The Head Maid

EXTRA 2: The Emperor

 

1

I met Shen Zhilan when I was very young. 

Boys like to bully pretty girls, but some girls are not only pretty, they can also fight. 

Several children of royal relatives chased her with snowballs.  

As a result, she pushed their heads into the snowdrift, and they couldn't get them out. 

The little maid accompanying the girl even helped bury them from the waist down.

　　

Although it was satisfying to watch, I was afraid that girl would get into trouble, so I quickly stepped forward to dissuade her. Before I could even speak, Shen Zhilan thought I was with the others, so my head also ended up stuck in the snowdrift.

 

Later, others told me that she was Shen Zhilan, the daughter of General Shen, known for causing trouble.

 

I originally thought Shen Zhilan was a valiant and righteous daughter of a military family, but later I learned she was just a troublemaker.

 

Spoiled, arrogant, and willful—that was her.

 

Brave, clear-headed, and confident—that was also her.

 

Beautiful, passionate, and charming—that was her too.

 

But when you like someone, you should also accept their flaws.

 

My wángfēi told me that, but my wángfēi is completely a man, something I only discovered after marrying him.

2

　　

My marriage to the eldest daughter of the Left Minister was arranged by the Emperor. I know this was the Emperor's way of balancing the power among his sons. The Crown Prince and the Third Prince's factions were too strong, so the Emperor used me to counterbalance them.

 

I've always been an insignificant prince. My concubine-mother often scolded me for being unambitious and cowardly.

 

So, I didn't dare to refuse the marriage.

 

If my wángfēi had been a virtuous and well-behaved woman, I would have avoided looking at Shen Zhilan and spent the rest of my insignificant life peacefully.

 

My wángfēi is indeed virtuous and well-behaved, handling all matters of the household in an orderly manner, but he's a man.

 

My ‘wángfēi’ explained that his twin sister had eloped, and they were searching for her. He was merely a temporary substitute until they found her.

　　

So, on our wedding night, two grown men sat in silence. Finally, my fake wángfēi suggested, “Why don't I tell you about the struggle for the throne?”

 

My fake wángfēi inherited the Left Minister's talent for eloquent debate. After a night of brainwashing, I thought, “It's just becoming Emperor. I think I can do it.”

 

“As long as we get General Shen on board, we're halfway there,” my fake wángfēi continued his brainwashing.

 

I hesitated. After all, the price of failure in the struggle for the throne was too high. I didn't want to involve the Shen family.

 

“You really want to see those other princes marry Shen Zhilan, don't you? How many of your brothers are good people? If Shen Zhilan marries them, she'll face endless schemes within the family, and if she's lucky, she'll have to face palace intrigues. She'd spend every day sleeping in fear, waking up to deceit and betrayal. If she doesn't conceive, her position will be unstable, and she'll be bullied. If she does conceive, she'll be even more afraid of being murdered along with her child,” my wángfēi incessantly whispered in my ear, day and night.

 

“Fine! Fine! I'll do it!”

 

I may have been driven mad by my wángfēi. I began to think that Shen Zhilan was the perfect match for me, that we were meant to be.

3

　　

Following the Left Minister and my wángfēi's plan, General Shen smoothly boarded our ‘pirate ship,’ even proactively asking if I wanted to marry his daughter.

 

I said I would consider it, but it mainly depended on Shen Zhilan's wishes.

 

“Although my daughter spends money like water, climbs walls like drinking water, and has a temper like molten iron, she's extremely beautiful,” General Shen said proudly.

 

The Left Minister couldn't stand General Shen boasting about his daughter and sarcastically remarked, “So, she's still unmarried. Are you too attached to let her go?”

 

General Shen was so angry he was sputtering, but couldn't find a retort.

 

I said, “If Miss Shen agrees, then I will definitely marry her.”

　　

As soon as I said that, General Shen excitedly grasped my hand tightly. He said, “I never expected His Highness Prince Cheng to value me so highly. I will dedicate my life to Your Highness, even unto death.”

