"The reason I am here, Your Imperial Majesty, is because I've received a rather.. Concerning news." Ye An knew that the general was thick-skinned but to completely ignore what Ye An had said and implied in her previous statement, it seemed as if the man was not just built like a fortress, his skin was also as thick as one.

"Oh? And what could that news be to have you travel so far from the Empress Mother's residence?" Even Ye An knew that was a low blow but she couldn't help herself. In Ye An's opinion, if this entire palace was the back of a dragon, those two would be the annoying fleas hovering around the dragon's back, unable to get under the dragon's scales but also not leaving the dragon alone.

Once again, that unshielded jab was ignored. "Your Imperial Majesty, I heard that you are stopping the war with the Northerners."

"Did the Empress Mother ask you to "talk some sense" into me? Or did you have your own informant as well?"

"Regardless, I, as the head of the military would like to ask you to reconsider." General Shao said.

"I have done enough reconsidering to last me a lifetime, General Shao. I won't be changing my decision on abolishing the war if that's what you're here for."

"Your Imperial Majesty, do you know how many men we have dispatched for the nationwide conscription??"

"Did you just raise your voice at me, General Shao?" Ye An eyed the general with pinpoint intensity.

General Shao averted his gaze. "Of course not, Your Imperial Majesty." General Shao averted his gaze.

"Since you said that you have dispatched men to the various districts, ask them to help out with the locals. Many issues have been reported to me from all of the provinces. I believe Chang'an is short on people to manage their crops. Your soldiers could even stay there until summer's end to help them with the harvest."

"Your Imperial Majesty, they're soldiers, not farmers."

Ye An looked right into the general's eyes with obvious distaste over what he had just said. "Correct me if I'm wrong, General Shao. Soldiers protect and aid the country they are serving. Chang'an is where we get all our rice. Doesn't that contrite as national aid? Or is that below the military? Tell me, General Shao, does the military not eat rice?" Ye An's unfiltered eyes flared again before returning to her documents. "Let me know exactly to what districts that your soldiers were dispatched to and I'll arrange some tasks for them."

The general gritted his teeth but gave Ye An a bow and replied, "Noted, Your Imperial Majesty."

"Since you've received news on the war, I assume that you know about the Annual Hunt as well?"

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. Will you listen to my view regarding the matter?" General Shao asked, thinking that he already knew the answer that he was going to get.

"Sure, go ahead." Ye An looked up and replied without hesitation.

The general was shocked at the response, which slowed his own. "Your Imperial Majesty, I think it is unwise to invite the Northerners to the event."

"And why is that, General Shao?"

"It is for your safety. They might take this opportunity to harm you, Your Imperial Majesty."

"I will have the lieutenant accompany me. I believe he is the finest soldier you have?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then, there you have it."

"I could also accompany you, Your Imperial Majesty."

"There's no need for that, General Shao. I appreciate your assistance all these years at the Annual Hunt, but I think it has come to a time for you to step down. Treat that day as your personal rest day, General Shao. And besides, it might not sit well with the Empress Mother if I have two of the highest-ranking military officers all to myself."

General Shao pursed his lips. "Thank you for your consideration, Your Imperial Majesty. Given your track record in archery, there won't be any challenge to claim victory in your first-ever Annual Hunt."

"I'm humbled that you think so. However, I hear that there are many competent archers among the ministers. Besides, who's to say that the winner won't be one of the Northerners? But thank you, your good wishes are much appreciated."

*******

"ARGH!" A man's voice was heard from his room as he sent everything on his table crashing into the floor.

The commotion jolted those who were standing outside the room in the small cobblestoned courtyard like children who were waiting to be punished.

"Where is General Shao?!" The man in the room screamed.

"Your Majesty, he is currently in the palace trying to sort things out with the emperor." Minister Hu took charge and replied.

"Lee Ye An! I want to see her dead by the end of this."

