It wasn't until they left the city that the steeds truly bolted, heading along the official road toward the Royal Hunting Grounds a hundred miles away.
The Emperor's personal eunuch, Li Shengan, stayed behind in the palace to ensure nothing went awry. Only a few of Li Shengan's disciples followed.
「...」
「In the palace」
With the Emperor gone, the Empress relaxed completely. Since that incident, she had always been somewhat afraid of the Emperor. Even without leaving her residence, she lived in constant trepidation every day, fearing she might do something wrong and provoke the Emperor's anger once again. Now, she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
After breakfast and her medicine, the Empress lay down on a soft couch to rest. She asked Yu Lan, "Has anything happened in the palace lately?"
Yu Lan remembered being told that the Emperor had encountered Honored Lady Jiang in the Imperial Garden, and she recounted the incident.
