On a day like this, it was fitting for the sun to shine so brightly because no one was truly as blessed as Shen huang gui fei was right now. Huabao was marrying into the Fuca clan.

The Fuca clan!

Not only was Shen huang gui fei forging a connection with one of The Great Qing's noblest backers, but Huabao was returning from Mongolia! By summer, her daughter would finally be back in her arms. When Zhang Wei came to her palace with the decree, Shen huang gui fei nearly fainted. All of her hard work was coming to fruition.

The Empress finding a way to free her little brats couldn't put a damper damper her happiness. Shen huang gui fei had to admit that The Empress put in the work of finding a legion of zokors* to tear up the gardens all around the palace; freeing Yian and Yihe from His Majesty's suspicion. Pity to the poor gardeners who were flogged and exiled for their "negligence." A visit to The Empress Dowager made no difference, either. The old woman had decided that her declaration never to set foot outside again had never happened and continued with her usual nonsense. She was practically emptying The Forbidden City's coffers with how many new outfits, jewelry, and cosmetics she bought. It was as if she was determined to make sure the other dowagers remembered that they were below her. It had been incredibly peaceful with The Empress Dowager shut away. It was such a pain to keep placating her. The woman spent the entirety of the morning demanding that Huabao's first act as Lady Fuca should be to add a few Borjigit concubines to the household–all her recommendations, of course.

Please.

Huabao would be a fool to add more women into her manor to try and sweeten up her husband. The first thing that girl had to do was have a son and a daughter to cement herself as the difujin of the manor. It wouldn't be hard at all. Huabao was young and healthy, and if she had kept a keen eye, she'd have Hu Chi eating out of the palm of her hands.

"You look positively radiant, Your Highness," A'Fang said as she walked beside Shen huang gui fei's raised chair, "You entertain so many well-wishers these days but, you don't look tired at all,"

"Stop grinning like that," said Jingse, "You look like a fool,"

Shen huang gui fei shrugged, "I'll have to start turning them away. All that excitement might disturb the children,"

Thoughts of red silks and juicy oranges ran through her mind as she was carried back to Zhongcuigong. Shen huang gui fei wondered how many embroidery maids she could get to work on Huabao's wedding clothes. Perhaps she shouldn't even bother and commission a shop in the capital for something even more one of a kind.

Shen huang gui fei's courtyard was surprisingly quiet. She had only been joking about turning guests away. There was usually an attendant or two waiting to greet her. She fanned herself lightly as she stepped inside, hoping the hothouse had the decency to send over some fresh fruit to sweeten her mouth.

However, what Shen huang gui fei saw instantly turned her mouth bitter. The Empress was in her palace, sitting in her seat as if she owned the place. The nursemaids were fawning by her side, eagerly showing off the princes like a group of idiots.

"Your Highness," said Shen huang gui fei, bowing lightly, "No one informed me you were visiting,"

The Empress smiled, "Rise. I realized that I hadn't seen Yizhong and Yiru since their namings, and I thought I would drop by and see them,"

Shen huang gui fei wanted to spit hearing the names The Empress had forced on her sons. As their 100 days came and went, Shen huang gui fei was eager to tell His Majesty what she wanted to name her sons. Her 10th Prince would be Hong, for the greatness he would surely bring to her, and the 11th Prince would be Chao. For the way he would surpass all who stood in his way.

Yihong and Yichao.

They were the perfect names. But when the day came, before she could even start her suggestions, The Emperor informed her that he had been delighted with The Empress's choices for children's names. Zhong and Ru.

Loyalty and Scholar.

Servants names. Slave names, even! The Empress wanted 10th Prince to be loyal to her sons and aspire to be nothing but a faithful dog. She wanted 11th Prince to never dare rise above Yian and Yihe and know his place as a lowly scholar. The Empress wanted to clip their wings before they could even fly.

"Yan momo told me that Yiru can sit up by himself now. He's living up to his name quite well, isn't he?"

Did The Empress never tire of twisting the knife?

"I only hope they can attempt to catch up to Yian and Yihe in their strength,"

The Empress said nothing and bounced Yizhong in her arms. Shen huang gui fei scanned the crowd of nursemaids. What had they told The Empress? Did they accept food for the children? Or a toy that could be tainted? These country bumpkins probably believed that any gift from The Empress was some great honor. Had she convinced them to work for her? To tell her secrets?

"Don't stand on my account," said The Empress, "Sit,"

"Thank you, Your Highness,"

"Yan momo, shouldn't they be hungry by now?" Shen huang gui fei asked as she sat, "Withdraw and feed them,"

Whatever Yan momo wanted to say was rightfully stifled when she caught sight of Shen huang gui fei's face.

