👑 HYPERTENSION 👑

“Oh yes, horse riding, she’ll be riding on a horse to hunt tomorrow, we haven’t taught her that yet…

“She doesn’t have to learn that if she’s going to get disqualified”. The Emperor cut Kai off and he nodded slowly staring at rejoicing Jade.

Jade couldn’t stop dancing as she instantly turned and waved at the Emperor and Kai. Kai clapped happily for her while the Emperor only ignored her wave walking away, ans Jade’s smile dropped.

“Did i loose count again? Or I wasn’t supposed to $h00t fwo at once?”. Jade mumbled as she watched the Emperor leaving, then Kai walked down to her.

“I see you keep shocking us with your improvements. Good job”. Kai said patting Jade’s hair and she nodded sharply smiling proudly at herself, till she caught a glimpse of Asa also in a training garment, though as usual hers were more fitting to her ki||er shape and her hair packed in a tight ponytail surprisingly she had no adornment on it, making Jade wonder if tomorrow’s contest was that serious for a whole classy icon like her step sis to not consider adorning her hair.

Asa frowned at them, her bow tightened in her grip before walking away.

“Are you sure there’s nothing between you and her? She seems really pissed watching you pat my hair”. Jade suddenly winked at Kai who blinked in confusion as he turned to see what she meant only to see Asa’s back view already going into a corner, and he immediately faced Jade.

“Go to bed. That’s all for today”. Kai said before walking away, not making it seem obvious that he was going after Asa.

“That’s all for today’s training?”. Jade mumbled to herself as she began leaving the field, but saw some girls at different angles of palace training fiercly under their chieves command and Jade gasped seeing all of them in yellow uniforms, even Asa had earlier worn red.

“This is crazy! How come I’m the only one on blue? Plus the chieves never train so much especially towards midnight. Is something big going to happen tomorrow?”. Jade asked as she watched some girls that she knew were as lazy as her train with so much zeal that make her cringe with fear.

Then she saw some girls done with training and were heading towards the dorm for a nap, she quickly ran to them to block them.

“Hectic training I guess…

Jade wasn’t done speaking when the girls rolled eyes at her and made to walk away but Jade ran to block them again.

“Please just hear me out–

“What?! Be quick not everyone’s jobless like you!”. One of the girls who happened to be named Cara said and Jade blinked at her rudeness.

“Job-less?”. Jade replied cluelessly and second girl Maya scoffed.

“Aren’t you? Aside from running after the Emperor and stealing from the royal kitchen what else do you know best?!”. Maya snapped.

“No-like-i mean. I just wanted to ask a question cause I’m very curious–

“Why would a witchy Emperor’s mistress be curious? Didn’t you get enough information from him after spending so much time together?”. Cara said and Jade’s eyes widened.

“Night? You meant the hours he used teaching me characters?—

“You keep acting so clueless which annoys us all! Then onthat day you show your devilish powers like you did at the marlet and when Demons invadedthe palace! Stop trying to fool us it won’t work!!”. Maya cut her off.

“You both sound like you have something against me? I can’t even ask a single question?”. Jade muttered frowning and the girls rolled eyes scoffing in annoyance and soon Maya moved closer pushing Jade by the chest making her stargger backwards, luckily the girl didn’t use her spiritual powers only normal girly energy.

“Hey! The other contestants been asking when you’ll drop out of the contest, tell us let’s tell the them, we’re all curious”. Maya asked with a sudden cute look, but Jade didn’t reply her.

“You’re the youngest amingst us here, cause your agemates have been eliminated already. Why not just give up now, huh?”. Cara added not bothering to fake a smile.

“I made a mistake by approaching you two”. Jade replied turning to leave but Maya got angry kicking her back and Jade landed on her stomach on the ground.

“Don’t tell us you think you’ll be promoted to any other position in this palace! You’re just a mere mistress and doesn’t deserve more!! What’s with all you lowlives woth dirty blood being all high and mighty?! I mean your mother was a mere slave! You’ve broken her curse by becoming a dirty mistress and segz toy for the Emperor isn’t that enough?! You still want more?! Why?! Cause Shenghai mistakenly gave you some mysterious powers you clearly don’t deserve!!”. Maya yelled in annoyance and immediately Cara ran to pull her back.

“I know you’re mad, chief fury compared you with her, but we’ll get in trouble if this continues”. Cara said but Maya rolled eyes.

