50- I Don't Know

"Gege, our children will come before the full moon."

"That great!" The emperor pinch her cheek.

"We should bring them here too!" The empress is very excited.

"Sure.. sure.."

The empress is sitting facing the river. The water is clear blue. Colorful fishes swim around the river, making it so much livelier.

The emperor walks closer to the empress, inspecting her from the distant. This is it. Seeing her smile like this is all he ever wanted. If he can retire early and live his life here with her how awesome will it be.

"Niao Niao." He calls

"Eh?" The empress looks up, confused. Why would the emperor calls her that.

"This emperor loves you."

"..." What is he even talking about? What's with his wording.

The emperor smiles sweetly at her, making her uncomfortable. She frowns.

"This empress is very grateful to receive the dragon's love." She says finally.

He smirks meaningfully at her. The emperor thinks that her pouty mouth is cute.

The confused empress can only smile half-heartedly.

The emperor walks closer and cups her cheeks. He is on his knee holding the empress's hand.

"Then shall we go to the dragon chamber, empress?" The emperor intentionally using honorific to mess with her.

"..." the empress glares at him.

"What? You refuse this emperor's request?" The emperor acts like his heart hurts.

"It's not even noon yet!" The empress protest.

"Oh no! This is the second time someone refuse this emperor."

"Second?" The empress frowns again, she doesn't mean to turn him down. But who could possibly dare to refuse the emperor?

"Yeah."

"Who?"

"You."

"Huh?"

"I asked you to drink tea with me."

"..." oh she remembers. "I'm sorry." The empress feels bad.

"You are forgiven!" He smiles sincerely at her. And then pulls her into a tight hug. "Let's stay like this forever." He kisses her temple.

"Let's make it once." The empress decides. "I won't turn you down today."

"Huh?"

"Let's go."

"Where?"

"To the dragon chamber." She smiles and walk pass the emperor.

"Eh?" The emperor stands still. He was just kidding actually. It's too early!

The empress stops when she sees that the emperor is not following her inside.

"Is the emperor refusing this empress's request?" She uses the same tone like what he said earlier. The empress raised her eyebrows provocatively.

"This emperor doesn't dare to." He giggles and follows her inside.

______

"I have never thought that I would be able to feel it. Love." She smiles at the crown prince, an honest smile.

"Consort Hua, you were never a monster."

"Yeah?" She scoffs.

The crown prince nods silently.

"Crown prince." She calls him.

"Yes?"

"My name, my real name, is Hua Xiao Tan."

Saying that means a lot to her. Nobody refers to her as her real name anymore because she is 'the Consort Hua'. She just wants him to see her, as herself. Someone that she lost while searching for revenge.

"Hua Xiao Tan." He whispers. The crown prince knows how important is this for her.

_____

"What is that my lady?" Tutu cleans up the table after the crown prince left.

"A calligraphy."

"What does it say?" Tutu asks curiously, trying to peek at the scroll.

"I don't know."

"Huh?" Is that some weird writing or something? How can Consort Hua fail to read it?

"It says 'I don't know'"

Tutu raises her eyebrows. The crown prince is truly an unique guy.

"He doesn't know..me?" She explains. "Who am I, what I want, am I lying to him, should he

trust them or his gut.. He doesn't know what to believe."

"The crown prince should believe in my lady."

Consort Hua suddenly cough loudly. She spits blood to the scroll in front of her. She closes her mouth with her hand quickly.

"Is my lady okay?" Tutu assist her swiftly. "Call the royal doctor!"

"There's no need."

"My lady.."

"Tutu, just bring me back to my chamber."

"My lady, please let me-"

"Enough!" She coughs again, this time she spits more blood than before.

The helpless servant can only obey her. Tutu prepares her bed and let the consort rest. That night tutu couldn't sleep, she hopes that tomorrow the consort will be able to wake up again.

Tutu cries that night, she is afraid. Not only her, the whole palace is wide-awake. Such a shame that they can't even help their lady, a person who helped them to live.

"I have to go." Tutu stands and getting ready to leave her room. Few dozens of servants and eunuchs sits there silently, shivering in horror. They don't know what to do or what can they do.

When Tutu left, no one is looking at her, because they all are so desperate. She runs and runs with all her might to the crown prince's place.

"Crown Prince! Crown Prince!"

"Please again tomorrow, it's very late already." The guard stops her.

"This is emergency! Let me in!" She screams.

"No!"

The way is blocked but Tutu won't give up. She runs pass the guard in full speed, but is catches shortly after. She then get dragged outside by the guard.

"I beg you.. this is very important." She almost cries at this point.

"What is this all about?" The crown prince walks outside.

"The consort! She doesn't have much time.. please go with me."

The crown prince is shocked, she seems okay few hours ago.

"Tell me what happened?!" He demands.

"The consort has been consuming the Hua berries, we thought- we thought that she has weeks left," Tutu is out of breath, and her cries doesn't help at all.

"Slowly.. explain to me."

"The Hua berry is a lethal potion. Maybe it's because she doesn't eat the potion works faster to her. She.. she might not survive this night!"

"What?!"

"Please follow me!"

They knocks Consort Hua's chamber quickly. Not wanting to lose a single second.

"Tutu, don't disturb me." She says as she writes the last few lines of her letter.

"It's me." The crown prince finally says.

"Please go back crown prince, it's too late. Come again tomorrow." Her voice is shaky and weak.

"Consort Hua.."

"See you tomorrow." She says and gets to her bed.She wishes with all her heart to be able to see the morning sun tomorrow. The consort pulls her blanket and let the gods decide.

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