chapter 10

(Traditional Chinese cover scanned by Dairytea)

Chapter Ten

That night, I toss and turn in bed mulling over my next steps. The emperor and dowager are both forces to be reckoned with. Worse comes to worst, I’ll take a slice at the neck and spend more time begging for favours from the department chief. I’ll just start again a baby in some rich family. But right now I got the lives of twenty concubines – if I count the tanhua – plus over a hundred servants in the manor all on my shoulders. The struggle is real. Not to mention the fact that I have a grand mission: to leave my name in history and be praised for millennia.

When the c.o.c.k crows the next morning, I decide to take it one step at a time. First of all, let’s fetch those two back to the manor. Given the current circ.u.mstances, he’s a dead man walking if I relieve him of his new servitude. Virtue does not allow any excuses when it comes to saving a life. But I’ve got to deal with the emperor and all those other princes… Oh, f.u.c.k me. It’s like a blade waiting to come down at me no matter what I choose to do, so I might as well do it with a bang!

So today, I get on my

palanquin and head for the palace to see the emperor.

The palace is similar to what

appears on historical dramas, but even larger. The emperor receives me in Nuanxin

Chamber, beside him is of course the empress dowager.

Right when I step in the room,

he says, “The seventh prince may forgo formalities,” and prematurely kills my

plans to sacrifice my delicate knee caps for my n.o.ble cause. I gladly hold my

fists before my chest.

“Empress Mother. Brother.”

The emperor nods contently,

but the empress dowager doesn’t let me go so easily. She summons for my seat to

be placed next to her.

The emperor, Chai Yu, looks to

be around thirty or so. His features somewhat take after the empress dowager

but are not as fierce. He keeps a neatly trimmed moustache that is so handsome

it makes me want to grow one, too. I recite the lines I had prepared the night

before.

“Last night, the third brother

came to convey Your Majesty’s edicts, and I am forever thankful.” To be honest,

I feel a little iffy. I have no idea if I’m speaking the right way.

But the heaven is kind, and I

apparently did fairly well. The empress dowager chimes in. “My son, you see I

was right. Your little brother is even speaking more properly.”

The emperor nodded in

agreement. “Right you are, Empress Mother. The way we see it, it seems the

near-death experience has made him more mature and responsible.”

Her face lights up and she is

about to jump into a detailed a.n.a.lysis of my improvements. Luckily, the emperor

cuts her short just in time. “Empress Mother, if we are not mistaken, the Consort

Dowager awaits your presence for the matter regarding the search for a fuma

for Princess Yongshou.” And so, with a quick utterance, the nagging hen has

been chased away.

Then I exchange some more

small talk with him. Sensing that the timing was good, I stand up and hold my

fists together. “My brother, Your Majesty, you must have matters to deal with,

so I shall take my leave if it pleases you.”

He eyes me for a moment.

“Fine. Be sure to rest and recover your qi

after you fetch them. You shall come again at a later date so the two of us can catch up.”

I let myself relax and turn to

leave.

“Halt.” He stops me before I

even get to the door. My stomach tightens. Could it be that I didn’t say

farewell properly and now my cover is blown? I turn back, and he’s looking at

me. b.u.t.terflies in my stomach. He lets out a scoff. “I’ll let you off the hook

this time, but I’ll get you back for making me, the empress and all my consorts

eat plain congee for three days!”

Holy s.h.i.+t! That’s it?! I

almost c.r.a.pped my pants!

I chuckle. “I’ll be sure to

fix something delicious for you, and we’ll drink!”

Leaving the palace, I’m

feeling pretty d.a.m.n good. I didn’t think the emperor would be that easily dealt

with. The palanquin bearers are quick on their feet. The litter wobbles along the

eastern wind all the way to death row.

The husband of a princess.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

(The royal family *:・ﾟ✧ ✧ﾟ・: *)

Chapter Eleven

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