"Of course, Your Highness. We'll take our leave,"

The nursemaids carried the children off and left Shen huang gui fei to entertain The Empress. She was wearing an underwhelming blue and silver shafu. Basic and boring gold and kingfisher jewelry adorned her hair and ears, and her nail guards were, of course, nothing special. The Empress was her usual boring, bland self.

"Truthfully, huang gui fei, I came here to tell you something. Early this morning, His Majesty received word that Huabao and her litter have begun their journey out of Mongolia,"

Warmth shot through Shen huang gui fei's chest, "Really?"

The Empress nodded, "200 of their strongest soldiers are escorting her. His Majesty took no chances,"

"I thank His Majesty for his grace,"

"I wonder what Huabao looks like now," The Empress said with a sigh, "I know she was barely gone for a year, but things change so quickly,"

Shen huang gui fei's warmth turned to ice.

"Especially for a girl of her age. I'm so eager for my little Mongolian princess to step foot in the Forbidden City again. Aren't you huang gui fei?"

"I've never been happier," Shen huang gui fei said, giving The Empress a razor-toothed smile, "I can admit, Huabao's absence hurt my heart in a way I could never imagine, but seeing you so strong after Princess Anhe's death, well, I could only attempt to take after you,"

The Empress fiddled with her nail guards for a moment and said, "Living without her never gets easier, but in some way, she'll always be mine. She won't ever marry far away to some manor. I won't have to worry if the man His Majesty chose for her is a beast or to stay up late wondering if she stepped into a pit of vipers masquerading as concubines,"

Shaking her head, The Empress continued, "Look at me, saying such a foolish thing. No concubine would be so foolish as to try and harm her husband's difujin. Especially one that could wipe their entire clan out in just a moment, right huang gui fei?"

Shen huang gui fei stared at The Empress's flinty gaze, a cold sweat beading on her neck, "Of course not, Your Highness. Who would sign their own death warrant?"

The look on The Empress's face was strange. Shen huang gui fei had never seen it before. It wasn't the bland, limp stare she usually had or the slight, sour scowl that appeared when she didn't get her way.

It was piercing. Cruel. Trembling for blood. It was as if The Empress could see every single one of Shen huang gui fei's deeds right on her face.

"Ah, the day is getting late," The Empress said, getting to her feet, the violence in her stare disappearing, "I won't take any more of your time,"

"Sending Your Highness off with respect," Shen huang gui fei uttered at her back.

Shen huang gui fei stumbled to her seat, catching herself on the nearby side table and sending a porcelain plate of walnuts crashing to the ground.

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"Your Highness!" Jingse cried, coming to her side.

The nerve of that woman to look down at Shen huang gui fei that way. What right did she have to vengeance after all she had done? Her brats were locked up for minutes compared to how long Huabao was gone. How many children had that woman ruined? How dare she act like she was wronged!

Yan momo and the other nursemaids filed into the room at the sound of the noise.

"Your Highness, are you alright?"

Of course those brown nosing bitches would run out at the sound of her misery.

Shen huang gui fei surged to her feet and slapped Yan momo across the face.

"The next time I see any one of you bitches cozying up to The Empress, you'll all be flogged 50 times!"

"Yes, Your Highness," they replied.

"Get out of my sight,"

✺

In the darkness of the night, Xiang pin had nowhere to hide. Here, cocooned in this bed, there was no finery. No jewels or silks or brocades. There was no Imperial Concubine—just a mortal woman who had been snatched away from the jaws of death. The thought chilled her to the bone and made her mouth turn to ash.

She had nearly died.

Died.

And she had been none the wiser. She had sat here in her palace of decadent trinkets, glutting herself on the thought that her life was secured. She hadn't noticed a thing. Shen huang gui fei had nearly dragged her into a coffin, and Xiang pin sat there and let herself be pulled along like the idiot she pretended to be.

Like a damned fool.

The only reason she was even able to lie in this bed and lament about her brush with death was because of Jiayi. A girl of 19 who had barely lived managed to think clearer than Xiang pin. Too many feelings were jumbled up in Xiang pin's head when Jiayi told her what she had done. Switching the medicines, getting an outside opinion, catching the snake in her midst...

And once again, Xiang pin didn't notice a thing.

She wanted to say that it was the sickness, that her being ill made her delirious, but the truth was that Xiang pin had grown complacent and arrogant. She truly believed that she had become untouchable. The Emperor favored her. The Empress protected her. She had a son. Who would dare touch her?

She didn't have a clue.

When had she transformed into such a pampered idiot? How had she grown so blind? How had she become everything she found so pathetic? In the brothel, she pitied such women. She wondered how they could be so silly, so unaware.

