Chen Li's view

My real name is Borjigit Harjol. I was the 5th child and eldest daughter of Jaisang and Boli. When I discovered I was to be married to the 4th prince, I hatched a plan and ran away. I wanted to know if I could indeed marry Hong Taiji. I doubted that we would even get along.

When I got my period at 14 years of age, I entered the eunuch applicant area and got the man drunk, knocking him out before he realised, he had not cut me. I used the blood from my period to show that he had cut me. For the week of my period, he gave me cloths to change myself, and at the end of the time, I was dressed in eunuch apprentice robes.

My 2nd oldest brother had been sent a few years earlier and had become a senior eunuch of some renown in the court. I knew that he would protect me somewhat, provided he saw me.

We were dragged before the head eunuch and lined up in order of our application. I was on the outside of the 5th row of 3.

"As you are all eunuchs now, we will perform a physical exam to ensure that you are all properly castrated. Once you have passed this, we will give you a written exam followed by a service exam. We will then assign you to your quarters then."

I wondered what the physical exam was when the first lot of eunuch trainees were told to drop their pants to be assessed. I nearly had a conniption then and there. Instead, I looked around for my brother in a panic. Lucky for me, he was observing the group and saw me.

His face went white, and he hurried away. Nooo, brother, you are supposed to save me from this. I felt my insides twist in worry. I need not have worried as a kerfuffle broke out right as they were asking for me to pull my trousers down. The two with me had done it straight away, leaving no doubt. "Come on, Li!" they encouraged me, "Just get it over with."

My brother broke in then and interrupted the proceedings calling the head Eunuch away. He knocked the seal onto a pass, and we were set free. The others behind us were left for another day.

He dragged me away from my fellow eunuchs and asked me, "Whatever are you doing here, Harjol?"

"I wanted to see Taiji. You know how determined I am. I wanted to know if we could indeed be compatible," I explained.

My brother sighed, "Ok, I will see that you can be placed as Taiji's apprentice eunuch, ok. Now, what about sleeping arrangements? You can't sleep with the others. You will quickly be found out."

My brother thought about it for a while before a grim smile filled his face, "I have an idea, but the punishment means you will be going to the ghostly pavilion as punishment. It is the best I can do."

"Ghostly pavilion?" I ask.

"Yes, it is rumoured to have ghosts there," my brother nodded, "You will be fine. No ghost would dare scare you."

So, I was punished for taking more than my share of food (even though I had been given the said extra food) and sent to the ghostly pavilion to sleep.

I entered in fright and found the sleeping platform and crawled onto it. As I was drifting off, I noticed a man slip in and jump up into the rafters, "Oh, so that is why people think there is a ghost here," I murmured as I fell asleep.

I woke really early the following day to the man standing over me with his blade to my throat, "Who are you? And Why are you here?"

I shuffled back in fright away from the blade, "My name is Chen Li. I was put here as punishment by the head eunuch."

He put his blade away, "I see."

"Excuse me," I ask him, "Who are you?"

"General Fang Xin," he said curtly, as if that explained everything, "This is my place when I am here."

"Your place?" I asked, surprised as I looked around at the dirt and cobwebs through most of the building except for the rafter where he slept, which looked like a study and the bathroom."

"Yes," he nodded, "I do not like people here on the whole, so if you are staying, you need to be aware if you want to clean, you have to do it yourself or put up with how it is. Alright?"

I nodded and started to clean the sleeping platform. There was no way I was sleeping on it a second night with it being dirty. I had just finished cleaning it when my brother came and took me away for my training. Our training was pretty intense for about six months before we were allowed anywhere near the royals. We were trained in the court etiquette required in our roles.

As I trained, I heard rumours about the 4th prince that he was known as the ice prince. Although he had been given two wives, Jerjer and Bumbutai, he had as yet shown them much favor apart from the required days needed. The only one he showed any interest in was consort yuan as she gave him a son Lobohoi. Unfortunately for her, she was killed by poisoning not long afterward, and I am sure of petty jealousy by Jerjer and Bumbutai.

After hearing about the death of Consort Yuan, my heart hardened towards the prince, and I would often joke with Xin and the person I had met and nicknamed Mr. Cat as he acted all high and mighty about the prince. They seemed to laugh it off well. We lived like this for about nine years.

I did not realise, but Mr. Cat was Hong Taiji, the 4th prince. As our paths had never crossed in the nine years of service, I did not know, only been made aware when I was finally transferred into his service. I was horrified and shamed at my behaviour and asked him, "Why did you not say anything when I was insulting you? Why did you put up with it for so long?"

