Chapter 271 - Retrace (2/2)

”You guess? Hurry up and check on her!” Eunuch Li promptly ordered glaring at the head physician, who promptly jumped forward and went to take her pulse, ”Of course, your maje-”

”No, I'm fine!” The Empress dowager swiftly exclaimed moving her hand out of reach.

The inhabitants of the room knit their brows thinking she was going back to resisting treatment. But right now was not the time to bother the Emperor about this. They looked to Eunuch Li, who let out a breath and tried to reason with her, ”Just accept treatment for now. I'll talk to the Emperor to do something about expediting the situation...”

”Emperor?” The Empress dowager asked with a frown, then she blinked, gave a nervous laugh, and went, ”What I meant was, that I am perfectly fine...No need to worry.” She said as she stood up, Song mama held her arm but she promptly shrugged the hand off, smiled at her and went, ”I'm fine...really. Thank you.”

Song mama blinked at her and then looked at the other people in the room, who had the same surprised and confused expression on their faces.

The Empress dowager said ”thank you”? There was definitely something wrong here.

Eunuch Li knit his brows and asked, ”Your majesty, are you sure you're alright?”

The Empress dowager gave another nervous laugh and went, ”Perfectly fine...I will just be leaving now -”

”Leaving?” Eunuch Li asked with a frown.

The Empress dowager blinked, ”Did I say leave? I meant taking a walk...alone.” She added with a smile and a nod as she made to walk past them.

Eunuch Li's frown deepened and he promptly stepped in her way, ”Your majest, you sh-”

”Fine, fine...You can come along too...just you.” She said pointing at Eunuch Li.

{...I could probably take him in a fight...I think?...}

The Empress dowager did not wait for a response and quickly scurried out of the room as perplexed gazes followed her.

Eunuch Li was still confused and worried so he promptly followed behind her. As they walked along, the Empress dowager kept sending suspicious glances his wad. When they got outside, Eunuch Li froze and frowned as he looked up at the now very colorful sky. He did not have a chance to really see it earlier and now it looked worse than he recalled. This will definitely be a problem and he worried for the Emperor, ”What is the meaning of this?” He said with a sigh.

”Meaning of what?” The Empress dowager asked glancing at him with a raised eyebrow.

”The sky - I don't think this has ever happened in history before...”Eunuch Li responded still in disbelief of what his eyes were seeing.

The Empress dowager's eyes shifted and then she responded, ”What are you talking about? It's always been like this - Ah, I actually see it now...that is strange.” she quickly amended as she looked up and frowned at the four celestial bodies, the dark one in particular and mumbled, ”Why is it black? That can't be good...”

”Your majesty -?” Eunuch Li went, confused with her words.

”Nothing...Where did you say this was again?” The Empress dowager asked, resuming her walk.

”Your palace...” Eunuch Li supplied and then went, ”Your majesty, are you sure you're alright?”

”En, I'm fine.” She offhandedly responded as she reached for the doors and tried to open them but it did not budge, ”Can you open this?” She asked turning to Eunuch Li.

Eunuch Li blinked at her taken aback with her polite question. He quickly snapped out of it and tentatively responded, ”Following the Emperor's orders - but I guess today is an exception due to the ceremony - but where are you trying to go?” Eunuch Li asked with concern.

The Empress dowager blinked and then smiled and said, ”Nowhere in particular...Just a walk~ the doors please...?”

Eunuch Li knit his brows, let out a breath, and then ordered, ”Open the doors...”

The Imperial guards outside promptly went about unlocking the doors and the Empress dowager beamed at Eunuch Li and said, ”Thank you~”

Eunuch Li frowned in confusion. The Empress dowager paid him no attention and as soon as the doors opened were opened, she bolted outside with quick feet.

Eunuch Li quickly shook his head, snapped out of it himself, and raced out behind her. When he caught up to her, the Empress dowager slowed down to a walk, ”I was just playing...You're quite fast for an old man.” She said with a little laugh and then looked off to the side with a pout.

Eunuch Li scrutinized her, perplexed. She was definitely not behaving like herself at all...No, it was that she was not behaving like her usual self.

It was strange but he felt like she was behaving like herself, her old self...One he knew a long time ago.

The Empress dowager glanced at him with a half-smile as she did a quick assessment of him before glancing about accessing her surroundings.

{...Tch, I need to lose this old man...but where the hell am I?! >_