Liu Hairui anticipated that the dignified Empress would be hesitant, but to his surprise, she took the initiative. Observing her fervently seeking from him, Liu Hairui felt a moment's reluctance to harm her, thinking of Consort Mei. Yet, he knew he must act, so he decided to immerse himself fully in the moment, pushing all thoughts aside.
Soon, Liu Hairui finished and noticed the Empress seemed unsatisfied, looking at him with longing.
"Still want more? I'll attend to you often in the future," Liu Hairui said with a calm smile, dressing himself and leaving the bed with a composed demeanor.
"Who else knows you're not a eunuch?" The Empress had regained her dignified posture, covering herself with a thin silk garment as she sat on the bed. "Don't lie to me, tell the truth."
"No one knows. Your Majesty, I've revealed my true identity only to you, wishing to serve loyally by your side, which is why I dared show my true self." Liu Hairui bowed humbly. "Once that Grand Commandant is out of the way, I'd like to join you."
"Very well, you shall follow me from now on," the Empress nodded, inwardly delighted. With Hai Chen by her side, she felt she would have everything she needed, able to control the harem and have someone like him to serve her needs.
After Liu Hairui left, the Empress remained lost in the joy of the moment, fantasizing about future encounters with him, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.
At midnight, the Prime Minister rushed into the palace, accompanied by heavily armed guards, a breach of protocol as no one was allowed to enter the palace with weapons without prior approval.
The Empress's informants quickly relayed this information, prompting her to signal her forces outside the palace. They stormed in, driven by their loyalty to the Emperor, who they believed was in danger.
However, this was a trap set by the Prime Minister. As the Empress and her guards burst into the Emperor's study, he cried out, "Treason! The Empress is in rebellion!"
Suddenly, a multitude of Imperial Guards appeared, surrounding the Empress's forces. Realizing the situation, the Empress nearly fainted.
"Seize her and execute her," the terrified Emperor ordered, believing the Empress had truly turned against him.
"Your Majesty, I dare not. I received intelligence of a rebellion by the Prime Minister," the Empress pleaded, prostrating herself and weeping.
"Your Majesty, the Empress has long harbored ambitions beyond her station," the Grand Commandant interjected. "She is a threat that must be eliminated for the sake of the realm."
"Your Majesty, I am the leader of the harem, a mother to the nation. Why would I rebel? I came to protect you, it is the Prime Minister and the Grand Commandant who plot against you."
The Emperor, torn between the weeping Empress and their years of marriage, was faced with a difficult decision.