At the end of the meal, everyone made their way out of the Empress' palace. Left alone with the Emperor, the Empress quietly poured him tea.

"You're still dissatisfied?"

The Emperor sipped on the tea while he looked out at the peaceful garden. After a long while, the Empress still did not respond. Glancing at the silent Empress, the Emperor set the empty cup of tea back down.

"What will appease you, my Empress?"

The Empress poured him another cup of tea but the Emperor did not take it.

"Your Majesty, do you not see Princess Ting unhappiness?" The Empress looked on at the Emperor's unreadable expression as he continued to watched the garden scenery. "My heart aches for her..."

"You have already found someone to heal her heart. In a few days, people from Buxi will come for her hand in marriage"

"Her heart is set on Jian..."

"Do not encourage her. False hopes will lead her to destruction"

"Is there no other way?"

The Emperor could hear the bitterness in his Empress' voice without looking at her.

"My Empress, if you continue to hold your high regards for Princess Ting, you will fail to see Princess Quan Yi's beauty"

"Beauty..." The Empress scoffed softly. "What beauty?"

With a tired sigh, the Emperor stood.

"Your Majesty_"

"The day is ending, the night is cold. Go and rest early"

The Emperor left the garden, leaving the Empress all alone. It was clear to her that the Emperor was disappointed. She saw that the Emperor was beginning to accept Li Ruyi and so recognized her as Prince Wu Jian's Wang Fei. Feeling dejected, the Empress knew there wasn't much she could do when the Emperor had already made the decision. As an Empress, how could she go against her Emperor? Taking his words to heart, she will try to find the beauty in Li Ruyi that he spoke of.