Chapter 3
It took a few weeks to arrive in Gongmen City. Shen kept his hands to himself, and Hua did nothing to provoke his urges. Shen was partially disappointed that she didn't try for his attention like his other wives. But he also understood that she was taken from her home and taken to a new one with little mental time to prepare. It was only when they entered through the city gates did Hua decided to speak.
"Where will I reside My Lord?"
"There is an annex built off to the side of the palace. It is where my family will grow and live without fear of the public's eye."
Hua paused at that statement.
"Fear of the public's eye?"
Shen looked at Hua with a questionable gaze.
"I didn't know your family would have anything to fear as long as you are the Lord of Gongmen City."
She was doing it again. Speaking to his pride with the simplest of truths.
"It appears I misspoke."
Hua innocently giggled behind her sleeve. Shen liked how adorable she appeared at that moment. She was quickly becoming one of his favorites.
Entering the palace gates Hua was surprised to see such a welcoming reception. Streamers flew in the air, balloons floated elegantly in the sky, and guards stood erect in a welcoming line of protection and loyalty.
"You are greatly loved My Lord," Hua murmured in amazement.
"Loved? I much preferred feared."
Hua regarded his words before speaking.
"How about respected?"
Once again Shen wondered if she had swallowed honey all her life for her words to sound so sweet.
"Respected? That certainly sounds better."
Standing on the grand steps of the palace stood Shen's three wives, Jing, Genji, and Ai. Jing held a calm demeanor wearing a beautiful gown with simple jewelry. Genji watched on with eyes of greed wearing her most extravagant dress that left little to the imagination. Ai appeared more interested in the beautiful decorations that adorned the palace. Her attire seemed more like play clothes than a dress to wear to a reception. But all three immediately bowed once Shen exited the palanquin.
"Welcome home My Lord."
Shen had to silently admit he had begun to miss the sound of his wives' voices. But he also enjoyed the shocked murmurs from the presence of Hua exiting the palanquin. Hua held his arm gently as Shen guided her up the steps to the palace. Shen gave Genji a disapproving look over the murderous glare in her eye. She was certainly going to be a headache. Being tactful, Shen led Hua to Jing who looked upon the pair with pure curiosity.
"This is my new wife Hua. Jing, I entrust you will help her settle in."
It wasn't a suggestion.
"As you wish My Lord." Jing bowed.
Hua grew more nervous as Shen quietly left her behind with Jing. No more words were said between the two. Genji followed Lord Shen making sure to bump into Hua aggressively, almost causing her to fall over.
"My Lord! My Lord, I have something to speak with you about. My Lord!"
Ai had disappeared from the scene opting to chase after the pretty ballons with some of the softer-hearted guards.
"I apologize on our sister Genji's behalf. She has much to learn I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive her for now."
"I…" Jing was lying. Hua didn't know what told her Jing was lying. Maybe it was how monotone she sounded when she spoke. But Hua guessed it was more along the fact both Lord Shen and Genji were still in hearing range. "It would be shameful of me to hold such an innocent mistake against my new sister."
Jing blinked in surprise at Hua's response. So well thought out for someone who did not seem to be prepared for her new life.
"Glad you understand, Sister Hua."
Jing guided Hua to the annex that the wives called home and showed her what would be her room.
"We have no madam of the house yet. I have taken the liberty of taking care of the annex and its staff for the time being."
"No madam? Are you not the first wife?"
It was an innocent question. Maybe it was because of its innocence that Jing broke into humorless laughter.
"We are not married. None of us are. You will not be married either. We are wives in name only."
Hua froze at one of the opened windows in her room.
"So, I will not have a wedding with Lord Shen?"
"Correct."
It was a flat matter-of-fact response.
"So, I am nothing more than a glorified whore!"
Rage flowed through Hua's feathered veins. Her ruby-red eyes shined even brighter from the intense anger. Jing's feathers stood abruptly at the sight.
"That is all that we are. Whores with a purpose to birth a bastard for Lord Shen." Jing soothed her feathers before approaching Hua cautiously. "And I suggest you come to terms with it if you wish to survive."
Hua looked away from Jing's intense gaze. This was not what she had planned when leaving her family.
"And how does one survive in our Lord's palace?"
"By giving Lord Shen what none of us have given him yet. A successor."
Hua once again was left flabbergasted by Jing's words.
"Three wives and no children?"
Jing shook her head in confirmation.
"Genji has been bedded by our Lord more than anyone. Ai is young at heart, Lord Shen did not bed her for a long time. But even when he bedded me more than a dozen times with no results…Ai was eventually touched. None of us have laid a single fertile egg. I have laid three with no life, Ai has laid two, while Genji hasn't laid even one. Lord Shen has been kind enough to gift us all a personal doctor. I have my suspicions about Genji's faults, but I have no answer for me and Ai."
Hua thought back to her mother at home. Guo was a faithful husband without wandering eyes. When his wife was unable to give him children, Guo simply accepted his bloodline would end with him. But by some miracle, after taking Hua into their home, Gou's wife gave birth to twin sons. Hua always assumed it was because her mother finally stopped trying and just allowed fate to run its course.
