The Empress Wears Gucci

29

        Gossip started to take off in the harem. My reputation in the harem, well, was complicated. Nobody thought of me as shameful, more like ungrateful and strange. They thought it was strange of me to pass up the opportunity of sleeping with the Emperor. It eventually got to the Empress, and according to Chen Xi, the Empress wasn't pleased. She went off on a rampage, questioning why I was such an 'ungrateful, distasteful wench'. But she cooled off and was pleased that I wouldn't have the chance to give birth to any children.

        Truthfully, it could've been worse.

        "The tea is ready, milady," Guan Shu said softly as she leaned over to place a black tray in front of me.

        I watched my youngest maid, with her trembling hand, pour the hot liquid into my teacup. She avoided eye contact with me.

        "You know that I'm not bothered by the gossiping, right?" I assured her, insisting that I was strong enough to handle all the criticism. The criticism that happened overnight.

        How the maids acted around me after I heard the gossip was hard to explain. Tension, maybe? They were pretty tense. It was new to me. I think it was because of the lack of sensitivity I had to the rumours. The concubines they've served might have been whining and complaining once they were under the negative spotlight. Some may have killed themselves. Suicide was prominent in the harem. Even the concubines with the ranks of 'Noble Consort', the third-highest ranking title, killed themselves. The harem was tough, extremely tough. I couldn't even handle it. I didn't expect the harem to be this brutal. I have to adapt to this place. Fast.

        Once Chen Xi spoke about the gossips, my heart ached for half a minute. But it doesn't matter because I was sanguine that the Emperor will visit me again.

         I know it.

        After my sixth cup of tea, I gradually rose from my chair. I puckered my lips so I could inhale sharply. I exhaled. "Let's go for a nice stroll, Hua Er."

        "Ying Yue..." Hua Er jerked her head up from her guqin to raise her eyebrows at me. "You mustn't..."

        "Milady, I don't think it's a good idea—" the quiet maid, which I nicknamed in my head, 'Snoopy', bowed in front of me.

        My maids gingerly stepped out of my way but Snoopy persisted in holding me back. I lifted my chin a little and made a gesture with my index finger towards Hua Er. "Hua Er, get up. We are going and that is an order."

        "We will obey your orders, milady," Guan Shu said with uncertainty. She walked behind me and made an indicated motion with her head to the other maids.

        The outside breeze was chilling but not as chilling as it was before. The white fox fur around my neck softly rubbed against my skin. From any other person's perspective, I must've looked absolutely alluring. 

        Hua Er and I walked together; there was a distance between us while she walked to the side of me, slightly behind. Snow has yet to fall upon us so we have to deal with the ugliness of winter. It wasn't the season of winter yet, but fall transitioning into winter. I could tell because my hair was flowing neatly behind me. I could hear the soft whistles of the wind in my ear. Once my hair is flying all over the place and the wind makes war cries, then I will know that it is wintertime. 

        It must have been the energy of queasiness amongst Hua Er and my maids because the early afternoon stroll was dead quiet. I paused for a moment and turned my head to the side to look at Hua Er. I side-eyed my maids. "You all are awfully silent. I just don't understand why all five of you are so worried."