Sitting by the bed, Tian Tian wrapped her arms around Gao Heng’s, smiling as she said, “Zi Rui, I have something to tell you.”

Gao Heng gazed at her steadily, his expression unreadable.

Tian Tian continued, “When I went out for air tonight, I ran into Prince Ning.”

Gao Heng raised an eyebrow, his expression softening slightly, but he remained silent, waiting for her to elaborate.

“Previously, I had met Prince Ning once, two years ago, at the Minister of Works’ residence. He had gone there to discuss official matters with my foster father. During the banquet, I performed a dance. Not wanting to become my foster father’s concubine, I approached Prince Ning, hoping he would take me in.” Tian Tian sighed. “At the time, he refused. But tonight, at the pavilion, he suddenly seemed agitated and said many things, implying that he regrets his decision.”

Gao Heng’s anger surged. “His intentions are as clear as day. It’s not remorse—he wants to use you. If you fell for his tricks, he’d turn you into his spy to take me down and remove me once and for all.”

Tian Tian nodded. “I know his motives aren’t pure. That’s why I returned to the High Palace and told you everything immediately.”

At last, Gao Heng’s expression cleared like the sun breaking through storm clouds. He grasped her hands tightly. “It’s good that you have this awareness. I despise betrayal more than anything. You did well.”

Tian Tian leaned her head against his chest. “In my heart, you are my husband. How could I ever betray you? The way you treat me—I will never forget it.”

Gao Heng smiled, holding her closer.

“I was thinking we could turn his plot against him. Prince Ning will surely approach me again. If his goal is to target you, he’ll inevitably use spies within the High Palace to communicate with me. Once they do, we can use this to uncover his network and deal him a significant blow.” Tian Tian spoke with determination, her goal clear: to help Gao Heng ascend the throne. His greatest enemy was Prince Ning, and weakening Prince Ning’s forces would significantly improve Gao Heng’s chances of victory.

Gao Heng stroked her hair. “I didn’t expect that my little Chan’er could strategize like a prime minister. You never cease to amaze me. If you were born a man, you’d surely be an invaluable minister, building a legacy for the court.”

Tian Tian chuckled. “What about the formulas I gave you? Have your subordinates managed to gather the materials?”

“Some of the ingredients are unavailable due to the season, but the rest have been shipped to the capital and should reach you soon.”

“If it’s a seasonal issue, have them collect seeds so we can cultivate them in greenhouses.”

“Greenhouses?” Gao Heng’s brows furrowed slightly in confusion.

“I’ll write up a plan tomorrow. Then you’ll understand what a greenhouse is.”

Gao Heng sighed in admiration. “Chan’er, you are a peerless treasure. Having you in my life is the greatest blessing.”

Tian Tian basked in his praise, her mood soaring.

“Alright, enough talking. I’m going to bathe.” Attending the Mid-Autumn banquet had been exhausting, and she felt utterly drained.

Gao Heng nodded and released her.

---

The next day, Princess Ning visited the High Palace, treating Tian Tian with exceptional courtesy and even presenting her with a box of exquisite pearls.

Tian Tian understood that Princess Ning was acting on Prince Ning’s orders and accepted the gift graciously.

The box contained pearls of impressive size and luster—an extraordinarily rare treasure.

By accepting the gift, Tian Tian signaled her acknowledgment of Prince Ning’s overtures, which greatly pleased Princess Ning.

In the days that followed, Princess Ning sent gifts to Tian Tian regularly. Each gift was unique, valuable, and remarkable.

---

Two months passed quickly. During this time, Tian Tian successfully developed shampoo and soap.

Shampoo production was limited due to scarce raw materials, as cultivation and processing were still ongoing. It was sold only in affluent regions at a higher price.

Soap, however, had a simple production process with common ingredients, making it the next widely available household product after laundry detergent.

Soap could be used for washing hands and faces and had strong cleaning power. Once it hit the market, it received widespread praise.

Gao Heng’s reputation among the common people soared, overshadowing Prince Ning and leaving him gasping for air.

With Gao Heng thriving in power and Tian Tian earning substantial wealth, the couple lived a blissful and prosperous life.

Autumn gave way to winter, and soon, the grand annual New Year’s Eve banquet arrived.

Tian Tian donned a luxurious gown and accompanied Gao Heng to the palace for the festivities.

