65 The emperor and that other version of An Ning (2/2)
An Ning sniffed loudly and looked tearfully at him.
”What?”
”You've been asleep for three days. We couldn't wake you. We thought you might be ill, wounded or something but you were perfectly fine.No wounds, no fever, nothing. You just wouldn't wake up.”
”Three days? I've been asleep for three days?” An Ning said, sitting up. She was feeling dazed and her head hurts.
”That's what I've been trying to tell you,” Gu Sheng said. He hesitated then he leaned forward and closed his strong, young arms around An Ning. ”I was so scared. I thought you'd left me. I really thought you'd left me.”
An Ning returned his embrace and tightened her arms around him.She could feel him trembling, could hear the tremor in his unsteady voice. That old version of An Ning loved this boy because he was an extension of Gu Fang. And now, this new An Ning inhabits this body and she made a promise.
What about her though? How is she going to get home back to the future?
Someone knocked on the door and when it opened, a middle aged man carrying a food tray was revealed. An Ning frowned. He looked vaguely familiar.
”I'm sorry for the interruption, my lord. I was waiting by the door to hear news of her majesty and heard murmurings inside. I assumed her majesty is awake and wanted something to eat. If my lord permits,” the man said, bowing and entering the room.
”Yi Tai is right. You must be hungry. Come and serve imperial mother.”
Yi Tai placed the tray on An Ning's lap. He removed the covers and a beguiling smell immediately swirled around the room. An Ning looked at the bowl of hot, mouth-watering chicken soup garnished with green onions and feel saliva pooling on her tongue. She picked up the spoon and started to eat, the bites growing bigger as her hunger grew. The soup was delicious. So was the plate of thin, crunchy biscuits and the cool and appetizing mango jelly that went with it. The green tea served on an exquisite cup was fresh and minty.
There was silence as An Ning satisfied her hunger. The emperor looked at her indulgently; Yi Tai quietly.
”Yi Tai?” An Ning asked finally, putting her spoon down and looking inquiringly at the other man.
”Yi Hai's father,” the emperor said. ”He and his wife have been taking care of us these last three days, cooking and cleaning and basically running the kitchen.”
”Is there anything else you need, your majesty?” Yi Tai asked with a gentle smile in An Ning's direction.
”You know how to cook,” it was not a question.
”My wife and I used to run a restaurant together but unfortunately we had to close it after a few months.”
”Why? What happened?”
”The prime minister has a friend who opened a restaurant in the same street as our little restaurant. They told us we needed to leave. Yi Hai tried to lodge a complaint with the civil department but I didn't want him to lose his job so I closed the restaurant instead.”
”You could have moved on to another area,” the emperor pointed out. An Ning smiled at this innocent comment.
”My lord, the prime minister had long arms and I didn't want to bring trouble to my boy so...” Yi Tai shrugged.
”Just stay here and work for us,” An Ning said, sighing and leaning back on the pillows.”My first priority is to find a cook anyway. If you want the job, it's yours.”
Yi Tai looked at her, thunderstruck.
”Are you sure, your highness? I mean, I don't want to impose...”
”Do you want the job or not?”
”Yes.”
”Then there's nothing else to say,” An Ning said.
”Yes, your majesty,” Yi Tai bowed. ”Do you have any request for dinner tonight, your majesty? My lord?”
”Beef roast and something sweet.”
”Yes, your majesty. My lord?”
”The same and jellied fruit, if you please. Any fruits would be fine,” the emperor said.
When Yi Tai finally collected the tray and left, An Ning asked the emperor for updates.
”We killed all the ministers and slaughtered their families. Those that did not die were banished. The prime minister and his daughter are still alive though.”
”Let them rot in there,” An Ning said vengefully. ”Don't feed them or let anyone see them. I want them to die an excruciating death.”
The emperor was silent.
”What happened, An Ning?” he asked after a while. ”Is she gone?”
An Ning looked at him with her brows furrowed.
”I don't know. I told her I've fulfilled my promise but I don't know if she's gone or not. I can't feel her anymore though so maybe she is gone and I'm the only left in this body.”
”What happens now?” Gu Sheng's voice was barely a whisper.
”I need to go back. You know that, don't you? I need to return to my family.”
The emperor turned his back and walked towards the window. The air was cool. Winter was coming. He could feel it on his bare skin where the air stung like tiny icicles. When he turned back, An Ning was standing behind him, looking at him with sadness in her eyes.
”Can you take me with you?” the quiet plea had the weight of the world in it.
An Ning sighed, remembering her dream. Her old version clung to her because she wanted revenge. Was she still clinging to her now because of her concern for Gu Sheng?
”What about Yuqui?”
”It never meant anything to me other than the kingdom where I live with my father and my grandmother. They're both gone now, An Ning. There is nothing here for me anymore. There is only grief and sadness.”
An Ning sighed and surrendered.
”I don't want to leave with this mess though. Let's clean up first because people are still looking up to us, to you, to show them the way out of this mess. Let's give ourselves another six months then we'll leave, okay?”
It seems as though a heavy weight had fallen from the emperor's shoulders. He smiled and clutched at An Ning's hand.
”Six months then we'll go,” he agreed, smiling. ”By the way, when do you want to set up another interview for those people you need? I told everyone you were sick and we had to cancel. The news that you're awake must be out by now. Everybody will be expecting an announcement soon.”
”Let's do it tomorrow at eight in the morning,” An Ning said. ”No use making anyone wait, right? A sudden frown crossed An Ning's face. ”We still haven't found the poison maker.”
”Torture the prime minister and his daughter?”
”Bleed them dry until they tell us the name of the poison maker who killed your father,” An Ning said grimly. ”After we get him, then we're finally done here.”