Free The Concubine by Jade Lee

complain.”
    “Truer words could not be spoken,” said Bo Tao. “Head eunuch, can we not bring some sweet dumplings? Surely the kitchen will have made enough to spare.”
    The cut man bristled with indignation. “And who will fetch and serve this bounty? You? Her? My eunuchs are too busy for such nonsense.”
    Hua Si sneered. “I have told her she eats too much, but she is from the country and does not understand that life in the Forbidden City requires sacrifice.”
    Ji Yue ground her teeth. “I am not from the country,” she said as calmly as possible.
    “You see?” Hua Si put in with a roll of her eyes. “She argues about everything. So demanding.” Then she turned around and went to the mirror. With a huff of disgust, she began to apply her “poisoned” paint to her face.
    Meanwhile, the head eunuch sniffed disdainfully at Ji Yue. “I do not like girls who constantly complain, Chen Ji Yue.” With that he spun away.
    Ji Yue stared at his retreating back, the unfairness of it all making her eyes tear. Though the emperor chose his brides, the head eunuch controlled a concubine’s life. He supervised servants and housing. He managed resources between the harems. And most important, he was the one who brought brides to the emperor’s bed. She could not become pregnant with the next emperor if she never graced the man’s bed. And she would never grace the imperial bedchamber if she made an enemy of the head eunuch.
    Meanwhile, in a nearby room, another argument erupted and something fragile was smashed. In her mirror she saw Bo Tao wince at the noise.
    “Can you dress your hair yourself?” he asked.
    She blinked. Had he been speaking to her? “Master?”
    “Your hair? Can you do it by yourself?”
    She glared at him. What a ridiculous question! No woman could create the elaborate hair displays alone. But she was not in a position to argue, so she gave the answer he wanted. “I will do my humble best.”
    “Good,” he said. Then he snapped his fingers at the eunuch assigned to help them. “You! Come with me to the kitchens.” With that he left, taking her only help with him.
    Trays of tea and dumplings arrived a half hour later. No one thanked her for the idea, not that she expected anyone would. But she didn’t even get any of the food since she was busy struggling with her hair. Someone had to hold the board in place while the hair was wrapped and glued. Thankfully, Li Fei was able to help. Though there had been little time to further her friendship with the girl from the carriage, Li Fei was naturally kind, had quick fingers and an easy smile. Together, they dabbed glue as quickly as possible, secured the board, but only partially set the butterfly hairpin. Then they ran together to dinner.
    They slipped inside with the last of the virgins, grateful that there was adequate seating. Otherwise, their tardiness would have them eating outside with the disgraced eunuchs. Flashing a grin of excitement to her friend, Ji Yue settled down at the table and tried to look like an empress. Unfortunately, among all the fine silks and beautiful girls, she very much feared that she looked more like Hua Si’s impoverished cousin.
    The emperor sat at a table on the opposite side of the room. From this distance, all Ji Yue could see was his exquisitely embroidered clothing and his dark black hair. Still, she felt a tingle of excitement race down her spine. She had never been this close to the emperor before, and the feeling made her belly jump and her voice high. The other virgins were equally excited, equally delighted. But of course there was no hope of attracting his attention from across the room. So after repeatedly craning her neck to look in his direction, Ji Yue settled in to enjoy her meal.
    It was between the tenth and the eleventh course that the emperor stood up. The reaction at the virgins’ tables was immediate. Chopsticks clattered to the table, and hair was quickly patted into place. Ji Yue was not