Gao Heng, having won the people’s hearts, was now respected by many court officials. Those who still opposed him dared not speak openly. Those who had resisted in the past had been executed, and the survivors understood that defiance meant death. They feared not only for themselves but for their families, who would be left helpless after their deaths.

The banquet hall was filled with fine wine, sumptuous food, music, and elegant dances—a festive and lively atmosphere.

Midway through the banquet, Tian Tian found the smell of alcohol overwhelming and once again stepped out to the imperial garden for fresh air.

As soon as she reached the pavilion, Prince Ning eagerly followed her.

Seeing him approach, Tian Tian turned to Qiu Ju and said, “You may leave. I have something to discuss with Prince Ning.”

Qiu Ju was shocked. “Madam, this—”

Madam was Lord Regent’s woman. Though Prince Ning and Lord Regent appeared cordial on the surface, everyone knew they were rivals behind the scenes. A private meeting between Madam and Prince Ning—if discovered—could provoke Lord Regent’s fury, which even Madam’s favored position might not withstand.

“Leave,” Tian Tian ordered coldly.

Qiu Ju dared not argue further. “Yes, Madam,” she said, bowing before retreating.

Seeing Tian Tian dismiss her maidservant, Prince Ning’s handsome face lit up with a smile. He was certain that Jiang Chan harbored feelings for him.

The gifts his wife had sent her repeatedly, all of which she had accepted, further convinced him. Her heart, he believed, belonged to him.

After all, how could Lord Regent, a eunuch, compare to him?

Although Lord Regent favored her, he was still a eunuch—incapable of consummating their relationship or offering her true womanhood. In comparison, there was simply no contest.

“Chan’er,” Prince Ning’s voice trembled with excitement. The thought of Jiang Chan becoming his ally, and the imminent demise of Lord Regent, filled him with anticipation.

Tian Tian’s eyes glimmered as her cheeks turned slightly red, her shy demeanor enchanting. “Your Highness.”

The beauty before him was stunning. Even though Prince Ning intended to use her, the current scene stirred his emotions, and he couldn’t resist reaching out to embrace her.

Tian Tian subtly evaded him. “Your Highness, you must be cautious. This is the imperial garden, and there are many eyes around.” Then, with a shy glance, she added, “Your Highness, your feelings—Chan’er understands them fully.”

Prince Ning smiled. “As long as you understand.”

Tian Tian continued, “The treasures sent by Princess Ning were Your Highness’s intention, weren’t they?”

Prince Ning nodded. “Indeed. I have admired you for a long time, but due to our respective positions, I couldn’t send them openly. Only through my wife could I ensure no one would suspect anything.”

“Your Highness is truly considerate.” Tian Tian smiled faintly.

“Has Lord Regent grown suspicious?”

“He has expressed some doubts, but I explained that it was merely a friendship with Princess Ning and dismissed the matter.”

“That’s good.” Prince Ning gazed at her tenderly. “I think about you day and night. When I saw you step out for air tonight, I couldn’t resist following you. Otherwise, who knows how much longer I would have had to wait to see you? I long for us to be together every day, as a pair of celestial lovers who never part.”

Here it comes, Tian Tian thought.

“Your Highness harbors such feelings for me, but…” Tian Tian’s voice grew sorrowful. “It’s a pity I am already Lord Regent’s woman. In this life, it seems we are destined to be star-crossed lovers.” Her eyes reddened with tears, her expression heartbreakingly desolate.

Prince Ning, though fully aware he intended to use her, couldn’t help feeling his heart ache at her sorrow.

Taking a step closer, he reached out, attempting to hold her hand.

Tian Tian discreetly avoided his touch, pretending to wipe away her tears.

“Your Highness, we are fated to be apart. Please, forget about me.”

Prince Ning faltered, his outstretched hand meeting only air. Yet seeing her tear-streaked face, he remained convinced of her sincerity.

“Forget you? I can’t. Ever since I saw you at the Minister of Works’ residence two years ago, I haven’t been able to forget you. Back then, it wasn’t that I didn’t want you—I just knew you were the Minister’s beloved treasure. I dared not take what he held dear. Looking back now, I regret it deeply. If I had acted decisively, we wouldn’t be suffering like this.”

