Imperial Father's Dragon Robe - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

As the only princess of Southern Tang, I was dragged by my hair into the center of the hall by Imperial Father himself to be presented as a reward.

By then, the palace had been completely occupied by the Northern Di.

The royal women of Southern Tang were like prey, waiting for their fate of humiliation and slaughter.

When they saw me stumble and fall, the Northern Di men in the hall laughed so hard they doubled over.

Who could have imagined it?

The ruler of Southern Tang, reduced to a homeless cur, had offered up his nine-year-old daughter just to beg for a needle and thread to mend the Tattered Dragon Robe on his back.

But once they saw my face clearly, the laughter came to an abrupt stop.

Even the King of Northern Di, seated high upon the dragon throne, changed color in fury. He kicked Imperial Father, who had stepped forward to claim credit, straight to the ground.

Because the Princess of Southern Tang they had been waiting for was an ugly little girl.

Perhaps even Imperial Father himself had forgotten:

The daughter he was so eager to offer had, half a month earlier, shattered a jade hairpin and had her face cut open by the Noble Consort he doted on.

“So this is the sincerity of you Southern Tang people?”

Imperial Father, trembling all over, was already sprawled on the floor like a dog, kowtowing again and again as he begged for mercy.

Halfway through, he suddenly seemed to remember something. He grabbed Her Highness the Noble Consort, all delicate beauty and charm, from beside him.

“The Noble Consort knows all sorts of tricks… She’ll satisfy Your Majesty, she will definitely satisfy Your Majesty…

“Not enough? If that isn’t enough, I have more… I know where those women are hiding. I’ll offer them all to Your Majesty!”

Amid the vile laughter of the Northern Di, more and more women of Southern Tang were dragged forward.

Consort Xian, who had taught me sword dance. Consort Shu, who had read with me. And my imperial sister-in-law, who had married into the royal family only half a year ago…

The setting sun was desolate. The capital was stained bloodred.

The Northern Di swarmed forward, and the women’s agonized, piercing screams echoed through the entire Golden Throne Hall.

Having gotten the needle and thread he wanted, Imperial Father sat outside the hall, separated by only a single door, contentedly mending the old dragon robe on his body.

I did not know how long passed before the doors finally opened.

The first to come out was Consort Shu, who had been at Imperial Father’s side for ten years.

She had been the gentlest and most dignified woman in the harem, pure as a white plum blossom blooming in winter.

But now, her clothes barely covered her body, and her hair had come completely undone.

Before the Golden Throne Hall, with corpses strewn everywhere, she stared straight at the emperor who was absorbed in mending his dragon robe.

In the end, all she did was raise a trembling hand to wipe away my tears and hold nine-year-old me tightly in her arms.

“Good child, this is the Fifteenth Year of Xining.

“You must remember this forever. This is the Fifteenth Year of Xining.”