The Emperor's Phoenix

Chapter 23 | Her Promise

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Liu Ying Yue

Ying Yue rubbed her temples with furrowed eyebrows as she lazily sat in the palace courtyard, sorting through a pile of reports and drinking herbal tea.

After their discussion the previous night, she had no memory of anything else other than consuming four bottles of wine and passing out in the study room. With her lessening headache, she stretched out her stiff muscles.

Hm. At least my fighting skills drastically improved.

Fortunately, her hangover also got slightly better after their training session, and even now, Zhang Wei was still overseeing the Jin army's progress at the training grounds.

"Your Highness." The fresh, iron scent of blood filled the air as one of her hired assassins bowed in greeting, removing the dark mask that covered the lower half of his face. "...I was investigating around a prime minister's manor, and I found this red scroll in a hidden compartment."

He handed it to Ying Yue as she overturned it in her hands with an observant gaze.

...It's very worn-down...For some reason...I also feel like someone has mentioned it before...

"Considering how this scroll seemed like it was placed in tight security, it may be of use to you. It would be best if you keep it in a protective--" He suddenly tensed up and quickly placed on his face mask again as he glanced at something in the distance before bowing to her. "...Someone is approaching. Pardon me, Your Highness."

He disappeared just as the light tinkle of hair ornaments sounded through the breeze. Quickly hiding the scroll in her sleeve, Ying Yue stood up to face a middle-aged woman with gray streaks in her hair--someone she had never expected to see until now.

"I'm glad to see you're hard at work...Ying Yue."

Heavens...

Ying Yue slightly bowed in greeting to the regal woman dressed in similar scarlet robes. "Empress Dowager Jin."

She gave a soft smirk which paralleled that of her son, giving her a youthful image despite her age. With maids at her sides, she took a seat, waving a hand for Ying Yue to do the same.

"You are the empress now, are you not? There is no need to bow to me." Her smirk widened into a motherly smile as a maid poured a cup of tea before ordering them to leave. "And please...You are my daughter-in-law. Don't be so stiff and address me as 'mother.' "

...She is surprisingly friendly...

"Of course...Mother."  Ying Yue tested out hesitantly. "What brings you here today?"

It's certainly strange how I've never seen her around the palace except for now...I don't even think I saw her at my wedding ceremony...

She elegantly took a sip of her tea. "I supposed it was time to have a talk over tea with my daughter-in-law."

"I see..." Ying Yue was unsure of how to react, awkwardly shuffling through the piles of scrolls and organizing them on the side.

"...How is everything with Zhang Wei?" she suddenly asked, "It has been a while since you last arrived. Surely, you must have conceived by now..."