Ling'er went to watch General Gao's morning training while Mei was in her grandfather's estate, as today was the day her grandmother was summoned to the palace by the Emperor. Grandmother Ke was getting ready as her grandfather milled around her, requesting to follow her, but Grandmother Ke was firm with her refusal. "He summoned me. If he wanted you to come with me, he would have summoned us, not me," she said.
After Grandmother Ke was ready, she entered the waiting carriage. Mei followed her grandmother to the carriage and sat next to her. Although her grandmother was very sweet and kind with her grandchildren, she was very strict with other people and was often feared. She was direct with her words and comments.
After a short journey, they reached the palace. Her grandmother alighted with the help of her maids to be met by an Eunuch standing at the gate waiting for her. "Welcome, Madam," he said, bowing. "This servant was instructed by His Majesty to wait for you at the gate," he said, and Grandmother Ke gave him a nod, asking him to lead the way.
At the gate, they met Imperial Consort Mian, who was floating around. She greeted Mei, "How is she in the palace?" she asked, pointing to her grandmother.
"She was summoned by His Majesty," Mei replied.
"I'm glad she looks healthy," Imperial Consort Mian said. "I visit her regularly nowadays. She blames herself for your death."
"I know," Mei replied. "I have no way to reassure her. I just hope she knows that she is not the reason," sighing.
"I'm sure that's hard to do," the Imperial Consort said, looking at the swaddled clothes in her arms. "Guilt is something that eats you up from the inside," she said.
"Yes, but the real perpetrators never felt the guilt. They are the ones supposed to feel that guilt, but only good people have the empathy and the ability to feel it," Mei said.
"Okay, I will go see her in the evening," she said as they reached the gate of the Emperor's hall. "I don't want to intrude," she said, floating away.
The Eunuch announced her grandmother's presence, and she heard the Emperor immediately grant permission for entry. Just as they were to enter, Mei felt a swish, and Ling'er landed next to her. "I'm back!" she said. "Do you miss me?"
Mei ignored her.
"You didn't really think I would miss this?" Ling'er asked. "As much as I love seeing the General practice, this is equally important to me," she said.
Grandmother Ke was about to kneel in salutation to the Emperor, but he immediately rushed from his seat just to hold her up. "Please don't kneel," he said. "You are an elder, and I consider you as my grandmother," he added, helping her to her seat.
He went back to sit on his throne and started, "I have called you here today to discuss Mei," he said. "The General came to the court the other day seeking justice for her." He paused. "Although the General is powerful, I want to be the one to get justice for Mei, so I called you here today to ask you to help persuade the General not to do something hasty and to wait for me," he said.
And the hall turned quiet. "Why should you be the one to get Meimei justice when Your Majesty is one of the reasons for her horrible fate?" her grandmother replied strictly. "My family is capable of getting my granddaughter justice on our own. This servant is sure the Emperor had other important matters to do," she said.
Mei and Ling'er were looking back and forth between the Emperor and Grandmother Ke as they exchanged heavy words.
"She is angry with the Emperor," Ling'er said. "Why is that?" she asked to no one in particular.
The Emperor sighed. "I know you are angry and disappointed in me. Please let me do this final thing for me."
"We all failed her when she was alive. Why bother getting justice for her now?" her grandmother said. "It's not like that is going to bring my granddaughter back to life. We are all doing these superficial things to make ourselves feel better," she added.
Once again, the Emperor was left speechless. He sighed, looking down, dejected. He looked defeated.
"She was engaged to you. Why did you agree to break off your engagement that easily? Was her half-sister that captivating?" she questioned. Although Emperors were never questioned by their own subjects, it looked like Grandmother was crossing all the lines.
"That's not why Mei wanted me to break the engagement. She attempted to end her life if I didn't. Otherwise, why would I have agreed to break the engagement?" the Emperor said. "I would rather she live happily with someone else than be unhappy next to me."
"Is she happily living with someone else now?" Grandmother questioned, and the Emperor shook his head.
"I went out to Minister Sun's house twice. She refused to see me and attempted to end her life. What would I have done?"
Mei sat there, shocked. When did she ever try to end her life? What was the Emperor talking about? When did she refuse to see him twice, for that matter?
Ling'er looked at Mei to see the confusion in her eyes. "I assumed all that didn't happen," Ling'er said, and Mei nodded, absentmindedly combing through her memories to see when that happened.
Mei sat there, shocked. "I don't remember trying to end my life! Where did the Emperor get that information from?" she asked loudly.
"And you believed that?" Grandmother Ke asked the Emperor, who looked confused.
"Yes, I did. Why?" the Emperor asked, blinking.
"Did you personally see her? Did she tell you with her own mouth that she didn't want you?" Grandmother Ke asked, and the Emperor shook his head. "So why do you think what you heard was the truth?" she questioned again, and the Emperor had a vacant look in his eyes, staring into the distance.
"Men," her grandmother said, shaking her head.