Chapter 5 — Behind the Curtain of Glory

9

The emperor favored me, but not like when he favored Tu Chieu Hoa. Tu Chieu Hoa was disobedient, impulsive, and had no fear of royal power in his bones. She could get angry because the emperor summoned a new person, and could throw things at the emperor just because of a little dissatisfaction. As long as she doesn't agree, she will say the emperor doesn't love her, and she wants to leave this place so he can never find her. Three days of small arguments, five days of big arguments. Many times, I clearly saw disgust and coldness in the emperor's eyes. But the next day, the two of them were together again like never before. Before being beaten, Tu Chieu Hoa repeatedly told me to learn from her and imitate her temperament. I don't do that. During the day, I play the role of a white lotus flower, kind and generous, with a gentle smile on everyone who comes. I followed the emperor to learn poetry and writing, calling him master, pondering every sentence and every word he taught. At night, I was bold and reckless, shamelessly serving him to the point of moaning softly. Decent during the day, unruly at night - I firmly grasp the boundaries, not a single inch wrong. To the point where I almost forgot Tu Chieu Hoa was still locked in a secluded room.

10

Until I remembered her, it was because Vinh Uy brought me a new flower paper - she didn't know how to use it, but she won a branch quest. When I arrived at her, Anh Dao's original face had undergone a strange change - the faint features of the past were now combined into an indescribably gentle beauty. Even the skin is much smoother. That's when I suddenly understood - no wonder she was more and more beautiful in her past life. We thought it was because we were pampered that we were radiant, but it turns out it was thanks to the so-called "system". She looked at me, her eyes were cold and sarcastic.

"Unexpectedly, that pitiful appearance of yours is all fake."

I raised my head and smiled at her.

"If you knew that this slave was also a person of flesh and blood, with plans, you would not feel at ease. I was just afraid that you would be upset, so I helped you."

Tu Chieu Hoa did not speak immediately, but carefully observed me. To put it bluntly — she's not stupid. When she was still a concubine, she made Concubine Duc unable to get pregnant, devised a plan to make Concubine Van disrespectful in front of the emperor, thinking that she had eliminated all her enemies, but in the end she lost to the prime minister's daughter, who was famous for her virtue. It's not like the Emperor hasn't given her a chance. The three times she was given the power to take charge of the six palaces, she used them all to form factions and oppress others. Giving her family glory, she let her father step down to avoid trouble, not daring to retain power. She put all her heart and soul into competing for favor, thinking that by making the emperor's soul crazy, she could achieve everything. Page Nguyet Hoa Cac She has that strange "system", thinking she can trample on everything. To the point of not even caring about the lives of "foul ants" like me. Until now, when she really used her mind to think, she had nothing else to rely on. Tu Chieu Hoa looked at me for a long time, then let out a low hum from his throat:

"Men, even if they change their souls and change their bodies, they don't recognize them, and still say they love them..."

"In that case, I don't want to see you guys having sex anymore. Anh Dao, now that you are my favorite concubine, why don't you immediately let me out of the palace?"

I lowered my head to look at her fingers - white, slender, pale pink nails as transparent as if touched carved by a goddess, so beautiful that it makes me bewildered. I reached out my hand, lovingly held her hand:

"Brother Dao doesn't have such beautiful hands. Since she was little, she had to work, early in the morning she had to go to the kitchen to dig out ash, and between her fingers were forever imprinted with white cracks from cracking, that's when all the fingerprints were dry."

"Working from a young age, so my joints and bones are big, when I go out, I don't need to say much, just looking at my hands is enough to decide whether I'm good or bad. Anh Dao's life is low, do you remember? That day you were eating cherries, saw my cheeks turning red because of the cold, and told me to just call me Anh Dao."

"Oh my God, that was the first time I saw it, it turns out there are ripe fruits in winter. Later I found out, the general ordered someone to ride a horse from the South to bring the tree, covered each layer with a cotton blanket, and rode quickly to the North. When we got there, the tree was dead, the blanket was gone, only three parts of the delicious fruit were left, which was placed on his jade plate."

“My lady, I once dreamed of tasting a red cherry.”

Tu Chieu Hoa started to feel annoyed, but still tried to be patient and said:

"Now you don't need to dream anymore. Whatever you want, just coddle the king and you'll get it. Don't forget, all the good days you're living are given to you by me. Don't you know how to be grateful? Even if you're not grateful, aren't you afraid that I'll call the immortals to treat you?"

I shook my head and squeezed her hand again:

“I guess — whether for you or for her — being queen is the most beneficial duty, right?

I can become queen. I know what I have to do to become a queen.”

“System, come to me.”

“Regardless of whether you are human or demon — come to me, become my strength.”

Tu Chieu Hoa looked at me in horror.

"You... how do you know? How can you know? Impossible! Could it be that... you also came here?"

Seeing that her body had not reacted for a long time, Tu Chieu Hoa suddenly burst out laughing:

“You idiot, who do you think you are? How can the system…”

She stopped. She had to stop.

11

The white light surrounded her body, gradually appearing a square frame in the void.

“Ky Tam Nuong, are you willing to accept the main mission, become queen, and save the Secret Kingdom?”

Ky Tam Nuong - that is my real name. I looked at the four words "save the Secret Kingdom" and was silent for a moment.

“I am willing.”

The white light received a response, "whoosh" and rushed straight into my mind, instantly disappearing.