Chapter 342 - Unexpected Caveats

Monk Ku awkwardly stood in the Empress dowager's reception hall with his head bowed. He had just explained and apologized for his prior hasty departure to the Empress dowager who just maintained a blank hard stare and stony silence.

After a while of the eerie silence, Monk Du glanced up at the Empress dowager, who was looking down at him with the same expression, blank and unmoving. It did not seem like she had even registered his words just now. Monk Du glanced at Eunuch Li, who had brought him here. 

Eunuch Li furrowed his brow and signaled up at Song mama, who was standing beside the Empress dowager's throne chair. Song mama promptly got the message, bowed close to the Empress dowager, "Your majesty...your majesty...your majesty!"

The Empress dowager jumped and frowned at her, obviously annoyed about being bothered. Song mama motioned towards Eunuch LI and Monk Du below and the Empress dowager followed her line of sight and immediately glared at Monk Du with wide eyes, "You! What are you doing here?!"

Eunuch Li knit his brows, a bit confused. He had come to see her this morning and had explained everything and even though she did not speak, she had nodded and waved him away in acknowledgment. Obviously, she was not paying attention, "Your majesty, I told you this morning that the Emperor asked me to bring the Monk to you... He is here to escort you to his Master, who can help you."

The Empress dowager knit her brows, still glaring at Monk Du, who promptly got the message and bowed and re-explained himself, "I apologize for my hasty departure last time... There was an emergency that could not wait. I would have returned sooner but I had to convince my master to agree to receive you. He normally does not see anyone but on realizing who you were he made an exception and immediately sent me escort you."

"Escort me?" The Empress dowager said with a laugh that lasted a bit too long, making all of them feel wary. Her laughter abruptly stopped and she shot to her feet with a frown and coldly said, "Get out before I kill you." Shocking the trio in the room. After all, she was the one going on a rampage looking for this very monk.

Normally, the Empress dowager would have liked to order guards in to deal with the monk, but thanks to a certain ungrateful child, there were no guards or maids around. And the two "servants" currently in the room no longer listened to her and she did not have the energy to bark out orders on deaf ears. So she simply told him to leave, she was too tired for any drama right now.

Empress dowager turned to leave but Song mama immediately went down on her knees with her arms outstretched blocking the Empress dowager's way, "Your majesty, you shouldn't -" Unsure of what to say, she looked down at Eunuch Li for help.

The Empress dowager could definitely not be in her mind right now. But she could not be blamed, she had not been sleeping the last few days, choosing to "meditate" all day instead, claiming that the man in white was hunting her and wanted her dead. Her dark circles were huge and she was barely eating or drinking anything now. If she continued like this she would kill herself and yet she was turning the monk away? She could not be thinking straight.

Eunuch Li quickly shuffled up the steps to quietly talk to the Empress dowager, he knew it was too easy when she showed no reaction when he had informed her of Monk Du's arrival earlier.

As the Empress dowager irritatedly side-stepped Song mama with a frown, Eunuch Li caught up and blocked her way, "Your majesty, I know you're upset but you cannot deny yourself a reprieve. He can help y-"

"I don't need help!" The Empress dowager irritatedly cut in, her tightly controlled temper was starting to flare again. She took a deep breath to calm herself, holding her pounding head, and said through gritted teeth, "Get him out of here. I need to go meditate."

Eunuch Li frowned and held her arm and gently advised, "Your majesty, think this through again. You cannot continue like this, you will kill yourself if you do. You need to go."

The Empress dowager looked at him with a frown as her tired brain slowly processed, then she glanced at Monk Du and her frown deepened. When she did not say anything, Eunuch Li quietly prodded, "Your majesty... This is not the time to be fussy about these things. After your life is saved, we can address past matters..."

"Your majesty, I know it is hard to trust me again given the events of last time but I come to you with the most sincere heart now... I even come with a remedy for your nightmares." Monk Du finally cut in, reaching into his sleeve and pulled out a small vial, and held it out bowing his head. 

Eunuch Li knit his brows, the monk had not mentioned anything about this remedy in their discussions. He was a bit put off by this revelation, but still, he went down and brought it back to the Empress dowager, who simply looked down at the little vial dubiously and then stalked off with Song mama promptly following after a nod from Eunuch Li.

Eunuch Li sighed and turned to Monk Du, "I'm sure you can understand her ire with you... But she will come around. As for this..." He said, raising the vial as he walked down to Monk Du, "I will have to have it looked at before it can be presented..."

