Chapter 32
"Suddenly nature calls. You go, I will join you when I am done" Duli nodded and went away. Miuli looks around and went towards the back door. When she opened the door a guard was waiting there for her.
"Little prince and princess are in Hangzhou. Her majesty also believe that it was the emperor who makes them imprisoned in the temple. She doesn't have an idea that First Ms. is the one" Guard nodded.
"Do your job well" She nodded and went back inside.
Linlin was in front of the empress.
"She indeed went to the backside entrance. Empress are you sure you don't want to take any action? First Ms. must already have control in the palace"
"Just let her as she wishes in her lucky days since she wouldn't kill his majesty and others, not yet"
"Yes"
"Have a rest, if it will go on for months, we can have a good rest here since if step out of here we will have restless days" They both nod.
Three months passed just like that and the empress didn't waste any energy of her to guess what was happening outside. It was one day, the empress and the head nun were taking a walk while talking when she saw that guards outside were going here and there.
"What's going on?" The head nun asked another nun.
"It was like this since the morning"
"Is there any rebellion succeed?"
"Rebellion?"
"Yes, since empress doesn't want to know about outside, we didn't inform you that the past 3 months nobles to commoners were planning to rebel after knowing that empress was locked in the temple"
"Why do they do that? Even I don't care about it that much"
"Every good or bad deed will eventually pay back by either humans or nature" Empress smiled.
In the evening when the empress was having a rest nun came inside her room.
"Amitabh! Empress, a guard is waiting outside for you"
"Thank you for informing" Empress thanked her and went towards the temple's entrance and there was a guard who had an impatient look as the empress deliberately walk slower as the restless guard came inside the temple.
"Greeting to the empress. Emperor asked you to go back" He cut it short.
"Suddenly?"
"Yes empress, right now"
"But I am already like this atmosphere that my mind asking me to stay here. With calm breeze throughout the day with nature-"
"Empress!! It's not time to enjoy nature! E-emperor asks you back to the palace right now. The enemy country is only one city far from us"
"But why should I go back? Emperor is the one who should take action and command if the enemy is near" Empress's look was still so innocent. She was already 17 but she still acts like younger like a child and looks the same.
"Empress, please. Emperor asked you to go directly to the capital entrance and wait there and plan to protect the capital. His Majesty said that he had already sent an edict for general Yan to come back for reinforcement" Empress glared at the guard's eye who step one step backward from the intense glare of the empress.
"Okay, wait. I will get change and then we will go directly to the capital's gate. Make a carriage or 2 horses ready'"
"The clothes were already delivered. I will prepare the horses it will make everything fast" Xiao Feng ignored him and went towards her room. Duli grabbed the clothes and went back. They helped the empress to change her clothes.
"Where's Miuli?" Linlin asked.
"Miuli was here a minute ago when we were still in the courtyard, I don't know where she went"
"Linlin will go with me, Weining goes using the path beside the forest and stays there. Make sure you are hidden till I came to pick you and Duli up"
"But empress, I"
"Linlin is with me and you know I can't risk your life. I never thought that my sister will ask me to defend the capital in the name of his majesty and even when the enemy is so close. So, protect yourself and don't let me worry" Weining nodded after helping Xiao Feng to dress.
Xiao Feng came outside wearing a white dress which highlighted his pureness. The red-colored robe on her hand and the blood jade hairpin were gathering half of the hairs in a ponytail giving a maiden hairstyle.
Empress hops into the horse as Linlin did the same. Empress and Weining exchange a nod as they ride away.
"Sister Weining, what did empress mean by first Ms"
"The words meant as their original meaning, so don't ask for more, let's hurry up" Duli nodded following Weining.
Near the city gates, the empress gets off the horse. The generals greeted the empress together. She didn't spare many glances.
"Let's go up" Generals nodded. They went up on the city gate as a few more generals were there.
"Greetings, empress"
"How is it?"
"Ready to close the gates" Empress nodded.
"Empress, can I have a word with you?" A general asked and the empress nodded and follow him to the side after signaling Linlin to wait for her.
"Empress, his majesty is critically ill. General Liu is in the prison and it's your majesty's eldest sister who is sitting on the throne. I mean it's her son and she is the one who gives commands"
"I knew it. Is his majesty okay?"
"No message coming from the palace but I heard that he is ill that he can't get up from the bed and also"
"Also, what?"
"Also, Old master Xiao"
"What's with father?"
"He is also ill and in bed. We don't know much but both capital tiger tally is with 1st Ms. of Xiao. So, we have to respect her. She also has taken the private army of the prime minister and her private army"
"General Ming, how many soldiers are in the capital?"
