Eternal Peace Palace
The night had deepened, yet the palace was still brightly lit, its candle flames distinct.
The Empress, dressed in full formal attire, sat impassively in the hall, watching the kneeling eunuch below as he reported the matter.
"So His Majesty wishes to see me now?"
"Your Majesty, His Majesty longs for you and asks that you go to him." The eunuch prostrated himself on the ground and spoke respectfully.
At such a late hour, summoning the Empress over was against protocol.
Yet nearly every rule in the entire Imperial Palace existed to serve the Emperor, and he could establish or alter them as he pleased. Whether it conformed to the rules was hardly important.
The Empress had already heard that the Emperor had coughed up blood, but she acted as if she knew nothing and merely asked the eunuch, "I heard Su Ziji returned to the capital today?"
"Your Majesty, Young Master Su did indeed return to the capital today."
"Do you know his present circumstances? Has His Majesty summoned him?" the Empress asked.
The eunuch replied, "In answer to Your Majesty, His Majesty bestowed a residence upon Young Master Su in Wanglu Ward. The moment he returned to the capital, His Majesty had someone escort him to the residence. Young Master Su's family also went to the docks to receive him, so they should already be settled in the new manor by now."
"Is that so?" Hearing that the Emperor had not immediately summoned Su Ziji, the Empress's reaction happened to coincide exactly with Su Ziji's first thought.
He had been so anxious to summon Su Ziji back to the capital, yet once he had arrived, he was no longer in a hurry to see him. Could it be that he still harbored misgivings and was