The Ant Woman Ch. 19

With spring came the arrival of Pollen Lady Hayun's child, a tiny boy she named Arata. The prince seemed to have been greeted by the fresh green scenery.

Empress Miseo held the child for a time, cooing down at him and telling him he was already so clever. Then, she handed the child over to the Emperor, who was stupidly grinning, not that anybody would've dared to tell him that he looked stupid.

After tapping his son's nose with his fingertip a few times, the Emperor suddenly said to Min Ji, "Spread my decree. Hayun will be promoted to Wood Consort. She'll be sent to the Cinnamon Aroma Palace. Promote Yanlin to Pollen Lady. She'll be the Madam of the Moonbeam Palace."

Empress Miseo smiled at this news. Then she watched the Emperor carefully hand Arata back to his tired mother.

***

Wen was in her underclothes, looking at a lovely outfit Yanlin had made for her back when she was still the maid named Yuwei. Lien was the one to hang it on a rack for the examination. Until then, Wen hadn't really thought much about it, but now that Yanlin was a part of her worries, she found herself wondering about the outfit.

It was a spring set. Bright pinks and pale greens. Silver and gold threads. Images of flowers and bees. There had been quite a bit of care put into it.

But ... the more Wen examined it, the more she decided she didn't want to wear it just yet. No matter how many times she silently asked herself why, she couldn't imagine a satisfactory reason.

She was trying to choose a pretty outfit for a little visit to the Moonbeam Palace, where Yanlin was now the Madam. Wood Consort Hayun was going to visit too. Tea and rice cakes. Music and board games. Harmless activities such as those were meant to be enjoyed.

Eventually, Wen chose an outfit with creams and blues. Then she affectionately gave her sons soft goodbyes and left for the Moonbeam Palace.

Hayun greeted Wen with a half-kneel at the palace's gate. Wen did the same. While they were the same rank, Hayun had served the Emperor for longer than her, and it was generally believed that Wen should defer to her. Still, Wen wasn't required to kneel to her.

Inside the palace's reception room, Yanlin knelt down to them very politely, and Hayun told her to get up. Wen happened to look at Yanlin's silver fingernail guards. They were pretty, inlaid with small onyx stones and sections of nacre.

There was a little bit of blood under a each point of the guards on one hand.

But that could mean anything. Yanlin could've scratched herself.

A few moments into the visit, Wen suddenly felt unwell. Her stomach and lower belly felt bloated and she wanted to vomit. As she rushed off to a patio, holding the back of her hand to her mouth, Lien hurried after her. Wen ended up vomiting in a bush. Lien asked a maid to go apologize on Wen's behalf.

Lien found a cup of mint water for Wen to rinse her mouth out with.

That was when they heard the sniffling.

And a eunuch's hushed voice.

"I'll try to keep you working different chores so you don't have to face Madam so often."

"Why," a young woman's agonized voice whined, "oh why must Madam Pollen be so cruel? All I did was ask if she was feeling well. I only wanted to know if I needed to brew any medicinal teas. Is she allergic to any of those teas?"

Wen peeked around a column, past another hedge, and she saw a eunuch trying to comfort a maid. That maid's face had two bloody lines on one cheek.

Straightening up, taking a heavy, cleansing breath, Wen decided not to say anything. That would be the wisest thing to do.

Later that night, Wen rested in bed. Her brain was too busy clicking and cranking for her to sleep.

***

A few days later, a new pregnancy was discovered. Wen would have another child.

The Emperor was highly delighted. He spent a long time with her, sitting beside her on a bench on a patio. His hand went over her stomach, and he whispered gentle things.

"Your Majesty," Wen had whispered as a wind chime was disturbed by the sweet breezes, "I'm truly a fortunate woman in this world."

As if he wanted to dream, his eyes were closed and his voice was lazy. He rested the back of his head on an exterior wall. "Your gratitude has been noted."

"Forgive this concubine for her prying attitude," Wen said in an unusually casual tone, "but I'd like to ask these questions. Would the Empress Dowager ever renew her lost affections towards me? Or am I forever doomed to be a blemish under her sight?"

After a heavy breath, the Emperor opened his eyes and blinked a few times. "I can't say. She's a stubborn woman, but I won't let her do anything extreme."

"Regardless of her feelings towards me, she's very civil to the other women. The Empress Consort has been respected by the Dowager for years."

