After entering the Crown Prince’s palace in her previous life, Wen Qingwan’s life hung by a thread; she was too preoccupied with survival to care about outside affairs.
The Marquis of Chengen had a poor reputation, and the Emperor openly shunned him. As a result, no person of standing or status in the capital city was willing to associate with the Marquis's estate.
Even after Wen Qingwan became Empress, she remained unaware that the Marquis of Cheng’en existed.
It was only after Wen Mingzhu married the heir of the Marquis of Cheng’en’s household that Wen Qingwan realized such a person existed in the capital.
What she didn't know was that the Marquis was a handsome man who had managed to accumulate numerous wives, concubines, and many children.
The meeting today made it clear to Wen Qingwan that none of the Marquis’s grandchildren were ambitious; many were simply resigned to their fate, drifting aimlessly through life.
The people in the Marquis's estate were disorganized, like a plate of loose sand. While managing such a household was vexing, Wen Qingwan didn't find it particularly difficult.
What she never expected was that her heir‑husband actually wanted to compete with her for control of the household!
He sent her back to her quarters, telling her to rest well and not worry about household affairs, saying he would reorganize the outer‑court stewards and the inner‑court matrons himself.
Wen Qingwan was happy to relax, for she had only taken up household authority earlier to earn a thousand merit points.
She had already gained the benefits, so whether she managed the household or not no longer mattered; in this life, her guiding principle was to live as easily as possible.
Wen Qingwan felt no pain whatsoever in spending this unexpected windfall.
So the moment she received them, she immediately bought ten mind‑reading charms and fifteen gossip‑watching charms, spending all her merit points at once.
At this very moment, she was sitting back in a rocking chair in her courtyard, relaxed and happy, thoroughly enjoying the juicy gossip concerning Wen Mingzhu.
Last night she had no spare money to buy gossip charms, and was locked in a battle of wits with Xiao Jin, leaving her no time to learn what was happening in the Eastern Palace.
It was simply a case of the Crown Prince and Wen Mingzhu being madly in love, completely devoted to one another, while the Crown Princess wept until morning.
At this moment, Wen Mingzhu and the Crown Prince knelt in Kunning Palace, while the resplendent Empress sat in the seat of honor, her face clouded with fury.
“Concubine Wen’s family background is truly lacking—she has no sense of propriety at all. Just look at the hour now!”
The Empress gazed at the Secondary Consort Wen standing before her, taking in her small, delicate face, refined features, and sparkling eyes that seemed to hold a captivating glow.
She seemed like the seductive vixens described in painted storybooks, and the more the Empress looked, the greater her fury grew.
The Empress favored the Crown Princess’s kind of looks—features broad and dignified, with an air of majesty.
At the very least, she should be like Concubine Jiang—her face a bit rounder, her aura fiercer; just standing there, her appearance and bearing alone could intimidate the servants.
She needn’t be too beautiful—this way her son would not linger daily in bedchamber affairs, but devote his mind to official duties.
“This concubine knows her mistake.” Wen Mingzhu said sweetly as she knelt on the ground.
She held the teacup in both hands, looking so fragile and unsteady that the Crown Prince’s heart ached deeply.
“Mother Empress, Zhu’er offers you this…”
The Crown Prince had not finished speaking when the Empress cut him off: “What tea are you offering? Who pays respects with tea when the sun is already high? What kind of propriety is this!”
The maids and old servants of Kunning Palace also wore varied expressions—some sympathetic, some amused, some mocking.
Their eyes seemed to accuse Secondary Consort Wen of being a seductive spirit, distracting the Crown Prince and preventing him from rising early for his duties.
Their faces practically spelled it out: the concubine is a bewitching temptress who ensnares the master, and deserves to be left out in the cold by the Empress.
Wen Mingzhu knelt on the ground, her pupils quivering as if about to leap out, her eyes brimming with hatred—yet she dared not defy the Empress.
