THE NIGHT EMPEROR: 夜安王 【The Night Emperor Book 1】| ✔️

Chapter 29 Formal Meeting

"That was what I had asked myself over and over again for the last twenty-two years. But I don't have an answer. I'm not sure if he was behind it but I do believe that he was definitely one of the contributing reasons to the rebellion." Governess Hsu replied somberly, her eyes back to the floor.

Ye An suddenly stood up from her bed. A bout of dizziness came to her at the sudden movement causing her to stumble in her steps.

"Your Imperial Majesty." Xi Chen looked at Ye An anxiously, his arms already stretched out just in case.

"It's alright, I need to pace to get things in order." Ye An waved him away as she walked around the room. "Governess Hsu, weren't you in the birthing chamber when I was born?"

"Yes."

"Was he there?"

Governess Hsu paused before answering. "Yes. For a while. He exchanged some words with the Empress. She told him about you."

Ye An was quiet. She swallowed and asked. "Did he- Was he the one who murdered my mother?"

"No, not directly. When he had arrived, it was too late. Your mother passed away as he held her in his arms. I-I think that devastated him. He was furious. He had a look in his eyes that told me he was going to kill whoever had done it. I was holding you close, afraid of what he might do to you. But he just took one look at you and left without saying a word."

Ye An tried to process that information but couldn't seem to go past the first sentence. "Not directly.. That means his men did it?"

"No one's really sure if they were his men or he was simply working with them."

"Then what about my fath- Emperor Lee Hwi? Did Lee Han kill him too?"

"That, I'm not sure. But I did hear rumors that he.. That Lee Han was directly responsible for the slaying of Emperor Lee Hwi."

"Ha.. So I'm the daughter of a traitor?" Ye An knew that the governess was not a fan of rumors and would only speak of them when there was some truth backing those rumors.

The large room somehow felt larger and emptier in that moment.

Ye An continued to pace the room without uttering a single word. After a while, she finally slumped down into one of the chairs in the room.

"Please leave. Both of you. I need a moment to myself." Ye An ordered dejectedly. Governess Hsu quietly gathered the medicine bowl and tray that she brought in earlier and left.

"Your Imperial Majesty, about the formal meeting with Chieftain Burat later.." Xi Chen asked uncertainly, unsure if the meeting would still be proceeding.

"Right. That's in an hour, isn't it? Come back in half an hour. Now, I would really appreciate it if you leave, Lieutenant Yun." Ye An's pleaded tersely, barely able to keep her emotions reined in.