Throne of Shadows

The day I was born, my father, the Minister of Revenue, abandoned me in the snowy outskirts of the city. I nearly died.

Later, I became the cherished daughter of the Grand General who defended the realm. When my blood-related sister tried desperately to win my favor, I kindly told her the truth—I was the eldest legitimate daughter the Ashford family had discarded.

She fled home in terror to tell her parents. The shock killed them both.

The man I loved took my sister's hand and declared before me that he would love only her for the rest of his life. I smiled and said nothing.

Later, I sat upon the throne of the Empress. When my sister came to flaunt her pregnant belly before me, I ensured her death in childbirth.

And I—I lifted the man I once loved onto the highest throne in the land.

One

I am Rosalind Warrington, the jewel of the Grand General's household.

This identity was never meant to be mine. I was born on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. My birth parents found it inauspicious—a child born on the Ghost Festival. Indeed, I had tormented my birth mother for twelve full hours before entering the world.

My biological father sent someone to abandon me in the snow outside the city. The capital lay in the north, and winter had come early that year. The ground was already thick with snow. I was frozen, wailing at the top of my tiny lungs.

General Sterling Warrington, returning to the capital to report on his duties, heard my cries. My adoptive mother had recently lost a child due to her frail health. When my father showed me to her, I stopped crying the moment I saw her face and grinned.

She was overjoyed, convinced I was a gift from heaven. She took me in as her own.

How do I know all this? My parents investigated my origins and later told me the story as a bedtime tale.

I also have an older brother, Cedric Warrington, now a captain in the Imperial Guard protecting the capital.

When my father returned to the capital, he voluntarily surrendered his military command. The Emperor was so pleased that he granted him the title of Duke-Protector of the Realm. This meant he was both a first-rank duke and a first-rank military officer.

As the only daughter of the Duke-Protector's household, my status naturally soared. But some blind fools always liked to bring up my origins, saying I was merely an adopted daughter, worth nothing.

I took a sip of tea as I sat enjoying myself at a palace banquet. My ears were sharp, and I heard the young woman continue:

"It's just that the Duchess-Protector is too overbearing. That's why the Duke-Protector has no concubines and only one son. So they had to adopt a daughter."

I recognized her. She was my blood sister, Seraphina Ashford. *Peach blossoms in full bloom, radiant and bright*—a carefully chosen name.

Too bad her father was only a third-rank minister. Before my family's status, he was nothing. I had no idea where she found the confidence to gossip about me behind my back.

I reached out to stop Clara, who was about to stride forward and slap Seraphina. Clara had martial training—one slap from her would ruin Seraphina's face.

So I picked up my freshly filled teacup and walked behind Seraphina. She was still chattering away, and the horrified reactions of the young ladies around her pleased me greatly.

Tea and tea leaves splashed across Seraphina's face and clothes. She shrieked, "Who dares splash me!"

When she saw it was me, she forced a fake smile. "Sister Rosalind, it's you."

Seraphina had always played the delicate, fragile maiden before me. It made men look at her and women want to protect her. If I hadn't happened to be resting in a pavilion at the palace that day, I would never have known how much she despised me behind my back. What a hypocrite.

"My hand slipped. You should go change your clothes, little sister."

Seraphina nodded weakly and followed a palace maid to change.

Ah, to think I'd have one less shadow following me around. What a delightful thought.

The other young ladies scattered as if they'd seen a ghost. I shook my head. Father would clean up any mess anyway.

I thought Seraphina was just going to change clothes. But somehow, on her way, she ended up in the Crown Prince's bed, caught red-handed by the Empress herself.

I happened to be there too. Seraphina wept prettily, claiming the Crown Prince was drunk and mistook her for me, taking her innocence and leaving her with no face to show the world. Then she shot me a sly, challenging glance.

Oh, you foolish girl. Couldn't you see the Empress wanted to strangle you?

But then the Crown Prince spoke up. "Mother, since I have ruined Lady Seraphina's purity, I will take responsibility for her!"

