The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Life had been really rough for Emperor Kang He lately.

He was basically being roasted alive over the fire by Anning.

He had always thought of himself as a devoted man, deeply in love with Consort Rou, truly unwilling to betray the vows he had made with her.

But he still couldn’t avoid going to the other concubines.

Anning kept forcing him step by step; if he didn’t go, he couldn’t explain himself to the Empress Dowager, nor to the courtiers.

But if he did go, then he was letting Consort Rou down.

Besides, Emperor Kang He really didn’t want to be together with those concubines.

If it were just one or two, that would still be manageable—he could find a stand‑in, just like he did with Anning, and muddle through with a substitute.

But we’re talking about dozens of women—was he supposed to have the stand‑in sleep with all of them?

And if the stand‑in did sleep with those women, were they allowed to have children or not?

If they weren’t allowed to give birth, over time the whole world would think there was something wrong with him, that he couldn’t father children.

As for letting them bear children, Emperor Kang He would never allow that.

Right now he was truly caught in a bind.

Things had already come to this, yet Anning was still urging the Imperial Physicians to prescribe tonics for him every single day.

To be honest, there was nothing wrong with his health; Emperor Kang He really didn’t need any tonics.

But Anning—who knew what she had said to the Imperial Physicians—anyway, the entire Imperial Hospital was now obsessively concerned about his health.

Emperor Kang He really had no way out; he had been taking so many tonics that his nosebleeds were about to start, so he could only follow Anning’s arrangements. First he went to Lady’s palace and stayed there a few days, and then started going to each one in turn.

His face grew darker and more sullen with each passing day.

While Anning’s complexion grew rosier by the day.

Anning not only played Emperor Kang He like a fiddle, she even used this to earn herself a fine reputation.

Everyone inside and outside the palace, whenever Anning was mentioned, had to praise her as a Worthy Empress, saying she was selfless, extremely virtuous and generous, a model Worthy Empress through the ages.

These matters quickly spread throughout the entire Capital, and at an astonishing speed spread all over the Dayong Dynasty, until everyone knew that Empress Gao was virtuous and gentle.

Of course, the Gao family also heard about all this.

Anning’s father Gao Bin did not hold office in the court, but he had a title; he was Marquis Zhenping, conferred personally by the late Emperor. After Emperor Kang He took the throne and Anning became Empress, Gao Bin was promoted to Duke Cheng’en.

Now, Gao Bin was idle at home, while his five sons held military power. The youngest son’s martial skills were a bit lacking, but he was extremely clever; two years ago he passed the imperial examination as an Advanced Scholar, and is now serving as an official in the provinces.

When Gao Bin heard about what was happening inside the palace that day, he went to find Madam Gao.

”Wife.”

Gao Bin frowned. ”Send in a calling card to enter the palace and ask our girl what on earth is going on, will you? How did something this big blow up out of nowhere? Is she being wronged in the palace?”

Madam Gao was also very worried. ”I was just thinking of sending in a calling card too. You know what our girl’s temper is like—spoiled and unruly at home. These last few years after marrying His Majesty she’s been living quite comfortably. How come all of a sudden she’s...”

The couple truly were worried. Gao Bin reminded Madam Gao again, ”When you go, bring some silver notes with you, give our girl more money, let her spend as she likes, she mustn’t feel wronged. And also, tell her to wise up a bit, to keep a firm grip on the people her grandaunt left behind. Tell her not to be too soft‑hearted. Whoever makes her unhappy, she should use those people to hit back. Whether it’s the Emperor or the Empress Dowager, our girl must not show mercy.”

”Mm, I understand.”

Madam Gao sent in her calling card the next day.

Anning received the message and had a eunuch go outside the palace with an order, instructing Madam Gao to prepare to enter.

That day, Madam Gao entered the palace by carriage at dawn.

She often came into the palace and was very familiar with it; once inside, she followed a young eunuch straight to Changle Palace.

Anning had been waiting for Madam Gao early on; as soon as Madam Gao arrived at Changle Palace, Anning rose to greet her. ”Mother, you’re finally here.”

Madam Gao was about to bow, but Anning quickly supported her. ”Mother, why are you being so formal with me? Sit quickly. The Imperial Kitchen has just made some new kinds of pastries; try them and see if they’re any good. If they are, I’ll have some packed for you to take with you when you leave.”

”That’s wonderful.”

Madam Gao sat down with a smile.

Anning had the Palace Attendants bring over pastries and tea, then waved her hand. ”I’m going to have a good talk with the Duchess Cheng’en. You lot, don’t be eyesores in here. All of you, out.”

Once the Palace Attendants had withdrawn, Madam Gao asked Anning, ”Is it safe to speak freely now?”

Anning smiled lightly. ”Mother, if even in Changle Palace I have to be on edge, what fun is there in being Empress? I’ve taken over all the people our grandaunt left behind. Forget just Changle Palace—the entire harem is mine to do with as I please.”

Hearing this, Madam Gao finally relaxed completely. ”That’s good, that’s good. Your father and I were worried you were being bullied. From the looks of it, you don’t seem like someone who’s been wronged.”

As soon as the word ”wronged” left her mouth, Anning’s eyes turned red.

She immediately threw herself into Madam Gao’s arms and began to sob softly. ”Mother, I really have been wronged. I’m wronged beyond bearing. I’ve been swallowing this humiliation for so many years. I...I almost couldn’t take it anymore and just wanted to die. Mother, I almost never got to see you again.”

”What happened?”

Madam Gao was terrified, flustered as she tried to comfort Anning.

Anning wiped away her tears, clapped her hands, and said, ”Come out.”

Xiao Yuan slipped out from his hiding place.

When Madam Gao saw Xiao Yuan, she jumped in fright and quickly stood up. ”This humble woman pays respects to Your Majesty...”

Anning supported Madam Gao. ”Mother, he’s not the Emperor...”

Anning helped Madam Gao sit back down and told her everything: how Emperor Kang He had plotted against the Gao family, how after marrying Anning he had no intention of consummating the marriage, how he had arranged a stand‑in early on, and how all these years it had always been the stand‑in sharing a marital bed with her.

After listening, Madam Gao was shaking all over with rage. ”Well, well, what a ’deeply devoted man,’ what a ’faithful Emperor who loves his first wife.’ Our Gao family must have been blind to have chosen such an ungrateful wolf.”

Anning nestled in Madam Gao’s arms, crying as she spoke. ”It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t lost my head back then, you wouldn’t have married me off to that bastard. I wouldn’t have ended up in such an impossible situation today.”

Madam Gao’s heart ached terribly; she hugged Anning tight and kept comforting her.

”My child, you’re breaking your mother’s heart. Tell me, what do you plan to do from now on?”

Anning gritted her teeth and said fiercely, ”What do I plan? Back then, because I married that bastard, our Gao family went all out to help him onto the throne. But all these years I’ve been married, I wasn’t married to him. In the dead of night, the one by my side wasn’t him, it was A Yuan. The one who lay with me as my husband was A Yuan. Even on our wedding night, the one with me was A Yuan. The man I married can only be A Yuan. In that case, why should our Gao family serve him? He’s been unjust, so he can’t blame me for being unfaithful. We raised him up; we can drag him down just as well. Mother, I want A Yuan to be Emperor. Only then will I be Empress in name as well as in truth.”