“Enough,”

  Shen huang gui fei brushed A’Fang’s hands away from her shoulders. The girl could massage all day long, and the muscles would still be as hard as stone. Whatever elation Shen huang gui fei felt after returning to The Emperor’s bed was long gone now. It was far too early to tell if something came from it, and very little had changed between her and The Emperor since that night. He was still as cold as ever to her but now there was a new little bitch to watch for.

  Sheng gui ren.

  Hah!

  As if the girl was going to be a beautiful view for very long. She looked about as strong as a dry blade of grass. A broken heart was more than enough to make her crumble. She was barely a threat. The biggest problem right now was Lu chang zai.

  The Empress had trotted out Sheng gui ren during a morning outing. Shen huang gui fei only went to show her face and nothing more, but was glad she didn’t beg off. Lu chang zai made a scene fiddling with something or the other in the back of the concubines, where she belonged. It was only when Shen huang gui fei passed by on her way back to her yurt that she realized what the girl had been showing off.

  It was the aphrodisiac bottle!

  “That’s a cute little thing,” Shen huang gui fei commented, her steady words not betraying her rabbeting heart, “Did you pick it up at a market?”

  Lu chang zai turned her nose up, “Of course not. It was a gift from His Majesty. I woke up this morning, and it was waiting outside my yurt,”

  “That? I guess it fits. Anything more luxurious would look out of place with the rest of your simple things,”

  There was a flash of anger on Lu chang zai’s face before she smiled, “It's true, I only like simple things like His Majesty listening to me. I told him I wanted a new perfume, and now I have this,”

  Lu chang zai smiled bigger, “You do remember what it's like to have His Majesty favor you, don’t you jiejie? It hasn’t been too long?”

  Shen huang gui fei had walked away before she strangled Lu chang zai to death.

  Jingse swore up and down that she had disposed of the bottle properly, but Shen huang gui fei didn’t care and had no time for excuses. She needed to get that bottle back and do away with it herself when she returned to the palace.

  Along with bragging about the “perfume,” Lu chang zai mentioned personal archery lessons with The Emperor, taking up her entire afternoon. When Shen huang gui fei was sure the girl was gone, she sent Jingse to bring the bottle back.

  But that had been hours ago.

  Jingse was no fool and had clever fingers. There was no reason she wasn’t back.

  “What time is it now?” Shen huang gui fei asked, fiddling with her sleeves, “Why hasn’t she returned?”

  “I’m sure Jingse is fine, a-niang,” Huabao said as she readied herself for a day of riding, “There’s no need to be so worried,”

  “I’ve barely packed anything. I need everyone here if we’re going to be ready in time,” replied Shen huang gui fei, scrounging up an excuse for her jitters.

  Before Huabao could reply, Shiyi gugu stepped inside.

  “Her Highness The Empress is asking to see you,” she said after a quick bow of her head.

  Shen huang gui fei did her best not to roll her eyes. As if she wanted to suffer through The Empress’s drivel at the moment.

  “My mistress is tired from packing, Shiyi gugu,” offered A’Fang.

  “It will only take a moment, Your Highness,” the old maid insisted.

  By the way Shiyi gugu’s eyes bored into Shen huang gui fei, it was clear that The Empress hadn’t set a request, but an order.

  “Fine then,” Shen huang gui fei said, “I won’t keep her waiting,”

  Shen huang gui fei trudged behind Shiyi gugu, keeping an eye out for any sign of Jingse.

  The air inside The Empress's yurt was tense. She and The Emperor sat at the head of the receiving area while De gui fei and Xiang pin sat nearby, their brows furrowed. A ranch hand was kneeling on the floor before them.

  “Sit,” The Emperor ordered after she greeted them properly.

  Before any of The Empress’s servants could get any ideas, A’Fang brought a chair to The Emperor’s unoccupied side.

  “Thank you, Your Majesty,” she said as she sat.

  “We could use your opinion on something, meimei,” said The Empress, “It’s turned from a molehill into a mountain, unfortunately,”

  “This concubine will do her best to assist you, Your Highness,” Shen huang gui fei replied.

