The Emperor and His Thief

Debt Repaid
When the eunuch arrived at the courtyard of Concubine Xing’s palace, it caused uproar. After all, who doesn’t know that there was currently an investigation on going within the Imperial Palace?

“With how white xiao Lu’s face is, do you think that the incident of the Crown Prince being kidnapped is related to our Lady Concubine Xing?” one of the maid servant whispered.

“After the incident, Steward Wong is placed beside His Highness the Crown Prince so it is only xiao Lu who stays beside His Majesty now. With how scared he looks, it seems that the Xing family’s prosperous era has come to an end,” another servant whispered out.

Gossips filled the whole courtyard that even Concubine Xing could hear it if she closed her ears. Regardless, she was still the Lady Concubine. She held up her head high as she walks out and greets the eunuch that was sent to her. “What brings you to see this lady?” she asked, even though she already knows the reason. She just wanted to buy some time, hoping that as time passes, the Emperor would have calmed down. She knew if she go now, she might end up being executed on the spot.

“His Majesty is in a very foul mood. It is best that My Lady should not waste any time. Where is His Highness, Prince Qin ChenJi?” the eunuch known as xiao Lu asked.

“His Majesty is not even willing to spare his own flesh and blood?” when Concubine Xing heard that even the first prince is called over, her heart became uneasy. Qin WuZhen were known for being magnanimous. The previous Emperors of Qin would have their brothers either killed or castrated. But when Qin WuZhen ascended the throne, he did neither of it to his only brother, Qin LuoZhuo even though the two fought for the throne. Not only did Qin WuZhen forgive his brother, he also gave his brother the title of Fei Wang just so his brother could still have little words during court meeting.

It was due to this forgiving personality that Concubine Xing was willing to endanger herself, thinking that Qin WuZhen won’t lay his hand on his own flesh and blood. Though, looking at the situation now, she might have miscalculated Qin WuZhen’s bottom line. “Call over the first prince,” Concubine Xing can only surrender to her fate even though she is unwilling.

Once Qin ChenJi arrived, the two are finally led towards the courtyard where the Imperial Study is located. The emperor was already waiting with several other guards. The eunuch went forward and bowed to the Emperor: “Your Majesty, I brought the Lady Concubine Xing and the First Prince over.”

“You can leave. Do not allow anyone to enter the courtyard, nor allow anyone to eavesdrop what happens here. Once Zhen have settled all account, naturally Zhen will announce it to everyone,” the moment Qin WuZhen said this, Concubine Xing knew that her fate is already sealed. Even if she managed to keep her life today, her reputation will be ruined. Not only hers, but her family will also suffer the same fate.

Once the eunuch left, the Emperor turned his attention towards the two. “Still not coming forward to pay your respect?” Qin WuZhen’s tone was cold that even Qin ChenJi was brought to tears. This was actually the first time he saw his father looking extremely angry.

“This Concubine greets the Emperor. May the Emperor live for ten thousand years,” Concubine Xing quickly knelt down on the ground and kowtowed to the Emperor.

“ChenJi greets Imperial Father,” Qin ChenJi quickly mimicked his mother as he too knelt down on the ground to pay his respect. After paying his respect, Qin ChenJi raised his body up straight but his mother, Concubine Xing continued to bow down to the ground. The Emperor also didn’t tell her to rise.

“Do you know why Zhen have called you here?” Qin WuZhen went straight to the point. Just thinking how the two of them tried to harm Qin YiJun filled him with anger. When the two didn’t answer, Qin WuZhen only sighed. He took the stack of paper and threw it towards Concubine Xing. The papers hit Concubine Xing’s back before it fell to the ground.

“Father!” Qin ChenJi called out to Qin WuZhen. When the paper hit his mother, he felt pained in his heart. This was the woman who raised him up so he wanted to at least protect her. Even if the Emperor is his father, he felt that his mother should not be humiliated this way. Unfortunately, Qin WuZhen’s next word froze the next sentence he wanted to say.

“An ungrateful child should stay quiet!” Qin WuZhen’s voice was so loud that even the eunuch who stood outside the courtyard jumped in fear. “Zhen have been generous enough to let you grow up in a safe environment despite the turmoil outside this palace for two years! Even though our land was stricken by droughts, all the resources in the palace were given to you just so you can grow up healthy! When the fourth prince was born, did Zhen not specifically tell you that as an older brother, you have to protect him? Zhen had also gotten you a good martial art master to teach you. Yet you try to harm him instead! Give Zhen one reason why Zhen should not have you killed right now!”

Hearing this, Concubine Xing panicked in her heart. She raised her head up as she tried to plead to the Emperor. “Your Majesty, the heaven covered the whole sky and the heaven is merciful. The first prince is still young and did nothing wrong! It was this lady that was wrong. If you have to kill someone, then you can take this lady’s life! If this lady did not raise the first prince wrong, then he would not have thoughts of hurting the Crown Prince. I can only implore His Majesty to spare the first prince’s life!”