“I just find her greedy! She’s already a mistress so why compete and make our chances of winning slim?!”. Maya snapped and Jade stood up staring at her as she dust her clothe.

“Train more if you see me as a thr_@t, you witch!!”. Jade snapped back and Maya’s eyes widened.

“Did a-mere slave’s daughter just call me a witch?! Mina was right. They won’t know their place till you put them in it!”. Cara scoffed also.

“Place?! Your ugly father doesn’t own anything in this palace so we’re all equals fighting for the same thing here!!”. Jade snapped loudly and immediately Maya slapped her across the face.

“That should help you think before

Maya wasn’t done when Jade slapped her twice accross the face and her eyes widened.

“You wench!!”. Cara and Maya yelled at the same time as they both charged towards Jade who fought them back also, the three girls grabbing each other’s hair very tightly and shouting out at the same time.

Mina was walking towards them, seeing them fighting she smirked and walked away.

FEW MINUTES LATER…
COURT ROOM..

All the contestants were present as the three girls knelt before the throne awaiting the Emperor’s arrival, Mina stood right next to Jade smiling creepily. She had actually gone to report, Jade on the other hand was fidgeting with her fingers on her knees, not like she was scared but she just couldn’t calm down.

‘Everyone’s been so intensed lately, what if i end up being bullied on again? Just a simple question and this two witches ganged up on me, are the finals tomorrow? Why are they all being so extra tonight?”. Jade thought in her head.

“We shouldn’t have fought with her. She’s the Emperor’s favorite and our fathers has been suspended from court so no one to plead for us”. Cara said and Maya sighed troubly.

“We can’t get disqualified just when the….

“All heads bow as the Emperor the ruler pf the tenth province comes into the court!!”. The royal announcer announced and the Emperor walked into the court in full anger as everyone including Jade quickly bowed their heads, walking straight to Jade he used his shealted sword to hit her hard on her back and she fell to the floor, making the other girls eyes widened.

“You were supposed to be at your chambers, but instead you got into a fight?!”. Emperor Damien shouted and Jade quickly stood up.

“I…I didn’t start the fight! I just wanted to speak with them–

“On your knees when you talk to me?!”. Emperor Damien said and Jade confused on his sudden rage went back on, only to receive another hit on her back from him.

Asa faced Kai in confusion, while Kai only sighed from where he stood behind the Emperor.

“If there’s one thing I h@ťě is fighting. And I won’t condone that!!”. The Emperor said boldly giving each and every contestants a sharp glare that made them, the two girls Jade fought with were shaking madly awaiting for their turn.

Jade’s mouth suddenly began bleeding and in annoyance she cleaned it.

‘Like i look like their pawn! Do they have to vent all anger on me, they’re expecting me to look pitiful?!’. Jade shouted in her head, and Emperor quickly turned to her, seeing his glare on her Jade’s eyes widened as she instantly stood up from her knees causing mumbles.

👥 She keeps fumbling

👥 Let her just die already, tomorrows fast approaching!!

Everyone gossiped h@ťěfully and Jade instantly knelt back down.

“I was too terrified that’s–why I stood up–i apologize–

Jade wasn’t done when the Emperor began approaching her and she stood up in fear.

“Just please keep your distance–my mind won’t stop jumping”. Jade muttered in fright as she shifted backwards, while the Emperor kept walking to her in full rage.

“Your-majesty!”. Kai called but not too loudly so as not to get ki||ed Asa began trembling from where she stood.

‘They’re all the same! Looking for a way to eliminate her before tomorrow? I don’t want to believe the Emperor thinks like Mina cause I h@ťě what I’m seeing’. Asa thought as she began chewing her fingers nervously.

“Come here”. Emperor Damien said to Jade who kept shifting back.

“Jade are you deaf?!”. Emperor Damien called and Jade began approaching him but stopped halfway.

“I’ll accept wh@ťěver punishment you give us–but just stay away from me first, you have the same angered look everyone else is wearing in here, I don’t know what i did to deserve this amount of h@ťě, but–I really won’t tolerate anyone treating me unfairly, i have never and I won’t”. Jade replied with glassy eyes, but she refused releasing her tears and everyone gasped loudly.

👥 Did she just challenge the Emperor?

👥 Just because of her once in a lifetime on and off powers she thinks she so strong to speak to the Emperor in such tone.