  Wang gugu stepped forward to explain the situation. The ranch hand was named Temujin. Earlier today, Temujin caught a servant stealing from one of the concubines’ yurts. The servant threatened Temujin with retribution from her mistress unless he released her and kept the matter quiet. Temujin eventually tried to convince the maid to return the item, and he'd keep quiet, when they were overheard and brought to The Empress.

  “If the items are returned, I don’t see the point in punishing Temujin or the maid,” said The Empress, “His Majesty just had such good luck acquiring Sheng meimei. Why make such a fuss and ruin the good mood?”

  Shen huang gui fei huffed, “Jiejie, did you have to involve His Majesty with such a little thing? Obviously, we should punish that sticky-fingered maid and this servant here for trying to make decisions he had no right to make! What do you think, De meimei?”

  “I agree,” De gui fei said, “To let this go unpunished would embolden the maid, her mistress, and others to misbehave and ruin the harmony of the back palace,”

  For once, De gui fei had a bit of a backbone to go against The Empress.

  What a surprise.

  “What say you, Xiang meimei?” Shen huang gui fei asked.

  Xiang pin smiled prettily, “You’re right as always, Shen jiejie. I’m just curious why Temujin didn’t inform Her Highness The Empress. Stealing from a concubine is no small thing,”

  Temujin bowed his head, “I took the maid's threats to heart, Your Highness. That’s why I tried to solve it quietly! Forgive me, Your Highness,”

  “This maid certainly sounds full of herself. Her mistress must be no better,” said Shen huang gui fei, “I don’t know how I feel about bringing such a servant back to the Forbidden City. I could only imagine the chaos she could bring,”

  Shen huang gui fei turned to The Emperor, "What do you think, Your Majesty?”

  The Emperor gave her a proud look that made butterflies flap about her stomach.

  “Shen huang gui fei is clear about when to punish and when to reward. Do as she says, Empress,”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” The Empress replied.

  It lightened Shen huang gui fei’s heart to know how much those words burned like acid on The Empress’s tongue. The Emperor’s trust in her opinion made it feel like old times. Before she could jump on the chance to invite him to spend time with her, Zhang Wei spoke.

  “Your Majesty, the Khan would like to speak to you,”

  Shen huang gui fei begrudgingly sent The Emperor off with respect. She sat back down and picked through the plate of dried fruit and nuts on a nearby table.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “Guards,” she called, “Flog this servant 15 times,”

  Temujin simpered and groveled for forgiveness and mercy.

  A’Fang turned up her nose, “You don’t think this is mercy? You conspired to deceive His Majesty. You should be grateful you get to keep your head,”

  Shen huang gui fei set down a half-eaten jujube and smirked at The Empress.

  “And where is that ill-mannered maid?” She asked, “You didn’t let her run off, did you?”

  “Surely not, meimei,” replied The Empress.

  Shiyi gugu went to the entrance of the yurt and poked her head out, “Bring the maid,”

  Only the tight grip on her senses stopped Shen huang gui fei from dropping the fruit in her hand as Jingse was dragged through the yurt. She was a rumpled mess with her lower lip swelling, most likely from a recent slap.

  “Jingse,” she said coolly, masking the wave of fury that rose in her throat before glaring at The Empress, “What is the meaning of this, Empress?”

  Shiyi gugu tilted her head like a dunce, “What do you mean, Your Highness? You called for the thief, and here she is. Is something wrong?”

  Shen huang gui fei narrowed her eyes, “Empress, isn’t it embarrassing to be this desperate? You could never get your hands on me, so you had to frame and beat my maid?”

  “Watch your mouth,” said De gui fei, “Her Highness would never do something so low. You heard Wang gugu. Jingse was caught stealing from Lu chang zai,”

  As Shen huang gui fei opened her mouth to give De gui fei the tongue lashing she deserved, Xiang pin opened hers.

  “Jingse has very strange tastes. Lu meimei’s yurt is filled with jewelry and decorations covered in gold and gems. But all she tried to steal this little silver bottle,”

  Shen huang gui fei kept silent as Xiang pin’s maid presented the bottle. Her heart rocketed in her chest. There was no point in digging herself deeper and scrambling for the bottle back. She had to keep her composure.

  “Even stranger, when the guards searched her, she fought like a crazed cat to keep it,” continued Xiang pin, “Do you have any ideas why, Shen jiejie?”

  “Are you accusing me of something, Xiang pin?”

