Water Mirrored Moon - 水鏡月

Part IV - The Western Emerald: 60. Summons

Before Zhao Ling Xian had left the capital, he had written Cui Xi a letter detailing important information about the running of the household. For the majority of it, he had simply asked her to rely on the steward, Cheng, and told her that the servants were to obey her in all situations.

While slightly overwhelmed to be running an entire princely manor on her own, she found that Cheng was indispensable and he had been quite happy to advise her where she was ignorant, and did his job without making her feel any awkwardness...an extremely valuable quality in a servant.

Under normal circumstances, as a newlywed couple, the two of them should have gone into the palace to serve tea to the Emperor, Empress, and Imperial Consort Zhang, but they had been excused as the Seventh Prince had gone back to the northwest under the Emperor's direct order.

Without her knowing, Zhao Ling Xian had apparently also sent a letter to Yang Ming Xi explaining the circumstances, and that he would not be able to visit his bride's family on the third day as per the normal custom. When she'd sent a message to say that she would visit her Yifu anyway on that day, he'd very strangely declined saying that he was busy, leaving her to wonder if it had something to do with her master's seclusion. She was not entirely convinced that the poison had been cured and she was frustrated by her Yifu's refusal to give her any more information than what he'd said on the wedding day.

As she had been excused by the Emperor, her mother-in-law had written to say that a visit was not required, but Cui Xi had gone to visit anyway. Imperial Consort Zhang had never pressured her, and after that first meeting had not interfered with the relationship between Cui Xi and her son. Rather than reassure her, Cui Xi actually found this more unnerving. Taking the excuse of Xiao Hei's summons, she intended to visit her mother-in-law after the audience.

What she did not expect, was that Xiao Hei would be made to kneel in front of the Emperor's audience hall for three hours while morning court was held. Mao hour was roughly the equivalent of the time between five and seven in the morning. Court had already been in session for one hour before that with the first break still to come at Si hour, which would be around ten.

Cui Xi felt like she was going to pass out as her legs quivered on the stone pavers in front of the hall. She ignored the smirks or pitying looks of other officials who were in line to be summoned and who all entered the hall before her, one by one, while she and Xiao Hei suffered in silence.

"Mistress," Xiao Hei gritted in an undertone, sweat beaded on his forehead. "There is no need for you to kneel as well! It's fine for me, but what about the Seventh Prince's dignity?"

She took a breath, trying to concentrate her focus. It was very clear that the Emperor had summoned the young heir of the Murong General's house to punish and humiliate him in front of everyone at court. She would not allow for him to be alone at such a time.

"Murong Shi, when you knelt in the dirt in front of that tea stand, did you not promise to serve me loyally? To return the debt with your entire existence?" she asked coldly.

Xiao Hei bit his lip.

"Yes," he answered, sighing.