"Sir, I think it would have been better had we supported Sir Xiaotong..."
"Be quiet, how can you say that? If we had supported him, he would only turn his back to us. He wasn't even doing it for the Empress's well being, so how can you say that?"
"Aiya, tsk tsk. That old man is truly cunning, supporting him is like having your own foot shot! We all know he doesn't like the Right Prime Minister, so I don't see any reason why we should have supported him."
The right chiefs discussed as they left the palace with Qing Bohai.
"The Emperor had stated clearly that he didn't want to hear a single thing more about this issue. Why are you all still on it?" Qing Bohai questioned and they all kept quiet immediately.
"We will leave then," they all chanted and scattered away.
Once they left Qing Bohai got into his palanquin and left.
_____________
"Wu Xiaotang sir is here," the door maid announced. The Empress Dowager looked up from her embroidery to the door. Nuying readily got up.
Wu Xiaotang strode into the room with a big smile and bowed, "Her Royal Majesty, the Empress Dowager, I greet you."
She said nothing.
"Welcome uncle," Nuying bowed.
He smiled and patted her shoulder. "Good good, you've grown to be a very beautiful young maiden... I hope you can do your embroidery as tight and neat like your mother's?"
"Ye, uncle."
"Good good." Wu Xiaotang chuckled.
"I will take my leave then," Nuying said and exited.
"Have your sit." Wu Xiaotang said to the Empress Dowager. His usual smiling face was gone. He picked one of the embroidered design, "This is what you waste your time on... You have other matters to look into. You don't know about the well beings of the consorts nor the one keeping the Empress's title." He raised his eyes from the embroidery. "It's high time the kingdom gets an heir... Why are you being silent?"
Her heart skipped a bit. "It's not yet..."
"Time for an heir." Wu Xiaotang completed. "You are so greedy that you don't want to give your position up!"
"Wu Xiaotang!"
"Be quiet!" He slapped his hand on the table. "I have a young maiden in mind. The world knows the Emperor doesn't like the Empress... So I found someone better. What do you say? Will you help bring her into the palace?" He asked.
"This is not where peasants come in! This is the palace!" She yelled. "Don't you dare try anything! No one except Xiuying will be the Empress! Sooner or later the Emperor will have to accept her! Into his life, into his world and into his heart!" She shook a bit. "You can now leave." She said with a pleasing tone."
"Hahahahah," Wu Xiaotang chuckled. "Who says the Empress can't be changed? Whomever pleases the Emperor, becomes the Empress!" He got up, slapped his clothes behind him, cleared his throat then strode away.
That man! His greediness has grown wings, now he's eyeing the Empress's throne!
"Who is out there?"
"I am the one, Her Royal Majesty." A maid at the door answered.
"Send for the Emperor!"
"Yes ma'am!"
She couldn't sit still and had to walk to and fro in her bedroom. The Emperor is taking forever to get here. She wondered if he was okay.
Two minutes later a dirty plan popped up in her mind and her eyes glistened with happiness.
"His Royal Majesty, Emperor Ju-long has arrived!" The door maid announced.
"Come in," he heard the weak voice say.
He frowned, pushed the door open only to see Princess Nuying wiping her mother's head and Prince Jianguo talking to the physician.
"His Royal Majesty," Jianguo and the physician bowed.
Ju-long didn't take his eyes away from his mother. "What is wrong with her?"
"Her health..."
"I might die sooner than later." The Empress Dowager said and closed her eyes to take a deep breath. "You can take your leave, now." She said to the Physician.
"Brother," Jianguo started. "We really need to do something about this! We just can't allow mother leave us in this way. How do you think father will feel? He will be sad we couldn't take care of Mom. I don't want mother to lea..."
Ju-long turned to give him a dirty glare and he shut up.
Nuying got up and bowed, "I need another water, excuse me."
She was acting strange. She's cry anytime mother got sick.
Once Nuying left, Jianguo bent over to hold his mother's hand and kissed it. "I'm sorry can't do anything! I'm sorry I can't make you proud of me before leaving! Mother... I'm... I'm really sorry!" Jianguo said in-between sobs.
"Don't cry child. I only wished for one thing, to see my grandchildren since the late Emperor couldn't witness them run around the palace... Seems like I won't be likely to witness such too! I have little time left..."
"No one is leaving!" Ju-long barked. "Go bring me the finest physician!"
Outside the door, Junting left to go do his master's bidding.
Ju-long pushed Jianguo to the side and bent beside his mother, little by little tears fell from her eyes to her pillow.
"My little Ju, mo... moth... mother can't live more than this. I had only wanted grandchildren. A lot of them. Jianguo hasn't come of age... or he'd... he would have given me a grandchild. Even if one, I'd be happy! I'd die with no sorrows."
He took her hand and discovered they were cold, 'What is really going on?'
By the side, Jianguo watched him and smiled. He'd kill me when he knows the truth, but for now, I can't help but go along with mother's plan.
The door opened and Ju-long turned, expecting Junting and a physician but instead, Nuying came in with a bowl of very clean water.
He moved to the side a bit to let Nuying continue placing the cloth dipped in warm water on their mother's forehead.
Ju-long watched Nuying closely. That was when he saw little tears drop from her eyes. She didn't want to cry it out, not to hurt their mother more.