  “I wouldn’t dare,”

  “I stole it because I thought it was expensive,” Jingse said, her voice cutting through the conversation, “I was going to sell it when we returned to the capital,”

  At least Jingse was loyal and knew her place. It gave Shen huang gui fei some comfort to know all the interrogations in the world wouldn’t break her.

  The Empress hummed, “Expensive? Jingse, you’ve been with Shen huang gui fei from the start. You’ve held nothing but pearls, gold, and jade in your hands for years. But you thought this silver-plated copper bottle was expensive?”

  “I don't bring on my maids to scholars, Empress,” said Shen huang gui fei, “It’s not shocking she’d think that bottle was worth selling. You can’t truly be quibbling about this,”

  “Lu chang zai said the bottle was perfume from His Majesty. I-I thought both the bottle and the perfume would fetch good money. His Majesty would never give a gift of such poor quality,” said Jingse.

  Shen huang gui fei grasped at the words with both hands, “Empress, perhaps you should have Lu chang zai’s gift appraised again. You wouldn’t be going out of your way to accuse His Majesty of sending trash to his concubines, would you?”

  “There’s no need to have it appraised for a third time, Shen meimei,” The Empress replied.

  The lock in Shen huang gui fei’s shoulder’s released, but only for a moment.

  A third time?

  The Empress sighed, “I can’t fault you for this anger, as you’re truly a bystander in this all. Xiang pin’s maid found Jingse burying this bottle at the far end of the camp and brought it to me. This isn’t perfume, but an aphrodisiac,”

  “Impossible!" Shen huang gui fei spat, "Why would Jingse even need such a thing?”

  “Why?” The Empress echoed, her eyes turning soft with pity, “For you,”

  Xiang pin sighed, “His Majesty has been ignoring you for so long. Even Wang chang zai has gotten more attention from than you. Our maids just love us so. It’s not shocking Jingse would do something so drastic for you,”

  Shen huang gui fei’s face grew hot with humiliation. This…this bitch had the nerve to look down on her when more men had entered her than a buddhist temple!

  “Meimei, I know you understand how a man’s love can ebb and flow like the current–you’ve been here long enough,” The Empress continued, “It’s a shame that Jingse doesn’t. I’m sorry to say that the night you served His Majesty in bed, he wasn’t in his right mind. Jingse drugged him,”

  It felt like fire was scorching the inside of Shen huang gui fei’s skull. She was backed into a corner.

  “The next morning, His Majesty was convinced something strange had happened to him. He was so perplexed by his choice to let you serve him in bed that he knew something was wrong with the wine. But when he sent the servants to bring him the leftovers, there were none to be found. No remains of his tea that night, either,”

  The Empress had some nerve talking to Shen huang gui fei like she was some sort of mangy dog that The Emperor pitied in a moment of confusion. If the Gods hadn’t declared that he spent the 15th of every month with her, would he even bother with her at all?

  “For a moment, we suspected that you were the culprit, meimei, but it’s good to know you would never do something so foolish,” said The Empress.

  De gui fei nodded, “Only an absolute idiot would attempt something so stupid. A concubine of your status would never be so desperate,”

  “It’s true! I did it!” Said Jingse, “I wanted His Majesty to pay Shen huang gui fei the attention she deserved, so I put the aphrodisiac in his wine and tea. I did it all on my own,”

  Shen huang gui fei wanted to grab Jingse by the throat. How dare she agree to all the filth coming out of The Empress’s mouth? How dare she imply that Shen huang gui fei was a lonely loser who needed her maid to gain favor from The Emperor?!

  Gritting her teeth, Shen huang gui fei decided to keep quiet and wait for The Empress's miserable performance to end. There was no point getting more upset than she already was, was there? The faster she took Jingse and left, the faster she could go back to her yurt and lick her wounds and give Jingse the punishment she deserved.

  Swallowing her pride, Shen huang gui fei gave as shallow of a bow as she could.

  “I thank Your Highness for your belief in me. I will be sure to discipline Jingse properly for her actions,”

  Shiyi gugu smiled, “That won’t be necessary, Your Highness. You said it yourself. There would be nothing but chaos if we let her return to the Forbidden City. She’ll be whipped 20 times and offered to the Khan as a slave,”

  “A slave? Jingse may be a servant, but her family has served mine for generations! She’s no common slave! This is an insult to my clan!” cried Shen huang gui fei.

