Two figures, one tall and one small both stood facing each other in a room. The small one was crying while the tall one was only looking at the small one's tears drop one by one.

Lan Ling brushed off the crown prince's tears and kissed his cheeks that were blush red.

"Why did you have to kill her? She was kind to me."

The crown prince complained to Lan Ling with tears and almost choking on his saliva.

Lan Ling hugged him and patted his back to calm him down.

"She is a ... she has gotten too close to your highness. Your highness is young. Your highness is not aware of everything that goes on in the palace yet. Also, your highness cannot shed tears for a woman as you will lead this country later."

Lan Ling kept patting on the crown prince's back until he calmed down. She was about to say something just when the crown prince pushed her away and distanced them. Then, he excused himself with his tear-covered face and left Lan Ling's room.

Lan Ling looked at her jade-like hands. She had killed a person and it was the daughter of the palace's head of the kitchen. She had secretly added more fuel to the fire and poured thin pieces of oil leading from the kitchen to the log room.

She locked the kitchen head's daughter in the log room when she was going to get some logs. That was how she killed the girl.

The girl was a threat.

If she had not taken a liking to the crown prince, then she wouldn't have lost her life. Within a few days, she was able to receive the crown prince's affections.

The crown prince is too young to notice the intentions of a young maiden. Even if he starts to hate and detest, let him as much as he wants.

Lan Ling closed her eyes and looked outside the window.

"To my future."

Looking up at the moon, she cheered and drink the tea by herself.

After finishing the tea, she called for the maids to prepare a cold bath. Without questions, the maids followed her directions.

Lan Ling took off her clothes and dipped herself into the ice-cold water. This won't be the last time she'll have to "cleanse" herself.

Under the cold water, she did not come back up until an hour later.

------

Just like that, the fire accident was something already long in the past. But the killings continued, sometimes with or without the crown prince knowing.

By the end of the first year of their marriage, anyone that had close contact with the crown prince all disappeared without a trace. The wishful thinking servants and maids were all replaced with new ones too.

Today, Lan Ling invited the crown prince to take a look at the cherry blossoms together in the palace's garden.

Just as they were making their way there, a person ran towards them and fell onto the crown prince.

"Ah!"

Grabbing the person's hair, Lan Ling pulled them away from the crown prince. She made sure the crown prince's clothes were not dirtied or wrinkled.

"How daring of you!" Lan Ling furiously yelled to the person. 

"This lowly one is her royal highness, the empress's servant. Please pardon this lowly one." The maid sincerely begged.

Examining her, the maid appeared to be either 12 or 13 years old, meaning she could have reached puberty already. Seeing the maid wearing a pink robe that was too small for her, revealing her two-round meat buns.

Lan Ling snickered.

As the maid continued to bow up and down, one of her developing breasts slipped out of her robe.

Seeing it, the crown prince's face turned red like blood. He quickly looked away. 

To go this far, even Lan Ling didn't expect this maid to have the courage. She planned to get rid of this maid today after finding out that this maid continuously approached the crown prince with desserts for the last two weeks. 

"Haha."

With a laugh from Lan Ling, the atmosphere turned eerie.

All the servants there lowered their heads in silence. They made sure that no sound, even the sound of them breathing, could be heard. They knew exactly what their crown princess was going to do. They have heard all the rumors about her temper and how evil she was. Some of them have also experienced her fury.

The servants could only pray silently in their hearts for the dimwitted maid, knowing that she wouldn't be left alone.

If only someone could save her. But who will? The maid held nothing back and decided to gain the crown prince's attention with her plump figure. She was daring, too daring! Even as servants, they were ashamed of the maid.

"How dare an insignificant maid make its way here!" Without a second wasted, Lan Ling spoke and rubbed her head as if she was stressed. "Haha, I really applaud the head maid's decision in choosing newcomers."

The maid sent weak and helpless gazes to the crown prince who refused to make eye contact with her.

With a shocked face, the maid realized her failure. She heard the rumors, but she thought she would be an exception. She was beautiful, literate, and skillful. How could they do this to her?

Tears fell out from her eyes as she pleaded, "Please spare me. I was wronged, I was wronged."

"Take her away," Lan Ling spared no efforts in sparing the maid. She only pulled the still red-faced crowned prince away.

As they walked, Lan Ling said, "If you always get red when you see a woman, then you should never look at other women except for me."

The crowned prince silently nodded and followed Lan Ling beside her.

When there was no reply, Lan Ling turned away and continued to walk towards the palace garden.

Just then, the crowned prince spoke, "Don't... don't hu--"

"She cannot be spared," Lan Ling cut him off, "If you are always so forgiving towards others, they will take advantage of you."

With that, the crown prince bit his cherry lips and went silent.