The Ant Woman Ch. 18

Wen couldn't think of anything to say about it. This was how the Imperial Harem was. Women often formed their own alliances, either through innocence or evil intentions.

Wen believed she was still in Miseo's good graces. She couldn't even say that she'd been abandoned after the previous alliance against the former Empress Consort.

And as for the children, they were all treated well.

And even though Yanin was clearly the new point of lust for the Emperor, he still visited other women on occasion. Wen was still one of his favorites. And she was still the one to sit nearby during his meetings and "take notes." Rumors were starting about it, in fact. Someone had tried to poison Wen's treats during one of those meetings. Lien had found out about it. The culprit was a certain noble that thought Wen's apparent influence on the Emperor was too dangerous.

That noble had been put to death in the bloodiest, longest, most frightening way.

Another noble had tried a different method. He'd tried to befriend Wen's father, and through him, influence Wen. It didn't work. The noble had been so angry that he'd threatened Wen's little sibling. Her father's concubine had a little baby boy, and Wen considered him to be rather precious. Once Wen had figured out what had happened, she went to the Emperor, and that noble was also put to death in a frightening way.

Life wasn't anything she'd expected when she was still a maiden. When she was still a maiden, she'd imagined her father would've arranged a marriage for her with a fairly wealthy but otherwise ordinary person. Maybe an official in the government. Wen had never thought she'd become a part of the Imperial Harem, let alone of the the Emperor's favorites and the mother of his sons.

Wen continued to speak with Hayun for some time, keeping the topics broad.

Hayun visited her again the following morning, and she had a fascinating, if disturbing, thing to tell Wen.

Hayun had overheard Yanlin speaking rather harshly to one of her maids. "This tea is too hot! What were you thinking?!" That was apparently what Yanlin had said. Then, as Hayun moved in to watch, Yanlin had slapped the cup out of her maid's hands, causing a scalding injury to said maid.

"I was so amazed yet horrified," Hayun said with a disappointed expression, "that I punished Yanlin right then. She's still kneeling outside my palace. I paid for her maid's treatment and I'll have her respectfully discharged with a dowry. I'll personally choose a strong and clever maid to replace the burned one."

Her belly cold, Wen closed her eyes and lowered her head. "It's a difficult thing to believe. Are you certain there wasn't a misunderstanding?"

"Painfully certain, Wood Consort," Hayun said. "Yanlin tried to argue that she was being disrespected by her maid, but I wouldn't listen to that. It was ridiculous. You must be careful of her. She can easily have one believe she's being abused. She has that pitiful, adorable little face and that tiny voice, but I won't be fooled by her, and neither should you."

Wen hoped this was all a lie.

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