The Second World in Ancient Times

I stand in the chess game of this palace, knowing that every move is related to life and death, honor and disgrace. The position of queen is close at hand yet out of reach. Only by careful planning can I stand out in this cruel competition.

At a palace flower-viewing banquet, I deliberately chose a simple yet elegant dress, one that was neither too ostentatious nor too refined, yet still showcased my unique taste. As I entered the imperial garden, the concubines cast their gazes upon me, some with envy, some with scrutiny, and some with curiosity.

I walked gracefully to the king's side and bowed slightly. "Your Majesty, the royal garden is ablaze with flowers today, just like your wise and wise rule, which fills this palace with vitality."

The king smiled and took my hand: "My beloved concubine always has such pleasant words to say."

I shook my head gently. "Your Majesty, I am only speaking the truth. Your Majesty is so busy with affairs, yet you still find time to enjoy the beautiful scenery with me and me. This is truly a blessing for me and me."

At this time, Concubine Li couldn't help but say sourly: "Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine really knows how to please His Majesty. She speaks sweet words so well."

I looked at her calmly, "Sister Li Fei, I'm just expressing my respect and gratitude to Your Majesty. Do you think there's anything wrong with that?"

Concubine Li was about to retort, but the king frowned slightly and said, "Alright, today is the flower viewing banquet, let's not argue."

I was secretly delighted. The more impatient Concubine Li was, the more my composure would be highlighted. I turned to chatting with the other concubines, sharing my experiences in flower cultivation.

"Sister, your method of growing flowers is really novel. I have never heard of it before." A young concubine said curiously.

I smiled and patiently explained, "This is just an experience I came across by chance. If you're interested, I can tell you in detail."

During my conversations with the concubines, I calmly displayed my magnanimity and friendliness, allowing them to gradually let down their guard against me.

After the banquet, I began to establish contact with the ministers in the court. I wrote a letter, inviting the highly respected Lord Li to come and have a chat.

When Lord Li arrived, I personally welcomed him out the door: "Lord Li, I have long heard of your great name. I am honored to have you here today. I am deeply grateful."

Lord Li bowed respectfully and said, "Your Highness, you are so polite. I wonder why you summoned me here?"

I ushered Lord Li into the hall, ordered a cup of fragrant tea, and then slowly spoke, "Lord, you have served the country for many years, always devoting yourself to the country. I deeply admire you. The position of Empress is currently vacant, which is crucial to the safety of both the harem and the court. Although I am not talented, I wish to share your majesty's worries and contribute to the court. What do you think?"

Lord Li pondered for a moment and said, "It's a good thing that Your Majesty has such thoughts. However, the competition for the position of Queen is fierce, so Your Majesty needs to make a thorough plan."

I nodded slightly. "Your Excellency is absolutely right. I believe that governing the harem should be based on justice and benevolence, while also ensuring the birth of children for Your Majesty and the continuation of the royal bloodline. Regarding state affairs, I am also willing to learn more and gain a deeper understanding, so that I can offer some humble insights when Your Majesty requires them. I wonder what your Excellency thinks of my thoughts?"

A glint of admiration flashed in Lord Li's eyes. "Your Majesty's thoughts are very thorough. As a minister in the court, I also hope to see a virtuous queen assisting Your Majesty. If Your Majesty needs my help in any way, as long as it does not violate the righteousness of the court, I will do my best."

I was overjoyed and said quickly, "Your Excellency's words put me at ease. Your Excellency's support is of vital importance to me."

After talking with Lord Li, I contacted several other upright ministers and won their trust and support with my intelligence and clear analysis of the political situation in the court.

I wasn't idle in the harem either. I heard there was a young maid who was often bullied by people around Concubine Hui, so I deliberately "ran into" her in the imperial garden.

When the little palace maid saw me, she was so frightened that she immediately knelt down and said, "Your Highness, I deserve to die for offending you."

I gently helped her up. "Don't be afraid. I heard you've suffered a lot of injustice in the palace. Talk to me now. If anyone is deliberately making things difficult for you, I'll take care of it for you."

Tears welled up in the young maid's eyes as she recounted her experiences. I comforted her and said, "If you discover anything unusual in the future, please tell me quietly. I will not treat you unfairly."

The young maid burst into tears of gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty. I am willing to serve you at my utmost."

