King's Regrets
Eps 10's
Empress Yan heard the news that in two weeks there would be a welcoming party for the arrival of two important people from two neighboring countries.
Originally empress Yan was mediocre, even she did not care about it. But when the presiding eunuch came to Ju's palace and recited Emperor Shun's order, Empress Yan was very displeased.
Empress Yan stared intently at the emperor decree she had placed on the table.
"Huh, that's so good of her. He's the one who kicked me out of the royal palace and has to stay here, but at times like this he wants me to go back to the royal palace to welcome the two."
Empress Yan held back her emotions due to the arbitrary behavior of emperor Shun.
"Your Majesty, please don't say that. Her highness the empress is the future queen of this Qin state."
"I'll be queen if I give birth to a child. But it's never gonna happen."
"Your Majesty, please do not say that, your majesty."
Empress Yan still vividly remembered all the memories that the original owner had left her. All the harsh treatment and words from emperor Shun, he remembered them all.
And he also remembered very well when the emperor said, "Even if there was a baby in your stomach, I would never turn gentle and kind to you!" to him.
"Your highness, your majesty."
Empress Yan regained her senses from her daydream and looked at Xiao Wei.
"He has made my heart die, after all he will never get it even if he regrets it and kneels to me."
"Because the one who should be apologized for is Qing Lian, not me."
Xiao Wei looked at Empress Yan with a difficult feeling to understand. She was the one who knew best what Empress Yan was like, and how she had lived all this time.
"Your highness, is this still your noble consort Yan?" Said Xiao Wei carefully.
"If I said no, would you believe me?"
Xiao Wei shook his head "No, servant won't believe."
Empress Yan stood up and looked at herself at the reflection of the mirror on the table.
"I once loved her very much, and always waited for her to return my love. Until I finally die in bitter waiting."
Empress Yan touched her own face.
"But God didn't allow me to die just like that, so I came back to life with other feelings for him." Consort empress Yan.
Xiao Wei walked towards Empress Yan, her tears had flowed. After all she was the only person who had witnessed the journey of a Qing Lian's life, from her 10 years old until she had to become a current empress.
"Your majesty."
Empress Yan grabbed Xiao Wei's hand.
"Please promise me you won't leave me when you see me changed, Xiao Wei."
Xiao Wei nodded his head "Yes your majesty, servant promised and swore by the servant's life. Servants will always be with and loyal to the noble empress."
Empress Yan was very happy and grateful to have a servant who was so loyal to her.
"Your noble consort, the head of the royal guard came to pick up the noble one back to the royal palace." Said a bodyguard from outside the room.
Empress Yan stared at Xiao Wei "Prepare to return."
"Okay, your honor."
Xiao Wei came out of Empress Yan's room and told the head of the royal guard, if they asked for time to pack.
20 minutes later, Empress Yan and all the servants in Ju's palace came out and stood at the door of Ju's palace.
"Your Majesty, please enter the chariot to return to the royal palace." The head of the royal guard.
"Yes." Yeah."
Empress Yan boarded the carriage assisted by Xiao Wei with her cold gaze.
The head of the bodyguard was very surprised to see Empress Yan at this moment. It was because when she saw Empress Yan last time, empress Yan was always smiling and very friendly.
"We can leave now, chief bodyguard." Xiao Wei said to the head of the royal guard.
After the head of the bodyguard ordered his men, the royal carriage began to move towards the palace.
Inside the carriage, Empress Yan was silent. He was making plans to make emperor Shun and concubine Ning feel ashamed when the two special guests from the two countries came.
During this time if any royal member from a neighboring country came, emperor Shun was always accompanied by concubine Ning by giving an excuse if empress Yan was sick.
"I will make you regret calling me back to the royal palace, emperor Shun."
The royal carriage continued to move forward through several buildings that were still in one palace.
**
Meanwhile, emperor Shun ordered the guards and servants to stand in front of the palace, emperor Shun asked them to welcome the arrival of Empress Yan.
The emperor also ordered the concubines to join in welcoming Empress Yan, not least concubine Ning.
Emperor Shun wanted to make Empress Yan a little happy, it was because this time the one who would sit beside her was empress Yan.
Without emperor Shun noticing, if everything he did was too late and of no use to empress Yan.
The servants and bodyguards were already lined up neatly behind the imperial concubines of Shun.
The favorite food of the Empress Yan, known by the palace kitchen chef, has also been presented so luxuriously to welcome the return of Empress Yan to the royal palace.
Shortly after, the royal carriage entered the palace gate. Everyone looked towards the carriage with a fluffy smile except for concubine Ning who was feeling very upset.
Seeing the look on concubine Ning's face, concubine Nuan whispered to her.
"Split your emotions concubine Ning, and spread your smile to welcome our empress. Don't let your highness the empress look displeased and return to Ju's palace."
Concubine Ning glanced sharply at concubine Nuan "I'm actually very happy if she returns to Ju's palace."
"If that happens, then I'm sure this royal palace will soon be destroyed."
Concubine Ning looked at concubine Nuan sharply, she did not understand the meaning of what concubine Nuan said to her.
"Your Majesty the queen has arrived!" The chief of the bodyguards called out to announce the arrival of Empress Yan.
