The Emperor's General (ON HIATUS)

Chapter 1

Tens and thousands of people had fallen victim to my sword. I should end up in hell. Surprisingly, hell seemed to feel so comfortable, almost too odd to be true... It was then that I sniffed the familiar scent of sandalwood and the soothing fresh aroma of my favorite incense.

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My eyes snapped open as they steeled, staring at the familiar ceiling of a bed. My breath hitched as I froze, my heart thumping wildly. My whole being turned to stone too scared to even look around. As a general who had fought in many battlefields and even stood hand in hand with the emperor, there was nothing I feared, but right now it felt so hard to repress the shiver running down my spine. A few moments later, with full force on my hand I...

*Slaps*

My cheek was throbbing in pain. Rubbing it gently to ease the pain, my hand snaked down clutching onto my neck to reassure I wasn't dreaming. With the sudden realization, I abruptly got up from the bed, moving the bed curtain to aside, my feet landed on the cold wooden floor. The room was filled with exquisite furniture combined with the simplest decorations. There's no mistake, this was my...

My palace.

I just died. I definitely did. But here I was brought back to my past. How is that even possible? It was too real. Everything I experienced was too real. Then what is this? Is this reality? What about the people in the palace? Were they also experiencing the same thing I did?

I shook my head trying my best to calm down. Before acting too rashly I better observe my surroundings first. More importantly, wh-

"Your Highness, the bath has been prepared." Lily my personal maid interrupted my thoughts as she announced from outside the closed doors. (Lily in Chinese is Baihe but since the book is written in English I'll use Lily)

I frowned. Bath? But it's still late in the afternoon. I normally took baths in the morning and night unless...

"Please come in, Lily." I ordered.

With a creaking sound, the doors opened revealing a cute and petite girl whose smile was as bright as the sun. She bowed, "Your Highness?"

"Is there a special occasion tonight?"

The confused Lily tilted her head wondering why I was asking this but answered humbly not daring to meet my eyes, "...Yes, Your Highness. Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager prepared a banquet to welcome the new consorts of the Emperor. Consort Jin, Consort Wu, Consort Han, and Consort Sui. Perhaps Your Highness may have forgotten?"

My eyes widened in shock at her words.

This was the banquet held exactly two months before my death! Does this mean the incident will repeat itself again? This is insane. But now that I'm aware of everything, I might be able to stop the assassination.

I won't let her escape this time!

The immense joy that poured out of my heart was unimaginable. One reason was that I could save Mother Empress and more importantly I could be with him. But once again remembering the banquet my heart turned sour. I had to see him taking new consorts. Again. I felt bitter at the thought. I should be happy that the Emperor didn't sleep with any of them but still, he took them in. He's not to be blamed since this was the tradition. He had only ever slept with the plain-looking Empress just so she could produce an heir. They had two boys barely reaching age six and the other at seven.