Chapter 53: Family Reunion?
The chatter around them died down as they walked further away from the inner palace. Ru Yi said nothing as she followed Han Shuying who had remained quiet since she helped Ru Yi wash her hair.
They went in the direction of the Eastern gate, and Ru Yi realized soon enough that they were going to the room she’d woken up in that night Han Shuying was supposed to help her leave the palace.
The smell of hay and wet wood hit Ru Yi as they stepped through the threshold of the small room.
Empress Lihua was already standing there, hands clasped at her back as she looked out of the single window there.
"You took your precious time," the Empress said, but there was no sign of anger in her tone. She turned to the new arrivals. "Looks like you clean up nice."
Ru Yi had twisted her wet hair into a loose braid. The robe Han Shuying had given her was plain but a much better choice compared to her previous ones.
Although the material was of good quality, Ru Yi couldn’t help but compare it to the silk ones Shen Yexue had provided during her time hiding in her chamber.
Ru Yi performed a bow, "Thank you for pardoning me, your majesty. I am forever grateful."
Empress Lihua moved closer, taking Ru Yi’s chin in a loose grip. "No need to thank me, you earned it. Without you I wouldn’t have won against the princess—" she caught herself, "the enemies of the kingdom."
Ru Yi gulped. She might’ve liked it better when the Empress was harsh. "I’m glad that I was of help."
Empress Lihua smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. "At least now you know not to meddle in affairs that are of no concern to you."
She was telling Ru Yi to mind her business.
The warning in her words was clear.
"Yes, your majesty," Ru Yi replied, keeping her gaze down. "What about the antidote?"
Empress Lihua reached into her robe and brought out tiny tablets wrapped in a brown parchment paper. "One tablet for each night."
Ru Yi stretched out her hand to take it but the Empress held it back at the last second.
"What do you intend to do after this? Will you go back to working for the palace?"
Ru Yi’s hand itched to take the tablets, but she considered her answer carefully. "If it’s okay with your highness, I’ll like to leave the palace and start a new life somewhere else."
Empress Lihua nodded as if thinking about her answer. "That makes sense, especially after the trouble you’ve been through in the palace. And the crown prince? Does Zhao Chen know you plan to leave?"
Ru Yi shook her head.
"Didn’t you want to be together with him?" Empress Lihua asked, "Now that the princess is out of the way, I’ll support your union."
Ru Yi shook her head. "Respectfully, I don’t want to be with the crown prince."
The Empress looked confused. "But you’re both in love with each other?" The concern in her voice masked the relief she actually felt. Ru Yi’s plan was aligning perfectly with hers.
"How can I be with him? He’s the future Emperor of the kingdom and I’m a lowly maid."
"Don’t look down on yourself," Empress Lihua told Ru Yi, like she hadn’t been degrading her just a couple nights ago. "If you wish to leave the palace then I will not stop you."
"First, I must commend you for doing as I asked." She finally gave the antidote to Ru Yi who took it before the Empress could change her mind.
"Can I ask a question?"
The Empress nodded.
"How were you so confident that I would hide the seal like you asked?" Ru Yi took a deep breath. "I could’ve told the triplets about your plan."
Empress Lihua smiled, her fingers grazing Ru Yi’s jawline in that slow calculated manner that made you know there were a thousand thoughts running through her mind.
"It was either your life or theirs, I believed you were smart enough to make the right choice." Empress Lihua suddenly turned to Han Shuying. "But you...you’ll protect me with everything you have won’t you?"
Without any hesitation Han Shuying gave a brief nod.
The Empress smiled in satisfaction before turning her attention back on Ru Yi. "I went through your records and you were sold to the palace by an unknown merchant. If you want I can have someone trace your family background and you can return to them."
Ru Yi shook her head, "I don’t think my family would want me back. I’m fine with starting all over in a new place alone."
Empress Lihua nodded like she understood. "You can go back to your quarters, I’ll have the royal pass ready for you soon enough. Princess Lin Yuexin’s funeral will be held in a couple days, it might interest you to attend."
"I would love that very much, your majesty."
Empress Lihua nodded once before turning to Han Shuying. "I trust you can take care of her until her departure?"
"Yes, your majesty."
"That will be all." Empress Lihua left the two of them in the small room, Ru Yi’s sigh of relief the only sound that filled the space.
"I thought I wasn’t going to get the antidote," Ru Yi said as she let herself sit on the floor, exhaustion tearing at her bones.
"The Empress keeps her word." Then after a while she asked, "are you sure you don’t want to go back to your family?"
Ru Yi shook her head. "They didn’t want me before, they certainly wouldn’t want me now. To be honest I’m better off being by myself."
"By yourself?"
Ru Yi turned to her. "Yes. I know everyone likes to feel like they belong somewhere, they want that sense of community. But for people like me that can’t afford that privilege, we learn to get by life all by ourselves. I mean it gets lonely but it’s better than dealing with people that don’t care about you."
Han Shuying had never considered that. "But it feels good when you have someone that cares about you."
"For sure! I mean I wish there was someone that cared enough about my wellbeing." Ru Yi stood up, "but I guess that’s never going to happen. I’m just happy to be alive, that’s more than enough for me."
