Eunuch Li seemed to panic a bit when his request was met with silence and so he added, "I know that is not a good time for me to leave, with everything happening... But I worry that she might have another outburst while away. Song mama cannot handle her on her own and the other servants all naturally fear her, they will be of no help, and that monk..." Eunuch Li knit his brows and let out a breath, "Your mother needs me, please grant this request." He resolutely finished with knit eyebrows and eyes lowered.

Eunuch Li's mind was clearly made up and the Emperor could not refuse him and he truly had no valid reason to. In the Empress dowager's current state, she could not be expected to be in command of any troops. It would be another disaster if she got into one of her murderous rage moods.

So even the Emperor had realized the need for there to be someone there who could effectively counter her and the only person she remotely even listened to now was Eunuch Li. So it made all the sense for him to be the one to go.

Given Eunuch Li's frequent absences recently, he had anticipated this and had even thought to send Eunuch Li. But thinking of sending him and him asking on his own were two different things. It was not that he was jealous of his mother, it was just that Eunuch Li had been at his side for as long as he could remember. Even though the Emperor had always been aware that Eunuch Li stuck to him because of his mother, this man was still the only stable figure in his life. So, he occupied an important space in his life. This absence will be felt.

"How long did the monk say this treatment will take?" The Emperor finally asked.

"He didn't say but it'll be about four to six months... for the entire journey."

"Three months?" The Emperor exclaimed with knit eyebrows. He had expected that the monk would use his disappearing technique to get them to the TaoHua temple.

Clearly reading the Emperor's mind, Eunuch Li frowned and explained, "The monk said he cannot use that disappearing technique." He had also had the same query, not that he was looking forward to experiencing the wonder of it all or anything like that... It would have just been convenient.

"We would have to go by road, which I think is best... This way, we will be able to see what we are heading into and plan ahead... The temple is apparently somewhere deep in Beiyuan province. It is still within our borders so there should not be much to worry about. It's just your mother is..." Eunuch Li furrowed his brow and sighed.

Beiyaun was in the farthest most corner of the empire, so six months made sense. The Emperor was quiet for a bit before finally sighing and asking, "Will you return?"

The Emperor's plan for the Empress dowager to move herself to the Xia palace was still underway. The repairs to the palace should be completed in the next two months. Therefore, she had no reason to make the full journey back to the capital. The Xia province was a lot closer and the Emperor was not particularly interested in seeing his mother. So naturally, there was no need for her to return here.

Eunuch Li went stiff for a bit and then looked up at the Emperor and said, "I believe your mother will recover and you two will be able to find peace together..."

The Emperor blankly stared at Eunuch Li for a while before looking back down at his work, resuming his writing as he calmly, "You may leave..."

Eunuch Li kowtowed to the Emperor again and then got up and quietly left the room. As the doors closed behind him, the Emperor looked up and stared at doors as a frown crossed his face. He eventually put down the brush and massaged his aching head with an irritated sigh, closing his eyes.

After a while of sitting like that, the Emperor got up and made his way out, too irritated to continue "working".

***

"Where were you?"

On her arrival, Lei Xing was immediately met with this query from a clearly disgruntled Emperor sitting in the corner. He was tired and annoyed, which was never a good combination. So he came home to Lei Xing to ease his mood. But to his further annoyance, she was not here when he arrived despite it being dark already. The servants at her palace were not sure where she was but offered to go hunt her down, but he declined and simply sat down, waiting while ruminating.

Lei Xing blinked at him with a raised eyebrow, slightly amused with the sudden inquiry as she walked over to him, "You're early..."

The Emperor narrowed his eyes at her, "It's cold out, you shouldn't be roaming at night."

"I was sufficiently covered." Lei Xing dismissively said, "Have you eaten?" She asked as she sat next to him.

"I'm fine. Where were you?" The Emperor asked again, grabbing one of her hands. Lei Xing blinked at him, she had actually not thought he really wanted an answer. She was a bit put off but she sighed and answered, "Nalan was -"

"Nevermind, I don't want to know." The Emperor cut her off, frowning down at the hand he was holding.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/circ.u.mventing-fate_13455346806916405/downcast_50754214900593087">/book/circ.u.mventing-fate_13455346806916405/downcast_50754214900593087</a> for visiting.

