I've Decided To Be This Tyrant's Dark Moonlight - Chapter 88

Wei Ying patted the little calf’s head, curious what kind of trouble the power of “plot” would stir up this time.

Palace-Plot System: “Anyway, Host, you must be careful! I’ll do my best to keep monitoring! Oh, right—Empress Dowager had Dong’e bring over a packet of poison powder.”

Then the system recited what had happened in Cining Palace and warned, “Host, you must be cautious. That poison powder is deadly!”

Wei Ying tilted her head thoughtfully and asked, “Last time, when I tried to shoot Prince Luling, every arrow missed. That means your ‘important plot NPCs’ can’t die, right?”

System: “…Uh.”

Wei Ying pressed, “So it’s like a locked-health state, isn’t it?”

System: “Exactly!”

Wei Ying nodded, smiling. “Good. So if I take the poison powder the Empress Dowager wanted to use on me, and use it on her instead—would the locked-health Dowager be felled by the poison, or would the deadly poison be defeated by the Dowager’s locked health?”

The system nearly short-circuited. “Wait wait wait—Host, can you speak in normal language?!”

Wei Ying: “System, you don’t seem very bright.”

System: “Hmph, hmph, hmph!”

But eventually the system understood what she meant. “So Host, you want to send the poison back to the Empress Dowager?”

Wei Ying nodded, flipping through her dwindling stack of cards. She wiped at her eyes. Thankfully, back when she was crazy about milking the Emperor’s affection, she had stockpiled a mountain of blue, green, and gray cards—and even a few purples.

But just thinking about how she had no more points and no orange cards left made her heart ache until tears fell.

That night, while everyone was asleep, Wei Ying used a Swap Heaven-and-Earth card to secretly switch the boxes: the huanghuali wood box that was supposed to contain poison powder now held only beauty-enhancing scented powder, while the zitan wood box now contained the deadly poison.

Hands tucked in her sleeves, Wei Ying happily closed her eyes. She couldn’t wait to see whether the “plot force” or the poison would win in the end.

The next morning, at dawn.

Dong’e rose early and took out the huanghuali box from her drawer, holding it close as she walked toward the door.

But then she hesitated. During her days serving in the Jade Dew Palace, everyone had treated her well. Her mistress never mistreated her, and the other servants showed her respect.

She’d been here for years, and slowly, she’d come to like the Jade Dew Palace.

The autumn winds here were noisy, the people even noisier—but somehow, it all felt right.

Dong’e placed the box on the table with a sigh.

But she was the Empress Dowager’s person. She had to follow the Dowager. She knew full well the consequences of disobedience: pregnant concubines tossed into the Abandoned Hall to starve; or a cup of poisoned wine delivered to anyone who displeased her, leaving them writhing in agony until death.

Dong’e, when young, had once followed her old nanny to deliver such poisoned wine to a favored concubine who had angered the Dowager.

She still remembered the young beauty’s screams as she was forced to drink, clutching her belly as she rolled on the floor, black blood streaming from her seven orifices and staining her gorgeous brocade gown.

That gruesome sight had never left her, even after all these years.

So Dong’e picked the box back up, lowering her eyes. She was only a maid. Her voice was nothing. She had no choice but to obey.

If the victim was left to die, she could at least help clean up the body later and soothe her guilty conscience. Better to suffer guilt than lose her own life.

At the door, though, she hesitated again—only to bump into someone.

Her eyes lit up. She had an idea. She bowed. “Palace Lady Zhaorong, what brings you to Jade Dew Palace?”

Gong Beinu raised her chin. “Just out for some air.” She glanced at the box in Dong’e’s hands and asked casually, “Haven’t delivered it yet?”

Dong’e lowered her head. “I was about to, but suddenly felt unwell, stomach aching badly. Why don’t you take the box instead? The Empress Dowager only needs it scattered under the window or bed, anywhere really. Or you could even present it as a gift of scented powder.”