Not far from everyone standing, the carriage stopped. Xiao Wei opened the curtains that covered the doors of the royal carriage.
"Please your highness, we've reached the palace." Xiao Wei.
Empress Yan extended her hand which was immediately greeted by Xiao Wei.
Everyone looked at Empress Yan who was descending from the royal carriage.
"Welcome, noble consort, long live your noble consort." Said everyone standing up welcoming empress Yan while bowing a little of their bodies in respect.
The concubines, servants and bodyguards stood up again and looked at the beautiful and graceful Empress Yan.
"Your highness, the chef in the palace kitchen has made a favorite meal of the noble consort. It's better that the noble empress taste it before they get cold." Concubine Zhu said.
"Alright, then let's eat together. Concubine Ning, you should also taste it." Said empress Yan.
Concubine Ning did not reply, she just lowered her head slightly.
Empress Yan smiled at the look on the face of concubine Ning who had been so resentful of having to pay her respects.
Xiao Wei led empress Yan towards the palace dining hall, and behind the concubines and palace servants followed empress Yan obediently.
"Let's sit down, let's enjoy it all together. We are all the wives of the glorious emperor, so we are brothers. Right concubine Ning?"
Again empress Yan targeted concubine Ning, and made concubine Ning even more annoyed at empress Yan.
"Then, should I call your highness the empress by the name of Yan's sister?" Concubine Zhu, who is two years older than Empress Yan, said.
"Of course I can, big brother Zhu is two years older than me."
"Alright then, Yan's sister."
"That means that concubine Nuan and concubine Ning should call me big brother Yan."
"You're right, brother Yan." Said concubine Nuan.
Inside that dining room, concubine Ning really couldn't stand it. He was like an outsider who was invisible to the three women in front of him.
If not for the emperor asking himself to stay, he would never have been treated as such by Empress Yan.
During their meal together, Empress Yan several times looked at concubine Ning who was still trying to hold back all her emotions, because during their meal together several times Empress Yan said things as if she was criticizing concubine Ning.
Finally after nearly two hours of eating together, Empress Yan was able to return to Yue Ji's palace. The palace that had been a witness every time emperor Shun insulted and beat the real empress Yan.
"This is the palace of Yue Ji, where Qing Lian lived during her time as Yan's empress?"
Empress Yan looked at some of the items adorning the sizable room.
"Your majesty." Xiao Wei.
"What's Xiao Wei?"
Xiao Wei was surprised to see Empress Yan cry.
"Your majesty, what has happened to you, why are you crying your majesty?"
Empress Yan wiped away her tears that she did not know since when it flowed out from her two eyes.
"I'm okay, maybe because I just miss this place."
"Your majesty."
"I mean it to Xiao Wei. Don't worry."
"Okay, your honor."
Empress Yan walked deeper into her room.
"Is this how you feel right now Qing Lian?"
Empress Yan looked at the dark brown-colored pillar that had traces of dried blood splashes there.
"Blood this..."
Uncompleted empress Yan said, she felt that someone was standing before the door of the room. Empress Yan turned her head and saw who was standing there.
"Emperor Shun." Empress Yan muttered.
Emperor Shun who saw Empress Yan standing near the pillar, walked over to him.
"What are you doing there, queen?" Ask emperor Shun.
"There's nothing. I'm just looking at my dried up blood here."
Emperor Shun noticed there were some blood spots on the pillar, he fell silent. She knew that it was indeed the dried blood spot of Empress Yan when it was struck by her when she felt annoyed at the Qing prime minister.
"What's your highness the emperor coming here for?"
Emperor Shun looked at Empress Yan.
"Tomorrow some people will come to make clothes, you get ready early."
Emperor Shun who secretly asked his secret bodyguard to keep an eye on Empress Yan knew that now Empress Yan always woke up later in the day
" Alright, tell them to come 2 hours before noon (Jam 10 in the morning)"
"Can't I get up early from tomorrow?"
Empress Yan looked at Emperor Shun, suspicious of Emperor Shun who knew he was always up late.
"Stop meddling in my life, your highness the emperor. You don't have to be nice to me anymore."
Emperor Shun clenched his hand holding back his annoyance at what empress Yan had said.
"It seems you misunderstood Empress Yan, I'm here because..."
"I will do what I have to do as empress, but I will never do anything as a wife."
"Empress Yan!"
"Your majesty, don't you remember what the noble one said to me, before the noble one sent me to Ju's palace?"
Emperor Shun was silent, he certainly still remembered the aoa he had told Empress Yan back then.
"The royal officials are urging us to...."
"The noble one can do it with a noble concubine. Isn't there concubine Ning and her noble concubine Nuan married one week after marrying me?"
"Empress Yan, have I ever given you a choice? You entered the palace, so inevitably you must obey my orders."
"If it's like that, you can do it with my corpse."
"Qing Lian!"
Emperor Shun stared intently at Empress Yan, as well as empress Yan who was staring straight at the two eyes of emperor Shun.
With a feeling of annoyance and anger, emperor Shun left the room of empress Yan.
"Xuan Long, you have killed the real Qing Lian. And you want to do a favor to apologize? It's too late, Qing Lian already can't accept your apology."