Burning Half Of The Palace (2)

"YOUNG MISS PEI."

Lily raised her head to gaze at the person who had just coquettishly shouted her name. She couldn't help but shudder when she heard that voice. It was terrifyingly sweet and silky. It was so horrid that Lily felt like she was going to throw up.

But, setting aside the word 'exaggeration,' she gave the woman a calm and indifferent glance. What exactly was this Young Miss Carna up to now? The crown prince was having a happy conversation with the ministers. Instead of accompanying her lover in acquiring additional supporters, she came to her side in order to disgust her.

"Young Miss Carna, what kind of service may I offer to your esteemed self? I am but a lowly duchess of the Immortal Dragon empire. Please forgive me if I ever do something that will offend you," Lily replied courteously, but she didn't stand up or change her sitting position. She sat like a queen on her throne, staring at the woman in front of her as if she were staring at an animal.

Olivia stiffened, but she quickly recovered. The more Lily acted like this, the more it appeared that she was being bullied. After all, she was a sweet and lovely woman. This was the type of personality that the crown prince preferred. People also tend to back up gentle and kind women.

Elder Leo advised her that regardless of her background or backing, she had to ensure that the crown prince's and common people's hearts belonged to her. With this, she could securely maintain her position as the empress. And the only way she could do that was to eliminate Terra first.

Olivia's eyes flashed with a fierce glint before softening again. It was only for a second but Terra managed to see it.

Terra made a click with her tongue. What was this woman, who didn't follow the customs of the secular world, thinking?

Olivia bowed down gradually. When she raised her head, tears welled up in her eyes, and she bit her lower lip. Onlookers began to take notice of them, peering at them like gossipers.

Terra remained silent. She waited for this young lady to perform and entertain her.

"I don't want any misunderstanding between us, Young Miss Pei," Olivia murmured shakily. "What the crown prince and I did at the time was irreparable; your engagement with the crown prince was decreed by the late emperor, yet I..." she gasped, "I just hope that Young Miss Pei forgives me for doing such a heinous deed!"

Silence.

There was a brief moment of silence before Terra opened her mouth.

"That's all?" she asked, raising her brow, "When it comes to forgiveness, isn't it reasonable to ask the late emperor for it? After all, it wasn't I who begged and asked for the engagement." She took out her metal fan and began fanning herself, and continued, "As for whether I care or not about your relationship with the crown prince, aren't you the most clear about it? I gave you this world's most sought brocade and the luminous black pearl that even your master held as a treasure. Don't you understand what it means?"

Terra sighed and rose to her feet. "If you're really too dumb to understand my meaning, then let me explain it to you, Young Miss Carna, " she added as she slapped the metal fan close. She gave out a gentle yet eerie smile. "The crown prince is not worthy of having me or the Pei Family. The engagement was made when my grandfather was muddle-headed and didn't know what was right and wrong. Breaking this engagement was the Pei Family's ancestors' prayers. So, please, Young Miss Carna, don't mention it again and disgust me further. When I felt disgusted, I even feared myself for what I might do."

She was starting to grow irritated. Breaking the engagement was a minor issue, but these folks kept on looking for trouble as a result of it. They kept on mentioning it. Weren't they tired of it already?

Were they going to mention the engagement at every banquet the imperial family would hold?

Tsk!

Just because they value that pathetic excuse of a crown prince didn't mean she and her family felt the same way.

How ridiculous!

If they were talking about the imperial uncle, Terra might feel a little reluctant to part ways with him--- just a little. But they were merely referring to a common fish that could be found all across the ocean. What was so appealing about it?

Olivia was dumbfounded and didn't know what to say. But, as the crown prince's wife and future empress, she had to defend him. She caught a fleeting glance at the crown prince and noticed his face distorted into an awful scowl. "The crown prince is the son of heaven, the future of our empire, and he will also represent our empire once he steps into the Earth realm," she quickly said and sighed, "Please, Young Miss Pei, show some decorum."

He hadn't even won the competition yet, but Olivia was already predicting that the crown prince would win and enter the Earth realm.

Terra simply shrugged. "I'm just stating facts; and would I say those words if you hadn't come here to spout nonsense?"

"I... I," Olivia opened her lips before closing them helplessly, "I only... I only wanted to ask for forgiveness," she said and smiled bitterly, "If Young Miss Pei thinks I am being unreasonable, then I apologize for bothering you."

Olivia bowed down once more. Then, she dashed towards the crown prince, as if she wouldn't survive if she lingered in front of Terra any longer.

The Crown prince, who was staring at Terra venomously, held and consoled his woman. The ministers near him didn't say anything, but they offered the couple sympathetic looks.

That was the daughter of the Pei family. Elder Leo had only recently arrived in this empire, yet the imperial family was already making the Pei Family their adversary. They were wise and knew not to get entangled in the conflict between these two entities.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness," Olivia murmured in Crown Prince Ace's chest, "I wouldn't have gone to Young Miss Pei if I had known she would speak words of disrespect to you."

"You don't have to apologize," Crown Prince Ace remarked, gently patting Olivia on the back. His eyes were dark as she looked at Terra, who was now conversing with her maidservant, before returning his glance to his beloved woman. "The Pei Family has been arrogant; you don't know this because you aren't involved in the court, but Terra has never been interested in me," Crown Prince Ace clinched his teeth in annoyance. He couldn't help but think about the times he and Terra had constantly met.

Terra would gaze at him indifferently every time they met. Then she would deliver insincere praises. Afterwards, she would ignore him if no one was looking. He realized then that the woman had never liked him or put him in her eyes. As a result, despite his Imperial Father's continuous reminders, he chose to indulge in debauchery.

He was the future monarch, the crown prince. Why should he make a concession to his subject's needs? Just because the Pei Family wanted their spouses to be chaste, he also had to be one?

He sneered.

Utterly ridiculous!

Why should he be satisfied with only one woman as the future monarch? Since time immemorial, emperors have been surrounded by 3,000 concubines. He didn't want to be the lacking and unlucky one!

"Your Highness is mighty and handsome, the one who would rule the world," Olivia blushed and fluttered her eyelids. "The young miss of the Pei Family had no eyes if she didn't like you."

Crown Prince Ace's mood immediately improved. His smile, which was meant to be kind and consoling, had become arrogant.

Just as he was about to spout some gibberish, a eunuch hurried into the hall. Panicked and sweating, the eunuch crouched and yelled, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! The Northern Palace!" he choked out as he cried, "The Northern Palace is on fire!"