Chapter 20

Grand Dowager Empress Wu
The Rose Flower Palace

“Lady Wei greets Her Royal Highness, Grand Dowager Empress Wu.” Li Lian bowed before her in the welcoming room, paying obeisances.

“Rise,” Grand Dowager smiled. Li Lian was indeed a perfect fit, such grace, such collectiveness of self. The old woman couldn’t help admiring Li Lian as she took her seat on the zabuton cushion.

How had she not seen it before? But now that she had this chance to have her as her own, why would she let the opportunity pass by?

“How are you? I have not personally seen you since your return.”

“This subject has fared well. Great thanks to Her Highness for asking and worrying for Chenqie's well being. This concubine is not worthy.”

“Hmm.” The Grand Dowager picked her cup and took a sip of her tea. “I heard you have been living with the dragon lately.”

“It is His Majesty who made the request,” Li Lian was quick to defend.

“And I also heard you caused a catastrophe yesterday, what was the matter about?”

“A misunderstanding, Your Highness.”

Another sip of her tea. Li Lian could defend these trifle matters all she wanted, but could she defend the bigger matter that she had found out concerning Huticah?

“Let us not argue over this. I have bigger things I’d rather discuss.”

“Please tell your servant what Her Highness means.”

“For example, you being the daughter of the previous King of Huticah.” The Grand Dowager couldn’t help smirking in satisfaction when Li Lian winced. She was quick to hide it, but it was surely evident that the revelation that Grand Dowager knew had shaken her. “I didn’t mind knowing this since I thought you were dead, but now that you are alive… Why not make the best out of the information?”

Li Lian stared into her eyes, she was daring and defiant. Very disrespectful of her. “What do you want?”

The emperor's lover clearly did not want to play around. It was her character, after all, that when she felt threatened, she became coarsely and direct.

Grand Dowager did not mind it. It was intriguing to have a stubborn mule stand up to her once in a while. Many years in the palace she had seen so much blood, threatened many, and yet had not met such a character like Li Lian. This was why she was her perfect fit for what she wanted.

“We shall attempt to do what we tried to do before but failed.” Previously, she prematurely underestimated Li Lian. A big mistake. Although Li Lian seemed to be in trouble back then, the Grand Dowager should not have given up on her.

Her grandson was now a slave of Li Lian. He slept in Hougong just for the sake of this woman, and almost went mad at the news of her death. This meant that if the Grand Dowager controlled the person holding his heart, obviously it would be her indirectly leading the dragon by the leash.

“And what may that be?”

“You will work for me.”

“Work for you?”

“Become the empress.”

This time Li Lian took time to reply, processing the information in her calmness. “Is that ransom to not getting exposed?”

“If you are working for me, you have become the piece in my game. Why would I sell you out? That won't benefit me.”

Li Lian gave a forced smile. “Empress, you say? I don't want the title."

"You don't get to choose, dearest."

Li Lian exhaled. “Well, if it is I you want, then Her Highness’ wishes I shall obey.” Li Lian went on her knees and bowed.

It was that easy. The emperor did mention Li Lian refused him when he asked her to be his empress, yet just like that, at her request, Li Lian did not hesitate agreeing.

Beautiful. Mistress Ki had trained Li Lian well. No wonder she was different. No surprise there. Wasn't it Mistress Ki’s legacy that still carried on in the palace? She was a court lady who started many traditions they still implemented in the palace. A mistress with mastery in her own right.

“Do you know what this means?”

“Yes," Li Lian didn't hesitate to pledge herself, "I am your hands and feet from henceforth.”

“Hao,” Grand Dowager could not help laughing. “Hao, hao, very well said.”

“Your Royal Highness! The Grand Physician is here!” Her court lady called from the entrance.

Li Lian stood to make her leave, knowing it was time for her exit.

Grand Dowager nodded to her. “I will start the preparations. Everything will be made easy for you. All you will have to do is play your role when it’s time.”

“At your service,” Li Lian bade her farewell.

She was so graceful, way better than Qi. A really good move this time.

“This physician greets Her Royal Highness.”

Annoyance streamed into her senses at the sight of the grand physician. All these years had passed, yet it was so difficult to let off the grudge she held against him. “No need for formalities,” she shrugged, “we have come so far to fake it between us.”

“This subject heard Her Royal Highness is not well.”

“I wish it was not you they sent.”

“May this physician check Her Highness’ pulse?” He pulled out a silk cloth to put on her wrist. Royal women could not be touched, skin to skin, by men that were commoners.

“Why use that cloth? There was no cloth when you held my hand, years ago," she couldn't help grumbling.

“And so should we let the past go.” He was always the voice of reason between them.

“I dare not. I really dare not!” she swore.

“Your intent, but not mine," he sighed. "She was always his headache.

“You moved on, married two women, and even dared to impregnate a palace maid. Such a felony and uttermost betrayal! If you wanted to commit such a felony, why could you not do it with me? Besides, we were childhood lovers.” They would have married if it was not for her clan giving her away to the emperor at that time.

He silently took her wrist and put the cloth on, before she felt his fingers gently lay on the cloth to feel the delicate beat of her pulse.

Looking at him, there was no attraction she held towards him. Time had passed for childhood love to survive that long. Besides, there was someone else who was hers, there to console and wipe away her tears.

Her son, Luo Meng. He was hers and she would not allow anyone to take him away from her. Not even Mistress Ki. Never.

And even better. Soon, he would have a child. A little grandchild for her.

Recap

Chapter 82 : Emperor and I

He winced, when the royal physician applied pressure on his non-beating heart chest. The man tending to him looked so focused. The best physician in the palace, they called him. Shen Hong couldn't help wondering about the skeletons behind his success. "You were sixteen when my father was born?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," he quipped. "This subject was a junior at the time."

"And how did you know my Grandmother?" It's not that Shen Hong was suspicious of Gu Huan's qualifications, by his own right the Royal Grand physician earned his position. However, from the few rumors Shen Hong was aware of, he was curious to know the past relationship the man had with his grandmother.

"We are from the same clan so as children we were raised together." He continued to dab the wet cotton on the entangled skin.

"And how old were you when I was born?"

"Forty summers."

So like his grandmother they were in their sixties now.

Luo Meng walked to Shen Hong's side. He seemed off recently, edgy and anxious to the nail. Shen Hong ignored his behavior, aware that it would take him years to have Luo Meng open up about what bothered him.

He continued to interrogate his physician. "The same time I was born you made a palace maid pregnant, isn't it?"

"This subject―"

"Where is the child?" He was not keen to hear out his sorry excuse and plea for forgiveness.

"The child died at birth."

Probably why he was allowed to still serve as the Grand Physician, the evidence of his unfathomable sin was non-existent and his skills were second to none.

S.V