"Because I wanted to be treated like a normal person with you," he replied, "Not royalty, everyone kowtows to me, and I never know if it is the truth or just to make me feel good. I did not want that from you. You and Xin are my only friends who treat me like a normal person. I also got to hear the rumours being said about me."

It was not long after this that the people from another time showed up. It was like they were sprinkled across the empire. Taiji was responsible for treating these people and decided to round them up as enslaved people and put them to work as such. I guess there was very little else that he could do, being unknown people and skills.

Xin was sent out to round these people up and find appropriate homes for them, and to my surprise, he bought one of the females home with him. Not that I knew until I received a fright when she moved in the chair. I had not even noticed her until then.

"Who is this?" I asked Xin.

"Chen Xinye," Xin said, looking at her, and a twang entered the air as he looked at her.

"Fang, do I need to provide food for her too?" I asked, concerned as I had not bought enough food for us.

"No, Chen Li," he shook his head, "Just tea and wine for now."

I nodded, "Ok, I will make sure to bring them later."

"No rush," he nodded his thanks, smiling for the first time since I had seen him, "So how is Hong Taiji today?"

"He is fine, but he keeps putting me in danger," I replied, thinking of all the times he put me in awkward situations.

"Hmm, it comes with the territory, I am afraid," Fang Xin answered nonchalantly.

"Well, come outside. Dinner is ready for us all. Taiji will be here soon," I said, feeling that Taiji would allow me to call him that in front of Xin.

"Taiji, huh? " Xin teased me, "Well, let us go then." and we went outside to eat.

It was a pleasant evening with the two of them.

"So, what is with that woman in there?" I asked Xin.

Xin flushed and looked away, embarrassed, "I don't know yet, but it's the first time I have ever wanted a woman by looking at her, yet I know nothing of her. She has wedding rings but does not seem to have a husband in that group of enslaved people. It did not look like she knew any of them."

"What's this, Xin?" Taiji interrupted, "You have a slave woman that you want to be with?"

"She is not a slave, although I bought her as a slave," Xin replied, looking away from Taiji, "I would appreciate it if you could raise her rank so I could marry her, though. I get the feeling she would not even let me touch her intimately without marriage."

"What gives you that idea?" Taiji asked curiously; his interest in the woman now pricked.

I rolled my eyes and suggested, "Why don't you test her yourself?"

"Fine, I will," Taiji responded, "Though I will have to use that new eunuch to interpret as he seems to be the only person who understands both languages in that group. I will see about it while you are gone, Xin. I need you to round up the rebels down south and execute them. It should not be too hard for you."

Xin nodded, "As you wish, but I am telling you she will not even give you the time of day unless either Li or I introduce you."

I smiled and took up the challenge. Xin left the next day after cleaning up a mess that he said his woman made and explaining to me what he wanted me to do with her. "Just give her detox teas for the first week perhaps longer though we will cross that bridge when we come to it, otherwise, alcohol and water if she wants, but no food. After that, just simple rice and greens, ok? For her sake, I will try to be back as soon as possible."

I was surprised. Usually, he would say for Taiji's sake. It was then I knew she had gotten under his skin from the moment he had laid eyes on her and wondered if she even deserved such loyalty. She was still asleep when I left to attend Taiji for the day.

When I returned, I brought Ginger tea sweetened with honey and the day's wine and water gourds.

"Thank you," she bowed at me, "If I can help you let me know."

I did not understand her, but she seemed to be thankful for the tea, "I guess you are thanking me?"

She nodded.

"Why can't you speak?" I asked brusquely.

She nodded and said in her language, as if she understood me, "Not Chinese, only English."

I observed her as close as my duties let me over the next week. She made no effort to deviate from the instructions Xin had given her before he had left, and she had started to shed some of the weight towards the end of the week.

I tried to converse with the woman, but she could not respond unless it was asked in a yes or no fashion. At the end of the week, I got annoyed for her and asked Taiji for permission to allow her to move. It was granted.

To my surprise, the first thing she wanted was cleaning gear. What she wanted, I ended up getting made for her as there were no such tools, apart from the broom and feather duster. One of the tools looked a bit like a puppet head on a big stick. I was asked if I was doing a play with the tool. I shook my head as I was pretty sure that was not what she wanted it for.

The first place she asked to go with her freedom was to the well where we got our water from. So, I took her. After that, I left her to her own devices.

Taiji, upon hearing this, made a special effort to see the girl and talk to her, but she pretty much ignored him. She was polite in that she would step aside and wait with her head bowed for him to go and nodded or shook her head at his questions. Not once did she show any interest in him as a man. Taiji resorted to giving her gifts, but she never took them voluntarily. She only took the ones that were quite literally forced on her with a "Thank you, your majesty." Well, that was what the impression was.

