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墨書 Inktalez
I remained silent.
He stood up and walked in front of me, gently lifting my chin to force me to meet his gaze. His eyes were deep, filled with an emotion I couldn't comprehend. "You are clever and special. I... perhaps can give you what you desire. But you must think carefully; once you take this step, there will be no turning back."
My heart raced. I understood the meaning behind his words. He was offering me a choice: to continue being a pawn in a corner, always at risk of being sacrificed, or to become one of his consorts, drawn into a deeper and more turbulent vortex.
I looked at his face, so close, those eyes that held the power of life and death. I recalled my father's injustice, the decline of my family, the terror of Yan Yu nearly dying unjustly, and every day I spent in this palace walking on thin ice.
I needed power—not just for self-preservation but also to one day uncover the truth and clear my family's name. In this place where imperial authority reigned supreme, the greatest power came from power itself, from... the favor of the monarch.
I closed my eyes and opened them again, my gaze now resolute.
"I am willing to share your burdens, Your Majesty, even if it costs me my life."
He smiled, satisfied as he released my chin. "Good. From today onward, you shall be known as 'Consort Lan.' You will reside in... Qing Zhi Pavilion, as it is peaceful there."
With the title of Consort granted to me, my status shifted dramatically. Though I was low-ranking and at the bottom tier, I had entered the emperor's harem and became a legitimate mistress. The furnishings in Qing Zhi Pavilion were refreshed, and more palace maids and eunuchs appeared; they all greeted me with respect and courtesy.
I knew this was just the beginning. The real test had only just begun.
Consort Shu did not immediately make her move against me. Perhaps she was observing or perhaps the previous incident with the silver needles had made her more cautious. However, the hostility from other concubines in the harem followed me like a shadow. They were jealous that I, an "unknown" physician, had suddenly gained favor and secretly tried to trip me up—sending me stained fabrics, mixing impurities into my meals, and even nearly dropping a flowerpot on me during my stroll in the imperial garden under "accidental" circumstances.
I resolved each incident one by one. With my medical skills, I could easily discern whether food was tainted; with caution, I avoided obvious traps. For those provocations, I chose to ignore them and maintained a low profile and gentle demeanor. I knew that at this moment, my foundation was unstable; it was unwise to create too many enemies.
Xiao Jingyuan’s favor towards me was not overwhelming but steady like a trickle of water. He would often visit Qing Zhi Pavilion, sometimes weary from reviewing memorials, coming to rest for a while with a cup of herbal tea I brewed; other times he would arrive late at night to play chess with me or discuss medical cases. He seemed to enjoy this calm and relaxed mode of interaction.
He rarely stayed overnight with me, which disappointed those waiting for my downfall but also allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief. I knew that gaining too much favor too soon or even becoming pregnant would only make me a target for everyone’s ire. I needed time; I needed to build up strength.
I utilized the emperor's trust to continue managing affairs in Supreme Pharmacy and used that as a foundation to establish my own network of information. The gossip among palace maids and eunuchs, channels for procuring medicinal herbs, the medication habits of various consorts... these seemingly insignificant pieces of information could become lifelines or weapons for victory at critical moments.
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