Cold Sands || Beyond the Frore Dunes [COMPLETED]

Chapter 24: Foretoken

The two people in front of me both have their heads down, looking tense as though they were facing their deaths.

Impatiently, I tap my tea cup. "I didn't call you here to see your constipated faces."

Song Ruoming looks up cautiously as he fidgets with his cup. "Your–"

In the blink of an eye, I slap my hand over his mouth, shoving back the 'Majesty' that would have followed.

I shoot him a dirty look. "Do you want everyone to know my identity?"

"Then..." Pei Yuan starts talking after much hesitation, "Then what should we call You?"

I pucker my lips as I consider the options only to wave my hand carelessly in the end. "Just call me whatever you used to call me."

The two of them share a look and then turn to me, exclaiming at the same time, "Absolutely not!"

The next moment Song Ruoming regains the solemn, unwavering look he has in court. "You are...so we must follow the formalities."

I spew out the tea I had in my mouth and cough, back bent over.

What can I say about this bastard? He's been hell bent on using the formal ways of reference between ruler and subject between us since I ascended the throne, as if we have never been the best of friends. He wouldn't budge no matter how much I disagree with it. But then again, could emperors even have friends?

I'm silent while I mull it over.

"Suit yourselves. I won't waste my breath on this issue. I wanted to discuss some things with you today."

The two nod and I begin as I run my finger on my cup, "It's a critical time right now. To fight or to leave—no conclusions have been made yet after all this back-and-forth in the court. I want to know just how many people support the relocation."

Pei Yuan answers seriously, "The Golden Guardians may be sons of the rich but they are all hot-blooded men who wish to stay and defend their country to the death as much as I do."

I feel a spark of hope but I keep a straight face. "Even if that's the case, you're only a lieutenant general. You still have to follow the guardian general's orders."

Pei Yuan falters and then sighs, "You are certainly right. The guardian general is Minister Xie's nephew. Well, what can I do—he is of higher rank than me."

I scoff, "The empress dowager sure plans ahead."

"Even if she does plan ahead," Song Ruoming joins in. "She cannot possibly predict the human variable." His brows scrunch up. "The new emperor is what the people look forward to, yet she, a woman, is still sitting in during courts. Blasphemy, I say!"

My mind has already gone through countless ideas by the time he finishes.

The empress dowager has been sitting behind the curtains during courts after the ascension of the new emperor. This has already raised much discontent amidst the nobles and the jinshi. A blizzard of memorials has been sent, all asking for the empress dowager to leave the government. Furthermore, the martial class have been subject to oppression and to them this new emperor could be considered a military man as well. I could dictate them solely because of that.

I smirk to myself. Master Liao was right: I have plenty at hand for me to use. It just depends on how I use it.

Actually, now that I think about it, no matter how powerful or menacing she may be, she is still a woman. She cannot be in the forefront. Also, the battle for power stays within the confines of the royal city so one well-planned operation is all it would take for me to get everything back.