The Cruel Emperor's Ambitious Lover

There were two realms, the lower realm and the upper realm. The lower realm consisted of three major continents, each governed by their respective monarch. The Dong, Bei and Xi regions.

Due to a series of recent events, the emperor of the Dong Region had passed away, leaving behind the mourning empress, the crown princess and two other children.

One of the secrets that the Dong Region held concerned the empress and Crown princess. Both had never been seen by the public eye, and the few times they stepped out from the palace, they were seen wearing long opaque veils that masked their appearance.

Even inside the court, they would wear the veil. Nobody had known the reason behind this, many would gossip and rumours would speculate that they hid their faces because they were born with a disease on their face or that they were just too ugly to be seen! Nonetheless, the people would have to keep quiet now, since the Empress would soon take over the Emperor's role.

[Dong Palace]

Inside the crown princess's residence, a pair of small hands were calmly toying with a handheld mirror. A gloomy atmosphere was present, and suffocating all those who sensed it. Jiutian Li quietly looked at the mirror, deep in thought. Her cheeks and eyes were red, evidence of crying. Yue Xiu reassuringly placed her hand on Jiutian Li's shoulder.

"mistress, the emperor would not have wished for you to be in such state. Would you like me to bring you some sweets to soften your mood?" Yue Xiu was heartbroken to see her mistress in her current state. She looked so vulnerable and miserable.

Setting down the mirror, Jiutian Li suddenly hugged Yue Xiu.

" Yue Xiu, I know. I am only embarrassing my father, he raised me to be a m.a.t.u.r.e and intelligent woman, me sobbing and complaining will get me nowhere!" letting go of the smaller girl, Jiutian smiled brightly.

"M-Mistress, I recommend you do something to occupy yourself with. In order to clear your mind of any negativity" Yue Xiu suggested, stuttering due to the sudden action lead by Jiutian Li.

"you're right! And I know just what to do!" Yue Xiu blankly stared at her, knowing exactly where the conversation was leading to.

"what are you hoping to achieve now, mistress?" she asked.

"I'm going to conquer the Bei and Xi Region!" Jiutian Li declared with a certain glint in her eye.

If she could, Yue Xiu would have had a heart attack right now. This was far too preposterous! Did her mistress have no shame?! To declare that she would take over the entire lower realm, was a dream far away from anyone's reach, but for Jiutian Li to say it like it was a walk in the park, was absurd.

"mistress, I know you love setting yourself such ambitious goals, but this one if the most ridiculous one yet! The previous ones were tame, but this could actually get you killed! Please mistress, for the sake of the empire, especially the empress's heart! I advise you to not do this one!!" Yue Xiu pleaded anxiously.

Fear coated her eyes and worry laced her words. Jiutian Li simply turned away from Yue Xiu and walked out of the room.

Yue Xiu panicked but stood her ground, she was only her mistress's personal maid. Though they had been friends since young, even her words could not change her mind.