A/N: pissed off because I had this chapter up before aff stuffed up. And then it disappeared!!! Argh! I wanted to wait until I got it back but it doesn't look like it's happening anytime soon. And I changed my username as well but now it's back to before! Angry...

So because I don’t know if prince’s can have concubines or not, I’m assuming they can. So of course, since historical times are incredibly ist, once a woman gets married to a prince, she is literally referred to as ‘Wife of the *number* prince’. But that’s a horrible English translation so I made it this way. Concubines of princes are referred to as *number*-madam, while the wives or the first in line whatever are referred to as *number*-duchess.

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No, no NO! There was no way that 4^th-prince could be like that. Xiumin was lying, he was a liar! 4^th-prince was kind and sweet, he cared about others and obviously about Junmian. There was no way he could heartlessly kill his own brother for his own sake. The 4^th-prince was not a greedy prince!

Oh but he is. Don’t you remember, back in one of your talks with Yixing? 4^th-prince said that he would never give up being a prince. And you thought, isn’t he being greedy?

Shut up!

Zitao screamed in rage, trying to ignore his warring angel conscience and devil conscience.

“Oh I don’t understand!” Zitao groaned flopping stomach first down on his bed, his face muffled by the pillow.

“Zitao-meimei, are you alright?” Junmian walked over to where Zitao lay concerned. She ran a hand over his back, trying to comfort him.

“Perfect.” Zitao said sarcastically. His voice came out a bit funny, since the pillow was in his face.

“Oh well, Zitao-meimei I have news for you!” Junmian said excitedly. Zitao raised himself into a sitting position, turning to face Junmian. “Oh?”

“I’m going to be the 4^th-madam*!” Junmian beamed. Her grin faltered then fell when she failed to receive a similar response from Zitao. “Zitao-meimei?”

Zitao forced a weak smile. “I’m happy for you! Congratulations Junmian-jiejie!”

Junmian hesitated but let it pass a smile lighting up her face again. “Thank you Zitao-meimei! Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re properly looked after as well! Those girls… I heard what they did.” She clenched her fists.

“Oh, don’t worry about that Junmian-jiejie, I’ll be fine.”

“No it’s cool. 4^th-prince is wonderful, of course he’d be willing to do you a small favour!” Junmian clasped her hands together, her gaze looking dreamy and far away.

Of course, Junmian didn’t know about 4^th-prince’s past.

And Zitao didn’t want to be the one to burst her bubble.

***

A sharp knock on the door to the 8^th-prince’s chamber reverberated througout the room. Yifan, Canlie and Baixian looked up, as the door swung open.

“What are you doing here 4^th-ge?” Yifan asked sharply. Canlie and Baixian stood off to the side, not wanting to get between those two.

“I just thought I might want to inform you, dearest 8^th-di, that I’ll be taking a madam soon.” Yixing said pleasantly.

Yifan sneered. “Really? Someone else’s life you’re planning to ruin?”

“Ruin? Dear me, 8^th-di, marriage to a prince is perhaps the best way to live your life, save, being the Emperor.” Yixing laughed.

“Of course, because being the Emperor is all you care about.”

The 4^th-prince stared before barking out a cold harsh life. “Why certainly, 8^th-di. But I’m most afraid, 8^th-di, that you have no chance at being the Emperor.”

“Yea, you made sure of that.”

“How sweet of you to compliment my plans. I must admit, it was quite ingenious, don’t you think?”

“Ingenious? You killed 14^th-di, for your own greed! And you can still stand here and pretend that nothing has happened?!” Yifan choked back a sob.

“But nothing did happen, my dearest 8^th-di. 14^th-di was not supposed to exist but he did. I simply… put things back in their place.” Yixing smiled.

“Back in their place… would that include me not being considered by the Emperor anymore?”

Yixing clapped, a slow smirk forming on his face. “My plans, always kill two birds with one stone.”

“You’re a life ruiner. Did you hear what the Emperor said to me that day? ‘You should have died in his place’.” Yifan laughed hollowly. “He hates me…  the Emperor hates me and it’s all because of you!”

“Dear me, aren’t we being childish now. Pushing the blame of your own failure onto other people?”

Yifan hissed, lunging forward with the intent to strangle the 4^th-prince. But Canlie and Baixian held him back.

“4^th-ge, I think it’s best if you leave now.” Canlie said seriously.

“Congratulations on your fortune.” Baixian added in monotonously.

“Thank you, 9^th-di, 10^th-di. Junmian will be most pleased to receive your blessings.” Yixing smiled a tiny genuine smile at the mention of Junmian’s name.

“So you chose a lowly palace maid, how unexpected of you.” Yifan sneered.

Yixing’s eyes darkened and he turned back around, striding towards Yifan. He lowered himself until he was staring at him directly in the eye. “You will not speak of my Junmian like that.” He hissed.

