The Emperor's Beloved Ruyi

18. Staging the Play

Xiu smiled as they made their way out of the Palace the time of the tour had arrived, and they would be boarding a ship soon. Xiu had left her children in safe hands after all she and Huang Jun had agreed that they would be sent to her parents until they returned. The children would be safe and untouched. Gently raising her curtain, she looked out at the trees and flowers and smirked soon they would accomplish what they needed. As she lowered the curtain, she looked at the chest the Emperor had insisted she rides with inside it lay the poison he wanted her to consume after they ate.

He had ensured that it would not affect her womb and once the antidote was given within the time frame of two hours, she would be perfectly fine. Luckily her personal attendants and his eunuchs all had the cure. Xiu closed the box and leaned back her jade bangle glimmering every time the sunlight hit it.

In the carriage behind her, Liling smiled softly even though she was pregnant the Emperor refused to take any risks and had three pregnancy mamas accompany her. Liling knew exactly what was going to happen once the moon appeared in the skies and already downed several pools of rice porridge and soup. To cry a woman needed to be hydrated. Luckily, she was not travelling alone as Imperial Concubine Shu was with her. The two women desired to see the play that the Emperor had planned for them.

"We will become family soon," the woman said as she rubbed her now-showing belly her brown eyes fixed on the view outside. Liling only smiled "Yes I hope our families prosper" Her answer was very traditional and practised while the two women were cordial Liling was not stupid enough to assume that she and Imperial Concubine Shu were friends. The older woman was friends with her big sister and got along with her, but they were not friends as many would put it.

In addition to that she was not foolish enough to assume that her sister would have made a friend without reason of survival and alliances. However, as the days passed, she realised the Xiu had proper and true friendships with Consort Zhang and Noble Consort Zhi she wondered why her sister had made a good friendship with these two and just a shallow one with Imperial Concubine Shu.

After a few minutes it dawned on her, and she could not help but smirk her sister made an alliance with her mirror. She saw how Imperial concubine Shu glanced at the Emperor and quickly realised that the woman would end up heartbroken and bitter eventually but with this alliance of families she could not take it out on them unless she wanted to make her sister's marriage life difficult.

It seemed that Xiu and their mothers had been scheming together and father in all his good sense allowed it to avoid the silent treatment. When the carriage came to a halt, they were both escorted unto a boat with proper service.

The Imperial Noble Consort was escorted into her boat by the imperial guard and her attendants. Watching this procession was the Emperor who stood in his room with a frown, Liling could see him from where she stood it seemed the man had entered his ship in secret what bothered her was that there was somebody with the Emperor whom she could not make out. Liling turned away and entered her room to rest.

He Huang Jun looked at the woman standing behind him she looked exhausted "Xiu" she looked up at him. Her eyes showed her visible exhaustion as she walked into his arms "Your Majesty I want to sleep". She looked up at him giving him her signature pout and puppy eyes. And as expected he gave in picking her up and placing her on his bed.

"Daiyu watch Noble Consort HuiXian carefully" The woman nodded as the emperor made his way to discuss the upcoming matters with Li Chi. As the boats left, he glanced at the papers in his hand "How did the Imperial Noble Consort take to her accommodations". Li Chi made a small sound of disapproval "Her Highness Imperial Noble Consort was not pleased with her accommodations as her nigh pearls were not used to decorate the room and she stated it was too simple".

There was a long silence before the Emperor gave a low laugh there was no humour or joy in it, Li Chi paled when he detected anger and absolute bloodlust in the laugh of the Emperor. This would be the end of the Imperial Noble Consort it seemed as he noticed the dark look in the man's eyes. He had joined the emperor on the battlefield years ago and was quite aware of how dangerous the man in front of him was.

Across the water, three boats away some of the other concubines sat in a group discussing the current situation "The Imperial Noble Consort threw a fuss and Li Chi went to report it how long do you think she will sit securely as the head of the harem". Consort Zhang smirked into her tea when one of the newer women asked, it was brave of her to speak, the sound of a fan being placed on the table and the noise of disapproval caused her to look at the woman to her right Imperial Concubine Le. The woman stayed out of the fights in the Harem and often faded into the shadows however this did not mean she was weak.

Imperial Concubine Le was backed, and hand selected by the Empress Dowager to serve her son. What many failed to realise is that the woman was one of the most powerful people in the harem the shadows allowed her to hear every secret and observe making her a genuine threat. "Noble Lady Ke you have just entered the harem, is it not very different from your home" The words were spoken with a small smile and kind eyes, but everyone knew what she was implying 'This is not your family yard this is the Imperial Harem if you want to survive learn to keep your mouth shut'.

Noble Consort Zhi pressed her lips together to prevent herself from laughing and picked up a Mandarin. Noble Lady Ke paused and nodded "Thank you for your kind words of guidance Imperial Concubine Le". Good it seemed that the girl was smart she would survive a bit longer in this den of lions.

However, another one of the newer concubines frowned at Imperial Concubine Le, this woman was of simple background and was just a pin why did she have so much respect in the harem? She was about to speak when someone poked her looking at her personal attendant, she saw the girl discreetly shake her head. It seemed there was more to this woman than she knew so instead the young girl pasted on a smile and drank her tea.

As this continued the two Consorts shared a look it seemed that the battles in the harem would only grow. They really need Xiu to take the Phoenix seat before things got any worse.