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

Chapter 12 Alliance

Xi Chen woke up with a start. The morning sun was already filtering in through the only window in the room. He immediately cast his gaze towards the bed and found it empty. Seeing the empty bed was like having his head plunged straight into ice-cold water, which instantly jolted Xi Chen wide awake. He cursed silently as he tried to calm the sudden spike in anxiety by looking for traces of the young emperor in the room.

After taking in everything else in the scene, Xi Chen came to the conclusion that the rest of the room was seemingly untouched and it didn't look like there was a struggle. He also noticed that the emperor's hat and bag were both gone and deduced that the emperor was not forcefully taken. Xi Chen finally let out a breath that he wasn't even aware he was holding until just now but his anxiety was still running high and rapidly turning into a panic. He couldn't believe that the young emperor managed to sneak out right under his watch.

Xi Chen was about to rush towards the reception desk to ask if the innkeeper had seen anything when he caught a movement outside the open window on his periphery which made him automatically reach for his sword. Ye An was dangling nimbly from the top of the window sill with one hand, another hand holding what seemed to be breakfast.

"Morning, Lieutenant Yun. You look like you're seconds away from hyperventilating." Ye An swiftly slid into the room through the small window, the black organza on her hat flowing gracefully with her movement.

"Your Imperial Majesty! Where were you?" Xi Chen asked, his tone severe.

Ye An raised an eyebrow and scoffed. "I haven't even chastised you for your lack of vigilance. You didn't so much as flinch in your sleep when I left. How could I even trust my life with you?"

Xi Chen's ears reddened. For all his years in the military, he had never made any mistake or given others any chance to doubt his credibility. But he had a restless night and stayed up all night long before he was able to fall asleep right before dawn.

Judging from his facial expression, Ye An guessed that the young lieutenant was probably berating himself internally and decided to let it go. She handed him the breakfast she brought them. "Let's just quickly have some breakfast and head back. I still need to give my morning greetings to the Empress Mother. I don't want news of me sneaking out to reach her."

"Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty." Xi Chen opened up the package that was handed to him and saw that it was going to be yet another bland meal.

"This is the most famous breakfast in the city. Pork porridge with you tiao." Ye An declared proudly. "The cooks at the palace should learn a thing or two from these vendors."

The porridge was in takeaway containers made from cuts of a large bamboo, while the you tiaos were wrapped in paper. Ye An dug into the food ravenously while Xi Chen took his time with it.

Noticing how the young lieutenant was picking at his food again, Ye An remarked seriously as she watched the lieutenant. "You better get used to the food here quick. Because I'll need to you be at your prime for what's to come."

When Ye An left the inn earlier, she didn't think that she would be back here having breakfast with this man in front of her. She was ready to return to the Imperial Palace without him to prove a point to Governess Hsu and maybe the Empress Mother.