"All hail the Emperor and Empress"
"Hail to the Emperor, hail to the Empress and hail to the Lichen dynasty"
"Congratulations to your Majesty"
The ministers, high ranking courts members and consorts all bow down to the Emperor and I.
Here I am sitting beside the Emperor, welcoming a child who is not from me but with consort sung, pretending to be happy while I am not.
I can hear the unsaid insults and sneer, but I choose to ignore like I have always done.
"Your Majesty, thank you for letting me carry your royal seed and I hope the gods will let her Majesty experience the joy I feel one day"
Consort sung voiced out in a sweet venomous way.
The Emperor smiled, paying no heed to what she said, she has been his favorite consort, and I am not surprised about his voluntary ignorance.
I understood the message she wanted to send as I have been married to the Emperor for 5 years yet to birth an heir.
"My beloved consort who continue to please me, I hereby order your promotion to noble consort and to be taken effective"
Murmurs filled the palace, an indirect slap to the Empress. First he took my duties as a wife, and now he shows no respect to me by appointing ranking to a consort, I could only smile the gods knows I am tired. I just want peace, but it seems peace does not want me.
"Thank you your Majesty, you have made me the happiest woman alive"
Consort Sung kneeled smiling from ear to ear. I knew her plan, she wants to be the Empress, and she is on the path there. An Empress without an heir is disposable like my mother told me day and night, how is it my fault that the gods refuses to bless me with one.
"Raise and bid good night to the Emperor and Empress"
"Have a good night rest Emperor, have a good night rest empress"
Everyone kowtowed, like a good wife I am I allowed the Emperor to go ahead while I followed behind like I have been taught.
His Majesty went to my hall of Giche for today is the night I serve him.
"I wonder what is the use of putting your name in the rooster when you cannot bare me a child"
Ignore I sing to myself while helping him take off his garment.
Suddenly hands grip my wrist fiercely in a way that will surely leave marks resulting in me looking in his eyes
"Why were you made Empress? Is it because you are the general's daughter? Is it because you are a spy spent to report daily about me?"
His hand left my wrist and went to my neck, stopping the airflow to my lungs
"You are useless, I will make sure you will never mother my child. I cannot take my anger out on your father, I will take it out on you. I will make your life so miserable that you will take your life"
"Eunuch Jun bring in the soup of congee"
He throws me down to the floor as his servants rush in to hold me down, I struggle even I know it is useless. He has always done this for the past five years and I try to break free, but they are too strong for me.
Eunuch Jun smiles as he forces my mouth open, blocking my nose as he forces the soup down my throat until no drop is left. The servants left me on the floor gasping for air as soon as the job is done, my makeup smashed and my hair improper.
The Emperor crunches down to my level, gripping my jaw to force me to look at him as he smirks evil fully.
"I heard continuous usage of congee soup can cause one to never bear a child for one lifetime, and you have been taking it for five years. Who knows, you might be barren"
No, no, no, no, that can't be possible. The gods please no, don't do this to me, I don't deserve this
"I won't need your service tonight, I want to see my beautiful wife and child. Something you won't be able to give me"
Please gods do not let this happen to me
Please, gods.
That night, I wept not just for myself but, for my unborn children who did not have the chance to see the world.