👥 One reason why you shouldn’t give your slaves so much power.

“Guards!!!”. Kai quickly called and two guards quickly ran into the court.

“Take-her away! She direspected the Emperor and derserves to be purnished!!”. Kai said, hurriedly thinking its safer for her in the dungeon than getting tortured by the Emperor here and immediately the guards took her away.

Emperor Damien on the other hand now had a calm face on, his angry gaze completely gone as he stared outside the court door where Jade had just been taken out of. He sighed and faced the remaining two girls.

👥 Kai’s a ki|| joy!

👥 Gosh! The Emperor also hesitated in ki||ing her!!

👥 What the hell just happened.

“You’ll be hunting not with anything else tomorrow, but sticks and stones”. Emperor Damien muttered in a low voice before walking out and immediately everyone gasped.

👤 More wins for us then!

👤 I feel the blind girl got the lightest punishment even after insulting the Emperor!

👤 Sticks and stones? The worst punishment.

<HANI’S CHAMBER>

“No! Pack that instead! The bow looks more presentable than the others”. Hani frowned at her roommate who happened to be someone of lesser family status to her.

“Good Yeri. Analyse the arrows once more, and keep in mind that a win for me, is a win for you too. I wanted to make Giselle a concubine once i become the Empress but you can just take her place since she isn’t here anymore”. Hani said and the girl’s eyes widened.

“Really?!! Thank you so much Hani you’re the best!”. Yeri said arranging more stuffs into their sacks. For some reason everyone are to come with the weapons they’re farmiliar with so as to increase their chance of winning.

“Now that someone’s in the dungeon– i think I’ll focus only on Mina and that foxy Asa tomorrow”. Hani said and then a knock came on the door, which Hani went to answer.

“I was told to give this to you, young mistress”. A guard said and Hani took the long wooden packed from him. She took it in it and opened it, seeing the customized bow and arrow she smiled widely.

“Father sent this! I won’t be loosing then. He always consumes this with a lot of spiritual energy from his past wars, i have a good feeling about tomorrow”. Hani smiled widely caressing the present.

<DUNGEON>

“Like i birthed myself. Why would mother even birth me and die so soon?! Leaving only me here is the greatest mistake of her life! I’m so upset–and hungry also!”. Jade pondered gripping her stomach as tears formed in her eyes, but she was too stubborn to let it fall.

Then Kai arrived, with two huge pots of food opening the cell he dropped the pots and came out.

“Asa made them for you. You should eat and stop disturbing other in mates”. Kai said before walking away and Jade rolled eyes at him, before looking at the pot used to make the food and stood up angrily, running to the cell door.

“You mean he banned me from his kitchen and let Asa in?!! Kai!! Kai come back here!!!”. Jade screamed at the top of her voice.

“I wanted her to eat, so I tought telling her you cooked it was a bad idea”. Kai said to the Emperor who stood few miles away from Jade’s cell, before turning to leave and Kai followed him.

NEXT DAY
<YONGXI ARENA>

The whole arena was filled with lots of people many cheering for their daughters. Many women already fighting over whose daughter was going to win.

The suspended ministers sat with their families instead of their private spot close to the Emperor, the Queen Mother sat close to the chieves and the Emperor’s look alike stood behind her in a guard uniform pretending to be her guard.

The Wang family had a straight face on each rooting for Asa, as they felt Jade was just lucky and doesn’t deserves a better post, while Lady Wang would be more arrogant and ruthless to them back at home if Mina mistakenly becomes the Empress.

“Now let the contestants come in!!”. The announcer announced and immediately the girls in their respective rank uniforms, with Asa, Hani and Mina coming out first in their red outfits all without makeup or any flashy items, then others followed and people who were expecting Jade sighed out in relief.

And the announcer and army took their positions in arranging the first game of the day, arrow $h00ting.

“I thought she was going to use those mysterious powers of hers to outshine my daughter”. Mistress Yeri sighed in relief and Nazia held her hand.

“Don’t worry mother. You’ll be more than a mistress soon, trust Asa”. Nazia said and her mother smiled.

Meanwhile Jade was already on her way to the arena, with guards following her from behind, cause of the food she ate she looked completely bright and energetic then she bumped into the Emperor and Kai who were going also, the Emperor looked stunning in his golden warrior robe, she didn’t waste anytime before ignoring them and making to leave.