When Qin WuZhen saw this, he only narrowed his eyes even more. “So you still have the compassion of a mother? Did you not try to take away a child’s life from their mother before? Why did you not put yourself in the Empress’s place if your plan succeeded?!” the Emperor asked, but without waiting for an answer, he continued. “Not only the Empress would lose the child she had painstakingly protected and raised, even this Empire will lose its Crown Prince!”

“This lady knows her wrong! But the first prince is innocent! He didn’t know anything. Everything is planned by this lady!” Concubine Xing still pleaded for her son’s life. By now, Qin ChenJi was already crying. If he could turn back time, he would not try to harm Qin YiJun again just so he won’t see his mother being humiliated like this.

Qin WuZhen’s expression did not change as he continued to stare at Concubine Xing. His gaze was still cold and ruthless. But when it landed on Qin ChenJi, he felt his heart wavered at the sight of his son crying. Despite all his anger, this boy was still his own flesh and blood. He had watched him grow up. In the end, his heart still softened for his son.

“Considering that Qin ChenJi is still young, Zhen will not have him killed. Instead, Zhen will strip him of his prince status and have him sent away from the palace into your family’s home. As for you,” Qin WuZhen coldly glared at Concubine Xing. “Harming the Crown Prince is a capital offense that warrants death by thousand cut. But as you have said, the heaven is merciful and as the Son of Heaven, Zhen will simply send you to the cold palace. You will spend the rest of your life there, never stepping out until you drew the last of your breath. Guards! Bring them away!”

The two mother and son is separated. The former first prince, now known as Xing ChenJi was sent to his maternal family, out of the Imperial Palace. It was the same as if he had been chased away, giving the Xing family a bad reputation. When being compared to the Li family who is now rising up to their prominence, the people of Qin Empire cannot help but be envious of the young Li FangMing while disdaining the former first prince. The two children are always being spoken in a discussion as the difference was like heaven and earth.

Though Concubine Xing is unwilling at first, to actually been let off with their life intact is more than she could ask for. It is just that this grievance is something she wanted to settle no matter what in the future. Her life in the cold palace was a lonely one. She only has few servants which are those whom she brought from outside the palace when she first entered the harem. They are loyal to the Xing family and would continue to stay with her through thick and thin. She spent her time planning her revenge in silence, hoping that the chance will come one day.

Then, her chance finally came after two years. Because she is reduced to a mere female attendant, she had been called attendant Xing by the rest of the servant. She does not even have the right to be addressed as ‘Lady’ despite being a noble born before entering the palace. This was also part of her punishment. It was also due to this that attendant Xing could disguise herself as a servant and went out of the cold palace. When she first tried, she never went far but each time she went out, she would increase her distance from the cold palace.

After two months, she managed to go all the way to the Empress’s palace. She then spends another three months to observe the inner working of the Empress’s palace. She wondered if it was too peaceful for the past two years or because no one recognizes her anymore but the guards around the palace had become lax. Even when she secretly joined the servants, they only called her as sister, thinking that she was a fellow servant.

With this, she suddenly saw a path for her revenge. Attendant Xing first procured a deadly poison. She had one of her loyal servant to sneak out of the palace in order to get said poison. It took the servant a while, but she did manage to get it.

After getting the poison in her hand, attendant Xing spent the next few days trying to find the chance to pour the poison in the Empress’s meal. For someone driven by revenge, attendant Xing is unexpectedly patient despite her target is very close at hand. Soon, her patience paid off. She was finally selected as the poison tester for the Empress’s meal one night.

That night, the Empress was having her meal with the Crown Prince, Qin YiJun. Attendant Xing carried the tray of meals along with other servants. She made sure to keep her head low so that the Empress wouldn’t recognize her. ‘The little prince has grown up well these past two years. If he also died tonight then I can say that you have paid your debt along with the interest, isn’t that right, My Empress?’ her eyes glints with evil thought as she continued to act normal.

When the time for her to test the food for poison had come, attendant Xing slowly approached the table. Her heart was beating loudly against her ribcage and she wondered if the Empress would be able to hear it. She tested every dish on the table and before she took a step back, she made sure to sprinkle the poison over the meal before bowing to the Empress and the Crown Prince. They waited for a while and only when nothing happened to her did the Empress dismiss her.

As she walked out of the door, attendant Xing have a wide smile on her face, knowing that her revenge was a success. And if it was possible, her smile would’ve widened even more when she heard the sound of ceramic falling to the floor and the scream that filled the area and the courtyard was thrown into chaos.

She turned around and saw that the Crown Prince was shaking the Empress who had fallen to the floor, tears streaming down on the young boy’s face. ‘It’s too bad that bastard didn’t eat the food that has been poisoned… But with you dead, the entire grievance between us is cleared. This is your payment for barring my path to be the future Empress,’ was all attendant Xing could think of before she was held down by several guards.

As the poison tester, she knew that once the Empress fell, she would be the first suspect. It can be said that she have already submitted her life to death the moment she pleads for her son two years ago. Which was why she was willing to go as far as to assassinate the Empress in order to get back at her for stealing what she thought was hers.