Love In The Palace

Cold Palace

This is chapter 26! Hehehe, it's almost 30! I can't believe it. That means I would've written about 60k words(if each is at least 2k).

Anyway, please read on! :)

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She was urgently taken from her serenity in her palace, by a group of eunuchs, who acted so rudely and roughly that she felt extreme humiliation. She certainly felt that she has never done anything wrong. Now, she is thrown on the floors, hard, but of course no one cares about all the physical pain. When she looks up, she finds herself being in Consort Shine's palace, kneeling, and beside her is Consort Shine herself, while in front of her are Emperor and Empress. Up to this point, she is still oblivious about everything, literally she is the innocent one.

But one thing that scares her most, is Emperor's eyes who seem to carry so much danger, as though he could kill someone just by looking at him. And currently, he is looking at her, as if he wants her dead.

"W-what is going on?" Concubine Shine stutters in fear, her eyes wander around in the room, where she finds so many servants kneeling, but none dares to lift their head up.

No one seems to intend to answer her, and the seriousness of the atmosphere drives her almost insane. She wants to know the truth, she wants to know what is actually going on, she is oblivious of everything yet she is being put through such a heavy suspense.

"How could you not ask for forgiveness right now?" A voice, that she deems familiar, that she thinks is supposed to be protecting her, hisses in a low tone full of contempt. She turns her head to her left, finding her Aunt, Consort Shine, glaring at her with so much of hatred. For that moment, she could not recognise that woman at all. She only knows her Aunt to be someone who never fails to show kindness and dears her, though all of those are her mere assumptions she made during the times she live in the palace. Indeed, Consort Shine has never shown her true colours to her.

"A-Aunt...? What do you mean..?"

"You are the one who poisoned Concubine Leanne to death, right?" Consort Shine continues, making sure that her tone never falters. It is just sacrificing someone useless to protect herself, it is nothing wrong. She has done acts more inhumane than this, she has done so much that it feels like a routine to her. But everything, is for her revenge.

"W-what? Concubine Leanne is dead?" Surprise is clearly present in her eyes, for she has not been enlightened to the news of her rival's demise. Up till several days ago, she still saw Concubine Leanne arrogantly walking around the palace's premises, as though she was flaunting her pregnancy. Now, she has left this world, with a baby in her stomach.

"You are still pretending to know nothing about this!" Emperor slams his hand on the table, so loud that it surprises everyone in the room, especially Concubine Shine. Her heart beats extremely rapidly, and sweat could not stop travelling down her forehead. How did everything become like this? Why am I being accused of poisoning Concubine Leanne? She thinks, but there seems to be no one to answer her questions.

"Bu-but, Your Majesty! I am innocent! I did not poison Concubine Leanne!"

"There is already a witness! Are you still trying to escape this crime?!"

"Witness..?" Concubine Shine whispers to herself. Then she understands, that she has been framed. She is definitely innocent, but if the Emperor labels her the criminal, she is the criminal, no matter what.

However she is not going to just let the real murderer accuse her just like that.

"I did not, Your Majesty! There must be someone who is trying to frame me! Your Majesty! Your Majesty could ask my lady-in-waiting! I really did not!" She lifts her hand and points at her lady-in-waiting, a considerably young girl dressed simply, who seems to be in immense fear. She herself is eyeing the Emperor, with teary eyes, as though she is hoping for the Emperor to notice the innocence in her. However, his facial expression is cold, extremely cold.