EMPEROR AND I

The palace

"Shénme?" The Grand Dowager stopped, shocked by the news she had just received.

"Forgive me, Your Highness." The Court Lady apologetically kowtowed.

"You are telling me that my grandson is disregarding the rules of the harem without my consent?" Grand Dowager Empress seethed. The inner court was her baby, she was the one in charge and what she said ran by.

It was forbidden for any servant to leave the palace before retirement once they entered. So what was this news about the emperor granting his entourage leave? The only leave that they could get was two days at the maximum and that had to be on good reason of a loved one being unwell or them pa.s.sing on.

"Could it be that there is a contagious disease within his entourage?" That could be a permissible excuse.

"No, Your Highness. The leave was granted based on the fact that his entourage had worked much for him."

Grand Dowager trembled a little, forgetting about her mission for the day. Shen Hong did it purposefully. He did not easily forgive, typical of him.

Her grandson was still unhappy about the meeting that was held in his absence. It was an immature ploy back at her to prove that he too could defy the rules and make the orders in the inner court where it was not his territory.

"Order all of his entourage back and have them go to YiYuan as soon as possible," she commanded furiously and briskly walked towards the Capital Bridge where Mo was waiting for her.

It was a beautiful afternoon with the sun beginning to set for the night. The air was crispy and refreshing because of the cascading river waving below the bridge.

A good decision to journey herself, considering she had freedom to do anything to her liking with the emperor in YiYuan. It was time like this that she could rule the palace on defect.

She fought back the temptation to give thought of what it could be like if this was forever. That meant her grandson had to... Disappear.

Hmm, no.

Seeing Mo waiting for her on the bridge brought Luo Meng back to mind. If Luo Meng knew who he was and what he meant to her, he could serve her faithfully. What could be more powerful than blood? Blood was thicker than water.

She had ordered that they release Mo from the Punishment bureau since Luo Meng had decided to abandon her. She needed someone to help her carry out her plans. Mo had once worked for her well until he messed up on one of his missions thus exiling him from her quarters to the Punishment Bureau.

That is another thing she would miss about Luo Meng. She trusted that anything she asked for, he would carry it out exactly how she wanted it, with no mistakes, despite his disability.

Grand Dowager Empress wondered if he would betray her since he knew too much, but then, it would be futile in causing damage to their plans. What Luo Meng knew was their past strategy to propose a concubine from their clan and have Shen Hong not find Elora at any cost, so with pressure here and there Shen Hong would end up settling for an empress from their clan. What a stupid plan it had been, deemed not to bare any results.

Mo courteously bowed before her, and behind him an old woman wearing filthy clothes stood in awe of the older empress.

"Your Highness, Mo has found someone to help in our plans," he grinned, glad to be of a.s.sistance. Maybe he could score a bonus for himself.

Grand Dowager Empress nodded.

"This woman was there when Elora came here to light the explosives."

"Is it?" Grand Dowager Empress scrutinized the beggar closely. "Do you know what the woman you saw wore?"

"Yes... Your Highness," she stuttered. Probably the first time she has come face to face with royalty.

"Can you describe it in detail so we can remake the clothes?"

"Yes. This servant could help to her full extent."

"Anything else you know that can be of value? We are searching for her because she has gone missing." They were always willing to be of help if you feigned to know and love the person.

The ruggedly dressed woman stayed motionless for a moment, entwining her hands in which she had one finger missing.

Such unfairness in life didn"t bother the Grand Dowager Empress. Life was like that. Everything unfair and nasty and all you had to do was survive.

The beggar looked up instantaneously with an aha moment then got overexcited. "The woman left behind a box with a letter. She kicked it away that same morning before leaving."

"Hao! That is great because now I am going to compensate you heavily, and right after you will leave this city. Understand?"

"According to Her Highness" wishes."
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This couldn"t get any better could it? Everything was falling into place just as it should. She turned around to Mo, "Now find me the man who delivered the box to Elora. I heard he is some merchant."

Luo Meng was lowly to disregard her for Huizhong. Someday he would regret it. He was going to cry for being an unfilial child who abandoned his mother. This was unfortunate because in her heart he meant a lot than any other left on earth. It would not be wrong to call him the apple of her eye.

"Mo, I also need you to look around for a physician that has once dealt with the condition similar to Luo Meng"s all around the Capital. Tell them that they will be bountifully rewarded, if they agree to see me."

Luo Meng was her son. Using all of her power she would implement all means to have him back in her hands, even if it meant resorting to the last option of telling him everything. How she lost him and managed to find him, though it was too late as he had already bore abuse that tormented him till now.

"Your Highness!" Her court lady intruded her from her thoughts.

"What is it court lady?"

"Word has come that Prince Kuan Hui is at the Rose Flower palace seeking for your audience, your Highness."

S.V