Special Agent’s Rebirth: The Almighty Goddess of Quick Transmigration - Chapter 205

The Cold Palace stood in the most remote corner of the imperial grounds, a desolate place rarely visited by anyone.

Even Yu Wenjing felt a chill creeping into his heart. The memories of his childhood made him instinctively recoil from this place.

Today, he had come to see Ye Shaohua, expecting to find her withered and on the brink of death. Yet, to his surprise, though she looked somewhat pale, she sat there sipping tea while reading a book, appearing utterly at ease.

This sight left Yu Wenjing both puzzled and strangely unguarded.

For the past two years, though they had been husband and wife, Yu Wenjing had loathed Ye Shaohua and kept his distance. He had never paid her much attention—how well could he possibly know her? To him, she was merely his most useful pawn.

A highly skilled executioner was exactly what Yu Wenjing lacked.

But this also made him wary of her. With Qu Huashang now in the picture, he had seized the first opportunity to discard Ye Shaohua before the generals of the Ye family returned.

The excuse he fabricated was absurd—the grandmaster of the Guardian Temple had divined that Ye Shaohua’s bloodlust was too heavy, bringing ill fortune to the imperial harem. Thus, Yu Wenjing had “reluctantly” banished her to the Cold Palace.

Yet everyone in the court knew the real reason.

“Fighting for favor?” Ye Shaohua glanced at Yu Wenjing, a faint sneer curling on her otherwise indifferent face. “Do I, Ye Shaohua, need to stoop to such things? If I truly wanted to, do you think Qu Huashang would have left Bieyun Pavilion unharmed?”

Her words struck Yu Wenjing like a physical blow. Under the dim lamplight, her mocking smile didn’t provoke disgust—instead, it carried an oddly captivating laziness.

Perhaps because she had fallen from grace, her face bore traces of weariness, but none of the arrogance that had once made her so unlikable.

Suppressing the strange feeling in his chest, Yu Wenjing forced out, “Then… what about Huashang’s phoenix robe?”

Ye Shaohua turned her head slightly, her gaze sharp. “Why ask me about her phoenix robe? In fact, Yu Wenjing, I have a question for you. I’ve done nothing to betray you—I even took two fatal blows in your stead. If you disliked me, you could have just said so. Do I seem like the kind of person who would force herself where she isn’t wanted? What right do you have to imprison me in this wretched place?! And tell me—why did Qu Huashang’s phoenix robe fit her so perfectly?”

As someone who knew the full story, Ye Shaohua was well aware of the truth. But the version of her in this world had no idea.

Yu Wenjing was stunned into silence. Under her piercing gaze, he couldn’t meet her eyes.

He dared not admit that it was all because of the Ye family’s military power.

With anyone else, he could have coldly spelled it out. But faced with Ye Shaohua’s relentless questioning, he found himself unable to respond.

As for Qu Huashang’s phoenix robe—it wasn’t a coincidence. He had commissioned it long ago, preparing for her eventual rise as empress.

A clever person might have deduced this, but Yu Wenjing had always assumed Ye Shaohua was too brutish to understand such intricacies.

Recalling the events of the day, his fingers clenched involuntarily. After two years together, he knew her temperament well—unyielding, righteous, disdainful of petty schemes. She had never been one to confine herself to the inner chambers or play underhanded games.

The realization made him flee in near-disgrace. “Summon Physician Liu,” he ordered abruptly before striding away without another word.

“Your Majesty?” The chief eunuch stared in surprise as Yu Wenjing hurried out. “Are you unwell?”

Yu Wenjing shook his head slowly, but the image of those accusatory eyes lingered in his mind.

Seeing his agitation, the eunuch cautiously suggested, “Shall we go to Her Majesty the Empress…?”

Qu Huashang had always been a soothing presence. Whenever Yu Wenjing was frustrated—whether by the crown prince’s schemes or Ye Shaohua’s defiance—a brief visit to Qu Huashang would calm him.

The eunuch, well aware of Qu Huashang’s importance, had made the suggestion with confidence.

Yet this time, instead of easing his anger, the mention of Qu Huashang only made Yu Wenjing frown.

A bad sign. The eunuch noted it silently.

“No,” Yu Wenjing said after a long pause. “Send someone to intercept Fifth Brother at the palace gates. We’ll meet in the study.”

Earlier, he had dismissed Prince Rui (formerly the Fifth Prince, Yu Wenzhe) to visit Ye Shaohua. Now, unwilling to see Qu Huashang, he summoned Yu Wenzhe back instead.

Changchun Palace

When Qu Huashang learned that Yu Wenjing had gone to the Cold Palace, she ate several extra pastries in silence.

Then, she ordered sandalwood incense lit and reclined with a book, waiting for Yu Wenjing’s arrival.

The curling smoke lent her an ethereal aura.

But after an hour passed with no sign of him, she sent a servant to investigate—only to discover that not only had Yu Wenjing failed to punish Ye Shaohua with confinement or a forced apology, he had even summoned a physician for her.

Qu Huashang’s fingertip pierced straight through the page she was reading.

She had never considered Ye Shaohua a threat, nor had she ever deigned to compete for favor.

But if Ye Shaohua dared to challenge her, then so be it. With a cold smile, Qu Huashang sent a messenger to summon Yu Wenjing.

Outside the Imperial Study

“Brother,” Yu Wenzhe frowned as he noticed Yu Wenjing approaching from the direction of the Cold Palace. “Has that woman caused trouble again?”

Yesterday, she had still been “Consort Ye.” Today, she was merely “that woman.”

Yu Wenzhe’s eyes darkened. As long as Ye Shaohua lived, she remained a threat to Qu Huashang. He regretted his leniency the day before—he never should have pleaded for a physician to save her.

Without waiting for Yu Wenjing’s response, he said coldly, “Brother, this matter must be resolved before General Ye returns. And… Her Majesty the Empress should not visit the Cold Palace. There’s no need for her to interact with that woman—it would only bring her grief.”