The Empress Wears Gucci

53

        There were no words to define the constant adrenaline rush I was experiencing. Every time I thought about my plan, I felt prompted to open my mouth and reveal everything without pausing. I was excited. Scared, but excited. Each time I thought about it, my body would shiver. I'd gush and snicker.

          Maybe this is why the Empress enjoyed scheming against others. I can agree that it is entertaining. I find that she did have psychopathic tendencies, and doing all that she does brings joy. There was no moral conscience in her.

         This was it. It was all in or nothing, and I was going all in. 

        I stepped inside Niu Lin's chamber, tilting my head slightly up to assert dominance. She greeted me. This time, with no malicious intentions.

        "Will you be able to do one small favour?" I asked, walking forwards so all was in front of me, was her face.

        She nodded. "Yes, Your Grace." 

        "I'll need you to convince the other women to admit to something... On the day that Su Yin was freezing—nearly to death—the Empress said that she prepared Dong Mei's medicine," I explained. "It seemed to me that they didn't want to say anything because the Empress threatened them."

        I let out a wicked smile. "But because the Empress will be exposed soon, I want them to speak up and tell the truth."

        Niu Lin's eyes studied my face. She listened intently and nodded throughout. When I finished, her body stiffened and she kept staring at me, barely blinking. "That's a risk... Your Grace, do you have enough to have Her Majesty in the middle of the hall in front of the Emperor?"

         "You clearly don't know what I'm capable of," I replied grimly.      

        Doubt is a pet peeve of mine. You never doubt a person, especially not me. There was no arrogance to my tone because I knew what I can do. If you don't know me, then you're not allowed to talk about what I can or can't do. The Empress was powerful. But I felt as if I had the upper-hand.

        "I'm helping you because you're doing me a favour as well," Niu Lin folded her arms. "If you don't succeed, then I won't either..."

        Her eyes shifted to the ground. "I'll help you out, Your Grace, but if things come out bad, I'm not obliged to follow those orders. It's too risky."

       "I agree." I nodded.

        Princess Hua Yang was to arrive soon. I made my way back to my estate and did my daily paperwork before she came in. There were childish conflicts concubines had that I was to review. I shoved them aside to deal with them later.

        "Her Highness has arrived!" a loud voice erupted outside of my estate. 

        My maids were dismissed after I came back, so I was the only one in the main room. The doors opened and I rushed down to greet her. "Greetings to Your Highness."

        Hua Yang's face softened. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

        She wore a navy blue hanfu that framed her body. Hua Yang had a petite frame and I could tell as the belt accentuated her waist. The lower half of the hanfu flowed elegantly and dragged behind her. Beauty runs in the family.

        "Indeed it has," I nodded. "Are you still practising medicine, Your Highness?" 

         "Yes, I have! I'm... quite glad you asked that," Hua Yang's eyes flickered. "Nobody asks me about what I do."