Tian Tian quickly responded, “I don’t blame Your Highness. This is all fate’s doing. To know Your Highness feels this way is enough for me. Even though I remain by Lord Regent’s side, my body and soul belong to you alone

.”

Tian Tian felt like vomiting at her own words.

Prince Ning, overcome with emotion, declared, “No! We won’t let things stay this way. We will be together openly one day!”

Tian Tian’s tearful eyes shimmered. “Would Your Highness dare ask Lord Regent for me? But given his temperament, how could he ever agree?”

Prince Ning’s gaze grew heavy. “Asking Lord Regent outright won’t work. But there’s another way—if you’re willing to take the risk with me!”

Tian Tian hesitated, biting her red lips. “What way?”

Prince Ning stared directly into her eyes. “Kill Lord Regent. Once he’s gone, the world will be mine. When I ascend the throne, not only will we be together every day, but I’ll make you my most honored and noble consort.”

Tian Tian was startled, her silk handkerchief slipping to the ground as her body swayed unsteadily. She plopped onto the pavilion bench with a thud, clearly frightened by the suggestion.

Prince Ning said, “Chan’er, there’s no need to be afraid. I will pave the way for you. All you need to do is slip the poison into Lord Regent’s food, and the task will be complete.”

Tian Tian maintained her expression of disbelief, clearly shaken, and gave no response.

“Chan’er, I won’t force you. I couldn’t bear to. But you must understand, this is the only way for us to be together openly. There is no other path.”

Tian Tian bowed her head, pretending to ponder deeply, though her inner turmoil raged fiercely.

“But Lord Regent treats me so well. To harm him would truly be…”

“Chan’er, you are too kind-hearted to see the truth. Lord Regent only treats you well because of your beauty. In a few years, when he finds someone more beautiful, he’ll toss you aside without a second thought. Don’t you long for a normal life? To be with the one you love, to share a lifetime together, to raise children?”

Tian Tian’s tears fell. “I do…”

“Then why do you hesitate?”

Tears streaming down her face, Tian Tian lifted her gaze to him and asked, “You say Lord Regent’s affection for me is fleeting. What about you, Prince Ning? You treat me well now, but in a few years, when my beauty fades, will you cast me aside for someone new?”

Prince Ning was momentarily stunned by her question. After a pause, he replied, “My dear Chan’er, how could you think that of me? I am risking everything—my position, my very life—to be with you. Can’t you see my sincerity? If I were a man who abandoned the old for the new, would I be plotting against Lord Regent now, risking so much just so we could be together openly? You know this plan puts me in great danger. One misstep, and I’d face total ruin.”

Prince Ning’s eloquence left Tian Tian seemingly speechless. Her face reflected emotion, as if she had finally realized who her true love was.

“Chan’er, if you wish to be with me, this is the only path. I want you by my side for the rest of my life.”

Tian Tian looked conflicted, staring at him with hesitation. “Prince Ning, let me think about it. This is no small matter, and one mistake could cost me my life. I need time to consider it carefully.”

Prince Ning didn’t hear the answer he wanted, but the fact that she agreed to consider it was enough for now. She would agree—it was only a matter of time.

“Very well. I will give you time.”

“But when I return to the High Palace, I may not have the chance to come out again,” Tian Tian voiced her concern.

“I will have Princess Ning enter the High Palace. You can give her your answer,” Prince Ning suggested.

Tian Tian frowned. “This matter is too sensitive. It cannot be linked to you. Princess Ning should not enter the High Palace. This must be done discreetly.”

Prince Ning furrowed his brows.

“If I have an answer, I’ll pick flowers in the garden. If I pick roses, it means I agree. If I pick red plum blossoms, it means I refuse. Is that acceptable?”

Tian Tian inwardly praised the clever setup. Picking flowers would naturally draw no suspicion, and his men could easily observe without exposing him.

“Agreed,” Prince Ning nodded.

Prince Ning smiled. “I’ll await your good news.”

After reaching an agreement, Tian Tian returned to the hall first. Prince Ning lingered in the garden for a while before returning, his expression unreadable.

Gao Heng sat calmly in the hall, appearing oblivious to their activities.

When the banquet ended, Tian Tian rode back to the High Palace with Gao Heng. As soon as they reached the Thousand-Year Palace, she relayed Prince Ning’s scheme to him.