Wen Qingwan heard Wen Mingzhu screaming inwardly: [System, why are your favor‑charms useless?!]
[System, are you dead?!]
[Who is the Three of Diamonds scolding?]
[My King~ I don’t want to kneel, I already used a favor‑charm on the Empress, so why…] Wen Mingzhu cried out in fury, her face turning ashen.
[How could it be useless? If not for my favor‑charm, the Empress would have finished you off.]
[Why? What did I do wrong?]
[The Empress thinks you’ve bewitched the Crown Prince, making him sleep until the sun is high, and that this will harm his future prospects.]
[Then what should I do?]
[Just kneel honestly! What else can you do!]
Wen Mingzhu cursed inwardly: “This useless system is nothing but junk! A so‑called ‘Heartthrob System’—yet it can’t even charm one Empress!”
The Empress saw her face full of resentment, her beauty dimmed by anger, and said: “Crown Prince, look at your precious concubine.”
Hearing the Empress’s words, Wen Mingzhu’s heart lurched—she had been consumed by hatred and forgot to restrain herself, so she hastily summoned a favor‑charm.
Thus, in the Crown Prince’s eyes, Wen Mingzhu appeared shy and delicate, like morning dew—smiling even while kneeling, leaving him utterly bewitched.
His own knees ached from kneeling, yet his delicate Zhu’er remained upright. The Crown Prince felt a surge of pity: “Zhu’er, you’ve suffered enough—rise now.”
“Zhu’er does not know how she offended Mother Empress, implicating Brother Jue. Zhu’er deserves to kneel as punishment—it is no hardship at all.”
"Tears of grievance welled up and shimmered in her eyes, hanging suspended on her long lashes, refusing to fall."
Filled with tender pity, the Crown Prince burst out angrily: “Since Mother refuses to drink my concubine’s tea, then let us go to Father Emperor.”
After speaking, the Crown Prince pulled Wen Mingzhu away without looking back—truly a man enraged for his beloved beauty.
Enraged, the Empress smashed several precious vases. Staring at the Crown Prince’s retreating back, she cursed fiercely: “This palace has more than one son.”
Strange rumors, born of silent glances, soon spread unchecked, twisted and distorted as they traveled.
At that moment, the Crown Prince led Wen Mingzhu to the Imperial Study’s doors, and only after a long wait did the Emperor summon them to audience.
The Heartthrob System works well on men—the Emperor, in fact, rather likes Wen Mingzhu.
Not only did he not trouble her, he even bestowed much gold, silver, and jewels—so enraged, the Empress smashed several more vases.
Watching with great interest, Wen Qingwan saw that Wen Mingzhu managed to get by in the palace thanks to that favor‑charm.
It’s just uncertain whether Wen Mingzhu’s favor‑charm will last forever.
In her past life, on the wedding night she served the Crown Prince and his beauty, sleepless till dawn, her face pale.
The Emperor and Empress sat together to drink the tea she offered; moved by pity, they both bestowed many rewards upon her.
Sadly, she never used those jewels and silks—they were snatched by that dog of a Crown Prince and handed out to his beauties!
“What are you thinking, my lady?” As Xiao Jin entered the courtyard, he saw the little girl’s face full of regret.
“Just thinking about household affairs,” Wen Qingwan said perfunctorily—she would never tell the man the truth.
“My lady, you need not worry. Rest assured—whatever you need, just tell me, and I will buy it for you.”
“Do you have a lot of private property?” Wen Qingwan asked curiously.
“Not for now, but I will strive in the future—I will surely provide for you and everyone in the household.”
“No private property? Your stipend is enough to support yourself, but you’ve got several retainers too.”
“Leng Yan and the others earned merit, so they hold fifth‑rank stipends. But our household is so poor that even the mice come in crying, spitting out a grain of rice before leaving.”
“Do you resent me for taking over the household authority?” Wen Qingwan asked, feeling guilty.
Hearing her husband’s words, her heart turned cold.
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