I have a persona specifically for acting.

At the same time.

While Tong Zhao was exploring her newfound “cheat ability,” Xu Zhu, who had been politely but firmly escorted out of the neighborhood by the security guards, got into a luxury car with an unhappy expression. After closing the car door behind her, she took out her phone from her designer handbag and dialed Tong Zhao’s father’s number.

Suppressing her anger, she complained in a sweet voice, “Dad, I took my sister’s things over to return them and told her that there will always be a place for her at home. I asked her to come back as soon as she got over it. I even said I could move out if it comes to that…”

“How could we let you move out? Xinya is pregnant with your little brother, and I’m busy with work. She has no relatives to take care of her,” Tong Zhenming replied dismissively.

Hearing this, Xu Zhu felt reassured and continued to stir things up: “I really had no choice. Sister is still angry and won’t forgive me. She said she would never be a part of the Tong family again, and she even said…”

She hesitated, as if unsure whether to continue.

“What else did your sister say?”

Tong Zhenming took the bait as expected.

He always positioned himself as the head of the family and was very annoyed when women and younger family members disobeyed him.

He didn’t mind a bit of whining or pouting, even if he might have done something wrong. After all, he had apologized! And yet, Tong Zhao dared to point at him and accuse him of being disrespectful in his old age. That girl ate his food and lived under his roof. In his view, no parent is ever truly wrong, and it was not her place to criticize him.

With his eldest daughter running away from home, Tong Zhenming felt his authority was being challenged. He decided she needed to learn a lesson — to realize that without his protection, she was nothing and could accomplish nothing. The once spoiled princess would be taught by harsh reality and would eventually come back to apologize. All he needed to do was sit tight and wait.

This was the confident educational insight of a middle-aged man.

Therefore, Tong Zhenming tacitly allowed his younger daughter to find out where Tong Zhao was living, to see if she had reflected on her actions after a week away from home.

“Sister also said that she thinks you’re filthy and that even looking at you makes her feel dirty. If Auntie had known what kind of person you were, she would never have been with you. After all, plenty of wealthy young men pursued Auntie, and if she wasn’t in poor health, she could have remarried anytime, even with Sister in tow…”

Xu Zhu said timidly.

She used the most cowardly and innocent tone to spin her little narrative.

Xu Zhu knew that her father’s proudest achievement was that the famous actress Tong Zhao’s mother had favored him among many suitors. He was also very sensitive about the admiration his wife received both before and after their marriage. Even though she had retired from acting and rarely saw outsiders, it still bothered him deeply. Tong Zhenming had complained about this to his mistress many times, and Xu Zhu, having seen and heard all this, knew exactly how to hit his sore spots.

“Dream on!” Tong Zhenming erupted in anger, trembling with rage. “I raised that ungrateful girl for nothing. Would she be where she is without me? Thinks I’m filthy? Fine, even if she dies out there, I won’t care anymore! She wants to be a star? I had connections lined up for her… Forget it. It’s not like I, Tong Zhenming, only have one daughter. If she doesn’t want to acknowledge me as her father, there are plenty of others who’d kneel just for the chance to call me Dad!”

Xu Zhu was overjoyed. “But…”

—

The father enjoyed making harsh statements.

The daughter felt that calling him “Dad” while kneeling was worth it.

Both father and daughter felt that Tong Zhao had greatly underestimated her losses and was in for a rough time.

“Stop defending your sister. I know what I’m doing. Remember not to tell your mother about this; I don’t want her to be upset.”

Tong Zhenming impatiently reassured his daughter, ending the conversation with a commanding tone.

With her father’s promise not to interfere with Tong Zhao anymore, Xu Zhu felt much better and decided to immediately relay the details of the call to her mother. She hoped that even her pregnancy symptoms might improve and that she could enjoy a couple more bowls of rice.

Tong Zhenming didn’t disappoint Xu Zhu. He efficiently arranged for his younger daughter to participate in a girl group training program centered on youth and growth. With the support of his old friend, President Song’s entertainment company, not only was she given a spot on the show, but it was also agreed that Xu Zhu’s name must be included among the main cast of girls in the script, ensuring her debut.

Once she gained some popularity, she would then tackle reliable but lower-difficulty roles in reputable productions, gradually building her career. This was considered one of the most stable and replicable paths to stardom after the rise of instinctive films.

If she couldn’t act, she could always appear on variety shows.

Without dramatic life experiences, being cute and charming on variety shows would still win the audience’s favor.

President Song, aware of the situation at home, advised, “Tong Zhao will definitely mind about the resources you were supposed to give her being given to your sister. Once she finds out, she’ll likely hold a grudge against you even more.”

“I want her to know that everything she gets is given by me and that I can take it all back anytime. I can give it to anyone I want. Xu Zhu has been raised too pampered by her mother; honestly, I’m not too fond of her either, but she can be used to balance Tong Zhao and make her realize she’s no longer the privileged only child.”

Tong Zhenming lit a cigarette and spoke slowly.

His eyes, clouded by indulgence, were filled with a determined confidence rooted in money and power. Those who obeyed would be rewarded, while those who defied him would lose everything—this was the rule of the Tong family.

From Tong Zhao’s multiple life experiences, she understood that the world operated by many rules.

Big rules overshadow the small ones.

The pampered little tyrant from a wealthy family found that no one catered to him at school, and school rules didn’t apply in society. Just like when Tong Zhao, transformed into a favored concubine’s daughter with a background of extinguishing wives, shone brightly during the selection, captivating the emperor at first sight. She leaped from the domestic struggle to the palace intrigue arena, advancing in status with her acting skills and strategy. Dealing with those scoundrel fathers, stepmothers, and half-sisters later was a piece of cake.

