Refusing to Serve Me? Then Off With Your Head!

Chapter 31 Dyeing the Land with the Color of Rouge

Xiao Huang and I sat on the third floor of Jin Xiu Pavillion as we listened to the sound of the city gates being smashed open. The Great Chen that had stood for decades was now coming to an end. The Great Qi's armies invaded the imperial city in a rather fast manner. We could hear the sound of horses from afar. From the sound of it, they should be near the little bridge near Bi Tao Forest.

Peach blossoms did not understand humanly worries, they simply exists to dye the land with the color of rouge. I wonder if Feng Zhao Wen's cavalry would slow down their pace as they rode past the colorful forest.

The palace's servants who were busy transporting firewoods underneath the Jin Xiu Pavillion gradually panicked upon hearing the sound of hooves. They ran around to all directions, no longer willing to listen to the emperor's command.

Jin Xiu Pavillion was made of wood, it should be able to catch fire easily even though there were not enough firewood below. Xiao Huang clutched my sleeve as he desperately screeched, "Xiao Yi, don't...... I don't want to die.... I still hasn't eaten enough lotus shortcake and chrysanthemum shortcake!"

I stuffed a bunch of pastries into his mouth to shut him up. "Sit quietly and be obedient. I will take you away."

He munched on those pastries before forcibly swallowing them. He looked at me helplessly, "Xiao Yi will not lie to me, right? You will not burn me to death, right?"

I glanced at him with an ached head and saw his round face staring back at me in blind trust. His tears weren't even wiped yet, but he was already laughing happily, "As long as you take me away...... I am going to die soon from my imperial mother's pestering...."

I had been keeping Xiao Huang company in Zhong Hua Palace for the last two days. Amidst the national crisis, it seemed like I had forgotten about the empress dowager. I was truly sorry to her for planning to kidnap her son.

But still, the empress dowager's livelihood was completely in her own hand, it had nothing to do with me at all.

I lit the torch that I had prepared beforehand before patting his soft head, "Your Majesty, wait for me here. I will return soon." I ran downstairs and lit all the firewoods that were scattered around the pavilion. And then, I locked the entrance before running back to the third floor. Xiao Huang was still waiting for me there.

When he saw me coming back, he leapt towards me and grabbed me by the sleeve. A joyful smile appeared on his face, "I knew Xiao Yi will not let me. The past 6 months in which you were gone were the hardest point of my life."

I laughed, teasing him while glancing out of the window, "You sleeps all day in Jin Luan Palace, how difficult must it be! The ones who truly have it hard are the ministers!"

He lifted his sleeves. Marks and scars could be seen on his arm, it looked like wounds inflicted by a woman's pinch. It looked horrifying.

"This.... The empress dowager....."

The empress dowager was too cruel as a mother! Even though the son was stupid, he was still her son! The son was stupid because of her karma anyway; she committed too much sins.

Xiao Huang shook his head, his eyes getting moist as though he was about to cry, "It was Cousin Hui. She would always secretly pinched me when she came to the palace to pay respect. All the servants in Zhong Hua Palace knew this, but no one dared to do anything about it. Even imperial mother told me to listen to Cousin Hui."

I truly respect this Miss Hui who dared to pinch the emperor black and blue.

She was the empress dowager's niece, she was Xiao Huang's uncle's only daughter. She was excessively spoilt. Even if she disliked Xiao Huang's silliness, she shouldn't have been so heavy-handed.