The grand hall of the Heaven Palace. The most common place where the weekly harem meetings occurred. But more often, it echoed with the sharp clinks of hidden insults, the clash of veiled words, and the quiet daggers of subtle mockery. It was a battlefield in silks and smiles. Those skilled in reading between the lines and retaliating with just enough venom were the ones who rose in ranks. The naive, the overly proud, or the soft-hearted were either exploited...or crushed entirely.
Silence fell like a curtain as Wen Meiyu entered, each of her steps steeped in grace. Her attire wasn't extravagantly ornate, but on her, even the simplest cloth shimmered with dignity. No one dared to ask why she came last despite being the host of today's meeting. They just..
"We greet the Noble Consort," the ladies stood and bowed in unison.
No one dared to take Wen Meiyu lightly. Their reasons varied, admiration, envy, loathing...but none dared defy her outwardly..no one but one. Meiyu didn't care for their sentiments. She was at the top. That was all that mattered.
Only Xie Lianfang remained seated, her smile tucked behind a feather fan. Meiyu's eyes lingered on her. She loathed that woman with a quiet intensity. Some of the concubines gasped softly at Lianfang's brazen show of defiance. Others were used to the cold war between the two most powerful women in the harem and pretended not to notice. A few secretly relished the tension, eager for sparks to fly.
As always, Meiyu smothered her irritation behind a calm nod. She glided to her seat at the center of the room. "You may all sit," she said, casting a fleeting glance at Lianfang. The two women exchanged smiles that masked their mutual hatred.
Ever the peacemaker, Han Lihua cleared her throat to break the silence. The two titans turned their gaze away from each other.
"I see everyone is present today," Meiyu began, only for Feng Ruyin to interrupt in her usual brash tone.
"Not everyone, Your Highness. It seems we're still missing one."
All eyes shifted to the newest seat, vacant, as always. It belonged to the male concubine, Liang Zhen. Three weeks had passed since his entry into the harem, yet he had never attended a single gathering.
Meiyu sighed softly. "It seems our newcomer is still adjusting to the surroundings."
"Don't you mean to say he's just lazy, Your Highness?", Ruyin scoffed, completely missing Meiyu's tactful phrasing. Always convinced of her own wit, Ruyin's arrogance made her an easy pawn for smarter women. No one tried to correct her of course. But they all knew her arrogance would be her downfall one day.
"I say we give him time. After all that he's endured..." Han Lihua's voice was calm, but her sympathy toward the fallen general was clear.
"Keep your pity to yourself," Ruyin rolled her eyes. "I doubt someone from lowly origins like you has the luxury to pity others. And now that the general has lost his family, perhaps he's just as pathetic as you."
Her words cut through the room like a blade. But no one reprimanded her. In the harem, open hostility wasn't strength, it was vulnerability. Still, Ruyin's foolishness had never been disadvantageous for the rest.
Even Lihua bit her tongue, knowing nothing good could come from clashing with Ruyin. Especially not in front of the other ladies.
"Now now, Lady Feng," Meiyu said coolly. "Let's not overstep our boundaries." The chill in her voice was unmistakable, and even someone as oblivious as Ruyin could recognize the warning. She bit her lip, visibly disgruntled.
Across the room, Lianfang's fan fluttered open again, concealing a wicked grin. Watching Ruyin squirm sparked a new idea. A scheme. One that would trap two birds with a single net.
"Aren't you being a little too harsh, Your Highness?" she said sweetly. "I believe Lady Feng has a point."
Meiyu narrowed her eyes. Of course the viper was up to something. She picked up her cup, waiting.
"Oh? Please elaborate, Consort Xie."
Unbothered by Meiyu's suspicion, Lianfang continued, "I propose we send a formal warning to the new concubine. He's suffered, yes, but shirking his responsibilities for weeks is not acceptable. As his seniors, it's our duty to teach him right from wrong."
There it was.
Meiyu could see it now. Whether Lianfang intended to use Ruyin to control Zhen, or pit Zhen against Ruyin, it didn't matter. Both possibilities served her.
And Meiyu? She knew better than to fight fire with fire. Sometimes, you handed your enemy the match and let them burn themselves.
"I agree," Meiyu said. This was the only time the two woman worked together. To bring others down. "And such an important task should naturally fall to Lady Feng. Someone as honest as her would be the perfect choice to deliver a firm warning."
The compliment inflated Ruyin's pride. But the others recognized the insult buried beneath Meiyu's words, she had just called Ruyin tactless.
Still, Ruyin beamed. "Of course! Who better than me? I shall go right away, with your permission."
Meiyu nodded. "Go ahead."
