Prologue
A silhouette crashed through the thicket.
“Catch her! Don’t let her escape!” A voice bellowed over the chaos. A flood of torchlights and swords forged into the forest.
“Kill her! Kill her!” The mob chanted as it merrily hunted down its prey. I can’t let them win! I can’t let them win! Her heart thudding in her chest. Her lungs were gasping for air.
I’m almost at the clearing. Just... need... to... make... it...She launched herself into the clearing, stumbled, and fell, exhausted.
“Quick! Surround her!”
She faced a wall of hatred on all three sides. The men all had weapons in their hands: swords and whips. The torches flickered as they stared at her with hatred and glee. A young man stepped out. With broad shoulders and an ugly scar slashed across his left eye, his mouth turned upwards. His eyes were wild and fierce. He clenched his teeth. “You traitor! Death be to those who betray Zhen! You deserve to die!”
The crowd roared, “KILL THE TRAITOR! KILL THE TRAITOR! KILL THE TRAITOR!” It went on for two minutes straight when the man put up his hand. A hush fell among the crowd.
“Zhen has come to kill you, Yue Yang, for being a traitor! Shame on your family for having a wrench like you! Now you will face the consequences of your actions!”
Silence.
Crickets sung to each other in the night. Torch lights flickered. All clenched their weapons. Waiting.
“Waaaaa!” A shrill cry broke the silence.
The woman looked down at the baby in her arms. She brushed a strand of hair away from its face.
Her eyes fluttered upward as she rose to her feet. There was a trace of blood on her lips. She met his gaze and pursed her lips, glancing behind her. The edge was a few steps away. She inched her way toward it.
“Hand me the Dan Wen,” he demanded, holding his hand out.
She brushed the trail of blood from her lips. She smirked.
She pulled out a necklace from under her clothing and held up a quarter piece of yellow jade. It dangled in the air. “You mean this? You... are not worthy.” It glinted in the torchlights.
“What?”
“You are not worthy! Only the noblest, the kindest, and the most honorable people deserve to receive it! You are none of those qualities!”
“Oh? What do you mean, ‘I am not worthy?’ Are you blind to all the good I’ve done? Helping the poor, protecting the weak, and looking after my subjects? Of course I’m worthy!”
“If that’s true, then why did you have my family murdered? You promised not to kill them if they complied! They did as you asked! How many innocent people must die before you stop your madness? How many have to suffer before you’re satisfied?” Bitter. That was all she felt.
A cold silence settled among the group.
His eyes softened as all the hatred and rage disappeared from his face. “I love you, Yue Yang. There is no other way...I’ve already explained it to you. Why don’t you listen to me?” He glanced at the piece of jade in her hands and then the child in her arms.
“Yue Yang...Please hand me the Dan Wen. If you hand it to me, I won’t kill you or your child. I can take you back to the palace and you can continue to be the Empress. I will take care of our son and that no harm will come to him. I can act like none of this happened. I can forgive you for your treachery. Yue Yang...please...”
“I once loved you too,” Yue Yang replied softly and for a moment, her eyes softened and her shoulders sagged.
The torchlights continued to flicker.
Slowly, understanding dawned on her. She straightened and looked down her nose at him. Her eyes hardened. “But that was in the past. He is your flesh and bones. You know in your heart what you tried to do. You hate me. Stop pretending you ever loved me because you are a terrible actor.”
“Actor’?” A dangerous glint in his eyes. She knew he was close to losing self-control.
" I used to think I knew who you were and that you truly loved me, but now I realize how much of a fool I was to believe someone like you could actually love others!” She threw her head back and laughed. “You just care about your own future and used me like you used everyone else! Back then, it was you who showed me what it was like to be loved and cherished. Now? I’ve awoken from that beautiful dream. I regret ever meeting you!”
Sorrow crossed his face, but hatred slowly replaced it. “Very well,” he panted. “I tried to persuade you. But you didn’t listen! Today, you must die!” he lunged at her.
Heat spread over her body. She glanced down.
A blade stuck out of her stomach, barely missing the child. He released the hilt. She stumbled backwards. Glancing back, she saw the edge within reach. “Very well, you want the Dan Wen? I won’t give it to you!”
She leaped. Airborne, she felt herself plunging into the abyss.
“NOOOOOO!” she heard a cry as she saw his face for the last time, looming over the edge. His hand was outstretched, but not to her or the child. No, it was outstretched to the piece of jade around her neck. In the next life, may we never meet again. She closed her eyes and smiled bitterly. A tear flowed down her cheek.
The baby was wailing.
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Zhen(朕）:I, the sovereign, we, typically used for emperor
