The Head Maid

EXTRA 3: The Real and Fake Wángfēi

 

Part 1: The Fake Wángfēi

 

“A marriage arranged by parents and matchmakers.” This saying has truly wronged me.

 

My younger sister, Zhao Ai, eloped. My father said, “Since you two look exactly alike, you will marry into Prince Cheng’s Mansion instead, to give him an explanation.”

 

No, Father! We are twins, yes, but to be precise, we are fraternal twins—crucially, we are different genders!

 

But my father was determined to form an alliance with Prince Cheng, even if it meant marrying off his son.

 

When I got out of the palanquin, I distinctly felt Prince Cheng hesitate for a few seconds before offering his hand to help me. After all, the bride was bigger than him.

　　

Prince Cheng muttered under his breath, “She's grown so tall so quickly.”

 

Dude, your wángfēi is completely off, haven't you noticed?

 

Anyway, it wasn't until the veil was lifted that Prince Cheng, sitting by the bed, observed me for a long time before saying, “You seem…off today, but I've only met you once.”

 

This prince is far too easy to deceive. No wonder my father, a member of the court's top think tank, thought this unreliable plan of a substitute bride would work.

 

I said, “My twin sister ran away from her marriage. I'm filling in for a couple of days. I'll bring her back as soon as I can.”

 

Prince Cheng, understanding and considerate, breathed a sigh of relief at not having a giant wángfēi: “It's alright. You've had a hard time.”

 

On our wedding night, my brother-in-law and I sat on the bed for a long time without speaking. Finally, the atmosphere became so awkward that I had to force myself to start a conversation: “I heard from my father that you're participating in the struggle for the throne?”

 

Prince Cheng didn't try to hide it: “Your father took the liberty of signing me up. He doesn't think it's a big deal.”

　　

Now I understand what my father, the Grand Minister, saw in this man: his detached calmness. He doesn't lose his composure because of his own interests, he has the patience to plan thoroughly, and then decisively closes the net.

 

But this kind of person also has a fatal flaw: a lack of ambition and desire.

 

After I spent two hours explaining the current state of the court and the advantages and disadvantages of the different factions, Prince Cheng only occasionally responded to show he was still listening and not asleep. I don't know if he took any of it to heart; this is information that others would pay handsomely to hear.

 

With the serious business mostly concluded, I started gossiping: “I heard you like General Shen's eldest daughter, Shen Zhilan.”

 

He remained expressionless: “How do you know?”

 

I said, “With that unwavering gaze of yours, I estimate that only Shen Zhilan herself hasn't realized it.”

　　

Prince Cheng casually uttered an “Oh,” turned his head away, and seemed to be pondering something to himself.

 

“Then why did you agree to marry my sister? It would be so much better to just marry Shen Zhilan,” I suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for my sister.

 

Being unable to marry the person she loves, and having her husband harbor feelings for someone else—that's a life not worth living. It's better to run away, the farther the better.

 

“It was an imperial decree; I couldn't refuse. That's why the Grand Minister is so determined, saying he'll do whatever it takes to support my ascension to the throne,” Prince Cheng explained, seemingly having read my thoughts.

 

The current emperor is highly suspicious. My father's lifelong caution has only gotten him this far, so at his age, he's willing to risk his life for this gamble.

 

“Shen Zhilan is also of marrying age; she'll probably become your imperial sister-in-law,” I decided to provoke Prince Cheng to see his true colors.

　　

Prince Cheng was only slightly startled, and with a low “mm,” nodded his head. Amazing. Aside from anything else, this Prince Cheng is remarkably patient.

 

“Hey, you only like her face. Her personality probably won't be popular in the inner court. She might even become ill with depression at a young age... fearing others' schemes, she'll plot against others in return... resulting in a double tragedy!” I ruthlessly crafted a miserable future for Shen Zhilan.

 

Prince Cheng glared at me with fiery eyes, making my back prickle.

