Time travel, quick transmigration

"Princess Consort Shou, His Majesty and Consort Hui are hosting a banquet today at the Hua'e Xianghui Tower, inviting officials and scholars. His Majesty has heard that you, Princess Consort, have a fondness for music, and has specially ordered me to come to the Prince Shou's residence to invite you and His Highness to the palace for the banquet, to enjoy the songs and dances, and to share in the joy."

Shi Yan looked up at Gao Lishi's smiling eyes, a faint smile appearing on her face. She gracefully said, "Thank you, Father Emperor and Mother Consort."

Gao Lishi was completely unaware of Shi Yan's true feelings. After delivering the imperial decree, he felt he had completed his task and took his leave.

Standing beside Shi Yan, Li Heng, who had received the imperial decree alongside her, assumed it was because his father, the Emperor, valued him. Therefore, even during a palace banquet, the Emperor sent his most trusted eunuch, Gao Lishi, to deliver the decree summoning him and Yang Yuhuan to the palace. Even after Gao Lishi and the palace staff had walked away, the smile on his face remained.

Shi Yan looked at Li Heng, who was still happily basking in his own joy, and sighed inwardly, feeling speechless.

About half an hour later, the two had changed their clothes and, surrounded by maids and guards, left the mansion in a carriage. Before long, they entered Xingqing Palace through Chunming Gate and headed towards Hua'e Xianghui Tower.

The legendary Hua'e Xianghui Tower, ranked among the Four Great Towers of the Tang Dynasty, enjoyed the reputation of being the "Number One Tower Under Heaven." It was not only a large-scale entertainment and cultural arts center, but also a place where Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, shared joy and laughter with the people. Seated within, Shi Yan couldn't help but admire the tower's magnificence, luxury, and grandeur. The banquet was a lively affair, and Shi Yan personally enjoyed the music and dance performances of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.

The Lingbo Dance was graceful and lively, the Green Waist Dance was elegant and charming, and the Hu Xuan Dance had its own unique style and characteristics. The music played during the banquet was sometimes melodious and gentle, and sometimes moving and captivating. What a magnificent and prosperous scene!

Shi Yan herself was skilled in dancing. Although she did not know the dances and music of the Tang Dynasty, she knew how to appreciate beautiful people and their dance moves, so she watched with great focus and fascination.

After several songs and dances, Shi Yan heard some ministers showering the emperor with praise. Hearing compliments was certainly pleasing, and it was hard for Shi Yan to ignore the hearty laughter.

However, the wife of a minister sitting next to her was smiling and talking to her, so she had no time to pay attention to the emperor, who was in a very good mood on the high seat.

Despite having his beloved Consort Hui by his side, Li Longji couldn't help but let his gaze fall upon the most captivating figure. In his eyes, Yang Yuhuan was radiant, her skin as white as snow, like a piece of fine jade radiating an extremely alluring light. Among so many people below, only Yang Yuhuan stood out like a blooming, delicate peony, graceful and charming, every bow of her head, every raised eye, every slight smile capable of captivating his heart.

Perhaps His Majesty the Emperor's gaze was too blatant and completely unrestrained, because Consort Wu Hui, sitting beside him, seemed to sense something, her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she called out softly.

"His Majesty."

However, no response was received.

A slight irritation stirred within Consort Wu, but she maintained a gentle smile, her eyes filled with concern as she slowly approached Li Longji's side, softly calling his name once more. This successfully brought Li Longji's wandering thoughts back to his senses.

"My beloved concubine, what brings you to me?"

He gently took Wu Luoheng's hand and looked at her with deep affection.

Seeing his natural expression and the deep affection in his eyes, Wu Luoheng realized she had been overthinking things. With a slight pang of sadness, she gave the emperor a charming smile.

"It's nothing, Your Majesty. I just wanted to call out to you a few times. But Your Majesty was so engrossed in watching the singing and dancing that you ignored me."

Li Longji smiled, clearly enjoying Consort Wu Hui's coquettishness and playful teasing.

