A Forbidden Happiness

Chapter 1

Chaoxiang Emperor*

Princes (Generational character 义/Yi-Justice/Righteousness)

Prince Taio of the first rank (deceased at 1 year)—Empress
Prince Ren of the third rank (deceased at 2 months)—Shen huang gui fei
3rd prince, Yian, age 13— Empress
4th prince, Yifu, age 10—Jin pin
Prince Bao of the third rank (stillborn)—An gui ren
6th Prince, Yiqiang–, age 9, Shu pin
7th prince, Yihe, age 9—Empress
8th prince, Yijian, age 8—Tong pin
Prince Lingyun of the third rank (stillborn)—Shen huang gui fei

Princesses (Generational character 花/Hua- flower/blossom)
1st princess, Huabao, age 15—Shen huang gui fei
2nd princess, Huahuan, age 14—De gui fei
Princess Anhe of the first rank (deceased age 5)—Empress
Princess Bao of the third rank (deceased at 1 month)– Shen huang gui fei
5th princess, Huaguang, age 2—Jiang gui ren

Qing Dynasty Harem Class System

Empress (皇后; huáng hòu)
Imperial Noble Consort (皇貴妃; huáng guì fēi; Imperial Noble Consort)
Noble Consorts (貴妃; guì fēi; Noble Consort)
Consorts (妃; fēi; Consort)
Imperial Concubines (嬪; pín)
Noble Lady (貴人; guì rén, literally "precious person")
First-Class Female Attendant (常在; cháng zài, literally "often present lady")Second-Class Female Attendant (答應; dā yìng, literally "serving lady")

*Expecting fortune

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The fifth month of the 19th year of the Chaoxiang Emperor, 17xx

It was the dead of summer in the Forbidden City but, 18 year old Xi Jiayi still felt cold sweat running down her neck. The sun had set and she could smell and hear the rest of the bondslaves eating the nightly meal. Jiayi was starving, but Su gonggong* was at the door of the mess hall.

Since her arrival five years ago, Jiayi lived her life as a slave quietly. She went where she was told and did what she was told from dusk til dawn. She would've been content to do so until the day she died, if not for one thing:

Su gonggong.

In the last few months, the overseeing eunuch had been approaching her. At first Jiayi didn't understand it. Her bunkmates weren't shy in letting her know that her looks came nowhere close to something that could be called beautiful. So when Su gonggong began to appear near her at all times, Jiayi assumed someone thought she was stealing and he was forced to keep watch. Then, one night before they were all sent to bed, Su gonggong told Jiayi to follow him. Even if she suspected something, she couldn't disobey him. Su gonggong has pushed her up against a wall and began to grope her. Stunned, Jiayi tossed him to the ground and ran back to her rooms. The small bit of violence did nothing to deter the middle-aged eunuch. Any chance he got, he would try to touch her. It drove her mad.

Lately, Su gonggong has been bragging about the reward he was allowed after serving in the Forbidden City after so many years. For his 50th year, he was going to ask to be rewarded with a wife. Jiayi didn't have to look at him know where his eyes were when he said it. If Jiayi ended up tied to that man as a reward, she had no shame in killing herself. Death would be better than Su gonggong, gaunt, sallow face for the rest of her life.

Stomach grumbling, Jiayi went back to women's barracks. She'd have to satisfy herself with sleep for dinner.

"Yi'er,"

Jiayi froze as the slimly voice called out from behind her. Su gonggong had spotted her from across the courtyard.

"Yi'er," he said again as she turned around, "I have wonderful news,"

"Oh," Jiayi blurted out, her tongue thick in her mouth.

Su gonggong put a gnarled hand on her shoulder and grinned widely, showing off his blackened gums, "Thanks to the grace of His Majesty, we can finally be married. The Astronomy Department is searching for an auspicious date for us,"

"No," Jiayi said as she curled away from him, "Su gonggong, a lowly sinjeku† has no right,"

Su gonggong laughed and grasped her hands, "Don't worry, don't worry! When we marry, I'll give you a new name and make a true Manchu clanswoman,"

Seeing the lack of joy on her face, Su gonggong tightened his grip around her hands, "You have a chance to change your fate Jiayi. Don't waste it,"

Jiayi went to bed, belly full to the brim with fear.

✺

The next morning Jiayi and a dozen other slaves were taken out to weed the cobblestone roads. Jiayi dug into the ground the sun beat down on her. She imagined that it Su gonggong's neck she was squeezing instead of the green weeds in the ground.

"Did you hear, The Empress is actually letting a prostitute inside the back palace††?"

"Really?"

The servants began to chatter excitedly.

"I heard that she's so beautiful that she caused a cart accident by just sticking her hand out of the window," said a eunuch.

"I heard that His Majesty asked her to enter the palace as soon as he saw her. Love at first sight!"

The chatter grew in intensity.

"Apparently she's going to be given the rank of gui ren," said a maid.

"And an honorary name! No woman has ever gotten one without a great merit to the Imperial Family!"

"If I were one of His Majesty's wives I wouldn't take kindly to that. To be the same rank or lower than a woman who's been ridden by more men than a cart-horse? It's shameful!"

At that point, Jiayi went back to fantasy of wringing Su gonggong's neck. Why should she care that The Emperor was getting a new woman? He owned the world.

"I hear the Imperial Household Department is having trouble finding maids to serve her,"

"You're surprised? Those uppity maids won't stand having to walk behind such a famous lean horse§,"

"I've been here for 40 years and its never happened before! I hear they've had to cover up a lot of suicides because of this,"

"How many? I heard 10 maids have gone off these last few months,"

"10?! The girls at the hothouse said it was close to 20! I heard one was the daughter of junior deputy. They had to lie and say she died from a snake bite,"

"And they don't dare send the bodies out. They burn them, right away!"

A dizzyingly daring thought popped in Jiayi's head. If she served The Emperor's favored woman, Su gonggong wouldn't disrespect her by approaching her for marriage.

Yes, she was a slave.

Yes, the entirety of her clan was executed for distributing slanderous materials.

Yes, she only fit to clean the shit buckets that were brought in every night.

It didn't matter.

Su gonggong was right. Jiayi wasn't going to waste the one chance she had to change her fate. 

__________________________

* eunuch
† State slave. Of a lower status than bond slaves or bond servants. Usually a status of punishment
†† Lit. translation of harem 
§ Slang, prostitute