The food spread over Shen huang gui fei's dining table was rank. There were plates of fatty, slimy meat, a bowl of strange fried noodles, greasy barbecue, and stinky mutton and camel dishes. The servants had to open every window and door so the sour smells didn't linger in her palace.

"Huabao," Shen huang gui fei said, cringing as her daughter slurped down a cup of sour yak milk, "Wouldn't you like something else to eat? His Majesty and I had lunch yesterday, and the food was so lovely. Should I send for some?"

Shaking her head, Huabao said, "Maybe later. This is all I've wanted since I returned! Ah! Thankfully, Royal Grandmother let me borrow her chef. A-niang, you don't want to try?"

Huabao placed a piece of slimy mystery meat on Shen huang gui fei's plate, a bright smile on her face.

Shen huang gui fei turned away from the sight with a strained laugh, "What about birds nest's soup? Jingse will make a fresh batch for you,"

Huabao wrinkled her nose before turning to the handmaid she'd dragged back to the palace, Tuya. Tuya was short, squat, and dark. In any other circumstance, Shen huang gui fei would have never let her set foot in Zhongcuigong.

"Are there any more of the sweet milk curds?"

"No, First Princess," replied Tuya.

"I'll just have Royal Grandmother's chef make more," said Huabao, returning to her meal.

Who was this girl sitting across from her? This wild thing? This stranger who nodded her head quietly as The Empress Dowager promised her a crop of maids to bring with her into her new household?

As the days passed, the distance between Shen huang gui fei and her child grew. Gone was the daughter who clutched her skirts and hung on her every word. Now, there was a woman who often stank of the stables and didn't care to even look at the portrait of her future husband. Huabao barely cared a lick about her marriage at all. Whenever Shen huang gui fei tried to guide Huabao about running her new household, the girl found an excuse to run away. Not to mention that her attitude during any of the pre-marriage ceremonies bordered on apathy. Huabao turned her nose up at the embroidery and calligraphy they had so much fun with, instead opting to run off, race horses, and shoot arrows with her brothers.

With each wall Huabao was determined to put up between them, Shen huang gui fei grew angrier. Her daughter would have never ended up like this if it wasn't for The Empress. Her daughter would still be her little girl and His Majesty's precious pearl if The Empress hadn't sunk her claws into her. Shen huang gui fei was sure that the bitch had something up her sleeve for Huabao's wedding. Why wouldn't she? Her maternal cousins were married to His Majesty's favored brother, she had two sons, and soon, she would have a direct connection to the Fuca clan.

If The Empress struck now, everything Shen huang gui fei had worked so hard for would go up in flames. Shen huang gui fei wasn't going to wait around and let that happen.

✺

Shen huang gui fei had never paid much attention to to Bai gonggong. He had been Fung gonggong's deputy eunuch for as long as she had been in the Forbidden City. Fung gonggong had always been the bigger fish, but he was, unfortunately, unswayable. As old as he was, he had no family to support or possibly hold hostage. He was an eunuch in all senses of the word, so a beautiful woman was as good as dirt to him, and he worshipped no one but the man under whom he rose to power: The Late Emperor. His Majesty was a close second, but the eunuch did everything in his old master's name. No concubine could push him to one side or the other, as he would defer to The Empress or The Empress Dowager as the rules permitted. Trying to bother with him was a waste of time and energy.

Bai gonggong, however, from what Jingse could gather, was nothing of the sort. He was easy to ignore and, for the right price, could get a servant where they needed to go. None of the concubines paid him notice, but he managed to collect a tidy sum from the other eunuchs and maids to switch departments or to keep secrets secret. It was rumored that the only reason he became Fung gonggong's deputy was because he was the cause of the front runner's violent end with a wild horse.

"Your Highness," he said, gesturing to the painted porcelain pots that his eunuchs held behind him, "I scoured the Storage House to find the finest gift for First Princess's wedding,"

The pots were fine. Certainly, nothing that Shen huang gui fei found to be up to her standards, but that wasn't the real reason she called him here anyway. If her intuition was correct then Bai gonggong wouldn't be opposed to helping Shen huang gui fei with her little problem.

"That one there," she said, pointing to a yellow and blue gourd-shaped pot, "Bring it closer,"

Before the eunuch holding her choice could even lift his head, Bai gonggong snatched it away and brought it to Shen huang gui fei.

Obedient. Good.

"Did you pick this one yourself, gonggong?" She asked, pretending to inspect the craftsmanship.

"Of course, Your Highness,"

A liar as well. Very good.

"You have a very good eye, gonggong,"

"This slave doesn't deserve your praise, Your Highness,"

"I'll take this one," Shen huang gui fei said, handing the pot to A'Fang, before nodding at Jingse, "Give Bai gonggong his reward,"

Bai gonggong's eyes glittered at the sight of the silver tael in Jingse's hand.

"Your Highness is too kind," he said, not hesitating to take the money. He bowed low, "We'll take our leave,"

"Stay a moment, gonggong. There's a task I'd like you to help me with," said Shen huang gui fei.

