The Step Empress

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕖

Omg I'm sorry! I don't know that chapter 3 hasn't been published! 😭 I apologized for the inconvenience 🙏

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The following morning, an aunt from the palace which we addressed as Tang GuGu, is staying in our home to help us learn the etiquette of serving The Emperor.

Me, on the other hand, tried to fulfill my duty as the eldest daughter as best as I could with the remaining times. I help mother assign the maids to chores and sometime I serve my father tea.

One evening, our family is sitting down and having a usual conversation. "Mei Zhen," address my father, "I have thought that you should bring your half sister, Hui An to the Imperial Palace."

I turned to my father, looking shock. Hui An is my little sister that my father had with one of the servants. Her mother than was raised to become a concubine. Even if we are sisters, we are never close. And will never be as close as me with Ling Li.

A child of concubine is a servant to the legal child. Even if they are older, they need to show some respect to the legal ones.

The relationship between me and Hui An Meimei was once good. We played together when we were kids but somehow when we reach teenage, she has become a different person.

She still is respectful to me especially in front of our parents, but I know that she always liked to pull pranks on me. One time, she give me shoes for my birthday which she had trick before, and that made me fell and hurt my ankles. She did that purposely so I can't go into the town's fair.

Not to mention the several times she tried to drug my food which gives me diarrhoea or the times she gave bad rumours about me to the other outstanding potential husband to-be. She has also put cockroach in my bed when everybody in this house knows I hate them!

That was the last thing I could ever tolerate from her. Since then, I decided that she would be my enemy. I used to pity her as she is the child of a concubine and that her mother died when she was a child, but having her be my lady in waiting and spend the rest of my life with her?!

"Father. I'm sorry, but I can't accept that," I plead to my father. He chuckled, "I know you would say that. I and your mother have been talking about this. Mei Zhen.. You are our eldest child and now you're marrying the Imperial clan. What left of us is Ling Li. We can still proudly send her off to marry an outstanding noble family in the future. But your half sister?"

I furrowed in confusion. My mother continues, "Ah.. Mei Zhen. Actually.. We know all this time what you have suffered. We know how your half sister behaves. I also have reprimanded her several times of her action, but she wouldn't just listen."

"If we marry her to the other noble family, we're afraid of what she would bring to them. We're afraid that our families will put in shame for her future action. What if she couldn't stand the jealousy when her husband loved the concubine more than her? I couldn't even bear to think about it."

My father added, "She pull pranks on you because she's jealous, Mei Zhen. She's jealous that you're a legal daughter and you seems to have everything. Although we have never really done anything evil on her, she just seems to hold a grudge. She thinks your mother is the one who killed hers."

"But that's not true! Her mother died of cancer! " I exclaimed. "Yes, it's true. But she didn't believe it," tells my mother.

"What if she betrayed me, father? What if she tried to seduce The Emperor?" I ask in frustration. "Mei Zhen.. You are my beautiful daughter.. I hope you can always outdone her and show her who is the master and who is the servant. Put her into place."

Right. I just thought about that. If she were to come with me to the Imperial Palace, then we would be master and servant. It's not breaking any rules since a daughter of a concubine could come to the palace serving their legal sisters.

"Servants!" ordered my father, "Call my daughter, Hui An here." "Yes, Master," said the servants hurrying off.

Then, she comes wearing her favourite white dress, to enhance her purity and innocence. "Good evening father," salutes her, "Good evening Madam." Then, she looked at me for a moment, "How do you do, Zhang Jie (Elder Legal Sister)."

"Hui An, please sit," said father. "Thank you, father," replied Hui An while she sits in front of us. She is indeed quite pleasant to the eye, with only two years below me. "Is there something you wish to discuss, father?"

"As you know.. Your Zhang Jie is coming to the palace less than a week. I want you to come with her and be her dowry maid. What do you think?" asks my father. Her face full of surprise. "B- but.. I am fifteen, father. I could be getting married."

"About that.. Listen, Hui An. You are all my daughters. However, the palace is too big and complicated, I wouldn't bare to see your Zhang Jie coming there alone. I would have send Ling Li instead, but your little sister is only ten. How can I do that to her? You are our only hope," explained father, "As to you getting married... don't worry. You are still fifteen, and you could get a proposal in the future. For now, let's focus on your eldest sister instead."

"Ah.. I believe father has us as your best interest at heart," she continues, "but how am I supposed to help Zhang Jie, whereas I'm dumb and slow witted?"

"Hui An, are you saying that you didn't get education as the daugther of Wen family? What if others hear you?" response my mother. "I wouldn't dare, madam," she replied, "I will oblige father and madam request. I will serve Zhang Jie and come to the Imperial Palace."

My father smiled and took her hands, "That's my daughter. Both of you could stand together and protect each other. My heart is in peace."

Hui An Meimei. I hope you can still shows your goodness and loyalty to me. Or I will show you how wrong it is to be born into Wen noble family.