The Employed Empress

There was a long pause. Followed by tremendous shaking of the ground. Several dozen of steady horses, who rushed in alarming speed, bang their hooves to the ground.

The noise woke up Wei Yi Yi in alarm. "Fire?! Where"s the fire?! Lan Zhuang, call the fire department right away!" She shouted half asleep.

Wei Yi Yi who was trying to stand up in bed slips on the bedding and fall directly to the wooden floor with a loud bang. She groaned in pain and hold on to her head like it would shatter any moment. With narrowed eyes, she peered at the unfamiliar ceiling and finally woke up to reality.

"Your Majesty!" Tang Mei, who came the moment she heard Wei Yi Yi distressed shouts, gasped. In but a few steps, she was already kneeling beside the Empress. "Are you in pain, Empress? Where does it hurt?"

"Don"t worry, I"m alright." Wei Yi Yi waved her hand and stood by herself. "What was that loud sound for?"

For a second, she thought it was the fire alarm that He Lian installed inside her room. Yes, her best buddy decided that the most strategic place to put a fire alarm is in her very room. That how much "trust" they have in her in regards to setting the house on fire.

"Oh that… To answer her majesty, that was a signal to open the gates."

"Ah," Wei Yi Yi mumbled in understanding.

That was probably the young heirs going out excitedly to scout the mountains. The official hunt won"t start until tomorrow but those energetic people already running around to familiarise themselves to the unpaved paths and mark the surrounding.

They don"t necessarily need to do that and the adults have come here for a few years already. As for her, although girls are also allowed to enter the mountains, they"re but decorative guests. So Wei Yi Yi literary crossed out the whole day as free time.

"It was already that late? How come I didn"t woke up?" Wei Yi Yi yawned and stretch her arm up.

"The empress woke up once when his majesty is getting dress… Then, you returned to sleep after staring at the emperor."

There was a pause while Tang Mei was explaining. She remembered as the empress slowly opened her eyes and blink them several times. When she spotted the emperor getting dressed at the bedside, they stared at each other for a while. And even before the emperor could exchange a few words to start their good day, a triumphant smile crept up on the empress" lips. As if she was quite pleased with herself, the empress unruffled herself from the bundle she was in. With a smug look on her face, she kicked the quilt away and without further hesitation, turn her back to the emperor. She then blatantly ignore him and return to sleep serenely.

Tang Mei wanted to find a hole to bury herself after she witnessed how speechless the emperor has become.

"I don"t recall that." Wei Yi Yi said offhandedly. "Help me change, Ah Mei."

The servant complied fast and lesser servants also came inside the room. From the craved drawer, Tang Mei pulled out a rosy dress with golden peonies embroidered at the skirt.

"Not that," Wei Yi Yi stopped her immediately. "Take out my riding outfit instead."

"Forgive me, your majesty. This servant forgot to tell you that the consorts are waiting for your presence at the receiving hall."

"Why is that?"

Wait! We don"t have any morning meetings at outings!

"To have breakfast?" Tang Mei was also unsure of it.

Indeed, once Wei Yi Yi came out--- except for Ye Ai Ning--- the other three were all there making themselves comfortable at someone else"s accommodation.

"Empress, the place was unfamiliar so I feel out of sorts eating alone. Fan"er felt a fang of loneliness and went here immediately to seek for comfort. The empress, would not mind right?" Su Mei Fan said quite pitifully.

Wei Yi Yi was. .h.i.t with cuteness and she just feels guilty if she turns away Su Mei Fan at this point.

"Same. Except I am not lonely nor I came seeking for comfort. This consort hopes that the empress does not mind." Xie Yu followed up. She"s actually the first one that came here much to Su Mei Fan irritation.

"I know, you came here to eat," Wei Yi Yi wanted to express her understanding.

"A pleasant morning to her majesty. This consort greets the empress," Shen Nian Zhen saluted gracefully. She did not offer any reasons and simply return to her seat after the Empress accepted her greeting.

Without Feng Lei on the parameter, Shen Nian Zhen looked so docile. Wei Yi Yi, like a good teacher, takes note to never arrange their seat next to each other.

"Tang Mei, go to the kitchen and tell the supervisor that I"m having a meal with my Mei Meis. She ought to know what to do," Wei Yi Yi instructed as she accepted the consorts.

"What about Ye Ai Ning?"

Silence answered her so Wei Yi Yi turned to the nearest servant. "Go to the western courtyard and ask for the Imperial n.o.ble Consort. If she hasn"t had breakfast yet, ask her if she liked to join us."

The servant immediately excused herself and relayed the Empress" words. After a while, the servant came back saying that Ye Ai Ning does not feel good since she woke up.

"Is that so?" Wei Yi Yi thought for a moment. "Then, inform his majesty…"

"Empress…" Su Mei Fan voiced out but was kicked under the table by Xie Yu. She tearfully directs a stare at Xie Yu and Xie Yu with a bit of guilt for hurting a child turn her gaze rigidly back to the Empress.

"Tell him I"m worried for Ye s.h.i.+"s state and if he have time in his hand, please visit her in my stead as I cannot leave at the moment."

Wei Yi Yi thought, I already give you a push with an added reason. If Boss still mess this up then she could only kneel in defeat. Also, she"s holding the consorts here with her. If he ends up interrupted, Wei Yi Yi could only accept that his lack stats are in negative.