"I'm only a lowly deputy, Your Highness," Bai gonggong replied, "Perhaps Fung gonggong would be better suited to serve you?"

As deferential as the words were, there was no mistaking the way his grip tightened on the reward in his hands.

"No, you'll do just fine,"

Bai gonggong eagerly shooed the other eunuchs away.

"How may I serve you, Your Highness?"

✺

As the candles burned high and bright, a trickle of sweat slid down An pin's temple and nestled itself in the fabric of her collar. It was the height of summer now and she usually wouldn't subject herself to being steamed like a piece of fish, but she hunkered down in Dafuge for a reason. Cao taiyi had finally become worth An pin's while.

"Your Highness," Weiwei hissed as she hurried back from the courtyard facing windows, "Limei is here,"

Immediately, An pin began to poke at her thighs with a sharp pin to help the tears fall from her eyes. By the time Limei walked through the doors, An pin would have worked herself up into a respectable crying fit.

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From what Weiwei could gather, Limei had been Guang pin's dowry maid and her closest confidant. Since Guang pin's death, the girl haunted the Forbidden City like a pale ghost, skulking from her new post at the Ice House to the Dafuge to pray for Guang pin's soul and back again.

The door creaked open.

"Meimei," An pin blubbered, "Meimei, I'm so sorry,"

"Your Highness?"

An pin pretended to be startled and whirled around.

"Your Highness An pin!" Limei said, dropping to her knees to bow.

An pin sniffled and rubbed the tears from her cheeks, "Rise,"

Limei glanced at Guang pin's memorial tablet, "Are you here to speak with my mistress?"

An pin nodded before gazing at the shrine, "Do you come here very often, Limei?"

Limei's eyes opened wide, as if she couldn't believe that An pin knew her name at all before nodding her head, "Yes, Your Highness. We never went a day without seeing each other...before, so it's become a habit,"

An pin sighed, "I came here because my heart is heavy. I was hoping meimei could ease my sorrows,"

"I didn't know that you and Guang pin were close, Your Highness," replied Limei.

Shaking her head, An pin pressed a hand to her heart, "We weren't. But I wish I could back and change things,"

Her voice dropped to a low whisper, "Maybe then I could have protected her,"

Limei reared back as if she had been struck, her pale face somehow going even whiter.

"What?" She croaked out?

An pin shook her head and scrambled to her feet, making a point to stumble even as Weiwei buoyed her.

"Nothing," An pin whispered, "I won't keep you from your conversation,"

An pin began ambling to the door.

"Your Highness, wait!" Limei said, running in front of her, "What did you say just then? What did you mean?"

Limei clawed at An pin's sleeve desperately. An pin snatched her arm away.

Weiwei pushed Limei to the side, "How dare you put your hands on An pin?! Get out of the way!"

An pin squeezed out more tears and brought her handkerchief to her mouth to muffle her sobs. It was a good performance but unfortunately, Limei looked defeated. She stood there quietly, not bothering to come after An pin again. What a waste!

However, just as An pin thought the whole endeavor wasn't worth her while, Limei sprung back to life. She planted herself in front of the door and kneeled.

"Your Highness, I beg you! I beg you! Please tell me! Please tell me so I can honor my mistress!"

Each cry was punctuated with a dull 'clunk' as Limei bashed her head into the ground.

Ah! Finally!

"Weiwei, help her up," said An pin.

Weiwei did as she was told.

Limei lifted her head as a thin stream of blood dribbled down her face. An pin pressed her handkerchief to it.

"You shouldn't hurt yourself like this, Limei,"

Limei shook her head, "This body is nothing. I'm only here to honor Guang pin's name,"

An pin released a theatric sigh, "If I tell you what I meant, do you promise to act sensibly?"

The girl nodded frantically, obviously lying.

Putting on a nervous tick and fiddling with her nail guards, An pin began, "When Wang Rong was alive, she was my dearest friend after we entered the palace together. We grew close for a time, but as His Majesty acquired more and more women and her favor wasn't so everlasting, she grew bitter and angry. Especially at your mistress,"

An pin paused for dramatic effect.

"One night, I thought to drop in and have dinner with Wang Rong. I didn't bother to announce myself because it was so late. She was talking to her maids and I heard her say... I...I didn't do anything about it because I couldn't imagine she would do something so drastic. And I couldn't imagine that Shen huang gui fei would help her,"

Limei's lips wobbled but no sound emerged.

"I didn't think of it again. After meimei's death, so many things happened. But a few months ago, she came to me in a dream and begged me to find the truth. She wanted me to know that it wasn't just the childbed that...that the labor didn't take her,"

"I began asking around," An pin continued, "I even sent a physician around to ask Guang pin's servants about her food and drink,"

"That was you? You sent that doctor?" Limei said before biting her lip, "What...what did he find?"

An pin blinked away a new set of tears, "Do you remember when a gift from Wang Rong came for your mistress? Herbs to keep her beauty?"

Limei, thankfully, caught on quickly to what An pin was implying.

