"Someone spit in my paints!" she wailed.
Ji Yue rolled her eyes, not even bothering to look at the cosmetics. It could be a serious problem if the heavy white paint was too thin. The color would be blotchy when applied and wear off in streaks throughout the evening. But someone would have to spit a lot for such a problem to occur. Hua Si didn't seem to care, though, as she folded her arms, peered down her nose, and demanded new paints.
"No," answered Bo Tao.
Hua Si was stunned. "No? No!"
He smiled. "No." Then he turned and began walking down the hallway.
Hua Si stormed after him. "Don't you want to know who committed this crime? Don't you need to investigate?"
Bo Tao turned and looked not at Hua Si but at Ji Yue. There was a question in his eyes that she didn't understand. Did he think she had spat in the girl's cosmetics? Ji Yue felt her mouth open in shock and she straightened to defend herself. But Bo Tao simply shook his head and turned his attention back to Hua Si.
"Virgin Gao Hua Si, I don't care if someone pissed in your pot. Finish your dressing and be done with it!"
Hua Si gasped, the shock of his vulgar words upsetting her delicate constitution. She began to shake. "But what am I to do?" she wailed.
"I suggest you eat your poisoned makeup. Perhaps that will silence you."
Ji Yue winced at his ridiculous suggestion. Such a comment would send her roommate into a tirade that would last for hours. Bo Tao would be gone, of course. He looked like he was about to bolt, anyway. But Ji Yue would have to endure hours of the spoiled beauty's hysterics. So she pushed up from her table, acutely aware that her hair was undone, falling about her face in an unruly mass. But she'd never get the eunuch's help if Hua Si was throwing a fit.
"Eating is an excellent suggestion, Master Sun Bo Tao," she said. "Soothing tea and a small dumpling would be a great substitute for the paints. In the meantime, Hua Si, you may use my cosmetics."
"What use would I have for your pig slop?" Hua Si screeched. The sound was loud enough that Bo Tao winced.
"I have heard, master," Ji Yue continued, "that a lack of food sometimes makes women unsettled. It is our delicate constitutions, you know. And we have had nothing since morning tea. Do you not recall how excited we all were when we heard of tonight's celebration? Many of us were too excited then to eat a bite."
Bo Tao narrowed his eyes at her in confusion. "They are hungry?" he gasped.
"Perhaps you are hungry, you ugly cow," roared Hua Si, but she did not get to rant for long as the head eunuch came bustling in from another room.
"Who is hungry? What ridiculous nonsense! Do you think we have food to spare, girl? For testy spoiled virgins who beat their servants and screech like fishwives?"
Ji Yue bowed slightly in a show of shame. "My apologies, head eunuch. I merely thought that with mouths full, the virgins would have no breath to complain."
"Truer words could not be spoken," said Bo Tao. "Head eunuch, can we not bring some sweet dumplings? Surely the kitchen will have made enough to spare."
The cut man bristled with indignation. "And who will fetch and serve this bounty? You? Her? My eunuchs are too busy for such nonsense."
Hua Si sneered. "I have told her she eats too much, but she is from the country and does not understand that life in the Forbidden City requires sacrifice."
Ji Yue ground her teeth. "I am not from the country," she said as calmly as possible.
"You see?" Hua Si put in with a roll of her eyes. "She argues about everything. So demanding." Then she turned around and went to the mirror. With a huff of disgust, she began to apply her "poisoned" paint to her face.
Meanwhile, the head eunuch sniffed disdainfully at Ji Yue. "I do not like girls who constantly complain, Chen Ji Yue." With that he spun away.
Ji Yue stared at his retreating back, the unfairness of it all making her eyes tear. Though the emperor chose his brides, the head eunuch controlled a concubine's life. He supervised servants and housing. He managed resources between the harems. And most important, he was the one who brought brides to the emperor's bed. She could not become pregnant with the next emperor if she never graced the man's bed. And she would never grace the imperial bedchamber if she made an enemy of the head eunuch.
Meanwhile, in a nearby room, another argument erupted and something fragile was smashed. In her mirror she saw Bo Tao wince at the noise.
"Can you dress your hair yourself?" he asked.
She blinked. Had he been speaking to her? "Master?"
"Your hair? Can you do it by yourself?"
She glared at him. What a ridiculous question! No woman could create the elaborate hair displays alone. But she was not in a position to argue, so she gave the answer he wanted. "I will do my humble best."
"Good," he said. Then he snapped his fingers at the eunuch assigned to help them. "You! Come with me to the kitchens." With that he left, taking her only help with him.
Trays of tea and dumplings arrived a half hour later. No one thanked her for the idea, not that she expected anyone would. But she didn't even get any of the food since she was busy struggling with her hair. Someone had to hold the board in place while the hair was wrapped and glued. Thankfully, Li Fei was able to help. Though there had been little time to further her friendship with the girl from the carriage, Li Fei was naturally kind, had quick fingers and an easy smile. Together, they dabbed glue as quickly as possible, secured the board, but only partially set the butterfly hairpin. Then they ran together to dinner.
They slipped inside with the last of the virgins, grateful that there was adequate seating. Otherwise, their tardiness would have them eating outside with the disgraced eunuchs. Flashing a grin of excitement to her friend, Ji Yue settled down at the table and tried to look like an empress. Unfortunately, among all the fine silks and beautiful girls, she very much feared that she looked more like Hua Si's impoverished cousin.
The emperor sat at a table on the opposite side of the room. From this distance, all Ji Yue could see was his exquisitely embroidered clothing and his dark black hair. Still, she felt a tingle of excitement race down her spine. She had never been this close to the emperor before, and the feeling made her belly jump and her voice high. The other virgins were equally excited, equally delighted. But of course there was no hope of attracting his attention from across the room. So after repeatedly craning her neck to look in his direction, Ji Yue settled in to enjoy her meal.
It was between the tenth and the eleventh course that the emperor stood up. The reaction at the virgins' tables was immediate. Chopsticks clattered to the table, and hair was quickly patted into place. Ji Yue was not immune to the need to primp as her butterfly pin had once again dropped down behind her ear where no one would see it.
The emperor left the festival hall. All the virgins—Ji Yue included—returned to their food with a dispirited frown. Ji Yue's stomach was full, but she didn't know when she'd be able to eat again. She would take what she could now with no worry that the emperor would catch her with her mouth full. A door opened and closed behind her, but she paid no attention. Eunuchs went in and out that way all the time.
"Which is the virgin who dared hit you with a plate?"
Stunned gasps surrounded her at the man's voice. Ji Yue gasped as well, but she was eating. The result was a very unempresslike gurgle and a very undemure choking sound.
"It was an accident, Yi Zhen."
Ji Yue felt her blood run cold. She knew that voice. It was Master Sun Bo Tao, and he was speaking the childhood name of the emperor. Which meant both the master and the emperor were right behind her!