The Second World in Ancient Times

The faint light of dawn had barely filtered through the cracks in the window lattice, quietly spilling onto the edge of the carved bed, when a flurry of hurried footsteps, like a surging tide, suddenly shattered the palace's previously tranquil silence. Wanqing, like a frightened deer, rushed into my chambers, her expression panicked. Beads of sweat gleamed on her forehead in the dim light, her chest heaving violently. She finally managed to breathe, "Your Majesty, this is terrible! Rumors are spreading that you've been mistreating the palace maids. The entire harem is abuzz with gossip."

Upon hearing this sudden news, my heart suddenly clenched, as if gripped by an invisible hand. A chill shot up from my feet to my chest. But I quickly gritted my teeth, took a deep breath, and forced myself to calm down. Gently reaching up, I wiped the sweat from Wanqing's forehead with my fingertips, soothing her. "Don't panic. Let's figure out what's going on first." As I spoke, I stood up swiftly and walked to the wardrobe. My fingers swiftly moved through each piece of rich fabric, selecting a simple yet elegant dress. Then, I skillfully changed. As I washed up, I gazed at myself in the mirror, my eyes gleaming with determination. I pondered the turbulent situation within the harem and the potential conspiracy lurking in the shadows.

After finishing my preparations, I sauntered out of the room. The palace maids were gathered in the courtyard, chattering among themselves like a flock of noisy sparrows. Upon seeing me, they froze as if under a spell, lowering their heads, not daring to meet my gaze. Some even felt their legs weaken and their bodies tremble slightly.

"What are you all talking about here?" I raised my chin slightly and asked softly. Although my voice was soft, it seemed to carry an icy blade, cold and majestic, piercing straight through everyone's eardrums.

A young maid shrank forward, her lips trembling. Her eyes were fixed on her toes as she stammered, "My Lady, people say you often beat and scold the maids and don't even give us food. We...we're scared."

I stared at her with sharp eyes, took two steps forward, and the hem of my skirt swayed gently with my steps: "Have I ever done such evil deeds since I entered the palace? You have followed me for some time. Don't you know what kind of person I am?" As I spoke, I raised my hand slightly and gently stroked my sleeves. I felt disappointed that these palace maids were easily deceived by rumors, and there was also a hint of helplessness in my heart. After all, in this big melting pot of the harem, people's words are scary, and they may just be unable to control themselves.

The little maid hesitated for a moment, secretly glanced up at me, then quickly lowered her head and whispered, "The Queen is indeed very kind to us, but the rumors outside are too fierce, and we don't know who to trust."

I knew in my heart that no amount of explanation to these palace maids would be of any use at this point. The most urgent task was to uncover the source of these rumors. I spun abruptly, my skirt swirling in a graceful arc, and said to Wanqing, "Go investigate and find out who's behind this." Wanqing nodded vigorously, her eyes etched with determination. She turned and hurried away, her figure strikingly resolute in the morning light. I watched her go, my hands unconsciously clenching slightly. I silently prayed that she would uncover the truth quickly, while my mind raced through the possible culprits. There were many in the harem who were jealous of me. The faces of the concubines who usually looked upon me with indifference flashed through my mind. Anyone who would resort to such despicable tactics must hate me to the core. Who could be so determined to kill me?

Not long after, Wanqing hurried back. Her face flushed crimson, like a burning flame, and her eyes gleamed with anger. She said hastily, "Your Majesty, it's Concubine Li. She bribed several palace maids to spread rumors throughout the harem and instigated them to complain to the ministers. Now the ministers are impeaching you in the court, saying that you are immoral and unworthy of being a concubine."

I sneered, my lips curling up slightly in a hint of disdain. "Concubine Li? She's really not giving up. Last time wasn't enough, and she's trying to provoke me again this time." I was filled with resentment. This Concubine Li had repeatedly opposed me. Was it because I was favored that she would resort to such unscrupulous means to frame me? But at the same time, I felt a sense of relief. Fortunately, I knew the truth in advance and was not caught off guard by this conspiracy. I decided to take the initiative and not sit idly by. I straightened my back and walked to the side with graceful steps. I selected Xiao He, the maid who usually took care of me the most and who was affected by the rumors. I gently took her hand and led her to the king's study.

Outside the study, I happened to encounter several ministers who had come to see the king. Upon seeing me, they all expressed disapproval. One minister, head held high and chest puffed out, strode towards me with long, swift steps, eyebrows raised, eyes filled with reproach. With his hands clasped behind his back, he spoke in a domineering tone, "Empress Yu, as a consort, you should lead by example. How can you treat the maids so harshly? This is beneath the royal dignity."