  “This is not an insult, it’s mercy,” said The Empress, rising from her seat, “Tampering with the food His Majesty eats is not a small crime. His Majesty has every right to have Jingse beheaded and have her head hung in the capital as a lesson to the public. Her being left alive in Mongolia with both her hands and head is a boon that I would recommend you take, Shen huang gui fei,”

  “She won’t protest anymore, Your Highness,” said Xiang pin, “You heard His Majesty. Jiejie is clear about when to punish and when to reward,”

  Shen huang gui fei clenched her fists.

  She would let The Empress think she had bested her. Let them think they all bested her. Shen huang gui fei wouldn't take this lying down.

  ?

  Prince Han had been sick to his stomach for days. He had no right, but he was. When The Emperor granted Xiurong the honor of becoming his concubine, Prince Han was elated. It was a clean break between them. He didn’t have to do the cruel thing of marrying a woman he didn’t love, and Xiurong was climbing a mountain so few women could ever approach. And she was a Noble Lady! It didn’t cross his mind for a moment that Xiurong wouldn’t be ecstatic.

  His elation didn’t last very long. The idea to invite The Empress on a horseback ride the day after the banquet revealed the truth.

  The sound of sobbing brought Prince Han to a stop. The Empress’s yurt was built on a platform. The windows were open, and they not only let in the breeze but let out voices.

  “Your Highness…please, I beg you…if you grant me this one mercy, I’ll owe my life to you,”

  Prince Han squinted up at the yurt, “Is that…?”

  “It sounds like Sheng gui ren, my lord,” Sang’er confirmed from his side.

  Prince Han heard The Empress sigh, “Sheng meimei–“

  "Your Highness, please,” Xiurong said so starkly that Prince Han could imagine the weariness in her face, “Don’t call me that,”

  “Xiurong–“

  “If you can’t help me, then tell me why! Why would His Majesty do this to me? You said you’ve talked about marriage between me and Prince Han for so long, he must know that I don’t want this,”

  Xiurong dissolved into a fit of heaving tears.

  Xiurong, if you dwell in the past so, your heart will stay there. You must make the best of your future now,”

  “I won’t have a future if I have to do this,”

  “Hush. Don't speak like that,”

  Prince Han couldn’t stand to hear any more and returned to his yurt. What Xiurong said was true. The Emperor knew of her affections and that The Empress had wanted to arrange their marriage for what felt like years. But he pulled Xiurong into the back palace anyway.

  Sang’er placed a cup of tea by his elbow, “You need to drink something at least, my lord. You haven’t left your yurt in days,”

  “What His Majesty did to Xiurong–making her concubine–it wasn’t cruel, was it?”

  “Of course not, my lord. Sheng gui ren is probably just startled, but once she realizes what she can accomplish with His Majesty’s favor, her feelings will change,”

  Prince Han sighed, “Perhaps this is better for her. Xiurong is talented and smart. She’ll gain His Majesty’s favor quickly. That’s a much better fate than marrying a man who doesn’t love her, right?”

  “My lord, stop thinking of such sad things. I worry for you. If Jiayi sees you like this, won’t she worry even more?”

  Prince Han knew Sang’er meant to pull him from his gloomy thoughts with the mention of Jiayi, but it only made things worse. The Emperor had no interest in Jiayi, but if someone did, someone who was due for a reward, if he asked for Jiayi, The Emperor could give her away. She was nowhere precious in his eyes–only a maid, a thing. Why wouldn’t he give her away?

  The thought made him feel worse.

  “Sang’er, should I tell Her Highness about me and Jiayi?”

  Sang’er looked startled by the question, “Why, my lord?”

  “If we get engaged, she’ll be my…I’ll be responsible for her. If no one knows about us, what’s stopping His Majesty from giving her away?”

  “You shouldn’t be so hasty about this, my lord,” said Sang’er, kneeling, “Doing this so soon after His Majesty scolded you could make this worse for you both,”

  Prince Han sighed again, “You’re right. I just…things have been strange lately,”

  “Don’t worry, my lord, things will be back to normal when we return. I’m sure of it,"