"But, we sent it to the Imperial Hospital," Limei said, her voice shaking, "They said it was safe,"

"Do you know if they tested the entire jar or just the top?" An pin said, pulling a lie out of thin air.

Limei shook her head and pursed her lips, "I-I don't know,"

"That night, Wang Rong told her maids that she knew you sent the medicine for inspection and was glad she listened to Shen huang gui fei about filling the top of herbs with something harmless,"

"It was poison? She poisoned Guang pin?"

"In a way. Guang pin was taking bu gu zhi. If you and I were to take it, even for years at a time, it wouldn't harm us. But for a pregnant woman, it's fatal,"

Limei crumpled to the ground and stared at An pin, in a dazed silence.

For an uncomfortable stretch of time, the girl sat there, slumped at An pin's feet without a single blink. An pin fought the scowl that was desperate to be on her face. This wasn't the response she expected. She was hoping for righteous anger or woeful tears! Not this corpse.

Instead of slapping her, An pin said softly, "Limei? Are you alright?"

"Why,"

An pin paused.

"Why?"

Limei spoke again, "Why would Shen huang gui fei do this?"

An pin knelt on the ground before grabbing Limei's hand, "The back palace is a glittering slate of beauty that masks the evil of the mind. I thought we were close but after finding out the truth. I don't know what to think,"

"Do you think she did it so she could finally have a prince?" Weiwei asked, skillfully inserting herself into the conversation.

"I," An pin said, her lips quivering, "I can't believe that. Shen huang gui fei couldn't have know that meimei would even give birth to sons,"

"Your Highness, didn't you think it was strange that out of the blue, everyone was banned from visiting Guang pin, except for Shen huang gui fei? Could it be that she wanted Guang pin to think that no one but her cared for her?"

An pin shook her head, "I don't know what to think, Weiwei. I don't want to keep thinking of these things in such a holy place,"

She swayed to the side to make a point.

"Your Highness, you've gone pale. I'll take you back to Chuxiugong,"

An pin nodded, but before she let Weiwei lead her away, she kneeled to grab Limei's hands again.

"Don't lose your head over this Limei. Wang Rong and Shen huang gui fei may have wronged your mistress, but she was only the bottom rung in the ladder of this cruel place. If you truly want to honor Guang pin, you'll live a good, long life with her memory in your heart,"

Limei sagged to the ground as if her shoulders weighed a thousand pounds.

"I will, Your Highness. Thank you for your grace,"

"Your Highness," Weiwei said as they began their trek back to Chuxiugong, "Do you think she'll be able to do anything without your help? What if this was a waste?"

An pin shrugged, "I have faith in her. Though, if it amounts to nothing, I still have plenty of things in store for Shen huang gui fei,"

✺

Jiayi was broke. Absolutely emptied out. She would probably have to sell one of the gifts Xiang pin gave her to be able to send something back to Wei Jiayi's family. As perilous as the situation was, Jiayi didn't feel anything but the outrageous amount of butterflies in her stomach. Before Xiang pin had laid down for her afternoon nap, Jiayi asked permission to drop by the clothing house and pick up some fabric for a dress. It was only half a lie. She did pick out some fabric–a few bundles of rich black silk–but it wasn't for a dress.

It was for Prince Han's gift.

Jiayi had thought long and hard about what she could possibly give to someone like him and the idea finally came to her as she watched Xiang pin 'ooh' and 'ahh' over a brocade pajama set that The Emperor had sent her before declaring that she would sew a set for him as a gift in return. The thought nailed itself to the flesh of Jiayi's brain.

She and Prince Han were together. Those were the sort of gifts people gave to one another, right? Before she could lose her courage, Jiayi had spent the money and bought the fabric. The sight of it folded innocently in the basket on her arm made her heart race. She wouldn't just give Prince Han the pajamas, obviously. That would be too much! She would paint him something with her Hubi. Maybe when she asked Sang'er to give her Prince Han's measurements, she'd ask if Prince Han had any favorite poems or sutras so she could paint something to hang on his wall. Jiayi was so lost in her thoughts that she almost missed the sight of Shen huang gui fei's and First Princess's raised chairs. She moved herself to the side and kneeled as the entourage passed by.

Since First Princess's return, Shen huang gui fei's time revolved entirely around the wedding. While things had been quiet, they all knew better than to count Shen huang gui fei out. They were as vigilant as they could be. Jiayi rose to her feet as the servants passed her by. She paused as a familiar yet unfamiliar face brought up the rear of Shen huang gui fei's line of maids. She had seen the maid's face before, somewhere, but never as a servant of Zhongcuigong. Before she could bring a face to the name, a eunuch stopped in front of her.

"Wei guniang?"

Jiayi clutched her basket tightly. She had never seen this eunuch before, "Yes?"

"Fung gonggong has asked for you,"

Jiayi's throat dried up in an instant. She croaked out a laugh, "I'm sorry gonggong, but I have to return to my mistress–,"

"Her Highness Xiang pin has already been informed," he replied, "This way. Quickly,"