 

Prince Cheng suddenly said, “No, I have to marry her.”

 

I said, “That's the right attitude. We might not have a good marriage, but we can't let others bully her!”

　　

General Shen, like Prince Cheng, is always a bit simple-minded. Like father in-law, like son in-law, I guess.

 

When General Shen heard that Prince Cheng wanted to marry his mischievous daughter, he was so happy that even if Prince Cheng were to rebel right now, General Shen would immediately follow suit.

 

Seriously? What earth-shattering misdeeds has your daughter committed that she's so difficult to marry off?

 

I was so curious that I discreetly inquired... Wishing you both a hundred years of happiness together; it was my fault for being nosy.

 

My life as a fake wángfēi is unbelievably comfortable. Every day, I eat well and live well. Before, I had to constantly follow my father around lobbying; now, I wake up at noon, wait for Prince Cheng to finish court, chat with him a bit if there's nothing to do, and my work is done.

 

If my runaway sister is doing well out there, she shouldn't come back. I've already been a fake wángfēi; what's a fake empress to me? (T/N: LoL, I can't.. This guy is too laid-back type. But better that way than being in resentment all days. 😂)

　　

But Prince Cheng said he didn't want a wángfēi half a head taller than him; if he could, he'd still prefer the beautiful Shen Zhilan.

 

Okay, okay, no need to rush! Your Shen Zhilan will be arriving soon!

 

But half a month before Shen Zhilan's wedding, my father brought my sister, Zhao Ai, back. Her eyes were vacant and numb, and she didn't seem like the person I remembered.

 

My father said, “It's good you're back.”

 

He didn't allow anyone to ask any further questions, but even a fool could see that she'd been completely swindled.

 

Although my father forbade anyone in the family from mentioning the incident in front of Zhao Ai, I was seething with anger. Which scoundrel dared to bully the daughter of the Grand Minister?!

 

“Brother, don't ask. I'm fine now,” Zhao Ai said, smiling at me.

　　

“Our family isn't afraid of offending anyone. I want to hear who it was!” I squeezed her hand tightly, but she pulled it away.

 

Zhao Ai stood up and opened the window. “People should always look forward. Aren't I a Wángfēi now? I'll help Prince Cheng manage the household affairs.”

 

But no matter how intelligent, graceful, and capable you are, Prince Cheng's heart already belongs to someone else.

 

Although I understand that most men will have multiple wives and concubines in their lives, and that current affection doesn't equal eternal love...

 

But this Prince Cheng is stubborn! Shen Zhilan hasn't even entered the door yet, and you can already see how henpecked he'll be. What's the point of having a relationship with him?

 

I can mediate wars, convince loyal ministers to rebel, and even find a purebred dog for my family's dog, but why is my sister so stubborn and insistent on this!

　　

I can't beat her or scold her, and I can't let her run away again and make my father chase after her—we'd lose three horses for nothing.

 

But it's true that my father had his eye on Prince Cheng. Prince Cheng does have some skill—he sent his secret guards to investigate, saying that my sister was likely deceived by the Crown Prince.

 

But if the Crown Prince really wanted to marry my sister, our family wouldn't have disagreed, would we? 

What's this all about? I think Prince Cheng's words are unreliable; maybe he's been corrupted by my father and me and our countless schemes.

 

But I still tried to sound out Zhao Ai. I casually said, “Isn't it funny? Prince Cheng says he doesn't trust me, and says I'm working for the Crown Prince.”

 

The teacup in Zhao Ai's hand slipped and shattered into pieces. She quickly composed herself, smiling faintly: “Rulers have always been somewhat suspicious.”

 

I said, “Zhao Ai, have you forgotten that we're twins? You can deceive everyone else, but you can't deceive me.”

　　

For the first time since returning, Zhao Ai's mental defenses crumbled. She buried her face on the table and began to cry: “I was so foolish; I believed his lies.”

