Threads of Fate and Power(TEMPORARILY STOPPED)

Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

In the serene courtyard of the clan leader of the nine-tailed fox, the atmosphere was anything but peaceful. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm glow over the ornate decorations, but the tranquility was shattered by the sound of crashing glass and pottery.

Liu Jing Wei stood at the center of the chaos, her normally composed demeanor replaced with palpable fury. The remnants of shattered vases lay strewn about her feet, a testament to her rising frustration. Four of her maids knelt nearby, their heads bowed in submission, fearful of the wrath of their mistress.

“That Shangguan Ning…!” Liu Jing Wei seethed, her voice low and dangerous, barely containing the storm brewing inside her. “How dare he take what rightfully belongs to me!”

The maids exchanged nervous glances, acutely aware of the tension in the air. Liu Jing Wei’s usually graceful features were contorted with rage and jealousy, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. “I’ve loved Helan Li Qiang from the moment he stepped into our lives. He was supposed to be mine!” she shouted, her frustration echoing off the courtyard walls.

One maid, hesitant but determined to soothe her mistress, spoke up softly. “My lady, it is not uncommon for feelings to be unreciprocated in matters of the heart. Perhaps you could—”

“Do not speak to me of common feelings!” Liu Jing Wei interrupted, her voice rising. “Li Qiang was meant to be my husband! Our families expected it. I had planned for it! But that… that sovereign consort swooped in and took him away!”

“Your ladyship, perhaps if you present yourself in a more favorable light, the second prince may see your worth,” another maid suggested, careful to avoid direct confrontation.

But Liu Jing Wei scoffed at the idea. “My worth? I am a noble lady, of the esteemed Liu clan! I do not need to change myself for anyone!” Her eyes flashed with indignation. “What does that sovereign consort have that I do not? I am charming, beautiful, and connected! My beauty alone can overthrow the demon empire!”

The maids remained silent, well aware of the fine line they walked. Liu Jing Wei took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm within her. She paced the courtyard, her mind racing. “I will not let this stand. I refuse to be overshadowed by that Shangguan Ning!”

“What do you intend to do, my lady?” one of the bolder maids ventured to ask, hoping to spark a plan in her mistress’s mind.

Liu Jing Wei stopped suddenly, a flicker of determination igniting in her eyes. “I will show Li Qiang that I am the better choice. I will make him remember what we shared as children, the bond we were meant to have. And if that sovereign consort stands in my way, I will remove him from the picture!”

The maids exchanged worried glances, the tension rising once more. “But my lady, that may not be wise,” one cautioned. “The sovereign consort has the backing of the Wu dynasty. Any action against her could provoke serious consequences.”

“Consequences be damned!” Liu Jing Wei snapped, her face set in fierce resolve. “I will not be cast aside! I will not be the second choice! It’s time for the world to see the true Liu Jing Wei!”

With that declaration, she turned back to the mess she had created, her anger still simmering but now coupled with a burgeoning sense of purpose. “Clean this up!” she commanded her maids, who hastily scrambled to gather the shards of glass and pottery. “And prepare for my next steps. I will not rest until Li Qiang is back where he belongs—with me.”

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the courtyard echoed with the sounds of bustling maids, but Liu Jing Wei’s fierce determination hung heavy in the air, a storm waiting to unleash its fury on the unsuspecting world outside.