Chapter 89: Deception and Prejudice
The old lady tried to calm the concubine, reminding her of the delicate condition she was in. Her concern was genuine, but the concubine’s anxiety seemed to get the best of her.
"Madam, you shouldn’t run anywhere in this state. It could harm your baby. What if something happened to the heir of this empire? What would become of us?" the old lady said, her wrinkled face etched with worry. But the concubine’s reaction was far from expected. She grabbed the old lady by her hair, forcefully bringing her face close to hers.
"How dare you curse the heir of the empire? Are you on that woman’s side too? Do you want my child to die so that she can inherit whatever is meant for my child?" she seethed with anger.
"I... I was only trying to ensure your safety, madam. I’m worried for the heir. The ruler is away from the empire, so if something happened, we wouldn’t be able to show or do anything about it," the old lady tried to explain.
"Yes, I need to be careful. But before that, I have to put the princess in her rightful place. She’s trying to take over my son’s position. She thinks she’s the ruler, she believes she’s the heir, and she’s acting all-powerful. I wish I could just go there and confront that lying delusional woman," the concubine shouted, her rage palpable. The old lady, now cautious, began closing doors and windows and glanced around the room to ensure there were no eavesdroppers.
"Madam, please be discreet. If anyone overhears this, they’ll blame you for the princess’s condition, even though you had no involvement. They might think you want to harm the princess," the old lady wisely cautioned.
The concubine acknowledged the wisdom in her words. She was well aware of the potential repercussions of her actions, and she needed to proceed with care.
"Yes, I must exercise caution," she agreed.
As the old lady departed, a curtain shifted, and a maid entered the room, her head bowed in respect. Her right hand was bleeding, and she struggled to stem the flow.
"I seek your forgiveness, my lord. I failed to complete the task I was assigned," the maid confessed, her voice trembling with anxiety.
The concubine’s eyes narrowed as she inquired, "Did she recognize you?"
"No, she didn’t," the maid replied. "She was already injured when we found her. She wasn’t in the palace; we discovered her wandering in the forest, as if someone was chasing her. She was injured but still able to defend herself. I attacked her with a wooden pointer when she was distracted," she explained.