Chapter 814: Chapter 814: 814: Just Want to Be Loved_1

Concubine Ya quickly shook her head, with traces of tears marking her somewhat pale face.

Even her hair was somewhat disheveled.

Clearly she had not taken good care of herself for quite a while.

She wiped her eyes, choking back her tears as she said, “I am not here for that reason.”

“You’re not here for the war between Great Sheng and Silla?”

“No.” Concubine Ya said softly, “I am just a woman, and I only wish for a quiet and peaceful life. Having married into Great Sheng, I am a woman of Great Sheng. Matters of war are beyond my control.”

Jiang Ning asked with a smile, “Did you come especially to make amends? Surely not.”

“Ever since…”

Concubine Ya hesitated before mumbling, “Ever since that incident, the Emperor hasn’t summoned me for a long time… I want to explain, but I can’t even get a glimpse of the Emperor.”

Jiang Ning was utterly shocked.

She scrutinized Concubine Ya, trying to read something from her face.

But she couldn’t.

Loss, disappointment, and sorrow filled Concubine Ya’s expression and eyes.

Right now, she was just a woman who had lost favor.

The glory of her motherland, the vengeance for the murder of her brother, the imminent war between the two countries… none of these seemed to matter to her.

Jiang Ning suddenly realized that she had overestimated Concubine Ya, or perhaps, she had unnecessarily overcomplicated her perception of Concubine Ya.

She came here simply because she had fallen out of favor.

She wanted to regain the Emperor’s affections.

Jiang Ning kept silent for a long while before saying, “There have been Imperial Concubines who regained the Emperor’s favor after losing it. Everyone competes on their own merits. I’m afraid you’ve sought the wrong person by coming to me.”

“The Emperor dismisses me because I’ve done something wrong and hurt the Crown Prince’s wife. If the Crown Prince’s wife could forgive me, then perhaps, the Emperor might forgive me.”

Jiang Ning couldn’t help but laugh, “Don’t tell me you genuinely believe that the Emperor is ignoring you because I’ve lodged a complaint against you? Although I did lodge a complaint, such a trivial matter wouldn’t affect the Emperor’s decision.”

Concubine Ya looked confused, “But why…”

“Don’t you understand?” Jiang Ning said sympathetically, “You are a Silla woman, that’s your original sin.”

“But the Emperor used to…”

“Yes, the Emperor doted on you initially, but so what?” Jiang Ning scoffed, “Look at all the beauties in the harem who once garnered the Emperor’s fondness but were quickly forgotten. Which of them wasn’t exceptionally beautiful and enchanting when entering the palace, winning over the Emperor’s affections? You are indeed beautiful, but that’s all there is to you.”

“Why?”

“In the Emperor’s eyes, how could a mere woman compare to national affairs? Now that a war is about to break out, your status as a princess of the Silla kingdom is becoming meaningless.”

The edges of Concubine Ya’s eyes filled with tears after a moment of stunned silence.

With a bitter smile, she admitted, “I know, I was sent into the palace to curry favor with the Emperor, to try and maintain the relationship between Great Sheng and Silla. But…”

“But now that New Sea is dead, and Silla has actively initiated a war.” Jiang Ning murmured, “Admit it, in the Monarch of Silla’s eyes, New Sea is vital but you, the seemingly favored princess, you’re just a chess piece, disposable once your part is done.”

Jiang Ning further added, “If the Monarch of Silla cared even the slightest bit about you, his daughter, he would have taken your situation into consideration before initiating a war.”

Concubine Ya lowered her head, her long hair concealing her face.

She softly said, “Yes, you’re right… In Silla, I’m merely a disposable chess piece. In the Great Sheng Palace, I’m just a dispensable person.”