"It's finally over..."
"My whole body aches."
"I just want to take a bath and sleep."
"Hopefully it'll be better tomorrow..."
Zi Hua trudged back to her room, echoing her fellow courtiers' complaints with every heartbeat. At least they still had the energy to complain out loud after being held back for extra training. She was moving entirely on the instinctual need for sustenance.
When they neared the courtiers' quarters, the sounds of shouting drifted over, welcoming Zi Hua back with familiarity. She shared a nosy look with Courtier Dan beside her, and they simultaneously quickened their pace to see what the ruckus was about.
It was human nature to gravitate towards drama, after all.
The closer they got, the more distinct the content of the argument was.
"Give it back!"
"And who are you to order me around?"
"Courtier Meng, according to the palace rules—"
"Impudent servant! How dare you interrupt your betters?! Step aside!"
Of course the source of conflict was non other than Meng Fan.
Reminiscent of her temperamental display on the first day, there was a radius of empty space that served to highlight the isolation of her and her latest victim. Once again, Zi Hua blended into the spectating crowd, starting to feel like a nosy parker.
Was it Meng Fan's tendency to stir up trouble? Or was life in the palace destined to yield never-ending drama?
She would find out in due time, but the situation at hand was obvious: Meng Fan was squaring off against a servant and a courtier with a petite but defiant stature. They were blocking her from a tub of water from which steam rose.
It was past the fixed time courtiers could access hot water. Meng Fan must not have wanted to concede to the rules.
As the tension from the impasse hiked, a sense of unease coiled in Zi Hua's stomach.
She couldn't do anything on the first day, but what about now?
Was she going to stand by while the weak were bullied? Could her conscience rest easy if she treated this injustice as entertainment?
'No.'
The answer made Zi Hua turn and run. Pushing strained muscles to their limit, down a deserted path to the place she had just celebrated leaving, past a garden of well-tended flowers with petals yawning close. She was headed for the training courtyard.
When she got there, Madam Xiu was overseeing cleanup.
"Madam Xiu!" she shouted breathlessly. "Madam Xiu!"
The older woman frowned at her unruly behaviour.
"What happened, Courtier Yang?"
***
SPLASH!
Zi Hua felt like she missed something big.
By the time she returned to the resting quarters, Meng Fan and the other courtier were crawling out of the water tub. They froze comically upon noticing Madam Xiu beside her, and Zi Hua took the opportunity to blend in with the other courtiers.
Jiang Ya'er, Meng Fan's first victim, hastily went to support the other girl and nudged her. The latter, receiving her signal, snapped out of it and curtsied towards Madam Xiu.
"Courtier Cai Mei Yun greets Madam Xiu."
"Madam Xiu."
In contrast to Cai Mei Yun's guilty tone and faultless—albeit sopping wet—greeting, Meng Fan's reluctance was palpable while her knees barely bent. Their tutor returned the disrespect by letting the former straighten and ignoring the latter.
Meng Fan rose anyway.
"According to the third palace rule," Madam Xiu started lightly—too lightly, "during a formal greeting, a person of lower rank cannot rise unless permitted by one of higher rank."
Meng Fan stiffened, ever so slightly.
"Twentieth rule: A proper, respectful curtsy involves lowering oneself about at least four inches. Seventy-seventh rule—"
"What is your point?" Meng Fan snapped. "Some of us need to rest after the gruelling day we've had."
"Courtier Meng, if I were you, rest would be the last thing on my mind. Have you read the palace rulebook yet?" Madam Xiu rebuked calmly. "Perhaps sweeping this yard before dawn every day will help cleanse your mind of unnecessary frivolities for when you copy the seven rulebooks owed.
"And of course—Courtier Cai." She whipped towards the girl she had temporarily neglected, but her expression was less steely. "You will clean up this entire mess before returning to your room and writing an essay on self-reflection. I will personally supervise to ensure not a drop of water is out of place."
Cai Mei Yun heaved an imperceptible sigh of relief. "Yes, Madam Xiu. My apologies for holding you back."
Meng Fan's cheeks reddened in anger, protests and accusations of unfairness threatening to implode on the tip of her tongue. She pointed a trembling finger at Madam Xiu, then seemingly thinking the better of it, turned it towards Cai Mei Yun.
"Don't think you've won today," she hissed. "This isn't over!"
***
Palace of Glorious Beauty.
"...and then the Third Young Lady stormed into her room and started smashing things. Even now, her roommates tremble outside their dorm, too scared to enter."
When she finished her report, Wang'er secretly peeked at her mistress, the curvaceous woman resting on her side atop a golden couch with silk pillows. Her pink shawl slipped off one porcelain shoulder, contrasting with the dark hair which pooled over the edge of the couch. Her chest rose and fell with each steady breath, the dip in her slim waist accentuated by her alluring curves.
Ten years ago, Meng Ran was the top beauty of Kunning; ten years later, Noble Consort Meng was still the prettiest woman in the imperial harem. Some were just born to be muses, their portraits treasured and worshipped for the breath-stopping beauty even ink and paper cannot capture, their every move worthy of inspiring poems.
"Noble Consort?" Wang'er prompted softly, shaking herself out of her routine daze.
Noble Consort Meng's phoenix eyes fluttered open, instantly bringing the portrait to life. All the lamps in the room couldn't hold a candle to the stars in her black irises, and the reddest rose paled in comparison to her full lips. The contours of her heart-shaped face were bold strokes of seduction and regality, matured from a lifetime of superiority and indulgence, carefully maintained to mask her twenty and five years.
She sat up languidly, righting her fallen shawl. Wang'er quickly stepped forward to remove the accessories in her hair and restyle it, twisting the smooth, shiny strands with practiced efficiency.
"Meng Fan's appearance is the only thing about her that's matured," Noble Consort Meng clicked her tongue. "Always wearing her emotions on her face."
"But Noble Consort..." Wang'er hesitated, dropping her voice to a whisper. "Wouldn't it be easier to control the Third Young Lady this way?"
Noble Consort Meng scoffed, "A brainless ally is worse than a cunning enemy."
Wang'er inserted the final hairpin, and the portrait of a sleeping beauty turned into one of a composed Noble Consort. "This servant was short-sighted," she apologised.
Noble Consort Meng dismissed her, standing up. "I want to invite my dear little sister for lunch tomorrow. I do owe her a warm welcome to the palace, after all."
Wang'er smiled meaningfully. "Yes, Noble Consort. I shall deliver the message at once."
"Now," an anticipating smile played upon Noble Consort Meng's lips. "I must get ready. His Majesty has promised to spend the night..."