And just like that, Feng Ruyin strutted out, blissfully unaware she was walking into a trap, set and baited by women far more cunning than she.
Ruolan had worked in the harem since childhood, helping her mother with small chores, carrying clothes to the laundry, sorting out herbs. She had seen many royal concubines, consorts, and even low-ranking prostitutes. Yet never had she seen anyone as careless as this.
Liang Zhen reclined on the sedan chair wearing nothing but a bathrobe, an outrageous display for any concubine. His long black hair lay damp against the cushions, soaking into the fabric as he lazily ate the apple Ruolan had just cut.
Ruolan knew better than to scold him. She remembered that chilling glare, the one that made her feel her neck might be slit at any moment. Silence was her best defense, if she stayed quiet, she could avoid angering the madman.
But then she noticed something.
Everyone in the empire knew of Liang Zhen's martial prowess. Even the neighboring kingdoms admired, and feared... his skill. Which was why so many nobles were shocked when the emperor banished him to the cold palace without first sealing his Qi. It was a dangerous move. Some even called it foolish. But none dared question the emperor.
There was, however, one strict rule: no sharp objects in the cold palace. Nothing dangerous was allowed near the disgraced general. Only a small fruit knife had been permitted, under strict watch. For even that, in Zhen's hands, could be deadlier than a sword.
That's why Ruolan's blood ran cold when she saw the knife was missing from the tray.
"Your highness, did you-"
Her voice was cut off by loud knocking.
"Consort Feng is here! Come out and greet her!", a guard called out.
Ruolan paled.
It was well known that no high-ranking consort could interfere with the newer ones, not until the latter had been formally recognized by the emperor. It was common knowledge that Liang Zhen had been in the palace for three weeks, and still, the emperor hadn't visited him even once.
For Feng Ruyin to come here now… It was a blatant breach of protocol.
Ruolan's breath caught. She dreaded what the man before her might do in response.
Zhen smirked, clearly amused. "Seems we have an interesting guest, Little snake."
He sprang to his feet and walked toward the door, still barefoot, still in his robe. He opened it casually.
Gasps escaped the mouths of Ruyin's maids and guards at the sight. Ruyin herself looked stunned.
"What kind of behavior is this!? How can a royal concubine greet someone in such drabs!?"
Zhen yawned, picking his nose. Then he folded his arms, unbothered by the outrage. Ruyin's face turned red with fury.
"I am a senior consort! You are required to bow in my presence!"
Ruolan's eyes widened. Seriously? Talking about rules after breaking them herself?
Zhen cocked his head. "Senior consort? I only heard a dog barking."
The insult was like a whip. All of Ruyin's guards stiffened in disbelief. Ruyin clenched her fists, cheeks aflame.
"You dare-!" she screamed, raising a hand to strike him.
But Zhen was faster. His hand connected with her cheek before hers could even fall. The sound echoed.
Everyone froze.
A man... had slapped a woman.
Blood trickled from Ruyin's nose. For a moment, she didn't react..too stunned to understand what had just happened. She had always been treated like royalty. The daughter of General Feng. The consort of the emperor. And now, here she stood, slapped in front of her subordinates.
When she finally regained her senses, she opened her mouth to yell...only to find Zhen's gaze fixed somewhere beyond her.
His smirk had vanished.
He was staring into the wild overgrown grass outside the cold palace.
And then-
Footsteps. Many. Fast. Heavy.
"What is going on here!?"
Everyone turned. Gao Shiming, the emperor's right hand, the chief strategist, stood at the gate, eyes sharp.
He looked over the chaotic scene: Zhen in a robe, Ruyin with a bloody nose, and maids as pale as ghosts.
"You will all stand and greet the emperor," he announced gravely.
A chill swept through the court as the emperor appeared, guards flanking him on both sides.
Ruyin's breath caught. Why was the emperor here?
Did he come… to see Zhen?
Before she could speak, Shiming's voice rang out.
"Consort Feng. May I ask what you are doing in the cold palace? You are well aware that it's against the rules."
Ruyin stiffened. If she didn't explain herself properly, this could destroy her.
She dropped to her knees. "Your Majesty! Please hear this humble concubine out. I came merely out of concern. The new consort has been absent from our meetings for three weeks. I only wished to check on his health…"
She let tears fall, trying to sound as pathetic as possible. "But he… he mocked my concern. And he struck me!"
All eyes turned to the emperor.
He said nothing. His expression remained unreadable.
Zhen, on the other hand, looked at him with unmistakable hatred.
The soldiers behind the emperor bristled. How dare anyone glare at the sovereign? But they didn't know Zhen like Ruolan did. She had lived beside this madness for three weeks.
And right now?
She had a sinking feeling something terrible was about to happen.