My Sin

Promotion And Punishment

Another month has gone by peacefully in the palace. The empress' second sister's wedding was coming up, so the empress was mostly focused on that. There are only two days until the empress' sister's wedding so the empress hurried up and finished the dress, and other preparations, now that the preparations were ready only the wedding was left.

"Your Highness! Your Highness! I have huge news!" Li Dani exclaimed as he burst into the door making everyone look at him.

"Let's go to the hall, Tao'er and Ruan'er are still seeping." The empress responded as he calmly put down the book he was reading.

"Yes, your highness." Li Dani complied as he bowed.

The empress's belly was pretty big now that he was five-month pregnant now. The empress could no longer wear the pretty tight hanfus he wore before. He could now only wear light and loose hanfus, and he was wearing one right now. The two and some maids went into the hall to talk.

"What is it, Li Dani." The empress asked as he sat down on his throne.

"Your highness I just found out that Cairen Lu is pregnant." Li Dani informed, his voice filled with seriousness.

"Oh? Then hear my decree!" The empress stated as many eunuchs and maids rushed inside the hall. "Cairen Lu is pregnant with an imperial child which means she has been serving the emperor dutifully. I shall reward her with four thousand gold and ten thousand silver, she shall be promoted to Virtuous Lady of proper rank with the title of Ju, and she shall move to Fen hall with fifteen maids and five eunuchs at her service." The empress continued. "Bestow my decree!" The empress finished as she got up from his throne he didn't want to waste time on such an easy matter.

Many were surprised but they didn't dare delay his majesty's decree. They immediately made their way to Baohu yard, a small yard where most low-ranking concubines are situated.

"Hear her majesty's decree!" Li Dani stated as Cairen Lu kneeled to accept the decree. "Cairen Lu is pregnant with an imperial child which means she has been serving the emperor dutifully. I shall reward her with four thousand gold and ten thousand silver, she shall be promoted from Cairen to Virtuous Lady of proper rank with the title of Ju, and she shall move to Fen hall with fifteen maids and five eunuchs at her service." Li Dani recited the decree.

"This lowly concubine accepts his majesty's decree, may his majesty live for ten thousand years and more." Cairen Lu said as she knotweed, unable to contain the joy radiating from her face.

The news traveled fast in the harem and many knew they should be careful with their scheming. Yes, the emperor favored a concubine but that didn't mean he loved her enough to ignore all the other beautiful women in the harem, and Virtuous Lady Ju(Used to be Cairen Lu) was indeed a beauty.

When Noble Lady Lady Shu heard of this, her whole pavilion felt her rage. They all knew the emperor favored her more but the emperor also slept with many other women in his harem. The empress used to give them birth control medicine to reduce the number of children conceived and that used to benefit Noble Lady Shu more than anyone else, but now the empress no longer cares about this stuff.

Noble Lady Shu can't really complain about this anyway, in the first place complaining is what got them in this mess. The emperor spoiled Noble Lady Shu too much making her forget her place. So when the emperor slept with somebody else for a night she complained to him, making the emperor storm out in anger. He spent the night at Cairen Lu's place and now she's three months pregnant.

"Where's the emperor?"  Noble Lady Shu asked in a shrill voice.

"H-h-he's visiting Virtuous Lady Ju." The maid in front of her answered trembling.