Chapter 215 - Lifelong Crack (2/2)
Song mama took the scroll and opened it and showed the Empress dowager whose breathing increased as her expression changed into a deep scowl. The messenger could feel the fury radiating from her and kept his head bowed and was cold sweating as he waited to be dismissed.
The Empress dowager just kept glaring at the scroll and Song mama could see that she was on the verge of exploding, to save the Empress dowager's face, Song mama turned to the messenger and said, ”You can leave.” The poor messenger immediately bowed and rushed out of the tent.
Song mama turned back to the Empress dowager, whose hands were gripping the scroll so tightly her knuckles were white. Song mama knit her brows and worriedly called to her, ”Your majesty...Your majesty...Your-”
BANG!
The Empress dowager slammed the scroll down on the table and slowly turned her glare to Song mama and coldly and calmly asked, ”Did I say you could tell him to leave?”
Song mama blinked and then gulped, ”I'll have him call-”
”Answer the question!” The Empress dowager barked.
Song mama immediately fell to her knees, ”Your majesty, I apologize-”
”You apologize?” The Empress dowager cut her off and Song mama immediately fell silent and started shaking in fear. The Empress dowager let out a breath and then stood up, she grabbed the inkstone and walked over to Song mama. Song mama began shaking but maintained her silence.
The Empress dowager looked at the inkstone in her hand and then a slow smile crept on her face and then she raised it up and struck Song mama's head with it. Song mama immediately fell over and stifled her screams, rolling on the ground whimpering. The Empress dowager snorted and then suddenly started laughing, she haphazardly threw the inkstone next to Song mama as she howled in laughter.
”Another Empress wanting to take away my power...” The Empress dowager said in between laughs, ”This is good...”
{...Very good...}
The Empress dowager suddenly froze and narrowed her eyes as a realization dawned on her and then burst into laughter again.
{...So it was all a setup...The Monk...Chen You...and that s.l.u.t...A coup? Good....Very good...}
She stopped laughing again and condescendingly looked down at Song mama and coldly ordered, ”Get up.” Song mama immediately scrambled to her feet and then the Empress dowager went back to sit down and carefully rolled the scroll as she calmly said, ”We're going back right now.”
Song mama looked up at the Empress dowager and shakily advised, ”Your majesty, it's the middle nigh-”
”Do I need your permission?!” The Empress dowager roared and then she took a deep breath to contain herself. Song mama flinched and lowered her head. The Empress dowager had been trying to contain herself since that stupid monk said those eerie familiar words to her and brought up unnecessary memories.
{...How dare anyone tell me what to do?! I will kill them all...All of them...They need to bow...}
The Empress dowager closed her eyes and took a few breaths and then calmly said, ”Call off that stupid search and tell the men to get ready...”
”As you command.” Song mama said with a bow and she ran out of the tent. When she got outside she stopped and touched her aching head and stared at the blood on her shaking hand.
Song mama had always played the Empress dowager's mouthpiece since they were young. The Empress dowager had never complained before ever reprimanded Song mama about her choices before.
The Empress dowager had also never punished Song mama before, much less hit her. What's more, Song mama had actually never seen the Empress dowager hit anyone with her own hand before, she always ordered it but never did it herself. Well except...for that one time with Lei Xing, but that was obviously different.
Song mama used to believe that she understood the Empress dowager, but lately, she was becoming...different. And it was clear now how different she was truly becoming. The Empress dowager was becoming someone she did not know.
She heard the Empress dowager's howling laughter ring from inside the tent and jumped and then immediately shuffled her shaking feet to go find the Commander as she brought her handkerchief to her head.
She quickly found the commander and passed along the Empress dowager's orders, he was greatly relieved and smiled. Then he noticed her pale face and blood-soaked handkerchief and asked what happened. Song mama smiled and quickly informed that she tripped in her rush to find him and then she quickly went to the medic and had her wound tended to.
She made her way back to the Empress dowager's tent but then froze before she reached the entrance. Then she promptly changed directions and went to her sent and shakily sat on her bed taking deep breaths. Her mind went back to the scene of the Empress dowager strangling Lei Xing and her fears immediately surged.
She was terrified to return, her lifelong friend now seemed like a stranger.