Concubine Yigui was extremely favored by the Emperor.

After she caused the death of my mother, she simply told the Emperor that my mother had offended her by insulting her family.

In response, His Majesty not only did not punish Concubine Yigui further, but even sent someone to eliminate any threats to her.

Luckily, the madam in the building took pity on me and changed my name and appearance so that I could survive.

Before the Emperor favored the Thirteenth Prince, Concubine Yigui was already by his side.

She accompanied the Emperor in purging dissent and cultivating trusted aides, even going so far as to remove obstacles to his ascension to the throne with her whole family.

I heard that Concubine Yigui was suffering from typhoid fever, a hidden illness left behind from the arrow aimed at the Emperor years ago.

It was precisely because of these reasons that the Emperor loved Concubine Yigui so much.

The love cultivated during those difficult years was hard to shake off.

Therefore, Concubine Yigui became arrogant and relied on favoritism.

Anyone in the harem who dared to contradict her would end up as a ghost on the bottom of the lake.

Today, Concubine Yigui was not in a good mood.

It was because she had recently heard that the Prime Minister had seized onto her many years of infertility, persuading the Emperor to take more concubines in order to establish a strong lineage and secure the position of the Crown Prince.

What made Concubine Yigui even angrier was that the Emperor seemed to have not refused.

She was so furious that her lips turned pale, and she stood in the courtyard with a whip in her hand, venting her anger on the palace maids.

As her personal palace maid, I naturally had to be stripped of my upper garments and kneel in the icy snow to let her deal with me.

Concubine Yigui's whip was like a vicious snake, licking my back one strike after another.

I didn't know how many lashes she gave me, nor how long I knelt there.

When Concubine Yigui stopped panting, my back was already bloody and mutilated.

But I remained calm, kneeling stiffly like a puppet.

Concubine Yigui was stunned for a moment.

"Aren't you in pain?"

I kept a straight face, kneeling in the snow and wrote:

"The mistress provided me with food and shelter, which makes her my surrogate parents. Being educated by parents is acceptable, isn't it?"

Thereafter, I continued writing on the snow, "In fact, there is no need for the mistress to be angry. The reason His Majesty took on concubines was due to pressure from the ministers."

"His Majesty's heart still belongs to the mistress alone. As long as the mistress learns to please the Emperor, gaining more favor, and bearing another prince, she will naturally secure her position and the status of her child."

Sure enough, after reading my words, Concubine Yigui smiled and said, "It seems that you, this little mute girl, have some wisdom..."

She then ordered me to stand up and teach her how to please the Emperor.

With my face cut and scarred, unable to speak, even the jealous Concubine Yigui trusted me completely.

So, I naturally became the head maid in Concubine Yigui's palace.

Even the new palace maids had to respectfully address me as "Auntie Suyi."

But this did not mean I was completely safe.

My prosperity and well-being were all at the mercy of Concubine Yigui.

If she was unhappy, she could strip me of my privileges and kick me down to the dust at any moment.

What's more terrifying was that it had been exactly half a month since I entered the palace.

And I still had not taught Concubine Yigui how to please the Emperor. I could sense that her patience was running out.

Finally, one afternoon, Concubine Yigui summoned me.

She sat in her luxurious attire on the high platform, playing with a delicate and small dagger, a mysterious smile on her face: "Auntie Suyi, how long have you been in the palace?"

"Reporting to Mistress, seventeen days."

I trembled as I wrote on the paper.

"Do you remember why I let you into the palace?"

Concubine Yigui continued to ask.

My body trembled even more violently.

"To... teach Mistress how to please the Emperor..."

Suddenly, Concubine Yigui stood up abruptly, pushed the table in front of her, and glared:

"Ha! Surprisingly, you remember! This palace thought you had forgotten! Seventeen days, a full seventeen days, have you taught me yet?"

"This palace does not need useless people by my side. Take your own life, and save me from doing it myself!" She said, throwing the dagger in her hand at my feet, making a crisp sound.