And yet, here she was. Shaking like a leaf in her royal bed remembering how she happily drank poison day after day. It was disturbing how easily she fell into it. It was appalling how easily she fell into it.

It made Xiang pin want to tear her skin off. How hard had Shen huang gui fei laughed when she heard that Xiang pin had 'fallen' into the pond? Was she incredibly giddy when Lihua told her that her mistress didn't suspect a thing?

The embarrassment made her face burn. She wanted to hole away in her bed and wallow in her shame. But the arrogance that kept her swallowing that rancid brew was the flame that burned in her belly for revenge.

Shaken as she was, Xiang pin realized with astounding clarity that Shen huang gui fei was terrified of her. Xiang pin, stripped down and naked, was nothing. She had no clan or lineage or heavy coffers of silver and gold. All she had was a piece of The Emperor's heart. A piece that Xiang pin never strived to make bigger. She hadn't even planned to hold onto it for very long. But that wasn't good enough for Shen huang gui fei.

She wanted His Majesty all to herself.

Well.

Hopefully, Shen huang gui fei would get used to being disappointed.

✺

Xiang pin was quiet. It was rare. There was nothing Jiayi's mistress liked more than a breezy chat. But yet here she was, staring silently in the mirror as Jiayi combed rose-scented oil through her hair.

Jiayi nibbled on the corner of her lip. Was Xiang pin still mad at her? Jiayi only explained the bare details before they caught Lihua in the act, and the event began. When the excitement was over, and the criminals were dragged away, Xiang pin and De gui fei demanded to know every detail about how Jiayi discovered the plot. De gui fei was furious after Jiayi finished, calling her deceitful and reckless. That what she did could have gone horribly wrong, and if it did, Xiang pin's blood would've been on her hands. Despite De gui fei's insistence that Jiayi should punished in some way, Xiang pin, still exhausted, only shook her head and retired to her bedroom. They hadn't spoken about it again.

Xiang pin had returned to her bubbly self, nearly finished with the new medicine Prince Han acquired. But this morning, she had barely said a word.

"Your Highness," Jiayi said, letting the glossy black locks slip through her fingers, "Are you alright?"

Xiang pin blinked, catching Jiayi's eyes in their twin reflections.

"I'm fine,"

Jiayi dropped to her knees, clutching the comb tightly, the smooth teeth digging into her palms, "Your Highness, if my actions still displease you, please punish me to soothe your anger,"

"Do you regret your actions?"

"No," Jiayi said, squeezing the comb tighter, "I...I only regret keeping it a secret for so long. I would do it again to keep you safe,"

Xiang pin held out her hand, "Get up,"

Jiayi let Xiang pin pull her to her feet.

"I'm not cross with you. I'm cross with myself for being a blind idiot. You saved my life. I couldn't be more grateful,"

The praise made Jiayi flush with happiness, but the happiness quickly turned to pain when Xiang pin flicked her on the forehead.

"But didn't we say no secrets? You could've told me something was wrong with the medicine,"

"I wanted to make sure first," Jiayi said, rubbing her forehead, "Then things kept happening so quickly–"

"Fine, fine, fine," Xiang pin said with a wave of her hand, "It's all water on the bridge now. The clouds are gone and the day is clear. Finish up back there,"

Jiayi returned to work, neatly twisting and wrapping her mistress's hair. As she went through the familiar motions, a thought popped into Jiayi's head.

What was to be done about Shen huang gui fei?

"Your Highness...about Shen huang gui fei..."

Xiang pin's face dropped before she began to pick through her box of hair accessories.

"It's too early. She'll know that I'm behind it. Jiejie said its best to be vigilant and wait until after Huabao's wedding,"

Staring at Xiang pin's drooped shoulders, Jiayi asked, "Aren't you happy that First Princess is returning to the palace?"

"I should be. But unfortunately, Huabao is her mother's daughter,"

Jiayi plucked the gold chai from Xiang pin's hand, "I don't understand,"

Xiang pin blinked, shaking her head as if rousing herself from a daze, "It doesn't matter. Hurry now. I want to wake Yiqiang myself for his birthday,"

Jiayi forgot the harrowed look in Xiang pin's eyes and did as she was told. For the occasion, Xiang pin had chosen a festively green chenyi with pink lotuses and plump frogs embroidered at the skirt. Once her hair and clothes were done to her standards, Xiang pin went to rouse Sixth Prince.

Hopefully his birthday gave him something to smile about. According to Molan and Bolin, Xiang pin's accident sent Sixth Prince into a frenzy. When he was kept away so the doctors could treat her, he threatened to have anyone who stopped him from going to her bedside executed. He wouldn't even give up his spot next to her bed for The Emperor.