Sitting up a bit straighter, putting his hands in his lap, the Emperor looked ahead. "I heard a rumor. Miseo had to punish two lower ranked concubines that had been fighting. The same day, she had to resolve a misunderstanding over some jewelry seeming to disappear. When I last visited her, Miseo seemed much more exasperated than normal."

Nodding, Wen said, "Also, she has the princesses in her palace. The Empress is working very diligently."

Suddenly, the Emperor leaned against her, putting his cheek on the top of her head. It was uncomfortable, especially since he was so much taller than her, but Wen giggled anyway.

"I don't want to talk about those difficult things right now," he said. "I want to rest my mind with my companion. It's the best way to find comfort."

Wen giggled again, hiding her lips with her sleeve. But after a few more moments, a thought sparked in her mind.

A hard working ruler needed comfort, which was often found in companionship.

Empress Miseo ...

And Yanlin.

***

For the next few weeks, the Emperor continued to spend time with Yanlin. Wen thought it was a matter of time for that young concubine to become pregnant. It simply had to be.

But, as far as Wen knew, Yanlin was bare. She'd even done some sneaky bribery with some of Yanlin's maids to find out as much information as possible. It turned out that when a Madam's servants were treated badly they were more likely to work against her. Wen was glad to know her investment in gentle treatment of her servants turned out to be a wise one.

It was a nearly obvious assumption that Yanlin wanted to become pregnant as soon as possible, to fly higher and higher to glory. This was engraved even deeper in Wen's mind when Yanlin visited one morning.

At first, it seemed to be a normal, cordial, everyday sort of visit. Yanlin was deceitfully polite and modest. She even praised Wen for her "natural, intelligent sort of beauty" and her "enviable fertility." But then, Yanlin abruptly went to her knees, her eyes wide and full of something Wen wanted to call recklessness.

"Oh pity this junior," Yanlin said with a sad, wiggling voice. "Won't this Wood Consort kindly share her secret to her fertility? You have your sons and now you'll have another child. All this little Pollen needs to be happy is a single child of her own."

Wen stared down at Yanlin's exquisite, white painted face. For a moment, her thoughts mixed around in the cyan irises as she wondered about her. Yanlin had always been able to hide her true personality while she was still the maid called Yuwei. And for a time she'd been able to hide it as a concubine.

Yet now, as Wen pondered the hints of anger and barbarism she'd seen, she wondered if this little blonde woman had ever been satisfied. Had she truly served Wen in earnest? When she'd been a seamstress, had she been content? Or was Yanlin the type of woman who always wanted more, no matter how much she received?

"The truth is," Wen said after a time, "that I didn't do anything out of the ordinary. I didn't even take any fertility medicine."

Her painted, dark blonde eyebrows rising, Yanlin repeated the phrase as if she only had an idea right then. "Fertility medicine?"

Nodding, Wen pulled Yanlin up to her feet. "I've heard some women try such a thing, but I didn't. I was blessed with excellent fortune. Perhaps you'll be blessed too."

Smiling, Yanlin said she understood.

After Yanlin eventually left, Wen told Lien to send a secret message to Wood Consort Hayun.

***

Hayun had to put on a friendly face before the kneeling Pollen Lady Yanlin.

Taking a cup of tea from a maid, Hayun said, "Dear Little Pollen, I'm no physician. I don't have an expansive knowledge of medicine."

"With respect, Wood Consort," Yanlin said with her tiny, adorable voice, "among all the women in the harem, you have the most knowledge. If anyone can help this poor, lonely concubine, it would be you."

"Lonely?" Hayun said after a small draught of tea. "You have the Empress Consort and the Emperor fawning over you. It's in everyone's best interest to be kind to you."

Her lower lip sticking out, Yanlin asked, "Is it greedy for a concubine to hope for a child?"

Shaking her head, grimacing a little. "I suppose it's not. If I don't tell you something the Empress Consort will be quite angry with me. She'll assume I'm bullying you, and the Emperor will listen to her."

Putting a hand close to her mouth, Yanlin said with widened eyes, "I'd never give anyone any falsehoods, and I certainly wouldn't try to harm your pure reputation."

Her eyes rolling, Hayun put her cup down. "I'll tell you what I did. I took a special pill just before lying down with the Emperor."

"A pill?" Yanlin perked up like a happy little puppy. "What sort of pill?"

"A pill made of very rare, very expensive fertility medicine." Hayun shrugged. "You haven't been in the harem long enough to gather the money to order such a thing. I'd recommend against it."

