The Second World in Ancient Times

I stood in my palace, gazing out the window at the palace sky. I knew that at this very moment, within that magnificent yet incredibly heavy palace, the king was agonizing over the fate of the empress. The entire palace seemed shrouded in an oppressive silence, each awaiting the impending move that would determine their fate.

That day, the king summoned me to the imperial study. I straightened my clothes and, filled with trepidation and anticipation, slowly walked through the vermilion gate.

"My beloved, you are here." The king's voice sounded a little tired.

I knelt and saluted: "Your Majesty, you summoned me, but what is the matter?"

The king looked at me with a complex expression in his eyes. "My beloved concubine, you should know that the decision on the position of empress has reached a critical moment. I have been considering the situation of each of my concubines over and over again these days."

I bowed my head slightly and said, "Your Majesty is wise. The position of Empress concerns the foundation of the palace. Your Majesty must be cautious."

The king stood up and paced slowly in his study. "Princess Li, she is beautiful and her family holds considerable influence in the court. If she were made empress, it would appease some of the ministers to a certain extent. However, she can be too spoiled at times, and I worry she won't be able to shoulder the responsibility of leading the harem."

I said softly, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. Sister Lipin is indeed outstanding in appearance, but the master of the harem must be both virtuous and talented, and have the ability to tolerate others."

The king nodded slightly and continued, "Concubine Hui is extremely talented and intelligent. I often gain a lot from talking with her. However, her family is too powerful in the court. If I make her empress, I am afraid it will disrupt the existing balance of power in the court."

I was moved, but I said calmly, "Your Majesty has considered everything. Although Concubine Hui is talented, the stability of this palace and the court is the most important thing."

The king paused and looked at me. "And your heroic performance during the hunt, my beloved, will never be forgotten. The many reforms you have implemented in the harem have also made me realize your ability. You get along well with the ministers at court and are able to help me solve problems. However, you do not come from a prominent family, which is something I must consider."

I raised my head and met the king's gaze firmly. "Your Majesty, although I come from a humble background, my loyalty to you and my love for the palace are no less than anyone else's. I am willing to use my wisdom and hard work to make up for the shortcomings of my background. If I become empress, I will do my utmost to maintain harmony and peace in the palace and assist your majesty in governing the country."

The king looked at me deeply for a long time before he slowly spoke, "My beloved concubine, I have taken note of your words. You may return first. I need to consider this matter carefully."

I bowed and took my leave. After returning to the palace, Wanqing hurriedly came to greet me: "Your Majesty, what did His Majesty say to you?"

I sighed softly, "Your Majesty is still hesitating, weighing the pros and cons between Lipin, Huifei, and me. The position of Empress is truly a difficult decision."

Wanqing frowned and said, "Your Highness, you hold a very important position in His Majesty's heart. His Majesty will definitely see the good in you."

I shook my head. "It's not that simple. Within this palace, various forces are intertwined, and every decision has far-reaching implications."

At the same time, Concubine Li and Concubine Hui were also waiting anxiously in their respective palaces.

Lipin paced back and forth in the palace, saying to the maid beside her, "Who do you think His Majesty will choose? I have worked so hard for the position of Queen, I can't let anyone else snatch it away."

The maid said cautiously, "Your Highness, you are so beautiful and have the support of your family. His Majesty will surely favor you."

Lipin snorted, "That's not necessarily true. Concubine Hui is always showing off her talents in front of His Majesty, and the Imperial Concubine is no pushover either."

Concubine Hui sat at her zither, but had no intention of playing. She said to her personal maid, "I thought that with my family's influence and my own talent, the position of Empress was already in my pocket, but now His Majesty has been hesitant. It must be those two who are interfering."

The maid comforted her, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. His Majesty will surely understand your kindness."

In another corner of the palace, several court ministers were also discussing privately.

Lord Li frowned and said, "The selection of the Empress is crucial to the future direction of the court. If Concubine Li becomes Empress, her family's influence will likely grow even stronger. If Concubine Hui takes the throne, her family's already powerful influence will likely lead to discontent among other families."

Lord Zhang nodded in agreement. "That imperial concubine, on the other hand, although of humble origin, is intelligent and fair. If she could become empress, she might be able to balance the interests of all parties. However, it's hard to say whether His Majesty would disregard her background."

The king was still immersed in deep turmoil in his study. He knew that no matter who he chose, some would be happy and some would be sad, and the power structure of the palace would also undergo tremendous changes.

That day, the king summoned all his ministers to discuss the matter.

The atmosphere in the court was solemn. The king, seated on the dragon throne, spoke slowly, "My dear ministers, the position of empress has been vacant for a long time. Today, I would like to hear your opinions."

A minister who supported Concubine Li stood up and said, "Your Majesty, Concubine Li comes from a distinguished family, is beautiful, and well-educated. If she is made Empress, she will surely be a role model for the nation and a role model for the harem."

A minister who supported Concubine Hui then said, "Your Majesty, Concubine Hui is exceptionally talented and intelligent. She often provides unique insights into your dealings with state affairs. If she becomes Empress, she will surely assist Your Majesty in governing the harem."

