Kieran entered the room, his face a mask of cold fury. "Guards, close the door," he commanded, his voice low and dangerous. "We wouldn't want the common rabble to witness this… family matter." He sat heavily on the edge of the bed, his gaze fixed on the kneeling Captain and the trembling Sixth Concubine.
He picked up the discarded sword, its polished surface reflecting the dim light. Turning it over in his hands, he spoke with a chillingly casual tone. "Perhaps… we should deal with my disloyal pet first, wouldn't you agree?" He trailed the blade along the Sixth Concubine's delicate neck, a thin red line appearing almost instantly.
The Captain, his voice filled with desperate loyalty, blurted out, "Your Majesty, it was my fault! I took the initiative! She is innocent!"
Kieran's smile was devoid of warmth. "My loyal Captain," he purred, his voice dangerously soft. "You have served me well. Many… things you have done for me." But his actions belied his words. With a swift, brutal motion, he sliced off the Captain's ear, the severed appendage falling to the floor with a sickening thud. "Run," Kieran hissed, his eyes like chips of ice. "Run as fast as your remaining ear can carry you." He then dismissed the other guards with a curt wave. "Leave us."
Unseen behind a heavy tapestry at the back of the room, Liana was intently eavesdropping. Suddenly, a voice whispered close to her ear, sending a jolt of surprise through her. "Who is this?" she muttered under her breath, annoyance coloring her tone as she turned.
Lord Wei stood mere inches away, his presence unexpected. Liana quickly lowered her head in a respectful bow. "Lord Wei," she murmured. "Didn't the servants escort you to your chambers?"
He regarded her with a knowing look. "You have already ensured His Highness is aware of his concubine's… indiscretion. What secrets are you seeking now, eavesdropping in the shadows?"
"Nothing, my lord," Liana replied, trying to appear nonchalant.
Without warning, Lord Wei's hand shot out, gripping her waist, pulling her close. A gasp escaped Liana's lips at the suddenness of his touch. He placed a finger to her lips, silencing her. "Quiet," he breathed, his gaze fixed on the scene unfolding within the room. "Watch."
Inside, Kieran had grabbed the Sixth Concubine by the hair, his voice a venomous whisper. "You have been lonely, haven't you, my dear? So desperate for affection that you would even seek solace in another man's bed." He leaned closer, his breath hot against her ear. "Don't worry. I will fulfill your needs… permanently." With a swift, merciless movement, he sliced her throat.
As the Sixth Concubine slumped to the floor, her lifeblood staining the opulent carpets, Kieran, with deliberate calculation, placed the bloodied sword in her lifeless hand. He then positioned her fingers around the hilt, making it appear as though she had wielded the weapon in her final moments.
From their hidden vantage point, Lord Wei whispered, "Cunning."
"Why?" Liana asked, her voice barely audible.
"This way," Lord Wei explained, his gaze still fixed on Kieran, "it crafts a narrative. A jealous rage, a desperate struggle in her final moments where she even managed to wound her attacker, the 'earless rogue.' It reinforces the story he will tell."
Liana turned to Lord Wei, a flicker of suspicion in her eyes. "Are you truly his friend?"
Lord Wei's gaze met hers, a cryptic smile playing on his lips. "Let that question linger for now. We have… unfinished business." He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a low, threatening murmur. "Wait until the climax of this little tragedy. Then, we will conclude our business."
Liana felt a shiver run down her spine, a mixture of fear and intrigue. "What… business?" she stammered, trying to maintain a semblance of composure.
"You will know… later," he replied, his eyes holding hers for a moment longer before returning to the scene inside.
Kieran, having staged the scene, opened the door. He addressed a nearby guard. "Spread the word. Madam was attacked and… defiled by a rogue assailant with a missing ear. A tragic incident." The guard bowed deeply and hurried away. Kieran himself then left the room, his expression carefully neutral.
Once Kieran was gone, Liana and Lord Wei slipped into the room. Liana's eyes immediately fell upon the Sixth Concubine's outstretched hand, clutched tightly around the bloodied sword, a gruesome testament to Kieran's manipulative storytelling. "Indeed," Liana murmured, a grim understanding dawning in her eyes. "He is cunning."
Lord Wei's gaze flickered towards Liana, a predatory gleam in his eyes. He reached out, placing the tip of a small, concealed knife against her back, his voice a low murmur. "Let it be. We still have… unsettled things to discuss."