"How costly and rare could this pill be?" Yanlin asked.

Hayun tried not to groan.

***

Wen had a plan, an admittedly cruel plan, but she was ready to do it.

On this night, a time where she thought the Emperor might be choosing a woman to spend the night with, she purposely reached under her clothing to pinch her own thighs. With the pain assisting her, Wen was able to bring out tears, and she wailed and wailed. When her maids tried to comfort her, she cried out, "He's going to die! The Emperor's going to die!!"

Whatever the Emperor's plans were, they were put aside. He was at the Ginger Steam Palace within a few moments, which meant he certainly wouldn't be with Yanlin.

In Wen's bedchamber, she knelt on the floor with her folded arms on her bed's mattress. Her makeup was smearing everywhere, especially on her sleeves. The Emperor went to her and helped her up to her feet. "What's distressed you, Wen? How can you weep this way?"

Sniffling, her voice almost childish, Wen said to him, "I've been having nightmare after nightmare, but the latest one had ruined me! I saw you die so many times, in the slowest, most painful ways! I can no longer bear such a thing! Promise me, Your Majesty!" She gripped his sleeve, gazing up at him with tears flowing out. He looked so bemused. "Promise this worried little concubine that you'll be cautious! Don't let anyone nor anything harm you!"

The Emperor smiled, and he pulled a handkerchief from under his waist's sash. "Such a pathetic little mother you are." He led Wen over to a bowl of water and dipped his handkerchief inside. "Don't cry. I'll be right here with you."

As he helped her wash her face, the Emperor softly cooed little words to her.

Wen was able to do this quite often.

For the next few weeks, even when Wen wasn't a blubbering mess, the Emperor would go to her whenever he had time.

***

On a mild morning, Hayun was having a particularly interesting conversation with another concubine in the Moonbeam Palace, where Yanlin was the Madam. "One must always be careful with alcohol," Hayun said as she playfully waved her fan like a leaf in a breeze. "Drinking too much could have you sleeping, or at least almost sleeping."

"I've heard frightening rumors," the other concubine said, "about how some men have placed themselves on top of women that were so drunk they couldn't move."

Hayun patted that concubine's shoulder in a very sisterly way. "We're fortunate women. We won't be treated that way. We're under the protection of the Holy Ruler. No man would dare such a thing with us."

Shrugging, that concubine said, "I supposed the Emperor could do such a thing to one of us, but would anyone complain?"

With an outraged gasp, Hayun scolded the concubine. "Don't every suggest such a disgusting thing! The Emperor would never disrespect any woman, let alone his own women, with that cruel act! He is a noble man, and he fully understands that all his children should be conceived with dignity."

That concubine frowned and knelt down on the reception room's floor. "This concubine must apologize, Wood Consort. Please find forgiveness in your heart."

"It's fine, now rise back to your seat." Hayun sighed and picked up a biscuit to examine. As she did this, she happened to say, "I've heard similar assaults have happened to men, and even with women being the assailants. It seems that even when a man's mind isn't functioning well, his body will still respond on some level to a touch." She took a dainty nibble, then swallowed. "Poor dears. It's such a difficult situation. What if a pregnancy came of that? Those poor, unfortunate men, being forced to answer for a child they didn't consent to conceive."

Hayun took a sip of cooled tea and gave an almost melodramatic sigh as her gold eyes discreetly looked about the place. There were other women, obviously. Yanlin was one of them. She was playing a board game with someone.

Hayun hoped everyone had at least tried to listen to her. It was good for a concubine to understand how dangerous the outside world could be and appreciate how safe they were in the Tree Cage.

***

It was a loud, very loud celebration.

Chatting and laughing. Wine and tea practically overflowing.

The Emperor had gone on a short hunting trip beforehand, and he'd been highly successful. Deer and bear, rabbit and pheasant. So many lovely game meats were available, and he shared them with the women in his family. Even his little daughters were allowed to attend the party and eat the well gained foods. Although they both admitted they didn't particularly like much of it. The bear was the exception, since it had been prepared in such a way to make it oddly sweet. It didn't smell nor taste foul at all.

Wen approached the Emperor's table, Lien close behind and holding a pot. Half-kneeling to the Emperor and Empress Consort Miseo, Wen said, "At the risk of being presumptuous, His Majesty has asked about a certain wine, and I've managed to find it. Would His Majesty care to have a cup on this opportunity?"