To me, every time she was on her way back and she was stopped, it looked like she was struggling just to stay upright. Even so, she was polite and respectful, not that I understood what she was saying. I happened to look back once to see her sitting on a nearby bench as if she had suddenly run out of strength.

It seemed to me that Taiji was starting to take a serious interest in the lady as she did not pay him any mind at all, so much so that he found a eunuch in training that could speak both to translate. As I was the first to see him that morning, I took him home with me as he was not castrated, and Taiji had only found him so he could translate for him. It had to be seen if he was a worthwhile acquisition.

I was astonished to see what happened next. Being new to everything in the palace, I had him carrying a set of clothes for her as the clothes she was wearing were falling off her.

"Mum," the skinny boy said when he saw her.

"It is you, Mum!" and a huge smile filled the boy's thin worried face as he placed the tray down and hugged her out of nowhere.

"Fergus?" she asked the boy.

"Yes! It's me!" he answered as his arms squeezed her tightly.

"Fergus!" she exclaimed and hugged him tightly back. I was disgusted at the sight; how dare she hug this man in front of me when she was to be married to Xin?

"This is not appropriate," I snapped.

Fergus hurriedly let go and said to me apologetically, "Sorry, Sir, this is my mother."

I understood then and decided to ask rather than tell him he was staying with us, "Since she is your mother, would you like to stay here with her rather than in the eunuch quarters? It would be safer that way, too. Neither of you would have to face the poisoning schemes of others, then. Also, you can interpret what your mother is saying."

"I can stay?" a beautiful, hopeful smile filled Fergus's face.

"You can stay," I agreed, "But I am going to have to give you two a proper area to sleep then. Is there anywhere you would prefer of the empty areas?"

Xinye nodded and pointed to the corner she had cleaned diligently.

"Are you sure?" I questioned her as I did not think she knew how cold it was in winter, "It gets very cold in winter there."

She nodded and indicated for me to follow her.

"What do you want?" I asked her.

"Follow me. I want to ask you something," Fergus interpreted.

And we all went out together, and we were taken to where the furniture that no one dared use was disposed of. She surprised me again by asking, "Can I use this? Or is it going back to its owner eventually?"

"You can use it. It has been placed in the furniture for disposal place," I responded, "But why would you use it? A concubine died on it." I knew this because I had been the one to find her and had arranged for it to be removed.

"That may be the case," she responded through Fergus, "But it has been exposed to the elements for about two weeks, and any death would have been washed off it by now. It still looks and feels ok to sit on."

"Ok, then I will get someone to bring it to the manor," I agreed to her request and hurried away to let Taiji know of the development - his interpreter was her son. I wondered what his reaction would be to this news.

"My prince," I bowed to him.

"What is it?" he asked me, dismissing the others around him.

"The interpreter," I started.

"Yes, what about him?" he looked slightly annoyed, "Can he not interpret?"

"He can, but that is not the problem," I said.

"Well, what is the problem?"

"The interpreter, My Prince, is her son," I said. There was no easy or gentle way to say it, so I just said it.

"What?" he reacted, "Never mind this, I still plan to see if I can win her for myself, just make sure that she can get everything that she needs."

"Why?" the question slipped out before I thought about it.

The prince glared at me and dismissed me, giving me a palace purchasing seal, "Go and make sure she has everything she needs; her clothes are atrocious for anyone and definitely not fit for the palace."

I hurried back to Xinye only to be accosted with a question, "Chen Li, how do I get bedding for this bed?"

I looked blankly at Fergus. He guessed then that he had to translate, and so he did. I smiled at her and gave her a palace purchase seal, "Go to town with Fergus and get everything that you need."

"Is this just for the bedding, or can I get someone to fix the bed to suit me too? And can I get drapes for the bed?" she looked hopeful but willing to be crushed.

"Do what you need to be happy with the bed. My prince said that he wanted you happy."

She looked at me blankly, saying, "But I have never met your prince."

"It doesn't matter. He heard that his General finally had a woman, and he wants to keep you happy so that you will stay with him," I chuckled at her lack of observation, so I did not want to alert her to the fact my prince was a bit of a jerk.

"I don't understand," she said, "I am his slave, a rather useless one, but he wants to keep me happy? I find this perplexing. Why does he think I am the General's woman?"

I smiled at her, "Who knows the mind of the prince? I don't understand, either. Oh, and get some clothes too." I then looked at Fergus and instructed him, "Fergus, take Xinye to the laundry and show them this," I handed him a different seal to the one I handed Xinye, "and tell them that the prince has ordered them to provide proper attire for her." I knew that Taiji would have told them what she could wear and there would be trouble if she was not given the correct attire. I looked back at Xinye and simply stated, "you can't go out as you are."

