The Ant Woman Ch. 14

At first, during this particular meeting, it seemed just as boring, if luxurious, as all the others. But later on the Empress told one of her maids to go fetch something. That maid returned with an uncovered tray that bore a folded piece of shimmery fabric.

All the concubines looked at the maid with expectant and mildly confused eyes. The Empress rose from her tall chair and reached for the fabric. As she lifted part of it up, it was revealed to be a very diaphanous sort of coat. Some more daring women would wear it instead of a blouse during hot days, showing off their shoulders, upper back, and arms.

It was so pretty. Gold and sparkly. Some concubines gasped to see it in its true splendor. Still holding it up, the Empress turned her head.

And she looked at Wen!

And she said, “Your little illness has been managed so well, Young Wood Consort. Your comportment rivals the most senior among us. I thought I should give you a little reward for enduring so many hardships with such grace.”

Wen’s eyes stayed low as she left her seat and knelt down. Thoughts of other women rushed in her brain. Hayun, Seed Consort Miseo, even the now dead Kumi and the Empress Dowager. Wen knew she couldn’t refuse the gift, but her heart struggled as she wondered what the motive behind this gift was. The Empress Consort hadn’t really given her much of anything before. What changed?

“Your Majesty,” Wen said as she prostrated herself, her hair ornaments tinkling, one of the natural flowers in her coiffure putting a gentle aroma in her nose, “this concubine humbly accepts your generous gift, and now must imagine a way to repay the kindness.”

“See that you do,” the Empress said as she let the coat fall back into place. Wen’s maid quietly hurried over to the Empress’ maid, and she took the tray with a light bow.

Later that afternoon, Wen was told to go to the Moonlight Pearl Palace, where the Empress Consort lived. Tea and snacks were said to be the reason. Strangely, Empress Atsuka was waiting outside her palace’s entrance for Wen, and the first thing she said to Wen was, “The weather’s so warm! Return to your palace and find that sheer coat. You’d look so dazzling under that fabric, wouldn’t you?”

As the Empress said this, her eyes had sharpened as if something hateful had whetted them with little care for elegance. It was enough to make Wen want to cringe as she turned around to obey. She changed her clothes as quickly as possible.

Her new dress was a deep pink with a strong reddish tint but no loud patterns. She had the coat carefully placed over her arms. The sleeves were long and hanging down. The hem nearly reached the end of the skirt; there, a small brooch of green emeralds in the shape of a turtle held some of each flap together in a purely ornamental way. A similar brooch was on her dress’ top, at her bosom, but honestly only gravity and graceful arm movements were keeping the thin coat on her body.

Feeling that something was off, dreadfully off, Wen squeezed Yuwei’s hand as she was escorted out of her palace. The most comforting thing she could think of was how both Yuwei and Lien had gained weight, both looking much prettier and softer.

Then, as the women kept walking, Wen tried to think of how much progress those maids had made with their writing practice. Both women were earnest but Yuwei seemed to be a little quicker. Wen thought Yuwei might have a better chance at catching a higher class husband when her term as a servant was finished.

Even with these thoughts buffering her, Wen was grinding her teeth as she went through the gate to the Moonlight Pearl Palace. Once more, she and Yuwei had to kneel before the smirking Empress, completely uncertain of what was truly happening.

Inside the shade of the palace’s reception room, where maids were fanning bowls of ice to keep the consorts cool, Wen was told to sit down and play a board game with the Empress. She obeyed, but a familiar, sickening feeling crawled up her spine and dived back down to her belly.

When she next looked up from the board, she found that the Empress’ eyes were on her face, focused and animated.

It nearly made Wen drop her game pieces.

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