Chapter 1 — Noble Consort Muu Hau

I entered the palace for ten years, from a noble who endured step by step to a noble concubine. Always loved before and after. Later, the Queen became critically ill, Dung Te asked her what she still wanted. She said: "There is only one thing, you are not allowed to be the next step queen." Dung Te nodded: "Okay." He complied with his wife's will, and at the end told me, no need to be angry with the dead. "Being a noble concubine is also very good." Good? If it was really good, that year the Eastern palace chose a concubine, why did he let me be his concubine?01The spring rain outside the hallway was pouring endlessly. The candles in the shrine room were burning just right, with faint smoke swirling around. Mother Yen Chan respected the world, her kindness was comparable to heaven and earth, and after her death, the funeral was also held solemnly. Dung Te gave her enough respect and dignity. The palace staff also said that the emperor's love was deep and they were a rare true husband and wife. No one will remember that the young couple in the beginning were actually me and Dung Te. They knew each other when they were young, and when they were young, they fell in love. Finally, waiting for the decree to ordain the Crown Princess, the person who was given the title was Trac Phi. I thought I was mistaken. "Not mistaken." Dung Te came to me, explained to me in a low voice, over and over again there was only one sentence, the person he truly loved was me. "If I don't marry Yen Chan, she will be kissed only by the fourth brother, which is really disadvantageous for me." He talked about the pros and cons, saying he was helpless. I only ask one question: "What about me?" Almond pistils fell on Dung Te's shoulder, his eyes shattered, his voice was extremely humble: "A Mien, you like me, I like you too." "You won't leave me, right?" He hugged me, I forgot to pull away. At that moment, I felt like I was bound by something. Not only is it love, there is also endless vanity. For a moment, I felt like the person in front of me suddenly became extremely strange, but I couldn't say no. Everyone in the world knows that he and I are compatible. The more I know, my Lanh clan and the Crown Prince are one. Pre-dynasty, internal affairs. We have no way back. A drop of rain fell on the tip of my nose, slightly cool. The maid opened her umbrella and said: "Niang, you should go back." I hummed and turned around. I saw Dung Te coming from down the hallway again.02He had lost a lot of weight. The mourning clothes on her body seemed a bit loose, probably because she was taking advantage of the time to handle official matters and came here in a hurry. He has always been good to Yen Chan. While she was still alive, he gave her the respect and dignity of his wife, and after her death, he would not let people criticize her. These past few days, I heard that he was always in the palace writing a eulogy. I miss my mother who loves the world, I miss her fateful youth. He also instructed everyone in the harem to guard the coffin all night, absolutely not to relax even a little bit. Didn't expect to see me back early. "Want to go?" He frowned, clearly unhappy. I nodded and bowed: "I have to go copy scriptures for the Queen Mother." Dung Te paused, then remembered that. "So..." "I'm taking my leave." I walked past him, never turning around. But I could still feel the hot eyes behind him. I don't know when, the words between me and him have become pitifully rare. Actually, when I first entered the Eastern Palace, there were still a lot of words. As he said, he truly loved me and slept in my hospital most of the time. Yen Chan was brought up to be dignified. Of course he won't compete with me and be jealous. It's like spending several years wielding iron and peace. After that, the First Emperor passed away, Dung Te successfully succeeded to the throne, the harem rewarded him, Yen Chan was of course the Queen. It's my turn to be a nobleman. "The concubine's harem is different from the normal house, so I have to let the Yen family rest assured." "At least we have to wait until the Queen gives birth."

"A Mien, I promise you, even if you are just a noble, in this palace no one will dare to oppress you." This is not true. The harem and the Eastern palace are not the same. Nobles will be oppressed. He generously feeds the harem, the other Tiep Du and concubines are given titles, no one will let me go.03I did not leave Vinh Khang palace until dusk. The Queen Mother ordered someone to carry a lamp for me. "There's a heavy yin in the palace. It's a period of mourning. Don't let the conflict get in the way. Call a few more people to take you home." I bowed and said, "Thank you, Queen Mother." "No need to thank anyone, this is what you deserve." I quietly left. The Queen Mother spoke the same as before, but she was much better to me than before. She was not Dung Te's biological mother. I never thought of her as my mother will help me. That year in the royal garden, she just passed by and saw me being punished pitifully, so she took me back to Vinh Khang palace to apply ointment. She asked me: "After all, I have been in love with your Majesty for many years, and I have suffered so much, why don't you go and press charges?" I shook my head, hugged my burning knees, and softly replied: "I don't want to." Don't want indictment. Also lazy to prosecute. As soon as he ascended the throne, he said he would give it to me every time he wanted it, but he came to me sporadically a few times. In the dark light, he couldn't see the bruises on her body. It hurts me, but I think I enjoy it because of bed matters. "Cry out, A Mien, scream out loud, I like to hear it." His voice was breathless. I looked up at the top of the curtain, tilted my head to wipe away the tears on my cheeks. But refused to make another sound. "Too stubborn, you won't be popular in this palace." The Queen Mother once advised me. I didn't listen. It's okay to be stubborn, it's okay to try hard, this is me. Can't fix it anymore. “That's right.” Walking to the door, the Queen Mother spoke again: "I heard that these past few days the court has been discussing who should be chosen for the Central Palace position. Yen family intends to let Yen Phi be the next queen." "Anyway, this harem has no children, I think your Majesty will also agree." My steps stopped, without turning around.04I followed the night all the way, returning to my palace. On the table there is a bowl of warm soup. The palace maid said that this was specially sent by His Majesty. "Your Majesty said, the lady has worked hard copying scriptures for the Queen Mother, there is no need to go guard the coffin tonight." I said yes, let everyone go, and sat alone in front of the table. The soup smells elegant, the temperature is just right, it's something I used to like. Later, when I entered the palace, I once drank soup in the palace banquet. Immediately after, the tip of the tongue became numb and the whole body itched uncontrollably. Yen Chan thoroughly investigated and finally found out that the palace maid was negligent. Dung Te knew what happened and immediately executed that person. The story seems to have ended. But my torment is not over yet. The doctor's medicine didn't work, my mouth couldn't speak, I couldn't express the pain like gnawing ants, I rolled around on the bed like a fish out of water, wishing I could scratch my face. From then on, I didn't want to drink soup anymore. Not just soup, there's also tea. I'm afraid of all drinks that have something else added to them. But Dung Te doesn't know. He is the emperor, his harem has a royal rank of three thousand, everyone is willing to be gentle and soft-hearted. My increasing indifference and taciturnity annoyed him. In the end, he seemed to compromise and said: "I will ordain you as Tiep Du, as compensation for you. A Mien, please don't make trouble anymore." After enduring a hardship, he was promoted from Quy Nhan to Tiep Du. Dung Te felt he did well enough. As for me, looking at the bright red seal on the holy decree, I was stunned for a long time. My eyes lowered, the clear broth reflected my face at this moment. Cold, distant, like a fake mask. Suddenly, I remember

