ARC 2-7: MY HANDSOME KING

CHAPTER 7: To Our New Collaboration

In situations like this, where women must show off their talents, the first person to go has the most pressure.

They must set the bar.

Therefore the first to go is usually the least talented. That way as the competition goes on, the most talented person will shine, making things more entertaining.

So it was natural that no one wanted to be picked first.

The King randomly looks around. He knew who's daughters were lacking, and who's excelled.

Still, for some reason he had a sudden urge to choose the woman sitting in the back, with her green dress. "You. You can start us off."

Zia was shocked silly.

Me!?

This wasn't apart of her plans, however to continue with the world's plot, she must perform badly.

The only problem is...

She couldn't even if she tried!

The Overseer is perfect in everything. How can she perform badly?

But if she doesn't, then the event she described to the general may not happen!

Zia sighs, controlling her facial expression, keeping an elegant and poised smile on her face.

"Of course, your highness. It'll be my honour." She bows properly and takes centre stage.

Everyone was looking at her.

She could feel their judgemental stares, their prickly glares, and even some infatuated ones.

Still this moment was peculiar.

If the people were following the world's plot, then this shouldn't even have happened.

She was an inconspicuous character.

So how could she have been called out?

Zia didn't have anymore time to think about it. She ignored the attention and tried to think of something she was bad at.

Of course this was impossible.

The King's voice suddenly rings out. "What's your talent, dear?"

Zia unconsciously responds. "Guqin."

She just said the instrument the fl would later use.

Oh no!

Her eyes widen with alarm, and before she could change her mind, the King had already spoken.

"Someone bring out the guqin!"

The instrument was placed in front of her.

She could see the ridicule in everyone's faces.

Zia sighs looking at the instrument.

What to do?

She bows and plucks the strings carefully.

At first the melody was stable, so beautiful and enticing. People were enchanted. However after a couple of notes, she suddenly snapped the string, causing her finger to bleed. "Oh no. It seems I'm not as skilled as I had thought." She reveals an embarrassed smile.

The people who were on cloud 9 for just those few seconds listening to her music, all frown.

Was she really that unskilled?

Well whatever.

Some people only sound good at the start but would progressively worsen.

No one thought too much of her. Afterall she was irrelevant.

Zia smiles with relief as she takes her seat.

It wouldn't be hard to surpass that performance.

The world's plot shouldn't have deviated.

Something was wrong...

However she didn't know what it could be.

Naturally things progressed as she had expected.

Performances were getting progressively better and better, until the number 1 most talented girl in the room was performing.

She was unmarried. Her background scholarly, however weak compared to other scholar families.

This was the woman the general was supposed to keep an eye out on, and he soon found out why.

She had just finished her zither playing, and everyone seemed to be drunk on it.

They didn't want her to stop.

She shot the consort a smug look, looking proud and mighty. Her eyes revealed the greed she had within them.

She coverted the throne. She wants to be in consort Gu Ran's place.

She wanted to impress the King!

The woman bows and accepts the praise and rewards from the King. However she suddenly spoke up. "Your highness, may I please ask for a favour for performing so well?"

The King scratches his chin in thought. "Very well."

She smiles maliciously. "We've all heard about your virtuous new consort! I wanted to invite her to the stage, to allow us to witness her performance! It truly would be an honour."

This woman was very conniving.

If she truly was the number 1 most talented woman, then performing after her would make any good performance lacklustre.

Essentially not only would concubine Gu Ran lose face, but she would also make the King lose face. Making her position in his heart sour.

Unfortunately for her, she had miscalculated.

For this concubine was the fl.

Naturally the King knew the risks, and he wasn't willing. However before he could deny the request, the chatter of the people entered his ears.

He realised he had already agreed to her request. Not sending out the concubine would mean he would lose even more face.

With a reluctant nod, he allows his new bride to go out on stage.

This was a humiliation.

As married woman no longer needed to participate in such events. Afterall they were already taken. If they did, it would count as showing off, and lower their status.

Concubine Gu Ran was outraged, but hid it well.

Then she performed exactly what Zia had described to the general

Everything happened according to her words.

Not a single detail deviated.

