Chapter 3

This time, the Phoenix Ceremonial Palace held not only the Empress, but the imposing old Emperor and the Empress’s eldest son, the Sixth Prince.

The palace had new carpeting. My foot slipped, and I skidded to my knees right at the Emperor’s feet.

“A lowly maid dares offend the imperial presence! Dock her wages for three months and give her twenty strokes!” the chief eunuch roared.

Before I was dragged away, the Sixth Prince looked at me and smiled with interest.

What the hell was so funny? Was watching me get beaten entertaining? Speechless.

And thus His Majesty treated me that day to my least favorite dish: bamboo-board stir-fried backside.

My rear was beaten bloody, leaving me unable to move.

While I lay facedown on my bed groaning, an uninvited guest slipped into my room—the Sixth Prince.

“Mother has long praised Chief Ah Shuang’s courage and resourcefulness. Now that I meet you, I see your reputation is well deserved.”

I stared at him with my backside in the air.

What did any of that have to do with this? I didn’t know how to answer. When you don’t know what to say, keep quiet—the more you say, the more mistakes you make.

So I chose silence and merely watched him.

My stare made the Sixth Prince fidget. “A woman must not display too much brilliance. Your recent deeds have drawn Father’s attention. Even if you deliberately concealed your ability today and escaped one calamity, Father will not let you off so easily. You must understand: for a woman, excessive intelligence is itself a fault. Take care.”

“And if you are too clever, Mother will never trust you with complete control of a bureau so important.”

With that, he jumped out my window.

Whether the Empress suspected me, I couldn’t tell. Whether the Emperor was targeting me, I hadn’t noticed.

But Sixth Prince—bro, could you at least close the window behind you?

How was I supposed to close it with my butt like this?!

It took two weeks for my backside to heal.

During that time, the considerate Empress sent Xiao Pei to care for me and help handle the bureau’s affairs.

I delighted in the leisure and lack of supervision. Life couldn’t have been better.

“Xiao Pei, could you stay here and handle things forever?” I asked, lying on my stomach as I watched her busy profile.

“This servant would never dare!” Xiao Pei dropped to her knees in panic. “Chief Ah Shuang is indisposed, and this servant came by Her Majesty’s decree only to assist. This servant would never dream of replacing you!”

I desperately struggled upright.

“That’s not what I meant. I know I’m dull, while Sister Xiao Pei is clever and capable. You’re much better suited to handling these matters. Why not report that to Her Majesty? Consider it a good deed.”

“Chief Ah Shuang truly means that?” Xiao Pei looked surprised.

“Absolutely!”

That evening, Xiao Pei left the Palace Administration Bureau.

Later, a matron delivered the Empress’s verbal decree: my authority was restored, and henceforth I would once again manage every major and minor affair.

Before leaving, the matron leaned close and relayed the Empress’s message: Tell her that I will never doubt her again.

What? Hadn’t I just asked Xiao Pei to help me? The moment she heard there was real work involved, she ran away?

Had all those diligent hours checking ledgers been an act? Was her earnest handling of tedious business fake too?

She only wanted to score points with the Empress, then threw down her tools the instant I offered her the job!

Absolute scumbag behavior. Strongly condemned. Pah!