The Emperor's Prisoner
Episode 8
Plaque!
One slap hit the cheek of a 7-year-old little girl. But the little girl was silent and her gaze was blank. There was no look of pain visible from the face even though his cheeks were reddened by the slap marks from the middle-aged woman in front of him. He also did not make any screams or cry.
“I told you to do the right thing!” snarled the middle-aged woman. “I never raised a useless child like you,” he said again with anger. He looked at the woman. The woman slightly shuddered as she looked at the cold and sharp look in her eyes. The dim, jet-black bead reminded him back to his memories of the past. The shadow of someone appeared in his head. His eyes stared at the girl in front of him. Hatred and anger also grow. “Don't look at me like that! Those eyes ... the eyes that ruined my life!” her hysterical screams threw one slap and another slap on the girl's cheek. But the girl did not flinch until she collapsed.
His frail body was curled up on the cold floor. Her severed and torn clothes showed many scars and bruises all over her body.
The woman screeched and left the girl behind in a stuffy and dimly lit room. He closed the door and locked it from the outside. While the girl felt her eyelids getting heavier. His consciousness slowly dwindled longer making his eyes tightly clenched.
“Li Jihyun,” exclaims someone calling his name. There was a familiar voice that he had longed for. His eyelids twitched. “Build! Dad's been waiting for us to have breakfast,” again the sound is heard and this time it's getting clearer. He opened his eyes and was surprised to see someone in front of him. “Defend! Brother will always be by your side,” she said as she rubbed her hair gently.
Li Jihyun shook her head. I don't feel her tears. Just about to be hugged suddenly his body slowly disappeared. “No! NAY! DON'T GO!” his screams instantly woke up with a loud roaring breath. “It turns out to be a dream,” his murmur is frustrating. His hand touched the rest of the tears on his cheek and rubbed it roughly. Why is my life unfair? Do I not deserve to be happy? Why was everything I had taken away? it chuckled slowly.
...
The drought in the border region is now well resolved thanks to Li Jihyun's solution. Since irrigation canals are built and trees are well planted the problem of drought is not a disaster. Although there are many budgets used to build irrigation canals. Thanks to it, people can use enough water for their daily needs. In addition, the roots of the trees that grow bind every source of rainwater makes the soil no longer cracked. Even now it has become fertile and not arid. The problem of hunger is well resolved. The air was cooler than before. The people were grateful to the Empire for overcoming the problems it faced. But no one knew that the solution came from a captive concubine.
While the meeting in the hall the ministers did not stop worshipping Long Jian who managed to overcome the problem of drought. Long Jian who was sitting on the throne chair smiled faintly. He was satisfied to see the performance Li Jihyun performed successfully without any obstacles. Only Zhang Liu had a flat expression. The bespectacled man repeatedly exhaled a heavy breath.
“All the people of the empire thank you,” said one of the ministers. He was Fang Hua, the defense minister of the eastern faction. The horde of western factions stared cynically at Fang Hua. Both factions are hostile. If the eastern faction supported Long Jian then the western faction was exactly the opposite. They were the remnants of the previous imperial vassals who had survived thanks to Li Jihyun's sacrifice. Actually they were ready to die for the sake of defending the empire but Li Jihyun persuaded him. He didn't want to see people around him die again.
The western faction obeyed Li Jihyun and gave her support. Although she was not an imperial family but she was the daughter of a genius prime minister and a person that the western faction could entrust to avenge. But the strength of the western faction was so weak that Li Jihyun could not escape the status of a prisoner of war.
“Minister Gong Jihon seems like it was the idea of Miss Li Jihyun,” whispered the minister from the western faction to her friend named Gong Jihon. The white-bearded man and 60-year-old who was older than the other ministers nodded his head in agreement. He had known Li Jihyun since childhood. The notoriously smart girl could always solve problems without obstacles. The empire was helped a lot thanks to Li Jihyun's cleverness.
“But why did Miss Li Jihyun help him?” asked Gong Jihon rubbing a beard. The other ministers fell silent and stared at each other.
“Miss Li Jihyun must be up to something. He cannot betray us,”, he said who was carried in unison by other ministers. I believe the girl is doing something amazing. He would definitely not let the person who destroyed his family live a quiet life.Inner glanced at Long Jian who was sitting in the singasana haughtily.
“As emperor it is my duty to prosper the people,” the boisterous voice of the minister is heard. Once again Zhang Liu sighed while massaging the temple that arrived painfully.
Said duty? And thanks to that girl we were able to get through the crisis easily. It's not just a rumor. That girl is a true genius. It was only fitting that Long Jian made her a concubine, inner Zhang Liu.
“But there is something I have to say,” the boisterous atmosphere was suddenly silent. The ministers listened carefully. “Concubine Li Jihyun will be appointed grand concubine in the near future. Anyone who dares to oppose will face death,” he said.
The atmosphere of the eastern faction in an instant rumbled. They also sound noisy. But the ministers of the eastern faction did not dare to protest at the emperor. They are afraid of facing death threats.
The western faction was surprised. It was unexpected that Li Jihyun moved quickly. Gong Jihon smiled proudly. Now the western faction did not place any more suspicion on Li Jihyun's loyalty. They were also happy for Li Jihyun who managed to occupy the highest position in quick time.
Zhang Liu who witnessed the difference in reaction from the two factions smiled. So the girl supported the western faction, her inner staring at the contrasting western faction in the hall.
....
“Miss Li Jihyun! Miss Li Jihyun! There is important news!” yona screams ran over to Li Jihyun who was sitting on the terrace sipping tea.
He placed the cup on the table as Yona stopped right in front of him. His breath gasped and sweat poured down his forehead. Li Jihyun's forehead shriveled in astonishment. “What happened to Yona? It is still morning but you are already noisy,” Li Jihyun said coldly.
Yona immediately bowed. “I'm sorry miss. But there is important news to be delivered from his highness the emperor.”
Li Jihyun's red-lipped smile. He sipped the half-cup tea. “So today has arrived.”