The Legend of the Concubine in the Harem

"...Whether the midwife is changed or not is not the most important thing."

In the green tent filled with incense, a woman in plain palace clothes showed a compassionate look on her face: "I just want to let those two midwives know that someone is watching the baby in her belly, so that Mrs. Xie will become alert and uneasy... Pregnant women are already very vulnerable, and if you use this method of lurking in the dark to damage her mind, then my arrangement has achieved 50% of the purpose."

She was not young, but she was well-maintained, making it hard to guess her real age. There was a hint of sadness between the woman's brows, and she said gloomily: "The concubines in the harem fought with each other, using their position and family background to directly oppress each other, or they ignored their decency and cultivation and pushed and shoved each other, which were the lowest means."

"Anyone who has a little bit of scheming should know that being jealous of others is the least important thing. After all, in this inner palace, only your Majesty's holy heart and holy will are the most important things."

At this point, her compassionate and gentle eyes suddenly became sharp: "Since you entered the palace, you have only cared about the jealousy of a little girl. You don't understand the overall situation at all. You don't even know that you are being plotted against, and you still think that the person is a good person... If you have the time to ask me to deal with your love rival, you might as well think about how to regain your favor!"

"The ultimate goal of a concubine is the emperor's favor!" The woman's expression became increasingly cold and solemn. "If the emperor doesn't like you, no matter how good-looking you are, how noble your family background is, or how highly your father and brother use you, it will be of no use!"

"At most, I can only ensure that you live in obscurity in the harem. I, Meng, didn't raise you to this age just to let you enter the palace and enjoy a leisurely life. Think more about your father and brother. You are not favored and cannot please the emperor. Are you worthy of them?"

"My Meng family has sent daughters to the palace to be concubines for generations, just to preserve the family's glory. You are the eldest daughter of this generation, and it is your duty to be favored by the emperor!" The former emperor's concubine, Meng, now Huisu, was pointing at Meng Ronghua's nose and teaching him a lesson, "But look at what you have done?"

"You've been at odds with the Empress since you entered the palace, that's fine. Zhu is not someone you can get along with. I'm just upset that she slapped you, and you just came to me to cry, without even thinking about how to get back at her on your own... Considering that you're still young, I'll take care of her for you."

Although Ms. Huisu was a vegetarian and chanted Buddhist scriptures, she still dressed like a palace concubine. The auspicious patterns drawn with gold and silver threads on her crescent-colored brocade skirt still sparkled brightly in the smoke in the room. She was low-key but precious enough.

Meng Ronghua knelt in front of her, head down, totally lacking her usual arrogant demeanor: "It's my incompetence that has caused aunt to not be able to worship Buddha with peace of mind, but to have to work hard for me instead."

Hui Su looked at her with a look of disappointment: "It's good that you know... In my Meng family, whether male or female, family honor and inheritance are the first priority. Although you are a little stupid, at least you have self-awareness and know that you can't just take care of other concubines. You know to come to me, a half-dead man, for help..."

She sighed heavily several times: "In the future, you must remember to be cautious in everything you do, and be careful at all times. Don't quarrel with others easily like before, which will reveal your true nature and make the superior unhappy. Also, remember not to become proud just because you have been favored once, and relax your mind, so as to be caught by others and framed, and lose the emperor's favor."

"...If my son were still alive, he would be so loved by His Majesty. If he..." Huisu's eyes showed grief, "...if your cousin were still in power, why would we have to live in such fear!"

Ms. Huisu gave birth to a prince, and that prince was very much loved by the late emperor. Unfortunately, not only did he fail to win the throne, but he was also killed by another prince using a cup of poisoned wine from a beauty.

Meng Ronghua didn't dare to respond to his aunt's words.

Every time she mentioned her son who died early, Huisu seemed like a completely different person. She changed from a mature and steady family elder to a resentful and stupid woman whom she herself despised the most. Although Meng Ronghua thought so in her heart, she dared not show it in front of Huisu.

She lowered her head and listened quietly to Huisu, who said as usual that her son was from a noble family, handsome, and the most favored lover among the princes and nobles in the capital. He was also the prince that the late emperor valued and loved the most. If he were alive, even if he didn't get the throne, he would definitely not let her suffer like a dead person in this North Palace...

"......My prince was murdered by someone. If he were still alive, he would never have allowed that bitch Hu to put the offspring of a mere beauty on the throne!" After venting her anger, Ms. Huisu regained her sanity. She twirled the Buddhist beads between her fingers and chanted a few Buddhist mantras calmly.

Meng Ronghua, kneeling on the ground, felt a chill on his spine.

I was frightened by Huisu's repeated changes of expression and crazy appearance.

Hui Su didn't care about her niece's fear at all. Instead, she reached out to help Meng Ronghua, whose legs were numb from kneeling, up and asked, "Do you think your aunt is crazy?"

"...My niece doesn't dare."

"Take a good look at me. If you don't want to end up like me, you must remember to be smart, strive for the emperor's favor, serve the emperor well, and give birth to a prince for him... You must know that this child is not only born for you, but also for our Meng family. Only when the Meng family is well, can you be well. You were not favored in the first place. Without the Meng family, what is the difference between you and those poor girls of low birth?"

Meng Ronghua became increasingly anxious. Although she was the eldest daughter in the family, her parents doted on her. Although almost every generation of the Meng family had daughters entering the palace, in this generation, the one who was originally going to be sent to participate in the selection was actually one of Meng Ronghua's sisters.

The younger sister was only five months younger than Meng Ronghua. She was born to a concubine in the family and was raised by Meng Ronghua's biological mother as soon as she was born. The two of them grew up together, and Meng Ronghua was always put first in everything. The younger sister was just Meng Ronghua's playmate and foil.

But as they grew up, the younger sister became more and more beautiful, and her parents planned to train her well and send her to the palace as a concubine...After Meng Ronghua learned about this, she could not tolerate her little follower becoming an object of worship for herself, a girl from a wealthy family, so she intervened and destroyed her younger sister's face with medicine in exchange for her own chance to be selected to enter the palace.

She felt happy when she thought of her sister's pretty face, which the elders had said would be favored, but later became covered with rashes, rotted and oozed with pus.

I am the eldest daughter of the Meng family, who is held in the palm of their hands. How can a mere illegitimate lowly woman deprive me of the honor of entering the palace as a concubine?

Before entering the palace, Meng Ronghua was still very confident.

But now that she has suffered a series of setbacks, all that is left in her heart is resentment and endless confusion about the future.