DGSTE – Summaries of Chapters 14 to 16
Chapter 14
‘Good,’ the ED said. ‘Guards, let go of XST.’
XST knelt in front of the ED and he cried happy tears. Serving the emperor and the ED was like walking back and forth between life and death.
‘Thank you ED for being merciful toward me,’ XST said.
‘I can spare your life but you can’t escape punishment,’ the ED said. ‘Guards, take XST outside and give him fifty lashes.’
The guards dragged XST outside.
‘Imperial mother…’ NL called and gulped.
‘Your majesty, it’s your turn,’ the ED said.
‘Imperial mother, I admitted I was wrong…’ NL said.
‘LF could have lost her life if she was bitten by your snake,’ the ED said. ‘LF’s family saved our imperial family. We can’t repay them enough in this lifetime.’
‘Imperial mother, I’ll bestow gifts to LF,’ NL said.
‘Your majesty, what gifts do you want to give LF?’ the ED asked.
‘I’ll… give LF jewellery, makeup and dresses,’ NL said.
‘Is that all?’ the ED asked.
‘Imperial mother, it was me the snake bit, not LF,’ NL said.
‘What if LF doesn’t want to accept your gifts?’ the ED asked.
‘Imperial mother, it’s LF’s choice whether she accepts my gifts or not,’ NL said. ‘Imperial mother, what do you expect me to do?’
‘Do you expect me to teach you imperial protocols?’ the ED asked.
‘Imperial mother, LF is only a commoner,’ NL said.
‘Your majesty, it was you who committed a wrong,’ the ED said. ‘If you can’t see the difference between right and wrong, how do you expect your citizens to follow your lead? Commoners are humans. It’s your duty to protect your citizens and improve their standard of living.’
‘Imperial mother, I know what I did was wrong,’ NL said.
‘Good,’ the ED said. ‘Go explain the truth to LF, and ask for her forgiveness. Until she forgives you, you’ll write one hundred repentant prayers daily.’
‘Repentant prayers?’ NL asked. ‘Imperial mother, I’m not a child.’
‘If you’re not a child then don’t act like a child,’ the ED said. ‘If your citizens knew their emperor is childish, they’ll mock their emperor.’
‘Yes imperial mother,’ NL said.
NL was going to explain the truth to the little demoness in his own way.
Chapter 15
NL’s imperial mother made him vow not to play another childish trick otherwise he would have no children in his life.
‘Imperial mother!’ NL said to himself. ‘Why did imperial mother make me take such a severe vow? Doesn’t she want grandchildren? Does she want the throne to go to an outsider?’
NL ordered the eunuchs to write his repentant prayers for him. He tossed the ink brush aside. Why did he always lose to the little demoness commoner?
XST kowtowed in front of NL.
‘Your majesty, oh my mother…’ XST said.
XST body was sore from the lashes.
‘Can’t you see how bad you look?’ NL asked. ‘You can ask another eunuch to serve me today.’
‘Your majesty, since I entered the palace, it’s always me who has served your majesty,’ XST said. ‘Your majesty, this small pain is worth it if I get to serve your majesty.’
‘I’ll remember you sacrificed your body for me,’ NL said.
‘Thank you your majesty,’ XST said.
‘Did you send the gifts to LF yet?’ NL asked.
‘Your majesty, LF returned your gifts,’ XST said.
‘What?’ NL asked. ‘LF returned my gifts? This is the third time she opposed me. I’m not going to spare her.’
‘Your majesty, you’re still recovering,’ XST said. ‘How about I go see LF and apologise on your majesty’s behalf?’
‘I want to see LF myself,’ NL said. He didn’t want to write another prayer. ‘I’m going to make her accept my gifts. Go get my sedan.’
At the empress’ courtyard, NL didn’t expect to see guards.
‘Your majesty, stay inside the sedan,’ XST said. ‘I’ll go inside and see what’s wrong.’
‘I’ll go see what’s wrong myself,’ NL said.
NL walked into the empress’ bedchamber.
Inside the empress’ bedchamber, LF laid on the bed.
‘No one can tell the emperor about what happened,’ LF instructed.
‘LF, the emperor needs to be informed about someone poisoning you,’ Shen Yong (SY) said. ‘His majesty can find out who poisoned you.’
‘I’m OK,’ LF said and closed her eyes. ‘Lucky I only drank a sip. I released the poison out of my body already. I don’t want to turn a trivial matter into a big matter.’
‘LF, someone poisoned you?’ NL asked.
Chapter 116
SY kowtowed and cried in front of NL.
‘Your majesty, it’s my fault,’ SY said. ‘I shouldn’t have given LF something to drink that wasn’t tasted for poison.’
NL’s eyes only saw LF lying on the bed and her pale complexion. He felt like someone stabbed his heart.
‘Who dared to poison LF?’ NL asked.
‘Your majesty, it’s my fault,’ SY said.
NL kicked SY’s shoulder.
‘Guards, take this palace maid away and behead her!’
LF didn’t care about her weak state. She jumped out of bed and stood in front of SY.
‘Your majesty, it wasn’t SY’s fault,’ LF said. ‘I don’t want SY to lose her life over a trivial matter.’
‘She gave someone an opportunity to poison you,’ NL said. ‘Even if XST did something wrong, he would be punished too.’
‘Your majesty, don’t take out your anger on someone else,’ LF said.
‘What do you mean?’ NL asked.
‘If your majesty want my head, you can behead me,’ LF said. ‘You don’t need to use your anger as an excuse to take an innocent life.’
‘Are you saying that I’m the person who ordered someone to poison you?’ NL asked.
LF didn’t deny NL’s words, it made him furious. He admitted he wanted to use the snake to scare her a little, but he didn’t want her to lose her life.
‘I didn’t order anyone to poison you,’ NL said. ‘If you don’t believe me, you can ask XST.’
‘LF, you misunderstood his majesty,’ XST said.
‘It doesn’t matter if it wasn’t his majesty,’ LF said. ‘I hope there won’t be a next time.’
LF felt too weak to fight with NL.
‘I didn’t poison you,’ NL said. ‘If you don’t believe me, I’ll…’
‘Your majesty, please leave and let me rest,’ LF said.
NL didn’t know what to do to make LF believe he didn’t poison her.
NL carried LF in his arms.
‘Your majesty, what are you doing?’ LF asked. ‘Put me down.’
‘Be quiet,’ NL said. He carried LF to the sedan. She felt small and fragile in his arms. ‘I’m taking you to my bedchamber. No one will dare poison you in my bedchamber.’
‘Put me down,’ LF said. ‘I don’t want to go to your bedchamber.’
‘I get to decide where you stay in the palace,’ NL said.
‘Your majesty, you can’t bring LF to your bedchamber,’ XST said.
‘Your majesty, put me down,’ LF said. ‘I can walk.’
‘You’re the first woman who received the privilege of being held in my arms,’ NL said.
End of Chapters 14 to 16