Chapter 6

I think I’ve made another mistake.

After returning from the imperial palace, Father didn’t sleep all night, and Mother held me with red eyes.

“Mother, I didn’t tell His Majesty the emperor my secret.” Nestled in Mother’s arms, my eyes turned red too.

Clearly, His Majesty the emperor said he would reward me and Father.

Mother hugged me even tighter when she heard this. “Mother knows, it’s all Father and Mother’s fault.”

I didn’t understand why they were at fault.

Not until early the next morning, when an imperial edict arrived from the imperial palace.

His Majesty the emperor keeps his word.

Palace servants carried in several chests of gold, silver, and jewels.

After the leading steward finished reading the imperial edict, he smiled warmly at me. “Consort Chun, three days from now is an auspicious day, the perfect time to enter the imperial palace.”

I looked up at him and blinked.

“I’m not Consort Chun, I’m Shen Lan.”

He kept smiling. “You are Consort Chun, personally appointed by His Majesty.”

After he handed the imperial edict to Father, he led the group away in grand procession.

Mother, who had held back all night, finally burst into tears when she saw the imperial edict.

I secretly asked the maidservant Doudou beside me, “What is Consort Chun?”

Doudou pursed her lips, her voice trembling with tears. “It means you’re His Majesty’s consort.”

My eyes darted around. “Is it like Father and Mother?”

Doudou was stunned, thought for a while, then said, “More or less.”

Then why are they crying?

I turned my head to look at Father and Mother, raised my hand to wipe the tears from Mother’s face. “Mother, don’t cry. I’m willing to be His Majesty the emperor’s Consort Chun.”

Mother cried even harder.

Over the next three days, several governesses came to our house.

They were mostly here to teach me the etiquette I’d need after entering the imperial palace.

Those rules were complicated and hard to learn; I stumbled through and managed to grasp a few.

The last governess stood in front of me for a long time, staring into my eyes, her face flushing red then turning pale, pale then red again.

“What is the bedroom matter?” I looked at her with wide, innocent eyes.

She bit her lip, and finally said only one thing: “Miss, just remember, when you’re in bed, you must listen to His Majesty.”

I nodded. “What about at other times?”

“You must listen then too.”

So the bedroom matter isn’t anything special after all.