I understood immediately. This was a little love story they'd cooked up together. With her family background, Seraphina could barely even qualify as a candidate for Crown Prince's secondary consort. So she decided to cook the rice before it was ready, giving the Crown Prince a reputation for magnanimity.

The Empress looked at me with a complicated expression. After all, I was the one betrothed to the Crown Prince.

I chose my moment. "Since Sister Seraphina and His Highness are so devoted to each other, perhaps Your Majesty could make the arrangements..."

I paused and smiled at Seraphina. "Let Sister enter the Eastern Palace as a Beauty."

The Crown Prince's consorts had four ranks. Being granted the lowest rank of Beauty should have made Seraphina grateful.

Instead, she looked at me as if her heart were breaking. The Crown Prince knelt beside her, silent.

The Empress had no choice. Disgusted, she said, "Fine. Seraphina Ashford, legitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue, shall be sent to the Prince's residence today as a concubine."

A concubine. Not even a rank.

Watching the color drain from Seraphina's face, I almost felt sorry for her. What a waste of a brain.

The palace banquet hadn't even ended before Seraphina was taken to the Prince's residence. She didn't even get a sedan chair—after all, she was just a nameless concubine.

I heard that Minister and Lady Ashford tried to send her some dowry items, but were turned away with the words "Concubines don't get dowries." They were quite depressed about it.

The Empress, afraid something might go wrong with my marriage to the Crown Prince, persuaded the Emperor to move the wedding date forward.

On the eighth day of the fourth month in the thirty-third year of Changsheng, I married the Crown Prince. That night, he slept in Concubine Seraphina's chambers.

Two

Truth be told, the Crown Prince and I grew up together.

After my father returned to the capital and surrendered his military command, our family naturally settled in the capital. I attended all kinds of banquets from a young age, but no one ever wanted to befriend me.

They all knew I was just an adopted daughter, a pawn that could be discarded at any moment.

I was tired of proving to those noble ladies how much my parents and brother loved me. Their mocking or pitying looks were beyond my comprehension.

Then came a palace banquet—the Empress's birthday, I think. I was climbing a rock garden in the imperial grounds when a stone gave way. I fell, but someone caught me firmly.

His voice was like winter sunlight breaking through the clouds. "Little one, are you alright?"

The maids said he was the Crown Prince.

With the sun behind him, I couldn't see his face clearly. But my heart melted. Besides my father and brother, no man had ever shown me such warmth. The Crown Prince was the first.

After that, he often sent me gifts. My parents didn't stop him. As my father put it:

"My daughter deserves any man in the world!"

I agreed wholeheartedly. I carefully placed the Crown Prince's gifts in a room I'd prepared especially, visiting often just to look at them and touch them.

My brother, still living at home then, was the only one who disliked the Crown Prince. He thought the Prince was only getting close to me to use the Duke-Protector's influence. He would intercept the Prince's gifts and throw them away.

Later, my brother had to lead the Imperial Guard at the palace and couldn't come home often. Before leaving, he told me, "If he ever deceives you, remember your brother will set things right."

At the time, I thought the Crown Prince was wonderful to me. I never imagined I'd need my brother's help. But I agreed anyway, and he left for the barracks reassured.

Back then, I believed the Crown Prince and I were a perfect match. At noble gatherings in the capital, he would write poetry and I would complete the verses. Everyone praised us as a heavenly couple.

Seraphina was just a timid little shadow following me around.

Later, on my coming-of-age ceremony, the Crown Prince came smiling to propose, bringing a betrothal decree personally issued by the Emperor. I accepted joyfully. But now, I couldn't remember what his smile looked like.

He must have been satisfied. He was marrying me.

Until that palace banquet, when I first learned how Seraphina slandered me behind my back, and then saw her crimson mandarin duck bodice hanging from the Crown Prince's... manhood.

He claimed he was drunk and mistook Seraphina for me. He must have thought I was just a sheltered girl who would be moved by such words—see, he loved me so much he mistook someone else for me.

