Xuan Di decided to make his way back to his study chamber palace with Eunuch Gao following suit at the back. He just finish consummation night with Beauty Belle Su, and with the reward requested in his mind, he was unable to stay overnight at her place.

Shortly after Beauty Belle Su fell asleep, he quietly left the bed and out of her palace. Taking a short walk at a nearby garden, the moonlight shine as the guiding light for each step he take.

As Eunuch Gao is aware of Xuan Di's temper and preference, the moment he left Beauty Belle Su's palace, he dismissed all the following servant and escort silently behind him.

The sound of the trees swaying from left to right along with the wind, the shuffling noise of his shoes and the silence that embrace the moonlight walk appear to calm Xuan Di's mind. With his hands at his back, he took his time to walk the path.

But it seems like he wasn't enjoying the moon or the flowers covered with snow, something is on his mind. His distracted eyes appears to look at one direction, but he is not actually focusing on it.

As an emperor, he was being taught since young to conceal his emotions as it will be a sign of weakness.

Releasing a sigh, his masculine rough hands reach out to the frozen flowers.

"What is the right thing to do?" He said.

Eunuch Gao, who was following behind him in a safe distance, look up at him and wonder if he was talking to him.

"Yes?"

"The visit. Is it the right thing to do?" Eunuch Gao realised that Xuan Di was referring to the pavilion suggested by Beauty Belle Su.

"Your Imperial Majesty, it is not my place to comment on your decision."

"Speak your mind, I will pardon your rudeness."

"From your lowly servant perspective, I do not see this 'visit' to be anything negative. Not only it allows your Imperial Majesty to take this chance to rest, you could also do an undercover civilian visit. That way, you are able to be aware of the current market of your people and make better future decision as a king."

"Then what about having Empress Jae to be part of this trip?"

"Your lowly servant thinks that it is not a bad idea, although her Majesty does have some temper issue, however based on these few weeks observation, she has toned down a lot ever since she got punished."

Xuan Di remained silent and play with the flower covered in snow which he plucked out earlier on.

"It's getting late."

*** ***

"Missy Jae, you got 2 more rounds to go!" Yu-ji cheering on the side while taking notes on the number of laps left for Jae-in to run.

Pacing her breathe as she run, Jae-in breathe in and out while pushing her tired legs through the number of laps she intended to run.

Though it is winter, her back is filled with sweat, derived from her daily running of 30 laps around her palace.

"Ha.. Ha.." Jae-in gasping for air as she fell onto the ground upon completion of 30 rounds.

"Take a rest Missy Jae, drink some water." Yu-ji hurriedly rush to her side and wipe off the sweat while delivering her a cup of hot tea.

"Moving on, where is my bow and arrow?"

"Here Missy Jae!"

Jae-in grab hold of the bow with the arrow attach on her back, she head over to her 'training ground' for archery.

With her self-made circular target hanging onto the tree, standing at least 10 metres away, Jae-in aim and shot through the small little red dot marked continuously.

After several rounds of shooting, her arms start shivering from the intensive muscle training.

Yu-ji witnessed the hardcore training that her Missy Jae has practised over the past 5 days, every day she will run 30 rounds around the palace, followed by arm training of shooting arrows, then practises sword martial arts, finally doing squats with weights to train her legs.

Every single day without fail, her Missy Jae will wake up at 4am as she wants to avoid the other servants seeing her running round the palace, and end her training at 8pm, then repeat as a cycle.

"Yu-ji, any updates from the weapon manufacturing?" Jae-in took a short break from her archery training.

"Yes Missy Jae, I manage to buy the raw materials from outside (referring to outside of the palace), we are able to receive them by tonight and hopefully we can start making small daggers and darts for the start."

"Good, prepare the water for my bath."

After cleaning up herself from the sticky and sweaty body from the trainings, Jae-in appear in the living room once again with a pastel blue cotton dress and white decorated lines at the border of the dress, along with the flowers as the main design, Yu-ji dress Missy Jae hair into a simple braid decorated with small white pearls.

Done with the dressing, Jae-in look over to see the timing of the day, it seems like its reaching noon.

"Yu-ji, prepare some food for lunch and pack them into a box."

"Yes? Where are we going?"

"To his Imperial Majesty."

*** ****

Carrying the box of lunch prepared by Yu-ji, we slowly make our way to Xuan Di's study chamber. It is always his habit to have his lunch at his study chamber while continuing his work as an Emperor.

As we reached his chamber, Yu-ji remove the umbrella and start to shake off the snow accumulated on it while I went ahead to the entrance of his chamber.

"Your Highness, please wait for a moment. His Imperial Majesty has ordered no one to enter the study chambers."

"I see, could you please go in and inform him that I am here to deliver his lunch meal? Afterall, I don't want him to skip meals because of work." I politely convey my message while faking a smile filled with love.

