Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After Imperial Mother Consort died, I was first placed in Consort Song’s care.

Consort Song had been Imperial Mother Consort’s close friend, so at first, I was very happy.

In the past, Consort Song had always praised me for being clever as ice and snow, pretty and adorable.

But after I was sent to Consort Song’s palace, she made me stand for two full hours before finally arriving at her leisure.

She sat in a chair and sipped her tea unhurriedly. Only after a long while did she say coldly, “Your mother was a guilty consort. I took you in because I had no choice. Don’t expect me to treat you well, because treating you well would put me in great danger. I can only ensure you have food and clothing. I cannot ensure you grow up safely.”

I did not understand what danger she meant.

But I did understand one thing: she did not like me.

I spent a year with Consort Song. During that year, aside from mealtimes, when I could see her, I was alone the rest of the time.

A year later, Consort Song was found guilty of a crime and sent to the Cold Palace.

I was handed over to Consort Zhao.

The first time Consort Zhao saw me, she made a show of putting me in my place.

“Kneel!”

“You brought death to your birth mother and misfortune to your foster mother. Now you’ve fallen into my hands, and I can’t even shake you off. How unlucky. Kneel for two full hours first, to atone for your sins.”

Later, from the sneers and taunts of the palace maids and eunuchs, I learned that the Empress had wanted someone to raise me. Everyone pushed the responsibility back and forth, and only Consort Zhao was unlucky enough to be shoved forward. And so the matter of raising me fell to her.

Consort Zhao did not dare refuse, so she took all her anger out on me.

Consort Zhao was crude by nature and straightforward in temperament. When she treated me well, she treated me very well. When she treated me badly, she twisted, pinched, and clawed at me, thinking up every possible way to make me hurt.

But once, I saw her cry.

“This one gets pregnant, that one gets pregnant, yet it never comes to me. Why is this belly of mine so useless?”

She beat her belly in hatred until the palace maids stopped her.

One of the maids caught sight of me and pinched me viciously.

“Maybe it’s this little wretch blocking our lady’s good fortune. What a vile thing. Our lady is raising you, and it’s bad enough that you don’t feel grateful, but you even dare ruin her luck.”

It was as if Consort Zhao had suddenly found a target. She let herself go completely and vented all her resentment on me.

Once, I stood by the pond, thinking that if I jumped in, if I just jumped in, perhaps everything would be over.

But just then, I met Beauty Lin.

She placed a hand on my shoulder and said softly, “Sixth Princess, what are you doing standing here?”

Sixth Princess…

It had been a very long time since anyone had called me that.

They all called me little wretch, filthy girl, jinx, vile thing…

I pulled free from Beauty Lin and ran away.

She sighed, shook her head, and slowly left.

I stood behind the artificial hill and watched her, thinking she was so thin that it seemed a gust of wind could blow her over.

That night, I asked the young palace maid who was always with me, “What kind of person is Beauty Lin?”

The young maid said, “Beauty Lin has been in the palace all this time but has yet to receive His Majesty’s favor. Her rank was only raised because His Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress showed her grace.”

I understood.

She had simply benefited from someone else’s good fortune.

Whenever there was a selection, the ranks of the older palace women might be raised a little.

Or if there was a happy occasion in the palace, the consorts’ ranks might be raised as well.

I thought that she, like me, was a pitiful person.

I did not want to die quite so much anymore, but I also did not want to stay with Consort Zhao. I felt that sooner or later, I would die at her hands.