The grandfather nodded grimly. "The Emperor completely broke down over it. At his lowest, he had about seven concubines forced into his harem. And the darkest irony? A few of the times he was drugged and dragged to a concubine's chambers... the drug was slipped into his cup by the Empress herself, for the sake of the empire's survival."
Heena sat in stunned silence. The sheer psychological horror of that dynamic was staggering.
"Eventually, the Empress did get pregnant," the Marquis continued. "Her first child was a daughter, and the Emperor adored that little girl with his entire life. But the concubines grew jealous. They tried to assassinate the baby. To save his daughter, the Emperor snapped and completely butchered two of the highest-ranking concubines. Their families immediately rebelled, and the capital ran red with blood for months."
The old general looked at Heena, his weathered face shadowed by the carriage lights.
