There was a strange feeling running through Zhongcuigong. An pin followed after Shen huang gui fei when the morning greetings ended. She wanted to see how her jiejie would rearrange herself to brush off The Empress' jab.

The amusement was lost as soon as she got to the courtyard. All the servants wore cloth masks on the bottom half of their faces. The maids at the door were holding steaming copper bowls of water. An pin watched as Shen huang gui fei scrubbed her hands until they were pink before stepping inside. An pin tried to do the same, but the maids blocked her.

"Apologies, Your Highness. Please wash your hands before coming inside,"

An pin was baffled by the demand.

Shen huang gui fei turned around, "Just a precaution, meimei, for Yizhong's sake,"

An pin nodded, stuck her hands in the water, and nearly screamed. The water was nearly boiling! Did Shen huang gui fei's maids have leather hands? How were they holding the bowls?! Regardless, she scrubbed her hands until they stung before stepping inside, where things became stranger.

All the windows were shut tight despite the heat of the day. Even though she encountered the masked maids at the door, seeing them kneeling en mass before Shen huang gui fei was startling. She walked through the servants and sat at the head of the room.

"Come sit, meimei,"

An pin did as she was told. She mindlessly reached for a piece of fruit or plate of treats that Shen huang gui fei usually had dotted on all the side tables but found it empty.

"Ah, leaving food out in the open can make the air poor. If you'd like something, I can send someone to the hothouse,"

"Don't trouble yourself, jiejie," An pin replied.

She looked around the room again. Had Shen huang gui fei cracked?

"How are you, jiejie?" She asked.

Shen huang gui fei sighed, "Taking it day by day. Seeing you reminds me of how carefree and fresh I was before I had children. Raising as many children as I have makes you show your age, meimei. Lucky you don't have to worry about that,"

An pin wondered how she hadn't noticed Shen huang gui fei's forked tongue all these years.

"How is Yiru?" She asked, "From what The Empress said just now, he might be getting worse?"

Shen huang gui fei huffed, "With all my worries, I couldn't help but be confused. Now that Yihan and Yihe are back in His Majesty's good graces, she has plenty of time to guide me to the right path,"

"Yiru is fine. The Imperial Hospital reports to me every evening about his condition. He's on his way to recovery,"

"And Yizhong's in no danger?"

Shen huang gui fei lifted her chin, "My household listened very closely when Hwang taiyi informed me about what I had to do to keep Yizhong healthy. There's no safer place than here. I'm sure when I return from the hunt with His Majesty, he'll be perfect. "

"I'm glad to hear that, jiejie,"

Annoyed by the wooden smile on her face, An pin began to fan herself. She had barely flicked her wrist twice before Shen huang gui fei grabbed it.

"No fans," She said, "Hwang taiyi's orders,"

An pin nodded and tugged her hand away. What a lunatic!

"Can you believe Lian fei is pregnant after all these years?" An pin asked.

Shen huang gui fei rolled her eyes, "She was very proud of herself, wasn't she? Like she did any work at all. Her madam, Xiang pin, was the only reason this happened. I'm sure His Majesty forgets she exists some days,"

"You were right, though, jiejie; it would be best for her to have a princess. I don't think she has what it takes to raise a prince,"

"Very few do," Shen huang gui fei replied, "But there's no need to drag her down. These first few months can be precarious. We should keep her in our thoughts,"

"Your Highness is so kind,"

"You should spend time with her meimei. Perhaps His Majesty will find her more tolerable now that she's pregnant. Maybe he'll spend a bit of time with you as well,"

"Maybe," An pin echoed.

As if Shen huang gui fei had any room to talk. When was the last time The Emperor found himself between her legs? And she had the nerve to talk down on An pin? On anyone?

"I'll have to have the Imperial Hospital send her a few gifts on my behalf," Shen huang gui fei said, "That Cao taiyi could pick out some nice things. And I'm sure I have some black ginseng around here somewhere,"

"You're so thoughtful, Your Highness," An pin replied, real joy in her voice, "Your gift will make Lian jiejie so happy,"

Having Cao taiyi by her side was once again an incredible boon. His Majesty may not care so much about Lian fei, but the Imperial heir in her belly was priceless. If something were to go wrong, the culprit wouldn't be able to escape his rage.