to the Queen Mother's last sentence.05The Queen Mother deliberately reminded me. Reminds us that what we have been looking forward to for many years is, in the end, just wishful thinking. But actually, I can no longer remember that scene. Probably because the Queen's phoenix body was restless, the royal doctor diagnosed that time was running out. Dung Te clung to me and asked me on the bed what I wanted. I said: "I want to be Queen." Dung Te spoke, he buried his head in my ear, his breath was hot and burning, said that after the Queen left, he would give me back everything that belonged to me. "A Mien, wait a little longer, I will give you everything I owe you." I also don't believe too much. The sweet words to deceive people in bed, how can they be considered true, but for some reason they spread to the outside. It's not just Yen Chan's illness. Now I'm being asked directly in front of my face. Yen Phi pretended to be innocent, covered her mouth, looked at me and said: "Am I asking the wrong question?" "But you don't need to pay attention, the Queen has already told you anyway, Your Majesty has already promised you, I think you will surely get your wish." Everyone looked at each other, no one dared to answer. The corner of Yen Phi's mouth smiled contemptuously, raising her hand to caress the hair on her bun, unintentionally revealing the dark red mark on her neck. Today is the first time the six palaces have gathered after the funeral. The six palaces have no owner, the harem affairs are temporarily under my control. Concubine Yen arrives the latest, but her words are not few at all. I lay on my side on the low bed, smiled and asked: "Then please accept Concubine Yen's good wishes." Concubine Yen's delicate eyebrows frowned, then relaxed, and also smiled and said: "Your Highness will definitely think about the success." Our eyes met, then quickly separated. I couldn't ignore the sarcasm in Concubine Yen's eyes. She is also the daughter of the Yen family. After Yen Chan got sick, the Yen family took her to the palace. As soon as she entered the palace, she became a concubine. The main ploy is substitution. Now, she certainly knows about the debates at court. Today he intentionally came to lift me up. Ha. I don't hate others seeing me as a joke. Sometimes, we even feel like a joke. Ten years of love, not being able to change a position as a concubine, not being able to wait for a second wife, and even having to be betrayed for the third time. Dung Te, you really know how to oppress others. 06The harem has no secrets, there are a few arguments during the day, and at night you wait for Dung Te to arrive. He asked me how I was doing these past few days, and asked if I was tired from handling harem work. I answer each question one by one. Long summer night. The crickets in the grass were chirping softly, and in the palace, Dung Te and I didn't say anything for a while. After a moment, Dung Te opened his mouth: "A Mien, you resent me, right?" I raised my eyes and looked over. This is the second time he asked me. On the day the Queen died, he came to my palace and explained a lot to me. Saying that the dead person is the biggest, saying that Yen Chan asked him in front of everyone, he couldn't help but answer, also couldn't help but accept. "After all, you are already a Royal Highness, even if you don't become Queen, it's really no different." "The promise I once made to you... just consider it as it is." I asked in return: "What if I refuse to consider it as it is?" Dung Te tiredly rubbed her eyebrows and said: "A Mien, don't make trouble." "I'm very tired." Hearing that, I just curled my lips slightly, then didn't say anything more. And today, I say: "No resentment, I know your Majesty's dilemma." As if she didn't expect me to say that, Dung Te was stunned, on the contrary, she was a little guilty, opened her mouth and said: "Yen Phi is still young, spoke carelessly, did not mean to touch her." "I will tell her another day." I shook my head: "No need." "Your Majesty also said that she is still young, I will not compare with her." Dung Te was extremely touched, stood up and hugged me.