Helena stood hidden in the shadows, her expression twisted with dark and maddened jealousy. No matter how many rumors she had heard, or how many days had passed without the king visiting Cloud Palace, she had firmly believed that the king would never favor Josephine. Until today. Yet here she was, watching Josephine bask in the limelight, summoned by the king himself.Helena clenched her fists tightly, her heart pounding wildly.For those he disliked, the king never spared a glance, let alone spoke to them. He would have either left outright or dismissed Josephine immediately.But it had been quite some time now… Josephine was still there."Your Highness, the wind is strong out here. Perhaps we should return to Cloud Palace?" Clara suggested softly.Helena's mood was visibly stormy, and Clara feared it might spiral further if they stayed."Lady Josephine's horseback riding—does it truly resemble Lady Rosalie's so much?" Helena's voice dripped venom.Clara hesitated, uncertain
Although Helena knew how to ride, it had been a long time since she last mounted a horse.Before performing for the king, she needed to practice, and the royal stable was the only place in the palace where horseback riding was possible."What did you say? Our lady is not allowed to enter?" Clara's face was filled with disbelief. How dare the servants of the royal stable stop her mistress?At the entrance to the royal stable, the steward's face was contorted with a mix of frustration and helplessness."Lady Helena, it's not that I'm refusing you. It's an order from above, and I dare not disobey!"Helena's expression turned icy. Was there now a place in the harem she could not access?There was no need for Helena to argue herself; Clara stepped forward to confront the steward."Not long ago, our lady was allowed in. Why is she barred today? Who gave such an order?"The steward wiped his sweat nervously."I-It's the queen. Her Majesty said that the horses and riding gear in the r
Helena ignored Jane and immediately turned to the king, acting coquettishly."Your Majesty, you know about my equestrian skills."George, with his strikingly handsome face, glanced at Jane with indifference."Helena's riding skills far surpass those of others. Wendy, you're overthinking this."Jane, on the other hand, appeared more at ease."In that case, Lady Helena doesn't need to participate in the selection. In ten days, she can directly take part in the polo match."Helena was displeased. She had been honing her equestrian skills to please the king, not to compete in some polo match."Your Majesty, I refuse!"Jane's attitude was firm."Then it can only happen after the polo match!""You…" Helena was left speechless, turning to the king for support.-Outside the royal study, Lily approached Jane as soon as she emerged."Your Majesty, are you alright?"Jane remained composed."Add Lady Helena to the polo match roster."Lily was surprised."Your Majesty, how did you
Jane rarely rode horses and most often stayed on the sidelines to observe. As the day's practice was about to conclude, Richard arrived at the royal stable."Greetings, Your Majesty."Typically, Richard would come with the king. Jane instinctively glanced behind him but did not see the tyrant king."Today, it's just me." Richard smiled, exuding a gentle warmth like spring rain.Jane nodded in response and shifted her gaze to the distance—toward the concubines riding horses.She assumed Richard would leave after exchanging pleasantries, but instead, he stood beside her and began chatting."Your Majesty has gone to great lengths. If needed, I can persuade the king to visit the royal stable more often."Lily, standing nearby, was visibly surprised. Richard didn't seem to be joking—his crescent-shaped eyes carried the same mildness as always."That won't be necessary." Jane bluntly declined without even turning to look at him.Richard appeared momentarily taken aback but quickly r
After days of training, the polo match commenced as scheduled.George sat in the center of the viewing platform with the queen dowager on his right, and the others seated in succession.Richard, ever genial, remarked, "This is the first polo match held in the harem. The queen has truly put in a lot of effort."As he spoke, he frequently glanced at George.George, cold as ice, replied, "Indeed, it's unprecedented. Compared to the virtuous queens of the Foster family throughout history, this is certainly a first."Everyone present could hear the king's discontent toward the queen.To ease the tension, Dina smiled kindly and offered praise. "The queen has a keen mind; this polo match is sure to be extraordinary."George frowned slightly, clearly disagreeing with her remark.Richard refrained from commenting further, silently picking up his glass and taking a sip of wine.The other concubines had little interest in the polo match; they only wished to be closer to the king. Yet, ev
The polo match commenced, and the participating concubines entered the arena on horseback, dressed in riding attire.Dina spoke, feigning casual observation."It's great to be young. They all look so different from their usual selves—less like concubines of the harem and more like female generals!"Laurel bowed slightly and echoed her sentiment."With Your Majesty embodying virtue and the king ruling with wisdom, this palace naturally nurtures such vitality."George glanced at the field but, given the distance, couldn't discern who was who. His strikingly handsome face remained expressionless."Mom, it's one thing for you to make a joke," he said. "But for the past century, Nidora has never had a female general."Richard raised his cup."Under the king's divine blessing, the lands of Nidora flourish. I believe it won't be long before a female general arises in Nidora—someone who will expand our borders and dominate the central plains."George lifted his cup, and the two exchan
