Li Jin's POV
We didn't follow them when they went back to the empress's chamber. She was really serious about helping Consort Wang. I stopped writing and looked at my attendant.
"Is there a problem, young master? You keep on making mistakes. Look," Tong Shi says. I look at the floor and notice the papers that I crumpled. I sighed.
"Clean them. I will do it again later," I remarked.
He just sighed but started picking up the papers. I went out and decided to have some air by roaming around.
I already sent my letter to the northern border. I don't know if my uncle and my cousin would agree to come back because of the empress's request.
I know how much they loathe her. They will arrive three days after the next court meeting. I turned left and met Pei Qin, roaming around as well, holding a bottle of wine. I scoff.
"It looks like you have plenty of time to drink, Pei Qin," I remarked.
He sneered and walked in the same direction I was heading. "Have you noticed Shanguan Zu Jin's actions? I think he's on the empress's side. It's a genuine one. I thought he was playing along and waiting for the next moment where we can kill her again," Pei Qin mutters.
I sighed. "He's still a man. He is also the emperor consort. I won't be surprised if the empress had fooled him completely," I replied.
Pei Qin laughed because of what I said. He was giving me the bottle, but I raised my hand as a sign of rejection. I'm not in the mood.
"How about you? She keeps on nagging you to ask your cousin and uncle to come back here in the capital. Are you going to follow her?" he asks.
"My aunt had been waiting for her beloved man and son to mourn her properly. We will take this chance until she is willing to use that mask of hers," I replied.
I've been keeping her too much. She needs to rest in peace for good. We owe her that, especially the empress. I notice that the path we are walking is a way to the empress's chamber.
"Oh, that's the empress's chamber," Pei Qin utters. My jaw clenched.
"Don't make that face. You're showing the world how you hate the empress," he murmurs. I heard that loud and clear. I looked at his face and glared.
We hide in a corner when a servant comes out of the gate. "The empress was decocting consort Wang's medicine. I wonder where she took it. Also, she's been missing for a long time. Did she pluck them herself and find any herbs in the entire inner court palace?"
There's no way she would do such a thing. I still remember how she threatened my father after I rejected her offer to be her third husband.
My father was flogged a hundred times, and if I hadn't begged and promised that I'd be her consort, my father would've died.
"Her Highness was really weird for the past few days. She completely changed, and it's scary," she replied to the other one. They stopped walking.
"I think the empress bumped her head and suddenly wanted to be a good person. That must be the only explanation for all of this. What do you think?" she suggests. Her friend shakes her head while looking at her with disappointment.
"Bump her head, or we must say that water enters her head," Pei Qin remarks, laughing. I turn back.
"I will go back to my quarters now. I'll take my leave," I remarked.
I went back to my quarters. I was surprised when I saw my father and grandfather in the garden. Tong Shi leaves when he sees me moving my face and the left side. "I'll take my leave, old masters," he says. I take my seat.
My grandfather Li Shu was the previous grand chancellor when the empress's grandfather was still on the throne.
As for my father, Li Zhao, he was the left chancellor. "I never expected that the two of you would visit me at this hour, father, grandfather," I remarked, pouring tea on my cup. They look at me.
"What is happening with the empress?" my grandfather asks.
I didn't realize that it would take them this long to come here and ask me about the empress's behavior. I sip my tea and look at them.
"She's giving everyone a headache. She's pulling tricks as she always does," I coldly replied.
My father madly put down the cup on the table. "She's been asking all the record books about the laws that were created for the last few years. We've been in chaos for the last ten days!"
"We receive your letter. Why did she want Song Qing and Song Jialun to come back? What is happening here, Li Jin?" Grandfather asks. My jaw clenched.
"I know what she wants. She wants full control of the Song army. You both know what kind of woman the empress was," I stated.
They sip their tea. I'm glad Mother is not with them. She will cry again if she hears Aunt Yue's name. Mother hated Empress Wu Jinmai because of what she did to her beloved older sister.
I remember what she said when she rescued concubine Wang. Should I tell them what she says or keep it myself? I sighed.
"Li Jin, are you still working on your plan against the tyrant empress?" Father asks. I raise my head and meet his gaze.
"If I commit treason while she's trying to reform the court, it will be a huge problem. Shanguan Zu Jin seems to be on her side. It will be a problem if the Shanguans will be our enemy," I replied. They look surprised because of what I said. I poured tea in our cup.
"I must say that Shanguan Zu Jin was giving that woman the chance to prove her tricks. He didn't realize that's what she wanted from us. The empress was nothing but a cunning and ruthless woman," I mumbled. They both sighed.
"I don't know if I have the position to say this, but we should watch her in the meantime. If she's just pretending in order to manipulate us, we can start your plans," Father says.
I look at my grandfather. He put down the cup he was holding. He looks at me in the eyes.
"How about you? Do you still want to pursue your plans? Now that the imperial guards are under your supervision again, it'll be easy for you to seize the palace."
I wasn't expecting his direct approach. I look at the tea. I know myself that I hate her more and more each day.
I was just observing Pei Qin and Shanguan Zu Jin's movements. I need allies to fully control the palace completely.
"She made our lives miserable, and this hatred keeps on growing each day. I want to overthrow her. It's time to make the Wu pay for their crimes."