Once the palanquin stopped in front of the Imperial Study, Huang Yasheng got off and strode inside. He was keenly aware of the fact that the sun was setting. He was on the verge of losing the challenge.

The only time he lost in his life was when his uncle took his throne. And he took it right back.

“Wen Qiao!” He snapped and didn’t even wait to feel the flicker of energy before he spoke. “What are your men doing? A single woman and her child are roaming the Palace brazenly. And yet none of you can find a single hair! Even after We had sent Han Qin to inform you of her tricks! What is the use of your training, then?!”

“Forgive us, Your Majesty!” The guard bowed. “The Shadow Guards have been looking all day. They’ve checked among the maids as well but …. There is no trace of them. They can’t even feel their energies.”

Huang Yasheng tightens his hand around the edge of the desk beside him enough to feel it crack under his hand.

“Find them. Now!”

Another flicker of energy indicated that he had disappeared.

He sighed and sat down. Even though he said that, he knew it was practically impossible now. The woman had hidden well until now. There was no way she would get caught now, when she was about to win.

He leaned back and closed his eyes. He should start working, start checking the memorials and reading all the reports sent to him. He also knew he would not be able to concentrate. Never in his life had he been so distracted by something that he would deviate from his duties.

It was a long moment before he heard footsteps approaching the Study. There was a knock on the double doors. It wasn’t one he recognized. The only ones allowed to approach without permission were Eunuch Li, the Empress, and her especially sent servants. He opened his eyes and straightened. Did something happen?

“Come in,” he called.

The door opened and the first thing he noticed was the Eunuch uniform. Was it someone from the Empress’s Palace? He entered with his head bowed. He didn’t say anything for a moment. He seemed young so perhaps that was the reason he was hesitant to speak.

“Well? What’s the problem?”

“The problem is, Your Majesty,” a surprisingly feminine voice spoke up, “Your security is abysmal.”

Hazel eyes met golden ones and crinkled in a smug smile.

“I win, Your Majesty.”

—

Samaya loved the look of surprise that flickered across the man’s face. He hid it inhumanly fast. But she caught it anyway. She didn’t blame him. He had most certainly fully expected to win this challenge.

The security was not abysmal at all. In fact, it was the opposite. It was strict, impressively so. It wasn’t their fault she was their antithesis and that allowed her the sneak through the cracks. She did not even bother to confront the guards. She had just distracted them with a stone and sneaked past once their attention was diverted.

She was sure the maid she had knocked out had already been discovered. She had hoped to blend into the kitchen or hard labor servants when she had donned that uniform. But some matron-like woman had pulled her into a group to serve some delegate or other. She had been afraid that she would be discovered. But apparently, her lack of presence worked too well, even against these highly trained martial artists.

Well… she knew that already. It was still nice to affirm that her advantages worked against what she presumed were some of the strongest warriors of the land. Han Qin hadn’t even realized she was there until she had started to serve him.

Of course, as soon as she had got out of that place, she had ditched the maid uniform. Her cover had already been blown. So she needed a new one. Sure enough, she saw the guards checking the maids after a while.

After the maids, the most inconspicuous would be… eunuchs. She followed a relatively young one who had a frame similar to hers into what looked like mass dorms for eunuchs. This time, she tried to cause less of a commotion. She waited until the eunuch left the room, sneaked in, and found some spare robes to put on. After that, it had been just a matter of staying out of the way until sunset.

And here she was, smiling smugly at the man.

She couldn’t help it. That condescending attitude had infuriated her.

“And the child?”

“Ah!” she snapped her finger as if she remembered something and went outside.

“Manu!” she called out. “You can come out now.”

The guards were surprised at the sudden voice coming from behind them. They immediately turned around. As a result, they didn’t catch the small shadow that blurred past them in time.

Samaya grunted as it collided against her. She caught the small figure with ease and hauled it up in a practiced motion. Manu wrapped his arms around her neck.

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“I missed you, mama,” he whispered in her ear.

Her eyes softened and she once again ran a soothing hand through his hair. “I missed you too,” she replied, ignoring the spears pointed at her by the guards.

“It’s alright,” the Emperor spoke up from behind her. “Get back to your posts.”

“But-”

“Your Majesty-”

“Do as We say,” came the Emperor’s calm command. “And not a word of this to anyone. Understood?”

Samaya had to give it to them. They were quite professional in their conduct. The Emperor’s command was final. So they immediately put away their spears and bowed before going back to their posts.

Samaya walked back into the room.

“May I sit?” She asked. “I am quite tired and so is Manu.”

