The Empress Mother narrowed her eyes dangerously.
"Why don't you announce that on top of the Heavenly Gates?" Her quiet voice glazed with frost.
Ye An knew that she had crossed the line so she held her tongue this time.
The Empress Mother waved a hand elegantly and curtly ordered, "You can dismiss yourself. Make sure that Governess Hsu is informed of Lieutenant Yun's arrival."
Ye An could only purse her lips and reply, "Yes. Your Majesty.", before she stood up and left her grandmother's private residence.
*******
Ye An returned to the East Palace and let out a huff of frustration once she was alone in her chambers. She went straight to the low table at the corner of the room and started reading the scrolls that came in from the court officials of different provinces early this morning. After the fifth scroll, Ye An realized that nothing was registering and she was still immensely frustrated over her earlier interaction with the Empress Mother.
She took the emperor's crown off the top of her head and untied her formal robes, scattering those items haphazardly across her room before quickly changing into her hunting attire. Ye An tied her hair back into a neat bun, grabbed her bow and arrows, and was ready to head out to the archery range to let off some steam when Governess Hsu knocked at her door.
"Your Imperial Majesty?"
"Come in, Governess Hsu." Ye An replied.
Governess Hsu opened the doors and was surprised to see Ye An in her hunting gear. She closed the doors with one hand while balancing a breakfast tray on the other before turning back to Ye An.
"Your Imperial Majesty, I wasn't aware that you had archery scheduled on today's agenda." Governess Hsu remarked.
"Governess Hsu, how many times do I need to tell you that you can just call me by my name when it's just the two of us?" Ye An said.
"But it's never just the two of us, Your Imperial Majesty." Governess Hsu spoke demurely, insinuating the presence of the countless eyes and ears roaming around the palace.
Ye An paused for a moment. "You're right. How foolish of me. Anyway, I just needed some time alone to shoot some arrows."
Governess Hsu sighed knowingly. "But before that, you'll need some fuel. You probably haven't had your breakfast yet. Come, I've made you your favorite dumpling soup." Governess Hsu ushered Ye An back to the low table at the corner of the room.
Only then, Ye An realized that she was famished and her stomach rumbled at the smell wafting off the breakfast tray. Having some dumplings before archery wouldn't hurt. Ye An sat back down at the table and cleared the scrolls off it as Governess Hsu laid the tray down.
Being a royal, Ye An had her fair share of exotic foods from all over the country, and some were even imported from other parts of the world, but nothing could compare to Governess Hsu's dumplings. To Ye An, the dumplings were a reminder that she had someone who cared enough about her to fold intricate little meat pockets just for her and that had never failed to warm Ye An's heart every single time she had them. It also helped that Governess Hsu was such a great cook.
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THE NIGHT EMPEROR: 夜安王 【The Night Emperor Book 1】| ✔️
Historical Fiction☑ COMPLETED "There are enough bad things in life, hold on to whatever it is that gives you joy." For the past 22 years, the Empress Mother has held onto the Dragon Throne that was rightfully Ye An's. Now, Ye An has finally ascended to the throne. Bu...