A few of the new members at the back of the group started to whisper in astonishment to each other at the female pronoun that the man had chosen to use for the emperor. "Her?"

Minister Hu carried on. "Your Majesty, if I may? Even if the war is a no-go now, I feel that the emperor has opened up an easier path for us. If General Shao couldn't solve things with the emperor and retract the decision to cease the war, with the Northerners entering the Annual Hunt, it would be the perfect time to execute an assassination and cause a public uproar."

The man in the room went quiet for a moment before laughter emanated from the silent room. "Minister Hu, you're a genius!"

Minister Hu cracked a rare smile at the compliment. "And even if, and I believe that's only a tiny possibility, that the assassination goes haywire, the event would have been thrown into a mess that will lead to animosity between the two countries which would definitely incite war."

"You're absolutely right, Minister Hu! Let General Shao know of this when he's back. It's time for me to rest."

"Yes, Your Majesty." All the men bowed in unison before leaving the residence of the mysterious man.

*******

For some reason, Governess Hsu was always busy these days, but Ye An suspected that her absence was intentional. Before the lieutenant came into the palace, the governess would drop by Ye An's chambers at least once a week to check up on her, especially when she had any altercations with the Empress Mother, but she hadn't done so in a few weeks. Ye An didn't realize how much she took the governess's visits for granted until now.

She missed the governess. Ye An was too wrapped up in her new role as sovereign that she didn't have the time to contemplate how she was missing the governess. Until today. She thought that she should visit the governess tonight.

After she returned from the Mental Cultivation Hall, Ye An had her dinner before heading to Governess Hsu's new residence with a gaggle of servants trailing behind her.

"His Imperial Majesty The Emperor has arrived!" The grand eunuch announced when they reached the governess' doors, the volume of his voice lower as was instructed by Ye An.

The door opened immediately to reveal Governess Hsu as she bowed to Ye An. "Your Imperial Majesty."

Ye An smiled at the sight of the governess as she stepped into her chambers, leaving the servants outside. Once the doors were closed, all formalities were put aside as Ye An turned into a child in front of the governess.

"Governess Hsu, I've missed you!" Ye An said as she gave Governess Hsu an enormous hug which brought a warm smile to the governess's face.

"I've missed you too, Your Imperial Majesty."

"Huh. As if. You haven't even visited me for the past month or so."

"I didn't want to interrupt your work." The governess said gently. "And I knew that Lieutenant Yun would take good care of you."

"You figured that out when you only met him once? I'm the one who takes care of him most of the time."

"Well, that's what friendships are. You take care of each other."

Governess Hsu watched how Ye An grew up without any friends by her side. It wasn't because Ye An was forbidden to have any interactions with other children her age but she was only limited to befriending the children of distant imperial families with whom she had classes with. And those children were more concerned about following their families' instructions to strengthen their own family ties to the main imperial family instead of offering Ye An with a genuine gesture of friendship.

If Governess Hsu's absence was a bid for Ye An to bond with the lieutenant, it was definitely working. It was still a bit too early for Ye An to say that they were friends, but the lieutenant was definitely a friendly acquaintance whom she trusted more than those children she met when she was younger.

"Hmm. Anyway, how are you? How does it feel living so far away from your favorite child?"

"Child?" Governess Hsu let out a peal of soft laughter. "I feel.. Liberated from the said child."

"See. I knew you were lying when you said you missed me." Ye An said in mock anger.

Governess Hsu's soft laughter tinkled again. "I'm only joking, Your Imperial Majesty."

Ye An knew that it was a joke all along and turned her mock frown into a fond smile.

"Come, let's have some tea." Governess Hsu said as she ushered Ye An to the seating area.

Ye An sat on one of the cushion seats while Governess Hsu brewed a fresh pot of tea.

"Hmm.. Jasmine tea. My favorite." Ye An mused as she picked up on the aroma.

