Tai'an City, Imperial Palace
Wang Yue suddenly appeared within the imperial city. He had no idea which room the emperor lived in, so he could only search slowly.
But finding someone was no challenge for him. He was well-versed in the I Ching and Bagua, and a quick calculation with his fingers was all it took to determine the general direction.
When he found the emperor, Zhao Chun was sitting close beside Empress Zhao Zhi. They looked just like an ordinary married couple.
Zhao Chun seemed to sense that something was wrong. Stroking Zhao Zhi's hair, he said gently, "I have no regrets in this life. I only wish I'd spent more time with you.
"It's almost funny. I may have spent more time with those cabinet ministers and their memorials than I did by your side."
Zhao Zhi knew Zhao Chun well. She could tell something had happened to leave him so troubled.
To change the subject, she looked up at him and asked with a smile, "Your Majesty, do you remember our little game from back then? You were only a prince, and I was a prince's consort."
At that, Zhao Chun burst out laughing. He solemnly took a step back, bowed with exaggerated formality, and said, "Your Majesty the Empress, may you live a thousand years! A thousand years! Ten thousand years!"
Zhao Zhi hadn't really wanted an answer, nor was she only trying to distract Zhao Chun. She simply wanted him to know that she had never regretted marrying him.
Seeing that he was in better spirits, she stepped back too. "Your Majesty, may you live ten thousand years! Ten thousand years! Ten thousand times ten thousand years!"
They both took the game seriously, looking at each other with genuine warmth. Their spirits lifted.
Zhao Chun