Did he think I was stupid? A truly drunk man couldn't perform such acts.

In that moment, my heart, which had once beaten wildly for the Crown Prince, stopped.

The wedding was moved forward. The Empress summoned me personally and asked if I felt wronged.

With tears in my eyes, I touched the betrothal gift the Crown Prince had given me. "Your Majesty, I don't believe he loves someone else. I believe that once I enter the Eastern Palace, I can win his heart again. He must still love me as he did before."

The Empress seemed relieved. She said kindly, "I know you've been wronged. Don't worry. As long as I live, that Ashford girl will remain nothing but a nameless concubine."

I thanked the Empress. She descended from her phoenix throne, took my hand, and patted it. "Rosalind, help my son, and you will surely enjoy glory and prosperity, just as your name promises."

I took her advice. After marrying the Crown Prince, I did whatever shady work he needed done.

So the brilliant Second Prince became simple-minded. The martial Third Prince became a cripple, confined to a wheelchair. Even the Emperor's favorite Seventh Prince was exposed as a bastard conceived through his mother's adultery and was executed.

I did even better. I drugged the Emperor so he could never produce more threats to the Crown Prince.

When the Crown Prince needed me, he came to my chambers. As the situation grew more favorable to him, I could feel him falling in love with me again. I was happy.

I thought it was time to hand him the throne.

I found a special recipe and brought it to the Empress Dowager. She had long lost the Emperor's favor and any remaining affection for him.

She took the packet of herbs, gave me an approving look, nodded, and said nothing as she had her maids escort me out.

Half a month later, the Emperor fell gravely ill. The Crown Prince became regent.

On the eighth day of the twelfth month in the thirty-third year of Changsheng—only eight months after my wedding—my husband went from Crown Prince to Emperor.

The new Emperor changed the era name to Qianzhi. He named Seraphina Ashford, his Eastern Palace concubine, Empress. I, Rosalind Warrington, the Crown Princess, became Noble Consort.

A general amnesty was declared.

Three

After being named Noble Consort, I moved into the Kunming Palace.

I claimed illness and didn't attend the coronation ceremony. The Yikun Palace, where Seraphina resided, blazed a dazzling red. I heard the Emperor specially chose folk customs for the ceremony, to show that he and Seraphina would be like an ordinary married couple, loving each other for life.

The court officials were in an uproar over the Emperor abandoning his Crown Princess to make a concubine his Empress. One remonstrating official spoke bluntly: "The Crown Princess was the Emperor's original wife, born of a noble family, worthy of the Empress's position! What is an Eastern Palace concubine?"

Even Seraphina's father, the Minister of Revenue, was harshly impeached several times and had his salary docked.

I sat leisurely in the Kunming Palace, eating foreign tribute. Green-skinned, red-fleshed—they called it watermelon. Quite refreshing.

The Crown Prince—no, the Emperor now—burst through my door with a troubled expression just as I was enjoying my meal.

"Noble Consort, I must give the Empress's position to Ahua."

I didn't understand. "Hasn't Your Majesty already made her Empress?"

The Emperor looked at me, pursed his lips, and said in a tone that brooked no argument, "Noble Consort, submit a memorial saying you voluntarily relinquished the Empress's position because you've been unable to bear children all these years."

I gestured around the room for him to take a good look.

He looked around. "The Kunming Palace is the finest in the harem. Be content."

I shook my head. Had the Emperor's brain rotted even more since his Crown Prince days?

"Your Majesty, the Kunming Palace is the most splendid because it matches your Qianqing Palace. It is the residence of the Empress."

"Besides, everyone knows the Duke-Protector's legitimate daughter was the Crown Princess. I have no complaint about being Noble Consort, but how am I to hold my head up after this?"

I took the handkerchief Clara handed me and began to sob.

The Emperor pointed at me, his hand trembling terribly. As I cried, I wondered if I should call a physician.

