My heart skipped a beat. I stayed still, slowly turning my head to face him. My legs began to stiffen. It was at this point where I was too afraid to move. Am I in trouble? Did Niu Lin tattletale? That rat... I imagined getting twenty lashes and I'm already flinching.

"Y-Yes?" I asked, using a casual tone to hide my anxiousness.

"The Emperor wants you in the grand hall, miss," he walked towards me hesitantly. "Please come with me."

I followed the eunuch doubtfully. I had trust issues in the Palace. Sexual assault could follow and I could be deceived into doing something. Power is a very frequent thing people try to obtain, it is like this everywhere and every time. I had to keep my guard up. No pun intended. "Right this way, miss." He bowed and gestured his hand towards the doorway.

It was the same hall that I was in when I disrespected the Empress. This doesn't look good. A column of females stood in two straight lines, giving me some room to walk through. I continued to keep my guard up. The Emperor and the Empress were sitting on their thrones. An older woman who wore a beautiful purple attire and a dangling headpiece with expensive, bright jewels sat in the middle between them. Her face was stiff but her eyes were warm and friendly. She was, no doubt, important. This lady was definitely his mother. She watched as I got on my knees and bowed. I pressed my hands on the warm carpet.

"Warm blessings to the Empress Dowager."

"Please, don't stand on ceremony," the Emperor's mother spoke softly to me.

I stood up fast, still in confusion. The room was filled with many concubines; Hua Er walked in behind me and knelt. She greeted the Imperial family and glanced at me. I gave her a confused look and all she did was shrug. I tried to observe everyone else's facial expressions to figure out what was going on, but their eyebrows were knitted while looking at each other for answers as well.

Jaxon was nowhere to be found.

"May I ask, Your Majesty, what is this about?"

The Empress Dowager, who was, can I mention, the most respected and powerful in the Palace, was speaking to me in a kind manner. She gestured for me to come up towards her. "Come closer, let me take a good look at you."

I walked up closer to her. I kneeled to her as she brought my chin up with her narrow finger. I was slightly creeped out. Actually, I was very creeped out. She spoke again, "You have been blessed with great beauty." She tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. "Where are you from?"

"A... village very near... this palace," I stammered, timidly mumbling to her when I answered. "I—"

"The Emperor has informed me of your virtue and excellence," the Empress Dowager announced. "You are a very kind young lady, and I will allow this to happen."

"What—" I quickly turned my head to face Hua Er but she looked down.

I peered at the Empress, who smiled with force. She pursed her lips and stood up to face me. Her eyes were boring into mine as she signalled me to stand up. Her forced smile was painfully obvious. If I wasn't stressed out currently, I would've laughed. The Empress wore a long, red brocade hanfu that dragged behind her as she walked. Her bright, bold red lips matched the hanfu. A eunuch stood next to her and held a tray with a scroll on it. When I stood up, the Empress Dowager nodded at me.

"Mother, this goes against the rules," the Empress whispered, trying her best not to provoke the Empress Dowager.

The Emperor glared at her. "We will allow it this one time, right, Mother?"

His mother nodded once.

"Very well," the Empress responded in defeat. She took a longing deep breath before taking the scroll from the tray. She unrolled it and held it in front of her to read. "Imperial Concubine Han, step forward to receive your title."

The Empress said a few sentences from the scroll. She continued a facade of a proud empress. I was still confused as to what was going on. The Emperor noticed when we made eye contact.

"Ying Yue, you are now a Noble Consort," the Emperor solemnly waved his hand in front of him. "You may have six maids and new attire."

I turned around to look at Hua Er. She stood behind me and grinned big. Her grin was so big that I was considering that it might've been fake, but if I listened closer, I could hear her squealing. I turned back around and politely waved my hand at the Emperor. "O-Oh, I'm fine! I'm fine with two... or four maids, Your Majesty."

A few chuckles and giggles erupted in the room. The Emperor's mother huffed out a chuckle, but the Empress was still not satisfied. Her eyes never left my face. She stared at me like a hawk to its prey. The Empress had her eyes on me as if I murdered her family and set her house on fire. With the way she was looking at me, I was already planning my own funeral. But, I didn't think too much about it.

"Whatever you want," the Emperor replied with a small curl on his lips.

"Oh! Only on one condition."

"...What would you like?"

"I wish to have Hua Er's mother live here. That is allowed, right? You see, Your Majesty, I live in poverty and I cannot imagine Hua Er's mother—the woman who took me in—doing everything alone! You must let her come in, please!"

The Empress Dowager and the Emperor exchanged looks. The Emperor scratched his head. "That can't be possible, she doesn't have a duty here in the—"

"My apologies, Your Majesty, then I wish to have her as one of the palace maids," I bowed. "This is my only wish, I hope you can grant that. I ask of you, kindly."

A few concubines were whispering to each other. I could catch the glance of Niu Lin, standing in front of the girls. She looked agitated. I laughed to myself. They were probably whispering about how disrespectful I was, or informal, or how I don't understand the rules here. I was a Noble Consort now. What I was asking of the Emperor may not be ideal, and I know palace maids sign up for it and are picked, but if I was gentle enough into pushing the idea of Lei Shu as a maid, I think I'd be successful with my pitch. Besides, the Emperor skipping one title to grant me the title of 'Noble Consort' is pretty big. I think I'm on his good side. I really hope so.

