Am I Evil?...

43

Watching the crowd of people try their hardest to hide the frowns on their faces, Dai Li (who quietly stood a few meters away from the center of the spectacle) glanced one last time at Yuhan then quietly left.

...

"Lady Dai Li, why did his highness do that? Isn't that where the demon is sealed?" Ju Ying quietly asked Dai Li after making sure that other people were not within ear length of them.

"Yeah. Not only that but if that wine really is the rare Szaraz, ...to pour it all on the ground, is his highness's brain alright?" Ju Yimu thoughtless added as her face scrunched up in dismay.

Hearing Ju Yimu's comment, Dai Li stopped in her tracks and turned towards Ju Yimu with a cold expression.

"Have you not learned anything from last time?"

"Do I have to punish you again?"

Dai Li reprimanded Ju Yimu.

Seeing the seriousness on her Dai Li's face and remembering the 10 strokes that she got for speaking back to the princes during Dai Li's celebration, Ju Yimu dropped to her knees and nodded her head in fear.

"This maid was wrong. It won't happen again. Please forgive this maid." Ju Yimu cried.

"You! Quickly get up, do you want people to think that our miss is punishing people out of nowhere.

...if you want to continue to stay by our lady's side, you better work on fixing that loose mouth of yours too. Remember that even more than the Emperor, the first prince must never be offended. Do you understand?!" Ju Ying chastised Ju Yimu with an annoyed expression.

Not really understanding why she has to treat the first prince even better than the Emperor, when Ju Ying finished her words, Ju Yimu again impulsively spoke, "Why should the first prince be treated better than his majesty. Didn't the first prince already withdraw from the race to the throne? This maid does not understand this one bit! If we must be extremely mindful of a prince, shouldn't it be someone who's still in the running for the Emperor's seat." Ju Yimu stood up and brushed the dirt off her blue dress.

Hearing Ju Yimu's words, Ju Ying wanted to slap her face, but she knew that Dai Li did not want to portray the bossy image in front of so many people, so she held herself back and coldly harrumphed.

Dai Li on the other hand stared Ju Yimu up and down and questioned herself if this maid of hers was worth keeping or not, before lowering his eyes a bit and asked.

"Yimu, do you know how the current left prime minister came to be?" Dai Li asked Ju Yimu.

...

From what Ju Yimu heard, an accident happened 10 years ago that forced the entire left prime minister's family to withdraw from their official duties. Since Yimu was still so young back then and it involved a high official, not much other information was given to the public.

So with a shrug of her shoulders, Ju Yimu replied, "Isn't it because he had family issues to take care of?"

Dai Li lowered her eyes even more upon hearing Ju Yimu's simple reply.

"...10 years ago when his highnesses came to perform this exact same ritual here. Like what you have just witness, as his highness, the first prince, poured out a jar of Szaraz wine, the left prime minister's daughter felt that it was too wasteful.

So, she told his highness, the first prince, 'Your highness, isn't it a waste to offer such good quality wine to a detestable demon. For such a vile thing, even rotten food offerings are still too good. Your highness is truly too kind.'