"Your Highness, please give me a moment."

Waited for around 5 minutes, the guard that went in came back to escort me in.

"Your Highness, thank you for waiting, please head inside."

Crossing over the curb, I walk steadily into the place where I will see him. Walking on this floor millions of times, smelling his unique cologne smell that filled the air every time I enter, nothing has changed except for my feelings.

Ah.. There he is. Sitting in his usual throne, with piling documents on both side, dressed in his fancy official golden yellow attire. In his usual serious and focus face, the face that never once revealed a smile to me or a sign of affection.

"Your Imperial Highness, greetings to you." I greeted him in my usual polite form while holding the box of food in my arms.

"At ease. Empress Jae, what brings you here?" Xuan Di continue on his work without sparing me a glance.

"I heard that you are not having a proper meal, so I took the liberty to prepare food for you."

Xuan Di stopped his brush movement and finally looking up to me.

"That is gracious of you. Eunuch Gao, prepare the tables."

Sitting silently at his side while he reach out to taste the food I brought, honestly, the pressure within me is rising.

'How do I approach the topic of me joining them to head out?'

As I was too focus in my thoughts, I did not notice that Xuan Di was actually observing me as well.

"The food taste good. You cooked them?" His question broke the silence and I return back to the mask that I put on.

"No your Imperial Majesty, the food is prepared by my palace lady, Yu-ji."

Xuan Di's eyebrow frowned a little before disappearing almost immediately.

"I see, Eunuch Gao prepare some award to be bestowed upon Empress Jae's palace lady."

"Yes your Imperial Majesty."

Not knowing how to interact with Xuan Di, I look away once he convey his instructions. How did I behave around him in the past? Did I talk a lot? Have I propose topics to engage with him? What did I even talk to him about? Ugh, this is so awkward... How do I start these topics in the past?

Mentally struggling how to approach him yet remain a cool facade while facing him. Seeing that he has finished his meal, I knew that this is the time I will need to leave because the time that I was spared has been used up.

Feeling a sense of regret of not planning my time properly with no strategy planned, I stood up and greet him goodbye while heading to the exit.

"So Missy Jae, did you succeed?"

I look at Yu-ji who pounced onto me right after I exit the study chamber with her sparkling eyes.

"No, I failed." I sigh and shake my head.

"I see.. It's okay Missy, don't worry about it! We still have chance!"

*** ***

Throwing myself onto bed after returning from the study chamber, I lay there with no movement intended. Why did I enter the war space with no tactic backing me up? Am I dumb?

Why can't I start a topic to engage him into a conversation? Is my pride more important than that one chance that I can ever get to escape? Just how long more do I want to trap myself? Ughhhh...

Reminiscing my earlier experience in the study chamber, everything feels so familiar. Nothing has changed, the environment, the smell, the habits and even him. Things that was so familiar felt so strange and distant.

"No your Highness! You can't enter without any permission given! No you can't!" The guard shouted behind me as I barge into his chamber.

"Your Imperial Majesty! I am here to deliver food to you! I heard that you have not been having proper meals! That's not good you know?" I head over the the tables to set up the food, ignoring the stares received.

Knowing that he doesn't like what I am doing, yet I still does it because I want to spend time with him, even if it's just for a second.

"Empress Jae, you know that I dislike people who doesn't listen to my command."

Xuan Di stopped his arm movement and look at me with coldness mixed with a slight anger.

"Of course I know that, but you can't expect your wife to still listen to that command when her husband is on the verge of starvation due to work right?" I head over to his side and grab hold of his arms with a loving smile that ignore his anger.

This close contact that I have been missing for months since he bestowed other ladies as his consorts. His smell, his body and his touch drive the insane love that I had for him once again.

No, he did not push me aside despite the fact he hate my skinship and still head to the table obediently like the usual. Eating the food prepared silently and not wanting to talk to me as though each words being said is a waste of breathe.

I know deep inside that he doesn't want to spend time with me, he despise the close contact with me, after all I am not the one he love.

Still, even though I am bleeding on the inside, I maintain a smile with love, everything I do is for him. I love him and I want him to be beside me.

Ignoring that cold disgust he had in his eyes every time I fed food into his mouth, taking a small bite of it and then spit into the bowl, which will never be touched again. My continuous rambling of uninteresting topics of my day, in return was his dull and nonchalant response.

Actually, I know the truth. I know the true feelings of yours.

But, I can tolerate all these, because I love you.

"MISSY JAE! MISSY JAE!" Yu-ji shouted as she run into my bed chambers.

I stood up immediately and grab hold of the outerwear near me to cover myself.

"What's going on? What happen?"

"Ha.. *Cough* Ha, Missy Jae, His Imperial Majesty decreed is here."