Chapter 8 — King, It's Not Done! Princess... Princess has slapped Your Majesty!

Behind the pearl curtain, I looked at the young man kneeling in the middle of the main hall. From today, the teenager will become the new heavenly son of Dai Chu. But we understand better than anyone. What made the whole court truly submit was never that secret edict. It was Tieu Thua Uyen who dared to abolish the emperor. Dare to establish an empire. After the court ended, Tieu Thua Uyen came to the palace to meet me. As soon as he entered the door, he asked:

"Have you heard enough?"

"Your Majesty has lifted me up too high today."

"Are you scared?"

I look at him.

"It's just that from now on, I'm afraid the capital will hate me even more."

Tieu Thua Uyen took a step closer.

"They hate her even more."

"I will be even more afraid of this king."

"What if they deal with us?"

He looked down at me, his voice very soft.

"Then this king will let them know."

"Regent Princess..."

"A person who is more untouchable than a dragon."

By the afternoon the new emperor's coronation decree had been spread throughout the capital. People only know that the emperor has changed. The official knew that last night every light in the palace had shined on the blade. When the royal carriage left the palace gate, there were already people kneeling outside. There were inner servants, palace maids, and also the family members of the courtiers who had just remained silent during the adoration. They all bowed their heads, not daring to look at me. Bach Lo lifted a corner of the car curtain and said softly:

"Miss, yesterday they were waiting to see who lost face."

I leaned against the soft cushion.

"I'm also looking today."

"It's just a different perspective."

Bach Lo burst out laughing. When the carriage reached Chu Tuoc street, behind the windows of the roadside restaurants were human silhouettes. No one dared to talk loudly. But those eyes were all focused on the car curtain, as dense as needles. I know how they will spread the word to each other. The Queen Regent is stubborn. The Regent Prince deposed the emperor because of his love for beauty. As soon as the Ta family's daughter entered the door, she caused chaos in the harem. Those words, only tonight, will spread throughout the backyards of the palaces in the capital. I'm not afraid. Something like reputation is the lightest when it is in the mouth of others. Only when in the hands of power is it truly heavy. When returning to the Royal Palace, the main gate was wide open. Yesterday, the maids in charge of affairs still dared to look at me coldly, today they all knelt on both sides of the gate. Your mother is also there. Her face was gray, and her hair had turned quite white in just one night. Seeing me get out of the car, she knelt down and took two steps forward, slamming her head hard on the ground.

"The old slave meets the Princess."

We stop.

"Isn't your mother closing the door for self-reflection at the heavenly courtyard?"

Her voice trembled.

"This old slave knows he is guilty, so he specifically came to ask the Princess to punish him."

"Have the books been checked clearly?"

Bui Truong walked over from the side.

"Your Highness, I have checked clearly, the amount of silver lost is one thousand seven hundred taels."

"Of which eight hundred taels flowed to Quy's house, the rest went to a few stores on Nam Street."

Quy ma ma prostrated herself on the ground, trembling and crying.

"Your Highness, this old slave is just temporarily confused."

I looked at her.

"These two words 'misleading' are really convenient to use."

"Your highness is confused, force me to kneel."

"The Emperor is confused and humiliates the reputation of the Royal Palace."

"You are also foolish, taking money from the Royal Palace to support your family."

"If being confused can be excused, then aren't sober people too disadvantaged?"

You are speechless. I told Bui Truong:

"Recover all the silver."

"Precious My mother is old and has been sent to Trang Tu to take care of her old age."

You suddenly raised your head. She thought I would beat her, punish her, and even sell her. But sending her to a nursing home would completely cut off her roots in the Royal Palace. From now on, she will no longer be able to rely on the name of the Thai Concubine's old friend to call for good fortune. Her face immediately fell.

"Your Highness, this old slave has served the Royal Highness for many years."

"That's why I saved you a little face."

"If you continue to beg, you won't even be able to save that little bit of dignity."

Quy's mother's lips trembled, but in the end she was still helped away. Everyone in the palace bowed their heads even lower. I walked past them and went straight into the main courtyard. The red silk ribbon still hangs down the hallway. The traces of rain on the big wedding day have long dried. But I still remember it clearly. That day, the whole Royal Palace was waiting for me to bow my head. Now they still kneel here. Just waiting for me to speak up. Tieu Thua Uyen walked behind me, like an outsider observing. It wasn't until he entered the interior that he spoke.

"She punished too lightly."