A Concubine’s Competitive Life in the Prince’s Household

Zhang Yue was dressed in her finest attire today, wearing a dark green Shu brocade dress adorned with scattered floral patterns. Her hair was styled into an elegant cloud-like bun, embellished with ruby hairpins, and her makeup was immaculate. She gazed at Prince Yan with a radiant smile.

Ever since she received the fourteen bottles of golden wound medicine bestowed by Prince Yan, rumors had been swirling in the palace that Zhang Yue was now the favored one, while Shen Wei had fallen out of grace.

During the five days Prince Yan was away, Zhang Yue had been basking in her newfound glory. The Princess Consort had gifted her jewelry, precious fabrics, and silks, and the palace servants had been fawning over her, eager to curry favor.

Zhang Yue felt as though she was floating on cloud nine, thoroughly enjoying the adoration and attention. She began to believe that she was different from the other women in the palace. With enough effort, she could secure Prince Yan's long-term favor. Once she bore him a child, her future of wealth and luxury would be guaranteed.

Surely, Prince Yan had feelings for her. Otherwise, why would he come straight to the Rose Garden upon his return?

"Your Highness, I have prepared hot tea for you. Would you like some?" Zhang Yue asked softly, her eyes filled with tenderness as she looked at Prince Yan.

The maids, Cui Er and Fang Er, were also secretly delighted. Although they had endured Zhang Yue's harsh treatment these past few days, if she were to gain favor, they too would benefit.

Prince Yan, however, furrowed his brows slightly as he observed the woman before him. A single thought crossed his mind: *Who is she?*

Fu Gui, who had served Prince Yan the longest, noticed his confusion and quickly stepped forward to explain, "Your Highness, this is Lady Zhang Yue of the Rose Garden. She was granted residence here by the Princess Consort some time ago. Have you forgotten?"

Prince Yan truly had forgotten.

He had no interest in Zhang Yue and walked straight past her, heading toward Fangfei Courtyard. Zhang Yue watched his tall, retreating figure, feeling as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over her from head to toe.

Her heart sank.

How could Prince Yan not remember her?

Panicked, Zhang Yue rushed to stop Fu Gui, asking anxiously, "Chief Steward Fu Gui, His Highness specifically gifted me fourteen bottles of golden wound medicine. How could he forget me?"

Fu Gui looked at her with pity. "Lady Zhang, to be honest, those fourteen bottles of medicine were of mediocre quality and were meant to be discarded. His Highness, not wanting to waste them, ordered me to deliver them to you. The medicine he gave to Lady Shen Wei, though only one bottle, was meticulously prepared by the Imperial Medical Bureau and is of the highest quality."

Zhang Yue stood frozen, unable to process the revelation.

...

Prince Yan eagerly entered Fangfei Courtyard.

The lanterns on the eaves of Fangfei Courtyard had been replaced with beautiful lotus-shaped ones, casting a soft glow. The garden was lush with blooming gardenias and crape myrtles, and a delicate pavilion had been added by the water's edge.

The pavilion was draped with white curtains on three sides, with one side open to the water. A gentle breeze stirred the curtains, revealing glimpses of Shen Wei's slender figure.

"Your Highness," Nanny Rong greeted, leading the maids and eunuchs in a bow.

Hearing the commotion, Shen Wei lifted the curtain, her eyes shining like stars. "Your Highness, you're back! I pay my respects to you!"

Prince Yan stepped forward and gently took hold of Shen Wei's delicate arm.

The weather had grown warmer, and Shen Wei was dressed in a light green silk dress embroidered with lotus patterns. Her dark hair was styled into an elegant cross-shaped bun, adorned with two translucent green jade hairpins. She looked like a fresh lotus flower, pure and radiant.

Shen Wei gazed at Prince Yan with concern. "Have you had dinner yet, Your Highness? You've been so busy with official duties these past few days. I can see you've lost weight. When the lotus seeds in the pond ripen, I'll have someone prepare lotus seed and pork rib soup to nourish you."

Prince Yan was deeply moved.

He held Shen Wei's warm hand and led her into the charming pavilion. Inside, there was a cool mat-covered couch and a desk for calligraphy practice.

The desk was fully equipped with brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. Shen Wei had been practicing her calligraphy in the pavilion. Prince Yan picked up a sheet of paper, on which Shen Wei had copied "A Spring Banquet."

Her handwriting was still clumsy, but there was noticeable improvement.

"You haven't neglected your calligraphy practice while I was away. Well done," Prince Yan said, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Shen Wei, like a child eager for praise, replied joyfully, "I want to become a master calligrapher so as not to embarrass Your Highness. Naturally, I practice every day."

Prince Yan gently tapped Shen Wei's nose, his heart filled with warmth.

After dining together, Prince Yan and Shen Wei continued their calligraphy practice in the pavilion.