 

For a long time, I often watched Shen Zhilan—watched her cause trouble, watched her lose her temper, watched her laugh. But it was the first time her eyes met mine. In that moment, I became greedy. I wanted her to always look at me, to become someone special in her heart.

 

Just as I knew that the little maid by Shen Zhilan's side was different to her.

 

Shen Zhilan never lost her temper with her. The maid could accompany Shen Zhilan in everything, and Shen Zhilan would even whisper secrets in her ear, and then the two of them would embrace and laugh heartily.

 

I was terribly jealous, so I did a childish thing.

 

Shen Zhilan was indeed angry, but I often watched her, so I knew how to appease her.

 

She defiantly tilted her chin at me, but I found it utterly delightful.

　　

I often asked Shen Zhilan out, taking her to places young ladies enjoyed, but she was always listless, only staring at my face continuously.

 

I thought I should give up. She didn't like me.

 

But then, without warning, she suddenly asked, “Are you going to marry me or not?”

 

Without thinking, my brain supplied the answer: “Yes.”

 

She told me to go home and prepare for the proposal. She would marry me on a chosen auspicious day.

4

　　

Although it wasn't my first wedding, I was incredibly nervous this time, so much so that many things went wrong.

 

For example, I arranged for two people to change the six palanquins to eight, but inexplicably they became twelve. My shadow guards reported that four of them belonged to my brother-in-law, and the other two were simply hired hands, their employers unknown.

 

After finally managing to placate the guests, I happily went to drink the wedding wine with Shen Zhilan and spent our wedding night together. Then, Shen Zhilan's little maid suddenly said, “Husband and wife bow to each other! Send to the bridal chamber!”

 

I don't know what it reminded Shen Zhilan of, but she started crying while laughing. It made my heart ache.  

More secrets between women, more things I didn't know, right?

　　

Shen Zhilan finally stopped laughing, looking up at me. I couldn't help but want to kiss her, but as I sat down, I was pricked in the buttocks by a needle.

 

After figuring out what happened, Shen Zhilan started laughing again. It made my head ache with frustration. I wondered what wicked person had sewn the bedding.

 

But Shen Zhilan suddenly stood up, removed her phoenix crown and robe, lightly undressed, and threw herself into my arms, laughing.

 

At that moment, I clearly understood that Shen Zhilan didn't dislike me, at least not my appearance.

 

After marrying me, Shen Zhilan's personality remained unchanged. Sometimes I felt that it wasn't she who had married into the Prince's mansion, but I who had married into the General's mansion. She acted so naturally and domineeringly in the Prince's mansion that even the steward sometimes wondered who the real master was.

　　

I'd already married her, so what could I do? Since marrying Shen Zhilan, General Shen cared more about my struggle for the throne than I did. He and the Left Minister seemed to be constantly energized.

 

It's worth mentioning that my real wángfēi was found, but her brother, my fake wángfēi, said her heart was dead, completely deceived by a heartless man.

 

My wángfēi asked me if I felt that Shen Zhilan was the only woman in the world for me. I didn't deny it.

 

She said she liked Shen Zhilan too, that Shen Zhilan's vibrant life force made her feel alive.

 

“Vibrant life force? She's just incredibly willful,” I thought silently.

 

But watching Shen Zhilan eat heartily, taking large bites, her eyes shining when she found something she liked, and complaining when she wasn't full... Shen Zhilan lived authentically and freely. She truly enjoyed every day of her life.

　　

Later, Shen Zhilan started chatting with me during meals. Sometimes, when she was in a good mood, she would sneak a piece of ginger into my red-braised pork.

 

Then, she'd watch me eat the ginger and flash a mischievous grin.

 

I said, “The mouth that's tasted ginger will be kissing you later.”

 

She said, “Can't you go to the wángfēi's place tonight?”

 

I shook my head. “It's the seventh day today.”

 

I finally understood the feelings of the palace concubines longing for the Emperor. Every seventh day of the month, I couldn't wait to see Shen Zhilan.

 

I also found a rare ambition. Once I became Emperor, I wouldn't have to count the days, nor would I have to watch over the women planted in the Prince's mansion.