Of course, such a difficult task was probably beyond this Zhaorong.

But Gong Beinu eagerly took the box. “Ohohoho!”

What luck!

As Dong’e rushed off, Gong Beinu tossed the huanghuali box aside and triumphantly pulled out another powder box from her sleeve before strutting into the room.

Inside, Wei Ying was cradling a purple clay teapot, eyes closed in repose. A Buddhist scripture lay on the zitan table.

Gong Beinu peeked at it, scoffing. She coughed ostentatiously until Wei Ying opened her eyes. Then she tossed the box onto the table with a flourish. “For you.”

Wei Ying glanced at the box, smiling slightly. “Won’t Zhaorong sit down for some tea?”

Gong Beinu pouted. “I gave you scented powder, and you’re not even thanking me!”

After all, she had risked disobeying her aunt the Dowager by replacing poison with Imperial-made jasmine powder!

Wei Ying accepted the box with a smile. “Thank you.”

“Hmph. That’s better,” Gong Beinu said, then leaned closer, blinking. “But seriously, be careful. Stay away from Dong’e—she’s no good!”

Wei Ying arched a brow. “Oh?”

Gong Beinu mumbled and fiddled nervously with her handkerchief.

Wei Ying laughed and opened the box, taking a pinch of powder to sniff. The elegant fragrance of jasmine filled the air.

Gong Beinu shrieked, “How careless! I just handed you a box of powder and you opened it right away? What if I’d poisoned it?!”

Wei Ying raised her eyes, smiling. “I know you wouldn’t. We’re friends, after all.”

Gong Beinu’s lips curved up, her face flushing red. She sat down with a huff. “Hmph, who’s your friend? You’re just a country bumpkin! How could you be worthy of me?”

Wei Ying was unfazed by the girl’s sharp tongue. She patted her back, only to be shrugged off, still smiling as she sipped her tea.

Just then, a melodious “ding-dong” rang in Wei Ying’s mind.

System: “Alert! Alert! Important plot NPC Gong Beinu has defected and joined the Host’s camp. You have gained 1000 points!”

Wei Ying: “Ohohoho!”

Her heart thrilled—hands trembling with excitement. Overnight she had gone from destitute to well-off again.

She looked at Gong Beinu with such blazing admiration that the girl squirmed uncomfortably. “What are you staring at?”

Wei Ying grinned. “Looking at my God of Wealth.”

Gong Beinu’s cheeks burned red. “It’s just a box of pearl powder and scented powder. How miserly are you?” She stared in surprise. “Don’t tell me you’ve never used good things before?”

The thought made her pity this “friend” of hers.

Last time she’d given her a box of pearls, Wei Ying had nearly wept. Now, a box of scented powder moved her to tears again. Too pitiful!

So Gong Beinu stamped her foot. “Just you wait!”

Wei Ying blinked her big eyes innocently.

That afternoon, several large chests of pearls, jade, and jewelry were delivered to Jade Dew Palace.

When the lids were opened, golden light and dazzling gems nearly blinded everyone.

Xiao Qianxue gaped. “Yingying, did His Majesty shower you with rewards again?”

Wei Ying: “Nope. From Zhaorong.”

Qianxue tilted her head. “Zhaorong? Which one? Zhang Zhaorong? Li Zhaorong? Gui Zhaorong?”

Wei Ying chuckled. “None of them.”

Qianxue frowned. “Then… one of the late Emperor’s consorts? Which Imperial Concubine?”

Wei Ying sighed. “…Qianxue, apart from the two Dowagers, all of the late Emperor’s consorts are long gone.”

Qianxue nodded solemnly. “Makes sense. With how skilled you are in yin-yang arts, communing with the dead wouldn’t surprise me.” She shook her head, unwilling to believe Gong Beinu had suddenly turned nice. Only after Wei Ying insisted did she gasp in shock. “Could it be she sprinkled poison over all these pearls?”

