The Empress Wears Gucci

31

        "Yes, Your Majesty?" I flinched as I tried to soak the blood from the slash with my sleeve.

        "If you do this again, I will have you flogged fifty times," she spoke with sincerity and turned her head a little towards the guards. "Thank you... You may all rise. We shall discuss this tomorrow, do not notify the Emperor about this until then."

        "Thank you, Empress Dowager." we all said in unison and stood up. The guards looked at me with admiration, but some had their foreheads pinched.

         As the guards left the room, Jaxon gave me a small smile before leaving. I rushed to get out before the Empress Dowager starts scolding me again, but I was too late. 

        "Han Ying Yue," she called out to me, this time, in a colourless voice. 

        I inhaled deeply before turning around to face her. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

        "Let me see your neck," she said, solemnly. 

        The light shone into the poorly lit room and I squinted to see her clearly. She used her four fingers to motion a 'come here' gesture. I casually walked to her with obedience and kneeled before her. Her face towered over me. She was comfortably laid out on her bed and I would kill to be sleeping right now. I couldn't read the expression on her face but her eyes twinkled a little bit. The Empress Dowager's delicate fingers pressed gently on the side of my cut and immediately caused me to flinch. Her eyebrows knitted and she was inches away from my neck. "You'll need to clean this up before you get it infected. Wait here."

        I continued to stay still, watching my mother-in-law move towards another section of her palace. It was weird to see her softened because she was always a hard-shelled woman. Her motherly instinct rose quite quickly. I have to praise the late Emperor for choosing the right wife.

        But who knows what the Empress Dowager did to keep her title... or even earn her title if she came into the harem as a young girl.

        She returned shortly with a damp cloth. Her lips curled up slightly while she squatted down. "Look over to your right."

        "Y-Your Majesty, you don't have to do this, I can do this myself—" I murmured anxiously. 

        "There is no problem. Here, let me help you." Her voice was softer this time. The wet, warm cloth touched the cut. It burned but I felt refreshed and less dirty. I was too in shock to move my body, in case I did offend her in any way. I already messed up twice, I sure didn't want to mess up again. 

         I felt more water trickling down my skin when she squeezed the cloth ever so slightly to clean my cut. When she was done, I looked at the bloody towel. "That's a lot of blood." 

        Why did I say that?

        Our eyes met and her lips curled into a wide smile. The sound of chuckling came out of her lips. The shaking of her head made me feel at ease. I made her laugh.

        "Thank you," I started to say. "For not getting mad at me. And helping me with my injury, Your Majesty."

        "Yes. I'll have a eunuch escort you back to your chamber, it's dark outside." 

        "Thank you, Your Majesty. Have a good night." 

        When the news of the attack broke out, the Emperor was furious. It was an immediate call to the Southern Palace. Guards and government officials were called in to take action and discuss. The Empress Dowager sat on the side of the court and watched from afar. I stood next to the guards, ignoring the rest of the odd stares from the chancellors, ministers, and the rest of the important people.