Helena scored repeatedly, and as she rode past Jane, she pulled the reins to a stop."Your Majesty," Helena sneered, "is there no one left in your team who can put up a fight?"Jane's expression remained composed, giving no response.Helena wasn't willing to let it drop. She lowered her voice and taunted, "I know what you're trying to do—propping up Josephine to steal the king's favor, hoping to divert his attention."But really, Wendy, you're such a pathetic queen! You've invested so much in Josephine, yet here she is, crushed beneath my feet. And soon, you'll be the same, groveling at my mercy—just like your mother did that day..."Jane's brows furrowed slightly.Noticing the subtle change, Helena smirked in triumph. "What? You didn't know? After you were abducted, your dear mother came to beg me for mercy. Whatever I commanded, she obeyed—she even knelt to put my shoes on! She was far more sensible than you'll ever be."Jane's grip on the reins tightened, her knuckles turni
The concubines reacted with excitement in the stands. They assumed the intense struggle between Helena and Josephine was over a ball, stretching their necks to see who would prevail, unaware that both their horses had gone mad.Sharp screams echoed in the air.Moments later, someone was thrown violently off a horse...Helena had barely realized something was wrong with her horse before she fell, everything happening quickly within a few seconds.There was no time to regain control.As she tumbled, terror consumed her. Below her were the sharp, jagged rocks. Her face!She instinctively tried to shield it, but after several violent rolls, a deep gash marred her cheek.With a sickening crack, her left arm twisted unnaturally, broken.Helena screamed in agony.Her face, her arm! 'Why? Why did this happen?' she thought. Josephine was supposed to fall, not her.The searing pain coursing through her body was unbearable. Who had done this to her? The lilac scent on her was faint—just
Jocelyn watched as George left Zen Palace and immediately followed suit.As the Chief Gatekeeper, she was not permitted to enter the palace without a summons. And despite her high rank, her status as a woman meant she was barred from attending court sessions or participating in political discussions.In short, she rarely had the opportunity to see George.She had intended to speak her mind, but when she caught sight of the king's bloodshot eyes and the murderous aura surrounding him, a chill ran down her spine. The king had always given her the impression of being strict and reserved, but never before had he looked this terrifying."What is it?" George's presence was intimidating, and his cold aura drained away the last traces of warmth in the air.Jocelyn quickly composed herself, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I have a set of weapon designs to present to you!"The cold wind howled, stinging her face.As king, George swiftly pulled himself out of his personal emotions. He to
George held the fragrant pouch between his fingers. He sensed something was amiss.He fixed his gaze on Wendy, not allowing her any sudden movements. Then, in a deep voice, he ordered, "Summon the physician!"Before long, the physician responsible for overseeing the queen's pregnancy, Rudolf, arrived. He was well aware that Wendy was not actually pregnant.The moment he brought the fragrant pouch to his nose, he reached a conclusion."Your Majesty, this is zerumbet ginger. It has properties that promote blood circulation and reduce bruising."So far, that seemed ordinary enough.But then, his expression shifted as he continued, "However, much like musk, if a pregnant woman is exposed to it for long periods, it can affect the fetus, potentially leading to miscarriage or even a stillbirth! "In fact, even ordinary women should avoid wearing such a fragrant pouch."Inside Jane's sleeve, her fingers curled into a fist. It was discovered after all.George's gaze darkened as if all
Upon hearing that Jocelyn had fainted, George's expression changed slightly. His sharp brows furrowed as he suppressed his anger."A fine thing you've done!" he reprimanded.He immediately ordered for Jocelyn to be carried to the side chamber and summoned a physician to attend to her. At the same time, he issued a strict order to everyone in Zen Palace that the day's events were not to be spread.Not long after, Jocelyn regained consciousness in the warmth of the side chamber.A royal servant was attending to her."Commander Morris, are you feeling better?" the servant asked with concern.Jocelyn didn't actually faint. She had just run out of patience. Now, lying in bed, she feigned weakness."Help me up. I haven't finished kneeling for a full hour yet."Thud.Her legs, seemingly frozen stiff, failed to support her. As soon as she tried to stand, she collapsed back onto her knees.The royal servant hurried to help her up."Commander Morris, please don't worry. His Majesty ha
