“Truer words could not be spoken,” inserted Bo Tao. “Head Eunuch, can we not bring some sweet dumplings? Surely the kitchen will have made enough to spare.”
The cut man bristled with indignation. “And who will fetch and serve this bounty? You? Her? My eunuchs are too busy for such nonsense.”
Hua Si sneered. “I have told her she eats too much, but she is from the country and does not understand that life in theForbidden City requires sacrifice.”
Ji Yue ground her teeth. “I am not from the country,” she said as calmly as possible.
“You see?” Hua Si put in with a roll of her eyes. “She argues about everything. So demanding.” Then she turned around and went to the mirror. With a huff of disgust, she began to apply her “poisoned” paint to her face.
Meanwhile, Head Eunuch sniffed disdainfully at Ji Yue. “I do not like girls who constantly complain, Chen Ji Yue.” With that he spun away.
Ji Yue stared at his retreating back, the unfairness of it all making her eyes tear. Though the Emperor chose his brides, the Head Eunuch controlled a concubine’s life. He supervised servants and housing. He managed resources between the harems. And most important, he was the one who brought brides to the Emperor’s bed. She could not become pregnant with the next Emperor if she never graced the man’s bed. And she would never grace the Imperial bedchamber if she made an enemy of the Head Eunuch.
Meanwhile, in a nearby room, another argument erupted and something fragile was smashed. In her mirror, she saw Bo Tao wince at the noise.
“Can you dress your hair yourself?” he asked.
She blinked. Had he been speaking to her? “Master?”
“Your hair? Can you do it by yourself?”
She glared at him. What a ridiculous question! No woman could create the elaborate hair displays alone. But she was not in a position to argue, so she gave the answer he wanted. “I will do my humble best.”
“Good,” he said. Then he snapped his fingers at the eunuch assigned to help them. “You! Come with me to the kitchens.” Then he left, taking her only help with him.
Trays of tea and dumplings arrived a half hour later. Noone thanked her for the idea, not that she expected any. But she didn’t even get some of the food as she was busy struggling with her hair. Someone had to hold the board in place while the hair was wrapped and glued. Thankfully, Li Fei was able to help. Though there had been little time to further her friendship with the girl from the carriage, Li Fei was naturally kind, had quick fingers and an easy smile. Together, they dabbed glue as quickly as possible, secured the board, but only partially set the butterfly hairpin. Then they ran together to dinner.
They slipped inside with the last of the virgins, grateful that there was adequate seating for all. Otherwise, their tardiness would have them eating outside with the disgraced eunuchs. Flashing a grin of excitement to her friend, Ji Yue sat at the table designated for virgins and tried to look like an Empress. Unfortunately, among all the finery, silks, and beautiful girls, she very much feared that she looked more like Hua Si’s impoverished cousin.
The Emperor sat at a table on the opposite side of the room. From this distance, all Ji Yue could see was his exquisitely embroidered clothing and his dark black hair. Still, she felt a tingle of excitement race down her spine. She had never been this close to the Emperor before, and the feeling made her belly jump and her voice high. The other virgins were equally excited, equally delighted. But of course, there was no hope of attracting his attention from across the room. So after repeated craning looks in his direction, Ji Yue settled in to enjoy her meal and the company she had.
It was between the tenth and the eleventh course that the Emperor stood up. The reaction at the virgins’ tables was immediate. Chopsticks clattered to the table, and hair was quickly patted into place. Ji Yue was not immune to the need to primp as her butterfly pin had once again dropped down behind her ear where no one would see it.
Then the Emperor left the festival hall. He hadn’t even looked in their direction!
All the virgins–Ji Yue included–returned to their food with a dispirited frown. Ji Yue’s stomach was full, but she didn’t know when she’d be able to eat again. She would take what she could now with no worry that the Emperor would catch her with her mouth full. A door opened and closed behind her, but she paid no attention. Eunuchs went in and out through there all the time.
“Which is the virgin who dared hit you with a plate?”
Stunned gasps surrounded her at the man’s voice. Ji Yue gasped as well, but she was eating. The result was a very un-Empress-like gurgle and a very un-demure choke.
“It was an accident, Yi Zhen.”
Ji Yue felt her blood run cold. She knew that voice. It was Master Sun Bo Tao, and he was speaking the childhood name of the Emperor. Which meant both the Master and the Emperor were right behind her! While she sat here trying to choke up her dinner!
“On your temple?” the Emperor responded. “Was she throwing plates around then to hit you so high? Ha! Or were you on your knees before her?”
Ji Yue barely heard the question over the roaring in her ears. She needed to cough her food out of her windpipe, but to do such a thing before the Emperor would be ghastly. But she had to breathe! She began to cough.
“So, Bo Tao, which one is she?”
“The one so frightened by your presence that she cannot breathe.”
Finally she managed her food, choking it down. Thank heaven, she could breathe again!
Meanwhile, she heard footsteps behind her, and she hastily tried to regain some composure. There was a touch onher shoulder, and she was forced to turn around. It was the Emperor, of course, looking down at her from a vast height. At least the worst of the coughing fit had eased. Unfortunately, her spasms had dislodged her hair. She could feel it slipping away from the board and hiding her jade butterfly pin. She gazed up at the Emperor with miserably hopeful eyes. Would he see past her difficult appearance to the woman beneath? Of course not. For all that he was the Emperor, he was also a man. He saw nothing but the surface.
She had to do something exceptional very soon. Her mother’s words rung in her thoughts.You cannot be beautiful, so be smart.Meanwhile, all the other girls bowed to the Emperor, murmuring their names along with their greetings. When it was her turn, Ji Yue did the same, her voice husky and thick from her choke.