In this way, I gained a group of loyal spies in the harem who were able to keep abreast of any movements in the harem at any time.

At another palace dinner, I learned that the king was worried about the war on the border. I made ample preparations before the dinner and read a lot of information about the border.

At the dinner, I found the perfect moment to speak: "Your Majesty, I have heard that the fighting on the border is getting serious, and Your Majesty is deeply concerned. Although I am a woman, I do have some knowledge of border affairs. I believe that we can alleviate the current situation by focusing on the supply of food and fodder, the morale of the soldiers, and diplomatic relations with the surrounding tribes."

The king looked at me in surprise and said, "My beloved concubine, you are so knowledgeable about border affairs. I underestimated you."

I humbly said, "Your Majesty, I simply hope to share some of your worries. If I can be of any help to Your Majesty, I will be satisfied."

As I orchestrated my plans step by step, my position in the king's heart continued to rise, and my influence within the court and harem gradually expanded. However, I knew that Concubine Hui, Concubine Li, and the others would not give up easily, and they would definitely be secretly plotting new conspiracies against me.

One day, my informant reported that Concubine Hui was meeting with a mysterious Taoist priest in a secluded corner of the palace. Suspicious, I decided to send someone to investigate secretly.

Not long after, Afeng returned with a report: "Your Majesty, according to investigation, the Taoist priest was hired by Concubine Hui to cast a curse. She wanted to curse you to fall out of favor with His Majesty."

I sneered, "This Concubine Hui is really at her wit's end, resorting to such despicable tactics."

I decided to take advantage of the situation and asked Wanqing to spread the news in the harem, saying that I had been feeling unwell recently and kept dreaming of some ominous things.

Upon hearing this, Concubine Hui was secretly delighted, believing her spell had worked. She feigned concern before the king, saying, "Your Majesty, I heard that the Imperial Concubine is unwell and has had ominous dreams. Could this be a warning from heaven? Your Majesty, why don't you spend more time with the Imperial Concubine to reassure her?"

The king, upon hearing her words, grew even more concerned about me and came to visit. I feigned weakness and greeted him, "Your Majesty, I have been feeling weak lately and fear I cannot serve you properly."

The king said distressedly, "Don't worry, my beloved concubine. I will definitely have the imperial physician treat you well."

I took the opportunity to say, "Your Majesty, I saw an immortal in a dream. The immortal said that if I could pray for Your Majesty for 49 days, the disaster would be averted. Your Majesty, I would like to set up an altar in the palace to pray for Your Majesty and for our dynasty."

The king was moved and said, "My beloved concubine is so thoughtful. I am very pleased."

During the altar-building period, I prayed devoutly every day, allowing everyone in the harem to see my sincerity. And under my arrangement, the truth about Concubine Hui's curse was gradually revealed.

I laid out the evidence of Concubine Hui's curse before the king: "Your Majesty, I didn't want to believe such absurd things, but the evidence is irrefutable. Concubine Hui is so cruel that she wants to curse me to lose favor. Your Majesty must judge my case."

The king was furious. "How dare Concubine Hui do such a thing? It's simply unacceptable. I will not let her off easily."

After being reprimanded by the king, Concubine Hui fell out of favor for a while. But I knew she wouldn't give up, and I had to continue my plan, moving forward on the road to the empress's throne, taking every step carefully yet firmly and forcefully, until I finally ascended the throne and took control of the palace.

As time went by, my prestige in the harem grew. I used my influence to fight for the rights of some concubines of low birth, making them grateful to me.

"Your Highness, you are our savior. We were bullied in this harem before, and it was you who gave us hope." A concubine said gratefully.

I smiled and comforted her: "Sisters are all in the harem, so we should support each other. As long as everyone lives in harmony, the harem will be peaceful."

At court, I frequently exchanged information with the ministers who supported me, keeping abreast of the latest developments. I sought their advice on state governance and shared with them the latest developments in the harem, helping them understand the importance of a stable harem to the court.

"Sir Li, I've heard recently that there's been a lot of discussion in the court about tax reform. I wonder what your opinion is?" I asked.

Lord Li pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, this tax reform concerns the national economy and people's livelihood, so we must proceed with caution. I think we can first pilot it in some areas and make adjustments based on the results."

I nodded in agreement. "Your Excellency is right. I will also promote frugality in the harem to reduce the burden on the court."