Jocelyn knelt in the bone-chilling wind for thirty minutes. When she saw the king arrive, she immediately turned her head and cast him a helpless look. To her surprise, he didn't spare her a single glance and walked straight into the palace.Jocelyn stared blankly at his departing figure. Her frostbitten fists clenched unconsciously.She knew Jane didn't love George. But what about him? It seemed he liked Jane quite a lot.Still, no matter how much he favored a woman, surely he wouldn't tolerate her meddling in state affairs, nor would he allow her to humiliate a commander who had rendered great service to the kingdom.Upon entering the palace, George dismissed everyone else.Maya gave Wendy one last look, her expression full of exasperation, as if saying, 'See? This is what happens when you don't listen to me.'Jane stood up and curtsied. She seemed neither apologetic nor flustered."Greetings, Your Majesty," she said politely. "Why did you order Jocelyn to kneel?" George's v
As she heard Jane's order to kneel, Jocelyn hesitated instinctively. But she remained standing.Jane's gaze was cold."When I tell you to kneel, you do not remain standing. As a subject, do you not even understand such basic etiquette?"Jocelyn felt as if something were stuck in her throat. No matter how eloquent she was, she could not defy royal authority.Before this, Jane had always cared for her. She had never made her kneel, or even keep her standing for too long. The stark contrast was hard for her to accept. She remained in place, unmoving.At Jane's command, royal guards entered the chamber.Seeing this, Jocelyn was reminded of the military camp. Jane had been the same there–whenever she called out, soldiers immediately stepped forward to receive orders.This was power.As a commander, Jane had authority. As queen, it had only grown."Jocelyn has spoken disrespectfully to me," Jane said sternly. "Take her outside and make her kneel for an hour."The guards obeyed with
"You have been in the palace for quite some time now," Teressa said seriously. "It wouldn't be appropriate if you went even longer without having served the king in bed."She had intended to arrange this matter earlier, but the king had been unable to perform due to his medical troubles, which had delayed things. Now that he had regained the ability, there was no reason to postpone it any longer. Besides, he had always respected her as his grandmother.Back then, even Wendy had remained a virgin after her wedding. It was only after she had issued a strict order that George had finally consummated their marriage.Rachel's turn to attend to the king was something she had full confidence in arranging.Rachel lowered her gaze, her face tinged with a soft blush, and replied in a gentle voice, "I will do as you please."She appeared docile and obedient, yet a flicker of ambition flashed through her eyes. Entering the palace as a concubine and giving birth to a royal heir had always been
Maya couldn't suppress her curiosity and opened Wendy's letter to her family. Strangely, the contents were nothing more than ordinary words of concern.Why did such a letter need to be secretly sent out of the palace? It seemed completely unnecessary.Then again, perhaps the queen was testing her capabilities to see if she could be trusted with more important tasks. With that thought in mind, she followed the order and secretly delivered the letter to the eastern gate.Someone was waiting there to receive it.Wallace quickly received the letter. At first glance, it seemed like a simple message, but it was encoded in a cipher.Jane often used the 'three-four-one-five' method–circling the third, fourth, first, and fifth words of each sentence in that order would reveal the true message.[Jocelyn has an accomplice. Investigate.]After reading it, Wallace burned the letter.-Meanwhile, in Zen Palace, it was the first day of the new year, and all the concubines had come to pay the
George's anger was written all over his face, especially in his eyes.Every single concubine in the harem longed for his favor. But Wendy, of all people, wanted it but refused to admit it. She played hard to get in front of him.If she hadn't wanted this, why had she taken the initiative last night?And now, after everything was done, she was putting on this act and making it seem like he had forced her.How could he not be furious?Jane responded seriously, "Your Majesty, it is you who have suffered a loss."The coldness in George's demeanor did not fully fade, but his tone softened slightly, "If you know I've suffered a loss, then you should make it up to me properly. If you do conceive, then it will be a joyous occasion for all."As for those contraceptives, if you dare touch them again, I will kill that ever-loyal maid of yours."He would not tell her that, seeing how drunk she had been last night, he had never actually gone through with it in the end. For once, he had chos
Contraceptive medicine was not something that could be taken openly, especially by members of the harem.Jane instructed Lily to sneak some medicine while bestowing rewards upon the physicians.Lily handled the matter swiftly, successfully obtaining the medicine and secretly brewing it in the kitchen. However, Maya caught sight of this.Lately, Maya had been in high spirits. With Wendy pregnant, her position as chief maid was no longer the same as before. Now, she was on guard against anyone trying to harm the queen's child, keeping a close watch on everyone in Zen Palace.She had never expected to catch someone in the act.Lily was acting suspiciously, brewing medicine that had not been prescribed by any physician. Something was off. She first had someone divert Lily away, then quickly lifted the lid to inspect the contents. With her seasoned experience, she immediately identified the presence of musk, a powerful substance.This was outrageous.If the queen suffered a miscarr