I lifted my chin slightly, looked him squarely in the eye, and replied, neither servile nor arrogant, "Sir, have you witnessed my mistreatment of the palace maids? Or are you accusing me of this based solely on one-sided accounts?" The minister was momentarily speechless. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. A faint blush of embarrassment crept across his face, and he unconsciously took a small step back. I ignored them, lifted my skirt slightly, and walked straight into the study.

The king was sitting behind his desk reviewing memorials. When he heard my footsteps, he looked up, put down his pen, and frowned slightly, with a hint of confusion and displeasure in his eyes. "Concubine Yu, I have heard some rumors about you. Do you have any explanation?"

I slowly knelt down and saluted, knocking my knees heavily on the ground. I leaned forward with my forehead almost touching the ground, and placed my hands respectfully on both sides of my body: "Your Majesty, I am innocent. These are all rumors. Someone is deliberately framing me." I was uneasy. Although I knew I was innocent, the king's attitude made me a little worried. After all, he had to face the pressure from the ministers in the court. What if he was also misled by the rumors, then I would really be in desperate situation.

The king looked at me with scrutiny in his eyes. He leaned forward slightly, folding his hands on the desk. "I hope it's just a rumor, but the ministers are all impeaching you. What should I do?"

I stood up, straightened my clothes slightly, folded my hands on my abdomen, and said to the king, "Your Majesty, I have brought a palace maid with me. She can testify for me."

I called Xiao He over, patted her shoulder gently, and gave her an encouraging look. Xiao He thumped to her knees, the sound of her knees hitting the ground resonantly in the quiet study. She covered her face with her hands and burst into tears, "Your Majesty, the Queen is extremely kind to us palace maids. She always cares about our lives and teaches us to read and write. Those who say that the Queen treats us harshly are all false. It was Concubine Li who bribed us to lie, but we simply cannot bear to frame the Queen."

After hearing what Xiao He said, the king's face became gloomy, as if covered with dark clouds. He slammed the table so hard that the teacups on the table shook and a little tea splashed out: "Is this true? Why would Concubine Li do this?" I felt relieved when I saw the king's reaction. I was glad that he was willing to believe me, but at the same time I felt even more angry at Concubine Li's behavior. Her jealousy was so strong that she did not hesitate to destroy the peace of the harem to frame me.

I replied, my eyes revealing a hint of helplessness and heartache, shaking my head and sighing slightly, "Your Majesty, Concubine Li is jealous of my favor, so she came up with this despicable plan to destroy my reputation and make me fall out of favor."

The king shouted angrily, his voice resounding like a bell. He suddenly stood up, his dragon robe fluttering in the wind. "Concubine Li has gone too far. I will send someone to investigate immediately. If it is true, I will not forgive her easily."

The king's men soon uncovered the truth. Concubine Li was brought before the king. Her makeup was disheveled, a few strands of hair had fallen from her hair ornaments, draping slightly on either side of her face. Her former pride had vanished. Terrified by the revelation, she dropped to her knees and begged for mercy, her body trembling like a leaf in the wind. She kowtowed repeatedly to the ground, "Your Majesty, I acknowledge my mistakes. I beg your forgiveness."

The king looked at her coldly, his eyes like a sharp, icy blade, as if piercing through her. "Concubine Li, you have repeatedly framed Concubine Yu. I have reached the limit of my tolerance for you. From this day forward, you will be demoted to a concubine and moved to a remote palace to reflect on your mistakes."

Concubine Li was led away, weeping. Her cries echoed through the corridor, gradually fading away. The king came to my side and reached out to hold my hand. His hand was warm and strong, his eyes filled with concern and relief. "My beloved, you have been wronged again this time. I am very pleased that you were able to remain calm in such a difficult situation and uncover the truth. Your wisdom and courage make me value you even more."

I looked at the king, tears of emotion flashing in my eyes. I raised my head slightly to look at him, and held his hands tightly with both hands: "Your Majesty, as long as you trust me, I will have nothing to fear. I only wish to be by your side and share your worries." At this moment, my heart was full of gratitude for the king's trust, and I was more determined to live well in this harem and accompany him.

After this crisis, my position in the harem became more secure. The maids and eunuchs became more loyal to me, and even the ministers who had once doubted me now looked upon me with new eyes.

Back at the palace, Wanqing came to greet her with a smile as bright as a flower in bloom in spring. "Your Majesty, you have truly triumphed this time. Concubine Li is now completely doomed."

I shook my head and sighed softly: "Wanqing, we can't take it lightly. The struggle in the harem will never stop. We must always be vigilant and use our wisdom to deal with every challenge." I know very well that this victory is only temporary. The struggle in the harem is like an endless night that may envelop me again at any time. I must always be prepared and use my wisdom and courage to protect my own world.

In this harem full of conspiracies and intrigues, I relied on my calmness and wisdom to resolve crises time and time again, moving forward towards the goal of gaining a firm foothold in this palace, and also making the relationship between me and the king more resilient in the wind and rain.