The Unfavored Concubine| ✓ #Wattys2019

Empress Dowager

"My Most High Motherly Empress Dowager this Empress greets you..."

Chiyo said kowtowing with two of her servants. The Empress huffed signaling one of her elderly servants to stop fanning her.
"Don't be absurd small one for it has been many ages since I have been a true mother. Now rise before my back breaks looking at you!"

Chiyo rose gracefully looking at her feet. "May My Most High Empress Dowager be blessed with health and a long life." Chiyo praised.
"Enough praises now sit and help me sew this will ya!" The Empress Dowager demanded sewing a new quilt. Chiyo sat in thought. This was not like the usual stern Empress Dowager who appeared in public but that of a grandma visiting with her granddaughter.

Chiyo started a new strand beginning to enjoy herself until the fast paced running of a messenger caught her attention. "What in the world?!" The Empress Dowager scolded. Chiyo knew running outside the track in the palace was usually forbidden as it caused all sorts of accidents so for this messenger to run whatever news he carried must truly be important unless... No it couldn't be. Chiyo thought biting her lip.

She'd made sure to replace all her tea with whores tea yet... Chiyo began to sweat nervously. The pressure of what the current situation might be drove her crazy as this elderly woman carelessly had her mend a silly quilt.
Before Chiyo could go anymore mad the Empress Dowager spoke.
"Has the Emperor visited your chambers?" Chiyo looked down sadly.
"That fool! Taking on the stubbornness of his father that boy is." The Empress Dowager bit her lip.
"Go get my son and then see what all that ruckus was about!" The Empress demanded to a messenger.
"Yes My Most High Empress Dowager..." The messenger kotowed before walking off in a fast pace.

Chiyo continued to mend the quilt. Her mind was a little more at ease knowing that she would soon find out the cause of the messengers strange behavior. He did look new and it was not uncommon for peasants to sneak in the palace in hopes of placing their daughters in harems, stealing jewels or even women in rare cases. But the biggest threat was possiblity of assassins.

Chiyo wondered what would happen if the Emperor were to die. He had no offspring and she had worked up enough courage to replace every other concubines tea with whores tea to render her the only fertile person in the whole palace not that it seemed to do any good.

"Stop that! Don't bend the thread you foolish girl!" The Empress Dowager scolded.

Chiyo dared to bravely roll her eyes when the Empress Dowager looked down. How she hated this woman. If she wasn't the only ticket she had to the Emperor then she'd tell her off for she was Empress now and was much more secure than the other concubines or wives. When Chiyo got a child she would be the first to go if not that Genki. Chiyo would bear the First Crown Prince and the Emperor would be forced to gloat all over her for she would have his only heir.

Suddenly the messenger came back pale as a ghost. "Well what is it you stupid boy?!" The Empress Dowager spat irritated. "We are to soon celebrate for Imperial Genki Concubine Jade is with child!" The messenger explained smiling with glee that neither of the Empress Dowager or Empress shared as both their face retracted with horror.

"What?!" They yelled in union.
There's no way. Chiyo thought. For the whores tea? What about the whores tea? "You!" Chiyo pointed to one of her servants. "Has Imperial Genki Concubine Jade had her morning tea?" The servant girl fiddled her thumbs nervously.
"Well?..."
"Imperial Genki Concubine Jade she decided to skip her morning tea for the last three days and drink goat's milk My Empress."

Empress Chiyo bit her bottom lip furious that the servant hadn't cared to inform her of such major news after all the lengths she went to assure that she was the only one who would be with child. All her work in vain due to the foolishness of a mere servant she'd no doubt punish or execute. No wait....Chiyo thought deeply. If Jade is to lose her child in an accident then surely the Emperor will be forced to forget her. Yes then my plan shall surely work. Chiyo thought smiling to herself.