Perhaps something occurred to him, because he said nothing and left the Kunming Palace for Seraphina's Yikun Palace.

The next day, an imperial decree arrived. I was made Empress. Seraphina became Imperial Noble Consort.

There was no coronation ceremony, though. The Emperor had silenced the court's criticism, and he excused Seraphina from paying me daily respects. With only the two of us in the harem, my position as Empress was truly in name only.

But that was fine. If no one came to pay me respects, I would go pay respects to the Empress Dowager.

After the late Emperor's death, the Empress Dowager had wept at his coffin for seven days and seven nights without rest. She ruined her eyes and damaged her health. The court and harem unanimously praised her deep devotion to the late Emperor and jointly petitioned to have his beloved Consort Mei moved out of the imperial mausoleum.

Consort Mei had been the late Emperor's favorite, but she died in childbirth. The late Emperor had buried her beside him in his imperial tomb, with honors due an Empress.

The Emperor gladly agreed. Consort Mei's coffin was removed from beside the late Emperor and stuffed into a minor consort's tomb.

I entered the Ci'an Palace. The Empress Dowager was playing with a jade ruyi scepter, her complexion ruddy, showing no signs of damaged health.

When she saw me, she had Lady Crane help me to a seat before I could even bow.

She sighed. "I thought the Emperor was just playing with that Ashford girl. I never expected him to develop real feelings. Poor child, you've suffered."

I kept my head down and said nothing.

She continued, "But now you are Empress. You must learn to behave like one."

"When I first entered the palace, I was Empress too. I never expected a monogamous marriage. I only hoped the late Emperor would have me in his heart. But later, he fell in love with Consort Mei and buried her beside him!"

"Look at her now. She's been moved out and stuffed into another tomb as a minor consort's burial companion."

"Empress, don't take it too hard. Learn to be magnanimous."

I nodded and said softly, "Mother, I would like to reopen the selection of palace maidens."

The Empress Dowager frowned slightly. With the late Emperor's death, the entire realm was supposed to observe three years of mourning, abstaining from music and marriage. The Emperor absolutely could not be unfilial.

I touched my belly sadly. "There are only the two of us in the harem. Neither of us has borne children to continue the imperial line. And the harem is so desolate."

"I don't mean a grand selection. For the sake of the imperial line, we could choose a few suitable girls from court officials' families to accompany His Majesty."

The Empress Dowager looked at me with pity. "Good child. It's rare for you to come to terms with things so quickly. You may choose the candidates."

Armed with the Empress Dowager's approval, I carefully selected from among the noble ladies. I chose several girls who had passed their coming-of-age but weren't yet betrothed—all of whom had some history with Seraphina and whose families wanted them in the palace.

The day after the decree summoning them to court was issued, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department came to ask me, "Your Imperial Majesty, the Imperial Noble Consort broke quite a few of the palace's porcelain pieces yesterday. How shall we handle this?"

I thought for a moment and smiled. "Since she broke palace property rather than her dowry, charge it to her account. Deduct it from next month's allowance."

"If the items are too valuable, suspend her allowance until the debt is paid."

On the second day of the second month in the first year of Qianzhi, as a proper Empress should, I personally received the new ladies into the palace and handled every detail.

Looking at the melting snow on the palace's brick paths, I realized spring was coming.

Four

Though we were still in the mourning period, the new ladies' arrival was a joyful occasion. I instructed the maids to decorate the palaces with cheerful flowers.

The new ladies all came from influential families. To show the Emperor's equal favor, I granted them all the rank of Consort and assigned them to different palaces as their main residences.

After settling them in, I arranged their order according to their family status so the Emperor could summon them for his nights in turn.

Among them, Lucille Lin, the Chancellor's granddaughter, was the most favored. Within a month, she rose from Consort Lin to Noble Lady Wan.

Seraphina's chambers grew increasingly cold. With so many beautiful women of different temperaments by his side, how could the Emperor remember his beloved Imperial Noble Consort?

