Chapter 18: Mei’s Growing Influence

The harem was a battlefield of whispers, and Mei had learned to thrive in it. Subtlety had never been her strongest suit in her past life, where she excelled in direct confrontation, gaming tournaments, and martial arts competitions. But here, brute strength only got you so far. In the palace, it was the mind that wielded the sharpest weapons.

She sat in the shaded alcove of her chambers, her fingers tracing the edge of her teacup. Through the soft murmur of conversations between her maids, Mei's thoughts raced through the web of schemes she had been carefully weaving. The power structure of the harem was as intricate as any gaming strategy she had ever encountered—except here, losing meant more than just a game over.

She had slowly begun to understand the lay of the land, especially Concubine Xu's network of influence. Xu wasn't just the queen of the harem; her tendrils extended deep into the court. The whispers Mei had caught earlier confirmed what she had suspected: Xu had formed an alliance with Minister Feng, and together they were positioning themselves to gain even more power.

The key to dismantling Xu's influence was turning her allies against her. And for that, Mei needed more than just brute strength—she needed a network of her own.

"Lian," Mei called softly, breaking through the quiet murmur in the room.

Her maid, Lian, appeared from the corner, her demeanor as calm and composed as always, but her eyes gleamed with sharp intelligence. Lian had been one of the first to pledge loyalty to Mei, and it was through her that Mei had begun to gather a circle of maids and lower-ranking concubines who were fed up with Xu's dominance.

"Yes, my lady?" Lian asked, bowing slightly.

"Any word from the others?" Mei set down the cup, her gaze steady. She had planted the seeds of doubt among Xu's allies and now, she was waiting for the fruits of her labor to ripen.

Lian nodded, her voice low. "Concubine Rui reports that Minister Feng and Minister Shen had another meeting. It seems they're pushing for more influence in the military. They want General Tian Yi to take a more aggressive stance in defending the kingdom from Xu's threats."

Mei frowned slightly, her mind spinning. Minister Shen had been a quiet player in the court for some time, his influence hidden behind Feng's more prominent role. But Mei knew better than to underestimate Shen. He was calculating, one who preferred to pull strings from the shadows. Shen and Xu had formed an alliance not just to gain influence in the harem, but to slowly erode Zhihao's power from the inside.

Xu's influence wasn't limited to the harem, and now that Feng and Shen were both in her corner, Mei realized that the battlefield had expanded. But this wasn't a fight Mei was going to lose.

"Good," Mei said, her voice firm. "Let them think they're safe. We'll feed them just enough information to make them turn on each other."

Lian raised an eyebrow. "You plan to pit Feng and Shen against each other?"

Mei smiled, her eyes gleaming with cold determination. "They each want control, and they won't settle for sharing it. Shen's ambitions go beyond what Feng realizes, and when they both think they're on the verge of victory, we'll make sure they each believe the other is a threat."

Lian nodded slowly, already understanding the plan. "And what of Xu?"

"Xu won't see it coming," Mei said with a quiet confidence. "She thinks she's untouchable in the harem, but once her allies are at each other's throats, she'll be left vulnerable."

Minister Shen walked with measured steps through the palace corridors, his thoughts as cold and calculated as ever. His alliance with Concubine Xu had been born out of mutual necessity—she needed influence in the court, and he needed an ally in the harem. Together, they were formidable, but Shen had always known that alliances like theirs were built on fragile ground.

Xu was ambitious, too ambitious for her own good. She had already gained too much confidence from Feng's backing, and Shen knew it wouldn't be long before she started making moves on her own. That was fine—for now. Xu could serve as a useful tool for pushing his agenda forward, but once she had outlived her usefulness, Shen would sever ties without hesitation.

Still, Shen couldn't shake the feeling that someone else was working behind the scenes. He had noticed the subtle changes in the harem recently. Concubine Mei, a rising force among the concubines, had caught his attention. She was no ordinary pawn, and though she had kept her movements quiet, Shen had eyes everywhere. He would need to keep a closer watch on her.

As he reached the entrance to Minister Feng's chambers, Shen forced a neutral smile onto his face. He and Feng were allies, but their alliance, too, was built on convenience. Feng, for all his cunning, was predictable. His obsession with consolidating power made him easy to manipulate, and Shen knew exactly how to feed that hunger.

The doors to Feng's chambers opened, and Shen entered, his smile never faltering. "Minister Feng, I trust all is well?"

Feng barely looked up from the documents on his desk, his expression tense. The confrontation with Zhihao still weighed on him, though he would never admit it to anyone. He hadn't expected the king to push back so hard, and though Feng had managed to walk away with his life, he knew the young ruler wouldn't forget what had happened.

But for now, he had bigger problems to deal with. His alliance with Shen was proving useful, but there was an edge to Shen's movements that put Feng on guard. Shen was too quiet, too patient, and Feng knew better than to trust a man who played the long game.

"All is well enough," Feng said tersely, setting down his papers. "Though I must admit, the king has become... unpredictable."

Shen's eyes gleamed with interest. "Is that so?"

Feng hesitated for a moment before continuing. "He's smarter than I gave him credit for. His grip on the court is tightening, and he's managed to keep the military in check."

Shen tilted his head, calculating. "Then perhaps we need to apply pressure elsewhere. The harem, for example. Xu has been quite effective in her efforts, hasn't she?"

Feng's lips tightened. He had backed Xu for that very reason—to destabilize the king from within. But now, he wondered how much control he truly had over her. "Xu is... competent, but she's also growing overconfident. We need to ensure she remains focused."

"Or replace her," Shen added casually, his voice light but carrying a darker undertone.

Feng glanced at him, eyes narrowing. "And who would you suggest as her replacement?"

Shen's smile was thin. "There's always Concubine Mei. She's clever, resourceful, and quietly gaining favor among the other concubines. She could prove to be a useful ally—or a dangerous enemy."

Back in her chambers, Mei allowed herself a moment of quiet triumph. She had planted the first seeds of discord between Feng and Shen, and soon, they would begin to doubt each other. She would make sure of it.

Her relationship with the palace maids had deepened over the past few weeks. Mei had been careful to reward them with small favors, subtle gifts, and quiet promises. In return, they became her eyes and ears throughout the palace, bringing her whispers from the court and the harem.

Mei knew how important it was to control the flow of information. In her old life, as a gamer and martial artist, knowledge was power. You could have all the strength in the world, but without strategy, without knowing your enemy's weaknesses, you would never win. The same rules applied here.

She had sent Rui to spread a rumor in the harem, whispering that Xu was beginning to lose favor with Feng. It was a small lie, but enough to create doubt among Xu's allies. With each passing day, Mei's influence grew, and soon enough, Xu would find herself alone, surrounded by enemies she didn't even know existed.

Mei glanced toward the window, her thoughts drifting to Zhihao. They hadn't spoken directly in days, but she knew he was busy with his own battles in the court. They didn't need to coordinate openly—both understood the stakes, and both knew that in this world, trust was a rare commodity. But with Zhihao, Mei never questioned where they stood. He was the only one she could rely on, and she knew the feeling was mutual.

The harem was a battlefield, but the court was a warzone. Mei was playing her part, and Zhihao was playing his. Soon, the pieces would fall into place, and Xu, Feng, and Shen would realize too late that they had underestimated their enemies.