An imperial courier stood at my door with a summon in his hand, handing it to me. I took it unrolling the scroll immediately. It was from the emperor and he sought my formal audience in his throne room later today.

I lingered my skeptical gaze on the scroll and wondered about the importance of this summon. What could possibly be so crucial that he couldn't just let me know personally?

Bailing and I, along with two guardsmen walked the long corridors of the palace on our way to the throne room when I ran into princess Yu Yan in the halls.

I came into a halt just as I was supposed to give her my proper regard, but it seemed princess Yu Yan had more things to say than a simple polite greeting. She couldn't just go on without harassing me.

I prepared myself for the whirlwind of insults about to come. I think I lived in this palace long enough to know it's never a good thing when either princess Ru Shi or princess Yu Yan cornered me in one of these hallways. They were like cats chasing a mouse who would run around in a maze just to avoid them.

Princess Yu Yan prowled with an extra sway on her hip, her almond eyes rested on me with a malevolent gleam of triumph as though she couldn't wait to feed on my misery. She smiled, and I already knew to brace myself.

"I heard what happened." She purred. "I heard how much you upset Julong, how he caught you coming out of the emperor's chamber wafting with the fresh scent of sex. I also heard how you couldn't wait to fuck the emperor only a week after your husband was buried."

She stalked more to my side so her lips could hover on my ear and whisper lower than she ever did.

"They said you're a whore, you lured the three princes into wanting you by showing at their doorsteps with nothing but your nightgown on. You must be some kind of succubus disguised as a woman, Jasmine. Since you had all three princes wrapped around your vagina like starved sex slaves.

Tell me, Jasmine. Which one of the prince's fucks the best because I'm dying to know?" She tossed her head back in laughter. "I bet it's my husband, isn't it? I bet he's the one who fucks the best!"

I don't know, you tell me.

I bet he'd been in between your legs more than you can count that his seeds rot inside you right now."

"If I was fucking Julong as much as you said, I would have a dozen of children by now!" I hissed glaring at her flat belly. "His legs would be rubbery and he won't be able to walk because all I'm going to have him do is fuck me day in and day out until this palace is clouded with stench of our juices together."

I felt her hand slapped my face. "That's my husband you're talking about!"

I refused to apologize.

Princess Yu Yan sucked a steadying breath. "You're right, this kingdom needs an heir, and guess what? By the time he gets back, I'll be the one pregnant with his child!"

A dangerous snarl reverberated out of my chest, unable to contain my rage. I lounged for her, wanting to scratch her face, rip all the jewelry she wears, and strip her naked in the hallway, but my guardsmen were quick to snatch me back to my side and push the princess away.

This made princess's Yu Yan laugh. She knew how to get to me, she knew how to make me angry and she succeeded upon it.

"Oh, temper, temper, temper. I'm afraid scowling like that takes away from your beauty and you wouldn't want that."

"Jasmine, we must be on our way to see the emperor." Reminded Bailing immediately.

"That's right." Princess Yu Yan purred, "you don't want to be late, the emperor waits for his imperial whore."

I glared at Yu Yan as I pictured myself ripping her to shreds. I don't have time for this childish exchange.

Bailing rushed me out of the hallway and into another. "Ignore her, Jasmine. I know you're upset but you mustn't let her get to you. People like her feed on other people's misery. The more you react to her the more she's going to go after you until she drained and destroyed you and move on to the next."