Free Web NovelChapter 218: A Gamble
“But if you go, they might kill you...” Shin said.
“Isn’t there someone who can help me?” I asked as a thought struck me.
“You can’t be seriously thinking about...” Shin muttered as he probably caught on to what I was thinking.
“Please, Shin...please help Ren...please help me...” I begged.
“Shit...this is crazy...” Shin said in pure disbelief.
I watched as Shin sprinted off. After he was gone, my legs lost all its strength and I eased down onto a nearby chair and concentrated on keeping my breathing calm. I placed a hand on my tummy as I prayed that all three of us would be safe.
...
**Back to the present**
Everyone looked towards the entrance of the hall, where a frail old woman walked in slowly with her most trusted eunuch supporting her arms on both sides. Despite her age and her weakened body, the Dowager Empress walked with a straight back full of pride.
In unison as if they had practiced it beforehand, everyone stood up from their seat and bowed. Ren and I did the same.
“Mother...” the emperor whispered before getting out of his seat and quickly headed to his mother’s side.
Carefully, the emperor supported his mother until she was safely seated next to him on the platform.
“Sorry, I’m late...” Shin whispered to me as he came to stand by my side.
“Thank you, Shin,” I whispered back before I smiled at him.
“You will tell me everything about this later...” Ren hissed.
I could feel the Dowager Empress’s eyes on me, and I wondered if Shin had told him about my pregnancy yet. He probably has; otherwise, there was no way that he could convince someone like her to come here.
“Mother, why are you here?” the emperor asked politely.
“I heard everything from General Shin already. I am here to stop you fools from executing the mother my great grandchild,” the old woman spat.
“We haven’t decided on that yet...” the emperor said softly.
“I don’t want to hear anymore excuses from you...” the dowager empress said as she narrowed her eyes at her son.
The old woman turned her attention to me once more. Her stare was so intimidating that I couldn’t stop myself from fidgeting slightly in my seat.
“Come here...” the old woman said to me as she waved me over to hear seat with a graceful motion of her hand.
“Dowager Empress...” I whispered in a small voice once I reached her side.
“Please sit...” the dowager empress said.
Slowly, I sat down on the chair that had been brought over to her side. I wasn’t quite sure what she wanted and being this close to her made me feel so nervous and intimidated.
“Breathe normally...” the old woman instructed calmly.
I did as she told me and tried to keep my breathing steady. Carefully, the old woman reached out a hand and placed it on my abdomen. Slowly she began stroking my belly and her face seemed deep in thought. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
“You’re very slim. Too thin. I heard from general Shin that you just returned from war after travelling with Ren. You should rest more, and you should eat more. I’ll have the royal doctors prepare the best herbs for you and the royal kitchen to prepare the best meals,” the old woman said before she smiled kindly at me and patted the back of my hand.
“Mother...” the emperor said softly.
“Which fool had the nerve to suggest the execution of my great grandchild?” the old woman asked loudly, ignoring the emperor completely. free𝑤ebnovel.com
“That’s...” the emperor mumbled.
“Who? I asked a question, so where is my answer?” the dowager empress snapped.
Her eyes seemed to bulge out of their sockets as she opened her eyes widely. It was clear that she was very angry.
“It was Prince Kin and the Empress...” Ren replied with a sly grin.
“The second prince and the second wife...” the old woman said before scoffing.
Talk about favoritism. It was plain as day that the dowager empress favored Ren over Prince Kin.
“Mother...with all due respect, the matter will first be handled and decided by the members of the high court as per the law” the emperor said, trying to sound calm.
“No woman or man shall live above the law. Not even the emperor or his family and not even myself. My husband, your father, the late emperor made this law. Of course, I know it...” the dowager empress said with a faraway look in her eyes.
“Then...” the emperor said softly.
“However, I do know of other laws that I would like to remind you and all senior members of the high court. There are many laws entailing the protection of the royal bloodline and the line of succession above all else. If you kill her, what happens to the royal baby? If you harm her after the baby is born, then the next emperor after Ren wouldn’t have a mother. Under no circumstances or law shall any harm come to the future empress of this empire and the mother of my great grandchild,” the dowager empress said decisively.
“We understand, dowager empress...” a senior member of the high court said reassuringly.
“Yes. We understand. Please calm down mother,” the emperor whispered.
“If you do understand, then why aren’t you commanding the royal doctors to take care of her? Why is she sitting here outside of her palace? Why isn’t she resting in bed? She must lay down and rest at once!” the old woman demanded.
...
After the dowager empress’s sudden appearance in court, the emperor and the high court decided to drop all charges that were raised against me. Prince Kin and the empress were probably dissatisfied with the outcome, but they had to let it slide. Towards the end of the session, it really seemed like the dowager empress wanted to punish them both.
Ren escorted me back to the White Lotus Palace and I knew that we needed to talk. We headed straight for my bedroom right away when we arrived at the palace. Ren had been silent all the way and I had spent that time thinking about what I wanted to say to him.
--To be continued...
