A Phoenix With No Wings

5- Are you the emperor?

The emperor gets up and and asks Bai Lu to prepare his cart.

"Your majesty, I believe it is better to not disturb the empress right now."

"Hmm? But she looks okay before right? Is it possible that she's poisoned?"

"This servant perhaps not. Maybe her majesty is tired."

"Okay then." Let's just believe that the empress is just tired.

-
The emperor really wants to meet the empress before morning assembly. He knows that it will be a battle field today. Yesterday, Consort Hua already gave him some hints. And today, people of court will do the same thing.

Anyway, harem and court actually connected tightly. While harem way of manipulation is soft and done with compassion, the court's way is more of a brain game and tactics. If they are able to combine both powers, there will be a disaster in the country. So it is very dangerous, the only person that is objective is the empress.

But she's sick.

A beautiful lady in a gold dress comes to the court. It is the empress, court officials bow in respect and greet her. She is a true beauty, she walks elegantly. Water lotus scent fills the room as she walk by. Her hair pieces are magnificent and luxurious, it is made of gold and jade.

But the emperor doesn't care about that. He only cares that the empress comes.

The empress greets the emperor and sits next to him.

"I heard that you were sick"

"I..am?"

"Yesterday I told Bai Lu to-"

"Oh right! Please forgive this empress for her incapablelities."

"There's no need."

When the assembly ends the empress can feels the tense between Hua Clan and Wei Clan. It is nothing new but seems like it's getting bigger. Maybe it's because we agree to send spies like Wei Clan recommended.

"Ehm," the emperor clears his throat "Can you come to my study tonight?"

She goes there every day, but the emperor never asks her personally. And it's kind of making her heart flutter. Or maybe she just overthinks, the emperor still thinks that she was sick right?!

-
The moon shines beautifully that night. The emperor stroll around his palace because he couldn't sleep.

"Where is your majesty heading?" Bai Lu asks.

"To the harem house." The emperor thinks that empress's idea isn't so bad. However he also won't come very often. But since he is bored and has nothing to do, let's just visit his concubines.

The emperor actually never went and pick her own concubine in the harem house. It's usually based on their family influences, and a sedan will pick the concubine up to the dragon palace.

Bai Lu dumbfounded when he hear the emperor. Because the emperor rarely approved any concubine to serve him, yet he wants to go to the harem house now?

When the emperor arrived to the harem house beautiful music playing attract him. He slowly walks toward the hall, he peeks and saw beautiful maidens dancing elegantly. Oh right, they must be practicing for New Year Celebration.