Chapter 271 - Retrace

The seers swiftly arrived and as everyone anticipated, they said the Heavens were angry which was the reason for the change in the heavens and the intrusion of these foreign celestial bodies. They said that it did not speak well for the empire and even went as far as to say that only more trouble will come until "our" - meaning the Emperor's steps, were retracted and atonement was made.

After the seers' enlightening revelation, the hall remained silent. It was clear what those words suggested, the ceremony today was the step that needed to be retracted. The Emperor was not saying anything and no one seemed to want to point out the obvious to him.

Prime minister Zhao finally stepped forward, bowed, and solemnly said, "Your majesty, we cannot go against the will of the Heavens...Emperor, please make a wise choice..."

"Emperor, please make a wise choice..." The other ministers, save for Lei Yong and his father, bowed and echoed Prime minister Zhao's words. 

The Emperor knew what had to be done but still, he remained silent. He clenched his fists and his frown deepened as he thought hard about how to avoid the obvious "solution".

But other than delaying what was presenting to be the inevitable, he truly could not see any other option and even that option could be even worse for them. If he chose to delay it today and anything more happened, the consequences will be dire for his rule and for Lei Xing.

Today deposing her might be enough...but tomorrow, the people might call her for life. He was not even certain that deposing her would be enough right now considering they still had to "atone". 

If he had known this would happen, then he would have never insisted that she become his Empress. She was never interested but he had pushed her into it and now, she was the one who would have to face this ridicule. 

He could not do this to her. If he did it, it would hurt her and she would come to hate him. And if he sent her out of the palace, he might never see her again. He truly felt like he was about to lose her. 

"Your majesty..." Defense minister Lei finally spoke for the first time since this meeting began and the other ministers fell silent as their attention focused on him. The Emperor knit his brows and looked at Defense minister Lei. He expected some sort of accusation or reminder of the promise the Emperor had made to protect Lei Xing, but Defense minister Lei bowed and said, "You have more than one important subject..." 

The Emperor blinked and everyone else also blinked in surprise. They expected Defense minister Lei to speak out against this proposal or offer some alternative argument, but then he was supporting dethroning his own daughter? That felt wrong to everyone. 

Lei Yong frowned and went, "Fathe-"

"Be quiet. The Empire is more important than any one person..." Defense minister Lei interjected with a scowl. He was also not happy with the situation or Lei Xing facing punishment, but what else could be done in a situation like this? If the Emperor insisted on keeping Lei Xing, things would only get worse not just for her but for their entire family. 

If they simply requested dethronement today, tomorrow they will request her death and possibly the death of the entire family. The risk was too great. He knew it and the Emperor knew it. Being stubborn was not an option here. 

It was better for everyone for him to let go now. The Emperor inwardly sighed in irritation. The Voice that had reassured him of all this time of the validity of their union was absent now that this problem had surfaced. It was clear that there was no other choice here so the Emperor took a deep breath and was about to speak.

{...*Go find Xing Xing!...}

The Emperor froze and his face immediately lit up. The Voice had finally responded, he suddenly felt the dying embers of hope rekindle. 

{...What's happening? Ca-...}

{...*I said go find Xing Xing!...}

{...But -...}

{...*Stop wasting time and go! It'll all be fine. Trust me~...}

The Emperor suddenly got to his feet and the ministers looked at him questioningly. 

"Further deliberation on this issue will continue at a later time." The Emperor dropped and then promptly made his way out of the hall ignoring the concerned "Your majesty!" cries that followed him out. They had thought he had finally seen the light but it now seemed he chose to continue to be stubborn. 

"Your majestyyyy!" 

The Emperor frowned when he stepped outside to see the four celestial bodies in the sky. He did not understand but he would trust the Voice and delay his decision...It was all he could do for now and he hoped it would be enough. 

He hoped it was not a mistake.

***

The head physician froze in surprise when the Empress dowager suddenly opened her eyes and then shrieked and shoved him away when she saw the acupuncture needle hovering above her face. She sat up and then looked about her surroundings in confusion.

"Your majesty, how are you feeling?" Song mama quickly asked. 

The Empress dowager knit her brows and simply blinked and then asked, "Where am I?" As she rubbed her aching head.

"You collapsed during the ceremony..." Eunuch Li supplied coming forward with a worried frown, "How are you feeling?"

