The Second World in Ancient Times

Ever since the King severely punished the Queen and her cronies at court, my position within the palace has skyrocketed. That day, sunlight shone brightly on the palace's glazed tiles, foreshadowing auspicious events. Eunuch Li, the chief eunuch, arrived in person to deliver the decree: "Empress Yu, please accept my decree. The King has decreed that Concubine Yu, for her wisdom and courage, for exposing treacherous villains and protecting the peace of the harem, be awarded a pair of jade ruyi (likely a Chinese character), ten strings of South Sea pearls, and fifty bolts of silk and satin. Furthermore, a private banquet will be held in the palace this evening, and Concubine Yu will be invited to accompany her. This is my decree!"

I quickly knelt to receive the decree, "I thank the Lord for His Grace." In my heart, I understood that this was the King's affirmation of my past achievements, as well as an honor and a challenge. In this palace, excessive favor can easily spark envy, but refusing it would be seen as ungrateful. I had to tread carefully.

As night fell, I carefully dressed and made my appearance, then with trepidation, headed for the king's chambers. Inside, candlelight flickered, and the air lingered with fragrance. The king had been waiting for me for a long time. A faint smile crossed his face as he saw me approach. "Concubine Yu, you've arrived. I'm in a good mood today. Please come and have a chat with me."

I knelt and saluted, then slowly stood up and replied with a smile, "It is my honor to accompany Your Majesty."

During our conversation, I noticed the king was also quite interested in matters outside the palace, so I decided to share some modern cultural concepts. "Your Majesty," I whispered, "I've heard of a cultural concept called 'diversity and tolerance.' A country or a court that embraces diverse cultures, ideas, and perspectives can become like the ocean, a vast and powerful sea, gathering hundreds of rivers. Just like today, many prosperous places owe their existence to the intermingling and collision of diverse cultures, giving rise to countless new skills and wisdom."

The king nodded slightly. "Concubine Yu, this is a very novel idea. I never thought that culture could have such an impact. In your opinion, how should I promote this concept in the palace?"

I thought for a moment and replied, "Your Majesty, we can start with the palace's banquets and artistic creations. For example, at palace banquets, we could arrange singing and dancing performances of various styles, including traditional court music and lively folk dances. In terms of painting and calligraphy, we could encourage painters to try to integrate styles and techniques from different regions. This would not only enrich the cultural life of the palace, but also allow more people to experience the charm of tolerance and stimulate their creativity."

A glint of admiration flashed in the king's eyes. "Concubine Yu is indeed thoughtful and insightful. I have never considered this before."

I was delighted and continued, "Your Majesty, I have some humble opinions on state governance. In modern times, there's a management philosophy called 'people-oriented.' A country's prosperity is inseparable from the people's well-being. If Your Majesty can prioritize people's livelihoods, reduce taxes and levies, develop water conservancy projects, encourage agriculture, and ensure the prosperity of the people, then the foundation of the country will be solid. For example, you could send capable ministers to conduct in-depth surveys of various regions. Based on the soil and climate conditions of different regions, you could formulate appropriate agricultural development strategies, promote new farming techniques, and increase grain production. At the same time, you could focus on the selection and training of talent, recruiting talents regardless of their background, so that all capable people can serve Your Majesty. Only in this way can the court be filled with talented people and the country enjoy long-term stability."

I further elaborated, "Your Majesty may establish academies to recruit students from all walks of life. Regardless of social status, all talented and ambitious individuals may enroll for further study. Within these academies, various disciplines such as arithmetic, astronomy, geography, and law may be offered to cultivate well-rounded individuals. Upon graduation, these students may pass assessments and enter the imperial court as officials or serve in local positions, contributing to the governance of the nation. Furthermore, regarding commerce, fair and reasonable commercial regulations may be formulated to encourage free trade, while also strengthening oversight to prevent unscrupulous merchants from monopolizing the market and driving up prices, thereby ensuring the livelihoods of the people."

The king listened intently, sitting upright. "Concubine Yu, your views on statecraft may differ from what I've heard, but they make a lot of sense. I'll consider them carefully."

This conversation with the king made me feel even more deeply that he relied on me. From then on, the king often summoned me to accompany him. Whether strolling in the royal gardens or discussing state affairs in the study, I was able to bring him new ideas and inspiration with my modern knowledge.

However, as my favor grew, the Queen's cousin, Concubine Li, became jealous of me. Li had always relied on the Queen's protection to run rampant in the palace, and now that the Queen had fallen from power, she blamed me for this.

One day, I was admiring the flowers in the Imperial Garden with my maids when Concubine Li came towards us with a group of attendants. She deliberately raised her voice and said, "Oh, isn't this Concubine Yu? You've been so popular lately, the King is completely bewitched. I wonder what seductive tricks she's using."

I frowned slightly, but maintained my elegant demeanor. "Sister Lipin, please don't speak nonsense. I am only doing my best to serve the king."

Lipin snorted coldly, "Hmph, don't think I don't know what you're thinking. You overthrew your cousin, the Queen, and now you want to monopolize the King's favor. Don't even think about it!"

I knew it was pointless to argue with her, so I ignored her and turned to leave with the maid. But Concubine Li refused to give in, reaching out to block my way. "What's wrong? Are you feeling guilty? You don't dare to argue with me anymore?"

I looked her straight in the eye and said calmly, "Princess Li, if you continue to be so disrespectful, I will report the truth to the king."

When Concubine Li heard the king's name, she was slightly startled, but she quickly regained her arrogant demeanor: "Go ahead and see whether the king believes you or me. I am the queen's cousin. It is not the place for an outsider concubine like you to dictate the affairs of the palace."

I stopped arguing with her and hurried away with the maid. After returning to the palace, Wanqing angrily said, "Your Majesty, this Lipin has gone too far! Why don't you teach her a lesson?"

I shook my head gently. "Wanqing, don't be impulsive. She's just jealous and deliberately provoking us. If we confront her head-on, we'll just fall into her trap and give her something to talk about. We need to deal with it calmly, find something to hold against her, and then make our plans."

I know full well that within this palace, jealousy is like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, poised to spring forth and inflict harm at any moment. I must be vigilant and, at the same time, find a way to dispel Concubine Li's hostility, otherwise, she will become another formidable rival within the palace.