DGSTE – Summaries of Chapters Twenty to Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty
The TD saw clearly how important LF was to the arrogant NL. The TD didn’t know LF’s ident.i.ty yet but if LF became NL’s empress, there would be more obstacles in his way to sit on the throne. The TD was going to eliminate LF.
In WSP’s bedchamber, a palace maid reported news about LF sleeping in NL’s bedchamber.
‘Who does she think she is?’ WSP asked. ‘Why did the emperor let her sleep in his bedchamber?’
WSP’s nurse maid (NM) ushered the palace maids outside.
‘Mistress, you can’t underestimate anyone,’ the NM said.
‘NM, didn’t you help me poison her?’ WSP asked. ‘Why didn’t she die?’
‘Mistress, this is the palace, not your home,’ the NM reminded. ‘Mistress, what if someone overheard us? The ED will behead us.’
‘I don’t care,’ WSP said. ‘How can I not be angry? I waited for a year in vain. The emperor came to see me fleetingly but nothing happened between us.’
‘Mistress, you need to be patient,’ the NM advised. ‘Mistress, it took years of making connections for you to become the emperor’s concubine.’
‘NM, why don’t we poison her again?’ WSP asked. ‘This time we need to succeed.’
‘Mistress, it’s too risky for us to poison her again,’ the NM warned. ‘Right now she’s staying in the emperor’s courtyard. The emperor will only let her eat safe food. Mistress, it was hard for us to find an opportunity to poison her the first time. If we poison her a second time and fail, your father will lose everything.’
‘What should I do now?’ WSP asked. ‘She and the emperor are sleeping together. If she gives birth to the emperor’s first son, my dream of becoming empress will be ruined.’
‘Mistress, have you forgotten about Ha Ka Du (HKD)?’ the NM asked.
‘That fake girl?’ WSP asked. ‘HKD spends her time in the palace gardens and pretends she doesn’t want to be empress, but she wants to be empress as much as I do.’
‘HKD is the niece of the emperor’s imperial father’s Consort Ha,’ the NM said.
‘Are you saying I should use HKD to eliminate LF?’ WSP asked.
‘Mistress, if you join forces with HKD, you can kick LF out of the palace,’ the NM said. ‘With LF out of the way, HKD is someone you can eliminate easily. Then there is no one to stop you from becoming empress.’
‘NM, I’ll follow your plan,’ WSP said.
Chapter 21
LF recalled her mother telling her who killed her father in her sleep.
‘I want to revenge father’s death…’ LF murmured and cried in her sleep.
‘LF, wake up,’ NL said. ‘Don’t cry. LF, if you don’t wake up, I’ll leave you. LF, wake up. I gave you my bed, what more do you want?’
‘Your majesty, LF is still asleep,’ XST said. ‘She can’t hear your majesty talking to her.’
NL hated seeing LF sad.
‘XST, tell LF to stop crying,’ NL said.
‘Your majesty, why don’t you let LF cry,’ XST said. ‘She’ll stop crying in her sleep after she’s tired from crying.’
‘I don’t want people to hear LF crying in my bedchamber,’ NL said.
‘Your majesty, why don’t you take LF back to the empress’ bedchamber?’ XST suggested.
‘What are you suggesting?’ NL asked. ‘Do you want someone to kill LF while she’s vulnerable?’
‘Your majesty, of course I don’t want LF to die…’ XST said.
‘Father, don’t die…’ LF murmured. ‘Mother and I need you.’
NL sat closer to LF on the bed and he held her hand.
‘LF, this is the first time I’m begging someone,’ NL said. ‘I’m begging you to stop crying.’
XST was shocked to see the arrogant NL putting aside his pride and truly caring about someone else.
‘LF, don’t cry,’ NL said. ‘You have me. I won’t let anyone hurt you.’
‘Father, don’t die…’ LF said. She gripped NL’s wrist in her sleep. ‘Father, don’t die.’
‘LF, open your eyes,’ NL said. ‘I’m not your father. Don’t test the limit of my patience.’
‘You’re an evil person…’ LF murmured. ‘You killed my father. I want to kill you…’
‘LF, if you stop crying, I promise I’ll help you take revenge and kill the evil person,’ NL said.
Chapter 23
LF heard someone promising to help her take revenge in her sleep, and she stopped crying.
‘Why is LF still sleeping?’ NL asked.
‘LF looks like she’s tired,’ XST said.
‘You’re right,’ NL said. ‘Who do you think killed her father?’
‘Your majesty, do you care about LF?’ XST asked.
‘Why would I care about LF?’ NL asked and blushed.
‘If your majesty didn’t care about LF, you wouldn’t let her sleep on your bed,’ XST said.
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ NL denied. ‘Everyone needs to stay quiet. I’ll behead anyone who wakes up LF.’
‘Your majesty, is LF sleeping here?’ XST asked.
‘Let her sleep in my bed,’ NL said. ‘I want her to believe I didn’t poison her.’
‘Your majesty, if LF finds out how much you care about her, she’ll be deeply moved,’ XST said.
‘Of course she’ll be deeply moved,’ NL said. ‘She’s the first woman to sleep on my bed.’
‘Your majesty, where do you want to sleep tonight?’ XST asked.
‘I’m not sleepy,’ NL said.
If LF was sweet to NL like how angelic she looked when she was sleeping, he didn’t mind making her his empress.
‘Your majesty, it’s late,’ XST said. ‘Your majesty needs to sleep to attend the imperial court meeting in the morning. Your majesty, why don’t you sleep on the bed with LF?’
‘Do you want LF to hit me again?’ NL asked.
‘No your majesty,’ XST said.
‘I’m not an opportunist,’ NL said. ‘I want LF’s consent for us to sleep together.’
‘Your majesty, after LF consents, she’ll be your woman,’ XST said. ‘I’ll order the palace maids to pack her belongings, and the eunuchs to bring her belongings to your majesty’s bedchamber.’
NL antic.i.p.ated his and LF’s first night together. In the past the eunuchs brought portraits of thousands of women to him, but he only glanced at the portraits. LF was the first woman he desired.
‘There’s no rush,’ NL said. ‘We’ll discuss my future with LF later.’
End of Chapters Twenty to Twenty-Two summaries