An pin's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a soft coo. She craned her head around, "Is that Yizhong?"

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Shen huang gui fei nodded, "He usually sleeps longer than this after feeding in the morning,"

A eunuch came to her side, "Your Highness, Mao chang zai and Zhang gui ren are here,"

"Let them in,"

Shen hung gui fei dabbed at her damp brow with her handkerchief, "Zhongcuigong has been so busy lately. I hope you don't mind the company meimei. I know these days you only like to stroll quietly with Wang chang zai,"

She really had a thick face to call An pin lonely. Did she even have one true friend in all the Forbidden City?

Had she ever?

Like most young girls, Mao chang zai and Zhang gui ren were all smiles and big heads as they greeted Shen huang gui fei. Just looking at the two made something deep in An pin very jealous. She wasn't much older than them, but they had the sort of lightness in their bodies that signaled that the hardships of life hadn't broken them down. They were simple, stupid girls.

"Rise," said Shen huang gui fei, "What brings you two here today? We just saw one another,"

Mao chang zai smiled, "Jiejie and I only see Your Highness during morning greetings. We wanted to stop by and chat,"

Su momo came into the room, Yizhong sitting up in her arms.

"How cute!" Zhang gui ren said, stroking his little hand and fat cheeks.

Yes, Yizhong was vexingly cute and flushed with health.

Before An pin could think much of it, Shen huang gui fei leapt from her chair and struck Zhang gui ren across the face.

Zhang gui ren crashed to the floor, dragging down a side table and sending a tea cup flying. Yizhong, frightened by the noise, began to cry.

Whirling around, Shen huang gui fei screamed at Su momo ,"Take him away and clean him! Now! Why are you just standing there?!"

Su momo bowed and stumbled away with Yizhong.

Shen huang gui fei stared down at Zhang gui ren, her eyes wide, "You..you! How dare you put your filthy hands on my son!"

Zhang gui ren scrambled to her knees, "Your Highness! I wouldn't dare! I washed my hands before I came in!"

"Be quiet! You want to harm His Majesty's child! That's a crime deserving of death!"

"Your Highness, please, Zhang gui ren meant no harm," Mao chang zai begged as she fell to the floor, "It was only a small touch! Yizhong is blessed as your son! It won't do any harm,"

"Shut up!" Shen huang gui fei said, "Men! Take them out and flog them 30 times! Drag them back to their palace where they can repent for their actions. They are not to set one foot outside for 3 months! Get rid of them! Now! Now!"

Zhang gui ren and Mao chang zai's begging rose to a fever pitch as a swarm of eunuchs scraped them off the ground and hauled them into the courtyard for punishment.

An pin was struck dumb by it all. She didn't know what to do. If she stoked the flames of Shen huang gui fei's rage, wouldn't she end up like Zhang gui ren and Mao chang zai?

"Your Highness," she began with a nervous laugh, "Are you alright?"

"Get out!" Shen huang gui fei roared.

"Yes, Your Highness," An pin replied, sliding out of her chair.

She didn't need to be told twice.

An pin's heart didn't stop racing until she was stepping into Chuxiugong's courtyard.

"She's gone crazy," An pin said, "Flogging those girls 30 times?"

Weiwei shivered, "Your Highness, you can't go back to her. What if you get hurt?"

"I think I'm fine for now. I'll make myself scarce when things get worse,"

Weiwei tilted her head, "When?"

"I'll explain later. First, we need Cao taiyi,"

✺

Shen huang gui fei stared down at the message in her hands.

No change.

How was this possible? At least seven Imperial physicians were at Yiru's side day and night. How had he not even become somewhat healthier? It had been three weeks since he fell ill. Why hadn't he made a step towards recovery? Had someone gotten inside and tampered with his medicine? Or did they pay off a eunuch to keep the windows wide open and let in sickness? But who would dare?

