Everyone in the Harem Has a Cheat Except Me - Chapter 3

Qin Jun feared nothing in heaven or earth—except me. I was simply much better at fighting.

Knowing he’d offended me, he dared not let anyone else give me grief. The day after he “favored” me, he issued a decree excusing me from paying the customary respects to the empress, on the grounds of poor health.

But trouble came looking for me anyway. The empress was first, bearing a great many gifts. She entered my courtyard, took my hand, and acted as if we were sisters.

“His Majesty has spoken of you for so long, little sister. At last I get to meet you. I’ve never seen anyone like you—you might be a fairy descended from heaven. You make the rest of us feel quite inadequate.”

She’d say anything to flatter me. To seem close, she even dropped the royal way of referring to herself.

I turned pale and hurriedly pulled my hand away. “Your Majesty honors this humble concubine too highly. I’m a mortal of humble looks. How could I compare myself with a heavenly immortal? I wouldn’t dare sully their name.”

The empress’s smile stiffened. I was only a Palace Beauty, but Qin Jun had allowed me to bring my personal maid, Liu Lü, into the palace. Even Liu Lü hadn’t expected me to start making trouble so quickly. She froze for a moment before rescuing me with a smile.

“Your Majesty, my mistress reveres the gods and Buddhas. She can be rather literal. Please don’t take offense.”

The empress gave an awkward smile. Even if she had taken offense, she couldn’t make trouble for me. She seized the opening Liu Lü offered. “With your father in the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, I should have known. The oversight was mine.”

Then she took my hand again and led me farther inside. I had to give her credit for knowing when to yield.

She sat with me on a couch and began chatting. Unfortunately for her, I wasn’t very cooperative.

For example, she said, “Your clothes are lovely, little sister, though rather plain. I’ll send some silk later so you can have a few more outfits made.”

Her trusted matron immediately added, “Your Majesty, the gold-threaded satin newly presented from Jiangnan would suit Palace Beauty Sheng perfectly.”

“Your Majesty, I follow the Buddhist teachings. I must avoid extravagance and waste.”

Silence from the empress.

She recovered quickly and found another topic. “I learned of your arrival too late to prepare much. What if we planted flowers in your courtyard? We already have them in the palace. Elegant, but hardly extravagant.”

“The orchids in the imperial garden are blooming beautifully,” said the matron. “They’d be perfect for a lady as fair as the moon.”

I looked troubled. “Your Majesty doesn’t know this, but I’ve had an illness since birth. If I get too close to flowers, I break out in a rash.”

Another silence.

After several such failures, the empress lost patience. She stopped circling the subject and went straight to it.

“You’re so gentle, little sister. I worry someone might bully you,” she said with an affected sigh. Apparently afraid I would cut off her next approach, she pressed on: “You should keep your distance from the Virtuous Consort.”

“All right,” I said, then fell quiet, as though waiting for more small talk.

She must have expected me to ask why. When I didn’t, her smile nearly gave out.

Her matron supplied the cue. “The Virtuous Consort likely bears a grudge against Palace Beauty Sheng, though none of this is her fault. Your Majesty must look after her.”

At that point, anyone else would have asked why. But I already knew the story. I merely nodded and thanked the empress in advance. “You have my gratitude, Your Majesty.”

She fell silent once more. Clearly I wasn’t going to play along, so she had to say it herself. Taking my hand, she spoke earnestly.

“The emperor was confused. Before you entered the palace, he found the Virtuous Consort because she bore some resemblance to you. Now that you’re here, he can naturally tell a pearl from a fish eye. But she may resent you. Don’t be afraid; His Majesty and I will protect you.”

I nodded with genuine feeling. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

That was all. The empress looked utterly at a loss.

Just as I was about to render her speechless for good, a young palace maid came running in.

“Your Majesty! My lady! The Virtuous Consort has forced her way in!”