Read Online The Moon in the Palace (The Empress of Bright Moon Duology) by Weina Dai Randel - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Weina Dai Randel
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servants and the bookkeeper who was supposed to record my night with the Emperor? And why did he treat me like I was a servant?
I looked around, searching every corner of the chamber. The incense sticks had burned halfway down, the fire in the brazier was burning bright, and the cushions on the floor were stacked against the wall. Everything appeared neat, and no one else was around.
The door squeaked. A woman stepped over the threshold.
I could not believe my eyes.
“Mei?” She was shocked to see me too, her hand frozen on the cover she wore, a cover similar to mine.
My hands turned cold.
Jewel had stolen my summons. She had come in my place to meet the Emperor, who had mistaken me for a maidservant. The bookkeeper and servants were absent because the bedroom affair was already over, or perhaps the Emperor had sent them away.
So that was the secret she had shared with Eunuch Ming. She had bribed him to bring her to the Emperor’s quarters. No one would know it was not me, since she was wrapped in the cover. But the deaf eunuch, unaware of their scheme, had carried me to the Emperor’s chamber.
And she had drugged me.
“What are you doing here? Go to your chamber.” Jewel stepped forth and held my shoulders. “I will explain later.”
“There’s nothing to explain.” I shook her hands off. A fire burned inside me. Pretending to be my friend. Bathing with me. Deceiving me. Jewel was worse than the Xu Girl.
“He’s here. Don’t be foolish.” She glanced at the Emperor on his stool.
I did not care. I shoved her with all my might. A loud thump. She crashed onto the foot of the bed, and the screens toppled to the floor. Water splashed. The basin, spinning, flew to my feet.
“What is it?” the Emperor roared, standing up. “What’s going on?”
I kept my eyes on Jewel. When she rose, I would slap her and make her suffer. And I did not care that the Emperor was watching.
She did not rise. Instead, she slipped down the bed, her head drooping, her arms sprawling.
“What’s this?” The Emperor walked to her. “Rise now.”
No response.
I blinked. Did I hurt her? Did she…?
The Emperor shook Jewel’s shoulder, but she wobbled like a lifeless doll. Frowning, he pulled her into his arms. Then he pinched her cheek and patted her face. Jewel made no movement.
He stood up and turned to me. “What did you do?” he bellowed. “Who are you?”
“I…I…” Blood rushed to my head, and the room swam before me. Jewel was dead? But I had not meant to harm her. I was angry. That was all. She had deceived me!
There was a groan like that of a small animal, coming from somewhere. Like that of a cat. I recognized the voice.
Jewel’s.
“Oh, I’m fine. Don’t worry. I was only getting a rest.” And there, one hand holding the bedpost and the other touching the back of her head, she rose, smiling, as if nothing had happened.
She had feigned it. She had made me believe she was dead. Never had I felt so angry. “Jewel!” I lunged for her. But somehow I ended up on the floor, and my head knocked against the hard wood. A stabbing pain hammered my head, and I could not hear or see. I was also soaked, my feet were cold, my hair was tangled, and water was everywhere.
“Get out.” The Emperor stood before me. “Get out now.”
My head spinning, I looked from him to Jewel.
“You should go.” Jewel stood next to the Emperor. Gently, she stroked his shoulder, her head leaning toward him, her slender, tapered fingers clinging to him like vines.
I scrambled to my feet.
“Wait. Perhaps you’ll mop up the water before you leave?” she said.
All I could do was take the rag from her hand and kneel. I wiped the area near the bed, behind the screens, under the drapery, and around the stool where the Emperor sat. When the rag was soaked with water, I straightened and wrung it above the basin. The bedchamber darkened momentarily before me. My kneecaps were tender, my back ached, my fingers were cold,
I looked around, searching every corner of the chamber. The incense sticks had burned halfway down, the fire in the brazier was burning bright, and the cushions on the floor were stacked against the wall. Everything appeared neat, and no one else was around.
The door squeaked. A woman stepped over the threshold.
I could not believe my eyes.
“Mei?” She was shocked to see me too, her hand frozen on the cover she wore, a cover similar to mine.
My hands turned cold.
Jewel had stolen my summons. She had come in my place to meet the Emperor, who had mistaken me for a maidservant. The bookkeeper and servants were absent because the bedroom affair was already over, or perhaps the Emperor had sent them away.
So that was the secret she had shared with Eunuch Ming. She had bribed him to bring her to the Emperor’s quarters. No one would know it was not me, since she was wrapped in the cover. But the deaf eunuch, unaware of their scheme, had carried me to the Emperor’s chamber.
And she had drugged me.
“What are you doing here? Go to your chamber.” Jewel stepped forth and held my shoulders. “I will explain later.”
“There’s nothing to explain.” I shook her hands off. A fire burned inside me. Pretending to be my friend. Bathing with me. Deceiving me. Jewel was worse than the Xu Girl.
“He’s here. Don’t be foolish.” She glanced at the Emperor on his stool.
I did not care. I shoved her with all my might. A loud thump. She crashed onto the foot of the bed, and the screens toppled to the floor. Water splashed. The basin, spinning, flew to my feet.
“What is it?” the Emperor roared, standing up. “What’s going on?”
I kept my eyes on Jewel. When she rose, I would slap her and make her suffer. And I did not care that the Emperor was watching.
She did not rise. Instead, she slipped down the bed, her head drooping, her arms sprawling.
“What’s this?” The Emperor walked to her. “Rise now.”
No response.
I blinked. Did I hurt her? Did she…?
The Emperor shook Jewel’s shoulder, but she wobbled like a lifeless doll. Frowning, he pulled her into his arms. Then he pinched her cheek and patted her face. Jewel made no movement.
He stood up and turned to me. “What did you do?” he bellowed. “Who are you?”
“I…I…” Blood rushed to my head, and the room swam before me. Jewel was dead? But I had not meant to harm her. I was angry. That was all. She had deceived me!
There was a groan like that of a small animal, coming from somewhere. Like that of a cat. I recognized the voice.
Jewel’s.
“Oh, I’m fine. Don’t worry. I was only getting a rest.” And there, one hand holding the bedpost and the other touching the back of her head, she rose, smiling, as if nothing had happened.
She had feigned it. She had made me believe she was dead. Never had I felt so angry. “Jewel!” I lunged for her. But somehow I ended up on the floor, and my head knocked against the hard wood. A stabbing pain hammered my head, and I could not hear or see. I was also soaked, my feet were cold, my hair was tangled, and water was everywhere.
“Get out.” The Emperor stood before me. “Get out now.”
My head spinning, I looked from him to Jewel.
“You should go.” Jewel stood next to the Emperor. Gently, she stroked his shoulder, her head leaning toward him, her slender, tapered fingers clinging to him like vines.
I scrambled to my feet.
“Wait. Perhaps you’ll mop up the water before you leave?” she said.
All I could do was take the rag from her hand and kneel. I wiped the area near the bed, behind the screens, under the drapery, and around the stool where the Emperor sat. When the rag was soaked with water, I straightened and wrung it above the basin. The bedchamber darkened momentarily before me. My kneecaps were tender, my back ached, my fingers were cold,
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