chapter 1

Chapter 1

I am the youngest in my family, and all my older sisters were married off early.

So when the imperial edict for the selection of consorts arrived, it was only natural that I was chosen to enter the palace.

All my sisters cried their eyes red.

Only I was happily eating from my rice bowl.

My father glanced at me and asked, with a meaningful look, whether I wanted to enter the palace.

I kept my head down, continued shoveling rice into my mouth, and casually replied that I didn’t want to.

My eldest sister, sobbing, tried to persuade me, saying that in the palace I could wear endless gold and silver jewelry.

My second sister, biting her handkerchief, said there were many beautiful sisters in the palace to play with me.

I ignored them all.

It wasn’t until my father kicked me and said there would be endless braised pork knuckles to eat in the palace that I perked up, packed my things with enthusiasm, and was carried into the palace the very next day.

The first thing I did upon entering the palace was to instruct the Imperial Kitchen to make braised pork knuckles for me.

But Chun Tao, whom my father had sent to serve me, told me that my rank was too low and I couldn’t eat pork knuckles.

I pouted, unwilling to give up, and asked again.

“What about lotus shrimp?”

Chun Tao shook her head again.

“Roast duck?”

I listed more than a dozen dishes, but all were refused.

This time, I couldn’t hold it in and burst into tears.

How could my father, at his age, still lie to a child?

Seeing this, Chun Tao hurriedly stuffed a piece of sweet cake into my mouth.

The sweet taste spread in my mouth.

I sobbed a few more times, then stopped crying and reached out my fair, tender hand to Chun Tao, my eyes watery as I looked at her.

“More.”

Chun Tao simply gave me all the sweet cakes she had, and I ate them happily.

Seeing this, Chun Tao breathed a sigh of relief and said softly,

“Master had no choice but to send Young Mistress into the palace. Young Mistress has a pure and gentle nature. As long as you don’t fight or compete, we can live peacefully in the palace.”

“Although Young Mistress’s rank is a bit low, and our food and clothing can’t compare to those favored consorts, at least our days can be more comfortable.”

I frowned, biting my chopsticks, staring at the vegetables that took up most of the table.

Suddenly, I slapped my chopsticks on the table, stood up, and, full of heroic spirit, pointed to the sky and declared,

“I want to become a Favored Consort!”

“What?”

Chun Tao blinked at me, covering my mouth in terror.

“Young Mistress, you mustn’t say such things carelessly.”

I nodded absentmindedly, picked up my chopsticks, and started eating again, all the while cursing Father for being a big liar.

After eating and drinking my fill, I lay on the bed, patting my belly in satisfaction.

Suddenly, I remembered how, before I left, my mother had held my hand and cried, tearfully urging me again and again to write home often after entering the palace.

So I jumped out of bed, took out paper and brush, thought for a moment, and wrote:

Sending regards to Mother and Father. Your daughter is well in the palace, only the food is a bit lacking. But don’t worry, Mother, your daughter will diligently strive for favor and hopes to eat pork knuckles soon.

After finishing the letter, I solemnly handed it to Chun Tao.

Early the next morning, Chun Tao dragged me up to help me wash and dress. I looked at the barely bright sky and coquettishly asked if I could sleep for another quarter of an hour.

Chun Tao sighed helplessly and agreed.

As a result, I stayed in bed until the sun was high in the sky before getting up.

Fortunately, since the Emperor has not yet appointed an Empress, I don’t have to pay morning respects every day.

If only the Emperor would never appoint an Empress for the rest of his life.

After lunch, my desire to win favor grew even stronger.

I pulled Chun Tao out for a stroll.

That’s how it always goes in storybooks.

Some consort enters the palace, meets the Emperor by chance in the Imperial Garden, the Emperor falls in love at first sight, and the two quickly fall in love.

So I strolled with extra enthusiasm.

Seeing how excited I was, Chun Tao couldn’t bear to dampen my spirits and could only follow me closely, wary of me causing trouble.

But before I could cause any trouble, trouble found me first.

Not far away, by a pavilion,

A young woman in a pink dress, her hair in disarray, was kneeling on the ground. In front of her stood a Palace Consort, judging by her attire of quite high rank.

Could this be the legendary palace intrigue?!

I excitedly pulled Chun Tao to go watch, but she refused to move no matter what.

She shook her head at me desperately.

I had no choice but to compromise and hide nearby to watch.

At first, Chun Tao didn’t dare look, but soon curiosity got the better of her and she peeked out half her head.