And so, the Imperial Noble Consort, who had never come to pay me respects, appeared in the main hall of my Kunming Palace.

The favored Noble Lady Wan looked at the Imperial Noble Consort, who had plopped herself down ahead of her, and asked curiously, "And this elder sister is...?"

I took a sip of tea and smiled. "You haven't met her yet. This is the Imperial Noble Consort. Greet her properly."

A chorus of "Greetings to the Imperial Noble Consort" rang out. Seraphina was about to make them hold their bows when Noble Lady Wan simply stood up and sat down. The others followed suit, leaving Seraphina, who had wanted to assert her authority, dumbfounded.

Noble Lady Wan laughed lightly. "I've heard that an Imperial Noble Consort is only appointed to manage the harem when the Empress's position is vacant. But the Empress seems perfectly well. Why was an Imperial Noble Consort appointed? And why doesn't she come to pay her respects every day?"

I nodded inwardly. It seemed the Emperor had indeed been spoiling Noble Lady Wan. Her speech was quite bold. But I wouldn't interfere.

Seraphina straightened proudly. "His Majesty has excused me from the morning and evening audiences!"

Consort Tian spoke up. "His Majesty excused you from the audiences, but should you really never come? It makes the whole palace think you disrespect the Empress. That wouldn't be good, elder sister."

Seraphina looked ready to explode. Her eyes glared at me fiercely. How could she not be angry? She was the one who married the Emperor, who drank the nuptial wine. She had almost had the Empress's position in her grasp, but I took it. And now she was being mocked like this.

The Emperor was always quick to suppress news. When the decree was changed, he claimed the eunuch delivering it had mixed up the titles and was executed as a warning. Girls from noble families could hardly learn the truth.

So the outside world never knew that Seraphina was originally named Empress.

I coughed lightly to stop them. "Ladies, please stop. Don't harm our harmony. We all serve His Majesty together. Don't let me cause discord."

"Paying respects isn't important. As long as you all keep His Majesty in your hearts and bear him children soon, I will be satisfied."

The consorts rose quickly. "We humbly accept Your Majesty's instruction! Thank you for your guidance!"

Seraphina ground her teeth as she followed along. Even though she stood closest to me by rank, I couldn't tell if she was actually speaking.

That evening, the Emperor had originally summoned Noble Lady Wan, but Seraphina intercepted him as he passed the Yikun Palace.

Gentle moonlight spilled across the ground like water. A woman with her robes partially undone danced in the moonlight, her figure graceful and alluring.

The Emperor's verdict: "My Ahua truly deserves the description 'startling like a swan, graceful like a dragon'!"

The next morning, Noble Lady Wan came to me in tears. I comforted her and sighed. "I can't do anything about this either. The Imperial Noble Consort has always been the one closest to His Majesty's heart. I hear Minister Ashford will be promoted soon."

Watching Noble Lady Wan walk away deep in thought, I smiled.

How much of this garden of spring beauty in the palace was truly mine? I no longer knew.

Five

The day Seraphina's father was promoted to Vice Chancellor, my brother was stripped of his military command and ordered to go home and rest.

I thought of my father, nearly sixty but still strong enough to lift mountains. How considerate of the Emperor to let my brother return to warm his parents' hearts, while I could only miss them from this cold palace.

Noble Lady Wan stormed in angrily.

I told Clara to send everyone else away and said calmly, "What did His Majesty say when he saw it?"

Noble Lady Wan had asked her father, Chancellor Lin, to investigate Minister Ashford's corruption during his tenure. With all the grease from the Revenue Ministry, how could he not have taken some?

Besides, when Seraphina entered the Crown Prince's residence as a concubine, she hadn't brought much dowry. But now that she was Imperial Noble Consort, she was suddenly very generous with her money. It wasn't hard to guess how much her father had sent her.

Noble Lady Wan fumed. "The memorial was submitted. His Majesty read it. And he still promoted him to Vice Chancellor! Your Majesty, do you know how arrogant the Imperial Noble Consort is now?"