Yifan stared at the place where Yixing was in shock. “Since when…since when did he start caring about people… again?”

***

“First off, I have a few announcements to make.” Yiyun spoke loudly to be heard over the buzz of the palace maids chatter. It wasn’t often that they were called together for a meeting, for Yiyun to give a pep talk or some news.

“So, firstly, congratulations to Junmian!” Yiyun said, with a big smile. Junmian stood up at the mention of her name. “She is getting married to the 4^th-prince, and will become the 4^th-madam. Let us all give her our blessings!”

“WHAT?!” Minying shrieked. A silence fell over the palace maids and Yiyun turned to glare at her.

“Is there a problem, Minying?” Minying shook her head slowly, and Yiyun nodded, satisfied.

“Good, and secondly, the Emperor’s palace maid is getting married to someone in her village, and so has withdrawn from her position, which is a shame. Which means that this position is open. So I will be announcing who will fill this position. This person received recommendations, so she will take up this position starting from today… Zitao!”

Zitao gaped at the mention of his name, only standing up when Junmian yanked him up. She smiled, looking at Zitao with bright eyes. “Junmian-jiejie…you…” Junmian nodded, her smile growing even wider. “Thank you Junmian-jiejie! But you didn’t have to…”

“I wanted to. Anything for my best friend.” Junmian hugged Zitao.

***

Serving the Emperor wasn’t hard. In fact, serving Consort Jia was probably tenfold worse, since she was so temperamental. But the Emperor, though he did have a lot of power, he was usually quite calm. It was less pressure on him than when he had served Consort Jia. He had been under the constant glare of Minying and Xiuzhi, just waiting for him to mess up, and the scrutinising stare of Consort Jia who analysed his every move. It was suffocating, that feeling.

***

A week later, the 4^th-prince and Junmian made their marriage official. There was a lavish ceremony held, but not as lavish if Junmian had been the 4^th-Duchess. Which was impossible. It was an unspoken tradition, in the Imperial palace that the Duchess would be someone of high standing, and that their marriage was for the sake of peace and connections. The Empress was a similar case. It was tomfoolery to put a mere palace maid as the Duchess.

Junmian moved out of their dorm, to take up residence in the 4^th-madam’s allocated chamber. Zitao also moved, as since he had the most power out of all palace maids now (save for perhaps, Yiyun), he was given a single chamber away from the others, and closer to the Emperor’s chamber.

***

Junmian flung her arms over Zitao in a crushing hug when she ran into him in the garden one day. Junmian had been taking a walk, with her 2 palace maids trailing behind here in the garden. Zitao had been leading some of the newer palace  maids to places, to give them instructions.

“Zitao-meimei! It’s been so long!” she squealed. Junmian quickly wiped the un-ladylike expression off her face turning around slightly. “Leave us alone.” The palace maids bowed their heads, retreating immediately.

“Junmian-jiejie.” Zitao smiled warmly, still using their sisterly language though Junmian held a much higher position of power now. “How have you been?”

“Fine, wonderful. 4^th-prince is so sweet, how can there be someone so kind in this world?” Junmian giggled. Zitao swallowed. He was going to bring up that story about the 4^th-prince now… but Junmian was too happy. It would be cruel to be the one who shattered it.

“Oh… well, Junmian-jiejie, I have to get back to my duties. I’ll see you around.” Zitao coughed awkwardly, covering it up with a smile and wave. Junmian nodded in understanding waving him off, the palace maids that were following Zitao immediately returning.

After he deposited them at their station, he decided to take a detour back to the Emperor’s chamber. The Emperor was usually busy, and didn’t require so much attention. A few minutes missed would be easily overlooked, and no one was in the position to scold him anyway.

As he rounded the corner, he caught sight of the 8^th-prince, sitting by himself, which was rare since he was almost always flanked by the 9^th-prince and 10^th-prince.

“8^th-prince.” Zitao said in greeting, taking a seat next to him and looking over. The 8^th-prince seemed not to have noticed him, or heard him, as he eyes were out of focus and still focused in front of him. Zitao felt heat creeping up his cheeks as he stared at his side profile. He froze, instantly shaking his head.

“8^th-prince…?” Zitao waved a hand in front of him. The 8^th-prince stared at his hand for a while before slowing letting his eyes trail up until they had eye contact. Zitao felt his cheeks flush again.

“Are you okay?” Zitao asked with concern. “You don’t really… space out a lot. Is it to do with the 4^th-prince?”

Yifan’s expression hardened but he shook his head. “No… it’s something else…”

“What then?” Zitao pressed on.

Yifan sighed. “The Emperor has arranged a marriage between me and the daughter of a high ranking noble from the Ulanala clan.”

It was unusual, Zitao found, that the crushing sensation of pain where his heart should be that he had been expecting when Junmian and Yixing became an item, came the moment the words left Yifan’s lips.

