Chapter 2 (1/2)

Chapter Two

‘Your majesty, your court officials are loyal to you,’ Xiao Shun Tu said.

Xiao Shun Tu lowered his head and his voice. ‘Their honest words are hard to hear. Your majesty, don’t take it to heart.’

‘What honest words?’ Na Lam asked. ‘I only see they want to commit treason! I’m the emperor but in front of me they dare to criticize me. If my imperial father didn’t give them imperial tablets then I would have beheaded all of them by now.’

‘Your majesty, I believe if you give them time they will see your true abilities and treat you better,’ Xiao Shun Tu said. ‘Your majesty, compared to your majesty they live lowly on the ground under your sky. Your majesty doesn’t need to be too concerned about them.’

‘If they dare to criticize me again then I’m not going to spare them!’ Na Lam said.

Xiao Shun Tu wasted sweat. ‘Yes, yes.’

‘Change my clothes!’ Na Lam ordered and stretched his arms.

‘Yes, your majesty,’ Xiao Shun Tu said.

Xiao Shun Tu efficiently took off the emperor’s crown and official imperial gold clothes. Then he helped the emperor changed into comfortable gold clothes.

‘Your majesty, where do you want to go?’ Xiao Shun Tu asked.

‘Of course to the imperial guards’ courtyard,’ Na Lam said. ‘I still haven’t vented enough.’

‘Your majesty-’ Xiao Shun Tu said.

‘I need to use all my strength to fight Cao Qian and Jing Lu,’ Na Lam said.

Na Lam ignored the palace maids and eunuchs who knelt in front of him.

‘Yes, your majesty,’ Xiao Shun Tu said.

Xiao Shun Tu wanted to cry.

A while later Cao Qian and Jing Lu were forced to use different methods to lose in a way that satisfied the emperor.

Na Lam defeated Jing Lu. ‘Fight again!’

‘Your majesty, perhaps you should take a rest,’ Xiao Shun Tu suggested. ‘Your majesty must be tired after fighting for a long time.’

‘Who said I’m tired?’ Na Lam asked. ‘Cao Qian!’

‘Yes, your majesty,’ Cao Qian said.

Xiao Shun Tu rubbed his sweaty forehead.

In the shadows the empress dowager was talking with a young lady Ling Fei who the empress dowager invited to stay in the palace the past few days.

The empress dowager shook her head helplessly. ‘The emperor’s behaviour is becoming poorer by the day. He forces the imperial guards to fight with him. He doesn’t care that many lives rely on him being alive and performing his imperial duties. If something bad happens, who’ll take responsibility? Ling Fei, I’m relying on you to change the emperor’s bad bahaviour.’

‘Empress dowager, I fear I’ll only disappoint you,’ Ling Fei said.

‘Ling Fei, even you don’t have a solution?’ the empress dowager asked. ‘Apart from you, I don’t know who else can help me. Ling Fei, I believe you do have a solution. Regardless of what methods you use, I’ll support you fully.’

The empress dowager remembered how impressive Ling Fei was as a little girl and she believed the young lady Ling Fei would have a solution.

‘But the emperor’s body is precious gold,’ Ling Fei said. ‘I’m scared if I’m not careful and use too much force… I’ll injure the emperor.’

‘That is the emperor’s own fault for not learning how to be a good fighter,’ the empress dowager said. ‘I’ll not blame you. You’re my guest and you have my permission to do anything to change the emperor’s bad behaviour.’