17. The power of prophecy

''Manager, who was the lady with a beautiful laugh?'' Asked one of the men in distinguished clothes.

Sheng Ru just bowed politely. ''I am sorry. Lady didn't want anyone to know her identity, so she has forbidden us to speak of it. Our policy is to keep our eyes, ears, and mouth shut as long it's not something really dangerous. But that little Lady is no danger so I am sorry, we can't give you that information. Please forgive us.'' She kneeled on the floor and bowed deeply in front of the stunned people.

He rushed to help her up. ''No, it is fine, really. We were just a bit curious. The world is so big, why concentrating eyes on one flower when there is the whole garden.''

Shang Ru just bowed again without commenting while her face was straight and had lost all smiles. ''Then the flower garden in Red Beauty Pavilion should add to your view, I am certain.''

She was someone with high standing in the palace and was not afraid to fire back at anyone. Who would dare to anger her if the Emperor himself was her master?

That man changed his expression and snorted. Just a better maid and acting like this. He should speak to the Emperor to punish her. But now he couldn't even do that. They came to ask the Emperor for a favour so he had to hold his anger in.

''Then it is as you said. I shall go there as you recommended it.'' But the day after, he and everyone else was escorted to the borders of the country and thrown away like baggage. They made many mistakes. He set his eyes on the wrong people, then offended a close person by the Emperor's side and then went to that place and almost killed a few women in an intoxicated state.

What the king of the country got was a long letter of their misgivings and on top of that, they spoke badly about the Emperor, cursing him never to have descendants until he dies.

That was something he was really furious about. Everyone knew that the palace was filled with all kinds of beauties, but had no Empress and no children. He called for so many doctors and no one could find out why is it that they had no children. The Emperor was full of vigour and health, so were the girls as well. Those better doctors realized things and shut their mouths, as they looked at his eyes. They knew it was his doing, so they just gave a report like everyone else and escaped the fury.

But in the outside world, the Emperor tried hard to have children, but none of the ladies was lucky and gave birth. That situation depressed the young monarch, so he just sent batches of women back home as they didn't do their duties. They would be set free to marry whoever they want.

Now he is proposing new laws. Before the widows were forbidden to remarry, but he found it unfair. Why would young women that still had the possibility to start a new family be forbidden to do so? In that case, she could choose her own husband, as none of the families had the right to interfere.

When the law came out most people were just stunned. But then they realized how many young women were actually widows. So the new wave of marriages started. He made his moves, making some of the famous nobles even getting married to some of the widows, bringing them back home.

His right-hand minister was free as well, so when he found about this new law, he jumped into it and married his late brother's wife. The Emperor just granted his wish and making her his main wife.

Some started making even more ridiculous decisions. Trying to kill husbands of women they wanted to possess, but on end, they would hate them and deny their love for killing their loved ones.

For days the sun was burning high in the sky and the Emperor had a sudden strange idea passing his mind, maybe that is the answer. ''Bring me the seer. He needs to tell me how he sees the weather. I feel a bit uncomfortable about so much sun.''

The seer was an old man and knew the Emperor since he was a little child. He could see his eyes flashing and justs sighed. ''The sun will burn the world if there is no rain. So to get rain the Emperor must marry someone who could give him a child. The moment she is pregnant the rain will come.''

The strangest thing was, he really had that prediction. So when ministers heard that, a new wave of females entered the palace and old ones were sent back home. But months passed and nothing happened. Until one day the seer had a strange dream and prophecy.

He was kneeling in front of the dark-faced Emperor that was furious about the drought and shook while explaining his prophecy in front of all the people in the main hall.

''Emperor, the heavens are angry about something. Some big injustice has been done and they are inraged. You need to clear that big injustice as soon as possible. If you do that, then three things will happen, the Empress will arrive, the child will become and the country will grow. Emperor, what old injustice was done so badly to harm the whole country? I can see drought after drought, I can see big snow and after that many sicknesses and deaths. If this anger is not settled, this country will perish.'' Everyone in this room knew this man. He was famous for his true predictions. So when he started crying on his knees they knew how bad it was.

''What to do? What to do?'' They all became scared. If the country falls they would fall as well.

''My grandfather made many mistakes. I know I make some as well, but his tyranny was something that almost destroyed the country. Find out if something he did changed the current things or is it something I did.'' He was just a teenager when he took over the country as his father died, in a poison attack a long time ago.

The old seer just shook his head. ''Unfortunately, your grandfather killed many innocents and even some of the old noble families were eradicated... Emperor, you should look for their descendants. Maybe it has something to do with it.''

The Emperor stood up. '' What are you talking about?''

''There are many old noble families that existed even before this country was made. They held our kings and Emperors backs always. But your grandfather found them a thorn in his eye and decided to kill them all. Some escaped and some chose to live like commoners. If you find them and give them back what is theirs, maybe then this thing will end?'' He rose his white eyes towards him and slowly stood up with the help of his apprentice.

''You have to repay for grandfather's debt. If you give them all your family owns them, then the country might survive. There is no other way.'' He just bowed slowly and went out while holding with the praying beads one hand and with the other hand supporting himself on the young boy.

The Emperor became pale in his face and heavily sat down. In his face could be seen the grief. ''I am indeed sometimes reckless and strange. But I never killed anyone who didn't deserve it. I never attacked nobles if they didn't do any extremely nasty thing. My life is given to you all. The only thing in my heart is that thorn of not having any descendants. But if this country dies in my hands, because I didn't try to help, how can I see my ancestors when I die.''

He looked at ministers that had the same thoughts. ''Find them all. I will look for a solution. The more you find the fewer grievances they will have. Don't you think?''

So a nationwide search for old noble descendants started rolling around.

But Liu Mei and Xiao Ran actually had an amazing time. As soon she came back, the room was set and she renovated the servant's room to be comfortable for her as well. But their life was more like a family then as master and servant.

They would go to the forest and gather amazing amounts of herbs and bring them to doctor Zhao's office and sell them. With that money, Liu Mei bought a huge amount of food that she stored in the other free rooms. They had no guests and no other servants, so the free room and the servant room turned into storage rooms.

They cleaned even the attic and gave away things on it to the poor people. Liu Mei transferred many healing plants into her garden and choose to even use walls like the planting side.

She found some workers that made the sun and shadow walls into planting racks so she planted all kinds of herbs and foods she could.

When the heat started burning the land, they stopped going to the forest and just sat home, enjoyed the teas and took care of daily things. Actually they both felt comfortable.