The Making of a Palace Intrigue Victor - Chapter 2

At that time, Shen Junrou’s brows and eyes had not yet fully grown into their shape, yet she already faintly revealed an innate, natural loveliness.

So she was feared by the senior palace maids, who would not easily let her show herself before the masters.

They even ostracized her openly.

In truth, she could not procure any good wound medicine either. I had her find some dandelions and corydalis bungeana, and bring me a little clean water and food every day.

Though slowly, I did get better day by day.

After I recovered, I was often gloomy and dispirited.

In this strange and terrifying place, I wanted to die but did not dare to.

It sounds laughable: I prided myself on being a modern, independent woman, yet at that time, the ten-year-old Shen Junrou was my only support.

“Do you think that just because you saved her, she’ll be grateful to you?” Her voice still carried a childishness, but every word she said pierced the heart.

“A fool like her has no benevolence, righteousness, or morality in her heart at all.” Shen Junrou’s sleeves were even a bit too short, and her slender wrists were red from the cold.

She was clearly so much younger than me, yet the way she lectured me was extremely practiced.

As she did so, she stuffed the precious egg yolk into my mouth.

Before, when she was being bullied, I had volunteered to take on the work of cleaning Chengxiang Hall for her.

I had done far more troublesome and far bigger things for others before, but she was the first person to come back and express thanks.

“Are you happy now?” I looked at the wooden beam and abruptly asked this question.

Shen Junrou froze for a moment. “When the day comes that I become an imperial consort, I’ll naturally be happy.”

“An imperial consort?” I murmured.

“My family once invited a Daoist priest to take a look. I have a natural physiognomy auspicious for bearing sons. As long as I can conceive, they will naturally all be boys.”

She said this with a bit of pride.

I did not have the heart to tell her that whether a child was male or female was not up to her to decide.

The X and Y chromosomes each had their own roles; only the Y chromosome could determine whether a child was male or female.

At that time, deep in my heart, I still felt some contempt for Shen Junrou’s preference for sons over daughters.

But on the other hand, for a little yellow-haired girl to say such things was truly both ridiculous and adorable.

“Of course,” I teased her. “Our Rourou looks like she has the face of someone blessed with many sons and much fortune.”

She finally realized that what she had said was a bit shameless, and could not help pouncing over to cling to me. “You just talk too much!”

Her powdery pink face was like an unripe little peach, and her body still had the softness of a child.

But how could becoming an imperial consort be that simple?

Among so many palace maids, everyone wanted to ascend to the heavens in a single step, relying on beauty to become a person above others.

But the Son of Heaven had only just ascended the throne, and the important ministers of the Outer Court had already decided the candidates for the Empress and Noble Consort. There were even clever ministers who had long since sent their daughters into his household while he was still at his pre-accession princely residence-concubines for a time, imperial consorts once he took the throne.

Now the imperial harem was filled with dazzling beauties vying for splendor; how could the Emperor notice a tiny wildflower outside?

But Shen Junrou had never been the sort to accept fate.