A Royal Engagement

The Consort's Room

(LAO)

Friday. 10:30 pm

Chong worked fast.

He charmed the nurse of the Queen Dowager to take another room because the Consort changed his mind and decided to sleep in his room.

"You don't mind, do you, Miss..."

"Chen," the nurse and companion of the Queen Dowager was truly charmed by the Consort's bodyguard that she is batting her eyelashes on Chong.

I arched my brow and I try to turn away from the scene because it's too painful to watch.

Chong successfully took the nurse out of the room. Without too much fuss.

Then he talked to someone on the security secretly to ask for surveillance cameras.

"Not one word to anyone, do you understand?" With an arm around the security guy's shoulder, Chong gave order and threatened the guy at the same time.

The security personnel nodded, "Yes, Sir..." he almost stammered.

Chong let him go and put the cameras all over the Consort's room himself. He connects them to his laptop so he can get the feeds and views inside the room.

When everything are working perfectly, he looked at me. "Do you really have to do this?"

I sighed, "Nothing will happen. If what that witness said was true, she will not be stupid enough to attack the Consort here in the Palace,"

"Unless she is desperate enough," Chong said.

"Li Yi..." I stopped. Chong will never understand. He is not a person of this Palace. He was recruited from the outside to protect the Consort. He didn't trained with us, studied with us so he felt no camaraderie with the people here. He doesn't know these people.

But I do. Since we were children, most of the trainees to serve the Royal Family started at the young age, I know these people. I grew up with them. I grew up with Li Yi. She were taught the same values as me.

"There is honor in serving the Royal Family. They need us. We are an important force behind their reign. We also go down in history, Lao." My Uncle Shouwei always told me while I am training.

Serving Qing. Being his Aide and soon as the Royal Manager like my Uncle, those are my pride and honor. Serving my Consort. Helping Dayu. There will be no greater honor than that for me.

I was trained for this. To help the Royal Family. And to think that someone who trained like me can threaten the people I held in high regard, I feel insulted.

Like it's a personal attack on me.

"Where will you sleep?" I asked Chong. Deliberately changing the subject.

"I will stay on the walk in closet," he pointed at door on the left side. "The Prince put you in my care so I might as well look out for you,"

"I will be fine. I don't really think anything will happen tonight," I said. Because it will be ridiculous. The failed attempt on the elevator just happened yesterday. I think if I am the one trying to kill the Consort, I will pull back first and think of another strategy.

I will not try again too soon.

But for Dayu to be safe, I will do this. Just pretend to be him for a while and sleep in his room. Until we can find some solid evidences that the Princess' Chief Maid is not the suspect or if she is the one we are looking for.