Chapter 3 — Chinh Phi's Chess Game

Early the next morning, I met Ky Kim Viet at the main courtyard door, he was in a hurry to go to court. When he passed by me, he stopped for a moment. "Yesterday's cinnamon flower cake, have you eaten it?" "I've eaten it, thank you, Your Highness." He nodded and walked away. I stood in place, watching his back disappear around the corner. That plate of cinnamon cake was not originally given to you by His Highness. My sister ordered the kitchen to do it herself. Because Ky Kim Viet doesn't eat cinnamon flowers, he hates sweets. This kind of small thing, you think I don't know. But the first day I entered the palace, I told my mother to write down all of your highness's likes and taboos. It only took me an afternoon to understand the story of my sister's three-year-old sister. "Your majesty, look at this." The maid close to Thanh Hoa brought a porcelain vase in front of me, the mouth of the vase was sealed with wax. "I found it in the hands of the maid at the hospital, said it was something added to the lady's tonic." I removed the wax seal, brought it closer and smelled it, there was a very faint smell of bitter almonds. "Don't let others see it?" "No. That maid." It was the maid who returned home from the Lam family. The servant found an excuse to send her away, the medicine bottle had been changed to a normal medicine." I sealed the bottle and put it in the bottom layer of the makeup box. "This matter is not in a hurry, just keep it first." Thanh Hoa opened her mouth, but in the end she still didn't ask why she didn't complain. The days went by just like that for two months. Sister plays the role of a gentle concubine every day in front of Ky Kim Viet, but in front of me, she becomes more and more difficult without even bothering to hide it. The first is to change the coal portion in our hospital. It was cold in October. In the charcoal pot in the main courtyard, the worst willow wood charcoal was burned. There was so much smoke that it choked people. I don't speak up. Then there is food in the kitchen. The fish on our table is always not fresh, the salt in the soup is getting less and less, drinking it like water. I also didn't speak up. Every time my sister came to the main courtyard to ask for peace, she would evaluate me. Seeing me wearing light-colored clothes, my face as usual, her smile deepened a bit. "Why have you become thinner? Is it because the food in the palace doesn't suit your taste? I'll ask His Highness to change the chef for you." "Don't bother me, I eat less." I acted like this for two months, and it was so painful that even my mother secretly wiped away her tears. The first time Ky Kim Viet saw him was in the garden. My sister pulled me to see the newly blooming camellia flowers. When we got to the lake, I suddenly let go. "Oh, sister, be careful..." I staggered a step, the hem of my dress stained with mud and water. Looking up, he just happened to be facing Ky Kim Viet coming from the corner of the hallway. His steps slowed down a beat. I squatted down and brushed the mud off my skirt, my voice calm. "It's okay, I wasn't careful." My sister quickly stepped forward. "Your Highness, I didn't look under my feet while walking, so I couldn't even pull it..." "The stone steps in the garden are wet, send someone to sweep." Ky Kim Viet's voice was not heavy, but he looked at his sister, "There are many maids in the yard, let someone come with you next time." After saying that, he left. The older sister's expression darkened for a moment, then quickly restored her smile. "Sister, go back and change your clothes, don't let it get cold." The second time she was caught, she was at the main courtyard door. The sister's close maid brought a bowl of soup and said that the royal concubine had personally stewed it and invited the royal concubine to taste it. I smiled and took it, just as I was about to drink it, Ky Kim Viet's shadow appeared at the door. My sister's maid immediately knelt down. "Your Highness Kim An." I held the bowl, my eyes slowly turned a little red, then quickly bowed my head, using my sleeve to cover it. "The soup you deliberately stewed for me, does your Highness want to drink a bowl?" Ky Kim Viet walked over, looked at the color of the soup in the bowl, and said nothing. He picked up the bowl, smelled it, then gave it back to me. "Drink." That bowl of soup was clean. Sister is not stupid, she will not touch anything

thoi diem Ky Kim Viet co kha nang xuat hien. But what I wanted was for him to see me carefully and cautiously receive the bowl of soup. A concubine drinks the soup and concubines given to her, but she still has to be grateful. This image itself is a kind of resentment. Ky Kim Viet's eyebrows remained furrowed until dinner. The third time, my sister pointed at my maid and scolded me in front of the two housekeepers. "Why is my portion missing a bunch of silk? The main house takes care of the house, is it up to me?"My maid bowed her head and did not dare to speak. That bundle of silk was clearly cut off by my sister to make up for it, but now she's biting it back. Just as I was about to open my mouth to say, "Maybe I remembered wrong", Ky Kim Viet walked in from the lobby. He glanced at the group of maids kneeling on the ground, his voice cold. "Phu Nguyet, the affairs of the main courtyard are controlled by the main concubine, you have no right to manage it." The older sister was stunned. This was the first time Ky Kim Viet used such a tone to talk to her in front of outsiders. "Your Highness, I'm not..." "Go back to your hospital." Her face turned red, she stared at me for a moment, then turned and left. Ky Kim Viet looked at me, didn't say anything more, turned around and headed back to the lobby. Mom asked me in a low voice: "Your Highness, is it your highness..." I bowed my head and pursed my lips. "Mom, give a bunch of brocade to your sister, say it's mine." Mom replied.