"Your Majesty, please think twice! Concubine Chen is not fit for the throne of Empress! She is nothing but a commoner by birth! The Empress must be a celestial phoenix among mere pheasants—how could a woman of common origins become the Empress?"
The ministers in the imperial court raised their voices in strong objection to the emperor's decree appointing Concubine Chen as the empress.
The Emperor, seated high upon the dragon throne, was stunned by the loud outcry of his ministers, his face flushed with anger.
"Enough! Since when has this emperor ever required your agreement to make a decision?" He shouted in fury, silencing the noisy crowd.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Though Concubine Chen is renowned for her virtue and grace, her commoner background would tarnish the dignity of the Empress." The Prime Minister, who had remained silent for so long, finally voiced his thoughts.
One by one, the ministers who had cowered in silence found courage and joined his words.
"Indeed! Your Majesty, we beseech you to reconsider your decision!"
"Your Majesty, please rethink this matter!"
The resounding chorus of the ministers stunned the Emperor upon the throne, and his body trembled with fury.
How could they defy him? How dare they question his decision? Was it merely because his beloved concubine was from a commoner origin?
The ministers' strong objections only made the emperor's choice firmer. He was more determined than ever to make his beloved concubine the empress.
Soon, word spread through the palace that the emperor and his ministers had argued fiercely over this decision. This news quickly reached the emperor's harem, stirring many reactions.
The noble concubines, who came from powerful and prestigious families, were fuming with rage. They hurriedly wrote letters to their families, asking them to stop the emperor's decision and for advice to make Concubine Chen lose her favor.
At the same time, other concubines, who were not as favored but still came from noble lineages, also felt upset and unhappy.
To them, this decision was an insult.
How could a woman from a simple background take the place that should belong to those of high birth?
They would never accept an empress who came from a commoner background. It was something they simply could not allow!
While the court and the harem were in chaos, the one who caused it all was lying lazily on her armchair, reading a book. One of her maids massaged her feet while another fed her grapes with utmost reverie.
These grapes were a new fruit, rare and precious, brought to the emperor as a gift by foreign envoys. Only two baskets of grapes had arrived, and the Emperor had given a whole basket to his favorite concubine.
The maids serving in Concubine Chen's palace were full of awe and respect for their mistress. Even though she was not as beautiful as Concubine Li, she had won the emperor's heart with her inherent charm and gentleness.
They recalled the story of how the emperor first met his beloved concubine.
It was during the sixth year of his reign when he decided to hold a southern tour. On the way, he got separated from his guards and was assassinated, losing his memory in the process.
It was only after a year of relentless searching that the emperor was found in a remote village, with a woman and a child.
After several checkups and prescriptions from the imperial doctors, the emperor was able to regain his memory and returned to the palace with his commoner wife and children.
The emperor was an emotional man by nature. Therefore, from the moment his commoner wife entered the harem, he appointed her as a concubine and gave a princely title to his son.
The emperor favored his commoner concubine so much that his one-year-old son was poisoned and killed.
The maids recalled those terrible events, their hearts trembling with fear. The emperor was truly ruthless. He did not hesitate to execute Concubine Du and her entire family for the sake of his child.
"The emperor has arrived!"
The loud shout of the eunuch snapped the maids out of their daze, and they quickly knelt down on the floor.
Concubine Chen, who had been lying on the armchair, immediately rose and joined the crowd, but the emperor quickly stopped her. "My beloved concubine, you need not kneel."
The emperor pulled her into his arms, hugging her and resting his chin on her shoulder. He sighed wearily, "I have always told you to not kneel before me. Why does my beloved concubine not listen?"
Concubine Chen gently hugged him back and whispered, "Your Majesty, you know your concubine best. How could I not listen to you?"
The emperor chuckled softly but said nothing. He simply held her close, her calm scent soothing his restlessness and bringing him peace.
With every passing day, his love for her grew deeper and more tender. He longed to give her everything he had; even the position of Empress, which every woman in the harem was fighting for, could be hers.
"Your Majesty," Concubine Chen whispered gently, "shall I make you a cup of tea? Just like we used to have when we were in the mountains. It has been too long since we shared such a moment."
The emperor didn't think twice and immediately agreed. He had missed the unique taste of his concubine's tea when he and she were living in the mountains.
It was the most relaxing and comfortable life he had ever experienced in his 40 years of life.
As he took his seat at the tea table, Concubine Chen brought out a plate of sweet cakes and placed it before him.
With a playful smile, she said, "Just in time—Concubine Li sent these cakes. She must know Your Majesty is here and can't wait to show off her baking skills."