Chapter 191 - The Tides Has Turned

Dinner time at the Empress palace

"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!"

"No!" Their eyes met, he ignored her glare. "You are my Empress till the day I die then you become the Empress dowager. Get those foolish ideas out of your head".

He continued eating without sparing her a glance. Empress Lu sent him a dark glared before turning away to look at the door opposite her seat. Breathing in and out deeply to steady her temper, Empress Lu set the chopstick aside and stood. " leave once you are done eating". 

Emperor Zhong grabbed her hand as she turned to leave, "What is it?" She asked in a tired tone.

Emperor Zhong glanced down at her nearly full tray of food, "hold on Meirong, please eat some more. I don't feel at ease just to let you go this way not when you only ate just a few bites".

"That's okay, I am already full" she shook her hands out of his hold but he didn't budge. 

"Seat down and eat a little, Meirong. Don't let your anger get the best of you. I accept that I was wrong but considering I lost a chance to watch my son grow up. Cut me some slack, Qiang will be here in a few days. If he sees you thinner, how would he feel?" Emperor Zhong said softly.

"Weren't you suspicious of my relationship with him? A'Zhu doesn't come here often so I doubt he would see me like this" she shook his hands away and walked into her bedroom.

Her words tugged at his heart because there was truth in every word she said. He had let the rumours going around affect his judgment and banned her from meeting their son. He lost all appetite and looked away. Her anger was valid, considering how badly he had treated her. It would seem that it would take a while before things got better between them. 

He brought a handkerchief to his mouth and dabbed gently at the side of his life when Cuihong rushed into the room. The eunuch nearly fell over his own feet as he rushed into the room, Emperor Zhong clocked his tongue and glanced down at the kneeling eunuch.

"What is It?" He asked.

"Y-Your Majesty, the palace is surrounded by the sixth Prince's private soldiers. We must leave to safety!"

"What? How could this happen? What happened to the Imperial soldiers at the gate?" Emperor Zhong stood and walked to the eunuch.

"The Garrison commander is in league with the sixth Prince, your majesty we must hurry and go through the secret passage before they get here! I already made the arrangement, the secret guards will hold them off while you escape in secret" 

"Hold on" Emperor Zhong ran into the Empress's bedroom. Empress Lu had changed into a simple gown and was stood by the window facing the Imperial garden. She looked to the door when she heard footsteps, "why are you here? Please leave!" She said turning back to the window.

Emperor Zhong grabbed her hands and pulled her away, "there is no need for this, we have an emergency. Meirong, the palace is surrounded by soldiers led by the Sixth Prince".

"What!" Empress Lu shook his hand away and ran into her cloakroom. She pulled out a sword belt and wrapped it around her waist before running back to the living room. Emperor Zhong glanced down at the sword on her waist as she rushed over, "there is no need for that, we have our guards to protect us".

"What happens if our guards were compromised or worse they were all killed. I rely on no one for protection but myself. Let us get going" she changed into a leather boot and walked out of the room. 

Emperor Zhong and Cuihong followed her behind. This was the first time Emperor Zhong was seeing her with a sword since they had gotten married. He had watched her spar a few times with her brother is he knew she was a highly talented swordswoman. She was good as a general when it came to either archery or sword skill. 

The commander of his guard stood outside the palace with a small team of guards. He bowed to the Emperor as they walled out before escorting them out of the palace. They walked through the Imperial garden, as they got to the secret path leading back to the Emperor's palace where the entrance of the underground pathway out of the palace was located. They were surrounded by soldiers.

The Emperor's secret guards immediately drew out their swords and began to fight under the leadership of the assistant commander of the secret guards. While the commander and a small team of elite guards escorted the Emperor and Empress to the Emperor's palace. However, they met a group of well-armed soldiers led by Imperial consort Shi at the entrance to the palace. 

Imperial consort Shi glanced down at their fewer numbers and laughed, "looks like you have reached the end of the Line, Your Majesty. What a pity, I thought that you would put on a little fight." She glanced at her men and instructed, "get rid of the rest and bring in only the Emperor and Empress" she went into the palace with a team of soldiers following her behind.

The secret guards formed a protective circle around the Emperor and Empress. Empress Lu ran her eyes through the enemy soldiers surrounding them. Their numbers were not very good, she drew her sword in anticipation of the fight that was about to begin.

Everyone fought as hard as they could with Empress Lu deflecting a few sword strikes aimed at the Emperor with her sword. Her leather boots came in handy as she kicked the men on their knees before slitting their throats and running them through with her sword. She fought as hard as she could taking a few cuts on her arm and tight.

Gradually their numbers dwindled until only a handful of guards remained, yet they persisted. Empress Lu pushed the Emperor behind her when he was surrounded by four men. She flexed her hands on the sword before raising it the deflect their strikes. She took a few steps back as she cut their sword strikes off, her leg hit a flower pot as she went back.

She glanced down and hooking her sword at the top of the flower pot, she swung her sword up, carrying the flower pot up on the process and throwing it towards the men. The sand entered the eyes of two of the men blinding them momentarily while hitting one of the men at the side of his head. Empress Lu immediately rushed forward and slit the throat of the two men blinded by the sand before running her sword through the unconscious man.

She turned to pull the Emperor and Eunuch Cuihong away when she was run through on her side with a sword by an enemy soldier. The sword fell out of her hand as the soldier pulled the sword out of her. Empress Lu gasped and fell forward, seconds letter they were all surrounded and she was dragged into the Emperor's palace with Emperor Zhong.

Imperial Consort Shi sat on the Emperor's throne, she smiled as her eyes fell on the injured Empress Lu. Her smile fell and her heart tugged as her gaze fell on Emperor Zhong's worried filled face. She suddenly felt like finishing off the Empress, this woman was a pain to her. No matter what she did, the Emperor's affection never strayed from her. 

"What a sight, your Majesty. You two are the golden couple, aren't you? Even in the end you two are going down together. I never intended to involve you in this, Your Highness. You are as much a victim of his jealousy as I am."

Emperor Zhong looked away from the Empress and glared at the ungrateful girl he had married. She looked so ugly in his eyes as he glared at her. None of her false youthful glee was in sight, he immediately understood that this was her true face. He had only deluded himself into thinking that she was just a spoiled young lady. 

"How dare you a low-class woman seat on the dragon throne! Have you no respect?"

Imperial consort Shi chuckled and glanced down at the Emperor, "you have a lot of nerve saying that to me when your life is in my hands. I guess you still think you have all the cards when you don't. Dragon throne? Like you are even worthy of seating on this throne. How many people had to die for you to keep this throne?"

"You dare!" Emperor Zhong exclaimed.

"Yes, did you honestly think I loved you? Please I only humoured you to get what I wanted, I never even wanted to marry you but no one can reject the Emperor's proposal. You turned me into what I am today so get off your stupid high horse. Once you die, my Cheng'er will become Emperor.. That will be an end to your reign" she glanced at her most trusted commander and instructed, "Hold him down, I want to give him the final blow."