She raised her hands and began removing the hair pins, "I'm not a young girl anymore,it's a waste to adorn on these beautiful hair pins." She lightly sighed as she removed them from her head.
"But you are still my Empress, and you need to carry yourself as one, don't tell me you don't want to manage the harem anymore!" He tightly held her hands as his voice sounded sour laced with disappointment.
"I want to relinquish my roles and responsibilities as the Empress and let another person take charge." She spoke out as a matter of fact and pulled her hands away and continued removing the adornments.
"What? You are leaving your position as a Empress?" He was anger by her sudden change of attitude, he felt like this woman had given up everything they worked hard for.
"Yes, I no longer want to be an Empress, there are so many other women who are more suitable and capable of governing the harem." She sighed as she stood up and walked into the closet.
She stripped off all the brocade robes that were specifically designed for the Empress and wore simple silk dress, she took the rings off and passed them to her husband.
"I have returned them back, I want to live the remaining days as a normal person in the Kingdom." She sat down on the bed dazed, wishing she could spend the remaining time with her daughter.
King Jun felt bitter and heartache, he could see how resolute she was, there was no turning back.
He sat beside her in the bed and pulled in for a tight hug, "do you resent me?" His voice was melancholic and couldn't help but remember the far hidden memories.
"No, the Kingdom comes first before anything else, I was the lost one here and neither do an Empress needs to be selfish, I have fulfilled my duties and I hope you don't make things difficult for me." She responded as her eyes rimmed with tears.
" But you promised me to support me all through and accompany me as my Empress for eternity until we are no longer alive." He questioned her gently feeling down and her other hand clenched in a tight fist.
"Promises are made to be broken, we aren't any younger and willful, I have nothing much holding me back, all I want is to peacefully live my life and pass my days, I have no energy to look into other matters nor governing the harem, I hope you won't let me bare that burden." She sat up straight pulling away from his arms.
"My dear, I know I failed you, but do you need to step further away from me? I thought we could rule the Kingdom together." He felt heartbroken as he stood up and walked out of the room.
He halted at the door and without looking behind he coldly ordered, "you will have to die as my Empress, I don't care what you have to do but do remember you are an Empress and I need your cooperation." He stomped out of the room and went down into his palace and walked into his room.
No matter how much they might have had differences, she still had to fulfill her duties as the Mother of the Kingdom.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she coughed lightly as she mocked herself inwardly.
Her health has been deteriorating and all she wanted was to peacefully pass her days yearning for nothing.
"Hehehe... How selfish you are, you are unable to let me off even at this juncture." She looked at her hands that were stained with blood.
Her personal maid walked in, "my lady.." she hurried got a warm towel and cleaned her mouth removing all the bloodstains, and also her hands.
"My lady." Her personal maid silently cried, she has accompanied her for ages and knew how hard and everything has taken toll on her mistress's healthy.
She was no longer healthy and energetic, "no need to cry anymore, I won't blame him, it has always been my fault, I should have accepted the fact that this is the life I chose and this is my fate." She stood up staggering as she swayed and sat down on the dressing mirror and looked into the mirror.
She stretched out her hand and caressed her head full of white hair, she looked haggard and pale.
She had lost all the weight and didn't have any vitality or live.
"My lady.." the maid approached her as she plaided her hair into a nice bun and held it tightly with a simple hair pin.
Tears streamed down her cheeks looking at her Mistress's downcast and lost eyes, there was no longer a spark.
"It's okay, you don't need to cry anymore, I will go on being the Empress.. cough.. cough.. cough.." she coughed as her hand was stained with blood.
"My only regret is that I never got to be a worthy mother, nor did I ever manage to raise my daughter well." She sighed as she looked at the mirror melancholic.
King Jun paced back and forth anxiously in his chambers and that's when Concubine Shu walked in.
"My King, I wish you longevity." She knelt down and greeted him.
She was a beautiful woman and was wearing a peach brocade that was intricately designed and adorned herself beautifully.
Her beauty was enough to charm several men and hold on to them within the grasp of her fingertips.
King Jun turned around to face the woman who was kneeling down.
"You may rise.." he motioned her to come forward.
He sat down on the bed feeling conflicted, "my King.." she shyly called.
"Come here." He called her as he held her hand and drew her onto his lap.
"Why did you come here?" He curiously inquired even though his mood was gloomy, he didn't want to vent his frustrations on anyone.
"I heard that you were in a terrible mood, I thought of brightening it as you have several matters to look into." She shyly responded as she fiddled with her fingers.
He held her waist tightly and pondered about something, "tell me, do you want to be my Empress?" He curiously inquired looking at her reactions.
"An Empress?" A flick of greed and desire passed through her eyes but she immediately controlled her greediness.
"No I don't want to." She shyly responded.
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