“You don’t have to put your all in the contest. You still remain here with us even if you loose”. The Emperor suddenly said making Jade stop on her track, not turning to face them she spoke.

“You’re telling me to be contented with being a mere mistress? So your future empress and her concubine turn me into their personal slave?”. Jade said and the Emperor walked to her, turning her to face him.

“Keep the position aside, it’s the only way for you to survive”. Emperor Damien said and Jade shook her head, staring at him.

“No. I’ll survive only when I become the empress and make everyone who looked down on swallow their words, i don’t care if they try to come after me”. Jade said before turning to leave but the Emperor took her wrist pulling her back, he pressed a cylinder wooden stick in her hand.

“Throw it in the sky if you need help”. Emperor Damien said and Jade gave it back to him.

“Give it to Asa instead. Since the only that can enter your kitchen now”. Jade mumbled before walking to the arena with the guards.

“She’s so childish”. Kai scoffed.

“Keep an eye on the Queen mother and report to me, about any sly move of hers”. The Emperor said before going into the arena and immediately everyone’s head bowed in greeting till he walked to his seat, and sat.

“Each of our 55 contestants should go take their stands in front of each bull’s head postal”. The announcer said and everyone took their stands, most people from the crowd were already grumbling about Jade’s presence even most of the contestants threw her dark glares as most even almost targeted their arrows at her in most occasions, but change to the postal, as they awaited the huge call.

Jade didn’t take her personal bow and arrow with her like everyone else, so she just took the othe one the soldiers offered to her.

Taking her stance she spaced her legs like the Emperor, had raising up the bow and arrow her hand began shaking cause it was even more heavier than the ones she practiced with.

‘My god, who did I really offend’. Jade thought in her head as she was literally almost dancing trying to stand straight and everyone broke into laughter while Kai face palmed himself, she was still shaking when the Emperor stood up picking his own royal bow and arrow from his desk he them at her which she instantly caught and he went back to sit down after making everyone speechless in shock, Mina in anger scoffed as she almost broke her arrow stick.

“That’s your phoenix bow your majesty”. Kai whipersed to the Emperor.

“She’s also a phoenix”. Emperor Damien replied.

“You said taking care of her last night would be easy Danxu”. The Queen Mother said to the Emperor’s lookalike behind her.

“I did, but when I arrived her chambers she wasn’t there, only for me to find out from some contestants gossips that the Emperor threw her in the dungeon”. Danxu said and the Queen Mother’s eyes widened.

“Do you think he found out and just fooling us all this while to gather more evidence?!”. The Queen Mother asked worriedly and Danxu rolled eyes.

“Like he’s Shenghai, even Shanghai doesn’t know it all”. Danxu said and the Queen Mother sighed deeply.

“Now at the count of three you all are going to $h00t your arrows at your target, first twenty girls to hit the bullseye five times will be qualified for the next round!!”. The announcer said and both the Emperor and Kai exchanged glances.

“Did you later tell her two comes before three?”. Emperor Damien asked Kai.

“I taught her addition and subtraction so she’s supposed to know–i think”. Kai muttered and immediately the Emperor shook head returning his gaze to the large field.

“Now position!!”. The Announcer said loudly and all contestants including Jade higher their guard. Jade had a very serious look on her face, standing like an experienced archer as she glared with one eyes close at her target.

“On the count of three! One–Two—

The announcer wasn’t done when Jade fired her own arrow.

“No oo!!!!!”. Kai screamed loudly hitting his hand on his head and the Emperor just rubbed his palms over his face sighing like he knew she would f-__-k up again.

Everyone became quiet in awe as Jade looked around cluelessly seeing the Emperor and Kai’s face.

‘Can’t believe I mixed up the numbers again’. Jade mumbled in her head in disappointment.

“And we have our first winner, of the first round, Jade Wang!!!!!!!”. The announcer announced and a huge cheer came in the crowd, shocking both the Emperor, Kai and Jade.

“What?!!”. Mina and Hani gasped at once.

“Huh? Me?”. Jade gasped.

“I think the announcer has gone blind–

Kai wasn’t done when he saw Jade’s burning bull postal.

“She was supposed to $h00t the arrow arrow ten times at the bullseye, but instead activated the phoenix fire in the arrow you gave her to win all at once?”. Kai gasped in shock.

“She’s lucky she didn’t get disqualified”. Emperor Damien sighed in relief calming his heart that almost jumped out of his head.