“And a while ago, Raul came and went. Of course, I didn’t let him in.”
Disgustingly.
He didn’t know what face brought him here, but Raul stood in front of Belia’s room for a while, seemingly lost in thought, before leaving.
He probably remembered everything by now.
From the moment Belia killed her with her own hands to the moment she was about to be killed by Khalid.
“…Khalid, I haven’t given up.”
On what?
On Belia? Or on the Emperor’s position?
What exactly did Raul not give up on?
Khalid sat on the edge of Belia’s bed, leaning against it. With a rough touch, he wiped Belia’s face with a wet towel and leaned his head back. Belia’s weak hand touched his face.
“…In the imperial investigation, it was concluded that the one-sided crime of the boy was committed by Ellyn Canterif, the First Princess who couldn’t overcome her jealousy toward Belia. But everyone in the world knows that’s not true.”
It was undoubtedly Duke Canterif who was the villain.
But with only speculation and no clear evidence, Duke Canterif had left no traces whatsoever.
The one who attempted the assassination was a poor boy from the slums. The Emperor concluded that it was a crime committed out of hatred for Belia, who bestowed kindness only to others and not him. Therefore, this could not be a problem.
The Emperor already knew who was behind it.
Who was the one who hired the boy.
But revealing it was the biggest defeat for Duke Canterif in Khalid’s hands.
“Asid.”
At Khalid’s call, Asid, who had been waiting outside, quietly entered the room.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Spread the rumor that Ellyn Canterif, the First Princess who couldn’t overcome her jealousy toward Belia, committed the recent attempt on her life.”
“I understand.”
“The imperial citizens are already favorably disposed towards Belia. Everyone is praying for her recovery. In such a situation, the rumor that the First Princess tried to kill Belia will spread like wildfire.”
Khalid’s lips curled with a sinister grin.
His eyes were chillingly sunken.
“This time, I must completely cut off Duke Canterif’s lifeline.”
Khalid gestured for Asid to come closer.
“The evidence that Duke Canterif and the Empress were lovers, and the proofs that they continued their secret meetings even after she became Empress. Gather them all and place them on the Emperor’s desk. The imperial scribe will assist.”
The Emperor’s scribe had long since turned to Khalid.
“Wouldn’t it be risky to leave documents in the Emperor’s office?”
“No. It’ll be fine. I’ve already reported Canterif’s misconduct in the same way. He’ll know who did it.”
The reason the Emperor tolerated it without properly verifying the contents of the documents was because Duke Canterif was the most powerful weapon in Khalid’s hands and a weapon against him.
The Emperor didn’t leave those who threatened him alone.
“When the Emperor sees the contents this time, he’ll probably get angry and rampage, but there’s nothing he can say to me. If I, who got angry at being punished, spread everything, the reputation of the Empress and her son Raul will collapse overnight. It’s better for him to think it’s fortunate that I delivered it myself.”
“…Do you think the Duke will be punished by the Emperor?”
“No. Punishing him with this would make the Emperor’s appearance ridiculous.”
Before meeting the Emperor, the Empress and the Duke were lovers. However, since meeting the Emperor, the Empress never once gave her heart to the Duke.
“However, there was a moment when the Empress had to talk separately with the Duke in order to hold his hand for her son. I’ll convey that all those moments were considered impure encounters.”
The Emperor would definitely get angry before properly checking the contents of the documents.
Providing a reason to doubt the Duke and the Empress’s relationship due to their past as lovers would be a good pretext.
“Just sow a little suspicion and anger towards the Duke and the Empress in the Emperor’s heart.”
The Duke had already lost the Emperor’s trust once.
This would be the second and last attack.
“And at that moment.”
Khalid shook the documents he had placed on the bedside table.
“If the Duke informs the Emperor of the confidential information he handed over to another country, how do you think the Emperor will deal with the Duke?”
The Duke Canterif didn’t attack Belia because he was afraid of the information he handed over to another country.
It wasn’t because of his daughter Ellyn Canterif’s request.
It was to hide the relationship between Duke Canterif and the Empress that had been going on since before she became the Emperor’s Empress.
He suspected that Belia had information about their relationship, even though it was he who had it, not Belia.
“The Empress won’t be affected much…”
The Emperor’s feelings still leaned towards the Empress, and the Empress hadn’t met the Duke with impure intentions since meeting the Emperor. But it was different for the Duke.
The enraged Emperor wouldn’t treat the Duke as he did before.
“Anyway, it had to explode sooner or later.”
“Understood.”
Asid bowed his head.
Khalid gestured for Asid to leave.
Then, he covered his face with one hand and sighed deeply. His chest felt increasingly suffocated.
And at that moment.
“…Khalid?”
Belia’s frail voice passed like a breeze near Khalid’s ear, who was holding her hand. Although it was a very faint whisper, Khalid quickly lifted his upper body, hugging Belia.
Belia had just opened her eyes slightly, breathing laboriously.
“Belia. Belia!”
“A dream… perhaps…”
Belia murmured.
“Missed you… Khalid…”
Belia’s voice gradually faded and eventually dispersed into the air.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
