The Emperor's Obsession

Chapter Thirteen || The Start of a Sinister Game

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"I have a request."
Although Lihua's brown eyes were glued to her lap, not wanting to look up at the two women, she could still feel their curious stares. The silence that followed her words was growing heavier and heavier, and it made her begin to wonder if she made a mistake by saying that. She swallowed nervously, her tongue darting out for a second to lick her drying lips. Stupid, stupid! Why couldn't I just keep my mouth shut? 'Request'? Seriously? She thought, annoyed with herself. I shouldn't have said that. Oh god, what will happen to me now? What—
"And what might that be?" Empress Jingfei interrupted her fearful, questioning thoughts with her stern voice. "And look at me when you speak."
"I.. I.." Lihua swallowed again and slowly looked up at her. Speak, idiot! She mentally cursed herself for stuttering and sounding like a dumb, weak girl in front of the emperor's mother herself. She took a deep, calming breath and cleared her throat so her voice was clearer and stronger, before saying, "the request is directed to both you and Hae Won.." That was the sentence she decided to begin with. Hopefully, the empress wouldn't consider it to be impolite or disrespectful.
Empress Jingfei raised a brow. The concubine looked surprised as well.
"Your Highness, I.. I want you to convince the emperor to stay away from me." She said, finally uttering the words she was so nervous to tell. "Make up a lie, tell him that I'm not a good woman, tell him that I have some disease or something, just use whatever excuse you want. Anything." She then turned to the beautiful concubine and gently grabbed her hand, holding it as she looked at her with a pleading look. "Hae Won.." She began, "please, distract the emperor. Distract him and make him think only about you. Make him forget about me, completely."
"Give me a good reason as to why I should lie to my own son for a peasant who suddenly, out of nowhere, became his bride." The empress suddenly said.
Lihua flinched. Her words were harsh, and cruel too. They hurt her. She wasn't even a peasant, nor did she have the rank of a slave. Her grandfather was a wise and respectable herbalist, and she was proud of the fact that she was related to him. She may not be an important noblewoman, but her family still had a good reputation and an adequate status, and that was enough for her.
She thought for a moment. The queen had called her a peasant, so why not use that to her advantage?
"I'm sure you wouldn't want His Majesty anywhere near a lowly commoner like me.." Lihua said softly, "and I wouldn't dare involve myself in anything that has to do with him, nor would I go anywhere near him. I'm a mere peasant girl, after all."
Empress Jingfei smirked slightly, but that smirk was gone in a split second. "Clever, aren't you? You don't seem like the type to look down on yourself. You look like you have the pride of a king." True. "Now," she said as she began pouring some tea for herself and for Hae Won, who gratefully grabbed the teacup and took a sip. "Tell me the real reason, daughter-in-law."
"I hate him."
She didn't bother beating around the bush, making another excuse, or lying. The empress wanted the truth, and Lihua was going to give her just that. She was being pretty blunt, and she knew that was going to be shoved into the rude category. She expected Her Highness to be angry or enraged, but she wasn't.
In fact, she was amused.

"And why is that?"
"Why? Well, there aren't any words to describe him. Let's just say that he's a cruel, evil, and ruthless monster. And that's putting it politely." Lihua said calmly, her face blank and her tone cold.
"You!" Hae Won suddenly yelled, startling her. "Don't you dare talk about him that way! Who do you think you are to insult him that way behind his back?! You're just a disgusting peasant who somehow managed to seduce His Majesty! You—"
"Hae Won, enough." Empress Jingfei ordered. The concubine glared at Lihua.
"Bitch." She muttered.
Lihua heard her, but controlled her growing anger. She gripped her hanfu tightly as she held her curses and yells back, pushing them back into her heart and mind and locking them in there.
"Very well." Empress Jingfei said with a small smirk.
Lihua sighed in relief and sent her a grateful smile. "Thank you so much, your highness. I appreciate this." She bowed.
The middle-aged woman gave her a nod and said, "you may leave now."
The girl bowed once again and left.
"You're really going to do this?! Didn't you see how she spoke about him?! That disrespectful whore!" Hae Won snapped, gritting her teeth in anger. Empress Jingfei didn't reply. She simply shook her head and calmly sipped her tea.
"Calm yourself, dear. And do not worry.." She murmured. "After all..."
The game has only begun.
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What do you think Her Majesty is planning?