Lord Li looked around, then stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine has made outstanding contributions in the hunting and suppressing of rebellions, and has implemented reforms in the harem with remarkable results. She gets along well with the other women in the harem and communicates well with the ministers in the court. I believe that the Imperial Concubine has the qualifications to become Empress."

The king listened to his ministers' words, his mind becoming increasingly conflicted. He said, "I have considered all your words. The position of empress not only concerns the harem, but also the court and the entire world. I must reconsider."

After the court session, the king went alone to the harem garden, hoping to let the tranquil scenery soothe his tense nerves. Coincidentally, I was also walking in the garden.

"Your Majesty." I knelt and saluted.

The king looked at me and sighed softly, "My beloved, even here, I am still feeling depressed. The decision of who will become the queen is really giving me a headache."

I approached the king and said gently, "Your Majesty, whatever decision you make, I will respect it. However, I hope that Your Majesty will prioritize the long-term interests of the court and the country."

The king held my hand and said, "My beloved, I know your feelings. But the complexity of this is far beyond imagination."

At this critical moment, Lipin lost her patience and decided to take a risk. She secretly bribed the king's personal eunuch and wanted to put a drug in the king's food that would make him fall in love with her.

The eunuch trembled and said, "Madam Li, this is a heinous act. If I were discovered, I would lose my life."

Lipin glared at him and said, "If you don't do it, I can kill you right now. After the deed is done, I will definitely not treat you unfairly."

The eunuch had no choice but to agree.

However, this matter was discovered by the spy I planted in Concubine Li's palace, and I immediately informed the king of the matter.

When the king heard this, he was furious: "How dare Concubine Li be so bold!"

He immediately ordered Lipin to be banished to the cold palace. Lipin's family was also implicated and their status in the court plummeted.

This incident made the king completely disappointed in Concubine Li, and also left him with one less option in choosing the position of queen.

When Concubine Hui learned of this, she was secretly delighted, but she did not dare to slack off in the slightest. She decided to demonstrate her generosity and ability in front of the king.

She held a charity banquet in the harem and invited many concubines, maids and eunuchs to attend. At the banquet, she announced that she would donate part of her property to help those in the harem who were living in poverty.

"Sisters, although there are differences in status among us in the harem, we are all relatives of His Majesty. I cannot bear to see anyone suffering. I hope these properties can help everyone." Concubine Hui said at the banquet.

This move indeed won the praise of many people, and the news also reached the ears of the king.

The king praised Concubine Hui's behavior: "Concubine Hui's behavior is indeed worthy of a queen."

But I know that Concubine Hui's move is just to gain points in the king's heart, and her ambition has not changed.

I didn't just sit there and wait for death. I strengthened the education and management of the palace maids and eunuchs in the harem, making the harem more orderly. I also personally selected some palace maids with potential and trained them to become educated and well-educated female officials to assist me in managing the harem affairs.

"You must understand that in this harem, loyalty and ability are the most important. I hope you can become the backbone of the harem." I said to the palace maids.

As time went on, the king began to observe me, Concubine Hui, and the other concubines more carefully. He began to examine our ability to respond to unexpected situations.

Once, a fire broke out in the harem, which spread rapidly and was in chaos.

I immediately organized the palace maids and eunuchs to evacuate the crowd and directed the guards to put out the fire. I disregarded the danger and personally went to the most intense part of the fire to see if there were any more trapped people.

"Don't panic, everyone. Follow my instructions and evacuate in an orderly manner!" I shouted.

Concubine Hui was also directing the people in her palace to evacuate, but she was more concerned with protecting her own property and safety.

After the fire, the king observed our performance. He praised my composure and selflessness during the fire, saying, "My dear, you performed exceptionally well during this fire. I am very pleased."

To Concubine Hui, he said: "Concubine Hui, although you have your own responses, you are more concerned about yourself. You need to learn from the Imperial Concubine in this regard."

This incident tilted the balance in the king's heart a little, but he still hadn't made a final decision.

In the imperial court, as the position of empress was still unresolved, some forces that had been suppressed began to stir up trouble. They tried to seek benefits for themselves by supporting different concubines.

Some local officials began to show goodwill to the Lipin family's former allies, hoping to get a share of the future palace power structure. Meanwhile, the Huifei family used their influence to suppress those forces that opposed them in the court.

The king realized that the decision on the queen's position could not be delayed any longer. He had to make a decision as soon as possible to stabilize the situation in the palace and the court.

During a private conversation with several of his closest ministers, the king said, "I can no longer hesitate. The turmoil in the palace and the court is due to the unresolved issue of the empress. I must consider all factors and make a decision that will bring peace to the palace and stability to the court."

The ministers nodded in agreement, "Your Majesty is wise, this matter cannot be delayed."

The king began to re-examine every aspect of my behavior, that of Concubine Hui, and the other concubines, from our daily actions and behaviors to our responses to major events, from our relationships with the harem to our interactions with the court officials. He constantly compared and weighed the options in his mind, trying to find the most suitable candidate to become queen.

And I, in this final, crucial moment, remained calm and composed. I continued to work quietly in the harem, using my wisdom and kindness to consolidate my position, awaiting the king's final decision.