1 Lady of Talents

With a swoosh, Xie Ning and the others kneeled down on the green stone floor as the palace maids around them pulled them down. Although she wasn't sure what was happening, seeing everyone else kneel down, even the eunuchs’ foreheads touching the ground, she sluggishly followed suit.

After a while, Xie Ning realised that the emperor had arrived. She knelt as obediently as the palace maids beside her, not daring to look up. She stared at the green stone floor, where the gaps between the bricks had accumulated moss stains over time, spreading like a Go board. Even on the surface of the bricks, there were pits, dust, and scratches that had accumulated over time, all with varying shades of green.

Xie Ning was entirely immersed in her observation of the floor until a pair of black boots embroidered with gold dragons stopped in front of her, stepping on the stone brick. The needlework and the stitching on the boots were so beautifully done that the dragon was almost winking as if it were alive.

The emperor's boots were immaculate, with no trace of dust or filth. Xie Ning didn't believe that he had halted his parade because of her. She had already been in the palace for two and a half years, and although it wasn't a long time, it was enough for a new generation of women to replace the old. Only a month before, a fresh group of women had been chosen for the palace, and her group was already old news.

The last time Xie Ning laid eyes on the emperor was during her first entry into the palace. It was then that the emperor hand-picked the final candidate, and she caught just a fleeting glimpse of his majestic dragon robe. Accompanying Xie Ning were over thirty stunning beauties, all of whom were awarded the title of Lady of Talents. Amongst them, Lady Liang of Talents had once been favoured and was subsequently granted the coveted title of Beauty. Following in her footsteps, Lady Li of Talents was later promoted to Lady of Bright Countenance. However, Xie Ning and the rest of the forgotten women were left to wither away like the flowers in this garden, blooming each spring only to be left unadmired come autumn.

She had never understood why there were so many incredible tales of cunning and cruelty within the palace, all perpetrated by women. But now she gradually figured it out. Without a strong heart, the daily loneliness and suffering could slowly warp and corrupt one's very nature.

At times, Xie Ning found herself envying the palace maids who served alongside her. They had goals to strive for, with opportunities for promotion and raises, and even the chance to leave the palace once they turned 28.

"May I know your name?" Asked the emperor.

Xie Ning was stunned for a moment before hearing his words, "Raise your head and reply."

"I am the Haunting Fragrance Pavilion's Lady Xie of Talents. Please be at peace with Your Majesty," she replied, keeping her head bowed.

Xie Ning was a fifth-ranked Talent in the harem of Emperor Yongkang of the Xia Dynasty. Throughout their entire conversation, she remained in a dumbfounded state. Even when the emperor asked her to raise her head, she had to lower her eyes. Looking directly at the emperor's countenance was a crime.

After the Emperor and his entourage had departed, the people around Xie Ning began to chatter incessantly. As they spoke, Xie Ning's heart raced as she pondered, "I have met the emperor twice now, but I still don't know what he looks like. Is it lucky to see the face of heaven?"

But let's not joke around. Xie Ning didn't even know if the emperor was tall or short, fat or thin, let alone the shape of his eyebrows, eyes, and nose. In the face of imperial power, when the other party holds your life and honour in their hands, and you are powerless to resist, the most important thing is to stay alive.

Xie Ning looked at the chaotic faces surrounding her, some familiar and some very strange. The emperor's charm was immense; he had spoken only a few words to her, yet she now seemed to be covered in a layer of gold, and everyone was vying for her attention.

As Xie Ning returned to the Haunting Fragrance Pavilion, she sat down and threw off her shoes, exclaiming, “These shoes are too tight!” The two royal maids raced over to retrieve the shoes and pleaded, "Lady Xie, please don't do that. New shoes are always a little tight at first, but they will stretch out after a few wears."

"My feet are tied up like pork trotters ......"

Xie Ning mumbled gently, yet both maids were aware of her words. Qinghe, the elder, stated, "Let me borrow a shoe last to stretch them out a little more. They won't be as tight after a few nights."

Xie Ning was wondering what to eat for lunch. She was not supposed to order food as someone of her position, but instead had to follow a set serving size determined by the kitchen. If she was lucky, she may get something she liked, but the most of the time, the food she received was either unappealing or something she didn't want to eat.

This, on the other hand, was not a tough challenge for her to solve. She had built a solid relationship with the diet room staff over the past two years, which was her biggest achievement since entering the palace. Although she was not a competent cook, she had read numerous recipes and was knowledgeable about cuisine. Thanks to the advantages, she had grown acquainted with the staff and could occasionally obtain the meal she desired.

Consider the dim sum on the table right now: the filling contains no osmanthus, sesame oil or lard, and barely a hint of sugar. Despite this, the crust is crisp and the filling is refreshing, and it's not at all greasy.

How about eating steamed vegetables for lunch? Steamed vegetables hot soft and tender, a few drops of chili oil, and then poured on some garlic paste, she will be able to finish two bowls.

