The emperor made an announcement to the entire kingdom that his heir to the throne was conceived. He is going to be a father now that his concubine is carrying his child.

This resulted to numerous terminations of imperial health ministry officials and physicians as the consequence for misdiagnosing the emperor's condition. He also commanded a wave of termination in the consort's courtyard, demanding for new and younger maidens capable of carrying a child.

He later called for his wives' audience in his throne room to explain why they are unable to carry him a child.

Wangfei Ru Shi argued that the child wasn't conceived during ceremonial bedding, therefore it shouldn't be considered as an official heir, but the emperor dismissed her argument proclaiming the child was his and she shouldn't be jealous, and focus her energy upon giving him a child instead.

This ignited her rage and sent her suspicion into motion. Emperor had been trying to have an heir for years and neither of his wives nor chosen concubines were able to grant him a child.

The emperor ordered his guardsmen and a team of his imperial physicians to perform round the clock surveillance of me, I was to be watched, followed and guarded at all time. Yuan was scared his enemies might have spies and assassins inside the palace as his reign of the kingdom fell into more turmoil. Yuan created more enemies in the first year as an emperor more than his father ever made in his entire tenure.

Yuan was a far more aggressive and determined emperor than his father. He got more done and accomplished more things in the short time he sat on the throne. He focused his attention on the extension of the land next. Yuan wasn't satisfied with size of his kingdom as he tried to extend it to the neighboring kingdoms.

He relied on his extended family, his faithful lords, clan leaders, and nobles to do his bidding while prince Julong in the south was more than busy than ever.

******

The sound of wangfei Ru Shi's footsteps disturbed the quiet halls as I laid in bed most of the afternoon. The imperial physician suggested plenty of rest in concern for the future heir's health.

Wangfei Ru Shi arrived in my chamber for an unannounced visit. She made sure it fell during the time when Yuan wasn't going to be anywhere near.

Her cutthroat gaze sharp as a knife landed on me, the corner of her lips curled into a malicious smile, the kind of smile that almost mimicked Yuan's and I didn't doubt for a second she came to torment me for her own pleasure. Her and Yuan are one in the same, they are both vile and malicious that I'm convinced the universe conspired to put those two together. They are made for each other.

She prowled dangerously forward, so smoothed, so practiced that she didn't looked like she moved at all. Her dark ebony eyes twinkled and dazzled with malign as her smile stretched even further when she made it to my side.

Wangfei Ru Shi leaned on the bedpost and with one raise of her hand, she sent everyone outside. She acted just as powerful as the emperor and she put the same weight of fear on the servants and guards as her husband.

"Leave," she said coolly.

Everyone scrambled for the door.

I was left in the middle of the bed with nowhere to go.

Ru Shi's feral smile hovered on her face. If she wasn't so damn evil, I swear to god, she would have been angelically beautiful.

Her expression eased at soon as the door shut. "Do you honestly think you had everyone convinced the emperor is the father of that child?"

I raised to a sit and leaned my back on the headboard. "I didn't convince him. Yuan claimed the baby as his."

"We all know Yuan is desperate for an heir, but I never thought he'd be foolish enough to be blinded by you." She scowled "What's so especial about that pussy that you bewitched everyone who'd been inside it!"

I chose no retort.

Her eyes glided over and hovered atop my belly as she searched for that bump hidden underneath the layers of sheets. "It is such as shame though, and I almost feel bad for you. I doubt Yuan is that much of a fool, I bet he knew more than he's telling you. Once that child is born..." Her eyes glimmered devilish. "...that heir will be taken away from you that you will know what it's like to have something so precious snatched away."

I thought of my dead husband. I think I knew more about pain than she claimed or bothered to give me credit.

"He will become my son, and I will be his mother. You will be nothing to him but a woman who carried him inside her belly."

She laughed, and her laugher cut through me like lightning during a harsh summer storm.

"Leave!" I managed through lungful of shaky breaths. "My baby is mine!"

"Oh, my sweet, Jasmine." Ru Shi crooned. "I am the first wife and you are nothing but a common concubine with no aristocratic blood. You're no better than a whore. There's nothing you can do. No matter how much you fight, the heir to the throne will be mine to raise."

I had no doubt she'll take my child from me, and I had no doubt she'll make me suffer just for the fun of it.

"I'd watch your back if I we're you." Ru Shi leaned to whisper sultry on the shell of my ear. Her voice dipped so low that it sounded like a cat's purr. I never saw her to be this vile that I never truly hated her before until now.

"Your threats mean nothing to me." I snarled.

"Oh, it better." Her thin laugher bounced and echoed inside my chamber, leaving it to torment me as she showed herself out.