Chapter 3
At lunch, I saw the emperor for the first time. Sharp brows, bright eyes, a strikingly martial bearing: in his dragon robes, he radiated sovereign authority.
I stood beside him and Qin Yiyi, serving their food. I had taken particular care with my appearance that day. I had to admit that I truly had inherited my mother’s courtesan beauty.
His gaze lingered on me. For an instant, I even saw him struck by my beauty.
Cruelty flashed through Qin Yiyi’s eyes, though she had to keep smiling. It gave me a fierce satisfaction. At the same time, I understood perfectly that only the emperor could deal with the Qin family.
His long, upturned eyes passed between us several times. A faint, knowing smile touched his face. He had surely seen through Qin Yiyi’s intentions.
That evening, as expected, one of his young eunuchs came to our courtyard. The pastries served at lunch had been very good, he said. His Majesty wanted some sent over.
The request was discreet, but Qin Yiyi and I both understood. What mattered was not the pastries, but the person who delivered them.
Under her vicious stare, I took the pastries and left with the young eunuch.
My chance had come. There would be only one. I had to seize it.
At the imperial study, the young eunuch accepted the pastries with a smile and led me straight to the bedchamber. Palace matrons were already waiting there. They helped me wash, instructed me in the rules for attending the emperor at night, and, when everything was ready, carried me unclothed to his bed.
He was reclining there with a book. When I lifted my head, he murmured in surprise. “The scent on your skin is very like Lady Qin’s incense.”
I pretended to be terrified and hastily knelt. “Forgive me, Your Majesty. I deserve to die…”
He put down his book and smiled. “For what crime?”
“I added some of the bamboo fragrance I use myself to Lady Qin’s incense. That is why Your Majesty finds them similar…”
“Why did you add bamboo fragrance to her incense?”
He asked it mildly, without anger. I relaxed a little. These past months of planning had all been for this moment. Carefully, I answered, “Lady Qin loves incense, but too strong a fragrance can harm the body. I make this bamboo fragrance from the leaves of ten kinds of bamboo. It dispels heat, soothes the mind, and nourishes the body.”
“I was worried about Lady Qin’s health, so I added a little without permission. She has never known. I deserve to die. Please forgive me, Your Majesty…”
The emperor loved poetry and thought of himself as a scholar. Scholars loved bamboo, and he was no exception. I had begun preparing this fragrance after entering the palace, then added it to Qin Yiyi’s incense. As I had expected, he loved it. Wearing it today was meant to catch his attention.
He smiled. “You acted out of loyalty. There is nothing to forgive. Do you like bamboo too?”
I raised my head a little and let a glimmer of delight enter my eyes, while keeping the timid look of a startled bird.
I was beautiful. With that expression as well, I did not believe a man could resist me.
Sure enough, he reached out and drew me up to sit beside him.
Lowering my head as though shy, I said, “Better a meal without meat than a home without bamboo. Bamboo may not be thick, but it stands straight, resilient and tall. It fears neither bitter cold nor scorching heat, and stays forever green. That is why I love it.”
Delight appeared in his eyes. “Better a meal without meat than a home without bamboo. Well said. The Qins truly are a family of upright scholars. Even a concubine’s daughter is well read…”
I was not surprised that he knew I was Qin Cheng’s daughter by a concubine. His words suited my purpose perfectly. It was time to poison his opinion of my dear father.