Empress dowager burst into the emperor's chamber all on a sudden.

"Zhen'er ", she called, exasperation evident in her voice.

Zhu Zhen calmly beckoned the maids who tried to tie his robe to stop before directing his calm gaze to his mother.

"Is this true that you are heading back?",His mother asked with unbelief.

"En",Z hu Zhen nodded as he tied his robe checking himself in the mirror.

"Is this all a joke to you? All the ministers are coming here today to attend the royal meeting and you-", the empress dowager stopped midway not being able to hide the rage in her voice.

"Erchen (this son) ordered Song Jian to cancel the meeting", he replied calmly. His eyes down as he straightened his cuff.

The empress dowager felt like flipping the table observing her son's outrageous behaviour.

The first prince here was cupping all the ministers one by one while her son didn't even hesitate to cancel the only meeting that was arranged in months.

"What is so important there that you are heading back the second day you came here?" She inquired observing her son's expression carefully but failing to notice any changes in it.

Zhu Zhen quietly flickered his gaze to his mother. His lips slightly parted to respond but was interrupted before he could let the words out.

"The carriage is ready", an eunuch informed while bowing to the emperor and the empress dowager.

The emperor nodded at the eunuch before turning to face his mother, planting a kiss respectfully on the back of her hand he muttered,

"Zhen'll be back before the next sunset."

That means he wouldn't get to stay there more than an hour if he wants to be back before next sunset.

The empress was so stunned at his son's rushed schedule that she couldn't figure out what to say.

Why did he want to go to Han State so bad even ignoring an undeniably important royal meeting?

A silent gasp left her lips as a sudden realization dawned upon her.

However, her next words were enough to make Zhu Zhen stop his pace as he started to get out of the chamber.

"You are going back for her, aren't you?"

The empress dowager queried with shaken voice as if she couldn't believe her own assumptions.

The emperor's shoulder tensed a bit before he again straightened them as if the words didn't affect him a bit.

He slowly turned to face his mother turning his arms behind his back crossing them. His eyes calm as they met with the widened one of his mother's.

The empress dowager knew her son too well to know what that look meant and the acknowledgement shook her to the core.

"You... you want her!"

Yes, her son wanted that girl named Gongsun Li and wanted more than she had ever imagined.

Zhu Zhen's lips tugged upwards to form a patronizing smile as he turned his head to look out of the window.

Soft breeze flowing through the cracks of it ghosted over his lashes as he closed his eyes as if imagining something endearing to him.

The empress dowager amazed stared at her son's serene expression as if she couldn't recognize her own son anymore but her amazement was nothing compared to the utter shock she felt listening to his deep voice resonating the next words,

"No, Zhen doesn't want her. Zhen needs her. Badly"

At midnight when G.Li was shamelessly sleeping on the emperor's bed with her hands and feet spread wide like a starfish,a shuffling noise suddenly woke her up. Her senses became more alert as she felt the noise coming closer.

Is it a ghost?

Dread filled her heart as soon as the thought came across her mind..

Oh heavens, what if it is a ghost??!!!!

Gongsun Li's eyes were tightly closed in fear and she could feel her heart beating wildly against her chest as if it was going to burst out at any second.

I am not scared, I am brave.

I am not scared, I am brave.

She chanted the sentences again and again ensuring herself lying like a lifeless doll as she heard the footsteps coming closer.

But all her confidence came crumbling down making her eyes shot open as soon as she felt a prominent presence beside the bed and ragged breathing over her face.

God knows how G.Li wanted to scream at the top of her lungs as soon as she saw what was hovering over her but she couldn't.

Because-

1.It was definitely not a ghost

And

2.She was being kidnapped.

Oh My God!!!! I am being kidnapped!!!!

Was her last thought when the scent of chloroforms suddenly overwhelmed her and she felt herself falling into a black hole of darkness.