Wei Ying smiled. “This is our God of Wealth.”

Qianxue glanced around at the dazzling treasure. At last, she had to admit: “Indeed, a God of Wealth.”

In the following days, with the system’s all-seeing surveillance, Wei Ying observed Dong’e attempting to deliver the zitan box of poison to the Empress Dowager.

But on the way through the imperial garden, she stumbled over a stone and fell. The box tumbled from her arms, rolled into the pond, and sank.

Dong’e had no choice but to fetch a different powder box for delivery.

Wei Ying nodded in satisfaction. It seemed the “plot force” had won this round—the Dowager’s locked health had KO’d the poison.

She then switched the monitor.

“System, let’s check what His Majesty is doing now.”

System: “Eh? We’re not keeping watch on the villains?”

Wei Ying: “Of course I’m watching the Emperor! The core of palace intrigue is the Emperor. We must monitor her closely. What if she finds a new favorite?!”

The system thought that sounded suspicious, yet also reasonable… and relented.

A projection appeared before them.

The Emperor, clad in a bright yellow dragon robe, sat upright at her desk, ministers on both sides in heated debate.

Pei Jian stood at her side, while Gong Hongbo and several elder ministers opposed him. Chancellor Cui sat far away, sipping tea lazily—an old wage slave, clearly.

Wei Ying stroked her chin. She couldn’t hear them, but she guessed they were arguing over the new policies and next year’s imperial exam.

It looked like it would drag on, so she cut the channel to check on the Empress instead.

The Spring Palace was as cool and dignified as ever.

Yue Qinghui sat in her study, brush in hand, writing. Books piled high around her.

Wei Ying sprawled on the couch, sighing. “The Empress has gotten thin. She should eat more. What is she writing, though? Surely not… hehe… System, zoom in!”

Dutiful as always, the system complied.

Pale slender fingers held a rabbit-hair brush, forming graceful yet strong characters, their spirit like the woman herself.

Wei Ying sat up eagerly, expecting some great masterpiece. But soon she realized it wasn’t painting at all—it was an essay.

Her smile froze. “An imperial essay? Why is the Empress writing that?”

Weren’t those just for examinees?

Utterly bored, Wei Ying got up, finished her snacks, and told the system to switch back to the Emperor.

System: “Host, you’re not being serious about palace intrigue!”

Wei Ying smiled sweetly. “I am serious! Hurry, show me. If the Emperor is up to some new mischief, that’s our next opponent, isn’t it?”

System: “…Well, when you put it that way…”

Back at the Emperor’s chamber, the ministers had all left.

Yun Yao sat in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, staring out the window at the autumn scene. Yellow leaves clung trembling to the branches, ready to fall. Golden sunlight bathed her pale face, her brows and eyes as beautiful as a painting.

She leaned on the windowsill, gazing for so long that Wei Ying thought maybe a flower had bloomed on that leaf.

At last, Yun Yao turned away. She opened the bottom drawer of a purple sandalwood cabinet with a key, pulling out a red-lacquered box.

Wei Ying: “Ohohoho.”

The Emperor’s hidden treasure!

But when Yun Yao carefully opened it, it wasn’t jewels inside—it was a maple leaf.

Half-burned, with faint writing. Wei Ying squinted but could only make out one character: Yun.

Strange. Didn’t monarchs usually write “The land is beautiful” on leaves?

Yun Yao stroked the leaf, then pressed its cool surface to her cheek.

After a long while, a blissful smile curved her lips, her dark eyes glowing like they held a thousand flickering candles. A faint blush colored her pale cheeks. Her lips moved, whispering softly.

Wei Ying read the shape of her mouth, murmuring aloud: “…Sir, are you mine now?”

The Emperor was thinking of her!

Wei Ying’s little heart fluttered proudly.

But then her eyes fell back on the red-lacquered box she’d never seen before, curiosity rising…

Support