Illuminate (Jinshi x OC)

Chapter Four: Trials of a Lady-in-Waiting

I had some trouble with the second part of this chapter, so it's out a little later than I would've liked it to be. That being said, I really appreciate the support Illuminate has received thus far. I hope you guys continue to enjoy this story!

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Warning: mentions of abuse and assault

Luomiere sighed, looking up at a crystalline sky dominated by a crescent moon; it and an ocean of twinkling stars were her only sense of comfort in the unfamiliar bedroom. Although her mattress had been littered with delicate sheets and downy pillows, sleep did not come to her. She had been grasping at it for more than an hour when she finally gave in and began to stargaze, but it didn't quite have the calming effect she had hoped for. In fact, it had only allowed her to better focus on the thoughts that swirled through her mind.

"I...would like to learn how to perform my duty as a wife to the utmost of my ability."

Yeah, right.

"I just want to know what it means to be a lady, and what it means to be a wife...that's all."

As if either of those things really matter to me.

Luomiere had only spoken to save face, fearing that she had upset the celestial nymph known as Jinshi. He was abnormally cold when he dismissed her from the room, but she supposed she couldn't blame him when she had called him out just moments before. She made certain to speak formally and respectfully, but regardless of how she phrased them, there was no denying that her words had been bold. No matter how amiable his behavior was, he was still her superior.

She could care less about whether or not she was punished, but she knew how federal retribution worked: it didn't stop at the perpetrator alone. If she were charged with a crime, then her family would suffer as well; with a transgression bad enough, they could even be executed along with her. Of course, Luomiere didn't think her entire clan would be wiped out simply because she had spoken suggestively to a noble, but Jinshi also seemed to be more important than he let on...just who was he, anyways?

Being the manager of the rear palace puts him in a prominent position close to the emperor, sure, but is that really enough to warrant his blatant paranoia and lavish lifestyle? Luomiere thought to herself.

The man lived in what was practically a palace in the outer court, larger than even her own home, which belonged to the master strategist of Li's military, and he was also hesitant about hiring servants. Earlier, she had made the assumption that his lack of attendants was due to his heavenly appearance, but had there been more to it than that?

Is he hiding his true name like Rikuson? What if he's someone of an even higher status?

It certainly wasn't impossible; Jinshi was a suspiciously vague name. There was also the fact that the emperor entrusted his garden of women to a man who didn't even hail from one of the major clans, which, by itself, was highly unusual. Jinshi must be a eunuch, at least. The only men who could enter the rear palace with their manhood intact were members of the imperial family, and yet, he seemed quite young to be castrated, especially given that men stopped being made into eunuchs years ago.

Luomiere paused. How old is he, anyways? From his appearance alone, there's no way he's much older than me; maybe 22 at best, but even that's being generous...

Just then, she perked up. "Wait," she murmured aloud, "before I left, Dad had referred to him as a charlatan. What did he mean by that?"

What did he mean by that, and what was Jinshi hiding?