Chapter 3

Chapter 3

One day, as Consort Zhao’s palace maid was serving her dishes, I frowned and said softly, “Huh? Why is there such a pungent smell on you? It smells rather like musk.”

The maid froze, then hurriedly said, “What nonsense are you spouting? How could I possibly have something that expensive on me?”

Consort Zhao looked at her suspiciously, then at me, and slammed the table.

“Stop right there!”

What happened after that was simple.

Consort Zhao seized the maid and, sure enough, found musk on her. She interrogated her through the night and discovered that the maid had betrayed her long ago, drugging her food and drink. At night, she would place musk on Consort Zhao’s bed, then quickly put it away during the day. She had done it so many times that she had gradually grown careless. Today, she had failed to put the musk away properly, and I had smelled it on her.

That night, the main hall was in an uproar until dawn.

A young palace maid asked me curiously, “How did you know she had musk on her?”

Naturally, Imperial Mother Consort had taught me.

Imperial Mother Consort had once been a favored consort, and there had been many people who wanted to harm her.

Every time she discovered a method someone used to hurt others, she would call me to her side and make me learn to recognize it, to tell it apart.

She said one must never harbor the intent to harm others, but one must never be without the heart to guard against them.

“You may choose not to hurt anyone, but you must understand some ways to protect yourself. I, Kong Yushu, will never have a useless daughter.”

Those truly had been happy days.

A tear slipped from the corner of my eye. I turned over and said softly, “Go to sleep.”

Ever since Consort Zhao learned she could no longer become pregnant, she had gone mad.

She fought Noble Consort Li, who had framed her, with utter desperation until both sides were destroyed.

Their blood-soaked bodies were carried out of the palace.

Imperial Father was furious. He rebuked the Empress, and the Empress summoned all the imperial consorts for a lecture.

For three days, no one in the palace paid me any mind.

On the fourth day, a young eunuch from the Empress’s side came and sent me to Consort Shun.

Consort Shun smiled as she took my hand and led me inside, looking as though she pitied me from the very bottom of her heart.

Once the others left, her face turned cold. She lazily ordered someone to take me away to wash up.

When she learned from the palace maids that Consort Zhao had abused me, she said in surprise, “Oh my. Consort Zhao always looked so proud and aloof on normal days. Who would have thought she was so vile in private? No wonder she even dared to commit murder.”

Consort Shun favored the delicate, fragile style, always acting like Xi Shi clutching her heart.

But she had a large frame and truly was not suited to playing the frail beauty swaying in the wind.

She herself, however, had no idea. Every time Imperial Father came, she would put on the airs of a charming little beauty.

At first, Imperial Father quite liked it.

Later, Imperial Father said, “Consort Shun, you are no longer young. You should learn to be a little more dignified.”

After Imperial Father left, Consort Shun had nowhere to vent her anger, so she slapped me across the face. “This is all your fault, you little disaster star. Wherever you go, misfortune follows. How could I be so unlucky as to run into you?”

Consort Zhao had said the same thing too.

And so Consort Zhao had died.

By my third month with Consort Shun, the bruises on my body added together were even more numerous than when I had been with Consort Zhao.

I found an opportunity. When Consort Shun took me to pay respects to the Empress, I let a doll fall from my sleeve onto the floor.

The Empress frowned and asked me where it had come from.

I said in a small voice, “I found it while rummaging through Consort Shun’s things. I thought it was pretty, so I took it. I will never dare to rummage through Consort Shun’s belongings again. Please forgive me, Empress Mother.”

Consort Shun’s face changed drastically. “It is not mine. It truly is not mine. Your Majesty, please investigate clearly.”

Then she pinched me hard. “You filthy little wretch, where on earth did you get that? How dare you frame me!”

It hurt terribly. Tears filled my eyes, but I did not dare cry out loud.

The Empress snapped, “Consort Shun, she is a princess. How can you use such foul language toward her? She is still a child. How could she frame you? Men, search Shunyi Palace!”