Gao Heng sneered. “Prince Ning… very well.”

“Let’s keep him waiting for half a month. If he grows impatient, he’ll send someone to prod you, and they’ll slip up. That’s when we’ll trace the line back to his hidden network.”

Tian Tian nodded. “Alright, we’ll do as you say.”

Gao Heng pulled her into his arms. “Tonight is New Year’s Eve. We must stay awake and see it through.”

“I know,” Tian Tian replied with a smile. “Since we have time, why don’t we play chess?”

Gao Heng scoffed at the idea of playing chess. In the dead of winter, lying in bed with his beloved was far more appealing.

“I know something much more fun than chess.”

Tian Tian instantly understood his meaning. “Don’t even think about it! Chess, and that’s final.”

“You enjoy it just as much, so why pretend otherwise?” Gao Heng teased, his tone full of mischief. “I much prefer the side of you that lets go.”

Tian Tian playfully pounded her fists against him.

Gao Heng laughed, clearly enjoying her reaction. Without warning, he scooped her up and carried her to bed, where they celebrated the New Year in their own way.

---

Half a month passed with no response from Tian Tian, leaving Prince Ning increasingly anxious.

Another five days went by, and still, there was no word.

Unable to bear it, Prince Ning finally sent someone to check in with Tian Tian.

One day, as Tian Tian strolled through the garden, a young eunuch bumped into her and discreetly slipped her a note before dropping to his knees to beg forgiveness.

Tian Tian immediately understood that this eunuch was one of Prince Ning’s spies in the High Palace. Pretending nothing was amiss, she dismissed him without punishment, allowing him to leave.

The eunuch believed he had successfully completed his mission, unaware that every move he made had been closely monitored.

Back in the Thousand-Year Palace, Tian Tian unfolded the note. As expected, it urged her to reply quickly.

She burned the note and, the next day, went to the garden to pick roses, claiming she needed them for her bath.

Upon learning that Tian Tian had agreed, Prince Ning couldn’t contain his laughter and immediately arranged for the poison to be delivered to the High Palace.

The following day, Tian Tian received a small pouch of poison and, as soon as it arrived, ordered the messenger eunuch to be detained.

Gao Heng had the eunuch interrogated under torture, determined to uncover all of Prince Ning’s spies in the High Palace.

Five days later, Prince Ning had received no news. Instead, he learned that all the spies he had painstakingly planted in the High Palace had been eradicated.

Now, when it came to the High Palace, Prince Ning was blind and deaf.

He realized he had been played by a woman.

At Prince Ning’s residence that day, the sound of objects smashing echoed throughout. In his rage, Prince Ning even killed a few clumsy servants.

For half a month, his face remained stormy and grim.

The great Prince Ning, outmaneuvered by a courtesan redeemed from a brothel—it was an unspeakable humiliation.

He vowed to make Jiang Chan pay the ultimate price.

---

Though the captured spies never implicated Prince Ning directly, his network had suffered a severe blow, giving Gao Heng a decisive advantage.

Meanwhile, Tian Tian busied herself in the High Palace, experimenting with flowers to create perfumes for personal use or as gifts.

Perfume, being a luxury item, was challenging to produce in this era. Yet, with her knowledge and techniques, she could craft superior fragrances—perfect for gifting to the wives of influential officials.

With his growing power, Gao Heng was busier than ever, often returning to the High Palace only at night to dine with Tian Tian.

Despite their limited time together, their bond deepened over the months. Whatever Tian Tian desired, Gao Heng ensured she had it.

---

One morning, Tian Tian had just woken when Qiu Ju entered with a report.

“Madam, several noblewomen are at the Thousand-Year Palace, requesting an audience. They’ve been waiting for quite some time. Should I send them away?”

Surprised, Tian Tian asked, “Noblewomen coming to see me? Why didn’t you wake me earlier instead of leaving them to wait?”

Qiu Ju bowed her head. “Madam, your rest is paramount. Even noblewomen must wait for you to wake. This is as Lord Regent instructed.”

Tian Tian sighed in exasperation. “Have the noblewomen wait in the West Wing. I’ll be there shortly.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Tian Tian dressed hurriedly and headed to the West Wing. Noblewomen rarely visited the High Palace, let alone in groups. There had to be a pressing matter behind their visit.

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