By the time 林树敏 (Lín Shùmǐn) returned to her room, her legs felt like boiled noodles.
She slammed the door shut, leaned against it, and let out a long breath.
Then she started laughing.
"Not dead again. That's three survivals in a row. I'm basically immortal now."
舒嫣 (Shū Yān), arranging table, froze mid-movement. "Immortal?" she muttered under her breath. "More like terminally reckless."
Shumin flopped dramatically onto her bed.
She waved a hand. "Don't panic. I explained the Zhanyao Philosophy. I'm ninety percent sure he believes me."
"Ninety?" Shu Yan squeaked.
"Okay… sixty."
Shu Yan stared like she was watching a beautiful woman self-destruct.
"Why do you keep testing the Emperor's temper?"
Shumin rolled onto her side, kicking her feet.
"Because it's progress! Last time he wanted to strangle me, this time he just looked… mildly traumatized."
Shu Yan pressed a hand over her heart.
"My lady, that's not progress. That's survival bias."
But Shumin wasn't listening. Her mind had already started spinning.
She remembered the novel--the tragic love story between 李湛 (Lǐ Zhàn) and 顾昭瑶 (Gù Zhāoyáo).
Their romance only began after the King's hunting injury.
'But I stopped that…'
Her stomach twisted.
Wait.
Had she just… canceled her favorite couple's love arc?
"Oh no," she muttered. "I broke the plot."
Shu Yan blinked. "What plot?"
"The...uh...palace plot. The destiny of love! Shu Yan, this is bad."
"My lady, are you feverish?"
"I need ink and paper." Shumin sat up suddenly, eyes blazing with determination. "Quickly!"
Shu Yan fetched the writing set, muttering, "It's official, she's lost her mind."
Shumin sat cross-legged at the low table, brush in hand like a general before battle.
"Alright," she murmured. "Operation Cupid begins."
Shu Yan frowned. "Operation… what?"
"Cupid!" Shumin said brightly. "You know, the god of love? Short, chubby, shoots arrows? No?"
Shu Yan's face was pure confusion. "We worship different deities, my lady."
"Fine. Think of it as the Red Thread Spirit. I'm going to help His Majesty and Her Majesty fall in love faster than destiny planned!"
Shu Yan's eyes went wide. "You want to meddle in the Emperor's marriage?"
"Not meddle...assist!" Shumin dipped her brush into the ink. "I'm their emotional architect."
"More like your own executioner," Shu Yan whispered.
Ignoring her, Shumin started writing furiously on the paper.
Operation Cupid Plan
1. Rebuild the tragic atmosphere between Li Zhan and Gu Zhaoyao.
2. Stage a romantic coincidence --candlelight, moonlight, possible mild injury.
3. Avoid dying in the process.
4. No interfering eunuchs.
5. Find poetic background music (optional).
She lifted the page proudly. "Perfect."
Shu Yan looked like she might faint. "My lady… this is suicide written in calligraphy."
Shumin ignored her and started doodling tiny hearts beside the list.
"I'm just doing what the universe failed to. They belong together! Without the injury, how will he ever realize she's his destiny?"
Shu Yan whispered to herself, "Maybe because she's his wife?"
But Shumin was on a roll.
"I'll just… recreate the romantic setting. Maybe fake a mild accident. Something cinematic."
"Cine… what?"
"Never mind. It'll be simple. The King gets slightly hurt, the Queen rushes in to save him, they lock eyes...
bam! Love reborn."
Shu Yan pressed her palms together. "Please don't say 'bam' in front of His Majesty."
"Relax," Shumin said, grinning. "I'll handle it. What's the worst that can happen?"
She dipped the brush again to sign the bottom of the plan
Official Palace Cupid: Concubine Wen Qian
and sat back proudly.
Shu Yan sighed, rubbing her temple. "My lady… have you considered just not dying for one week?"
"Not dying?" Shumin looked genuinely puzzled. "But then how will I grow as a character?"
---
That night, while Shu Yan muttered prayers to every deity she could name,
Shumin folded the parchment neatly and hid it beneath her pillow.
She lay back, staring at the ceiling, her lips curling into a determined smile.
"Li Zhan, Gu Zhaoyao… you're my OTP. And I'm your matchmaker now."
Her heart beat fast—not from fear this time, but from something almost… excited.
"Tomorrow," she whispered to herself, "Operation Cupid begins."
Shu Yan whispered, "And what if Heaven doesn't like being 'helped'?"
Shumin waved her off, yawning. "Heaven can file a complaint tomorrow."
Shu Yan groaned from her cot. "May Heaven have mercy on us all."
Shumin giggled softly
----
Eventually, sleep pulled her under.
But as her breathing slowed, the air in the room shifted..growing colder, heavier, strange.
Somewhere close, a voice murmured. Low. Echoing. Neither man nor woman.
"You wanted to change destiny."
Her brow furrowed in her sleep.
"Then don't forget…"
The whisper came closer, brushing against her ear.
"It will cost you something, too."
The candle flickered once, then went out.
And the room fell into silence.
----
Meanwhile, in the Queen's Palace:--
顾昭瑶 (Gù Zhāoyáo) sat before her bronze mirror, removing her hairpins one by one.
A maid whispered, "Your Majesty, His Majesty summoned Concubine Wen today again."
Zhaoyao's hand stilled briefly before she said softly, "And she returned alive?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Zhaoyao smiled faintly ..serene, unreadable. "Then His Majesty was in good mood."
When the maid withdrew, the smile faded.
'Concubine Wen… forgotten for years, yet suddenly always in his sight.'
Her eyes lingered on her reflection, calm but cool.
Zhaoyao recalled the last court assembly --the concubine's reckless defense , her odd manner of speech, the bright, foolish sincerity in her eyes.
" She is either fearless or ignorant… perhaps both."
Still, something about that woman unsettled her
' Let's see what kind of woman you are.'
Zhaoyao exhaled, extinguishing her candle.
Yet as she lay down, the faintest thought lingered:
' But ..Why did he summon her?'