"Near 10000 of private armies and 6000 of capital's guards"
"Good"
"But I heard that there is more than 100000 with the enemy"
"General Ming, will you support me if I said" He whispered something in his ear.
"Empress?"
"Since everything is under control if we win, we will go back to how we were. I will be once again locked up and you will follow my elder sister's order"
"I will follow the empress till my death. General Xiao was so generous to us when he was alive. We should pay back and after all my brothers who went against the former empress are all killed or in the dungeon" Empress nodded.
"Take me a chair, let's wait for the enemy" Linlin nodded and send a guard to bring a chair. Empress was sitting in the chair.
"You are?" She said asking the general beside her.
"Replying to the empress, I am the Da Fu"
"My sister's one of the followers, right?"
"N-No"
"Cut the crap. She must be happy that I got fooled and didn't do anything. She must have forgotten that if I don't let her win, she will never have a chance to win"
"Arrest him" General Ming ordered and a few guards caught him while the clueless guards got startled.
"If you dare to report you will behead right here right now" Everyone looked down.
"Take him away" Two guards were taking him away as Linlin and General Ming were watching from the city gate. Da Fu fights against the 2 soldiers and general Ming was going to stop it but Linlin stops him. Da Fu hopes to hop on a horse and ride fast towards the palace.
"Why did you let him go, he will report that the empress already knows everything"
"That's what empress wants, to make her furious and angry"
"But"
"She has everything under control"
"Okay, then" A pigeon flew towards them as General Ming took it and read it as he gasps.
"What's wrong?" He just turned and walked back to Xiao Feng.
"Prince Sheng died" They came and gave it to Xiao Feng as she leaned into the chair.
"How could it happen?"
"That's the only thing in the mail"
"I am going to the palace, right now. General Ming take care of it here"
"Yes," Linlin and Xiao Feng hurriedly walk toward their horses. They rode the horse to the palace and stop in front of the palace gate. The guard on the palace gate was tightened. She gets off and a few guards got startled.
"I am going to meet my sister, so don't stop me" Xiao Feng fought a few guards and flew passed them together with Linlin. They successfully get inside prince Sheng's palace.
"Empress, prince Sheng is gone" Huo Hong starts to complain about all the suffering they had to endure in the past 3 months.
"What happened? Why are you here?' Xiao Feng
"Emperor has gone mad since empress went away. He killed everyone telling them they are a threat to the throne. 1st Ms. of Xiao took the opportunity and she sat down on the throne saying she will act as a regent"
"Your story is completely different from General Ming's"
"General Ming? He is on the same side with 1st Ms" Huo Hong said and Xiao Feng just furrowed her eyebrows.
"It means he deliberately made us come to the palace"
"There are many loopholes. It doesn't matter. Where's his majesty?"
"Please don't go there, his majesty has gone mad. He killed concubine Huan too" Xiao Feng looked at Huo Hong questionably.
"You are saying his majesty can't identify anyone?" Huo Hong nodded.
"Even a commoner now knows that emperor has gone mad and killed everyone he meets" Xiao Feng went towards prince Sheng's dead body.
"Sheng'er rest well. In the next life never born to an imperial family. It's better to be born into a normal family" She said and turn.
"I am going to the imperial memorial, sister will command as she wants, if she asks tell her that I don't want to interfere. Is there still any imperial princes, princess alive?" She had a guilty mix sad tone. She couldn't save a single one from the Sui kingdom's Zhu imperial family.
"Little prince and little princess they didn't meet with your majesty. They are not in the palace" Huo Hong said with a look 'where are they?'
"They are in Hangzhou village. They will lead a normal life if I am not able to make it alive" She turned and exit the palace.
Xiao Feng sat down in front of imperial memorials. Linlin came inside and bowed to Xiao Feng.
"Huo Hong has been brought off. He put all blame on his majesty. There is more good reputation about him among the people" Xiao Feng was staring at the fourth emperor, her uncle's memorial.
"Empress, it's the truth. I got to know other maids and eunuchs. No one dares to near the emperor"
"Huo Hong said sister is working as a regent but General Ming said she sat on the throne. What's the truth?"
"She is sitting on the throne but we don't know more" Suddenly the door to the memorials closed. Xiao Feng looked at Linlin and then at door. Linlin ran to the door and bang a few times.
"Just give them one meal every day"
"Stop it Linlin, it's useless" Linlin hesitantly nodded and came towards Xiao Feng and sat down behind her.
"Linlin, answer me. One day, If I marry Shan Yuan, don't you think I am being selfish? Even though I love him, I am no longer the previous Xiao Feng, I already have two children. Maybe, in the first place, I should have not met Shan Yuan or my brother Zheng should not have been missing. Maybe, this would be its end"
"Then empress, who do you like more?"