Chapter 182: Tension and Treachery
"Do not discard me like that, your Highness!" cried concubine Feng Mei, falling onto the Emperor’s leg. Tears streamed down her face as she pleaded, "I beg you, your Majesty, spare me! I swear I would never betray you again."
The Emperor recoiled with a grunt of disgust. "Don’t touch me, you treacherous woman! I knew your words were poison,just like the plot of your vile empire. You sought to extend false friendship while plotting my demise!"
"I... I don’t understand why I ever thought I could win your heart," he spat, his voice thick with anger. "You came here only to take my life!"
With a harsh shove, he sent Feng Mei crashing onto the cold stone floor. Blood bloomed beneath her knees as he roared,"Drag her to the dungeon! I never want to see her face again!"
Knights obeyed swiftly, ignoring the concubine’s desperate screams. Her pleas of "Your Majesty, please!" faded into the echoing halls as they hauled her away.
Turning to Princess Sylvia, the Emperor offered a strained smile. "Thank you, Princess. You have saved me from a grave danger."
The Princess, however, met his gaze with a sharp stare. "Do not mistake my actions for your salvation, Emperor. I did not act for you, but for the crown you deemed me unworthy of. I will not let an outsider usurp what rightfully belongs to me."
Her voice grew cold and steely. "Now return to your homes, people. The truth is revealed. Let this be a lesson: any who dare such treachery will not face a mere dungeon, but my swift and final justice."
Fear hung heavy in the air as the crowd dispersed. Inside the palace, the Empress awaited Sylvia, her face etched with worry. "Was this truly necessary, my child?" she asked, her voice filled with sadness.
"Necessary, Your Highness?" Sylvia scoffed. "Would you have preferred these traitors to remain within our walls?"
"The throne needs an heir, and it has one," the Empress sighed. "But you have brought great darkness upon us. How will you answer for that?"
Sylvia stood tall, her eyes gleaming with defiance. "Do not question my motives, mother. You, who never once asked about my well-being after my month-long absence, have no right to lecture me on compassion."