The Emperor stared at them for a long moment before gesturing at one of the low couches to the side. She nodded and sat down, before setting Manu by her side. He didn't protest but he clung to her. It brought back memories of when she first found him.

Well, first things first.

“Your Majesty,” she turned to look at him. “I hope you remember that you gave me your word.”

Samaya heard an exasperated sigh.

“Do not worry. We shall keep Our word. Speak, what are your conditions?”

Wow, commanding even in loss, huh? Well, he was an Emperor, after all.

“My conditions are simple,” Samaya starts. “I want my child to be safe and protected at all costs. Most importantly, I want him to be happy. If at any moment, he feels unsafe or unhappy enough to ask to leave this place, we shall leave. Please do not try to stop us if such a thing happens.”

“And We suppose you shall do so anyway if We refuse.”

Samaya smiled. “You suppose correctly, Your Majesty.”

“Very well. What’s the next condition?”

“My son and I shall have the right to defend ourselves. Especially, Manu can defend himself from anyone trying to hurt him physically.”

“You do realize,” the Emperor leaned forward, “that sometimes some form of physical discipline is necessary against children?”

Samaya frowned before looking him in the eyes. “Do you truly believe that whoever deals with Manu will use physical discipline only when needed without any prejudice against him?”

The Emperor went quiet at that. Samaya scoffed. “That’s what I thought. Let me tell you this, Your Majesty. I will not spare anyone that tries to hurt my child. Anyone.”

“Are you…. threatening Us?” He sounded almost dumbfounded.

The corner of her lips curled a bit in a …. not-smile. “Will you hurt my son?”

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Continue.”

She nodded. “

“I will take that as an agreement. I also want the right to deal with anyone who tries to harm my son. Deal with them fittingly, so that no one can think my child is an easy target. If any does hurt my son, I reserve the right to punish them.”

The Emperor frowned. “I cannot give a concubine that much power.”

She scoffed. “I am not asking for infinite power, Your Majesty. I am just asking for the power to hurt those who hurt us. To punish those who wrong us. You are free to disagree. But I will not spare anyone that hurts my child, regardless of your decision.”

“And why do you think that I will not punish whoever tries to hurt my son? My heir?”

She shrugged. “I do not know you, Your Majesty. What guarantee do I have that you will not put your politics ahead of my son’s safety? I cannot take that risk. I won’t let anyone get away with hurting Manu.”

A soft sigh left the man’s lips. “Fine,” he said through gritted teeth. “But that must be the last resort and you must have undeniable evidence. If you harm someone on mere suspicion, you shall face the consequences. I do not take lightly to any of my subjects overstepping their bounds.”

I am not your subject.

Instead of saying what was on her mind, she nodded.

“Understood. My final condition is that if everything goes well and Manu grows up well here, I shall be allowed to leave once he comes of age. I have no intention of rotting in one place for the rest of my life.”

Of course, that was if she stayed that long. She was always ready to flee with Manu the moment she found even a trace of the portal that brought her to this world. She had a few brats like Ah-Liu always on the lookout.

“Strange,” the Emperor’s words brought her out of her thoughts. “Most women would sacrifice anything to get into the Imperial Harem as Our concubine.”

She did not hide the disdain in her eyes. “All I see, Your Majesty, is a gilded cage where I will be trapped without even the chance to see the world outside. I will suffocate before long.”

The man was blank. Samaya thought he would show some sort of reaction to her words but she couldn’t discern what she was thinking at all.

“Nothing else?”

She frowned and tilted her head. “None that I can think of.”

“You do not want Our…” he paused for a moment, “favor? Or attention?”

Samaya stared at him for a moment before the words sunk in. She couldn’t help the snort that passed his lips and had to press her fist against her mouth to stifle her laughter. It took her a few moments to calm down.

“I assure you, Your Majesty,” she spoke through a soft chuckle, “I have no desire of the sort. I only want what is best for Manu. That’s all.”

There was a furrow between his brows. Was his ego hurt? She couldn’t tell. Ugh, this was frustrating. It’s been a while since she had been unable to read someone. Her ability had been honed more in all the stupid missions Siwang had sent her on. It shouldn’t be this hard.

“Very well,” he finally spoke. “We accept your conditions.”

Samaya responded immediately. “In writing, please. Two copies with your imperial seal. One for me and one for you.”

And, finally, she got a reaction. A scoff. “You do not trust Us?”

“I rarely trust anyone, Your Majesty,” she replied. “It’s how I survived all these years.”

“Fine,’ he said after a moment. “We shall have the documents drafted and stamped.”

She smiled and bowed, pushing Manu along with herself, before speaking in a tone that was half genuine and half smug.

“Your grace is immeasurable, Your Majesty.”