Monk Du slightly bowed his head with a smile, "Naturally..."

Eunuch Li scrutinized the monk and then sighed and led the way out. 

"Hmmmm...." Doctor Lou went as he squinted at Monk Du's back from his vantage point on the roof of the Empress dowager's palace. He was too wary to get close to the monk, worried that the monk would be able to detect his presence. So he stayed here on the roof, eavesdropping on the conversation. 

{...Not familiar...}

Doctor Lou knit his brows and then let out a loud sigh. He had considered going to confront the monk to figure out who and what his plans were, but it seemed this monk was simply a messenger. He worried that if confronted, the monk might run or alert this "Master" of his and complicate things. 

The element of surprise was after all, most valuable. He had already made a decision, he would have to accompany the Empress dowager on this journey, and she was going - he would ensure of it. While he could no longer influence her, he could always influence others. 

As for that remedy, it could work, for a while. It was just a matter of subduing the warring energies within her. Temporary relief was possible, but it would not last long. 

When Prince Yi came to him to ask for the herb, he had been elated, he thought he had finally detached himself and rose above his convictions. But from what he understood of the current situation from Dream Kai, Prince Yi's misdirected infatuation was still relenting.

{...How could it be so stubborn when she's given absolutely no encouragement?!...}

Doctor Lou pouted and pulled at his beard, there was also the relationship between the Emperor and Prince Yi to consider too...All this was such a headache!

{...Last time I play matchmaker, too much work! \(.＞＜)/...}

***

The Emperor spent his morning in court discussing Prince Yi's issue and then spent the afternoon with a few select other ministers discussing his plan for the future. He had not wanted to do this but Prince Yi clearly was not going to stop on his own. Prince Yi wanted to marry Princess Nalan, well, then he will marry her. But a tradeoff will be necessary, he had had enough of his brother's poking. 

Through this, the Emperor will solve two problems, he can dispatch both Princess Nalan and his brother. He had already written a message to the Zou king expressing his will to form the marriage alliance through his brother, expressing his p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e and happiness at the "fortuitous" union. 

The Emperor sighed and then handed over the official letter for the Zou king to Prime minister Zhao. He then turned his attention to the line of ministers who were kowtowed before him with cold sweat pouring from their faces, amongst them was Chen Bo. The Emperor inwardly sighed, he had not wanted it to come to this but his brother left him little choice. 

"Lock them up..." The Emperor ordered in a cold voice.

"Your majesty, please we were misled. We didn't mean to lie to you..."

"Your majesty, I did not know the true extent of the plot..."

"Your majesty, I was deceived!"

"Your majesty, please spare us!"

Seeing that the Emperor was obviously not going to change his mind, Chen Bo broke free of the Imperial guard pulling him and rushed over to Defense Lei, grabbing onto his arm, "Cousin! You have to help me! I am innocent!" Chen Bo pleaded, falling to his knees, "I-I was deceived! My name on that - My signature must have been forged! You have to help me!" Chen Bo haphazardly pleaded.

Defense minister Lei frowned and stepped back, brushing off Chen Bo's hands, "Were you deceived, or are you innocent?" He condescendingly asked in disgust.

Chen Bo blinked and then cried, "I have been wronged!" Kowtowing, banging his forehead on the ground.

Defense minister Lei shook his head, this cousin of his always seemed to end up on the wrong side of the fence. Not to mention ungrateful - to think that the cousin he had fought so hard for in the past actually contemplated and assisted what would have been his end!

"Get them out of here!" The Emperor irritatedly said and the Imperial guards promptly doubled their efforts and dragged the pleading ministers out the doors. Their pleading cries could still be heard long even after the thick doors of the royal study had been shut.

With only Defense minister Lei, Prime minister Zhao and Commander An left in the room, the Emperor sighed and honestly said, "I did not want for it to have to come to this..."

"It is necessary to affirm your rule... You have let him run amok for too long." Prime minister Zhao responded with a hint of haughtiness that was not missed by anyone in the room. 

Defense minister Lei cleared his throat and cast Prime minister Zhao a disapproving glance, before turning to the Emperor and politely agreeing, "This is for the best..." 

The Emperor nodded and turned to Commander An and gave the final necessary order, "Arrest Prince Yi on the grounds of conspiracy to commit treason." He solemnly said, beginning the end of all hope for a reconciliation with his brother.