THE DAY EMPEROR: 阳明王 【The Night Emperor Book 2】

Chapter 3 Armory

Ye An read the first sentence on the piece of paper and realized that this must be how the rumors had circulated. Besides the statement about Ye An being a woman, there were also side-by-side drawings of the late Emperor Lee Hwi and another man who the writer claimed to be the long-lost eldest son of the late Great Emperor Lee Gang. 

"Who's spreading these goddamned flyers?" Ye An's worry had morphed into the beginning embers of fury. "If the grand eunuch was telling the truth then this should be something that was prepared by General Shao. And since he's not here, that means at least one other person knows about the truth. Or else they won't be so brazen as to do this. I don't gamble but my bet is on Minister Hu. Or Minister Peng. Or maybe even both of them." Ye An gritted her teeth as she brusquely passed the flyer to Xi Chen. She had half her mind on stopping the chariot there and then to find the culprit. But she knew this was not the time. Ah Lin needed them and the northern troop needed them.

Xi Chen scrutinized the flyer in his hand. The drawing of the man that was beside the portrait of the late Emperor Lee Hwi looked exactly the same as the late emperor, except for the small tilt in his smile and the gauntness in his cheeks. "Or General Shao might have been colluding with the ministers." Xi Chen commented solemnly, well aware of the weight of what that meant.

Ye An knitted her eyebrows. "If so, this would end in a disaster." She knew that if General Shao had conspired with the court officials against her, the scene from that blood-drenched night twenty-two years ago would be repeated. Even the most puritanical of the court ministers were defending the honors of the now disgraced general. She then shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Doesn't matter. For now, we will deal with it once the disturbance at the northern border is quelled. Let's handle things one at a time."

Ye An's eyes then suddenly widened. "Come to think of it, I haven't heard from Minister Sze for almost a week now." Ye An said, suddenly remembering that Sze Chang had not returned from the time he attended Chieftain Burat's funeral in her stead. The last time she had heard from him was when he wrote to her informing her that the funeral had gone smoothly and he would be expected to return a few days later. Their communication went silent after that and Ye An was too preoccupied with the Empress Mother's funeral and the subsequent adjustments to follow up with the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Ye An frowned in concern. "I hope he's safe."

The rest of their journey continued in silence. But as they were nearing the northern border, the tumultuous noises of battle and war reached their ears. The closer they get to the military barracks just stationed by the border, the louder the commotion became.

Xi Chen's eyes sharpened as his adrenaline skyrocketed. "Your Imperial Majesty, I might need to leave you once we arrive at the military barracks. Wait for me in my room."

Ye An merely looked at Xi Chen in calm defiance. "Do you think I asked to join you here just so I could take a nap in your quarters?"

"That's not what I meant." Xi Chen replied in a calm manner similar to hers, knowing instinctively that he was treading dangerous waters.

"Then, do you doubt my military abilities? Or is it because I'm a woman?" Ye An raised an eyebrow in question.

Xi Chen sighed but didn't even hesitate when he answered. "Your Imperial Majesty, I never once, and never will, doubt your abilities and capabilities. In fact, I revere them. The reason for my request is not because you're a woman either. It's because you're our monarch and sovereign. Even when other people question it, I'll never have any doubts about it. Not in a million years. And that's why I worry." Xi Chen paused.