Of course I knew. I'd heard Seraphina had thrown Lady Blanche, who had accidentally offended her, into the Imperial Prison. Poor Lady Blanche and her snow-white skin. She must be suffering terribly.

"Don't worry. I've already sent someone to release Lady Blanche and have her treated."

"Your Majesty, she's already Imperial Noble Consort, just below you. And now her father has been promoted. From now on, the harem will be..."

Noble Lady Wan stopped and looked at me.

I smiled. "The Emperor dotes on her. That's fine. As long as she bears a prince soon, she'll be a meritorious contributor. As for her father... matters of the court are best left undiscussed in the harem."

Noble Lady Wan hadn't expected this attitude from me. I continued, "Why are you angry? You were properly selected to serve His Majesty. You're nothing like her. Besides, favor isn't measured in moments. Go back now."

Lucille Lin, being from the Chancellor's household, understood quickly. "You're right, Your Majesty. I was being foolish."

After sending her away, I was about to rest when I heard crying at the Kunming Palace gate. Clara hurried in with someone.

It was Lotus, Lady Blanche's maid.

Clara walked slowly to my side and whispered, "Your Majesty, something terrible. Lady Blanche is dead."

I was startled. I had sent someone to rescue her as soon as I heard. In such a short time, the prison matrons shouldn't have had time to do much.

Lotus knelt on the ground, sobbing. "Your Majesty, please see justice done!"

I comforted her. "Calm down. Tell me what happened to Lady Blanche. Why would she do something so drastic?"

Lotus struggled to form complete sentences between sobs. "This morning, Consort Genevieve and Consort Flora thought the weather was lovely and invited my mistress to fly kites in the imperial garden. The three ladies were close friends before entering the palace, so my mistress agreed."

"They were flying kites happily when a phoenix-shaped kite appeared from somewhere and tangled with my mistress's kite. A gust of wind sent both kites into the lake."

"Then the Imperial Noble Consort arrived. It turned out the kite was hers. My mistress immediately apologized, but the Imperial Noble Consort wouldn't let it go. She accused my mistress of offending her and threw her into the Imperial Prison!"

I frowned. "What about Consort Genevieve and Consort Flora?"

"They begged for mercy on the spot, but the Imperial Noble Consort said if they kept pleading, she'd throw them in too..."

"Why did Lady Blanche take her own life? Didn't she know that a consort's suicide is a crime punishable by execution of nine generations of her family?"

Lotus looked up and stared at me. "I know Your Majesty is kind. That's why you sent someone to save my mistress so quickly. But it was too late! Please come to the Chuxiu Palace and see my mistress one last time!"

Clara shouted, "How dare you! Her Majesty is not to..."

I raised my hand to stop her. "It's fine. It's been a while since I've seen her."

At the Chuxiu Palace, Lady Blanche's body lay in a coffin in the main hall. The maids' cries filled the air. I approached and looked. On Lady Blanche's face was carved a large character: "Ugly."

Tattooing the face was a punishment for the most heinous criminals, abolished in the late Emperor's reign. And women treasured their beauty above all. In the palace, losing one's beauty meant losing favor. No wonder Lady Blanche had taken her own life.

I gave my orders. "Lady Blanche committed suicide, but she was pitiful. Bury her with honors befitting a Consort."

"As for the prison matrons, tattoo their faces and throw them out of the palace."

Clara nodded. The matrons had been too eager to please the Imperial Noble Consort.

I looked at Lotus. "You have two choices. You came as part of Lady Blanche's dowry, so you can return to her family. Or you can stay in the palace, and I'll find you a position."

Lotus kowtowed. "I only want to ask Your Majesty—which option will better avenge my mistress?"

I helped her up. "You're a loyal servant. Return to her family and tell everyone why you came back. Especially her parents."

I let Lotus leave the palace.

That evening, the Emperor came to question why I had buried Lady Blanche with Consort's honors.

