The Emperor's Concubine

21: Bittersweet

The Emperor's P.O.V

He stares down stonily at the girl before him, her small frame shaking.

"Give me one good reason as to why I should not just kill you here and now"

She stares up at him, head cocked to one side, feigning innocence.

"Your highness? I don't understand what you're – "

"I know that you killed The Empress." Her eyes cast down quickly, a twitch in her neck, but the actions cease abruptly as they begun. He presses on,

"I know that you poisoned her. I know that you used the scent of the Tiánmì de sǐwáng (Sweet Death) to mask your wrong-doings." His voice grows in volume, his rage beginning to ebb to the surface of his once calm exterior.

Yao Mei's face is now streaked with tears, her pale skin flushing

"I know, that you, Wang Yao Mei are a liar and a criminal! And the only way that you could even attempt to repent for your sins, is through death!" The words he spits are vicious as he throws down the vial of poison he had found beside her, the glass shattering brilliantly against the marble floor. The remnants of the violet bane spill across the ground, its nauseating smell filling the room.

Her quiet sobs and his labored breathing is all that can be heard. When she finally speaks, her voice is barely above a whisper,

"But your highness.......the baby"

Guilt rips through him, his heart clenching tightly in his chest followed closely by a flare of burning anger.

She was using her child, their child as leverage?!

"You really are no better than a monster" his voice is dark and he barks orders to The Palace Guards patrolling outside. They come rushing inside as he growls at them, fury staining his words,

"Take her to the dungeons, execute her by tomorrow!"

Li Hua POV

The Palace Guards stand unmoving before her, their exasperated stance all too familiar with her need to find The Emperor at times at which he specifically asks not to be disturbed. At any other time, the situation may have amused her, but at this moment, it only goaded her need to confront Yao Mei.

The Emperor's voice can suddenly be heard and her heart briefly flutters. It almost annoys her how easily she is affected by him, how easily she surrendered despite always attempting to distance herself. The Guards look at each other worriedly before giving her a stern glance and scurrying towards The Emperor's quarters. She lets them go before following them, her heart thumping rapidly in her chest.

She only hopes The Empress' amulet has enough jurisdiction to save her if she gets in trouble.

Hurrying to the quarters her ears are suddenly assaulted by the sounds of Yao Mei's screams. She sprints to the source of the cries, only to be confronted by the sight of the girl being dragged out of the room by The Palace Guards. Her face is red and streaked with hot tears as she struggles against their hold.

"Your highness!! Please, your highness!!" her voice is filled with frenzy.

Li Hua's heart aches painfully as she rushes to her old friend's side.

"What are you doing?!" she spits angrily to the guards. The taller of the two pushes her to the side and she falls onto the hard pavement, the skin on her hands stinging painfully.

"The Emperor's orders" he says gruffly, voice only half apologetic. A thousand thoughts fly through her mind-

"Li Hua, please save me!" Yao Mei begs, attempting to escape their hold. In a flash of hysteria, Li Hua's hands twitch, immediately reaching for The Empress' amulet hidden within her robes-