Chapter 314 - Midnight Talks
Inside one of the courtyards at the Yong Heng manor, the room still illuminated with bright light even though is already midnight. One lady sits behind the desk reading scroll and books with a serious look with two maids cater her to open the scroll and grind the ink carefully for not making a sound that would disturb her.
he check the scroll and paper one by one her eyebrows furrow when she found something she dissatisfied with, she will make a note and separate it from other section, sometime she would stamp the scroll or the paper imperial seal who is made by pure white jade carved with the flying phoenix on the top of the seal to honor Ming Yue Yin as the first Empress of Liang Zu Kingdom.
After awhile the stack in front of her got thinner and everything has arranged neatly by her subordinate slash bodyguard slash maids, she stretches her arms on the air then make a long groan then she sighs heavily "Is there any new news from home?" she props her chin on the table.
"Prime minister Wu begging you to come home," said one of her subordinates with a flat tone. The subordinated is a young woman about seventeen years old, she has a 'cute' type of face if only she would smile more often, her name is Su Yi.
"No new news then" she ignores her.
"Grand Tutor Zhang sends you the picture of a young master he wants to introduce him to her majesty" Su Yi opens the scroll and there's a picture of a man with green robes and one hand rest behind his back, the man is quite handsome and look like a refined scholar.
"Who is that?" Ming Yue Yin frown.
"Master Chang Yu Heng, twenty years old, Love poetry and painting also quite talented cultivator, people said he is a gentle and kind young man" Su Yi explains everything with expressionless expression.
"Ha! love poetry and painting…he must be like to watching the sunset and smelled the flower too" she make sarcastic remarks.
"Well, I think so…." Su Yi tilted her head, It is not hard to imagine this kinda a man do such things "Is there a problem your majesty?" she asked.
"A lot of problem!" Ming Yue Yin shove the picture away "A man like this love demure woman, quiet and pristine just like dainty flower, someone soft and gentle who her voice sweet as honey, that woman is not me obviously" she raised both her hand in 'surrender' gesture.
"Hm, I think her majesty can be demure too…" Su Yi said with not very convincing expression.
"No way!" one of the subordinated who is more cheery chimed in " her Majesty is like a raging fire that could burn the whole city with her blaze!" she said passionately, this subordinated is another seventeen years old woman who served Ming Yue Yin, she is energetic young woman, Ming Yue Yin gives her name Su Jing hoping that name would calm her temper well, it didn't work.
"Like she said…" Ming Yue Ying casually nods her head although she is not sure since when her image becomes so violent.
The other female subordinated also show their unanimous agreement with nodes. Ming Yue Yin sigh she lean on her chair when her subordinated brew her tea, the fragrant from the leaf immediately filled the room. She blinks her eyes a few times then she shifts her gaze back to her subordinated who roll the painting.
"Chang Yu Heng, is he Honorable Magistrate Chang Bo son's?" she suddenly asked.
"He is" Su Yi replied.
"I thought all his sons are married?" she frowned.
"This is the fifth son, he hasn't married yet" she explains it again.
Ming Yue Yin eye widen in shock "So many Son"
"He has so many wives…" Su Yi replied nonchalantly.
Ming Yue Yin eyebrow twitches "You got the point…"
Suddenly another of her subordinates knocked on the room she enters after Ming Yue Yin gives her permission, this subordinated is on duty to guard the Empress manor even though it's not necessary because Zhao Li Xin shadow guard make this manor airtight but this more like a matter of principle than necessary.
The subordinated kneel on the floor and cupper her fist courteously, another female attendant name Su Feng "Your Majesty Lady Yuan is on the courtyard entrance, I think she wants to enter but she's too afraid" Su Feng knew her Empress has a good opinion with the Yuan sibling and the Yuan sibling seems like a good people so when she saw Yuan Xue An back and fort outside the courtyard entrance for an hour she didn't hesitate to inform her Empress.
"The night is cold and her body still weak, what is she doing out there? Send her in immediately" Ming Yue Yin quickly order Su Feng to fetch Yuan Xue An then he orders the other Su Yi to brew Pu Erh tea, other for digestion the tea also good to warmed body.
Not long after Yuan Xue An enters the room her face already pale from the cold air, Ming Yue Yin frown in worry just like Lory she also has a soft spot with a weak and innocent little girl especially a little girl who was bullied by their owned family, maybe it reminds her how she was before she was saved by Lory.
"What are you doing, you will get sick again, your brother would blame us for not taking care of you" Ming Yue Yin starts to nag her, Yuan Xue An suddenly feel bad she doesn't want her idol hated her, she suddenly looks down in guilt but then Ming Yue Yin pul her hand to sit near the furnace then she wrapped her with fur shawl, Yuan Xue An dumbfounded but Ming Yue Yin though she's sick "What's wrong? do you feel unwell?" she becomes more worried when Yuan Xue An didn't answer.
"No, I'm fine!" she quickly shakes her head, she feel touch Ming Yue Yin feel worried with someone like her, only her Brother and Father who care about her although her Father slowly distances himself from her for some reason, maybe he thought she useless?
"Really?" Ming Yue Ying not sure "Her drink some tea to warm yourself" she orders her subordinated to served the tea in front of Yuan Xue An, she took the tea then she sips her tea slowly and suddenly her body engulf with warmth and perhaps is not just her body.
"It's almost past midnight, why don't you sleep? Where is your personal maid"
"She is sleeping I don't want to wake her up, I don't know why I can't sleep?" she timidly said, "But is not because my room is not comfortable or I feel lack anything" she suddenly clary herself in haste, she afraid Ming Yue Yin misunderstood her as a spoiled woman.
Ming Yue Yin chuckled "Is a new environment and you are alone no wonder you can't sleep, it's normal to feel restless" she comforts her gently.
"Yes, I don't know why I feel this way, this place is so beautiful and everyone is so nice but…." She looks downcast.
"It's gonna take some time to be comfortable don't pushed yourself let it all come naturally, is not like anyone would force you" Ming Yue Yin shrugs her shoulder casually.
"Thank you your majesty" she bowed her head politely.
Ming Yue Yin raised her hand "Call me sister Ming, other than my subordinated or Uncle subordinated every just calls me with my name so you don't have to be formal"
"Yes your Ma….sister Ming," she said with flustered looks then she suddenly leans forwards "Is Lord Long Ming is your uncle?" she whispers.
"Well…" she rubs her chin "That because Lo…ehm, Luo Ri Yi is my Aunty" she explains carelessly.
Ming Yue Yin subordinated rub their forehead with complicated looks, this matter is simple yet make a lot of people misunderstood but this is all their Empress fault they can't blame the unfortunate Miss Luo Ri Yi.
"Oh Miss Luo is Liang Zu royal family?" she confusedly asked, the rumor said all the Liang Zu royal family had perished.
"No, she's not….well….I kinda adopt her" she with a laugh.
"...."
'More like forcing her!" the subordinated roll their eyes secretly.