I said pitifully, "Lady Blanche committed suicide, but the Imperial Noble Consort was too harsh. She carved a character into Lady Blanche's jade-like face."

"But a consort's suicide is a curse on the imperial house. Don't you understand even that, Empress?"

"Tattooing was abolished in the late Emperor's reign. If news of this gets out, it will damage Your Majesty's reputation. Rest assured, I've already pacified Lady Blanche's maid and sent her back to the family. I've told her what to say and what not to say. As for Lady Blanche, she died of a sudden illness, didn't she?"

I winked playfully at the Emperor. He finally touched my face gently. "You always think of everything for me, Empress."

I felt the warmth of his palm. So warm. But my heart could no longer be bothered to beat for such warmth.

Six

Lady Blanche's death was quickly suppressed. Officially, she had died of a sudden illness. Consort Genevieve and Consort Flora came to my palace to grieve and weep for her.

The Emperor never punished Seraphina. After that, she grew even more arrogant. Not only did she bully the other consorts, but she also intercepted the Emperor when he summoned someone else.

Even the Empress Dowager summoned Seraphina to the Ci'an Palace for a scolding. But the Dowager's health was failing, and she couldn't manage much.

From then on, Seraphina ran rampant in the harem. She didn't even put me in her eyes, occasionally humiliating me in public.

One afternoon, after hearing some interesting news from outside the palace, I sent for Noble Lady Wan to chat.

When Noble Lady Wan first entered the palace, she had stolen much of Seraphina's favor. Now that Seraphina's star was rising again, she made life difficult for Noble Lady Wan.

In terms of family background, Noble Lady Wan far surpassed Seraphina. Being bullied by her was infuriating.

I had the maids bring Noble Lady Wan a bowl of mung bean soup to cool off, then spoke slowly. "I've heard that outside the palace, there's a thug named Ashford who goes around kidnapping women, claiming to be the Emperor's brother-in-law. I wonder if it's true."

Noble Lady Wan immediately said, "I recall His Majesty only has one brother-in-law—Cedric Warrington. This Ashford must be the Imperial Noble Consort's worthless brother. How dare he call himself the Emperor's brother-in-law?"

I took a sip of tea and smiled. "Kidnapping women isn't the real problem. Using His Majesty's name is what damages his reputation."

Noble Lady Wan frowned. "Last time, I followed your advice and had my father gather all that evidence. But His Majesty still protected her father. Even if he hears about this, he probably won't do anything."

A hint of ruthlessness flashed in my eyes. I said gently, "There's no need to tell His Majesty about such things. After all, if someone saw a thug kidnapping a woman and killed him in righteous anger... it would be understandable."

Noble Lady Wan was startled, then smiled in understanding. "I thought you were gentle and easygoing, Your Majesty. I didn't know you could be so ruthless."

"You're using others to do your killing. What a clever scheme. But I'll be your blade one more time."

I smiled and said nothing. A few days later, sobbing came from the Yikun Palace. I heard Seraphina had begged the Emperor for help. But her brother was clearly in the wrong, and the censors had been submitting memorials about the Ashford family's crimes. The Emperor couldn't show favoritism. He could only comfort Seraphina with generous gifts.

So when Seraphina stormed into my palace with tears still on her face, she raised her hand and slapped me. "Bitch! Don't think I don't know you put Lucille Lin up to this! That's why her father keeps making trouble for my family! You bitch!"

I touched my slightly swollen face. Tsk. She was truly furious. Her brain had gone to mush, and her hand was heavy.

I said lazily, "If the Imperial Noble Consort has anger, don't vent it in the Kunming Palace. I am the Empress. This slap... will earn you a few months of house arrest."

Seraphina pointed at me, enraged. "You destroyed the only son of the Ashford family! Now there's only me left!"

Only one daughter left?

I was transported back to the day my mother told me about my origins. She held me on the bed, telling me bit by bit where she found me and how they later discovered my background. Finally, she asked if I wanted to go back.

I refused. Why would I return to a place that abandoned me?