Would it be good to have steamed vegetables for lunch? The steamed vegetables would be hot, soft, and tender. She could add a few drops of chili oil and some minced garlic, and she could easily finish two bowls. Of course, these bowls were not as big as soup bowls, but just a little bit larger than tea cups.

After thinking for a moment, Xie Ning then noticed that her two maids, Qinghe and Qingmei, seemed absent-minded. One of them held a cloth and kept wiping the same spot on the table without moving on to other areas. The other sat by the door, sewing a purse, but her work was much slower than usual.

As Xie Ning was about to call for Qinghe to go to the diet room, someone entered the courtyard.

The Haunted Fragrance Pavilion was initially shared by three Ladies. Aside from Xie Ning, there was Lady Liu of Talents and another who died of a cold a few days after moving in—even before her name had left traces in Xie's mind.

Lady Liu had thought the Haunting Fragrance Pavilion was too desolate and secluded, so she had found someone to help her move out, leaving only Xie Ning herself. Xie had planned to ask someone else to live with her at first, but she hadn't been able to find anyone acceptable, and in truth, she preferred the quiet.

In the presence of Lady Liu, Xie Ning had always felt a sense of apprehension. Her piercing gaze, like that of a sharp knife, would either fixate on people or objects, causing Xie's heart to race. Uncertain of Liu's thoughts, Xie feared any slip of tongue or misstep that might give Liu leverage over her.

As a result, the Haunting Fragrance Pavilion was frequently unoccupied, and guests like this one, whose identity was unknown, were even less likely. Qinghe was taken aback by the sight of the guest and dashed out to greet them. Xie Ning stood up slowly to follow.

As the person entered, Xie Ning slowly retrieved him from her memory. He was a eunuch, around thirty years old, dressed in a green silk robe that was impeccably neat and tidy. His face was very pleasant to look at, with well-defined features and a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth, making people feel favorable towards him at first sight.

However, Xie knew that she couldn't afford to offend him. The Haunting Fragrance Pavilion belonged to the Back Garden, and the man was none other than the deputy manager of the Back Garden's eunuchs, Zhou Bingchen. He didn't wield the power of life and death over her, but he was someone who couldn't be trifled with. Between a eunuch with real power and a low-ranking, non-favored concubine, anyone with half a brain would know who was more powerful.

"Zhou Gonggong (refers to eunuchs, males who were castrated, especially those serving in ancient Chinese imperial palaces), you are courteous," Xie Ning greeted politely.

"No need to be so formal, Lady Xie," Zhou Bingchen smiled warmly. "Congratulations on your great happiness."

Xie Ning muddled for a while, but Qinghe quickly caught on and beamed with joy, saying, “Zhou Gonggong has always taken care of us at the Haunting Fragrance Pavilion. With the grace of the emperor, our lady would not forget your guidance and care.”

Xie Ning was slightly slower than Qinghe, but she eventually grasped the meaning behind Zhou Bingchen's words. "Great happiness" could only refer to one thing - what Qinghe had mentioned: the emperor wants to sleep with her!

Qinghe was extremely worried as she watched her lady's confused expression, lest such an important figure as Zhou be offended by Xie’s unconscious slight. However, Zhou appeared to be unconcerned and continued to smile. He was well aware that every woman in the palace was yearning for the emperor's favour day and night. As the one who always conveyed the decrees, he had seen it all before; from ladies who were more emotionally unstable than Xie Ning, to those who babbled nonsense, and even those who fainted with delight on the spot. By contrast, Xie Ning's blank expression was nothing out of the ordinary.

Zhou Bingchen calmly reassured them, "Later, there will be palace ladies and eunuchs coming to help Xie Ning with her dressing and to instruct her on how to serve the emperor. Just do as they say."

When Xie Ning finally regained her composure, Qinghe quickly retrieved a heavy purse and respectfully presented it to Zhou Bingchen. With an even more polite tone than before, she said, "Thank you so much, Gonggong, for taking care of our lady. This is merely a mark of our appreciation. Please don't take offence."

Of course, Zhou Bingchen did not despise their appreciation. It wasn't because he loved money so much that he would do anything for it. At his level and status, money was no longer the most important thing. Xie Ning had been in the palace for almost three years, but she still wasn't favored and, although she held the title of Lady of Talents, the little money she had was only enough to support herself, no better than that of a palace maid. She could not have given him any expensive gifts. Zhou accepted the gift with a smile to show his attitude.

Accepting the money brought them closer and made it easier to deal with each other in the future. Refusing the gift would only make things uneasy. Although Zhou did not know how far she could go, it was not a bad thing to establish a good relationship now. He knew that he didn't have to intervene personally in such matters. After a period of silence in the Back Garden, someone had finally emerged, which was why Zhou Bingchen had come specifically for this purpose.