Beloved Empress

"Your Majesty, chenqie mean every word that chenqie said! They are all true!" Mo Qi Qi pats her chest whole-heartedly.

Jun Qian Che glares at her angrily before stalking off.

"Wei, Your Majesty! Are you leaving just like that?" When Jun Qian Che does not as much as turn his head around to address her, Mo Qi Qi scowls, "What the hell? He comes and goes as he pleases! I have been so benevolent, the least he could do was to reward me!" She shakes her head helplessly.

Ban Xiang rushes in. Just as Ban Xiang is about to speak, Mo Qi Qi blocks her mouth, "Are you going to ask, ’Did you fight with His Majesty again, Your Ladyship? Why did he left as soon as he got here?’"

Ban Xiang nods.

Mo Qi Qi looks at her in grievance, "It was not my fault this time. I was speaking so kindly, it was him who got really rude and left without saying anything. How rude!"

Ban Xiang helplessly sighs, "Why is it so hard for you two to get along?"

"It’s not me, it’s him! He is mentally unstable! He throws temper tantrum for no good reason! You don’t have to be rude to invoke his anger! He really is too tiring!" She spreads out her map and begins studying it once again. She refuses to waste her time on someone like him.

After studying the map, Mo Qi Qi gets ready for a field trip outside. She checks the map again. According to the Board of Astronomy, something was different in the sky the day the previous owner fell from the viewing tower. They are still investigating that phenomenon; just what exactly was different? Does it has anything to do with her getting here? If she manage to figure out what it was, does that means that she has a chance to return to her own time?

Without realizing it, she reaches the rose garden. She looks at the name plat grievously: she originally thought she could figure out a way to return to her old life here, but not only did she fail, she also almost lost her own life in the process. Wuwu, why does it feels like ill luck has been circling around her ever since she got here?

"Qi Qi—-" a gentle voice calls her.

Mo Qi Qi turns around and finds Jun Yue Hen standing behind her. She looks at him in surprise, "Yue Hen? What are you doing here?"

Jun Yue Hen walks towards her with a warm smile, "I entered the palace to greet my Imperial Mother. I was just about to return home. What about you? What are you doing here?"

Mo Qi Qi quickly puts away the map on her hand before smiling sheepishly, "Nothing, I am just strolling around."

Jun Yue Hen eyes the map that she is currently hiding behind her, "Qi Qi, are you still planning to run away?"

Damn! She quickly shakes her head, "No, I am not planning to run away anymore." Not yet, because she still needs to study the map properly.

Jun Qian Che looks at her in worry, "I am worried about you. My heart will not be at peace as long as you still live inside the palace."

"Why are you saying this, Yue Hen?" Mo Qi Qi’s heart picks up it’s pace when she sees the heavy expression on his face.

Jun Yue Hen looks at her solemnly, "Qi Qi, you almost died twice during the trip out this time. Don’t you think someone has been trying to kill you?"

"Kill me? I don’t think that is very accurate. More like someone tried to kill Jun Qian Che and I merely got in the way," says Mo Qi Qi.

Jun Yue Hen’s face becomes heavier, "Are you sure His Majesty was the real target?"

Mo Qi Qi looks at him perplexed, "What do you mean? Don’t tell me the real target was me?"

"Qi Qi, don’t you feel like those assassins were the accomplice of those who tried to assassinate you on your way back from Duke Zhen’s manor back then?"

The scenes of the previous assassination attempts resurfaced inside Mo Qi Qi’s head. If those assassins weren’t dispatched by her father, don’t tell her it was..... Jun Qian Che? There were two attempts, and both times, the target was her. The first time, Yue Hen saved her. The second time, she got pushed down a cliff. Although Jun Qian Che jumped down with her, that does not mean that he had no connections to the assassins.

He was too calm while facing those assassins back then. He did not seem worried at all. Maybe he regretted it when they pushed her down that cliff. Her father was holding the court. If she died in that manner, her father would snap and seize that chance to rebel. Or maybe he was only doing that for show, to garner her trust, so that she would only say good things about him to her father.

His qinggong is very high, he would not have died even if he fell down from that height. Was it really for show?

What those assassins wore and their martial arts method were indeed similar to the ones that attacked her on her way from Duke Zhen’s manor.

Mo Qi Qi looks at Jun Yue Hen, "The assassins were sent by Jun Qian Che. Their goal was simple enough; they were to kill me. The target was never Jun Qian Che."

"I could not think of anyone other than him," confesses Jun Yue Hen, worried.

Mo Qi Qi nods, "You are right. Who else would want to kill me other than Jun Qian Che? He would never be able to live with a woman who has betrayed him, so killing me is just a matter of time."

