9 The Great Dragon
"Their marriage hasn't still been consummated just like ours, the Emperor is making a mockery of her! He doesn't love her! Believe me, he's using her as a camouflage." Consort Lanxi stated proudly.
If praising the Empress would make Meiwei feel bad then they could even support the Empress and fight her! They could stone her to death just so no one would be in the Emperor's heart. How can the great Emperor's heart belong to such a lowly being? She thought.
Meiwei's maid made a move but Meiwei used her hand to block her. She shook her head and the maid understood immediately and backed away. She might be the most favourite consort, but she couldn't retailialate all because of they were her seniors. If she were to say anything out of anger, she and her maid will be punished severely by the Empress Dowager.
Meiwei helped the drunk Liqiu sit and turned to Lanxi. She surveyed her then faced Muwen, "The North-East gate will be closed soon! I just came to inform you."
Consort Muwen nodded her head.
Consort Lanxi had just spoken the mind of the other consorts, it made them happy! Even Liqiu that was believed to be drunk was the happiest.
The smile on their faces made it seem as if they had triumphed over a battle.
Meiwei who had a stoic expression turned to leave but Muwen stopped her, "Halt!" She raised her chin in arrogance. "You haven't bade us goodnight... I mean we the senior consorts!" She emphasized her last two words and was smiling brightly by now.
Meiwei bowed, "May the sun rise from the east!" That was be the best greeting they had received in a long time.
"Aigoo...Good, good." Consort Shan answered smiling.
Meiwei left with an unquenched fire still in her heart. They used every means possible to insult her, a lot of times but she couldn't fight back. She had even complained to the Emperor and all he said was to "ignore them."
How can she ignore them when they kept going out of the way to make her miserable.
She just happened to be the youngest consort and she can only watch them insult her except if the Emperor intercepted on her behalf.
She promised not to succumb, if she were to fight back the Empress Dowager wouldn't spare her! Even the Emperor wouldn't be able to save her if she in anyway displeased the Empress Dowager. Making fun of her was a long time hobby of the older consorts. She was truly a girl of low birth... But now she is the Emperor's favorite. No one came before her and if she succeeded in bearing a child, a prince no one will come after her... She would make everyone bow at her feet.
Meiwei was walking with her head up, trying not to let the tears flow, when all of a sudden she stepped on a stick with sharp edge, it pierced her shoe and her big toe, "Ahhh!" She cried out due to pain, she sat on the ground immediately in a sorry state.
"My lady are you alright?" The maid asked, she was scared out of her senses.
"No! I'm not alright! Can't you see that I'm injured? Quick, help me up!"
The maid dropped the robe which the consort used in covering herself on the ground.
"Who's there? Who goes there?" A guard on patrol ran toward them, he put the wood torch forward to confirm the person's identity. "Oh! Sixth consort..." The guard bowed.
"Help me out... The lady is injured." The maid said.
"Yeah!" The guard said and lifted Meiwei up, then held her by the shoulder.
'If I wasn't thinking about those fools then I wouldn't be in this plight!' She thought to herself.
They couldn't hurt her with their hands but they could with her thinking about them. This is a terrible thing.
***
At the Emperor's palace.
The noble man sat with an unreadable expression.
The door opened and a man walked in with his head bowed, "His Royal majesty."
"Speak." The man clad in black with mask said, only his eyes were visible. He stood at a corner in the room. He was the Emperor's most trusted guard. He hid well during the day, protecting the Emperor in shadows.
"The Empress has suffered a..." He paused afraid of speaking more.
"Speak!" The guard commanded in a low tone.
"The Empress suffered a brain damage, she doesn't remember who she is! And wouldn't eat before but now she's eating well but still acting weird. She yells at the top of her voice. At first she wouldn't let anyone touch or get close to her. She kept denying the fact that she is Qing Xiuying and admitting of being..." The man paused and bit his index finger, he couldn't remember the name she was calling. "I'm sorry my Lord! Punish me as I have forgotten the name she called herself."
"Is that all?" The guard asked.
"No! She fainted twice today!"
"You keep an eye on her. You may leave now!"
Gong Shunfu rushed out, his palm was sweaty even sweat was trickling down his face.
The Emperor's eyes was on him since he entered. He didn't even look up but could feel the piercing gaze that wanted to bore a hole in him. He was so scared thinking the Emperor would punish him instead of promoting him.
"My Lord." The guard called out.
"Send him to keep an eye on her! Nothing must go wrong!"
The person that was being referred to was only known to them both.
The guard bowed and left. Leaving the Emperor by himself.
No one knew what the great dragon was thinking, he isn't easy to understand!
He stood up and strutted toward the window and looked up at the full moon. His pupils sparkling due to the beautiful moon.
He hadn't been sleeping in these past days, what could possibly be wrong with him?