"It was my fault for neglecting my beloved consort. I hope she won't be angry with me."

Upon hearing this, Wu Luoheng gave a soft reproachful sound and then leaned gently against the king's shoulder.

Shi Yan couldn't be bothered to watch the emperor and his beloved concubine flirting. She didn't need to guess whose gaze had been fixed on her earlier; she simply ignored it.

If it weren't for changing Yang Yuhuan's fate, dispelling the resentment born of her obsession, preventing her from being hurt by the heartless and fickle Li Longji, and finally making Yang Yuhuan willing to let go of her obsession, she would never have come to this palace to face the extremely hypocritical Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji.

After the banquet, Shi Yan returned to the Prince's residence with Li Qiu.

After that, Li Longji would summon Shi Yan to the palace every now and then under various pretexts. Because of Consort Wu Hui, Li Longji, as the emperor of a country and the father of Yang Yuhuan and Li Chang, did not do anything inappropriate or presumptuous.

When his princess was frequently summoned to the palace, Prince Shou, Li Heng, believed it was because his father, the emperor, valued and loved his daughter-in-law. As Yang Yuhuan's husband, he naturally felt honored and did not think anything of it.

Everything changed in the twenty-fifth year of the Kaiyuan era.

On December 7th of the 25th year of the Kaiyuan era, Consort Wu Hui, who had been favored in the palace for many years, suddenly passed away. After seeing off his beloved consort and bestowing upon her boundless posthumous glory, Emperor Li Longji was depressed and melancholy all day long. Even the concubines and beauties in other palaces could not dispel the loneliness in his heart. The emperor, who had no interest in politics, visibly grew thinner.

The emperor's state greatly worried Gao Lishi, who was devoted to his master. He tried to comfort him, but it was of no use.

Seeing that His Majesty the Emperor had lost a lot of weight and was sullen all day long, and even more so at night when he tossed and turned and couldn't sleep, Gao Lishi, a loyal servant who had gradually figured out Li Longji's hidden thoughts, set his sights on Shi Yan in the Prince of Shou's mansion.

"Yan Yan, you will soon have to leave the Prince Shou's mansion and go to a Taoist temple to cultivate."

0804's sweet voice brought Shi Yan, who was gazing into the distance from the railing, back from her reverie.

"Time flies so fast. It's been more than two years since I came to this time and space."

"Cultivation, it's quite good."

Shi Yan's nonchalant tone stunned 0804.

"Yan Yan, is something on your mind?"

Shi Yan watched 0804 act cute in front of her with a blank expression, and couldn't help but laugh out loud in her heart. But she said very calmly.

"What worries could I possibly have?"

"I just want time to pass as quickly as possible. I really don't want to have any contact with Li Heng and Li Longji, father and son. I really can't wait until the day Li Longji issues an edict to order Yang Yuhuan's death. I'll refuse to die and instead curse him to death, making him lose all face and dignity."

0804 was frightened by Shi Yan's fierce eyes and smiling lips. It did not doubt Shi Yan's words at all, and seemed to see Li Longji being scolded by Shi Yan until he was speechless and had no way to refute.

"Yan Yan, you can scold anyone, but please don't scold Xiao Ba."

Shi Yan glanced at 0804's watery, grape-like eyes, and, with great restraint, gave it a reassuring look, anticipating its expectation.

The Emperor, heartbroken and dejected, had no time to think about anything else, only immersing himself in the melancholy of being a lonely figure. Meanwhile, the considerate Gao Lishi had taken it upon himself to leave the palace and visit the Princess Consort of Prince Shou.

"Your Highness, since Consort Hui passed away, His Majesty has been listless and lacking in energy, and has lost a lot of weight. It is truly heartbreaking for me to see this. I have tried to persuade him and tried various methods to cheer him up, but nothing has worked."

"This servant has come to..."

He hesitated, as if he was weighing his words.

Shi Yan's eyes turned cold as she realized that Yang Yuhuan's abduction into the palace by Li Longji was also orchestrated by that wicked lackey, Gao Lishi.