We saw the Palace Consort step on the back of the girl in pink, her tone full of arrogance and swagger.
“If I see you dressed so flamboyantly, wandering around the Imperial Garden again, I’ll send you to feed the carp in Taiye Pond.”

“Why haven’t you left yet? Get out of my sight!”

The woman answered timidly, scrambled up from the ground, and fled in embarrassment.

I thought to myself that this was not good, and hurriedly asked Chun Tao,

“Am I dressed flamboyantly today?”

Chun Tao looked at me and shook her head helplessly.

I secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but before I could finish, I heard a bold voice above me.

“Which palace are you from?”

It’s over. I’ve been caught.

I looked up with a miserable face.

And met a radiant, charming face, like the sunlight of spring, open and graceful.

The woman saw me and burst out laughing.

“Are you a consort too?”

Her tone was full of mockery, as if she didn’t think much of me at all.

Hearing this, I suddenly got indignant.

So, without thinking, I straightened my back and puffed up, angrily retorting to this consort whose rank I didn’t know,

“My father sent me into the palace to become a Favored Consort. You-you-you can’t hit me!”

The last part was obviously lacking in confidence.

Chun Tao was behind me, nearly pinching my waist to bits.

It hurt so much, wuwuwu.

But the beautiful Noble Consort didn’t get angry at all. Instead, she laughed heartily.

Her fingers, painted with carmine, gently pinched my cheek.

“To become a Favored Consort? Such ambition.”

It sounded like she was praising me.

I couldn’t help but smile, feeling proud as I glanced at Chun Tao.

Chun Tao could only rub her forehead helplessly.

I blinked in confusion and looked at the beautiful elder sister again.

“Sister, are you also the Emperor’s consort?”

She puffed out her chest with pride at my words. “I am the Noble Consort. Now that the Empress’s seat is vacant, I hold the highest rank in the entire harem.”

I gazed at her in awe.

Then I quietly asked her if she got to eat pork knuckle at every meal.

“What?”

The Noble Consort seemed stunned by my question. She stared at me wide-eyed for a long moment before pointing at me and asking in a trembling voice,

“You entered the palace just for pork knuckle?”

I scrunched up my face, hesitated, then added softly,

“And also Squirrel Fish, Dongpo Pork, Buddha’s Hand Pastry, Four Happiness Meatballs…”

Worthy of her title, the Noble Consort quickly recovered from her shock, then waved her hand grandly.

“Come with me. I guarantee you’ll have meat at every meal.”

I jumped up with joy and affectionately linked arms with the Noble Consort.

She tried to shake me off a few times, but when she couldn’t, she simply let me be.

The Noble Consort’s residence was much larger than mine and far more lavishly decorated.

In no time, the dishes I’d mentioned were laid out on the table.

I ate with stars in my eyes.

The Noble Consort watched, dumbfounded.

As for Chun Tao, she had already given up…

When I went for my third bowl of rice, the Noble Consort cautiously asked,

“Does the palace not feed you?”

I pursed my lips, thought for a moment, and nodded.

“The food isn’t very good.”

The Noble Consort looked at me with even more affection after hearing that.

“Good child, eat more. If it’s not enough, I’ll have them make more.”

I nodded happily, “Thank you, Noble Consort Sister, you’re so kind.”

The Noble Consort’s eyes dimmed for a moment at my words. “You’re the first to say I’m kind.”

My cheeks were stuffed full, but I still looked at the Noble Consort with sparkling eyes and declared firmly,

“Noble Consort Sister, you’re the best in heaven and earth!!”

A smile tugged at the Noble Consort’s crimson lips.

But soon, she couldn’t smile anymore.

Because for the next three months, I came over every single day without fail.

At dawn, I’d get up to eat breakfast.

The Crab Roe Soup Dumplings from the Noble Consort’s Small Kitchen were so delicious, they made my tongue tingle.

After breakfast, I’d pester the Noble Consort to play Leaf Cards with me.

After lunch, when the Noble Consort wanted to take a nap, I’d drag her off the couch and excitedly pull out the Go board.

Because I discovered that every time we played Go, the Small Kitchen would prepare tea snacks.

Freshly baked Almond Crisp with Butter Tea-absolutely divine.

After dinner, I’d reluctantly leave.

After a few months, I’d gained a whole round of weight, while the Noble Consort had grown much thinner.

In the end, she couldn’t take it anymore. Gritting her teeth, she packed me up and sent me to the Emperor.