The Sinful Young Master

Chapter 383: Second wife of the Emperor

Bahste remained at his desk, alone in the quiet chamber. His pleasant expression slowly shifted into something else—a smile that held no warmth, only satisfaction and anticipation.

Jolthar Kaezhlar was indeed interesting. Powerful, principled, dangerous. The kind of variable that could disrupt carefully laid plans.

And the dealings with the dark deity were just like another matter to settle on his desk.

Bahste had been playing these games for decades. He had outlasted emperors, crushed rebellions, and maintained order through combinations of brilliance and ruthlessness that most people couldn’t imagine.

One young baron, no matter how strong, was just another problem to be solved.

And Bahste Fatler was very, very good at solving problems.

*

The Sunlit Courtyard - Noble District

In a beautiful private courtyard attached to one of the palace’s residential wings, a very different gathering was taking place.

The emperor had many wives and concubines, and all of them had children. But not all of his children get the same treatment. Same with the women, too.

They all live in a majestic palace just behind the main imperial palace.

The Emperor’s harem consists of women from all parts of the realm. He had married only two of them, while most of them were just concubines.

Those two wives, the first one being Mandaqini and the latter, well, she was now sitting in this courtyard.

The Second Wife of the Emperor, Dayamathi Vroulan, reclined on cushioned seating beneath a pergola covered in flowering vines. She was perhaps forty, beautiful in a softer way than Empress Mandaqini, with dark hair and dark eyes. Where the Empress commanded through fierce authority, Dayamathi wielded influence through charm, intelligence, and a carefully cultivated network of loyal allies.

Around her sat several of the capital’s most prominent noble ladies, forming what was quietly known as the "Second Circle"—women of power and influence who aligned themselves with Dayamathi rather than the Empress.

Tea was being served, delicate pastries were arranged on silver trays, and the conversation flowed with the practiced ease of people who knew how to say important things while appearing to gossip.

"Have you read the morning papers?" asked Lady Verawati Akopa, wife of the Great General Akopa.

"The entire city is scandalized by Baron Kaezhlar’s victory over Princess Tamnarasi."

"Scandalized?"

Dayamathi’s smile was knowing.

"I’d say half are scandalized, and half are secretly delighted."

"Delighted that an imperial princess was defeated?"

Another lady, called the Night Lily of the Empire, Anchali Ch’alera, said with a nonchalant tone.

She possessed talents far beyond what most realized, yet to the world, she remained merely a lady of a lesser noble lineage. A pure innocent soul, friends with the second wife of the emperor.

But only Dayamathi was aware of what she was truly capable of.

"Delighted that someone finally stood up to the Empress’s intimidation tactics," Dayamathi corrected gently.

"Tamnarasi has terrorized half the empire with her Dreadmarchen. To see her defeated so thoroughly... well, it reminds everyone that even imperial power has limits."

Dayamathi had deep ties with the two ladies; one was the wife of a great general, while the other was the leader of the largest information network.

The women exchanged glances, recognizing the political subtext. Anything that weakened the Empress’s position potentially strengthened Dayamathi’s. But claiming that Tamnarasi had terrorized the empire’s citizens would be overly dramatic. Everyone knows that Tamnarasi did nothing wrong and it was the ministers who had made this matter rather complicated.

"The Empress must be furious," Lady Verawati observed.

"Oh, absolutely seething," Dayamathi confirmed with evident satisfaction.

"I heard she tried to send her second son to capture Baron Kaezhlar, but her elder son intervened. He was always the clever one among her children. And im sure he must have some kind of plan to get back at that baron."

She sipped her tea.

"They are in a complete mess right now."

"Which is exactly where we want them, distracted by internal conflicts."

"And your son?" Anchali asked carefully.

"Prince Dravius hasn’t been drawn into this?"

"Dravius is eighteen and wise enough to stay out of battles that don’t concern him," Dayamathi said with maternal pride.

"He’s been focusing on his studies and building relationships with the military officers. Let the Empress’s children fight with upstart barons. My son is preparing for a longer game."

Another lady leaned forward conspiratorially. "I heard Baron Kaezhlar is quite handsome. And he apparently has both Cleora Aravain and the Blue Rose Matriarch as his lovers. Is that true?"

"So the rumors suggest," Dayamathi replied.

"Which either makes him remarkably charismatic or remarkably foolish, depending on your perspective."

Her expression turned thoughtful.

"Though I confess, I’m curious about him. Any man powerful enough to defeat Tamnarasi and confident enough to defy the imperial court is worth knowing. Or at least worth understanding."

"You’re thinking of reaching out to him?" Lady Verawati sounded both surprised and intrigued.

"Perhaps," Dayamathi said.

"Not directly, of course. That would be too obvious. But there are ways to extend... let’s call it friendly curiosity. An invitation to events where we might meet naturally. Opportunities for conversation."

She smiled.

"After all, the enemy of my enemy, as they say."

"The Empress won’t like you cultivating a connection with someone who humiliated her daughter," Anchali warned.

"The Empress doesn’t like most things I do," Dayamathi replied with amusement.

"That’s never stopped me before."

She set down her teacup with delicate precision.

"Besides, Baron Kaezhlar has proven he’s not easily intimidated. That’s exactly the kind of person who might be useful to know as political landscapes shift."

The women continued their discussion, moving seamlessly between gossip about Jolthar, speculation about court politics, and updates on various noble house intrigues.

But beneath the pleasant social gathering was something more purposeful: a group of powerful women assessing how recent events might benefit their own positions and agendas.

And at the center of it all, Lady Dayamathi smiled her gentle smile and thought about how interesting the capital had become with the arrival of one young baron who refused to play by the expected rules.

The Empress had power and authority.

But Dayamathi had patience and cunning.

And in the long game of imperial politics, sometimes those qualities mattered more.

The afternoon sun filtered through the flowering vines, casting dappled shadows across the courtyard where plans were being made and alliances considered.

In different corners of Cahns’ar, different powers were moving.

And at the center of it all, walking through merchant streets with two princes, was the young man who had unknowingly become the focal point of so many schemes, hopes, and fears.

Jolthar Kaezhlar, who just wanted to build something good and protect the people he cared about.

The capital, it seemed, had other plans.