"Only this time. To mark this special occasion of you visiting me in my new residence, Your Imperial Majesty." Governess Hsu smiled gently at Ye An.

Even though Ye An loved jasmine teas, she was given strict instructions by the royal physician to curb her intake due to her body's cold temperament. Ye An was especially susceptible to the body cooling effects of the tea which would throw off the balance of her body's temperament resulting in her falling sick more often.

"I have no idea why you like drinking this all the time. We have so many other teas. And better teas too." Governess Hsu commented as she brought a tray with the brewed tea and a couple of empty teacups to the low table in front of Ye An.

"I don't know. The aroma just calms me." Ye An said before taking a deep breath to savor the tea's aroma.

Governess Hsu smiled as she suddenly recalled a memory. "Well, it might be because your mother always walked in the Forbidden Garden smelling those flowers when she was pregnant with you." Governess Hsu indulged Ye An on that sliver of information as she poured the freshly brewed tea into Ye An's empty teacup.

"You've been to the garden?" Ye An was surprised by this information.

"Yes, of course. I was her lady in waiting before I became your governess. I followed her everywhere."

"Tell me more." Ye An smiled as she sipped her tea.

Governess Hsu returned Ye An's smile. "But before that, I heard that something, or well, a few interesting things happened today."

"Did the grand eunuch tell you?"

"No, Lieutenant Yun stopped by just now and told me about it."

"Wait.. Did you make Lieutenant Yun your spy? No wonder he has been refusing my invitations for dinner. And all this while I thought he was the Empress Mother's spy." Ye An laughed.

"I told you that he's just an innocent bodyguard." Governess Hsu gave a tiny shrug.

"Well, not so innocent now. Since apparently, he's spying for you." Ye An said jokingly.

"Don't be too harsh on him. Do you think I could just leave you alone without having any updates and knowing that you're doing just fine on your own? He's just doing it to ease my old weathered mind."

"Fine, I'll let it go then." Ye An said. "But since Lieutenant Yun was here himself, didn't he already tell you about everything that happened?"

"I'd like to hear it from you." The governess smiled with the maternal love that she had for Ye An.

"Well, nothing much happened. I just decided that it's time that I take my life and decisions into my own hands. And made a decision regarding the war which I thought was the right choice all along. And maybe bickered a little bit with the Empress Mother and General Shao to stand my ground."

Governess Hsu only had pride in her eyes.

But Ye An caught the glisten that was also in the governess's eyes. "Are you crying?"

"No, the hot jasmine tea is making my eyes water." The governess replied fluidly as she dabbed at the corner of her eyes with the long sleeve of her dress.

"Right.." Ye An knew that wasn't it but decided not to pursue. "So how about you? What did you do besides instigating my bodyguard to spy for you?"

Governess Hsu laughed at that. "Besides that, I have also been preparing your meals."

"No wonder I feel like the royal cooks' cooking has improved tremendously these days. It wasn't them at all, was it? It was you."

"Yes, since I had hired help to babysit my favorite child, I had ample time to make sure the child gets all the nutrients she needs. I also need to make sure that the hired help gets food in his system."

"Hey! I let him join me during my meals these days. As I said, I even got rejected when I invited him for dinner."

"Yes, I know about him joining you during your mealtime. I'm the one who prepared the food, remember? You always requested two portions for your afternoon snack and sometimes even for your morning meal these days, and I know that you're not a big eater yourself."

"That's right." Ye An replied smugly.

"Well done, Your Imperial Majesty." Governess Hsu smiled.

"Is that sarcasm?" Ye An said, pursing her lips.

"Of course not, that's a genuine compliment. I know how much effort it takes you to do this."

"Yes, and the lieutenant better be grateful to have the sole exclusivity of dining with the emperor."

"Oh, believe me. He does." The governess flashed a smile with a knowing look in her eyes.

+*Thanks for reading! Please vote, comment, and follow if you like what you've read <3*+