"Good choice." Lei Xing sarcastically went, she also did not want to know about it either, but somehow Princess Nalan was now her business. The girl was apparently on the verge of throwing another fit again, insisting that she would not eat until Lei Xing showed up. Lei Xing did and it seemed the girl had been thinking, demanding to know what was happening with Prince Yi's "release".

Lei Xing inwardly sighed.

{...Like it could happen that quickly -_-)... Doesn't she know anything about buttering up someone? Even if I ask, he's not going to arrest him today and then release him today...}

In the end, she had to eat dinner with her to ensure the girl actually ate. Lei Xing was of a mind to leave her alone to starve but then what if the girl got sick or lost the baby - Her country would accuse her - well, them of doing something to her.

Lei Xing frowned, "Speaking of that, um... A maid confessed, apparently she panicked when she saw Prince Yi being led to the prison and rushed over to tell Princess Nalan in a panic. Ming Shu says I can't just send her out of the palace or demote her and that I need to make an example. She's "suggesting" 100 lashes with that plank thing, but that would kill anyone! I might as well just sentence her to death, which I am not going to do. That will be too much for a simple lapse in judgment, but I understand the need for maintaining order and I accept that I may have been too lax in my management hence causing this lapse...."

"...But still, even though I understand that this little lapse may have led to an international incident, I can't condemn someone to death for something so little. Therefore, I was thinking how about a productive yet hard punishment? A sentence to work the fields, for example, she could learn a skill and be punished. How about a year? Too little? 2? 5? What do you think?" Lei Xing vented all in one breath, looking at the Emperor expectantly.

She believed he would understand. But then the Emperor simply took her other hand and offhandedly said, "Your hands are cold..." As he rubbed her hands in his.

"My hands are fine... Were you even listening to me?" Lei Xing asked with a frown as she tried to pull her hands free.

"En. A maid... punishment. Just do as you fit." The Emperor dismissively said.

Lei Xing blinked and nodded, "Okay then...moving on, I... um." She paused and pursed her lips, thinking of how to carefully phrase this next bit about her arrangement with Princess Nalan, "...I was the - wondering, about your bro-

"Can we -" The Emperor loudly and sharply interjected, then took a deep breath and calmly continued, "... Let's not talk about any of that, right now... Later." The Emperor added warmly c.a.r.e.s.sing her hands with a sigh. He did not mean to snap at her but the last thing he needed right now was to argue with Lei Xing about his brother of all things.

Lei Xing, who was taken aback by the sudden sharpness, simply blinked at him and slowly nodded with an awkward, "...okay..."

{...Guess not today O_O)...}

"Good." The Emperor said with a half-smile and then he wrapped his arms around her tightly as he buried his face in the curve of her neck. He closed his eyes and breathed in her flowery scent and let out a relieved sigh as he felt his tense muscles relax. This was his happy place.

"Did something happen?" Lei Xing asked as she tentatively put her hands on his back.

The Emperor was quiet for a bit before he opened his eyes and sighed, "My mother will finally be leaving soon..."

"Oh~" Lei Xing exclaimed and then immediately chided herself, hoping that her tone did not sound too happy just now. It was good he was not looking at her when he said that otherwise, she did not think he would have appreciated the excitement on her face just now. But she could not be blamed, the woman hated her and had literally tried to kill her and would do it again if she got the chance.

"...Eunuch Li is leaving with her." The Emperor quietly added.

"Oh..." Lei Xing went again, this time solemnly. Now she understood his poor mood. She awkwardly patted his back a few times, thinking of what to say. Finally, she cleared her throat and said, "Well... I mean, it doesn't have to be permanent, right? Maybe..." She paused, thinking a bit more before continuing.

Even she did not believe the words she was about to say. After all, she did not think the Empress dowager's issue with her was purely spiritual. Crazy or not, the woman did not like her and it was unlikely that an exorcism would change that.

But for the Emperor's sake, she went against her better judgment and continued, "...Maybe the Monk really has a way and um, she could...change." Even Lei Xing slightly rolled her eyes at that, "... and well... it doesn't have to be permanent -"

"It doesn't matter anyway..." The Emperor said, closing his eyes and hugging her even closer. If he could pull her into himself, he probably would, that way he can always feel happy and content.

{...They can leave, they can all leave... anyone but you. Only you are not allowed to leave me. Never...}