Throughout Xiang pin's recovery, Sixth Prince had reverted into the surly, suspicious boy that Jiayi had found, ignored, and tucked away in the A Ge Sou. Xiang pin had recovered, but Sixth Prince had not. No amount of coaxing and merrymaking had any effect on him either.

"Yiqiang," Xiang pin cooed at the squirming lump on the bed, "It's time to get up!"

Thunder grumbled from somewhere beneath the sheets.

"Didn't you say I could sleep in for my birthday?" the hoarse voice groaned.

"But if you sleep any longer, His Majesty will think you're impudent for making him wait to eat,"

Silence.

"What?"

"It's your birthday. Of course His Majesty invited you to eat breakfast with him,"

Yiqiang tossed off the sheets and nearly fell to the floor in his haste to get up.

"Where's the water?" He grumbled, "I need to wash my face. Quickly!"

Xiang pin giggled as Sixth Prince scrambled to the steaming bowl of water on his vanity. Thunder crawled out from the cocoon of sheets, waddled into her master's lap, and fell asleep again with a throaty snore.

While Ping'er and Molan brushed and braided Sixth Prince's hair, Jiayi sorted through his clothes and dug out the outfit that Xiang pin had ordered for his birthday. The changfu was a deep, rich brown with black sleeves and glistening gold cuffs. The waistcoat was a lighter brown, with the characters for longevity stamped all over in gold foil. Xiang pin even had brand-new scent pouches in deep red with hanging green tassels made for the occasion. It was a very charming outfit.

"Come, come," Xiang pin waving Sixth Prince over to Jiayi, "Let me dress you,"

Sixth Prince stared at the clothes.

"There's gold,"

Xiang pin huffed, "Of course it's gold! Imagine a prince never wearing even a bit of gold on his birthday! Outrageous! Molan, take off his clothes. I need to see if this all still fits. You better not have had a growth spurt since this was finished,"

Sixth Prince was pushed, pulled, and buttoned up before Xiang pin stood straight with a happy sigh.

"What do you think? Is Yiqiang handsome?" She asked.

Jiayi glanced at the other girls, "So handsome, Your Highness!"

Molan nodded eagerly, "There's no one in all of the Forbidden City who is as dashing as Sixth Prince!"

"Not even Prince Han!" Said Pie'er.

Another maid said salaciously, "Not even His Majesty!"

They all dissolved into laughter and Sixth Prince's face grew redder and redder.

"Aiyo!" Said Xiang pin, "Enough! If you make anymore noise, you'll disturb De gui fei,"

"It's a bit late for that," said De gui fei as she walked through the open door.

Jiayi clamped her mouth shut and greeted her. De gui fei hadn't become her biggest fan after the near concubine fiasco, and after everything that happened with Xiang pin's poisoning, Jiayi was sure that De gui fei would like nothing more to see expelled from the palace.

De gui fei looked at Sixth Prince and smiled, "Happy birthday, Yiqiang. You look very handsome,"

"Thank you, De niangniang,"

"Jiejie, you'd usually be on your way to greet The Empress at this time in the morning," said Xiang pin.

"I would, but I don't mind being a little late," said De gui fei, "It was my only chance to see Yiqiang. After the morning greetings, The Empress is going to help me choose the betrothal gifts for the Pan family. It'll probably take all day,"

Xiang pin twisted her lips, "Ah. Another day without my busy jiejie. What a pity. But! This is good! After you get the experience of planning Huahuan's wedding, you can help me with Yiqiang's!"

Sixth Prince tugged at Xiang pin's arm, "We'll be late! Why are you asking De niangniang for help with my wedding? I'm never getting married,"

"Silly child," De gui fei scolded softly, "How can you say that? It's your duty to marry and expand the Aisin-gioro clan,"

Frowning, Sixth Prince said, "My duty is to serve my mother. How can I do that if I get married and live in some faraway manor? I'll stay here and protect her. Royal father has so many sons, anyways they can do it,"

Blasphemous as that was, Jiayi could see the small smiles on Xiang pin's and De gui fei's faces.

Xiang pin let out a trembling breath, "It's too early in the day for me to cry. Let's go,"

She turned to De gui fei, "I'll come see you this afternoon, alright?"

Sixth Prince tugged at Xiang pin again, "Mother,"

"Alright, alright, I'll have to take my leave now, jiejie or Yiqiang may rip my arm clean off,"

A quick bow and Sixth Prince all but pulled Xiang pin out of the room, giving Jiayi a chance to escape De gui fei's heavy gaze.