Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Consort An chatted with me for a bit.

The two of us were fundamentally incompatible. A few sentences in, and we were about to start fighting again.

Maybe, possibly, probably, she and I were just destined to be mortal enemies.

In the end, Consort An took her leave through gritted teeth.

I felt a twinge of regret. Watching her walk away, I called after her, “An Yiru, if you really want to repay me, then keep yourself alive and well.”

In another six months, the Emperor would leave the palace incognito and meet that Fisher Girl.

There were so many consorts in the palace, spending all day getting jealous, sniping, and cursing one another.

But I was not afraid of them at all.

It was that powerless Fisher Girl who frightened me.

With one casual sentence, she could stir the Emperor’s emotions.

I wanted more people I knew in the palace. That way, I could feel a little safer.

Consort An stopped and looked back at me, her expression complicated.

“Don’t worry. For your sake, I’ll keep myself alive too.”

I was relieved.

The daughters of the An Family really did have backbone.

I still went to see the Emperor often.

No special reason. I wanted to see whether I could get pregnant.

Once I was pregnant, he would be useless to me.

And then…

Hmph!

The Emperor was very pleased.

I was bright and strikingly beautiful, my looks dazzling. Even gaudy, elaborate floral patterns looked rich and magnificent on me.

The Emperor once said that the sight of me made him feel as if the empire were peaceful and prosperous, the seas calm and the rivers clear.

But later, he chose a Fisher Girl who liked pale-colored clothes and had bland, unremarkable looks.

Sure enough, men and their sweet talk were not to be trusted.

Believe him and you were finished. You could not even trust the voice in his heart.

Because self-awareness was not something everyone possessed. Even the Emperor himself could not figure out what he truly wanted.

If he was destined to belong to another woman…

Then he could damn well work himself to death on me first.

I would make him turn pale at the very mention of bed sport.

I coaxed the Emperor into several rounds.

After we were done,

the Emperor was so exhausted he looked ready to die.

[The Noble Consort truly is a temptress. One day, she may be the death of me in bed.]

[I truly cannot do it anymore today. I hope she knows better and stops seducing me.]

As if that were possible.

I had plenty of tricks, and I was determined to drain him dry.

The scented powder on my fingertips drifted down bit by bit onto the Emperor’s face, his body, and the bed.

He rolled over and pinned me beneath him again.

At last, even I was tired.

The Emperor’s dazed eyes could barely stay open.

I lay in the Emperor’s arms, drawing little circles on his chest to tease him.

Pinching my voice into a sweet little tone, I said,

“Your Majesty, my birthday is coming up soon. What gift will you give me?”

“Heh. What do you want?”

[What a dull woman. All she knows is asking, asking, asking.]

My fists clenched.

In my last life, I had really taken those words of his to heart. I restrained myself and tried to act indifferent.

But then he said I was putting on an act!

And when I did not act, it was not as if he gave me anything either.

In this life, who cared what he thought? I only cared what I thought.

In a spoiled, coquettish voice, I said, “Your Majesty, since this consort has served you so well, could you grant this consort one favor?”

“What do you want?”

[I knew she wanted to be Empress. She should first take a look at whether she deserves it.]

My fists clenched again.

“This consort has been in the palace for many years and wishes to return home to see her father and mother. Please allow it, Your Majesty~”

My voice curled through several turns.

Even I was nauseated by how cloying it sounded.

The Emperor froze for a moment, as if he had not quite reacted.

[It seems I wronged her. So she is simply homesick.]

“Granted. That is a small matter. Is there anything else you wish to ask for?”

His words were loaded. I understood at once.

This wretched man.

He wanted to lure me into saying what I truly wanted.

If I really said it, he would act as if he had gotten a handle on me, then turn around and despise me, looking down on me all the more.

In his dreams.

“This consort wants nothing else. This consort did once think about becoming Empress, but later, after thinking it over, how could this consort possibly be worthy? Being a Noble Consort is already the best fate this consort could hope for.”

“Your Majesty, please don’t lead this consort into wild thoughts. If this consort really did start thinking that way and Your Majesty scolded this consort afterward, this consort would suffer such a loss.”

“However, I imagine Your Majesty is not that sort of shameless person, so this consort would not dare think too much.”

“Your Majesty should sleep. This consort is very tired.”

The Emperor was rendered speechless.

The voice in his heart chattered on and on, all of it boring nonsense.

[Hmph. Does she know something?]

[Was she being sarcastic and scolding me just now?]

[She probably wouldn’t. She doesn’t have the nerve.]

[It seems I have favored her too much and spoiled her rotten.]

[Tomorrow, I will summon Consort Shu instead.]

Oh!

Understood.

Tomorrow, I would give Consort Shu some aphrodisiac too.