77 Confused

When Ning Fu was allowed to leave The Imperial Palace - after he had parched his mouth a countless number of times telling, retelling and answering The Empress Dowagers questions he heaved a sigh of relief.

He didn't know what was going on inside that mama-bear's mind but she kept on repeating her questions and even though he would give the same answer every time, she would look at him with the ferocious eyes of a lioness looking after her cub.

Huh!

Why did she keep asking him about how His Majesty met Zhou Sheng that day or how much time they spent together or what they did together?

In the end, he had become so frustrated that he had blurted out that the night of the altercation, he had seen Zhou Sheng lying on The Imperial Bed in the tent.

Thankfully, she hadn't asked him how he knew that since she must already know that nobody had been allowed inside The Imperial Tent that night.

Anyways, it was as if after that she didn't have any heart to ask him any questions and had allowed him to leave.

Looking around himself, Ning Fu couldn't wait to go home and drink tankards of water.

Oh! His life had positively taken a turn for the worse.

Other generals or even soldiers would drink tankards of wine and he was thankful enough if someone could give him a glass of water right now.

He was so thirsty from all that talking earlier.

Today he really gained an appreciation for all those civil officers in The Imperial Court who would talk nonstop until they had either proved their point or His Majesty asked them to stop in annoyance.

However, Ning Fu knew that all these thoughts were pointless and that he was just trying to not think about the crux of the matter.

He hoped that all of this was a dream and that he really hadn't heard what he had just a few minutes ago.

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Yes, it's a dream and nothing else.

Just a dream conjured up by his tired brain.

Ning Fu tried to encourage himself but to no avail.

It has to be a nightmare. That is the only thing that makes sense.

Otherwise, how could things go this wrong?

As soon as Ning Fu reaches home, he enclosed himself in his room and orders not to be disturbed unless there is an Imperial Decree.

Changing his clothes, he sees that his hands are shivering and he clenches them into fists but he can still feel the soft tremors.

Ning Fu grounds his teeth as he cannot help but recall what he heard The Empress Dowager murmur to herself when he had left.

It was just two sentences but those two sentences could rick the foundation of the dynasty if anybody else got hold of this secret.

She had said, "It's him - that boy is the one who is in His Majesty's heart. Or else why would my son allow him so many liberties?"

When Ning Fu had accidentally heard those words, his gait hadn't shifted and neither had he given any other indication that he had become privy to those words.

However, now that he was in the confines of his own room and was sure that nobody would barge in, he couldn't help but think about those words.

Ning Fu changes out of his official robes and lies down on his bed. His eyes staring unblinkingly at the canopy of his bed. He has the insane urge to laugh but then realises that its not a laughing matter at all.

He could not to himself that the mama-bear was protective of His Majesty and was truly how a high-born lady should be. He also one that she knew enough of her own son to not make any irresponsible remarks without giving them any thought.

Thinking back on it, why would she say something like this if she wasn't sure about it in her heart and also, he recalled with perfect clarity the moment she must have had this realization - he still had the marks of her nail guards to prove that.

However, how did she come to this realization?

If this was true, it could spell the end of the dynasty and Empress Dowager wouldn't have even voiced such words if she didn't have enough proof to back her up - even to herself.

Ning Fu wished he knew what was going on even what to think.

The more he recalled those words, the more he felt irritated.

If there was anything that got on his nerves, it was being confused.

Being confused could lead to the death of your allies and those under your command and in most cases, to your own death, therefore, confusion had always been something that Nung Fu abhorred.

With a deep scowl on his face, he tried to get himself comfortable on the bed and tried to recall all the interactions His Majesty ever had with Zhou Sheng - at least, the ones he saw himself.

He recalled how His Majesty had recognised Zhou Sheng as soon as the blood on the latter's face had been wiped off that night.

He recalled how His Majesty had worn himself thin that very same night and how Zhou Sheng was the precursor to an Imperial Edict and how His Majesty had given off a murderous aura when he had talked about it in the impromptu small meeting.

He thought about how His Majesty never stood on protocol with Zhou Sheng and how the other person was allowed to stay in a room that was just to the side of the sleeping chambers of His Majesty.

Ning Fu also reflected upon many other such instances and how the monarch always seemed to be so at ease with the other boy and how his lips would raise and his eyes would always crinkle in a smile when His Majesty and Zhou Sheng were talking.

The realization slams into him like a hammer on a screw and a whole slew of disorientation.

It seems that the empress dowager was right.

His Majesty was in love with a man.

No, not a man.

A boy.

A mere slip of a boy.

Zhou Sheng.