The Plagued Fate

Chen knew that even though she was in the palace, Nara would not have full details of the situation due to her position as a maid. He had looked into her background earlier that day but found little information. He was confident she had no ties to any noble family.

So, he explained how everything began the moment his father passed away: upon inheriting the throne, he lost two sons, both the same age—both princes were around the age of two years old one was his and the empress's son and the other one was his a noble consort son who both have huge power in the palace.

An investigation was conducted, and a concubine was found in possession of the poison that killed them both. Even when the concubine was executed, nothing stopped.

From that point on, no children were born alive in the palace again. He had tried everything, even isolating his pregnant concubines with the tightest security he could impose till they gave birth and yet, nothing changed. It was as if an unknown force was draining the life of every child born in the palace.

Despite his efforts to investigate, he found not a single clue. His crown was unstable, and the court was divided. He told to Nara that she was now his only hope; she might be the element of surprise he needed. Although everyone blamed some bad luck, there had been whispers of him being bad luck. He knew there were some forces in play which he just couldn't figure out.

His every move was well-known, and every concubine he visited was under unknown surveillance.

This unexpected connection he had found with her was his only opportunity. He begged her to help him give him an heir, believing that once he had one, the court would stabilize.

Although Nara felt sympathy for him, she did not want this life for herself. She had witnessed the toxicity and danger of a harem where backstabbing was an everyday thing, but this one was the most troubling she ever heard of. Although it was just as bad in her previous lifetime she had never encountered infanticide this high.

She knew that he would likely never agree to let her leave. However, it never hurt to try. Softening her tone, she politely told him that she did not want to involve herself in the struggles of a harem, as she had a weak heart. She asked him to let her go and, as she wished, to be released from the palace.

She could see his expression darken and him getting angrier the more she spoke, and when she finished, heartbreak was clear in his eyes.

He made it clear to her that she would never be able to leave the palace, not alive, not as a dead body or even a ghost. She would be forever trapped in the palace. His grip tightened around her hand as he begged her setting aside all his pride. He had never in his twenty-five of living begged anyone, but he was just as desperate. It was he found a flicker of hope with her.

Nara knew that escaping was impossible since he would never let her go. She asked how he planned to keep her in the palace. It was obvious he wouldn't be able to take her as a concubine, and she was unwilling to be confined to a room doing nothing till he got his harem in order. As she was almost killed today in the same place, he assured her that she was safe, and this left him speechless; he hadn't considered any plans moving forward. They sat in silence, each lost in thought.

Knowing he didn't have many options, she suggested that she would continue being a maid for the concubine she had been with. He immediately disagreed, stating that he did not want to risk it.

He wanted her close, and then an idea popped into his head.

"What about you becoming one of my maids?" he suggested. "You would be near me all the time, and we could figure something out." Nara fell into deep thought at this proposal.

Nara thought that was a good idea as she knew the best place to hide was plain sight and that was okay but she told him it would be very notable to just immediately appear at his side so she should be at least moved to somewhere else so that she can slowly be transitioned to his side and although he did not want her to struggle at all, he knew that was the best solution to their current problems.

So it was agreed the next day she would be back by the concubine's side, and that was when he remembered he threatened the concubine and her servants today, each one holding on to their biggest and most important secrets, so they would not dare disclose what happened the previous night.

He told her about his threat and she sighed defeated now she needed to come up with a lie to convince the concubine that she was not at all involved with the emperor's plan and threats and he suggested she should tell her that he detained her today to ask about her involvement and was released the following day she should also mention she was threatened and finally released and since she thought that was a good idea she decided to do that tomorrow.

It was decided she would stay for one month with her current mistress and during that time he would get rid of one maid by his side and put her there and he would not see her within that month, though he really didn't want to do that he had to agree with her and with that their plan was set they did not know what to discuss so they just sat there awkwardly.

He then looked out of the window, and it was dark, he asked if she had eaten dinner, and she said no, and that was when he signalled for his guard. Once the guard came, he was asked to bring something to eat for the two of them.

And the guard went and came back with some simple dinner, and both of them sat and had their dinner.

After the dinner was done, Chen moved closer to her and whispered in her ear, "Now that we have come to an agreement, we should work hard on making a baby," his voice raspy.

Nara looked at him, shocked. In some moments, he acted very shy, and now he was acting like a hooligan.