I've time-traveled.
I, a homebody who only knows how to watch shows, listen to music, scroll through Douyin and look at handsome guys on a daily basis, never thought that such a sci-fi and absurd thing as time-travel would happen to me.
Doesn't God pick carefully when choosing the heroines for time-travel? Can someone like me be chosen for time-travel? What can I do in ancient times?
Moreover, God must be playing a trick on me. Not only did I time-travel, but I ended up in the harem.
The harem! There's no more competitive place in the whole world. If I were a discarded concubine in the Cold Palace, I might be able to live a carefree life. But no, I'm not only not a discarded concubine in the Cold Palace, but I'm also a favored concubine. I came from a humble background and worked my way up through fierce competition.
Well, this is just impossible.
I traveled here in my soul. The original owner seemed to be the Concubine Xiang. I asked the personal maid of Concubine Xiang and learned that my original name was Liu Xiang, which matches.
Could it be that God made me time-travel just because our names are the same?
This time-travel is so random.
Although time-travel is really annoying, I still have to live. Before I figure out how to travel back, I can't starve myself to death.
Know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat.
I first inquired about the personality of the original owner, Concubine Xiang. The maid rambled on for a long time. After listening for a while, I summarized it in three words: little vixen.
The original owner was really good at handling things. She could dance, compose music, and was even better at competing for the emperor's favor. I heard that she was also quite good in bed. When she was at her best, she even made the emperor unable to get out of bed.
No wonder she was the most favored woman in the harem.
However, based on my years of experience watching palace intrigue dramas, I don't think the emperor favored Concubine Xiang just because she was good at handling things.
Look at the people in the palace.
The queen is the daughter of the great general. I heard that the emperor owed his ascension to the throne to the support of his father-in-law's Li family. That's one tough nut.
Concubine Yu is the daughter of the grand scholar. Now she is the one the emperor is focusing on training to balance his father-in-law. That's two tough nuts.
Concubine Yu is the daughter of the richest man in the Mu Dynasty. She is the emperor's money bag, responsible for providing funds for the emperor. That's three tough nuts.
...
The harem is really full of hidden talents. Those who have earned titles not only have prominent family backgrounds, but even those who haven't are also from noble families. They are either the daughters of high-ranking officials or the daughters of imperial tutors.
In this harem, although there seem to be many beautiful women, it's more like a small court.
I think the emperor is not really looking for a wife, but raising hostages. All the women who marry into the palace are hostages the emperor has gathered to consolidate his power. As long as those ministers dare to have second thoughts, their daughters in the harem won't have a good time.
This emperor has turned marriage into a calculation.
I suddenly understand why he favored Concubine Xiang so much. For a man like him, it must be tiring to be with those women he doesn't even like and just wants to use. He has to be on guard and can't show any of his emotions in front of them.
In contrast, she, a woman with no power, no background, and no family status, is like a dodder flower that can only cling to him. It must be very relaxing to be with her.
Just like in modern times, rich people like to keep some delicate pets.
Pets will die if they leave their owners. There's no need to worry about them running away. They will wholeheartedly like their owners without any selfish motives.
Anyway, let those people in the harem compete if they want to. In modern times, I was already exhausted from working the 996 schedule. Now that I've time-traveled, I just want to lie flat.
Fortunately, I only need to be a mascot to live a good life.
This is not so bad.
I regarded Song Jiaye as my boss. When the boss was angry, I would complain with him.
"Those sisters don't understand Your Majesty at all. I feel so sorry for Your Majesty."
When the boss was tired, I would ask the maids to massage his shoulders while I flattered him on the side.
"Your Majesty has been working so hard for the country. You're really a wise emperor that's hard to find in a thousand years. Your Majesty should take care of your own body. The common people all over the world still need Your Majesty's protection."
When the boss was happy and occasionally rewarded me with a small trinket, I would be extremely grateful and shout long live Your Majesty.
Some concubines in the palace didn't like me. They secretly gave me many nicknames.
Such as flatterer, fox spirit. They said I didn't even care about my dignity in order to compete for the emperor's favor.
What's dignity?
After experiencing the heavy pressure and blows of modern society, it's not easy to catch a breath in the busy work. Dignity is too luxurious to talk about.
Compared with the days and nights of dealing with countless clients, now I only need to deal with one boss. And most of the time, this boss is very busy, managing all the state affairs and having to show favor to all the concubines. He can only come to my room a few times a month. It's like I only need to work a few days a month. The rest of the time, I can just lie flat. There are people to cook for me, wash my clothes, and massage my shoulders. When I'm bored, I can go to the back garden with the sisters in the harem, relax, and chat about gossips. This is exactly the retired life I've always dreamed of.
Of course, the most common gossip people ask me about is about the emperor. As a favored concubine, I can only see the emperor a few times a month. Most of the sisters have only seen the emperor once or twice since they entered the palace. Some have even never seen the emperor in their lives. So they are all very curious about their only husband.
I still understand the basic workplace rule that employees shouldn't talk about the boss's gossips.
Of course, I won't tell them the truth. I just talk about how the boss has been working for the country and the people, and how he has been toiling away. I've transferred all the deeds of the wise emperors I've seen in TV dramas to Song Jiaye. Those little fans were so starry-eyed after listening to my stories and admired Song Jiaye to the core.
I think it's really unreasonable for the boss not to promote me and give me a raise for such a obedient and sensible employee like me.
Moreover, I think if they knew the boss's real thoughts every day, they would be disillusioned.
Because the perfect god in their hearts, the man they've been waiting for all their lives, has already been filled with another woman.
I'm not that narcissistic. I know clearly that the boss doesn't like me.
Song Jiaye talks about the Li family and the queen, Li Qiyu, all the time.
I'm not sure if that's what he really thinks in his heart, but at least he never stops talking about them. Occasionally, when he's having a meal, he will suddenly say, "This is the queen's favorite dish."
To be honest, I'm really open-minded and just regard him as a long-term meal ticket. If it were those narrow-minded concubines, they would have already flipped the table and made a scene.