Chapter 3 — One Bowl of Soup, Two Lives of People

I was startled. Even the queen mother saw the clue and asked in a soft voice.

“The Emperor is here today, is there something important that he wants to discuss with someone?”

The agarwood in the fireplace hovered, Tieu Ngan's eyelids slightly drooped.

"There is indeed an important matter. I want to have a palace maid as my concubine. Unfortunately, she comes from a lowly background, so I'm afraid she will attract disapproval."

The Queen Mother pursed her lips.

"This is okay. Although it's not appropriate to say that I don't have children yet, the concubine title is not appropriate. But after all, I just ascended the throne, and the harem is still single.

“But I've always been careful and not greedy. Is there anything about that lady that's so superior to other people?"

“Yes.”

Tieu Ngan raised his eyes, his gaze as if stung by something, staring at a twin branch of lotus flowers on the screen. Then that lotus flower is my pale face. He said softly.

“You are the benefactor who saved my life. In the poor alleys, giving food is unforgettable in this life."

The atmosphere suddenly became silent. Countless conjectures flashed through my mind. In the blink of an eye, I felt like I was underwater, almost unable to breathe. For some reason, the Queen Mother next to her suddenly sat up straight. The person stared at Tieu Ngan: "Emperor, say it again, who did you find?" Tieu Ngan took a deep breath, his expression determined.

“The young palace maid of Ngu Thien Room, Tran Ngoc Cam.

"I want to make her my concubine. No matter how poor her background is, countless honors and favors will be given to her alone."

When the Queen Mother heard that, her already tense body suddenly relaxed. A flash of incomprehensible doubt flashed in his eyes. As for me, it was as if I was hit by five thunderbolts. I felt cold all over and my eyes were dark. Tran Ngoc Cam— It's no one else, it's my biological sister's name!

06

I was suddenly so scared that I fainted in front of the Queen Mother's bed. When I woke up, I returned to Ngu Thien room. The sisters are busy pouring medicinal tea for me.

"Sister Luc Thao, the royal doctor said that you are full of energy and heart, you suddenly fainted, you should rest for two days and you'll be fine."

“The Queen Mother sent someone to take you home, and specifically told us to take good care of you.”

But I didn't bother taking a sip of medicine, so I quickly grabbed the girls and asked.

“Do you know Tran Ngoc Cam... Did His Majesty come to Ngu Thien Room to look for a person named Tran Ngoc Cam?”

I have lived in Ngu Thien Room since I was a child for nearly twenty years, and have never heard of anyone with the same name as my sister. And my sister, who has always been a showgirl on the outskirts of the capital, absolutely cannot enter the palace. Why does Tieu Ngan's benefactor have the same name as my sister? Everyone suddenly remembered something and excitedly told me.

"I don't know Tran Ngoc Cam at all. But this morning, the king suddenly entered Ngu Thien's room looking for someone."

“He met A Ngoc, asked a few questions, then for some reason took her away.”

"Sister Luc Thao, have A Ngoc caused any trouble? We must help her."

A Ngoc... Could it be that A Ngoc is the benefactor that Tieu Ngan identified? But A Ngoc's real name is Chieu De. Even the name A Ngoc was given to her by me, with the intention of spreading the jade essence. My head is dizzy, only my thoughts are confused. I quickly took the medicine, then went out again to check for news. Just walking a few steps, he bumped into a crying woman. It's A Ngoc again. As if she had caught a life-saving straw, she knelt down with a thud head.

“Sister Luc Thao, A Ngoc knows it's wrong, please help me explain to the emperor!”

I was as dumb as a wooden statue.

07

A Ngoc slowly recounted the truth. It turned out that she came from a poor background, her father was addicted to gambling, her mother died early, and there were three young sisters in the family. As the eldest sister, she reluctantly sold herself to the palace. In the winter of Vinh Hy's eighth year, her younger sister was teased by an evil tyrant and accidentally killed someone while protesting. She urgently needs money to pay for a lawyer and clear her sister's name. But she was just a lowly palace maid who had only accumulated ten taels of silver over the years. She was at a loss, crying and thinking of a way. At that time, I just left the palace to visit my relatives. A Ngoc has always been close to me and knows where I keep my money and jewelry. She immediately stole a silver hairpin that I don't often use. But good people do bad things, and in the end they are still afraid. When she ran away in panic, she fell heavily, her head was torn and bleeding, and the brooch fell away. A Ngoc was both sad and guilty, but it couldn't be helped. After that, she worked hard to save money, bought an identical brooch and put it back in its place. This matter is still buried deep in A Ngoc's heart. Unexpectedly, yesterday I suddenly asked her about the winter of the eighth year of Vinh Hy. She was extremely guilty, thinking I had discovered that the brooch had been changed, so she went back to the path she fell down to look for it. As a result, the silver brooch that was lost that year was actually dug out from the mud! A Ngoc was originally about to return the brooch to me, but the emperor rushed into the Imperial Room looking for someone.