5

　　

In the end, I successfully ascended the throne, but I couldn't make Shen Zhilan my Empress.

 

That was part of my initial agreement with the Left Minister.

 

General Shen comforted me, saying, “Your Majesty, if you want the palace to remain intact, it's best not to make Zhilan as the Empress.”

 

The Shen family was easygoing; happiness was most important to them.

 

I made Shen Zhilan a Guìfēi, and she was overjoyed. The vain side of her enjoyed being called “Guìfēi niángniang.”

 

I also knew that being the sole favorite in the harem wasn't good, but was a harem of three thousand better? At least my children were my own.

 

No matter how much I tried to control it, rumors still reached Shen Zhilan's ears. Shen Zhilan, always bold, didn't care in the least.

　　

But ever since General's wife visited the palace to see Shen Zhilan, everything changed... for the better!

 

Thank you, mother-in-law! Wishing your family prosperity and success!

 

Shen Zhilan, hearing others call her the ‘seductive consort,’ embraced the title wholeheartedly. Unlike other noble ladies, Shen Zhilan was lively and had a hearty appetite, making her shine from within. Her skin glowed, her hair was silky, and her body had beautiful curves. Everyone said Shen Guìfēi was breathtakingly beautiful, but I believed it wasn't just about looks; it was the brightness and vitality she radiated from within.

 

Ever since Shen Zhilan became infatuated with the idea of being the seductive consort, I found it hard to resist her charm. Though she wasn't a fox spirit, she certainly had her own unique allure.

 

However, she tended to lose interest quickly. Before long, she announced that she no longer wanted to be the seductive consort. After all, bringing down a nation required relentless determination!

　　

Perhaps Shen Zhilan tried too hard at being the seductive consort, because she became pregnant. If it weren't for Li Mama's extensive experience, my precious daughter would have been mistaken for indigestion by her and that silly maid.

 

That day, I talked to her seriously about our relationship for the first time. She cried for the first time since marrying me, and it terrified me.

 

But after that day, I saw my presence reflected in Shen Zhilans eyes.

6

　　

After Empress Zhao passed away, I elevated Shen Zhilan's rank. No one objected; mainly because there was no one else left in the harem.

 

Gāo Měirén and Huì pín were quite reluctant when they heard I was sending them out of the palace. They said that opportunities to live comfortably without working were rare, but after receiving a generous sum of money, they left happily.

 

Shen Zhilan passed away from illness one winter. I accepted her departure calmly. Shen Zhilan was a person, and people experience birth, aging, illness, and death.

 

While she was alive, I treated her well; after death, everything is gone. My father often only started to reminisce and grieve after the death of certain concubines. I wondered who he was putting on a show for.

 

Some say the Emperor possesses everything in the world, but I never considered Shen Zhilan as one of my possessions. She was always free, like a butterfly. Her most beautiful form was in her freedom.

　　

It was my honor that she chose to land in my palm.

 

The old Mama who served Shen Zhilan asked to be buried with her. I refused.

 

I haven't even said anything about dying together, let alone being buried together with Shen Zhilan. You're thinking too highly of yourself. I've disliked you for a long time. I bet the needle in the bedding was your doing.

 

In the end, the old Mama left with a nun who had come to the palace to chant scriptures. When she bid me farewell, she gave me a gold hairpin.

 

She said it was a hairpin Shen Zhilan had given her when she was sixteen. Now, she had severed all ties with the mortal world and hoped I would melt down the gold to make a longevity lock for the soon-to-be-born child of the Eldest Princess.

　　

“Meeting Her Majesty, was the luckiest thing in my life,” she said.

 

“Me too,” I replied.

 

She didn't call herself this servant (nú), and I didn't call myself Zhen (formal pronoun used by the emperor).

 

From that farewell onward, no one in the palace ever spoke to me about her again.

________________

T/N: He's a green flag ML, right? I didn't lie to you guys. But, the bittersweet part make me wanna go eat my sour mango, sprinkles a little bit salt, sugar, chilli flakes and soy sauce. Yummy 🤤

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