Truthfully, the question was, who wouldn't?

Who wasn't terrified or envious of how quickly Shen huang gui fei was rising in power and status? They were all against her, waiting to see her stumble. When she was little better than nothing, they had no problem treating her correctly, but now? Even The Empress was becoming bold. She probably sent those dirty girls to infect Yizhong.

They couldn't stand to see her enjoy the fruit of her labor–to see her finally get what she deserved. Shen huang gui fei thought back to the morning greetings, the way those vipers in that pit of snakes had unhinged their jaws–waiting to consume her at the first sign of weakness.

She wouldn't let it happen.

"Your Highness?" Jingse's soft voice pulled her from her thoughts, "Xiao-fu is here,"

Shen huang gui fei pressed the paper into Jingse's hand, "Get rid of this,"

Xiao-fu was a long-time eunuch of His Majesty's. He was permanently unimportant, but he tended to be in the room where things happened. He may not know much about His Majesty's thoughts, but he could relay his actions, and Shen huang gui fei needed that more than ever. Except for the scolding she received after Yiru fell ill, His Majesty hadn't spoken to her since.

"Don't bother," she said as Xiao-fu began to kneel, "Speak. Quickly!"

Xiao-fu ducked his head, "His Majesty received the report from Bai gonggong's investigation some time ago. I saw some of it. The report mentioned your name,"

Shen huang gui fei's hands began to shake. She clenched them shut, "In what way?"

Xiao-fu shook his head, "I didn't have time to see all of it, but it did say..."

"It said what?"

"On the order of Shen huang gui fei," he said.

Shen huang gui fei closed her eyes before letting out a breath, "Get out,"

Xiao-fu said something, but Shen huang gui fei paid it no mind. She said nothing even as the doors shut. She pressed her head into her hand.

It was a mistake to let Bai gonggong live for so long. She should've killed him the second he failed to eliminate Xiang pin. Her mind raced. She could fix this. She could spread rumors that Bai gonggong was a deluded drunkard who spoke nothing but nonsense. Or maybe she could find a maid, kidnap their family, and force them to confess that Bai gonggong had never spoken to Shen huang gui fei in his life.

She could...

She would...

Something. She would do something. There had to be something she could do.

If Yiru didn't survive, Huabao marrying into the Fuca clan could only protect her for so long. She needed a shield that not even a cannon couldn't burst through. Suddenly, the thought of Lian fei's soon-to-be big belly popped into her mind. She stared down at her trim waist.

An Imperial heir was a blessing, even if it were in the belly of a beast. Pregnancy was so fragile. His Majesty couldn't hate her so fiercely that he would risk the life of his unborn child.

He couldn't.

Shen huang gui fei rushed to the chest at the end of her bed and took out a few lumps of silver. She thrust them at A'Fang.

"Go to the Imperial Hospital, and have someone weigh out 3 months' worth of a fertility decoction prescription and bring it back here. If anyone has anything to say, give them the silver. And ask for a list of foods that encourage pregnancy,"

A'Fang stared at the money in her hands like the fool she was, her feet stuck in place.

"What are you waiting for?" Shen huang gui fei said, pushing at her shoulder, "Go! And tell them to keep their mouths shut!"

A'Fang bobbed her head in a clumsy bow and scurried out. Jingse came in after her.

"Your Highness, what's going on?"

Shen huang gui fei didn't reply. She pushed past her maid and walked to the wardrobe at the end of the room. Reaching around the back, she felt around the smooth wood before finding the hidden key hanging by a nail.

The key opened the bottom drawer of her nightstand. She pulled it open and stared inside, the thoughts in her head buzzing like a hive of angry bees.

"Your Highness?" Jingse asked, kneeling by her side.

"Have you started packing for Mulan?" Shen huang gui fei asked.

Jingse shook her head.

"Start," Shen huang gui fei replied, pulling out the silver bottle "Put this somewhere safe,"

Jingse clutched the prize in her hand tightly, "Yes, Your Highness,"