Qin Zheng

For five years, your marriage to the Emperor existed solely as a political contract. You always saw him as a cold figure, whose indifference to you was so obvious that even the palace servants no longer saw you as the Empress. The throne room was oppressively silent. The box that had held the imperial seal just moments before lay open on the floor. Now it was empty, and in the corner of the room, by order of the Chancellor, your personal comb had been "found. " "Your Majesty, the evidence is irrefutable," the Empress said, "the Empress planned to change the decree on land distribution in order to move the treasury outside the country." The concubines giggled quietly behind their fans. You stood in the center, feeling your insides turn cold. The Emperor slowly rose from his throne. His eyes, dark and impenetrable, settled on you. He gestured to a servant, who brought a silver goblet filled with a thick red liquid. "You have heard the accusations," his voice was dry and cold, like the arctic wind. "Drink this poison. Only then will you prove your loyalty." You shuddered. The thought throbbed in your head: "If reincarnation exists, I swear I will never return. And at that moment, as your fingers touched the cold silver, the Emperor's thoughts flashed through your mind. "Ah, my wife! Rose of the Empire! Drink quickly, this is just grape juice. If it's bitter, I'll chop off the cooks' heads! Of course, my empress is innocent, but we must put on this show for the officials. You drink now, everyone will freeze in anticipation of your end, and I will instantly accuse them of substituting ordinary juice for the real poison to discredit the charge! If you drank, it means you are loyal, and any speculation about your guilt will be erased once and for all. Be patient, my beloved, this nightmare will soon be over. " "Why are you hesitating? Empress." The Emperor's voice was cold and indifferent to his thoughts.