A Kingdom's Ruin - Chapter 7

I watered him with ambition and waited for him to grow into a madman who would stop at nothing.

To my disappointment, he did nothing.

It was as if he woke the next morning having forgotten the dungeon, the woman, and his birth mother. He remained guileless and content. However I schemed against him, whatever trouble I made, however often I nearly cost him his life, he did not care.

Stupid and innocent, he returned ten parts sincerity for one part feigned kindness.

In time, I grew tired of acting and treated him with increasing coldness. He seemed not to notice. My hard looks and occasional taunts slid off him.

Then, when he was seventeen, he risked his life to save a palace maid named Ming Jia.

She became inseparable from him. Perhaps because she had never entered the palace intending to serve anyone, she was hopelessly clumsy. At a banquet, before the entire court, she injured the gyrfalcon I kept.

Before I could say a word, Yuwen Che claimed responsibility to save her life.

He was terrified she would die. I had never seen him so frightened.

I smiled. Very well.

Taking the jade pendant from my waist, I tossed it into the lake. “Bring it back, and I’ll spare her.”

The crowd erupted.

It was the first time I attacked him openly, but not the last. I had grown bored of our loving-mother-and-son game.

When a game bored me, I stopped playing.

The pendant eventually returned to my hand. The winter water was bitterly cold, and Yuwen Che stayed in the deep pool too long. He came back burning with fever.

But because I had publicly turned against him, even the imperial physicians feared treating him. I heard the palace maid came to beg me, but I was receiving a guest and she never made it through my gates.

My guest was the crown prince.

Bo Yanxiu supported the Third Prince and was the crown prince’s political enemy. To muddy the waters, I carried intelligence for my nominal brother while conspiring with the crown prince.

My messenger gyrfalcon landed before us. Yuwen Ce reached out to stroke it and came away with a bloody fingertip.

He arched a brow. “Where did Your Highness find such a vicious bird?”

At the marquis’s estate, Bo Wanyu always called me a little vixen. I assumed she disliked the type. Only after meeting the man she loved did I realize otherwise.

The crown prince was what a thousand-year-old fox spirit would look like in human form.

I considered his question and answered honestly. “When I was young, I rescued a brother and sister stranded on Mount Yao. The boy wrote exceptionally well, so I gave him money for the imperial examination. In return, he pledged his family’s only treasure to me.”

“I see,” said Yuwen Ce. “Twins? The prophecy at Tianning Temple says twins born on Mount Yao are an omen that will bring disaster to the realm.”

“They weren’t twins.” I kept reading the letter. “You had better move quickly. You’ve been too conspicuous lately, and your father grows more displeased by the day. He has given command of the imperial guard to Bo Yanxiu. Clearly, he has begun to fear you.”

Yuwen Ce lounged back with languid, almost bewitching grace. He was two years older than I, yet maturity and gravity had never once troubled him.

He changed the subject at will. “I hear Seventh Brother has acquired a beautiful palace maid. Her arrival put Your Highness in quite a temper.”

“Why? Do you want her too?”

Amusement entered his eyes. “A gentleman does not steal another’s beloved. Still, Your Highness—the girl’s surname is Ming.”

Everyone knew that the former crown prince’s intended bride, said to bear the Ziwei Star’s destiny, had been named Ming Yi.

“You see enemies in every shadow if you believe such nonsense. That woman’s corpse hung from the city wall before thousands of witnesses. Ziwei Star? She was a star of calamity.” I scoffed. “Besides, countless people bear the surname Ming. Not every one is a maiden of destiny. Do you imagine this little maid is Ming Yi returned in another body? Your Highness, read fewer storybooks. You may worry about such things once you’re emperor.”

“Ming Jia. Ming Yi. Virtuous words and noble conduct—the names sound like sisters.” He offered no opinion. When my impatience showed, his smile became genuine. “I spoke idly. Why react so strongly? Are you jealous?”

“Of course. It has been so long since Your Highness showed me such concern. Be obedient and stay away from that girl. I am narrow-minded, dislike others touching what is mine, and take particular pleasure in destroying flowers.”

He sighed theatrically. “Then why not support Seventh Brother? He has always obeyed you.”

“What difference would that make?” I touched the letter to flame. “If I put you on the throne, would you begrudge me even the position of empress dowager?”

We held each other’s gaze.

At last Yuwen Ce’s lazy air vanished. He sat upright and leaned closer.

“It makes all the difference.”

He caught my wrist and pressed it to his lips.

“I would make Your Highness my empress.”

Porcelain shattered outside. Yuwen Ce’s eyes narrowed.

“Only a maid bringing tea,” I said, withdrawing my hand and stroking the fat bird without concern. “You should go. I will handle it.”

I lied.

I did nothing, nor did I fear being exposed. Compared with the Chu emperor, both Bo Yanxiu and Yuwen Ce were painfully inexperienced.

The emperor was suspicious by nature, cruel and violent. Within this palace, who went where, at what hour, and for how long—how could any of it escape his eyes?

That night, I went to him.

With me, he showed an indulgence no one else ever saw.

“What is it?” he asked. “You don’t like Ce’er? Choose whichever son pleases you. Anyone except the one you’ve raised.”

Perhaps he already knew he was failing. He wanted to preserve me, yet trusted none of his scheming sons. So he chose my escape route first: I was to pick one, bear his child, then discard the father and place my own child on the throne.

I did not answer. I took the tonic from the physician, cooled it with a breath, and held it to his lips.

“Your Majesty is in the prime of life.”