CH 59

Wanyan Xu and the Empress Dowager were pointing out particularly impressive specimens of lotus flowers in the pond to each other and joking light-heartedly at the same time when Su Yi blundered into them. Both of them were stunned upon the chance encounter, but soon after, the surprise gave way to a wave of sorrow that surged up from the bottom of their hearts. They could only stare dumbly at each other for a spell, as all the attendants bowed their heads and averted their eyes at the awkwardness of the situation, not even daring to breathe too loudly. A heavy pall of silence descended, though the garden was a large venue, if a pin had dropped anywhere the sound it would produce would have been audible. The Empress Dowager just watched them with cold eyes, but she did not speak.