She is a nightmare

"Do you know why the port is so crowded today?" Sarah asked the boatman.

The boatman shook his head in grief, "Disappointed with the country, they are leaving to find a new home." The boatman replied.

"Why leaving the country?" She asked after seeing a huge crowd.

"King Yafei monarch is over, a wicked queen has taken over. Nobody is happy with the new ruler, that is why everybody wants to leave." He responded and left with his paddle to the boat.

After squeezing through the crowd, she finally found the boat. She gave the money to the merchant and collect the goods. People were screaming and pointing at the ocean. Sarah turned her head to look and saw two boats capsized and people were struggling to swim back to the port. It caused a huge uproar.

She ran to the edge of the bridge to help to carry them up from the ocean. Sarah bent down and gave them her hand, "Hold on my hand!" She yelled. A lady grabbed her hand. She uses all her strength to carry them up but then, she fell into the ocean. Several men who can swim jumped into the ocean to rescue them.

Sarah screamed for help and waves her hands. She slowly swims towards the pole of the bridge and wrapped her hand around the pole, struggling to breathe. She became panic when she saw a few corpses floating in front of her.

The horseman walked towards the bridge to look for her. After a while searching for Sarah, he found her clinging to a pole. He jumped into the ocean and swam towards her to rescue her.

Moon appeared glittering in the dark sky, surrounded by sparkling stars.

In Ningbo, the prime minister returned to his manor and ambled towards the dining room. Beatrice flashed a smile at her husband and she wrapped her hands around his arms to escort him to the dining table. She sat next to him, using her chopsticks to pick up some dishes and put them in his bowl. "Try these fishes, took me a whole afternoon to marinate them and steam them."

The atmosphere in the dining room is quiet, and Beatrice felt awkward. She looked at the prime minister. He was in a sombre mood and bitterness crept into his face.

"Do you not like any of this food here?" Beatrice asked.

He laid his chopsticks on the table, stood up and left the dining room.

She frowned and sighed in disappointment. After spending the entire afternoon preparing the meal, he never bothered to take a bite.

Prime Minister prowled into his study room and summoned his butler. The butler came into the study room. The prime minister gave him a box of gold bars, "Please deliver this box to my son."

Butler looked at the prime minister. His face filled with worries. Butler became concerned and asked, "Master, are you alright? Your face looked pale."

Beatrice stood outside the study room and placed her ear near the door to eavesdrop on their conversation.

The prime minister responded, "Queen Aliyah had restructured our country. Everyone above 15 years old will be arrested if they are jobless. My son is only 15 years old. I wanted him to focus on studies, but with the newly implemented rules, I am afraid he will have to work now."

Butler nodded in understanding, "I will leave the manor tomorrow in dawn to meet her ladyship."

The prime minister grabbed the butler's arm, "Please stay with and look after my wife and son."

Beatrice felt guilty when she realized she had become a home-wrecker. It was Queen Aliyah that persuaded them to get married to a high-ranking official and convince them to divorce their wives.

Meanwhile, the minister of treasury and Donna having dinner together at their manor. He was also in a sombre mood. Not talking, only eating.

He walked towards the Pavillion to watch the moon. Donna asked her servants, "What is wrong with him today?"

The servant responded, "Lady, Master is having a lot of trouble with work."

She walked towards the Pavillion to accompany her husband. Looking at her empty hand, she go back to the dining room to bring some alcohol for him.

She overheard her servants gossipping about Queen Aliyah.

The maid informed the butler, "I heard Queen Aliyah is cheating on King Yafei."

The butler asked, "Is this for real?"

The main nodded, "Yes! When King Yafei found her on the bed with another man, she stabbed the king with a sword."

Butler gasped in shocked, he asked, "How do you know?"

The maid sighed, "My uncle told me, the queen instructed him to burn his body."

Both of them jumped in shock when they saw Donna, she dropped the plates and knelt to apology for her mistake. Donna asked, "Queen Aliyah really cheat on King Yafei and kill him?"

They both just kept quiet.

When the sunrise, Madam Huang, Jamie, Ella, Beatrice, and Donna visit Sarah when they found out from their servants that Sarah nearly drowned in the ocean.

Madam Huang hugged Sarah, "Sarah, what happened to you?"

Sarah in a soft voice said, "I went to collect some fermented stakes and vegetables to prepare for you all. In the port, I saw two boats capsized, and I tried to save them. I ended up fell into the ocean."

Madam Huang gently stroked her face, "You are fine now. Thank God!"

Sarah looked at Madam Huang, "Do you know many people were trying to leave the country because they do not like Queen Aliyah? They called her a wicked queen. Those people that I was saving are the people who are trying to leave the country by boat."

Ella spoke up, "I was in the military camp yesterday. Queen Aliyah instructed my husband to arrest King Yafei's concubines and daughters. They are now suffering in the military camp. I saw the men stripping them naked and..." Ella sighed in frustration.

Jamie voiced out, "I was in the gate yesterday. Queen Aliyah gave an order to depose King Yafei's sons and have them beheaded in public. I saw the crown prince died in front of my eyes. It was a horrible scene."

Beatrice looked at everyone, "My husband got upset after he and his wife separated. Queen Aliyah made us a home-wrecker! Not only that, do you know that all Ningbo citizens above age 15 years old cannot be jobless? The magistrate will arrest them and sentenced them to jail. My husband wanted his son to focus on his studies, but now, it's impossible."

Madam Huang said, "I visit the poppy plantation and the production of the rolled tobacco. These people had dark eye circle, blisters on their hands, and they were having difficulties in breathing. Apparently, Queen Aliyah drugged their parents. They will suffer massive pain and need the painkiller to ease their pain."

Donna informed them about what she heard from her servants, "My servants were gossiping about her. She is an honest lady. I wasn't sure, but since all of you have revealed that Queen Aliyah is so cruel, then the rumour must be true."

Madam Huang asked, "What rumour?"

Donna replied, "Queen Aliyah cheated on King Yafei. When he found her on the bed together with another man, she killed him and burn his body. That is why the king had gone missing."

They became afraid of Queen Aliyah. From that day onwards, they visit temples regularly and copying scriptures to repent.

Days drifted into weeks, then months.

The sun is about to set in Shilla. General Li raised the bowl of alcohol to his lip. While he was sipping, troops stood up slowly. "No way! What is going on?" General Li turned his head to look. He gasped in shock when he saw thousands of people marching toward the border of Shilla, just like a colony of ants.

Their woven shoes are worn out, sweats drenching on their face, their clothes are covered with mud. They knelt before the troops of Shilla. "We are coming from Ningbo. Coming all the way here to seek asylum from Shilla."

General Li looked at them, they were weary, hungry, and thirsty. Sympathizing towards them, he quickly instructed the troops to bring them to rest at the camp. The troops help to carry their belongings and children into the camp.

General Li ran to the stable and get on his horse. The horse heading straight to the Imperial Palace. King Liam is having a meeting with the ministers at the inner court. He requested to meet King Liam, urgently. He barged into the palace when the attendant summoned for him. Bowed at King Liam to give his respect, he highlighted the situation at the border to the ministers and King Liam. "Your majesty, the citizens from Ningbo are currently flooding the border. They are here to seek asylum." Everyone in the court noticed a troubled look on his face.