The Empress Wears Gucci

63

        I was starting to get used to my estate as an Imperial Noble Consort, but as Empress, I was obligated to move. The Palace of Earthly Tranquility was the most red I've ever seen. It was still comfortable but I felt weird to know that the late empress had lived here before me. Also, I hate the fact that I have to wake up early in the morning.

      The women in the harem would have to greet me every single morning. Every single morning. It was tiresome. Some of them were the ones who thought I was vulnerable to pick on, some of them hated me for no reason at all. I was harassed and looked down upon by these women. I still haven't forgotten the time where I fell during dance rehearsal and they mocked me.

       Not all of them wanted to put me down. The Noble Consort, Roasted Duck I called her, was always kind to me. She didn't have to be. I respected her for not talking down on me with Niu Lin and anyone else. Respecting someone for not trying to scheme on you, was more common than you think. Her pregnancy was also a shock to me, but I was oblivious to anything that goes on in the harem, to be fair.

        Because I was the Empress, they were forced to respect me, and I was satisfied with that. There will be women that will stab my back, I know that. I knew there will be girls who will smile in my face and suck up to me, just for their benefits. To secure my position, I was not planning to play nice. 

        After the morning assembly I had, I took a stroll. It wasn't a casual walk as I was meaning to be at a certain destination. Ten maids followed my every move. I have finally filled the space of Guan Shu. I could've had more maids when I was Noble Consort or Imperial Noble Consort, but I felt like it was too crowded for me. Ten maids were too much for me, and knowing that they barely leave me, is exhausting. Jaxon can only speak to me when I sneak out or when I dismiss them.

        I needed my privacy but like said, it was impossible to have privacy here. 

        Hua Er walked next to me. She went on about a novel she read that she enjoyed, and I went along nodding my head. The power I had was still new. I forget that I am Empress sometimes. It's going to take a few days to get used to it... If I even stay for that long.

        Niu Lin should be in her original chamber. When I stepped in, I admired the disorganized, clustered atmosphere. It also gave me a headache. Niu Lin must have demanded her maids to leave this mess alone because it was horrifying. Her maids would've begged her to clean it.

       "Happiness and peace to the Empress." Niu Lin kneeled, bowing immediately after she saw me. She stayed respectful. We were both respectful towards each other, but there was still friction between us.

        I adjusted a pin on the side of my done-up hair. "You may rise."

        "Thank you, Your Majesty," Niu Lin spoke softly, then standing up to her feet. "Empress, I've treated you poorly for almost a year."

        Those words alarmed me. I raised my eyebrows. "I know. You don't have to bring that up."

        She had no power over me, and can no longer do anything to me. She knew that. She was smart enough to surrender to me, and treat me like the way I deserve to be treated. We were fine now. Unlike the late empress, I chose to forgive Niu Lin. I don't know why. Maybe because she helped me, even though she didn't have to. There was still goodness in her heart. 

        Holding onto a grudge would only pull me down. I chose to forgive Niu Lin. I chose to release our past. 

        Niu Lin took a deep breath. She stepped back, looking nervous before she faced me again. Her feet shifted under the long hanfu. I didn't know her. Her character and personality were unknown to me, so everything she did was quite unpredictable.