His Rui

In the silent night of the Imperial City, the Imperial Palace was lit with red lanterns.

The guards guarded almost every part of the Imperial Palace.

Outside the Emperor's chamber, Eunuch Wang stood with his head bowed. Not sooner or later, from the chambers stepped out the Emperor, Zhao Wang Lei himself.

Clad in yellow robes, the Emperor stepped out of his Imperial chambers. Eunuch Wang silently followed him.

A few minutes later, the Emperor suddenly turned in a direction where no lantern was lit. The dark corridor however didn't obstruct Zhao Wang Lei's way. He walked as if he could cross that corridor with his eyes closed also as if when there was a need to turn in some other direction he would do it without any hesitation.

The old servant, Eunuch Zhang was still silent. 

No servant or guard could be seen on the way as both the servant and master crossed the corridor and now were standing in front of the closed doors. 

A little bit of light could be seen coming out from the gaps amidst the two doors.

It was Eunuch Wang who stepped forward and then knocked on the door.

After he knocked two to three times, the silence was regained and he took a few steps back again taking his place behind his master's back.

A few moments later, some sound could be heard on the other side of the door. However, the door was never opened by that person instead someone from the other side removed a piece of wood from between the door, and soon a small gap was seen in between the door. 

From that small window, Zhao Wang Lei saw a pair of eyes that flickered when the person recognized him.

"This servant greets Your Majesty."

The person was a woman. It could only be recognized from the voice as Zhao Wang Lei could not see the figure completely.

However, according to his memory, she never took any Eunuch or male servant with herself so he should not have felt any need to hear the voice also to know that on the other side of the door there was a maid.

"Open the door. His Majesty wishes to see Her Majesty, The Empress Dowager."

Eunuch Wang said to the maid.

That's right. On the other side of those doors lived none other than Empress Dowager, Zhao Wang Lei's biological mother, and today he was here to meet her.

"This servant doesn't mean to be disrespectful but asking Your Majesty to wait outside until this servant goes inside ask for Empress Dowager's permission." 

Eunuch Wang only glanced at his master. Only after he nodded his head, Eunuch Wang did respond to the maid.

"Then His Majesty will wait here."

The maid left from there.

It was after a whole five minutes later, she finally came back.

However, this time she didn't talk through that gap. Instead, she opened those doors and then welcomed the Emperor inside.

When the door opened and Eunuch Wang saw the old maid, he instantly recognized her as the Momo Zhu. He greeted the old Momo politely who greeted him back a little coldly. 

Zhao Wang Lei's phoenix eyes flickered with surprise as looked around the room. He had actually not expected that the doors will ever open for him and he will be allowed to meet his mother. He even had especially prepared something that could make Empress Dowager allow him to get inside and meet her. However, suddenly became too easy and he didn't even need to use his weapon. 

He stepped inside and walked along the path that was led by the maid.   

Soon they reached in front of another room.

"Your Majesty may go inside but alone. Also, this servant has been ordered by Empress Dowager to check His Majesty before letting him inside."

Eunuch Wang's eyes went wide when he heard the old maid's words.

"Do you even know what you are saying, Momo Zhu? It is His Majesty, the Emperor whom you are talking to?"

Though she was the maid of an Empress Dowager who also had been an Empress before, how could she be so daring to talk to the Emperor like this!   

However, the old Momo looked completely unaffected by Eunuch Wang's words. She smiled a little …a smile that didn't have any humor and said politely

"Your Majesty can always choose to go back. However this servant will only hear Her Majesty, Empress Dowager's orders regardless of who is standing in front of this servant."

Eunuch Wang was angrier after hearing these words and was about to speak more but Zhao Wang Lei raised his hand and stopped him.

"Eunuch Wang, why are you arguing with the old Momo?"

The Emperor said reprimanding his own servant gently and then looked at the old Momo Zhu with a smile.

"Zhen doesn't feel offended at all. The old Momo is loyal to Empress Mother. This only makes Zhen feel assures that Empress Mother must be living well even though she is away from all the luxuries of the Imperial Palace."

After saying this, he stepped forward and raised both of his arms saying

"Here…Zhen is ready to be checked if this is what it takes Zhen to see Empress Mother once."

Zhao Wang Lei raised his eyes when he saw that it was the old Momo only who stepped forward without any hesitation.

Even Eunuch Wang saw with his eyes wide as she roamed his hands on the Emperor's body without any shame. Even though she was old, she still was a woman who should not be courageous enough to touch a man like this, that too, an Emperor.

However, the old Momo face didn't have any emotion as she did this.

Zhao Wang Lei smiled when he saw this and said in his deep voice

"The old Momo truly deserves to stay by Empress Mother's side."

Momo Zhu's face didn't change at these words. She thanked the Emperor for his generous praise and then suddenly stopped at a place.

"Can Your Majesty take it out place?"

  Zhao Wang Lei smiled again and then put his hand under his robes only to take out a dagger.

"Asking Your Majesty to leave this weapon in this servant's care until Your Majesty comes back outside."

The old Momo said respectfully. However, Eunuch Wang was again angered by what she said

"An Emperor had to carry something to defend himself. Momo Zhu, have you forgotten the norms because of living away from everything in these few years?"

The old Momo didn't say anything to Eunuch Wang in response to this question. She, instead looked at Zhao Wang Lei as if waiting to hear his decision

If he wanted to go inside then he will leave the weapon and if he doesn't want to leave the weapon then he goes back.