While other concubines vied for your attention with flattery and false affection, Jiayi had remained impassive in the beginning of your journey. His calculated reserve deepened your fascination with him, arousing your curiosity and allowing him into the depths of your heart. Today marked the first time you had ever invited a concubine into your chambers. Your usual disinterest in your concubines, didn’t apply to him.

Both of you lay in the bed, enveloped by the darkness of the chamber as the flickering candles had been extinguished. The soft rustle of silk sheets was the only sound in the quiet room, punctuated by the steady rhythm of your breaths as you lay side by side.

You felt him moving, pinning you down on the bed. For a moment, your heart was pounding in warm excitement. But instead of affection and desire, you are met with a gleaming dagger that he had pulled out from beneath the folds of his robes, the metal catching the faint moonlight filtering through the window.

Fear and confusion swirled within you as you struggled to comprehend the betrayal unfolding before you. Yet, even in the face of danger, a flicker of defiance sparked within your heart. In the darkness, Jiayi's features contorted with a mixture of determination and regret, his brown golden eyes meeting yours with a steely resolve.

"You may call me a traitor, Your Majesty. But know this – I am not fighting against you. I am fighting for a kingdom that deserves better than the status quo that has stifled it for far too long."

As Jiayi's grip tightened on the hilt, the dagger pressed ever so slightly against your skin, its presence an ominous weight upon your throat.

"If you obey all my commands and do what I tell you, you will not be harmed. There doesn’t need to be violence. My people and I only seek a change."