1 This wasn’t supposed to happen...

Consort Yan sat on the cold cement meant for prisoners, with a hand covering her mouth.

"How did it come to this?" She asked herself.

She looked up at her very first crush. She loved him, but there he was now with a menacing look on his face.

"Bring it in!" Emperor Ai called.

Yu Yan watched as a couple of men came in bringing a box. She always believed the best in him. She tried to but was failing. His Majesty motioned for the guard to let her hands go.

"Open it, Consort Yan."

Her fingers brushed over the surface. She was scared of what she would find inside. Yu Yan slowly opened the box, but suddenly screamed and backed away. She sobbed into her torn sleeves.

"Father, Brother, Sister." She whispered. "Why? Why would you do this! What went wrong!?" She screamed through her tears.

"Wen Li didn't deserve to drown in your hands!" He shouted.

"I'm so useless." She murmured. Then suddenly she pulled out her hidden knife and pierced her heart. "In my next life, I won't love you again!" She said breathing her last breath.

—————————

She slowly opened her eyes. "Wasn't I dead?" She wondered. This was her third time traveling back. In her first life, she had fallen ill and not once did His Majesty visit her. In her second life, she made it her goal to win his heart by trying to break down every bit of separation they had, but instead, she died by his hands. But now she had a new chance to make things different.

"Mei!"

Immediately a girl rushed into the room.

"Miss! What's wrong!?"

Consort Yan grabbed Mei, her servant, and non-blood-related sister's sleeves.

"What year!?"

"Miss... the year is 1849. It's been a month since you married His Majesty."

Yu Yan groaned. Last time she was brought back to the alter. But now she couldn't stop the marriage since it was already a month.

"Miss is everything okay?"

Yu Yan hugged Mei deeply. "Everything's alright now." She smiled. Last time Mei had sacrificed herself to help Yu Yan. She was going to protect everyone in the Yan family.

"Prepare some clothes!"

Consort Yan knew that today the maid was going to meet His Majesty. She also knew that he was going to fall in love with her at first sight. Yu Yan knew it was best that the maid was in her debt before she met His Majesty. She quickly headed out and soon stumbled along Concubine Ru punishing the maid, Wen Li.

"Stop!" Yu Yan called. Concubine Ru turned her head.

"I'm just punishing a maid for spilling the tea on my clothes."

"Please excuse her." Yu Yan kindly asked.

"I will since Consort Yan asked me to." She smirked, "His Majesty ignored the porridge you gave but loved my tea cakes."

Yu Yan didn't care, after all His Majesty was not her problem

"Since His Majesty loves them, continue serving him because that's our job!"

Consort Yan could see Consort's Ru speechlessness. Before she had always lashed out at her whenever Consort Ru mocked her, but now Yu Yan ignored her and pulled up the maid's arm.

"What's your name?" She asked even though she had already known.

"Weng."

"That couldn't possibly be your real name?"

"It-it's Wen Li!" The girl flushed, "Thank you, Your Highness, I'm now in your debt."

"I don't think that being here would be a good place for you. I'll move you to a different garden to avoid these troubles again."

"Thank you, thank you!"

"I guess His Majesty was right about one thing, that you are pure and innocent." She whispered.

Consort Yan knew that she had stopped Wen Li from meeting His Majesty that day and promised to give Wen Li a chance to meet His Majesty later. She smiled and headed off to the Garden of Fragrance. Yu Yan saw Mei just come back and waved towards her.

"Mei, what happened?"

Yu Yan had assigned Mei to meet up with His Majesty and intercept him.

"Rrr... Miss," Mei said unsure.

"Just tell me."

"I told His Majesty that I was grabbing a coat for you, and His Majesty turned the other way and left!"

Yu Yan felt a dark bitterness in her heart, "he hates me that much?" she thought.

"It's okay Mei, I don't care."

Yu Yan turned around and saw a large crowd gathered around a tree with a cat perched on top.

She was quickly able to jump to the top of the tree. She was taught this technique by her father. Yu Yan clutched the kitty softly in her hands. From below she could hear the maid's and Consort Lu say, "Your Majesty."

Yu Yan accidentally squeezed the kitten tightly in her hand just at the sound of his name. The kitten scratched her. She was shocked and stumbled backward. She was waiting for her body to finally impact the ground. Yu Yan opened her eyes and stared at His Majesty's face.

"Your Majesty, thank you."

Consort Yan quickly turned to leave not wanting to ever see his face again.