"Your Majesty, you are going to let a Noble Consort interrupt you and be spoiled? She doesn't know any better," the Empress chimed in. She had such a stupid pout on her face.

"Please do not interrupt this matter. Empress, I know you have a say in this but Noble Consort Han deserves her title. I am the Emperor, am I not?" the Emperor snapped his head to face her, then turning to face me again. "Of course. I will make sure to arrange that for you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for breaking the rules just once," I bowed again. My neck will have abs after this. "Thank you for accepting me, Empress Dowager, and I thank the Empress for your cooperation."

"We both know you didn't deserve that." The familiar voice I know so well, interrupted my thoughts.

I turned around to face the Empress, cocking an eyebrow. "Why, Empress?"

The tension was heavy. Her jaw was clenched, and so was mine. The Empress's eyes narrowed at me as she walked towards me. "Ying Yue, have you laid with His Majesty yet?"

"No... Why do you ask...?" I gave her a dazed look, even thinking about my answer beforehand.

"That is exactly my point," she crossed her arms while she looked around the hallway. "You haven't laid with the Emperor yet, you didn't bear a child for him, and you're ranked to 'Noble Consort'? How?"

"I-I wouldn't know as well," I gave her a bewildered look, flinging my hands while shrugging my shoulder. "Your Majesty and I both know I walked into that room, confused! You and I both know that I had nothing to do with this... Right? His Majesty just likes me, it's... nothing too serious."

Her hooded eyes and her pursed lips already gave me a perfect idea of what's going on in her head. I didn't sweat one bit. The Empress was just someone next to the Emperor, I doubt she attended political meetings. Back then, it was sexist. She was just the Emperor's trophy wife who managed the harem and did nothing but destroyed concubines to keep her place in the palace. It may be harsh to say. There were definitely respectful empresses in history, who were benevolent and kind. They set a great example of how a true mother of a nation should be like. However, the one standing in front of me was quite the opposite. One reason why is because she really hated me for no reason.

I genuinely respected her hustle in order to stay the third important person here, I really did. But her ways of shaming lower class people and her ways of insulting me are frustrating. She didn't fight to get her way up. She only rose to the top because of her high, respected household.

She moved closer to me and narrowed her eyes. There was a mischievous smile on her face while she leaned in closer. I could hear her breathe next to my ear. The Empress snickered. "Lady Ying Yue, I don't know what you're trying to do. Don't try to take my place because I can get rid of you quicker than you can say..."

She moved away and placed the back of her hand on her forehead, dramatically leaning back with her mouth wide open.

"Oh, Your Majesty! Help me! Help me!" she mocked.

"It's a little bit upsetting that you think I'm trying to take your place, Your Majesty," I said, unbothered. "I respect your title and how you maintain it. I will do no harm. If you ever wanted to discuss your problems, I will always be here for you. If you need company, I will be here. I respect you, Your Majesty, and I need you to respect me too."

"Save it! I don't want to hear any fake words coming out from your mouth!" she wagged her finger repeatedly. "Y-You think that you can flatter me like that? It may work for His Majesty, but it will not work for me. I will not tolerate this at all, you need a good lashing!"

"Is it wise to alarm the Emperor for no reasoning behind it?"

"One day, I will get you to kneel outside my palace for an hour. I'll enjoy the look on your face when this happens. Go back to your chamber, now."

"Would love to, Your Majesty, have a good evening." I gave her one last bow and moved ahead.

What an eventful day.

As I went back to my chamber, I thought about the Empress's threat. Kneeling for an hour doesn't seem too bad. At least she didn't threaten to lash me. I walked inside and noticed Hua Er was gone. Usually, I'd let her in on my gossip and how my day went, but all that was left in my chamber was her guqin.

Let me say, I was tragic at it. It sounded beautiful even when I hit the notes wrong, which I gladly admired. It reminded me of when I was in eighth grade and it was music class, I chose a trombone as my instrument. I was atrocious at it. It took me three months to get it right. I didn't blow enough, I didn't blow properly, I blew the mouthpiece too hard, and the instrument was heavy. The trombone was a difficult instrument to play. Everyone else played the flute or the bells, but I chose such a complicated instrument. Of course, I finally sounded decent at it, but I promised myself I would never play instruments again... Just because I never got it right.

I broke my promise today. After being lost in my train of thoughts and daydreaming, I found myself plucking the strings delicately. I could soon compose a new Mozart masterpiece. I could be the next musical genius here in ancient China!

"I didn't know you could play." The Emperor surprised me with his entrance, again. I wasn't even in my Noble Consort attire.

"I don't."

Oh, shoot! Greetings, greetings...

I stood up and bowed. "Warm blessings to Your Majesty."

"You're so stiff, Ying Yue," he smiled, holding my wrist to help me up from my bent knees.

"Apologies, you are the Emperor after all. I get quite nervous, especially after you promoted me to Noble Consort, I have a hard time expressing gratitude. Please forgive me."

"That's fine. I know you are grateful, I can see it in you and that is all that matters," the Emperor lightly touched my nose and smiled. "It is great to see you play the guqin. You played alright, I don't remember this being brought into your chamber?"

"I got it here for Hua Er," I hated lying, but I was afraid to put Hua Er under the bus. "She liked to play so I decided to bring it in for her—"

The Emperor laughed. Laughed. Like, laughed. "You amaze me!"

"Your Majesty, what did I—"

"Lying to an Emperor can get you in trouble, but you do it anyway to protect a friend?"