Chapter 190 - Wild Ambition 6

Chen Yao's small courtyard, at the Jiang family mansion. 

"Mistress, no!" She cried rushed to her mistress. She heard a hiss as she got closer, "Young miss, are you hurt. Oh no", She grabbed her mistress's arm and led her to the seat. "I will go get some medicine and ice. Hold on" she said rinning out of the room. There was no medicine in the house, the last set they received the day they arrived at the capital was now depleted.

The previous batch wasn't much, since every necessity given to her mistress were usually smaller. She was left with only one option, which was heading to the steward to ask for a fresh batch. She pushed the door back and stretched out her leg to leave but gasped as she came face t face with a strange man. The man held a sword to her neck, "get inside " the man said bringing the sword closer. 

She glanced from the sword at her neck to the masked man holding it to her neck and swallowed. She slowly took a step back inside, then another. Six men equally masked men followed in with the first man, her heartbeat increased as she saw them. "Stop!" The first man ordered as they got to the middle of the living room. Lian immediately stopped without making him repeat himself. 

Her life was too precious to lose on a fruitless attempt to run. She stood still, trying so hard to keep her shaking body in check. The sword looked sharp enough to cut skin if she made any sudden movement. Tears ran down her face. She watched four men rush towards the bedroom swords in hand. They must be headed to get her Mistress, she was scared for her mistress. 

She glanced at the masked man, "please don't hurt my mistress! She has been sheltered since birth, she cannot take such hardship. If you want money or jewellery, please tell me! I will get it for you please let my mistress go", she burst into audible cries.

The masked man moved the sword closer to her arteries, He ignored her sudden gasp, stepped closer handheld up her chin. "I would stop thinking about someone else when your life is on the line, don't waste your breath girl. Trust me when I say this, 'Your mistress' is not worth your concern. We both know that if it comes down to you or her, she wouldn't think twice about letting you go".

Lian Shivered as he dropped her chin, she let out a whimper and glanced up at the masked man. Meanwhile, in the bedroom. Chen Yao sat on the seat, hissing silently while gently rubbing her foot. Her toes hurt after making contact with the bed, she had kicked the bed blindly in anger. Her toes were hot like it was put inside hurt water, she had broken two toenails in the heat of the moment. 

Chen Yao glanced down at her foot and as expected, there was a little bleeding on a toe, she took out her silk handkerchief from her sleeve and held it to the bleeding toe. She hissed as her finger touched the injury on her toenail, hitting her lip gently and looking towards the door expectantly. 

"Where is that maid, why isn't she back yet? Don't tell me that she ran off to her the medicine? Just how bad was this girl treated, how could she also lack medicine for a simple cut. What have I gotten myself into", she muttered eyes narrowed at the door.

Living as Chen Yao was looking more difficult than even her previous life as a servant. The girl's life wasn't as comfortable as she had hoped, she sat forward when she heard some noise from outside the door. "Lian! Is that you? Please hurry up, my foot is bleeding!" She said glancing at the door.

She frowned when she got no response, holding onto the table she stood carefully. She had made up her mind to walk out of the door and check what was keeping Lian. She liked forward, hissing at the pain she felt from her injury. She was halfway to the door when four masked men all dressed in black walked into the room.

She paused for a few seconds, eyes wide before running to the window as fast as she could with her injured foot. Her injuries affected her head greatly, she had only taken a few steps when she was pulled into a right embrace and a knife was placed on her neck. She struggled but her having and switching made no difference, the hold on her only got tighter after each attempt to pull free. 

Finally, she was knocked over the head by another masked man and knocked out. Lian gasped, 'mistress!" She called out as she saw the men drag an unconscious Chen Yao into the room. The masked man next to her rolled his eyes and immediately knocked her out. 

The sky had gotten darker, the servants went around placing lit lamps around the compound. Yet while the rest of the Jiang mansion was well lit, the small courtyard behind the small garden and fish pond was still dim. This was because both the owner of the courtyard was always forgotten. Since she is of no importance to the family, no one paid her any mind.

Her absence wasn't noticed until four days later when her house arrest was lifted by Madam Jiang. The Empire was going through sudden reconstruction, after the treason attempt by the sixth Prince hours earlier.

**********

Many hours before, Chen Yao was discovered to be missing, at the Imperial Palace.

A few minutes after sundown, the palace servant went around the palace, placing lit lamps on the various pathways and private palaces of the members of the royal family. The first set of lamps was set up at the Emperor and Empress's palace and the path leading to both Palaces. Kitchen maids delivered food to various palaces in foot packs. Emperor Zhong looked up from the report spread out on the table as Cuihong reported that the kitchen maids had delivered dinner.

He looked out the window and glanced around the room, surprised to see that it had gotten dark. He had buried himself in work any free time he got to avoid facing his demons. It didn't help that the Empress ignored him every time he came over to see her. He was familiar with her temper but this was the first time she refused to save him any face. She didn't even bother to make excuses and just send him back at her palace doors.

Although she didn't say anything, he could tell that her aim was to any him enough that he would let her go. Emperor Zhong had no intention of letting her go on instead kept going to her every day. Emperor Zhong placed the brushes by the brush holder and sat up. He glanced down at the gradually drying line of words, he had just written. This was the last of the reports submitted by the minister of revenue.

There were a few discrepancies in the allocation of resources at the various military camps but luckily he had straightened it all out. "Send the food to the Empress's Palace, I will be eating there" he instructed without looking up from the document.

'Yes," Cuihong replied. The elderly eunuch stepped back and relayed the instruction to the kitchen maids standing outside the door. Minutes later Emperor Zhong left for the Empress's palace with his servants. When he got to the Empress's palace, he was once again sent away by the Empress's Eunuch. However, unlike the previous visits, he didn't and instead brushed forward until he was inside the palace.

Empress Lu Set down chopstick, stood and bowed as Emperor Zhong walked in. "Your Majesty" her maids chorused bowing lower than Empress Lu's half bow. Emperor didn't break eye contact with Empress Lu as he walked in, "leave us", he said to the maids. The maids retreated without much delay, leaving only the Emperor and Empress in the room.

"Rise", Emperor Zhong said seating on the high seat next to Empress Lu.

"thanks" Empress Lu replied and returned to her seat. She opened her mouth to say a few words but stopped as the door was gently pulled open and Cuihong directed the kitchen maid inside. Two young eunuchs carried a small table inside and placed it in front of the Emperor. The kitchen maids packed the meal boxes and arranged each dish carefully on the table. 

They all retreated, Cuihong included once the table was set. "Did you have to come here, you Majesty?" She asked softly minutes after the servants had retreated.

"Yes, it has been six days. How long are you going to throw a tantrum?" Emperor Zhong said after eating a few bits of food and taking a sip of tea

Empress Lu slapped her chopsticks on the table with great force and glared at the Emperor. "If you don't like me throwing a tantrum then please let me go!"

"No! I am never letting you go!"

"Why keep me around when you are so scared I will take your throne. You are not happy and neither am I. Why frustrate each other?" 

"Meirong, can't you give me a chance to make this work?"

"How many chances have I given you", she shook her hand, "I am tired, A'Jun please let me go!"