Six days later, the emperor walk into the room. He sees that she is laying on the couch asleep with a book in her hands. He sit beside her and gently remove the book. He remembered many years ago, when they were the crown prince and the crown princess, she too sometimes lay on the couch with a book in hand. He was young and mischievous. He alway does things to make her wake up in terror like knocking a gong in the room to wake her up. Putting a frog on her chest. Drawing her face with the brush. At that time, it was fun. She will wake up angry and chase him around the mansion. Sometimes she borrow the broom from the servants just to hit him. Even sometimes the eunuch and the other servants will chase them asking them to slow down and not hurt themselves. It was a time, he enjoy most. She is his playmate and his family and the only one who lives with him. His love for her is a strange and yet he can't tell her how much he loved her. Now he had made a decision after the dowager had fallen sick. His mother did a lot for him to secure the rights as a crown prince. He is never popular as a crown prince. Xuan Wen was the one that all the officials want as an emperor but his mother did all the back work to secure their trust and to keep him on the limelight. This is the final act as a good son to his mother. He needs to send her away to appease the dowager and for the good of the future for his son.
The empress wakes up seeing the emperor is siting on the other chair reading. She sit up and look at him. Usually he will do things to get her to wake up this time, he is allowing her to sleep till she naturally awake. She likes this kind of quiet life with him. Seldom they can stay in a room without arguing or throwing things. There was a day she recall, it was drizzling outside. She play the Gu Qin and he blow the flute. It was beautiful day even the maids standing there were enjoying the music and sight.
Finally, he put the book down and reach for the tea but he see that she is awake. He smile. For a long time, they look at each other.
"Tell me what do i need to do, now"
He reach drink the tea and sit back. Staring at the wall, he say softy.
"I will send you away."
It is the word that she wants to hear. Whether he is sending her to hell or another place. "Where to?"
"I will send you to the royal temple."
Her eyes slowly light up but she can't show him so she turn away and look at the hemline of her garment.
"I will make an announcement that the dowager is unwell. The empress will be going to the royal temple to pray for her health."
"How long will i be staying there?"
"As long as my mother is sick. You will stay there. You will need to do five hours a day of prayers for her. Plus an hour of three steps bow and a knee at the temple surroundings. Will you.."
"Yes i can do that."
He stare at her face. He get up and walk to her.
"That is only what the citizens will see on the surface. What you really need to do is to be my eyes in the royal temple."
She look at him and she begin to fear what she is going to hear.
"My spy is missing in the royal temple. Since months i last hear from him. Go there and find him. If you can't locate him, it's fine with me. You will be my eyes in future. I need you to urgently find the list of the new recruits in the royal temple."
Before she ask anything, he interrupted her.
"Why? Cause ... you don't need to know. I will arrange for you to leave for the royal temple soon."
"Wha.. what happen to the dowager?"
"I am not sure. When i reach her room, she is sick. Her personal eunuch told me she was unwell for the last few days. She had been taking medicine. However she is weak. My mother have been coughing nonstop. She is unable to sleep thus i am sending you to the temple to pray for her is reasonable, isn't it?"
"Yes it is reasonable." She softy reply the emperor . She now knows that the dowager did not tell him what had happen The empress is grateful and apologetic to what she have done to her.
Another week pass, the empress is allow to step out of the room. Dress in all white, without any accessories. Only a simple plain purple jade hairpin is on her hair. This is the last time, she will see this palace. She is surrounded by the eunuchs and maids as they walk towards the main hall. When she got there, she kneel before the emperor. He look at her and wave for her to proceed. He watch her walk off with the eunuchs and maids. He is half angry and half sad. He smash the cup in his hand, the eunuchs and maids in the room all immediately goes down on their knees.
"This is not what i wanted!! How dare she be so ...happy?!"
From far distance he watch the royal carriage move out of the palace, he will not able to see her this life time again. In the end, the dowager got what she wanted. His mother will always win no matter how the chess is being played.
That evening, he walked to his bedroom to see Shung Yu standing near the window and staring out to watch the night sky. He walk to her and hug her. He is only left with her. Even thou she doesn't love him, she still respect him and bore him a child. "Thank you for believe me and stay by my side." He hug her tighter she did not resist but lean on his chest. "We will make our lives better." He look at the night sky with a lonely lantern light up and flying up in the sky. The only lantern that is flying amongst the stars.