"If you do not ask for forgiveness from me I will cut off your head, now beg for mercy!" Xiu Junjie demanded folding his arms and tapping his foot on the floor.
"I am sorry General Si Ning, it seems Xiu Yuan has been bothering you." Liu Ting apologized as she stopped almost ten feets from Si Ning and extended her hands to Xiu Yuan but the child only wrapped his hands around Si Ning's neck tighter, refusing to let go.
Seeing her closely and seeing how beautiful she was made Si Ning unable to avert his gaze forgetting it might be a crime to stare at the Emperor's woman. Thinking about the Emperor left a bitter taste on his mouth and he could tell he would never like the old Emperor but looking at how she completely ignored Xiu Junjie like he wasn't there confused Si Ning making him wonder if the birth mother of Xiu Junjie wasn't Liu Ting.
"Greeting General Si Ning." The first maidservant that looked to be in her fifty's caught up with them moved closer to Si Ning and bowed before turning to Xiu Junjie. "Your Highness, the Imperial Tutor is waiting for you at the Imperial Garden." She said softly, her head lowered.
"Not until he release my brother." Xiu Junjie stood firmly also acting like he didn't see Liu Ting.
"Your Highness knows the consequences of making the Imperial Tutor wait since his Majesty says if you miss one more lesson then the Emperor will have no choice than to strip you off your....." The maidservant trailed off purposely not completing her sentence.
Si Ning watched as Xiu Junjie face turned red in anger as he opened his mouth probably to insult him only for him to close it after sometime before walking away fumming in anger, the maid bowed to Si Ning the turn to bow to Liu Ting before running after Xiu Junjie.
"Nin Nin..."
Si Ning diverted his attention to the boy in his arms, his heart heavy with the thought of Liu Ting already taken. What was he expecting? Didn't he sent her a breakup message. He had always been a lousy drinker but at least he remembered sending the message he spent hours composing after leaving Elite Entertainment. For him to be here means he had to restart his life but the dissapointment of having to act like a polite stranger to Liu Ting didn't sit well with him and since his bright mood had gotten soiled now he was itching to find a gambling house and place two to three bets, drink and maybe find some beauties to spend the night with.
"Xiu Yuan do not be selfish, General Si Ning has to attend court meeting and it is also time for your learning of the etiquette of the palace." Liu Ting said softly as dozens of maids form in two rows behind her.
Court meeting!
Si Ning had completely forgot he had a purpose for coming to the palace. "You want me to play with you today?" He asked sweetly and Xiu Yuan nodded vogurously. "After the court meeting, I will play with you all you want." He couldn't just drop the child and race to the court room so the only tactics left was to convince Xiu Yuan to let him go.
"Nooo I want to play now..." Xiu Yuan complained.
"General the assembly" Chen An called running up to Si Ning. He stopped and bowed when he caught sight of Liu Ting. He was sweating profusely and breathing hard holding some stack of papers.
"Yuan-er.." Liu Ting called.
"Noooo.... Nin Nin."
"What if after the court meeting I will take you into town and buy you roasted squid or sweet roasted corn." Si Ning had no choice than to lie when he lay his eyes on the report Chen An was holding.
"Hmm." Xiu Yuan agreed and allowed Si Ning to place him on the ground.
Si Ning watched as Liu Ting bowed and took Xiu Yuan's hand and started walking away with the dozens of maids behind her while Xiu Yuan waved at Si Ning.
"Greeting General." Chen An said between breath and knelt on one knee. "Forgive me General for accessing your residence without your permission when I came earlier and saw you were not holding the reports, I went to make enquires about it from Xiao Pei but Second Prince called for his attention and I had no choice than to go and fetch them." He rushed out his explanation and handed the reports over to Si Ning.
"Well done." Si Ning stared lazily at the series of steps he was about to climb as he collected the reports from Chen An. He was glad to have a capable person like Chen An working for him while wondering if it would be too much to ask Chen An to carry him to climb the stairs since Xiao Pei decided not to show up.
Si Ning climbed the stairs one at a time till he reached the top without losing his breath. The guards at the door opened the door for him and he soon found himself in a large tall grand hall with rows of Ministers in their official uniforms.
The Ministers lined in two rows at each side of the wide long red carpet with golden tip that was laid in the middle up to the stairs to the big golden dragon throne on the high platform. Two golden dragon statue on two platform, each on the side of the steps before the throne.
It was kind of awkward since Si Ning didn't know where he was supposed to stand and seeing that Chen An didn't follow him. He had no choice than to join the last row of the Officials that wore hat even though he didnt wear one but the Officials number were too great and he couldn't afford to start looking for heads without hats at least being at the back he would be able to avoid being closer to the Emperor.
"General Si Ning..." The man standing next to him said in panic. "You should stand where the Generals are, you do not have to stand beside a low rank Minister like me." He said his eyes beseeching.
Si Ning knew where he was coming from. If he was called for his report then the Emperor would notice where he stood and notice the man standing beside him. Since he had no idea where the other Generals were since they were all facing the front, the man pointed the row to him probably his way for making Si Ning quickly leave his side.
To save the man from having a panic attack, Si Ning blended into the crowd and he found a space in the row right beside Shao Lang.
"His Majesty has arrived!!!" An eunuch made an announcement of the Emperor's arriver.
Si Ning with the rest of the Ministers bowed deeply, his heart in his throat as he heard light footsteps making way to the dragon throne. He bit his lips getting ready to finally see the old Emperor's face, the Emperor that stole Liu Ting from him. He was powerless to the Emperor but he would never forgive an old man laying his hands on his ex girlfriend.
They all waited and when Si Ning noticed Shao Lang was raising his head, he also did the same as his heart started pounding and he could almost hear it. Si Ning took a glance at the old Emperor and he almost lost his balance when he found that the Mythical Jade Emperor, the most powerful man in the country that wore a large dark dragon robes with golden embroidery wearing a small golden mortarboard hat with strings of jewels suspended from its edges sitting like the throne was made for him was no other than Liu Zhicheng and to make the situation worst Liu Zhicheng gaze was on him.