After Yi Huiqing left the dining room, Zao Zhang Wei stood at the same place in the same position for a long time.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
It was only when Eunuch Zhang came and asked him whether he wanted to have his dinner again or not. The young Eunuch somehow knew that the dinner with the first prince and Empress for his master must not have been a good one.
So he was worried that his master was not full yet.
However, Zhao Zhang Wei refused and then silently left the dining room.
He then went to his study room and stayed there only for the whole night…lost in his own thoughts.
Tonight was a big reality check to Zhao Zhang Wei. It made him realize that even after going through so many things he was going in the wrong direction.
Zhao Zhuang Chen's threats, Yi Huiqing's words, and many other things didn't leave his mind.
The whole night he thought over many things and never went back to his chambers.
.
.
.
On the other hand in some other part of the Imperial Palace, the usually dark corridors of the Palace were being lit tonight.
The door of the room that opened very rarely opened tonight.
From the room, stepped out an elderly woman. Light wrinkles could be seen under her eyes.
A woman in the Imperial Palace had many sources to hide her real age with all those cosmetics and beauty products.
However, Empress Dowager used them rarely and that's why perhaps her face showed her real age to everyone.
"You didn't need to do all this."
The Empress Dowager said softly to her old Momo.
The old Momo smiled softly and said to her mistress with her head bowed.
"How could this be? Her Majesty had stepped out after so long. Of Course, this servant had to make it a little memorable."
The Empress Dowager didn't smile at all. Instead, her eyes were filled with an unusual longing as she looked at all the lamps that were lightening the corridor ahead.
With slow steps, she stepped forward. Her mind was full of memories of when she had decided to make this part of the Imperial Palace her home.
At that time, she had not thought she would ever need to come out again.
"Y…Your Majesty."
The Imperial Guard who was guarding the end of the corridor stuttered out when he saw the elderly woman. His eyes were wide with shock as he stared at the old woman.
He would have not been able to recognize the elderly woman if it was not for the old Momo standing behind her.
Seeing how the old Momo was standing respectfully behind the elderly woman dressed in very simple clothes, he understood very quickly that she was none other than the Empress Dowager who had been living in isolation for so many years.
Even though the Empress Dowager has never come out from that room, her old Momo would come out once in a while to go out of the Imperial Palace and buy a few things for her mistress.
Yes…the Empress Dowager didn't use anything from the Imperial Palace.
Only a few people inside the Imperial Palace knew this.
However, at this moment, this was not the important thing.
"This servant will go and inform His Majesty."
The Empress Dowager's eyes flickered when she heard the Imperial guard's words. She didn't say anything except merely nod her head.
Seeing this, the old Momo said to the Imperial Guard.
"Leave."
The Imperial Guard also left from there quickly.
"Jimai …what do you think? Will he be happy after hearing this news?"
The Empress Dowager asked the old Mom suddenly.
In response, the old Momo had a conflicted expression on her face. The old Mom didn't know what had actually transpired all these years ago.
Why did her mistress suddenly become so estranged from His Majesty?
The only thing she knew was after the previous Emperor's death, her mistress was very heartbroken and came to live here. After that, His Majesty came many times and asked her to live as an Empress Dowager should live in the Imperial Palace.
However, Empress Dowager not only refused to talk with His Majesty but she didn't even let him see her.
The old Momo, in the end, answered her mistress question honestly.
"This servant feels that His Majesty will surely be happy after hearing that Your Majesty has finally decided to live in the main Palace."
The Empress Dowager didn't say anything for a few moments.
She just stared at the front. Hearing the old Mom's words, she had an ironic smile on her lips as she said
"Let's see."
And then she proceeded to walk towards the chambers that were specially reserved for the Empress Dowager in the Imperial Palace.
.
.
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On the other hand, inside the Imperial Chambers, Eunuch Wang woke up the Emperor.
A few moments later, sitting on his bed, Zhao Wang Lei eyes were full of disbelief and his face was blank.
"What you are saying…is it really true?"
He asked the Imperial guard who was kneeling on the ground for the third time.
The Imperial guard respectfully answered
"Yes, Your Majesty. This servant saw with his own eyes. Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager has come out of her room."
Zhao Wang Lei finally nodded his head stiffly.
Seeing that his face didn't look much alright, Eunuch Wang signed the Imperial guard to leave and then gave a glass of water to the Emperor.
"Your Majesty."
Zhao Wang Lei didn't take the glass from the old Eunuch's hands.
"Ask the servants to clean her chambers. Have her favorite food prepared….No, wait…first send the Imperial Physician to take her pulse and then prepare the meal accordingly. We have seen the incense sticks in her room. Mother must have been unable to sleep properly. Ask the Imperial Physician to give her some proper herbal medicines that would not harm her body."
Eunuch Wang smiled a little but said respectfully.
"Yes, Your Majesty, This servant will make sure that Her Majesty will be very comfortable in the main place."
Zhao Wang Lei nodded his head and the Eunuch Wang left to do the said jobs.
'So in the end he did the right thing.. He could make her come out by doing this only.'
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