The surroundings fell silent, save for the sounds of Yan Qingshu kowtowing and begging for mercy.
Yan Qingshu held her breath.
After a long while, she heard a coquettish laugh from above.
"It's just a bit of chicken blood. Look how scared you are."
The Virtuous Concubine lazily lifted Yan Qingshu's chin with her foot and sized up her face from side to side.
Sure enough, she's a seductress!
"Sister, I reminded you when you entered the palace that you're nothing more than a tool for me to give birth to a prince. Don't harbor any inappropriate thoughts."
"I told you to serve the Emperor, not seduce him!"
"I heard that among the Western perfumes that were offered as tribute, even the Empress only received one bottle, while the Emperor gave the rest to you." The Virtuous Concubine sighed and looked at the nail polish on her hand.
"What are you? How could you deserve them?"
"Your Majesty gave the perfumes to this servant because I'm your sister. I'm just benefiting from your favor. You're the one in the Emperor's heart," Yan Qingshu said timidly, her heart filled with humiliation as her chin was hooked by the Virtuous Concubine's foot.
She had asked Zhuyao to put those Western perfumes in the storeroom and didn't dare to use them for fear of causing trouble. Unexpectedly, it still displeased the Virtuous Concubine.
"You sure know how to talk." The Virtuous Concubine let out a sneering laugh, then removed her foot and kicked Yan Qingshu on the shoulder.
Yan Qingshu fell to the ground but quickly knelt back in place properly.
"A few bottles of Western perfume. I won't bother with such things. It's already your good fortune to enter the palace and set foot in the imperial city. Don't covet what you're not worthy of!"
"If you hadn't deliberately seduced the Emperor, why would he have given you the perfumes that even the Empress only got one of?"
"Remember your place. A lowly concubine - born daughter will always be under my feet, trampled into the mud!"
"This time, I just used chicken blood to give you a warning. Otherwise, I can't guarantee whether it will be your younger brother's hand or your step - mother's eyeballs in the wooden box next time."
The Virtuous Concubine's gaze was like poisonous thorns, all piercing into Yan Qingshu's heart.
Yan Qingshu clenched the hem of her skirt tightly, holding back the surging hatred in her heart.
"This servant will remember your teachings."
Seeing her so timid, the Virtuous Concubine was finally satisfied.
"Get up quickly, dear sister. Life in this deep palace is lonely. We sisters, being blood - related, should take good care of each other."
Yan Qingshu staggered to her feet. Seeing the maid beside the Virtuous Concubine bringing the mouth - rinsing tea to serve, she reached out to take it and stepped forward to attend to her.
At home, this was something she was used to doing.
"This pregnancy - promoting medicine is very potent. I'll arrange for you to serve the Emperor tomorrow night. Dear sister, if I could have a child myself, I wouldn't let you enter the palace and suffer grievances. You're now the hope of the Marquis of Zhenyuan's Mansion."
"Now, Father's position in the court is unstable. If there's a child, it can solve the problem. I'm sure your step - mother and younger brother will also benefit from you."
After saying that, Yan Qingshu looked up and met the Virtuous Concubine's smug look. She lowered her eyes and said, "This servant understands and will surely not let you down."
The Virtuous Concubine was in a great mood seeing her cowardly appearance. She pretended to care about her for a while, then subtly threatened her a few times before enjoying Yan Qingshu's service.
Yan Qingshu kept her head down, her fingers turning white from the force.
The hope of the Marquis of Zhenyuan's Mansion?
Yes, she was indeed the hope. Her elder sister, the legitimate daughter, entered the palace to be a favored concubine but had been unable to have a child for a long time.
The current Emperor was twenty - three years old. He had married a princess and concubines at the age of sixteen, but none of them had given birth to an heir.
Both the court and the harem were worried about this. The concubines in the harem had exhausted all their means to conceive, but to no avail.
Since there were no heirs in the palace yet, she wanted to have the Emperor's first child. If it was a boy and the Emperor had no other male heirs, there was a high chance that the child would be made the crown prince.
Such glory, how could she let it slip away?
But no matter how much pregnancy - promoting medicine she drank, there was no sign of pregnancy. So the Virtuous Concubine set her sights on Yan Qingshu. The innocent step - mother and younger brother in the mansion were in the hands of the Marquis of Zhenyuan's Mansion. If she didn't obey, all that awaited her would be the bloody heads of her step - mother and younger brother.
Yan Qingshu felt a deep sense of desolation in her heart. Her first half of life had always been manipulated by others, and she had never lived for herself.
She raised her eyes and glanced at the Virtuous Concubine. The latter looked beautiful, elegant, and luxurious, while she was like the most inferior fish - eye covered in dust.
Even her life and death were not in her own hands.
As the night deepened, the Virtuous Concubine yawned and finally decided to let her go.
"It's late. I'm tired. You may go back."
Yan Qingshu bowed her head and was about to retreat.
"Take your step - mother and younger brother's clothes."
Yan Qingshu paused for a moment, then stepped forward, hugged the clothes tightly, and retreated.
Back in the Guanghan Palace, after a wash, Yan Qingshu lay back on the couch, hugging the clothes tightly. Her eyes gradually turned fierce.
She had been cautious enough, not daring to make a single wrong step.
Just because the Virtuous Concubine was in a high position, she could decide her fate at will, take away her child, and kill the people she cared about.
The others were the knives and chopping boards, while she was the fish and meat. It was time for the Virtuous Concubine to experience such a life!
Today, she accidentally peeked into the secret of fate and knew the absurd destiny of her life. Then she would fight with all her might to tear this ridiculous fate apart!
No one should be allowed to decide her life and death with just a few strokes of ink!
Yan Qingshu thought for a while and slightly lifted the corner of her lips.
Before the Emperor ascended the throne, he was the least favored prince among the late Emperor's sons. He was born to a maid in the laundry bureau and was bullied by other princes when he was young.
Even his biological mother died a tragic death in the harem.
When the late Emperor passed away, the current Emperor emerged victorious and killed the other princes before ascending to the throne.
With such a similar experience, if she could gain a bit of the Emperor's pity...
She lifted the hem of her skirt. There were two red marks on her originally fair knees, which were left when she knelt in the Fengzao Palace. Just a touch caused a burning pain.
Yan Qingshu's gaze fell on a cup of hot tea that Zhuyao had just brought in. She picked up the teapot and poured the hot tea on her knees without hesitation.
She held back the groan in her throat and lay back on the couch.
Sleepiness came over her, and Yan Qingshu fell asleep despite the pain.
The next day, the violent wind and rain of the previous night had blown the crabapple blossoms in the courtyard of the Guanghan Palace. It looked desolate.
Yan Qingshu got up early, tidied herself up, and went to the Fengming Palace to pay respects. She listened to the other concubines' veiled barbs towards the concubine who had served the Emperor last night.
After returning from the Fengming Palace, Yan Qingshu stayed in the palace and didn't go out. The injury on her knee worsened, and it hurt sharply with just a touch.
After dinner, the chief eunuch of the Chamberlain for the Bedchamber came in with a wrinkled smile to pay respects.
"Your Highness, the Emperor has turned your token tonight. You should get ready."
Yan Qingshu smiled slightly and gave Zhuyao a look.
Zhuyao took out some silver from her sleeve and put it in the chief eunuch's hand. "Thank you, Father - in - law. Please take this silver to buy some tea."
The chief eunuch beamed and said, "Please get dressed and washed up quickly, Your Highness. The Fengluan Chuenen Carriage is already waiting at the palace gate."
Yan Qingshu nodded and asked someone to see him out.