All she could think about now was that she was doomed.
The King of the Western Regions noticed her strange expression. Remembering the princess's special instructions and the experiences of the previous concubines, he strode towards the side hall.
However, after searching the side hall, he didn't find the person he was looking for. He felt irritated and stared at the people following him.
"What on earth is going on? Why isn't Concubine Rui here? Didn't you say she was here before?"
Concubine Ning was extremely cautious, afraid of angering the man in front of her.
She could only point in another direction.
"Concubine Rui was arranged in the room at the end. Your Majesty, you'd better not go. That room hasn't been lived in for a long time. Your Majesty is of noble status. How could you condescend to go there?"
Her words of dissuasion finally stopped because of the King's steps.
"My decisions can never be stopped by you. Mind your own place, or next time I won't be so lenient with you."
Hearing this, Concubine Ning's face turned ugly. She had no choice but to follow him to the room at the end.
Just as they saw a snake slowly wriggling its body at the door of the room, the King of the Western Regions stepped forward and calmly crushed the snake to death with his foot.
"It seems that I've been too lenient with you all. The princess said before that Concubine Rui's bedroom hadn't been cleaned yet, so she was arranged to stay here. I never thought you were such a venomous woman. I didn't bother to care about your previous attacks on the ladies - in - waiting and the like, but how could you target Concubine Rui? She is at least a concubine on equal footing with you."
Saying this, the King of the Western Regions walked into the room. He hadn't seen the whole picture of the room from the outside before. Now, when he was inside, he realized how dilapidated it was.
Concubine Rui was huddled in a corner of the bed, wary of everyone who came.
"Get out, all of you. I... I..."
The King of the Western Regions didn't know why. At first, he had only brought her back to find an opportunity to deal with the Great Liang. But now, seeing her huddled there like a frightened rabbit, his heart ached.
And his actions proved his thoughts.
Before his mind could react, the frightened woman on the bed was already in his arms.
Concubine Rui couldn't hold back her tears any longer and burst into tears.
"I knew it. I knew Your Majesty would never abandon me. Your Majesty, why did you come so late? Do you know that they've been bullying me? If you hadn't come, you might never have seen me again."
"Alright, alright. I'm here now. Without my permission, no one will ever hurt you again. I'll always protect you."
After hearing the last sentence, Concubine Rui fainted.
When she woke up again, there were continuous quarrels in her ears.
"Your Majesty promised before that you would let me handle these matters."
"I did promise, but I never thought you would let your people go so far. Go in and take a look for yourself. Concubine Rui has almost lost her life. Fortunately, I got there in time, or she would have died from the poison by now."
The princess didn't take this matter seriously at all and still boasted shamelessly.
"Isn't she just a concubine? Is she really that important? She was a widow before. Does Your Majesty really want to punish my people for that widow?"
"Has the princess forgotten? All the concubines in the harem are your people. Concubine Rui is the only one in the harem who is on my side. Have you really forgotten the surname of the royal family of the Western Regions?"
Seeing that the King of the Western Regions seemed to be serious this time, the princess still found a way for him to save face.
"Concubine Rui can stay in the harem properly. I have a request."
"Since when do you get to make requests of me? Princess, have you forgotten that it was your family who begged for you to marry into the royal family of the Western Regions?"
All the unbearable memories from the past were awakened at this moment.
The princess gritted her teeth. When she was young, she had been deeply in love with the King of the Western Regions. But this man only cared about fame and fortune and had used her many times to gain benefits from her family. There had never been any place for her in his heart.
When he was young, there had been someone else in his heart. She had directly exposed the two people who were in love with each other at that time.
That was when she had fallen ill and could never have children for the rest of her life. That was also the reason why she had placed her own people in the harem to prevent any disloyal person from getting pregnant and plotting against her.
The princess trembled and almost couldn't stand.
"Your Majesty, so many years have passed. I've received my due punishment. Can't you let it go?"
"How can I let it go? Your family's brothers insulted the one I loved most to death, but now they're living well and getting promoted step by step. Do you think I can just let it go like this?"
The princess's expression was a bit struggling. "But even so, Your Majesty, you shouldn't be infatuated with such a person. She was a widow before. It will really damage your reputation."
"I don't care about those vain reputations anymore. If I can't even protect the one I love, what's the meaning of those so - called reputations to me?"
As he insisted so firmly, the princess heard the groans coming from inside, and their conversation suddenly stopped.
The King of the Western Regions quickly walked in and helped the person on the bed sit up.
"Are you alright, my love? How do you feel? If there's still anywhere you're uncomfortable, I'll invite the imperial physician to check your pulse again."
Concubine Rui looked extremely weak. "No, I'm fine. After this rest, I've almost recovered. Since Your Majesty is here now, please send me back. After all, it was the princess who said that I should stay there. I can't go against her order."
Hearing these words, the princess was almost furious.
"Concubine Rui is really as skillful as ever. I never thought you would use the stratagem of feigning weakness. But it's just right. Your Majesty just falls for this. You're really good at sizing people up. No wonder you could thrive in the harem of the Great Liang."
"I don't know where I've offended the princess that she would use such vicious words to accuse me."
"You! How dare you say that again? Who are you calling vicious?"
Concubine Rui shrank fearfully into the King of the Western Regions' arms.
"Your Majesty, I really don't know where I've offended the elder sister that she has so much hostility towards me. I should have known that I shouldn't have come with you. I might as well have just died in the Great Liang."
Tears welled up in her eyes instantly, which stunned everyone. The maids couldn't help but admire her.
The princess had finally met her match. They would have a better life from now on.