"Qi Qi, you only need to tell me if you want to leave the palace. I will put my life on the line if it means getting you out," Jun Yue Hen looks at her with a face full of love.

Mo Qi Qi smiles, "Lucky I have you as a friend, Yue Hen. Otherwise, I won’t even have anyone I can be honest with. I am not in a rush to leave the palace. Jun Qian Che does not know that I suspect him, so I am still safe for now. I will need to properly consider when and how I should leave the palace, first. Once I did, I will tell you."

Jun Yue Hen nods, "Alright, I will wait for your news. It is not convenient for me to be inside the palace for long, I should leave first."

"Alright, goodbye!" Mo Qi Qi waves at him.

Jun Yue Hen reluctantly leaves.

Mo Qi Qi’s mood becomes heavy. Although she does not have a good impression of Jun Qian Che, she never truly suspected him of trying to harm her. He jumped after her when she fell down from a cliff. Although she never verbally thanked him, she was actually very thankful deep inside. But now, she feels cheated. She feels so foolish, so ridiculous. She has no idea how she should act when she see him next.

Do you really hate me that much, Jun Qian Che? Do you not feel even a drop of affection for me? No matter what, I am still your wife.

Mo Qi Qi lowers her head and walks off dejectedly.

When she crosses path with Chu Ling Xiao, he walks towards her while waving at her.

She does not notice his presence and simply walks off with her head lowered, treating him as though he is one with air.

Chu Ling Xiao points incredulously at himself before mumbling, "This handsome fella waves at her and she actually did not see me? Is she too high and mighty to see anyone else?" He runs after her, "Your Ladyship the Empress, what are you thinking? You look so distracted."

Mo Qi Qi finally snaps out of her reverie. She forces herself to appear calm in front of Chu Ling Xiao. "Bengong was not thinking about anything in particular. What are you doing in the harem, Prime Minister? You are an official, it is not good for an official to linger inside the harem."

Chu Ling Xiao smiles, "I am here to greet my Imperial Aunt, the Empress Dowager."

Huh? Ban Xiang did tell her that Chu Ling Xiao is Princess Chang’s son, and is therefore Jun Qian Che’s cousin. That indeed makes him the Empress Dowager’s nephew.

’Then, hurry and leave once you made your greeting. This is the harem. His Majesty’s concubines live here, it is not good for you to wander around," says Mo Qi Qi mercilessly. Who care whose son he is! She is the female owner of the harem, she can do as she pleases, and now she is determined to make Jun Qian Che’s confidantes her enemies!

"Are you chasing this official away, Your Ladyship? Why didn’t you do the same to 7^th Imperial Uncle? You two even chatted for a long time!" laughs Chu Ling Xiao.

Mo Qi Qi looks at him in shock, "You eavesdropped on our conversation!" If he heard them, will he tell Jun Qian Che? This is dangerous....

Chu Ling Xiao shakes his head helplessly, "I wish. Unfortunately, I was too far away to hear anything."

Mo Qi Qi sighs in relief, "You should be grateful that you did not hear anything, otherwise—— you wouldn’t have been able to leave the palace alive today." If he really heard something, she must figure out a way to take care of him. She will sacrifice other people if it means she gets to protect her own life.

"What do you mean, Your Ladyship? Do you have something going on with 7^th Imperial Uncle? Something other people cannot see?" teases Chu Ling Xiao.

Mo Qi Qi glares at him before sneering icily, "No matter what that something is, it couldn’t be worse than your good Emperor’s deeds. You are his close confidante, birds of a feather stick together! You are both good for nothing! Hmph!" She walks away, too lazy to waste time on him.

Chu Ling Xiao quickly follows her, "What do you mean, Your Ladyship? What did His Majesty do? And what do you mean by birds of a feather? Please explain clearly, Your Ladyship!"

Mo Qi Qi abruptly stops in her steps.

Chu Ling Xiao who has been following her closely stops abruptly as well, almost bumping into her.

She turns around towards him angrily, "You want me to speak clearly? You are always where Jun Qian Che is, is it possible for you not to know what he did? Do you think bengong is a child!"

Chu Ling Xiao looks at her in confusion, "This official does not understand what you are trying to say, Your Ladyship. Don’t tell me His Majesty fell for another beauty and wants to take her into his palace and now you are jealous? Honestly, there is nothing for you to worry about, Your Ladyship. No matter how many women there are inside the harem, His Majesty will never neglect you. He is very fair."

"Stop fooling around! I am not talking about women! I would not care even if he fills the harem to the brim! What I was talking about was; he as the ruler of the Kingdom, actually bullied a fragile woman behind everyone’s back! How shameless!" When she remembers how Jun Qian Che sent those assassins after her, fury fills her to the stomach.