"Lord Shen brought you here as both a hope and a warning. Hopefully you will give him what he needs. But you also serve as a warning to Genji, Ai, and me. You are proof that we are replaceable if we can't even do our most basic duty."
"Does the problem not-"
"Do not utter those words!" Jing warned. "Lord Shen has his doctor and word on the wind is that he is perfectly capable of placing life in a woman's core."
"Then why no children?"
"No one knows. And if no children are born all our positions are in jeopardy. I make myself useful by acting as the madam of the house. Genji wants nothing more than to become a madam. She will do anything and resort to many tricks and crude deeds to achieve her goal. Becoming the Lord's wife is her sole reason for existing. Ai…Ai could care less if she gains ground or not."
Hua stepped closer to Jing with a doubtful gaze.
"Why tell me all of this?"
"Because even if you don't give our Lord a child you share something with Lord Shen that none of us could even imagine. The moment I saw you I told myself I would make you the true wife of Lord Shen."
That wasn't what Hua was expecting to hear.
"I can practically hear the gears in your head spin trying to figure out my words."
"Something like that."
Hua was still cautious of this woman.
"I knew from the beauty of you two standing side by side that fate had brought you here. And it is better to have allies in a place of silent danger than countless enemies. All I ask is when I help you become Lord Shen's wife that you make me your number one lady of the annex."
Jing giggled innocently as she happily leaned closer to Hua.
"I think you are putting all your eggs into the wrong basket Lady Jing."
"Sister Jing please." Jing leaned away from Hua to give her back some personal space. "When we are glorified whores to one lord that makes us sisters."
"Sisters?!" Genji appeared in the doorway. "As if I would ever consider any of you peasants sisters."
Genji stomped her way over to Jing and Hua. Jing stood her ground against the intruder and kept Hua behind her for protection.
"Especially not some no-name albino of some common street whore."
Genji cackled obnoxiously.
"That is enough-"
"Please repeat that?"
Hua stepped out from behind Jing.
"Looks like your hearing is bad too." Genji smirked. "Fine. You are nothing but a bastard daughter of some common street whore. Your existence is so insignificant that your name isn't something for me to bother learning. You are an albino stain at this annex."
Silence passed between the two with only the sound of Genji's dangling jewels clinking against each other to remind the trio that time had not frozen.
"Shall I tell Lord Shen to send me home?"
"Hua?!" Jing grabbed Hua's sleeve in panic.
Genji crossed her arms across her chest confidently.
"Yes. Go tell him you are too weak of a woman to even fathom gifting him an heir."
"Fine. Jing, will you come with me as I explain to Lord Shen that he should send me home? After all he shouldn't have an albino stain in his presence."
Hua has dealt with bullies since her birth. Genji was too hot headed to care for what words she used for insults. And Hua was too annoyed to let Genji think she could get whatever she wanted.
"You!" Genji pointed an accusatory finger at Hua.
"Yes, Hua I will come with you to inform Lord Shen about how bringing an albino into his palace is nothing short of an insult to his existence. I will make sure to give you the credit Sister Genji for pointing out this great flaw."
Genji's cheeks grew hot with embarrassment. Unable to stand her ground against the two she stomped out the same way she stomped in.
Jing giggled behind her sleeve.
"Finally, someone else who can stand up against her tantrums. Even more reason that you are destined to become-"
"I don't agree with your sentiment."
Hua needed to nip this idea in the butt now.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't think I will become the madam. I'm not even sure if two albinos, even perfectly healthy albinos, can have children together. And I have no confidence that I can get closer to Lord Shen on an emotional level. I suggest you stop putting all your eggs in my basket. But if becoming your ally means I get to wipe the arrogance off Genji's face occasionally. Then I see no problem in following your plan for now…Sister Jing."
Hua offered a bow before asking to be shown around the rest of the annex. Jing studied her for a moment before continuing her duty as acting madam.
"Sister Jing, when will I meet Sister Ai. Now that I've met Genji, I'm quite curious what she is like-AH!"
It appears that a booby trap had been laid for the two peahens. Once they passed the threshold of the doorway Ai and two ladies in waiting stood with buckets of pond water in their hands and a mischievous smile on their face.
"Sister Ai?" Hua asked wiping the moisture from her sleeves helplessly.
"Sister Ai." Jing confirmed trying to dry her face.
"Welcome home sister!"
It was not a sincere welcome by the youngest of Shen's wives. But it did break the tension that had formed between the three peahens. Ai eventually ran down the hall laughing to her utter delight with the ladies in waiting hot on her tail. Jing and Hua watched after her for a moment before pursuing her in their own fits of laughter. After fighting off Genji acting like little chicks for a moment felt ideal.
The three chased each other joyfully as if they had known each other their whole lives. The bright atmosphere encouraged more ladies in waiting to join in on the fun. Eventually, they were playing a large game of tag. Lady Jing had been deemed it by Ai with no disagreement. Eventually their game led outside into the annex courtyard. They were in perfect sight from Shen's balcony who looked on in amusement. Again, Hua had left Shen speechless as he watched her form connections merely hours into living her new life at the annex.
"How will you surprise me next my little flower?"