WBSGVS Chapter 194 V1

The news that the Fourth Prince and Sixth Princess had been brought out of the Cold Palace sent shockwaves through the harem. All the concubines who were busy vying for favor were utterly baffled: Where did these princes and princesses come from?

But once they were filled in, it all made sense.

These two children, long forgotten and presumed dead, were not only alive but had now been ordered by the Emperor to be brought out of the palace. It was truly unexpected.

Still, many people found the situation amusing.

Because the one who suffered the most was Consort Shu.

The only reason she had remained Consort Shu—even after bearing a child—was because of her special background.

She was the daughter of Zhou Xing’s biological sister, planted in the palace by Zhou Xing himself to keep Sima Heng in check.

But Sima Heng wasn’t completely oblivious. He knew that Consort Shu was Zhou Xing’s pawn and held a deep dislike for her. Still, she was the niece of the Prince Regent—he had to give her face, which meant he continued to visit her palace regularly.

The early death of the Crown Prince had to do with Consort Shu. She hadn’t given birth yet, but another concubine had, and that child didn’t live long.

Consort Shu wasn’t pleased, and the child “disappeared.” That concubine had already been pregnant when she gained her rank, and by palace norms, giving birth to a prince would normally have earned her a promotion to Noble Consort.

But Sima Heng was devastated by the death of his first child and conducted an investigation. He found traces of foul play and forced someone from Consort Shu’s camp to confess. With her crime balanced against her contributions, she remained a regular consort.

After that scandal, Consort Shu became more cautious. Every move she made was carefully planned. So when people like Nanny Dai wanted Sima Yan dead, they didn’t act directly. Instead, they made sure his health declined naturally—until death came on its own.

In the previous timeline, by the time the original Sixth Princess left the Cold Palace, her younger brother had already been dead for five years. Sima Qinghe and the others tortured Nanny Dai’s group and got confirmation from the Sixth Princess herself, which severely weakened Consort Shu’s power.

But this time, Sima Yan was unharmed. Things hadn’t gone as far, and Consort Shu was merely demoted to Concubine Li.

Even so, for the arrogant and domineering Second Prince, it was a major blow.

It was an open secret in the palace that after giving birth to the Second Prince, Consort Shu tried everything to ensure he had no rivals. Nearly every other prince born in the palace died before turning one.

The Third Prince was an exception because his mother had a difficult labor. The Emperor, suspecting foul play from Consort Shu, kept the child close. Her people never got a chance to act, and that’s how he survived to adulthood.

Later, the Third Prince allied with Consort Wan. One wanted to protect her son; the other wanted a mother’s protection. Together, they ensured he grew up strong and became the Second Prince’s biggest competitor.

Sima Yan, the Fifth Prince, was born in the Cold Palace, forgotten by all. When Consort Bai died, Consort Shu remembered him and sent people to check on him. But by then, the Fifth Prince was already seven years old.

Given the age gap between him and the Second Prince, if everything had gone according to Consort Shu’s plan, the Second Prince would’ve had no real competition.

But plans never keep up with change. Not only had the Third Prince grown up healthy and outstanding, but now—shockingly—there was also a ten-year-old Fourth Prince!

Even worse, despite Consort Shu’s efforts to eliminate the two motherless children, five years had passed, and they were still alive. This irony was not lost on her detractors, who were delighted to see her fail.

When Sima Chang heard that his father had officially demoted Consort Shu to Concubine Li, he beamed and praised, “Qinghe came through!”

Sima Qinghe smiled as well. “It’s what Father hoped for anyway. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.”

Sima Chang nodded. “By the way, didn’t Father order the Sixth Princess to return? Chaoyang Palace must be hectic. She’s new and probably scared. You should stay there and guide her.”

Qinghe’s smile vanished. She glanced at Sima Chang, looking uncomfortable. “Brother, maybe you should let someone else handle it.”

“What’s wrong?” Sima Chang asked gently.

Sima Qinghe hesitated, unsure how to explain. It was like preparing an elaborate gift only for the recipient to show no interest—she wasn’t at all like they imagined or planned for.

What had once seemed like a foolproof plan now felt increasingly unstable.

“Can’t talk about it?” Sima Chang asked again.

Just as Qinghe was about to nod, a eunuch entered.

Sima Chang gestured for her to wait and let the eunuch speak.

“Greetings, Your Highness. Greetings, Princess Leqin. I’ve just returned from the Cold Palace. About the Sixth Princess…”

The eunuch relayed everything he had seen.

After hearing it, both Sima Qinghe and Sima Chang looked uneasy. Sima Chang even frowned, surprised. “She really said that?!”

That explained why Nanny Dai and the others were still alive.

But could a fifteen-year-old girl, with no mother and long abandoned in the Cold Palace, really have the power to stop their execution?

Then again, based on how the eunuch described her attitude, Sima Chang couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe she did have that kind of power.

And if that was true, then their plans were going to be much harder to carry out.

The siblings exchanged a look. Sima Qinghe added reluctantly, “When I saw her this morning, she was just like that. Nothing like a child raised in the Cold Palace. She didn’t seem abused either. Her demeanor… it was more like…” She hesitated, then finally said, “like a noble young master raised by a prestigious clan.”

Pampered, accustomed to respect, unafraid of authority—she spoke her mind without hesitation.

There was also a kind of piercing innocence in her tone. Yet beneath that innocence lay sharp insight. Every word she said cut to the heart of the matter.

She knew why she had been in the Cold Palace for so many years.

She also clearly guessed Sima Qinghe’s purpose for visiting her.

That was why Sima Qinghe had left in such a panic.

She couldn’t stay any longer, for fear that all her thoughts would be seen through.

Sima Chang’s expression darkened. He said quietly, “Then let me go meet her myself—”

Just as he spoke, noise came from outside.

“What’s going on?” he asked.