"Only one daughter? Isn't there another? Oh, look at my memory. Your elder sister froze to death in the snow, didn't she?"

Seraphina's face drained of color. She screamed, "Impossible! How do you know?"

I frowned. Her temperament had been ruined over the years. In the Crown Prince's residence, she relied on his favor to disrespect me, the rightful Crown Princess. Now in the palace, she was the same. Screaming in the Kunming Palace. The Emperor had truly spoiled her.

My voice carried a hint of amusement. "Come to think of it, I really should call you 'little sister.' If Minister Ashford—oh, Vice Chancellor Ashford now—hadn't thrown me into the snow outside the city on that Ghost Festival, I wouldn't have become the Duke-Protector's legitimate daughter. And naturally, the Empress's position wouldn't be mine."

"Don't you think, little sister, that I should ask His Majesty to let me visit the Ashford residence to thank them?"

"My... little sister?"

Seraphina collapsed to the ground, staring at me as if she'd seen a ghost. To her, I suppose I was a ghost. Screaming "Impossible!" she ran out of the Kunming Palace.

I asked Clara about the medicine. Clara said respectfully, "Rest assured, Your Majesty. Everyone who should be using it is using it."

I nodded and said quietly, "Tell my brother to prepare. The wind is about to rise."

Seraphina somehow found a way to get the Emperor's permission to visit her family.

When the Emperor came to my palace to ask my opinion, he said, "I thought about it. The Imperial Noble Consort hasn't been home in years. What do you think, Empress?"

I knew he was only asking for form's sake. Harem affairs were under my jurisdiction, but he had already made up his mind.

I pretended to be puzzled. "There has never been a precedent for a consort leaving the palace to visit family. If she misses them, she can summon her mother to the palace. That avoids any impropriety with meeting male relatives."

The Emperor was displeased. "Ahua just misses home. Why do you have to obstruct her with so many words?"

I sighed. "Your Majesty, how about this? If only the Imperial Noble Consort goes, it might invite gossip."

"Let all the consorts visit their families. That would show Your Majesty's equal treatment and generosity."

As expected, the Emperor's eyes lit up at anything that improved his reputation. After a moment's thought, he nodded. "Do as you suggest."

In truth, besides Seraphina and me, the other consorts had been in the palace less than a year. Everyone said that once you entered the palace, you could never leave. Of course they missed home. When the decree came down, they all came to thank me.

Seraphina had originally wanted to go home to verify what I'd said, and to show off the Emperor's unique favor toward her. But my interference turned it into my achievement. She threw another tantrum in the Yikun Palace.

Still, she got what she wanted. On the day the consorts went home, no matter how displeased Seraphina was, she had to come thank me first. I almost felt sorry for her—she must have ground her teeth to powder.

As for me, the Empress could summon her family anytime. I said I would stay behind to manage palace affairs. When I said this, the Emperor seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

Seven

Vice Chancellor Ashford and his wife died suddenly.

Rumors spread through the streets. Some said Seraphina was born unlucky and had killed her parents. Others whispered that Lady Blanche's death had been suspicious, calling Seraphina a modern-day seductress.

I thought this was terribly unfair to the legendary seductress. How could people believe everything they heard in plays? Besides, when I read the story of the fall of the Shang dynasty, I always felt sorriest for the seductress.

Seraphina must have been stunned. She had only gone home to ask about her elder sister who died young. She left the Ashford residence in good health. How could her parents die just as she returned to the palace?

But that wasn't the end. Lady Blanche's father, though a minor official, submitted a deathbed memorial at the morning court, directly accusing Seraphina of tattooing his daughter and driving her to suicide.

The civil officials, steeped in Confucian teachings, had never heard of such a thing. The Imperial Censor immediately launched into a scathing denunciation of Seraphina's actions. His words were so passionate and his sentences so well-constructed that the court historian, writing furiously, recorded them as a widely circulated masterpiece.

The Emperor was so furious he ordered the man dragged out and executed on