Suddenly Hearing the Emperor's Heart During Bed Service - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Back then, when my mother gave birth to me, it damaged her health. Within a few months, she passed away.

My father grieved for all of two days before turning around and marrying my stepmother into the household.

A little over a year later, my stepmother gave birth to my younger half sister.

That was when things got serious.

My stepmother came from an ordinary family, but she was born combative. She was convinced that as the legitimate eldest daughter, I would stand in her daughter’s way and steal all her glory.

So all these years in the manor, my stepmother doted on me in every possible way.

Clothes, jewelry, rouge, powders-whatever it was, I had to have the very best.

Even when my half sister and I had the occasional conflict, she would take my side unconditionally.

In her own words, she was “spoiling me to ruin me.”

It was, frankly, rather baffling.

And so I grew up smoothly and without incident.

That lasted until after my hairpin ceremony, when my aunt, remembering her friendship with my late mother, wanted my cousin to marry me.

My cousin was a man of fine character, a true gentleman, and I had no objections to the match.

But my stepmother wanted my half sister to marry him in my place.

So on the surface, she hemmed and hawed and delayed. Then, behind everyone’s back, she wrote my name onto the roster of candidates for the palace selection.

After that, the imperial edict summoning me to the palace arrived at our home.

The emperor was no longer young, and he was not fond of women. In all these years, the palace had never produced any young consort who was truly favored.

A woman in the harem without favor lived with less freedom than a dog outside the palace walls.

My aunt was furious at the time. She came to our door and gave my stepmother a thorough scolding, exposing every last one of her petty, hidden schemes.

The marriage between our two families fell through as well.

My aunt declared on the spot, “I’d rather have him marry a dog than marry your daughter!”

I had to admit, the scene was a little ugly.

I thought I would never see my stepmother again in this lifetime.

Who could have expected that less than half a month after I was promoted to concubine, I would receive a visiting card from home?

She was still an elder of my family, so I could hardly refuse to see her.

Thus, the following afternoon, my stepmother brought my half sister to visit.

The moment we met, my stepmother took my hand and launched into a stream of pleasantries.

Cup after cup of tea was replaced, round after round of pastries was served, yet they still showed no sign of taking their leave.

I was puzzled, but I could not very well issue an order to send an elder away, so I could only sit there and smile stiffly.

I waited and waited. Just as the sun was about to set, the emperor arrived.

The moment that bright yellow figure appeared, my half sister, who had been yawning off to the side, immediately straightened up.

A flash of inspiration struck me, and I suddenly understood.

My stepmother wanted my half sister to seduce the emperor!

In my stepmother’s eyes, my half sister was no less beautiful or talented than I was.

If I could win favor, why couldn’t my half sister?

There was no such unfairness under heaven!

“His Majesty has arrived-”

At the palace attendant’s announcement, everyone in Yongshou Palace bowed in greeting.

Among them, my half sister bent her waist the softest and most alluringly of all.

The emperor approached step by step.

His gaze fell on my half sister and paused for a brief moment before moving away.

[…Why is that little bean sprout dressed up in red and green?]

I heard him say in his heart.