 

Zhao Ai realized that the Emperor would never allow the Zhao family to side with the Crown Prince, but she was willing to abandon her family for her love, yet the Crown Prince was unwilling. If she weren't Zhao Ai, the daughter of the Grand Minister, it would have been meaningless.

 

At this point, marrying Prince Cheng was the best outcome. The fundamental reason she eloped was because she was pregnant. No matter how good-tempered Prince Cheng is, he wouldn't raise another man's child; Zhao Ai had no choice but to elope.

 

I asked, “What about the child?”

 

“It's gone.”

 

I asked again, “Was it an accident?”

 

“No.”

 

From those few words, I understood. Zhao Ai probably sought out the Crown Prince immediately, but he didn't agree to keep the child.

　　

I told Zhao Ai, “Because of your foolishness and gullibility, you've ended up like this. I have nothing to say.”

 

In our family, there's no distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children. I have seven brothers and sisters, and my father values me because I'm the most outstanding, not because I'm the eldest legitimate son.

 

Sending Zhao Ai to marry into Prince Cheng's family wasn't originally part of my father's plan. If he had a choice, he wouldn't have chosen Zhao Ai.

 

I said, “Zhao Ai, you'd better behave yourself from now on. This time, the imperial decree saved you, otherwise, Father wouldn't have spared you.”

 

Zhao Ai said sarcastically, “Of course I know. Everyone says that the Grand Minister's family is well-educated, and that his children are all outstanding. That's because those who don't meet his standards are discarded, and you, Zhao Ji, are his most successful piece.”

　　

I had no interest in continuing the conversation with Zhao Ai: “Because you're my blood-related sister, I'll help you one last time. Your best fortune was being born alongside me.”

 

That was the last time I saw my twin sister. When she became Empress with the new Emperor's ascension, I lowered my eyelids slightly and didn't look at her again.

 

Others might think I'm heartless, but people should earn their own destiny, not wait for heaven's favor.

2. The Real Wángfēi 

 

Me, becoming a wángfēi, and then an empress, were all a matter of chance.

 

My mother sometimes wonders how it is that my brother and I look so alike, yet our abilities are so vastly different.

　　

My father is the current Grand Minister. In our family, regardless of legitimacy, age, or gender, his educational principles have always been fair and just. So, strictly speaking, our family hasn't only produced civil officials; our family history does include generals—even female generals.

 

Everyone in our family is rational, impartial, and objective. We always think things through carefully, remain emotionally stable, and manage to extricate ourselves from any situation unscathed. We're all so calm, it's almost inhuman.

 

The Crown Prince and I were childhood sweethearts. From a young age, I had planned to marry him. That way, I would have both love and wouldn't disappoint my family.

 

But I was betrothed to Prince Cheng, the least noticeable amongst the princes. My father began to speculate the Emperor's intentions, planning his next move to ensure the continuation of our family's glory.

　　

I was unwilling. Since childhood, I had wanted to become the Crown Prince's consort. I even changed myself to suit his preferences, only to be told that it was all in vain? So I did something foolish. I eloped to find the Crown Prince, trying to force him to marry me because I must have that position!

 

The Crown Prince did take me in, agreeing to let me stay at his mountain estate far from the capital, but two months later, even after I conceived his child, he simply said, “I'm sorry.”

 

Only then did I come to my senses. What childhood sweetheart? What love? The Crown Prince and I had ulterior motives from the beginning.

 

I calmly wrote a letter to my father, detailing my thoughts and feelings over the years.

 

It was all a calculated scheme, but why, when I think of the Crown Prince saying he loved me during our Lantern Festival outing last year, do I still cry?

 

My father replied quickly, with only a few words: “To lose, is to lose.”

　　

I returned to the capital and replaced my brother in the Prince's mansion, becoming the Cheng Wángfēi.

 

Prince Cheng is a very good person, as good as my family, just as calm and rational. He didn't ask why I eloped or why I returned. It was as if I were just a piece of furniture in his mansion, simply recovered after being lost.

