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"Madame?"

"It's Empress Dowager to you!", replied the servant before whacking the Princess Consort with a wooden rod.

She cried from the pain which only made the servant smile with glee. Gearing up again, she struck the helpless concubine even harder this time, leading her to suppress a gasp.

Maybe if she stayed silent, the Dowager would lose interest and go away.

After a few moments, she stood up, but the servant pushed her down to the floor yet again.

"Kneel before your queen," related the former Queen to the Eighteen Princess.

The Conqueror's Sister internally bristled, but on the outside, she politely supplicated and offered up a smile of gratitude.

"Thank you for correcting my behavior," she remarked.

"You were in the wrong," admonished the Queen Dowager's servant.

Returning her face to its original position, she surmised that the Queen Dowager held no real power here. The servants only amused her delusions of grandeur, tolerating her presence as the mother of the Fourth Prince. Tucking away the observation, she appeared obedient, offering no resistance for further beatings.

Other servants slowly came out of the shadows, shocked that a noble lady so readily accepted an uncalled for beating.

However, they had no idea what she had planned.

If the former Queen saw fit to these whims, then she would hold onto the person who could protect her the most.

The Fourth Prince, her son.

Back when they laid the Jin Dynasty Emperor to rest, her brother had been worried over the fight between the Sixteenth Prince and the Twenty-First Prince, otherwise known as the Other Prince. Shortly thereafter, he ascended the throne with support from the military, a compromise of sorts that placated both sides at court.

However, only a few knew who arranged the compromise on the throne.

Soon enough, the 'Empress Dowager' would learn not to mess with that person.

Heading back into her quarters, she sighed once she felt that the backside of her top was completely in tatters. She jumped up, startled by a palace lady that let herself into the tiny room. Bowing, the Palace Lady introduced herself and asked permission to apply salve on the wounds.

"I would be most grateful," she politely answered.

Gently tearing off the rest of the clothing at the back, she dipped a wet cloth in liquid and pressed it to her backside.

Refusing to shriek, the Princess stood perfectly still, a doll in concubine's clothing.

"You know, if you want to seek protection from the Dowager, the Fourth Prince is not your best bet," muttered the Palace Lady as she sowed the ripped parts of her tunic back together temporarily. A new tunic would have to be ordered from the seamstresses at the palace, but for now, this would do.

"Oh. Why would you say that?", asked the Princess Consort, mildly curious now.

"I've seen that look in your eye. You may be wanting her comeuppance but be aware it won't come at her son's hands. Only the Masked King dare defy that lady in this palace. He's your best bet," she replied back.

"You're implying I want vengeance?", she mused. Chuckling, she laughed off the accusation.

"I mean no harm. Since childhood, I've been quite good at reading people and think that you're better off not wasting your time with the meek Fourth Prince, instead go straight to the source."

The Princess Consort leaned into the Palace Lady, and boldly responded, "What about the rumors that he's offed all his concubines?"

The Palace Lady snorted. "That man kills first, asks questions later. Should he want someone dead, they'd be dead. He wouldn't wait till the middle of the night or hide his tracks."

"Let me guess, your observation skills again?"

Then, the other woman sighed. "He may have a beastly nature, but that's all due to his horrible upbringing. It may not excuse it, as I'm sure we all have tragic backstories in one way or another-yourself included."

Thinking about the Conqueror, the Princess Consort stated, "Well he must protect the ones he loves at least."

With a melancholy tone, the Palace Lady said, "I don't even think he loves himself, let alone others."

"Everyone loves themselves at least, right?"

After digging into a living corpse, the enemy soldier dropped to the ground with a plunk. A graze split his right thigh in two, leaving the Masked King with more pain to hide behind the adrenaline rush.

Bleeding, he paused for a moment and lay on the hilt of his sword, exhausted from fighting.

Rejuvenated after a quick rest, he went charging through a barricade, slashing angrily at several men resulting in killing them all with several strikes.

"You must stop," advised the Eldest Twin Bodyguard, grabbing his King by the wrist and looking deep into the wounded warrior's eyes.

"I can't...the battle..."

"It's been several hours and you're still at it! There are other soldiers who can fight...", started the Youngest Twin Bodyguard only to stop once he saw the King's glare.

"I must continue," he stated, panting heavily from blood loss.

"You're going to die at this rate," mused the Eldest Bodyguard.

"Isn't dying on the battlefield glorious?", joked the King before heading back into the military tent. There had been an ambush at the border camp, and he had...well, he couldn't think straight now.

"We need a King," stated the Eldest Twin.

"Preferably one that stays alive," joked the Youngest Twin.

Taking a gulp of water, the King spat it out on the eunuch serving them, and said, "Hear that Premier. Is that loud and clear enough for you?"

"Sire," pleaded the spy.

"I was made king by the decree. Would you tell him that, please?", he taunted. Snapping his fingers, he motioned for the talkative bodyguard to escort the eunuch away, leaving the eldest in his place.

"Be cautious," said the Eldest Bodyguard.

"Or what?", the King replied. His long hair came out of his braids while he berated over the fact that whole court turned against him now that he's achieved success.

"They're just ungrateful, are they? And they certainly don't remember the decree, do they? Because I have to remind them every...stinking...five...minutes!"

Pulling the curtain of his tent back a bit, the Masked King realized it was a full moon outside tonight.

"I would have forgotten were it not for you," he mused to the Eldest Bodyguard. Turning around, he asked, "Is the trap set? And is the security tight around the palace?"

"Yes, Sire," the bodyguard answered with a slight bow.

"Excellent," he muttered. Rubbing his hands together, he said, "For the third full moon..."

"There is a banquet the Premier is hosting."

The King swore but resigned himself. "Well, I have to stay out of the palace during the full moon anyhow. Let's visit the Duke and request a painting of the newest concubine."

"Sire, what about the Eighteenth Princess?", inquired the bodyguard.

"The Conqueror's sister? Well, the security will take care of her."

"Is using her as bait for the murderer not too drastic..."

His eyes lit up with fury as he shouted, "What else would you have me do? That killer has already murdered countless concubines with no trace to be found and everyone suspects me of foul play. Whatever happens, she's at risk either way. This ends tonight if at all possible."

"As you wish, Sire."

The King sighed. He added, "The Duke...well, he might be having a few drinks tonight so let's go before his wife can't stop him from drinking the spirits out of his shoe."

"I'll inform the palace you are staying for dinner," said the Bodyguard before exiting curtly. The King glanced around the border camp tent before whispering,

"Hopefully, this will not be yet another funeral painting."

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Author's note: I've never watched Moon Lovers, the Korean adaptation of Scarlet Heart Ryeo, or the original Scarlet Heart Ryeo. Only just now seen edits of it. I was not inspired or influenced by that series at all. This is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast/Bluebeard set in Ancient China. Now that I have read the synopsis, I have concluded this is not that story at all. If you're a fan of those shows/the book, you might recognize some tropes. However, I did not write this story as a fanfic. Anyways, heard this OST the other day, and liked it.