Grinning, his pale eyes excited, the Emperor nodded towards Lien. "Hand the wine over. I'll have some." As Lien obeyed, carefully putting the pot on the table, the Emperor explained to Miseo, "This is known for being quite strong. I'd rather not share it with you. You might become ill."

Blandly smiling, clearly not thinking much, Miseo said, "I'm grateful that His Majesty cares so strongly for his wife's health."

Min Ji poured a cup for the Emperor while Wen gave a polite goodbye and went back to her table. When she was seated, she looked up to see the Emperor taking one cup's worth into his mouth. Then another. He patted his chest with his palm and exhaled. Then he laughed at something Min Ji had said.

Wen happened to look around at the party guests. The Empress Dowager was sitting at a special table near the Emperor, but she was quiet and stern, as usual. Miseo was graceful and beautiful, also as usual. Her face seemed a bit tired, though.

The other consorts were happy, except Yanlin. Even if nobody else noticed, Wen did.

Yanlin's hands were fidgeting. She hardly took any bites of food, let alone any sips of drink. Her pretty lips almost constantly rubbed together, slowly ruining the pink flower petals that had been painted there. Her cyan eyes were so focused on the Emperor that it made Wen want to cringe.

Yanlin was ... so anxious.

By the end of the party, when the night had soaked up most of the light, the Emperor had taken almost all of that new beverage. It seemed that he could hardly move. He even slumped over at his table like a child that had been studying so much he couldn't help but fall asleep.

Empress Miseo struggled to help the Emperor up to his feet. Wen volunteered her services. Nobody complained about it. It was well known that Wen was one of his favorites. He'd have wanted her to help.

The two women, followed by their maids and a stuttering and concerned Min Ji, helped the Emperor walk out of the party. He was able to keep his feet on the floor, at least, but the rest of his body moved like loose gelatin, and he mumbled random combinations of words and sighs.

When they had the Emperor lying down on his bed, Wen exhaled so heavily that she felt as if all the air was squeezed out of her body. Then she nodded to Miseo and said, "Perhaps His Majesty should be left to his servants to care for him."

"They're very skilled," Miseo said in agreement. "I'll release a decree saying that none of the concubines are allowed to disturb His Majesty's recovery." As she started walking away with her maid, she yawned a little. "I'll retire to my palace soon after. Goodnight, Wood Consort."

As Wen too started leaving the room, she glanced back at the limp Emperor, and then to Min Ji.

***

The Emperor's bedchamber was quiet with only a few lamps here and there. His servants had left their royal charge to sleep; they'd closed the yellow curtains on his alcove bed and let him be.

An hour or so later, a woman in a charming, but plain maid's dress approached Min Ji in a hallway and whispered with a hoarse voice, "Excuse me, Eunuch Min. Would it be best for someone to check on His Majesty? What if he's woken up and vomited everywhere?"

Tapping his blunt fingernails on an ornamental table, Min Ji thoughtlessly said, "Yes, yes. Go see if he needs anything."

Quietly and smoothly, the woman took up a small oil lamp and went inside the Emperor's bedchamber. Her ordinary skirt's hem fluttered past many pretty things, and over some rugs, as she moved towards the alcove bed. Her oil lamp was placed on a small table. The contact hardly made any sound, not even a full clack.

One of the woman's pale hands shone in the limited light as she flapped up a curtain just for a moment.

Then, she crawled into the recess, onto the mattress, towards the man she could hardly see.

When she gripped his arm and gave a little shake, the man didn't respond. It was as if he was dead.

But this woman wouldn't be hindered.

Her fingers gathered up his sleeping clothes' fabric, and she pulled it up to his waist.

The moment her fingers and palm pressed around the man's penis, he jolted up and screamed, "No!"

That was when the curtains were practically torn away. There were more lights, and from outside the alcove bed ...

From outside the bed!

The Emperor's voice boomed, "YANLIN!! HOW DARE YOU?!"

Pollen Lady Yanlin was grabbed by her hair. The Emperor dragged her out of the alcove bed.

***

Empress Consort Miseo had washed her makeup away long ago. She knew there was no use in keeping a beautiful face. She was crying too much.

How could this have happened? Why did this happen? It was as if someone had ripped her stomach out of her body and fed it to a pack of dogs.

When a maid came to her, announcing that Wood Consort Wen was asking for an audience, Miseo sniffed and sat down. A different maid pressed a handkerchief to her eyes.