 

My twin brother occasionally visits me. He thinks I wouldn't act impulsively, so he always believed I'd made a slight miscalculation. But secrets can't be kept forever, and my twin brother was disappointed in me because of my foolishness.

 

He said that being born together was the best thing for both of us, and he was right. Because he and Father helped Prince Cheng ascend the throne, and I became Empress overnight. I got the position I always wanted.

 

I once thought my husband was always rational and calm, until I saw the look in his eyes when he looked at Shen Guìfēi.

　　

That was the look one gives to the most beautiful things in the world—spring petals falling into clear sake, dewdrops on summer lotuses, autumn leaves covering the fields, snow on winter plum blossoms…

 

It's as if someone effortlessly obtained what I struggled so hard to get.

 

When Shen Zhilan doesn't oversleep, she occasionally comes to pay her respects and chat with me about interesting things lately. From her, I learned that the General's family has a completely different approach to education than mine—completely laissez-faire.

 

“Happiness is the most important thing,” Shen Zhilan often says to me.

 

I say that I am happiest now.

 

I no longer need to scheme, to carefully plan every step, or to face the disappointment in my father and brother's eyes after a complete failure.

　　

After Prince Cheng ascended the throne, he didn't eliminate his brothers but adopted a lenient policy. I once asked him why he didn't completely eradicate them.

 

He simply said, “It's meaningless.”

 

After the Crown Prince's downfall, he secretly visited me, asking if I was willing to go with him to a remote fiefdom.

 

“Did you ever think that if you had been with me then, you would be on the throne now? My father wanted a foolproof victory, just as the Empress's position had to be a Zhao,” I replied, returning the favor. Although I was my father's discarded pawn, I wanted him to regret it day and night.

 

I don't like flowers; I'm allergic to pollen. But I still planted peonies all over the courtyard. They are the Crown Prince's favorite flowers, and in an attempt to please him, they became my favorite too. Everyone says the Empress loves peonies best, but I just want to remind myself not to repeat the same mistake, not to fall in love with anyone again. I simply wasn't worthy.

　　

Shen Zhilan enjoys the Emperor's exclusive favor, or it can be said that she should be the only one in the harem. Her life is something I can never achieve—perfect parents, a perfect brother, a perfect husband, even her servants are loyal only to her.

 

Due to excessive worry, my health has always been weak. I think this spring, I won't have to look at those hateful peonies anymore!

 

That night, I coughed violently. In my hazy state, I saw the Crown Prince, still a youth, carrying a peony lantern. He said, “This is for you. I know you like peonies as much as I do.”

 

No, only you do.

 

Now, I've finally let go. I don't owe you anything, and you don't owe me anything.

　　

-The End-

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Glossary:

In ancient Chinese court ranks, the Left Minister (左丞相 / 左僕射 / 左相) and Right Minister (右丞相 / 右僕射 / 右相) were both high-ranking officials. The Left Minister was usually ranked higher than the Right, as “left” was traditionally considered superior to “right” in Chinese culture and symbolism.

Can the Left Minister be called a ‘Grand Minister’?

It depends on context, but here’s a simplified breakdown:

•左丞相 (Zuǒ Chéngxiàng): Left Prime Minister / Chancellor = Grand Chancellor / Grand Minister

•宰相 (Zǎixiàng): Prime Minister = Grand Minister

•丞相 (Chéngxiàng): Chancellor = Grand Minister

Summary:

✅ You can refer to the Left Minister as the Grand Minister, especially if he is one of the top-ranking officials with authority equivalent to a Prime Minister.

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T/N: Yay, we finished this one! What do you think? It’s slightly better than the previous one, right? (cough Jintang cough). I mean, at least this one doesn’t leave you drowning in heartbreak. Haha—better run before you guys start chasing me with shoes! 🏃‍♀️💨😂😂

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