a lot less imperial maids that were ruined… No, it should be said that since then, the Emperor was not even interested in other women. Many women were indirectly saved by Huijun’s appearance.

“Your Highness is a born beauty. Even the immortal concubines in heaven can’t compare to you,” a clever imperial maid spoke with conjecture. She gave Huijun an extremely gorgeous hairdo, which emphasized her long and fair neck. It complemented her charm.

Huijun put on a flirtatious smile and praised, “You’re a sweet talker. This is your reward.”

Without looking, she threw the East Pearl that the Emperor gifted her to the imperial maid. She continued to obsess over her reflection in the mirror.

Her daily dose of narcissism was fulfilled for that day.

Ever since the imperial decree of moving the capital was issued, the entire palace had been busy. However, it had not affected Huijun.

As a woman who had the whole harem to herself, she was swollen with arrogance. Even the empress and the crown prince had to avoid her, not to mention the wives of the princes.

However, she was a bit unlucky that day.

The eunuchs and imperial maids were busy packing things up. They were careless for a second and let someone get to her that should not have gotten to her.

“Jun’er…” Wuma Jun looked frail. His young face looked completely dejected. He was not clean-shaven, and he looked extremely spiritless and frustrated.

Huijun had initially wanted to go out and admire the beauty of the flowers, but her mood was instantly ruined when she saw Wuma Jun. She curled her lips in a taunting manner and said cynically, “Does Your Highness still have the leisure to admire the beauty of the flowers at this point in time?”

“It’s my fault. I didn’t protect you well…” Wuma Jun said, his tone embarrassed. A dejected and distressed look spread across his face.

There was a surge of emotions in Huijun’s heart. She looked as if her wound had been poked. She raised her hand, grabbed the pearl and jade ornaments in her hair, and threw them at Wuma Jun.

She yelled at him angrily, “So you are aware that you didn’t protect me well? Where were you when I was raped by your father that day?! Where are you when I have to force a smile and continually win his favor?!”

Wuma Jun initially wanted to probe Huijun’s loyalty. Seeing her reaction, he knew that she still loved him. He suddenly grew very happy. “I don’t have any other choice…”

“I am disgusted!” Huijun concealed her anger and put on an impassive and haughty facial expression once again. She was like a suppressed volcano––it was not known as to when it would erupt. Tears welled up in her pretty eyes as she recounted. “Your father already has one foot in the grave… Do you know how sickened I am when he does all those things to me? You’re a man. Why can’t you protect me?”

Wuma Jun looked angry, ashamed, and distressed. He could not help but hug her and apologize over and over again.

Huijun pushed him away and replied in a low and hoarse voice, “From now on… we should live our own lives and not see each other again.”

“You can’t do this! How can you be so cruel? Did you think I was happy when you were taken away by my father? He’s the Emperor. I can’t go against him!” Wuma Jun answered, gnashing his teeth in anger. Any man would not be able to stand the humiliation of being cuckolded. He certainly could not tolerate it, even if the person was his father.

Huijun sneered coldly. Obviously, she was not convinced by his words.

“Jun’er, believe me… Believe me for once!” Wuma Jun whispered as he kissed her lightly. “I’ll find a way to take the old man down from his position as Emporer. By then, you’ll be my empress and we’ll share the world together. How’s that…”

Huijun was moved. She was obviously convinced.

Wuma Jun continued his victorious pursuit. The two of them had sex for a while in the cave of the rockery. He had tasted the pleasure that he had not tasted for a long time. Wuma Jun looked a lot better.

After tasting the best delicacy, he was disgusted when he had sex with gaudy women. It felt like he was eating wax.

Huijun tidied up her clothes leisurely and asked, “What are you going to do?”

Wuma Jun replied, “Don’t worry. I already have the perfect strategy. I conspired with my uncle a while ago. There’s a good opportunity to put it into play now that the old man wants to move the capital. There are many rioters out there. The 100,000 imperial guards aren’t even enough. As long as you think of a way to make him summon Uncle here, we can work in collusion––one from without and the other from within. It will be successful.”

There were about 20,000 imperial maids, eunuchs, imperial consorts, and women without status in the Shangyang Palace. The important ministers in the court, their family members and relatives, and the treasures of their residences had to be taken away.

Although the exchequer did not have much silver, the Emperor’s private treasury was filled with it. It was still not safe to transport it all to the new imperial capital with just 100,000 imperial guards.

Uncle? Prince Changshou?

“But the old man is so suspicious. He won’t ever agree…”

Wuma Jun gritted his teeth and replied mercilessly, “Think of a way then. If all else fails… deliver a false imperial edict!”

“I’m afraid… It’s not good to do this…”

“Uncle can only take his troops and leave the fief to help us if there’s a personally written decree from the Emperor. We must accomplish this for our sake.”

Huijun concealed her inner thoughts. There was greed in her joy. “I’ll give it a try… Does your previous promise still apply?”

Wuma Jun was startled and immediately remembered what he had just said. He replied with a smile, “Of course! No one but you is qualified to be my empress.”

Upon hearing his promise, Huijun sneered. “If you give me the position of the empress, what about the fourth princess?”

When Liu Huan was mentioned, Huijun did not try to hide the malice and antipathy in her eyes. Wuma Jun was even more reassured. He coaxed, “After she has given birth to the baby, you can then deal with her any way you want.”

After all, he was the son born of his legal wife, so Wuma Jun naturally valued the baby very much.

Although Wuma Jun only had sex with Liu Huan once, Liu Huan was pregnant.

Furthermore, Liu Huan was Liu She’s daughter. Wuma Jun needed Liu She to pin down the three tribes of the Northern Borderline now. He could not do anything to Liu Huan yet.

The promise was made casually to appease Huijun. Wuma Jun knew that the Emperor was very suspicious. He would definitely not summon Prince Changshou from the fief on his own accord, so he needed a bit of pressure to do so!

“This must be done as soon as possible!”

Huijun nodded obediently. “Okay.”

When Wuma Jun left, Huijun walked away in the opposite direction in a natural manner. What a foolish man!

Huijun looked at his back, a sneer hanging on the corner of her lips. An enchantress who will destroy the country? Speaking of it, her work seemed to be somewhat lacking recently.

The Emperor was becoming more and more obedient to her in every matter. He allowed her to enter his study, and she could even read the booklets that were submitted by the officials. She could even burn them if she was not happy… It was not going to be difficult for her to create a fake, personal, written decree that appeared to come from the Emporer.

However, she did not want to let Wuma Jun off for nothing. It was best if there was a dogfight so they would not have the time to care about the changes in power in the north. Langjun would be safer that way.

Looking at her fair fingers, Huijun thought she should both work hard and be a fitting enchantress who destroyed the country.