The Empress skeptically looked at him and then did a sweep of the others and tentatively went, "Fine...I guess."

"You guess? Hurry up and check on her!" Eunuch Li promptly ordered glaring at the head physician, who promptly jumped forward and went to take her pulse, "Of course, your maje-"

"No, I'm fine!" The Empress dowager swiftly exclaimed moving her hand out of reach. 

The inhabitants of the room knit their brows thinking she was going back to resisting treatment. But right now was not the time to bother the Emperor about this. They looked to Eunuch Li, who let out a breath and tried to reason with her, "Just accept treatment for now. I'll talk to the Emperor to do something about expediting the situation..."

"Emperor?" The Empress dowager asked with a frown, then she blinked, gave a nervous laugh, and went, "What I meant was, that I am perfectly fine...No need to worry." She said as she stood up, Song mama held her arm but she promptly shrugged the hand off, smiled at her and went, "I'm fine...really. Thank you."

Song mama blinked at her and then looked at the other people in the room, who had the same surprised and confused expression on their faces. 

The Empress dowager said "thank you"? There was definitely something wrong here. 

Eunuch Li knit his brows and asked, "Your majesty, are you sure you're alright?"

The Empress dowager gave another nervous laugh and went, "Perfectly fine...I will just be leaving now -"

"Leaving?" Eunuch Li asked with a frown.

The Empress dowager blinked, "Did I say leave? I meant taking a walk...alone." She added with a smile and a nod as she made to walk past them.

Eunuch Li's frown deepened and he promptly stepped in her way, "Your majest, you sh-"

"Fine, fine...You can come along too...just you." She said pointing at Eunuch Li.

{...I could probably take him in a fight...I think?...}

The Empress dowager did not wait for a response and quickly scurried out of the room as perplexed gazes followed her. 

Eunuch Li was still confused and worried so he promptly followed behind her. As they walked along, the Empress dowager kept sending suspicious glances his wad. When they got outside, Eunuch Li froze and frowned as he looked up at the now very colorful sky. He did not have a chance to really see it earlier and now it looked worse than he recalled. This will definitely be a problem and he worried for the Emperor, "What is the meaning of this?" He said with a sigh. 

"Meaning of what?" The Empress dowager asked glancing at him with a raised eyebrow.

"The sky - I don't think this has ever happened in history before..."Eunuch Li responded still in disbelief of what his eyes were seeing.

The Empress dowager's eyes shifted and then she responded, "What are you talking about? It's always been like this - Ah, I actually see it now...that is strange." she quickly amended as she looked up and frowned at the four celestial bodies, the dark one in particular and mumbled, "Why is it black? That can't be good..." 

"Your majesty -?" Eunuch Li went, confused with her words.

"Nothing...Where did you say this was again?" The Empress dowager asked, resuming her walk.

"Your palace..." Eunuch Li supplied and then went, "Your majesty, are you sure you're alright?"

"En, I'm fine." She offhandedly responded as she reached for the doors and tried to open them but it did not budge, "Can you open this?" She asked turning to Eunuch Li.

Eunuch Li blinked at her taken aback with her polite question. He quickly snapped out of it and tentatively responded, "Following the Emperor's orders - but I guess today is an exception due to the ceremony - but where are you trying to go?" Eunuch Li asked with concern. 

The Empress dowager blinked and then smiled and said, "Nowhere in particular...Just a walk~ the doors please...?"

Eunuch Li knit his brows, let out a breath, and then ordered, "Open the doors..."

The Imperial guards outside promptly went about unlocking the doors and the Empress dowager beamed at Eunuch Li and said, "Thank you~" 

Eunuch Li frowned in confusion. The Empress dowager paid him no attention and as soon as the doors opened were opened, she bolted outside with quick feet. 

Eunuch Li quickly shook his head, snapped out of it himself, and raced out behind her. When he caught up to her, the Empress dowager slowed down to a walk, "I was just playing...You're quite fast for an old man." She said with a little laugh and then looked off to the side with a pout.

Eunuch Li scrutinized her, perplexed. She was definitely not behaving like herself at all...No, it was that she was not behaving like her usual self. 

It was strange but he felt like she was behaving like herself, her old self...One he knew a long time ago. 

The Empress dowager glanced at him with a half-smile as she did a quick assessment of him before glancing about accessing her surroundings.

{...Tch, I need to lose this old man...but where the hell am I?! >_