The general had no choice but to believe in Zia.

She was a true fortune teller.

Not a scammer.

Finally the ball was over.

The King was very happy with his bride. Her position rose in his heart as it was supposed to.

Zia remained relatively alone. She didn't talk to anyone, didn't forge any new connections.

And perhaps that's why she didn't draw any attention or had any malicious experiences.

Just as Zia boarded her carriage, she realised something was off. Her driver wasn't her driver.

However recognising his face, she immediately knew who he was.

He was one of the general's people.

It seems he was eager to speak to her.

The driver took Zia to the general's abode.

He lived simply.

His estate was as large as any noble family's would be. However the decorations, the furniture, everything was very low key.

Zia smiles when she enters the general's common area, only to see him sitting by the fire place. He gestures to the seat across from him, pouring them both some tea.

As soon as Zia was comfortably seated, he spoke. "I believe you."

Zia smiles knowingly. "Of course you would." She sips her tea.

He watches her swift movements. Looking for something else in her smiling carefree face.

He found nothing.

He leans back in his seat. "So? What now? Will you finally tell me what you're after?"

Zia nods. "Of course. General Elil, you will die in 6 months."

The general's eyes widen ever so slightly at her words. "What do you mean, 'I'll die in 6 months'?"

"It's exactly as I have said. You will die in 6 months. The King will become paranoid. The next empress will take over the throne, and wanting more military power, she will plot against you. Eventually you will be framed for treason, and beheaded." She finishes with a sweet devious smile.

He now knew why he had to be convinced of her abilities first. Because if she had said this to him so suddenly, he would've called her a mad man and have had her killed.

Still, he found this information hard to digest. "The King is my friend. I trust him with my life. Are you sure that what you see is true?"

Zia nods without any doubt. She knew of his intense loyalty, which is why she was so mad when she saw the King kill him.

The King was a fool.

The general swallows the bitter tea down his throat. He wasn't very happy with this information. "Why tell me this? What do you hope to accomplish by doing this?"

Why?

Zia has a simple answer. "I want to save you, and one other person."

The general was still confused. "Save me? Why would you want to save me? Why go through all this trouble?"

This question made Zia laugh uncontrollably.

Why?

She rests her chin on her palm as she stares deeply into the general's chiselled face.

Actually she wasn't sure why she was trying so hard to do any of this.

She was bored.

This was undoubtedly her motivation.

This honestly was all a whim to her.

However now that she's here experiencing the worlds, she's realised just how much she has missed out on.

Food, human interaction, monetary goods.

These things that she was experiencing for the first time was better than trying to fix the world's plot itself.

Well perhaps she'll think differently if she actually succeeds this time.

But this to her was all a game.

Like a sandbox little children could play in.

Something to relieve her boredom.

And it was working marvellously.

Did she need another reason to save him? She didn't think so, and so she responded honestly. "Because I was bored, and I really liked you alot. This world is boring without you. Having you die is really just immoral."

The man nearly choked on his tea from her answer.

She's bored?

She likes him?

What???

He was confused, but seeing her innocent sweet smile he decided not to pry. It doesn't seem like she'll tell him anything she doesn't want to.

The general clears his throat to ask, "Then who's the other person you want saved?"

Zia leans back in her seat. "That is why I came to you first. I need your help to save the other guy. He's the court doctor. The imperial doctor. He's famous, stoic, innocent. A amusing character. But he dies earlier than you. The imperial palace is messy behind closed doors. He'll start to become close to the empress, and then when her rival schemes against her, the empress will be forced to discard him, lest she gets dragged into the scheme. He'll be executed, just from association to the woman. So unfair!"

Zia's eyes twinkle with a strange innocence, however her smile was really evil. She was plotting something real good, in that head of hers.

The general sighs. "Is it doctor Sabin?"

Zia nods.

He sighs. "I see. He's helped me before, I'll be happy to help him."

Zia was ecstatic. She just knew she would succeed! "Haha great!" She lifts her tea cup. "Here's to our collaboration!"

She doesn't wait for him to respond as she downs her cup.

His food was great. She steals a biscuit from his plate.

She bites into it.

*crack*

Delicious.