“O-oh…” Zitao stuttered.

“I know, that as a prince, I can have concubines. But… don’t be weirded out by this Zitao, but I only want one woman in my life. I don’t want them to suffer the pain that my mother did when the Emperor chose other concubines over her.” Yifan continued on, seemingly talking to himself. “I’m weird aren’t I?”

Is he trying to tell me that that lady is going to be his only consort?

***

The day that the lady arrived, the Emperor was personally welcoming her, thus a large number of eunuchs and palace maids had been lined up on the entrance pathway. Zitao, as he was the Emperor’s personal palace maid, stood behind the Emperor, waiting for her to arrive.

“Lady Chen has arrived!” an eunuch yelled far away from the gates. And like a chain reaction, as the carriage in which the lady resided, the palace maids and eunuchs kneeled down slowly. The carriage came to a stop a few metres from the Emperor and the door was opened by an eunuch. Another one assisted her out, and she turned to face the Emperor, curtseying.

Lady Chen was a very pretty lady, as expected. But her aura… it really reminded Zitao of the aura that Consort Jia constantly had surrounding her, but toned down a lot. He frowned slightly, banishing such thoughts and returning to being polite and courteous to Lady Chen.

“Zitao, the lady to her chamber.” The Emperor said. Zitao bowed his head, motioning for Lady Chen to follow. Until the 8^th-prince’s and Lady Chen’s marriage, she would be staying in a temporary chamber, fairly close to those of the 8^th-prince’s. Then they would move in together, Zitao knew with a wince.

“Lady Chen, if you will enter.” Zitao held the doors open for her, lowering his eyes to the ground out of politeness as Lady Chen swept in. He closed the doors quietly, waiting in the corner and watching as the lady cast a critical eye over her furnishings.

“THIS is what they call a chamber fit for a lady?” Lady Chen sneered. “Why this isn’t even fit for a commoner. Like YOU. What were they thinking, sending me such a lowly palace maid? I knew that I should have brought my own servants along.”

Zitao bowed his head. “Lady Chen, if you will, nubi will not be serving you. Nubi serves the Emperor.” He said harshly. Lady Chen was not stupid, she caught onto the tone pretty quickly.

“Really now?” she drawled. “Someone like you is serving the Emperor? I never knew that his majesty had such… low standards.”

Zitao in a breath sharply. It was one thing to insult a palace maid, but to insult the Emperor? It wasn’t a direct insult but nonetheless the meaning was there.

“Lady Chen---“ Zitao started.

“I’m bored. I wish to go on a walk.” Lady Chen said. Zitao repressed a sigh, nodding as he escorted her towards the lake.

The lake was relatively quiet, with Lady Chen simply passing her eye over the decorations. Zitao noticed that the 8^th-prince was there again, which meant that he had skipped on the welcoming and was going to cop an earful from the Emperor when he made himself known.

“8^th-prince.” Zitao nodded. Yifan looked up, standing up with a smile when he saw Zitao.

“Zitao. And who might this be…?” Yifan looked towards Lady Chen then to Zitao for an explanation. Zitao opened his mouth to respond but Lady Chen beat him to it.

“I am Lady Chen, 8^th-prince.” Lady Chen stooped into a curtsey. Yifan said nothing, he clearly knew that this was the lady he was to marry.

“8^th-prince, would you be so kind to join me on a walk. We must talk, and acquaint ourselves with each other.” Lady Chen suggested, flirting slightly with the 8^th-prince. Yifan’s lips set into a thin line and he forced a smile.

“My apologies, my lady but I have issues with which I must discuss with Zitao. Perhaps another time.” Yifan bowed. Now it was Lady Chen’s turn to be angry.

“Perhaps.” She scowled, turning and (almost) stomping off.

When they were sure that Lady Chen was out of sight, Yifan turned to Zitao with a frown. “I don’t like her.” He said, referring to Lady Chen.

“Didn’t you say that you were only going to marry one woman?” Zitao raised an eyebrow.

“Yes but not her!”

“Who then?”

“You of course.” Yifan stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Zitao gaped at him in disbelief before rolling his eyes. “8^th-prince, if this is about that possession thing again…”

“… I didn’t mean it that way you know…” Yifan said, so quietly that Zitao had to strain his ears to catch it.

Zitao stared at the 8^th-prince for a while. “You’re confusing you know.” He absently commented.

“Maybe it’s because you just don’t get it.” Yifan countered calmly.

“Maybe.” Zitao agreed.

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A/N: I'm so sorry for making Chen a . But I was thinking whether I should just use a girl group member, but then I realised that an EXO member was actually needed. And after more thought, Chen was the only contestant left in the running. He's really out of character, but he is a 'Lady' so whatever. Chen is a pretty popular name, so you can imagine it's not him, Because really it isn't anyway, I'm just using his name, his face for something that will happen later. So don't kill me for making him a and completely OOC