Fifteen pairs of eyes glared at me in the dim sleeping hall.No one spoke.No one smiled.I could almost hear the thought in their heads, What is she doing here?
"Good evening! What's your name?" A bright voice burst into my ear.
I turned.
A girl in light-blue robes stood inches away, smiling like a child about to beg the shopkeeper for candy.
"Why do you want to know?" I asked flatly.
"Oh, I'm just curious because, you can read and write, right? Wow! You must be from a rich family!"Her words spilled faster than I could breathe. "I'm Lanling. I'm not rich, but—"
"My name's Meilina. I'm not rich. And no, I'm not Chinese."
Her eyes went wide. "YOU'RE NOT—?!" She shouted so loudly that half the room turned to look.
I grabbed her wrist and yanked her outside, clamping my other hand over her mouth.The stares followed us as I shoved her into the garden.
Red and yellow flowers brushed against my legs. Sprays of pale blue blossoms glimmered under the lantern light. Not the place I wanted for an interrogation.
"What do you want?" I demanded.
She blinked at me, eyes shiny with tears. I noticed her hair, loose, falling around her shoulders. Uncommon for girls here.
"How old are you?" I asked.
"Thirteen." Her voice trembled.
"You're too young to be here. And your hair—"
"Yes, I know!" She snapped, then her tone cracked. "Everyone says it. I'm tired of it."
She lowered her gaze. "My family… we had debts. Big ones. My parents wanted a son to help with the farm. Instead, they got me. My sisters were married off. I was sent here, sold , really, to serve in the Forbidden City."
Her eyes were dull now. All that joy from earlier… gone.
"I'm sorry," I muttered. "But you can't go shouting about me. The more they know, the more they'll hate me."
"Hate you? Why—"
"Because of how I look. Because I'm different. Every day it's stares, whispers, worse. Now they are filled with even more hatred at as I am in a better position than them."
A sharp shriek cut through the night.
"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING OUT HERE?!"
I pulled Lanling toward the door before the old matron's wrath could hit. Inside, fifteen girls stared as the crone stalked in, whisperers feeding her their version of events
"Aha! Trouble already!" She jabbed a finger at me. "You may be literate, girl, but you sure act like a an animal!"
She walked towards us.
Gossip rippled through the room.
Then, out of nowhere, SMACK.
The slap echoed off the walls. Lanling's head snapped sideways, hair spilling forward. She didn't cry.
"She outranks you," the matron barked. "You should learn respect!" She yanked Lanling's hair, forcing her to bow.
I braced myself for the same treatment, but the woman only smirked
"You've got strength. Let's hope you use it for palace work next time… and not for doing these beastly work!"
Her laughter followed her out the door.
The other maids' giggles filled the silence. Lanling straightened her hair like nothing had happened.
"I'm fine," she whispered. "It happens all the time. They think they have the right to abuse me as I am young. Everything is a rank to them."
It made my chest ache, but I could do nothing yet.
"I'll… be in the rear palace soon," I said, my voice low. "If you need anything, find me."
Before she could answer, I quickly walked over to the nearest empty mattress laying on the ground and buried myself under the blankets.
In the dark, I thought of the rear palace… of Yixuan… and of the whispers that would never stop. Somewhere in the shadows, I could hear my name.
Dawn crept in, and the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was a pair of bright, shining eyes staring back at me.
Lanling's eyes.
She really did remind me of a puppy, the kind that followed you everywhere whether you wanted it to or not.
"What do you want now?" I sighed, rubbing my temples.
"Today's the first day!" she nearly squealed, her voice dripping with excitement.
The other maids in the room were all much older than her, and it showed. There was no trace of childish wonder in their eyes or their tone. Every now and then, they'd glance in our direction, as if hoping something interesting might happen.
I dressed quickly, sliding the hairpin Lianyu had given me into place. Every time I looked at it, I couldn't help but admire its craftsmanship.
Unfortunately, my moment of quiet appreciation ended when my worst nightmare shuffled into view, the old lady. Every wrinkle on her face seemed deeper in the morning light, her brows drawn tight, lips pressed in a permanent scowl, fists clenched as if ready for battle.
"Why are you so late, you beast?!" she shrieked, yanking my arm and shoving me toward the door.
I threw one last glance at Lanling. How would she manage without me?
No. I shook the thought away. I couldn't afford to be soft toward a girl I barely knew, especially one who might have her own motives.
We walked, no, marched, down winding corridors, turning left, then right, doubling back again.
Despite the unpleasant company, I couldn't ignore the beauty of the Forbidden Palace. Trees stretched toward the sky, blossoms swayed in the breeze, and birds flitted among the branches.
"Here!" the old woman barked, her voice sharp enough to make my ears ache.
Before us stood a palace like nothing I'd ever seen, its walls gleamed like topaz, the blue of twilight on a cloudless summer night. Magnificent. Mesmerizing. No. Enchanting.
"Inside," she ordered.
I hesitated. "What is this place?"
She looked at me as if I'd just admitted I didn't know what the sun was. "You don't know? This is the Lanxuan Pavilion, where Lady Han Qinglan resides!" she announced, her tone suddenly airy and proud. "I should have known better than to trust you with such a post. If I weren't short on maids, I wouldn't have picked a literate one to serve here!"
Her words stung, but I kept my face neutral.
"Up the stairs. Go on." She shoved me forward again.
I climbed slowly, my fingers curling and uncurling nervously. My nails were already ragged from all the biting I'd done since I arrived here.
Here I go, I told myself.
Whether this would be the start of my rise or my ruin, I was about to find out.