The moonlight bathed the scene in a soft glow, and the fragrance of lotus blossoms wafted from the water. Prince Yan watched Shen Wei as she concentrated on her writing, her features as delicate as a painting, her lips a tender red. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

Suddenly, he pulled her into his arms, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered hoarsely, "Let's go inside."

Shen Wei's cheeks flushed. "It's too stuffy inside. It's not good."

She leaned closer to Prince Yan's ear and shyly whispered something. Prince Yan's eyes widened, and he chuckled. "That's not a bad idea."

The breeze stirred the curtains, and the water in the pond rippled gently.

Fu Gui and the other servants kept their distance, not daring to look up. The cool night wind occasionally lifted the white curtains of the pavilion, revealing glimpses of two entwined figures.

Water droplets collected on the green lotus leaves, bending them until the drops fell into the pond with a soft *plop*, creating ripples that spread across the surface.

It was late into the night when Prince Yan finally carried a weakened Shen Wei out of the pavilion. Shen Wei was wrapped in Prince Yan's black, gold-embroidered outer robe, her fair neck dotted with faint red marks.

Cai Lian and Cai Ping had already prepared hot water in the room.

The bath was not without its interruptions. Prince Yan, having abstained for several days, found it hard to resist Shen Wei's allure. They made love twice more before finally settling down.

Even as she was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion, Shen Wei remembered to have Cai Lian and Cai Ping bring two bowls of medicine.

One was her contraceptive brew.

The other was a cold-prevention tonic for Prince Yan.

Her voice hoarse, Shen Wei handed a bowl to Prince Yan. "It's chilly outside, and I worry you might catch a cold tomorrow. I had the maids prepare this tonic for you."

Though their time in the pavilion had been exhilarating, being outdoors carried risks. If Prince Yan were to fall ill, the blame would undoubtedly fall on Shen Wei.

She had to take precautions.

"You're very thoughtful, Wei Wei," Prince Yan said, caressing her face, his heart warmed by her care.

No matter the situation, Shen Wei always had him in her thoughts, attentive to his well-being, concerned for his health.

The two lay down together, Prince Yan holding Shen Wei in his arms, his heart brimming with happiness.

...

While Shen Wei and Prince Yan slept soundly, Zhang Yue in the neighboring Rose Garden spent the entire night seething with anger.

She smashed every vase and teacup in the room, venting her fury.

Zhang Yue realized she had become a complete joke. Prince Yan couldn't even remember who she was, yet she had been dreaming of rising to glory.

"Madam, don't be upset. Perhaps in the future, His Highness will grow tired of Lady Shen and remember you," the maid Fang Er tried to console her.

But as soon as the words left her mouth, a teacup was hurled at her head.

Fang Er cried out in pain, clutching her forehead, her hand coming away bloody.

"Get out! All of you, get out!" Zhang Yue screamed.

Fang Er hid the flash of hatred in her eyes and quietly left the room. Zhang Yue curled up on the bed, surrounded by the wreckage of her outburst. The Rose Garden felt like a tomb, dark and lifeless.

Zhang Yue hugged her arms tightly, already foreseeing her future—she would become a lonely concubine in the palace, living in a desolate courtyard, her spirit slowly eroded until she was nothing but a hollow shell.

For a moment, Zhang Yue felt a pang of regret.

She wasn't cut out for this game of favor and betrayal. Why had she ever envied Shen Wei?

If she had remained a maid and married the stableman she had once fancied, perhaps her life would have been better...

But Zhang Yue knew there was no turning back now.

In the following days, Prince Yan, when not occupied with official duties, occasionally spent time with the Princess Consort and other concubines. But most nights, he stayed in Fangfei Courtyard.

Zhang Yue, of course, refused to accept this.

She tried everything to gain his attention—dancing in his path, feigning a fall—anything to draw his gaze.

Sometimes she succeeded, managing to lure Prince Yan to the Rose Garden for a night.

But his heart remained with Shen Wei. Shen Wei was still the most favored concubine, basking in glory.

Zhang Yue lived in the Rose Garden, just a wall away from Fangfei Courtyard. While her side was cold and desolate, Shen Wei's was lively and vibrant.

At night, Zhang Yue lay alone in bed, listening to the laughter from next door and catching the scent of hot pot wafting through the air.

She ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‍burned with resentment.

Zhang Yue knew full well that she was merely a pawn for the Princess Consort to balance Shen Wei's influence. If she failed to prove her worth, the Princess Consort would discard her without hesitation...@@novelbin@@

As she pondered this, a sinister thought took root in her mind.

She called her maid, Fang Er, and handed her a packet of rat poison: "Find a way to pour this into the water vat in Fangfei Courtyard."

Since she couldn't compete with Shen Wei, she might as well poison her.