"The nation. Then should I make my own request too?" Ju-Long asked.
Wu Xiaotong bowed again, "You are to speak and we will follow. We have no right to make you request from us!"
"Then," Ju-Long slowly sat up. "I do not want to hear anything concerning an heir. Whomever speaks about it will have his head hung up in the village square."
Wu Xiaotong wasn't giving up easily, "Your Royal Majesty, I'm not the only one pleading for this but i wonder why the Right Prime Minister isn't supporting this motion. If the Empress gives the nation an heir then he would be the one to gain the most..." Wu Xiaotong with his head still bowed turned to Qing Bohai.
Qing Bohai felt the eyes but didn't look back. He instead looked straight at the Emperor. Agreeing with Wu Xiaotong was like having your own foot shot. No one would aim for an animal with himself set as prey!
Ju-Long chuckled again and climbed the stairs down, he stood before his uncle and helped the old look up. Their eyes met and it lingered for some times. Ju-Long smiled this time.
Wu Xiaotong did just the same. Anyone who isn't afraid of death would face it even when it was right in front of them.
The little boy didn't scare him one bit, so nothing else could possibly scare him.
"I speak and you follow..." Ju-Long broke off, perhaps on purpose. "No more word about an heir. The kingdom will have an heir when the right time comes. Arise!" Ju-Long finished and strode away. Junting and the eunuch trotted after him.
Xijin was now able to raise his head, "Ahh!" He couldn't help but yell when his neck made a crack sound.
Wu Xiaotong turned around and eyed him dangerously.
Yunru went over and helped his brother massage his neck.
Everyone knew that the two younger uncles were like five and six. But seeing them now, made it seem more real.
"Tsk, tsk." Wu Xiaotong tsked and walked up to Bohai. "Qing Bohai," he called him with his full name. "Don't you want an heir? Oh oh, I forgot you have an heir, don't you want your daughter's position to be firm?"
"Xiaotong sir, I refuse to say a word on that topic. The Emperor spoke and I shall follow." Qing Bohai bowed, "If there's nothing else, then, please kindly excuse me." He straightened up and walked away with his entourage.
Seeing Qing Bohai leave first, Xijin and Yunru scowled. "I told you, he is too full of himself! He will never agree to walk our path." Xijin said once he got close to Wu Xiaotong.
The man chuckled and garnered all the attention to himself. "I refuse to say a word on that topic."
Xijin eyes popped. 'What is wrong with my brother?'
Tai Fuyan walked up to him and greeted, "Xiaotong sir,"
Wu Xiaotong turned at the mention of his name. "Aiyo, aiyo. Tsk tsk. I'm sorry that I was so busy requesting an heir that i didn't greet you properly."
Tai Fuyan smiled and bowed again, "How can a lowly servant like me accept your apology? I should be the one apologizing for not greeting you earlier."
Wu Xiaotong smiled. Well, you can never see him frowning. He was always smiling like he was the most contented being on earth.
"Fuyan, you are getting old already. When the you plan on retiring and let Zemin take over? Besides, he is the Emperor's best friend..." Wu Xiaotong with a raised eyebrow asked.
"Allow Zemin? He can't rule the left chiefs expect..." Wu Xiaotong turned to glare at the speaking Yunru. Yunru shut it immediately.
"Zemin is busy gathering his chiefs, I believe. When he is ready, I will retire for him to take over." Tai Fuyan said with a smile.
Wu Xiaotong was walking towards the door, he chuckled softly. "Good, good. He should be strong on his own. If you give the position to him on a golden platter, he won't work hard for it."
Tai Fuyan didn't comment on that and just nodded.
"We will be leaving first." Wu Xiaotong said and left with his two brothers behind him and his nephews, just like the way they came, the same way they left.
Tai Fuyan watched Wu Xiaotong disappearing back and smiled. 'It's clear under the sun that Xiaotong doesn't like Bohai, the heir topic was to stir trouble, which he did and this is just the beginning.'
_________
Xiaofan inspected the embroidery closely. She wanted to see how the threads were passed but that was impossible.
She sighed and put the cloth down. She massaged her shoulders.
Maid Yue saw this and walked forward to help.
Her hand had been raised for thirty whole minutes in the name of studying the threads pass. Well she couldn't study nor understand it, and instead got aching shoulders. When the old woman pressed down on her shoulders she felt sweetness.
"Your hands are magical!" Xiaofan declared.
Maid Yue smiled a bit. "Thank you, your Highness."
Xiaofan smiled, then, patted the woman's hand on her shoulder. "You are always busy taking care of me that you barely look after yourself. So if I say your hands are magical then your heart will be pure too."
The woman chuckled this time. The Empress rarely said a word or two to them but after waking up she had been the nicest. Not that she was ever cruel but her silence towards them was the worst punishment they would ever be assigned to. "Your words are very pleasing to the ear, madam."
Peizhi watched them both with surprise in her eyes. 'The Empress had been acting weird ever since she woke up. Firstly she claimed she wasn't Xiuying, then, said she was Xiaofan and many other things she couldn't possibly store in her brain and now, she was complimenting the old woman. Is this how you act when you almost die then wake up?'
**Who will answer her?**