I know full well that the position of Queen is not only an honor bestowed upon the harem, but is also closely linked to the imperial court. I must demonstrate exceptional ability in both areas to convince the King and his ministers and secure the position of Queen.

During a royal sacrificial ceremony, I meticulously arranged everything, personally handling everything from the ritual process to the preparation of the offerings. I demonstrated to the king my mastery of royal etiquette and the importance I attached to sacrificial activities.

"Your Majesty, sacrifice is a major national event, which concerns the protection of the gods of heaven and earth. I hope that through this sacrifice, I can pray for blessings for Your Majesty and prosperity for our dynasty." I said respectfully to the king.

The king looked at me arranging everything in an orderly manner, and his opinion of me became even higher.

However, after her confinement period ended, Concubine Li returned to the harem struggle. She had learned from her previous mistakes and was no longer as reckless as before, but became more insidious and cunning.

She secretly colluded with some concubines and eunuchs who were dissatisfied with me, trying to isolate me in the harem. She spread rumors in the harem, saying that I was ambitious and wanted to monopolize the harem power, which was detrimental to other concubines.

"Don't be fooled by that imperial concubine. Once she becomes the queen, she will definitely suppress us all." Concubine Li said in a secret conversation with other concubines.

These rumors gradually reached my ears, but I didn't rush to refute them. I knew that the innocent would be cleared, and I wanted to use this opportunity to find Concubine Li's accomplices in the harem.

I deliberately acted worried in the harem, allowing Wanqing to secretly observe which concubines and eunuchs had obvious changes in their attitude towards me.

After a period of observation, Wanqing reported the results to me: "Your Majesty, I found that Huipin, Ningfei, and several eunuchs were very close to Lifei. They might be the ones spreading the rumors."

I had a plan in mind, and I decided to start with Huipin. I found an opportunity to meet with Huipin alone.

"Sister Huipin, I heard that you have been very close to Concubine Li recently. Did I offend you in some way?" I looked at Huipin with a hint of sadness in my eyes.

Huipin was startled by my sudden questioning. She stammered, "Your Majesty, I didn't do that. It was Concubine Li who took the initiative to find me. I just..."

I interrupted her, "Sister Huipin, you must know that rumors can kill people in the harem. If you are used by Concubine Li, it will be too late to regret it."

Huipin began to waver after hearing what I said. I struck while the iron was hot: "Sister, if you are willing to cooperate with me and expose Concubine Li's conspiracy, I will not only forgive your fault, but will also speak well of you to His Majesty."

Huipin hesitated for a while, and finally nodded in agreement: "Your Majesty, I am willing."

With Huipin's help, I quickly gathered more evidence of Concubine Li's conspiracy. I presented this evidence to the king: "Your Majesty, Concubine Li has refused to change her ways despite repeated warnings. She continues to stir up trouble in the harem and disrupt its peace. If Your Majesty does not punish her severely, there will be no peace in this harem."

The king looked at the evidence, his face darkening. "Concubine Li is truly audacious. I cannot tolerate her any longer."

The king ordered Concubine Li to be demoted to a commoner and expelled from the palace. Concubine Li's family was also implicated because of her actions, and their influence in the court was greatly weakened.

With Concubine Li's downfall, I now have one less formidable opponent in my quest for the throne of Empress. But I know this is far from over. Concubine Hui is still watching from the shadows, and other concubines may be waiting for an opportunity. I must remain vigilant, continue to carefully plan, and steadily advance toward my goal.

During one of our private moments together, I played a piece for him. The melodious music echoed throughout the palace, as if expressing my inner thoughts.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to always stay by your side and help you solve your problems, just like the sound of this piano, which will always play for your Majesty." I looked at the king affectionately.

The king was moved by my music and words: "My beloved, I am very pleased to have you by my side."

I know that my emotional bond with the King is constantly strengthening, and this is a crucial part of my strategy. I will use my talent, wisdom, and gentleness to make the King inseparable from me and convince him that I am the most suitable candidate to become Queen.

I tread cautiously on the balancing act between the imperial court and the imperial harem, yet I forge ahead with unwavering determination. Every response, every strategy, feels like a crucial move in this palace chess game. I believe that as long as I don't give up, as long as I continue to skillfully plan, the throne of empress will eventually be mine, and I will write my own legendary chapter in this palace.