Tong Zhao’s goal was to step out of the Tong family’s circle and explore a bigger stage.

With a week left before the start of filming for *The Chronicles of Ming Emperor*, Tong Zhao focused on three things at home.

1. Nurturing Her Beauty

In ancient times and in the world of cultivation, Tong Zhao collected some natural beauty remedies that proved quite effective. As the saying goes, “Eighteen is free from ugly women.” She was already beautiful, but after her mother’s death, she had been crying and suffering from insomnia daily, which had damaged her skin and complexion. A few days of proper care quickly restored her radiant appearance.

The role of the favored concubine in *The Chronicles of Ming Emperor* was that of a stunning beauty. Regardless of her acting skills, her looks needed to be convincing.

2. Taking Online Courses

In her original world, with the maturity and near-universal adoption of holographic technology, physical universities had gradually declined in popularity. People preferred the convenience of this technology. Unfortunately, holographic pods were very expensive, and Tong Zhao, who was penniless after leaving her home, could not afford one. She had to rely on a regular computer for learning, with self-discipline being her only aid.

3. Channeling the Spirit of the Favored Concubine

Strictly speaking, this referred to her former self.

After many practice sessions, Tong Zhao had become proficient at switching between personas in reality. However, since she couldn’t afford a holographic pod, her practice was still theoretical.

“When will I ever leave this crappy place…”

A woman lying on a single bed was doing leg lifts, aiming to make her thigh lines more pronounced and tight. Despite her plain face, the charm and delicacy in her eyes made her seem like she was reclining on a luxurious concubine’s chair. If anything about her attire or lifestyle wasn’t the best, she would sulk and act spoiled.

However, Tong Zhao herself had always been indifferent to her living conditions.

It wasn’t a matter of life or death, and she didn’t particularly enjoy seeking favors from men.

Her nature wasn’t suited for being a pampered and scheming concubine; it was left to the “Empress Consort” from her past experiences in palace intrigues to take on that role.

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

The holographic pods used for film shooting were more advanced and required going outside the home to the studio’s specialized pods.

Tong Zhao did her makeup, wore a simple black outfit, tied her hair into a high ponytail, and added a black bunny-ear headband as an accessory. She looked both cool and cute, making her aura hard to pin down.

After taking a cab to the film studio, she first registered her personal information at the front desk. As she walked through the building, she saw many attractive faces, mostly people hoping to find audition opportunities, perhaps stumbling upon a role that blended well with their “true self.”

The corridor benches were filled with competitors, and the atmosphere was inevitably tense.

There was youthful vitality and ambition, but also disappointment and confusion. As Tong Zhao passed through the corridor with her light pink oversized sunglasses, she seemed to stand out in stark contrast.

Behind the vibrant-colored sunglasses, only her high-bridged nose, slightly upturned and full lips, and the elegant, tight line of her jaw could be seen. Her steps were light and lively, and even without seeing her expression, one could sense her composed and cheerful demeanor.

Such composure must mean she will perform well in the audition.

Those who saw her couldn’t help but think with envy.

After all, Tong Zhao had experienced many grand scenes.

The last time her expression changed dramatically was when she saw nearly ten thousand zombies surrounding the city from atop a high wall.

Arriving on the thirty-first floor in the elevator, Tong Zhao was immediately taken by the stage manager to meet the director.

When the director saw Tong Zhao, both the assistant director and the actors with him had slightly grim expressions.

There was a reason for this. The last time Tong Zhao came for an audition, she had appeared disheveled and lost. Her “true self” at the audition was also dull and confused—beautiful, indeed, but lacking the aura of a great beauty. It was hard to believe she was truly an affluent young lady. Such a person should have been cut from the audition, but since the director insisted on using this connection, no one else could speak up.

After all, the empress consort was just a character to drive the plot, so a decent face was enough.

Young actors who only had looks were something the audience had grown accustomed to.

“Jian Shu.”

Before calling out to him, Tong Zhao removed her sunglasses and hung them around her neck, revealing a pair of bright eyes.

The director acknowledged her and signaled her to follow him to the side.

After assessing her face and noting her good complexion, he encouraged her, “It seems like you took my advice to heart. Having your own career is most important. Perform well later; don’t put too much pressure on yourself. The empress consort is just a decorative role—it’s quite easy to play well.”

The director had given similar pep talks to many others.

Nervousness was inevitable.

Tong Zhao smiled upon hearing this.

Director Xu Zijiang had wanted to help her in his previous life, but she failed to seize the opportunity and ended up becoming a pitiful figure, much to her enemies’ satisfaction. This time, she would not follow the same path. She nodded obediently, “Got it, Jian Shu. I will do my best.”

“Go ahead.”

Seeing her obedient, the director felt reassured but also guessed that her performance might not be outstanding.

After all, the empress consort was a character that had nothing to do with being obedient. In the script, she was a scheming, cunning beauty. However, since the actress was spirited and had a good face, her performance would surely be better than last time, making her suitable for the role of a supporting character.

“Ah,” the screenwriter sighed, “I’m just afraid that your ‘true self’ won’t attract Emperor Ming.”

Tong Zhao shrugged nonchalantly, “By the way, does the empress consort meet her end by being given death by Emperor Ming? Maybe you should worry about whether he’ll love me so much that he won’t want to kill me.”

“…Huh?”

Under the skeptical and somewhat contemptuous gazes of others, Tong Zhao, along with the other actors, lay down in the holographic shooting chamber.

Just before the equipment was activated, Tong Zhao activated her golden finger.

In the blink of an eye,

She transformed back into the palace legend who, in just three short years, rose from a courtesan to the position of empress consort!