She nodded her thanks and acknowledgement, looked at Fergus, and said, "Shall we go?"

Fergus nodded and led her away to get changed.

I left then to finish my duties for the day. I hoped that they would be alright as I did not know how she or Fergus would go alone. I need not have worried, though, it turned out that Xinye knew enough of the palace to get to the town, and Fergus knew the town very well. He had been a plaything for a high-ranking woman, Yehe Nara Subenzhu, who did not want his face marked with the word enslaved person either. He had been given as a gift to the emperor Nuraci by her as she wanted to be engaged to the second prince, who had caught her eye when she had been visiting her relative, Lady Yehe Nara, at the palace.

The emperor Nuraci was not so inclined to accept him, but Prince Taiji had interrupted and encouraged the swap for his own benefit. The second prince, Prince Li of the first rank, did not care either way as he was not interested in women but was happy to have one to save face, besides which it wasn't too much of an inconvenience bedding a woman once or twice a month. None of the women in the walls wanted him even though he had two wives Lady Nigiya and Lady Yehe Nara, knowing his preference, so the emperor caved. Fergus was delivered to the gates early that day, and I happened to be at the right place at the right time.

When I returned that night, I collapsed onto my bed and did not wake again until morning. When I showed up at work that morning, I was surprised to see the General already there on duty.

"When did you get back, Xin?" I asked.

"Last night," he said briefly.

I punched his arm in a friendly manner only to see him wince, "Why did you not say anything?"

"Sorry, I was preoccupied with Xinye and her son," He let a small smile slip indicating his fondness for the woman. I had nothing but respect for her despite her frailty.

As it was just the prince and me in the room, I asked Xin quietly, "Are you injured?" to which he nodded.

Taiji must have heard my question as he said, "I was going to send you out again tomorrow, but rest a few days when we are alone in my chamber, then go once you feel well enough."

Xin was home a week before heading out again. While Xin was home, Taiji visited his wives rather than trying to torment Xinye. I honestly was relieved, for her sake. As for me, I found it odd that Taiji kept looking at me like I was a woman instead of a Eunuch. Others had noticed it, too, as rumours started to spread that Taiji was bisexual like Prince Li of the first rank.

I wonder if that was the real reason he went to his wives. He had not been particularly attentive of them before. Though I could tell it was just an act, he was not really interested in being with his wives. I wondered then, Does he really have an interest in me, or is it just a coincidence? Why is he going after Xin's woman if he likes me? And why is he spending time with his other wives? I guess it is expected of him being the 4th prince.

As soon as Xin left, Taiji abandoned his wives again and tried to seduce Xinye, but Xinye was not having a bar of it. She would often excuse herself, saying she was unwell. Taiji had the royal physician look at her, and he treated her with little success. I guess because she would not allow part of his treatment at all. It was like she had a deep mistrust of incense burners.

This came in handy, though, as an attempt on her life a week later via an incense burner occurred. No-one had realised that we did not use incense anymore as the candles she had especially made and cleaning proved enough. They had put lit incense burners into our building while she went to the kitchens to get her food, as her choice to stay on rice and green vegetables were being questioned.

She came in and smelt the awful stench, looked around for the source while she stood out in the fresh air, held her breath, hurried in, took the censor out, threw the incense in the garden, and buried it before releasing her air. She did this for each censor, then opened up the entire manor to the fresh air to blow out the remaining stench. She then fell asleep on the bench under the tree.

Taiji had decided to visit for dinner that day, and found her there like that. Thinking her ill, he picked her up and took her inside. He was shocked at the coldness of the house, so he put her on her bed and started closing up the windows.

I arrived then with the food and lit all the candles. Taiji was about to relight the censors, and I stopped him, "No, we do not use incense here. It makes her sicker."

"How do you keep the bugs away then?"

"The method she uses is vinegar and water and citronella candles. It seems to work," I explained.

"The house smells like incense, though," Taiji commented.

"So that would be why she was outside then," I replied, "She was waiting for it to go."

"Wait," Taiji said thoughtfully, "This smells like 'drunk like a dream', one that kills you in your sleep. I know because it was tried on me. I was only saved by my nurse at the time. Since then, I have been careful to memorize the smell."

"It looks like the censors we had are all outside in a pile. Do you want to check them?"

Taiji nodded, and I took him out to the pile. He looked in and sniffed the censors. "Yes, someone definitely tried killing you both. I will get to the bottom of this. Neither of you deserves this."

A/N If you enjoyed this chapter, please take the time to vote by pressing the star. Please let me know if you see any errors, as this is unedited.