The next few days he summoned a few different concubines in a row, probably to relive his 'stress' and  to try out their 'services'. However, no one has been promoted yet, which caused quite the concern among us concubines.

"I wonder why he hasn't promoted any of us yet," Ranwei said.

"Maybe he likes the other batch of concubines more than us," Lianhua said with a frown.

"But he hasn't being summoning them," Mingyue stated.

Hearing that, I asked, "Who are the other batch of concubines? Why haven't we seen them around?"

"They are the daughters of the Northen lords," Mingyue answered, "As you know, us Southerners don't really get on with them, so even the concubines are separated."

"Oh," I didn't know that. I really should somehow catch up on the history and political matters in that era now that I was here, right in the center of it all.

"Hn, those Northeners, always so boastful," Ranwei said with disdain.

-----

I asked around and found my way to the library in the Inner Court, which was located at a non-eye-catching corridor. It was after lunch and I had nothing to do, not that I had anything to do in the other times except waiting around to be summoned anyway.

It was nothing like the modern libraries which are well-organized and  with clear indicators of what is where. I ran my hands through the dusty scrolls on the wooden shelfs; it was as if no one has been here for a long time. The room was small, and only a ray of sun light shone in from one of the windows that was opened. This was no optimal condition for reading.

I grabbed one of the scrolls and was dusting it when suddenly, someone else came into the room. We locked eyes and I realised it was my husband Tang Yifang.

"What are you doing here?" He questioned.

"Trying to read." I was going to say 'what else', but decided against sassing the Emperor of China. "What about you?"

"Come here to be alone," he answered.

"Should I leave?"

"No, stay." He sat in an empty chair and I filled in the one beside him.

"So why do you need to come to such run down room?" I asked.

"Whenever I'm in other places in the Palace, everyone is always pestering me, the ministers, the scholars, the servants, everyone." He said with a sigh.

"You are the emperor," I said, "They need to take instruction from you."

He sighed again, "Sometimes this gets tiring."

"Haven't you only been emperor for three weeks? Already tired of it?" I said with a laugh.

He laughed along as well, "No, I've been leading a rebellion for years."

"I guess so," I shrugged.

"What about you?" He asked, "Weren't you engaged to another person before you became mine?"

Well, I wouldn't know that, since the last thing I remembered before waking up in this world was my history class. "Um... Yes?"

"Why do you sound so unsure? Surely you would know if you were engaged."

"I-I don't know," I looked away, not knowing what to say.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

I sighed and decided to tell him the partial truth since I was a terrible liar, "In truth, I lost all my memory right before I got married to you."

He raised an eyebrow. "You lost your memory? Of everything?"

"Yes, of everything. I don't even remember my father." I said honestly.

"Hm..." he studied me in a new light, "How peculiar."

"I don't know any history or politics even though my father is a minister," I said. "I don't even know how to dance and sew," I said in an even quieter voice. I knew that in this era women were expected to do things like that. Not being able to do so would be a massive disadvantage.

"Are you a quick learner?" Tang Yifang asked.

"I guess so," I said. Well, that's what my history teacher always said anyway.

"I'm sure you can re-learn it quickly," he said, "I can have someone teach you."

"Really? That's good," I smiled, "But what about the knowledge of history and politics?"

"Women don't need to know that. I doubt any teachers would be willing to teach you..."

I frowned.

"...But I can."

My frown turned upside down. "Really? Will you really teach me?"

He smiled at my enthusiasm, "Why not? I find myself coming here often to be alone. Sometimes it's boring just reading by myself. If you are here I don't mind helping you."

I was actually grateful from within my heart. This man was nothing like the heartless beast he was rumoured to be! "Thank you so much!"

He chuckled, "Its nothing."

For a long while, we spent trying to catch me up on the current affairs of the country.

-

"Lady Li Fengling, you have been summoned to the Palace of the Dragon for dinner." An eunuch announced to all the concubines. It was the day after I had the fun chat with Tang Yifang in the small library.

I could feel the jealous glares of the other concubines burning into me as I followed the eunuch out. We soon arrived at Tang Yifang's palace and I entered after the eunuch announced my presence.

When I went into the front quarter of his palace, he was already sitting at a low table that olden day Chinese people used to dine on. I lowered myself as gracefully as I could into the seat opposite him.

"Fengling," he acknowledged my presence.

"Your majesty," I bowed a little sitting down.

"Just my name would be fine in private." He said.

A variety of mouth-watering dishes were being served to the table. They looked so much better that the food given to the concubines. I wanted to dig into the meal but I waited until he picked up his chopsticks before I do so.

"How was your day today?" He asked as he put some food onto his bowl of rice with his golden chopsticks.

"It was...normal," I answered, "I don't really have much to do in this palace. What about you?"

"It was busy as usual," he said, "I had some war councils today, deciding what to do with the remanent of the previous emperor's force."

"Are you going to go to battle soon then?" I asked.

"Possibly. Even though I'm the emperor now, I'm still the leader of my men. I have to fight along side them."

I nodded, "Having their leader fighting with them do boost the moral of the soldiers."

We ate for a bit and he started another topic of conversation. "Fengling, who do you think I should promote amongst the concubines?"

I slightly narrowed my eyes. Was this a test or something? I went the safe route and said someone else. "I think the daughter of Lord Zhao, Mingyue, would be a good choice. She's clever, and she's beautiful."

He nodded with content. "Anyway, your father has been working well for me. He has sorted out a lot of the domestic problems of the country."

"That's good," I said genuinely, "I'm glad he can help you... Yifang." His name sounded so strange rolling off my tongue.