Chapter 73: Crown Prince’s Concubine – 1

“Congratulations to the host for completing the mission. You have received: Gift Pack x1, 300 Virtue Points. The mission requester has given a five-star review. Evaluation from the Book Spirit: No comment!”

“Open the gift pack immediately!”

“Congratulations to the host for obtaining: The ‘Never Gain Weight’ Physique!”

“Other girls get skin like cream or heavenly beauty, so why do I just get the ability to not get fat? Book Spirit Number One, do you even have a heart?”

“I do not. I am a rechargeable model!”

Ren Xin: “…”

“Transfer the memories!”

The original owner of this body was originally just the daughter of a low-ranking official. During the year of the Great Selection¹, she had planned to be rejected so she could find a well-to-do family to marry into, have children, and live out a peaceful, ordinary life.

But the unexpected happened: she was appointed as a Crown Prince’s Concubine – .

Although it differed from her expectations, it was a marriage decreed by the Emperor; there was no escape. She accepted her fate. Besides, by social standards, she was marrying far above her station.

The Crown Prince was a very gentle man, and the Crown Princess managed the household strictly but fairly. Just as the original owner was about to give birth to the Crown Prince’s eldest son, the Crown Prince was deposed.

In an even more dramatic twist, the Crown Princess took her child away, claiming the boy was the family’s only hope and telling the original owner not to be “soft-hearted like a typical woman.”

After being deposed, the Crown Prince spent his days in a state of depression. For reasons unknown, the Crown Princess’s health began to fail. Before she died, she called the original owner to her bedside and said many ambiguous things that the original owner didn’t quite understand.

Later, she learned that the reason the Crown Princess had chosen her to be a Crown Prince’s Concubine – was because she looked fertile. The Eastern Palace had been criticized for its lack of heirs, and they needed a son.

It also helped that the original owner’s family held a low rank, making her easier to control.

The original owner was a kind-hearted person. Even after the Crown Princess died, she remained kind to the Crown Princess’s daughter and raised her own son to be outstanding.

The Crown Prince eventually pulled himself together and fought desperately for his future, finally ascending the throne. He bestowed upon the original owner the title of Imperial Noble Consort and put her in charge of the six palaces², making her the Empress in all but name.

The original owner’s life could be considered glorious. After the Emperor died, her son took the throne, and she continued to enjoy wealth and honor.

And yet, she still felt regret. She had spent her entire life pretending: pretending to be gentle, pretending to be virtuous and kind. Her regret was that she never spent her life with a man she truly loved, raising children together. Instead, she had spent a lifetime struggling amidst calculations and conspiracies.

“Mission Requirement: Live an ordinary life, find someone to love, and spend a lifetime together!”

This seemed simple enough, but the first problem to solve was how to avoid the palace selection.

Before Ren Xin could even familiarize herself with her surroundings or make a plan, she was granted a marriage decree. Her betrothed was a young general from a First-Class Ducal Estate.

Ren Xin: “…” This really isn’t playing by the rules.

As for this young general?

Ren Xin heard about his deeds from her older brother.

“The General of the Far Expedition is named Xie Liangchen. His family has been loyal and righteous for generations, but none of them have ever met a peaceful end. Later, seeing their loyalty, the Emperor granted Xie Liangchen’s father the title of First-Class Duke, to be inherited by his descendants! Later, Xie Liangchen’s father also died in battle. The Ducal Estate is now considered to be in decline, with only an elderly grandmother and a young child left. Everything rests on Xie Liangchen’s shoulders, otherwise…”

Ren Xin felt that this “ordinary life” was not looking very ordinary at all.

But why had things changed? Had something happened that she didn’t know about?

Book Spirit Number One: “The system has performed a world scan and detected traces of a Rebirther. The host is advised to proceed with extreme caution!”

A Rebirther?

“Is it the Crown Prince? No, that doesn’t seem right. Is it the Crown Princess?”

Book Spirit Number One: “??? Host, how did you know?”

“When you gave me 200 IQ points, I already had 180 of my own. Now that they’ve stacked, I’m feeling a bit overconfident~”

Book Spirit Number One: “If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to. There’s no need for this nonsense.”

Hmph, are you acting spoiled now?

“You may leave. You’ve had too many lines lately; I don’t need you micromanaging my decisions!”

“I’m just afraid you’ll cross the line and drag me down with you,” Book Spirit Number One said helplessly.

That was fair. When she went wild, she couldn’t even control herself.

Translator’s Notes