Chapter 2
Father arrived quickly, accompanied by my least favorite people: Concubine Chen and my younger half sister, Li Xue’er.
I rolled my eyes at them and told him bluntly, “I want to enter the palace.”
“No!” Concubine Chen’s shrill cry made Father jump. She immediately softened and leaned against him. “The eldest young lady is far too precious to serve anyone in the palace. You could never bear to send her there, my lord.”
I snorted. A refugee from a humble family truly lacked ambition. “Who said I’m going to serve? With Father’s position, naturally I’ll become a consort – the most important one.”
Father clapped a hand over my mouth. “Little ancestor, are you trying to kill us all? You cannot say such things.”
My grandfather had tutored the former crown prince. Father had little scholarship, but a sharp business mind. By marrying my mother, the only daughter of a salt magnate, he inherited her connections and came to dominate Yangzhou’s salt trade. We were rich enough to rival the state. The emperor himself lodged in our home during his southern tour.
“Don’t you think His Majesty has another reason for coming here?”
Father narrowed his eyes. “You know?”
“Of course. He heard of my beauty and talents and came especially to see me.”
Relief crossed his broad face. “Our family already draws envy. If we take one wrong step and offend His Majesty…”
“Please. You sold illicit salt last month, and I saw you send the governor a wagon full of silver.”
Even though I held back, my push sent Father stumbling. He glanced around and whispered, “Only I knew. How did you find out?”
“I was up practicing punches and saw you drive out. The horse refused to obey and kicked you.”
His face darkened. Was he going to silence me? They said great houses had no familial affection, but could my own father truly be so ruthless? I measured the distance to the door, ready to kick him through it.
Then I noticed Concubine Chen and Li Xue’er huddled in a corner. My fear vanished. “Good. Now four people know.”
Li Xue’er dropped to her knees, sobbing. “Father, don’t kill me! I won’t tell anyone.”
Concubine Chen had taught her to kowtow whenever someone got angry, claiming it would save her life. When she reached for my favorite bed curtain to wipe her nose, I hauled both women over to the desk.
“Are you stupid? Father only has two daughters. If he kills us both, his line ends.”
Father slapped the table and lamented his cursed household. I moved him aside too. “That’s a new table. Don’t break it.”
He was still my father, so I tried to comfort him. “Li Xue’er is too timid to help you in the palace. I’m different. With my abilities, just wait for prosperity.”
Seeing my broad chest and powerful arms, he burst into tears. “I might as well go myself. At least I look more like a woman than you do. No, I might as well die now!”
Reason failed, so I threatened, “If you refuse, I’ll turn my grief into appetite.”
Concubine Chen shuddered. “We agree! Let the eldest young lady go and keep Xue’er home. My lord, remember the last time she got angry and ate the estate bare. If Xue’er and I weren’t so thin, you might never have seen us again.”
Father surrendered, though he still worried over how I could catch the emperor’s eye.
I swept a hand through the air. “Just bring him here. I’ll handle the rest.”
The newly delivered table collapsed beneath my palm.