No Repeats

The Emperor

"Imperial Noble Consort, please prepare to greet the Emperor," shouted a voice outside the closed door.

The Consort smiled gently, her eyes lit up at the mention of the Emperor and she instantly readied herself for the formal greeting. Shu Mei also stood up and tried to awkwardly copy the Consort's actions before deciding it was safer to kneel on the ground.

When the doors were opened, the tall Emperor walked in followed by two eunuchs, four guards and two palace maids. The entourage of the Emperor increases in number depending on where he travels. Because the Imperial Noble Consort Rui's palace is his familiar and safe place, the number of guards' present are the minimum number that protocol requires.

"This Consort greets the Emperor, may you live forever in good health and happiness," said the Consort with a lovely deep side bow.

"Please be at ease my wife, I am here to help you question the accused girl," said the Emperor as he held her hand and took her back to her seat before sitting down on the seat next to her.

"Everyone, withdraw and close the door, do not let anyone enter this palace without my instructions," commanded the Consort.

There was silence in the room while the royals waited for the entourage and servants to leave. The Emperor nodded his head to confirm that the room is secure, giving the Consort the signal to continue speaking.

"Your Majesty, I have just finished telling Shu Mei about the Vow that binds our three clans," said the Consort gently as she poured tea for the Emperor.

"Shu Mei, please look up at me," said the Emperor.

Doing as he asked, Shu Mei lifted her head and looked directly at the Emperor's face. She was taken back at how old and thin he looked up-close. When she saw him in the hall, she knew he looked old and fragile, but it is much more evident now.

Despite his tall frame and possibly great looks in his youth, the Emperor before her is a walking skeleton within a bag of skin. His face is well proportioned if not for the deep lines etched on his forehead and around his eyes. Grey hair and beard frame his face making him look much older than the Prime Minister, despite the Minister's pure white hair.

Based on his looks alone Shu Mei guessed that the Emperor is around ninety years old, very old compared to the beautiful Consort Rui who must be only fifty. An inappropriate saying popped into her head as she suppressed her own amusement, this situation is an old cow eating young grass!

"Splitting image of you my dear," he said to the Consort with endearing eyes.

Shu Mei glanced at the empire's top royals in front of her blankly, her doe like eyes and eyebrows frowned clearly giving away her confusion.

"Your Majesty, we can only thank the heavens that she has returned at the right time, but what should we do now?" asked the Consort, ignoring Shu Mei and continued to have their own conversation.

"The situation is complex, the evidence was presented against her is should be fabricated, by why? And she is still his person... We must think carefully about who to trust. Is this planned and they are using her identity to trap us or is it a case of divine intervention?" said the Emperor with a deep-set frown before turning to Shu Mei with a piercing glaze.

"Did you kill those women?" he asked.

"No."

"Are you Huang Yu Li's woman?"

"No."

"Do you know who you are?" he asked.

"I don't understand the question," said Shu Mei directly.