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The Queen set down the poetry book in her hands and stretched lazily. "The Emperor has arrived—" The eunuch's sharp voice echoed from outside the hall. The Queen feigned surprise, rising to her feet and slightly bowing toward the door, her tone playful. "Oh, why has His Majesty come? I have failed to welcome you properly; I hope you will forgive me."
The Emperor entered the hall, his gaze cold as it swept over the Queen. Noticing her attire was neat yet her demeanor frivolous, he felt a surge of displeasure. "Queen, where have your manners gone?" he asked in a deep voice, laced with suppressed anger.
The Queen covered her mouth with a light laugh, stepping closer to the Emperor with a hint of provocation in her eyes. "Manners? What manners could I possibly be unaware of? Perhaps Your Majesty could teach me?" As she spoke, she approached him and delicately traced her fingers along his jawline.
The Emperor seized her wrist with a firm grip, his tone icy. "Queen, what exactly do you intend to do?"
Feigning panic, the Queen struggled slightly but a smile lingered at the corners of her eyes. "Your Majesty, I merely wish to be closer to you," she said, letting her other hand caress his cheek, her gaze dreamy.
For a moment, the Emperor was at a loss for words, suppressing his rising anger as he took a deep breath. “A-Ying, leave us!”
A-Ying immediately knelt and bowed. "This servant takes her leave." She quickly exited the inner hall and gently closed the door behind her. Outside, the palace maids and eunuchs held their breath, afraid to disturb the two masters within.
Inside the hall, the Emperor stepped closer to the Queen, gripping her wrist tightly and pulling her near enough that they could feel each other's breath. "What is wrong with you?" he demanded in a low voice as he stared into her eyes.
The Queen smiled without answering, reaching out to stroke his cheek with a hint of defiance in her gaze.
The Emperor abruptly released her hand, his tone carrying an edge of warning. "I command you to answer seriously!"
She smiled faintly, a glint of cunning flashing in her eyes as she leaned closer to his ear and whispered softly, "Your Majesty, do you really want to know?" Her warm breath brushed against his ear, sending a shiver down his spine.
Pushing her away forcefully, the Emperor struggled to contain his inner turmoil. "I will ask you one last time: what do you truly want?"
The Queen steadied herself, the smile fading from her face and replaced by an unprecedented seriousness. "Your Majesty, I wish..." She paused for effect, locking eyes with him. "Could it be that Your Majesty has fallen in love with me?"
"Love you?" The Emperor scoffed coldly, "Do you think you can win my affection with such methods?"
The Empress remained silent, simply gazing at the Emperor with a hint of defiance in her eyes.
The Emperor swept away, leaving the Empress alone in Phoenix Palace. She watched his retreating figure, a meaningful smile curling at the corners of her mouth as she reached for the pastries on the table and began to eat them leisurely.
A-Ying cautiously pushed open the palace door and walked over to the Empress's side, softly asking, "Your Highness, are you alright?"
The Empress shot a sidelong glance at A-Ying, placing the pastry back on the plate. She picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped her mouth, casually replying, "What could possibly be wrong in this palace? It seems the Emperor is the one who has been frightened by me."
A-Ying lowered her head, not daring to respond. The hall was silent, save for the occasional crackle of candle flames illuminating the Empress's inscrutable expression.
Back in the study, the Emperor paced restlessly, his mind still troubled. He walked back and forth, sometimes stopping to gaze out at the dark night sky, his brow furrowed deeply.
Debao entered with a tea cup in hand and said softly, "Your Majesty, please have some tea."
The Emperor took the cup but did not drink from it; instead, he toyed with it in his hands, his gaze vacant as if lost in thought. The fragrant sandalwood incense filled the study but could not mask the air of agitation surrounding the Emperor.
Debao observed carefully and cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, are you still troubled by matters concerning the Empress?"
The Emperor set down the tea cup with a long sigh. "Debao, what do you think is going on with the Empress?"
Debao hunched over, lowering his head as he carefully chose his words. "I am but a foolish servant and dare not speak ill of Her Majesty the Empress. However... it is true that her temperament has changed greatly since she fell into the water."
The Emperor walked to the window, gazing at the distant lights outside, lost in thought for a moment before saying, "Look into what happened on the day the Empress fell into the water."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will do that right away," Debao replied promptly, bowing as he exited the imperial study.
Alone at the window, the Emperor stared into the deep night sky, his mind swirling with countless thoughts. The sudden change in the Empress left him feeling unprepared; he did not know how to respond or how to face this Empress who had become both familiar and strange.
Outside the imperial study, a gentle night breeze rustled through the trees, casting dancing shadows that added to the solitude of the scene.
After leaving the imperial study, Debao did not immediately investigate the incident involving the Empress's fall but instead headed to the Imperial Kitchen.
"Master Debao, what brings you here?" The Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Kitchen approached him with a beaming smile.
Debao nodded slightly and said, "The Emperor has ordered that some of the dishes favored by Her Majesty be prepared and sent to Phoenix Palace."
"Of course, I will get right on it," the Chief Eunuch responded eagerly before turning to instruct his fellow eunuchs to prepare the meals. The Imperial Kitchen soon became a flurry of activity, with the sounds of knives clashing and pots clanging creating a symphony that resonated clearly in the night.
Moments later, once the dishes were ready, Debao personally carried a food box and led several young eunuchs toward Phoenix Palace.
Inside Phoenix Palace, the Empress sat at her vanity, brushing her long hair in front of a mirror. A-Ying stood quietly beside her, attending to her needs.
"Your Majesty, your makeup looks truly beautiful today," A-Ying sincerely praised.
The Empress smiled faintly at her reflection, but her eyes held a hint of melancholy. "What good is beauty? The Emperor... does not appreciate it at all."
A-Ying lowered her head, not daring to speak. Inside the hall, the flickering candlelight cast the Queen's figure in the mirror, making her appear especially lonely.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor has sent someone with your favorite dishes," Debao's voice came from outside the hall.
A glimmer of surprise flashed in the Queen's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure and said calmly, "Come in."
Debao entered, carrying a food box, and began to arrange the dishes on the table one by one.
"The Emperor specifically instructed me to watch over you while you dine," Debao said respectfully, keeping his head bowed.
The Queen looked at the table full of dishes, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of cake, and savored it slowly.
"A-Ying, you should eat too," the Queen said to A-Ying.
A-Ying hurriedly knelt down. "I dare not, Your Majesty."
"Eat when I tell you to eat; there are no such rules," the Queen replied with a hint of impatience in her tone.
Only then did A-Ying rise and carefully approach the table to eat. The warm candlelight illuminated both the Queen and A-Ying's figures, brightening this quiet night.
A-Ying chewed slowly, occasionally glancing at the Queen's expression. However, the Queen merely continued eating silently, as if her thoughts were far away from the food. She set down her chopsticks and sighed softly. "This Osmanthus Cake still tastes like it did back then."
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