Chapter 492 --492
The Empress’s flawless, gentle smile twitched, threatening to crack under the sheer weight of Heena’s threat.
"I was merely slightly busy with inner palace matters," the Empress said, forcing her voice to remain soft and placating. "It was nothing like that. I truly did not know you would grow so angry over such a brief wait."
Heena looked at the Empress and the terrified Head Maid, her expression completely calm.
"My sincere apologies, Your Majesty," Heena said, though her voice lacked even a fraction of actual remorse. "It is just that normally, when I am asked to wait for someone of high status, their attendants escort me to a guest pavilion. I am seated, served premium tea, and offered basic hospitality. I genuinely do not remember ever standing outside a closed door, waiting for someone to simply walk out."
She tilted her head, her gaze shifting to the sweating Head Maid. "Your servant did not tell me you were getting ready, nor did she explain the delay. So, I logically assumed that you must have fallen gravely ill for your Head Maid to rush inside and completely abandon her duties."
The Empress’s eyes darkened. She immediately adopted a look of sudden, wounded sadness, playing the role of the victimized ruler.
Seeing her master’s shift in demeanor, the Head Maid immediately stepped forward, barking, "Mind your tone when speaking to Her Majesty!"
Heena didn’t even flinch. She just smiled softly, offering another shallow, entirely mocking bow.
"My deepest apologies, Your Majesty, if you feel my tone is inappropriate," Heena said smoothly. "But I truly did not understand the situation. You see, the last time I visited the palace, the Empress Dowager was also getting ready. But her senior maid immediately escorted me to the main guest pavilion so I could sit down, enjoy some tea, and comfortably wait for her."
Heena took a slow, deliberate step forward, the dark wine-colored silk of her robe pooling around her boots.
"It was the exact same for His Majesty the Emperor," Heena continued, driving the political blade deeper. "Even when he was occupied with state affairs, he ensured I was seated in a guest room. I have never been made to stand outside someone’s door like a stray. So, you must forgive my genuine confusion."
She let her cold, fox-like eyes drift back to the Head Maid, delivering the final, crushing blow.
"It simply cannot be that the esteemed Head Maid of the Imperial Palace has somehow forgotten the smallest, most basic rule of court etiquette—that any visiting dignitary is to be sent to a guest room if Their Majesties are not ready," Heena stated, her voice echoing with the terrifying authority of the Vanguard. "I have never heard of a high-ranking noble family being forced to stand outside a doorway in the elements. After all... I am the future Marquis Vanguard. I am not one of your lowly inner palace concubines summoned here for a reprimand."
The silence that fell over the marble terrace was absolutely deafening.
The Empress’s perfectly manicured nails dug imperceptibly into the expensive silk of her sleeves. She realized in a fraction of a second that she had severely underestimated the young Vanguard heir. The girl standing before her wasn’t just a brash, arrogant soldier with a sword; she was a politically lethal viper who knew exactly how to wield the rules of the court to her advantage.
If Heena actually went to the Emperor right now and complained that the Empress had treated the Vanguard heir like a disobedient concubine, the political fallout would be disastrous.
Slowly, the Empress turned her serene, terrifying gaze toward the trembling Head Maid.
"Is this true, Matron?" the Empress asked, her voice remaining soft but now laced with a deadly, unmistakable poison. "Did you truly leave the esteemed heir of the Marcuset family standing out in the open courtyard without offering her a seat in the guest pavilion?"
The Head Maid’s face drained of all color. She instantly dropped to her knees, her forehead hitting the hard marble with a loud thud. "Your Majesty! I—I was simply in such a rush to inform you of her arrival! I neglected my basic duties! Please forgive this useless old servant!"
"You have disgraced the hospitality of my inner palace," the Empress sighed, playing the role of the benevolent but deeply disappointed ruler to absolute perfection. "Report to the Department of Punishments immediately. Receive twenty strikes of the rod, and then kneel in the courtyard of reflection until sunset."
"Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty!" the Head Maid cried, scrambling up and rushing away before the punishment could be increased.
Heena watched the theatrical display of a master throwing her loyal dog under the carriage with cold, detached amusement. She didn’t feel a single ounce of pity for the maid.
Once the servant was gone, the Empress turned back to Heena, the flawless, motherly smile seamlessly sliding back into place.
"I deeply apologize for my servant’s blatant incompetence, Lady Seera. It is incredibly hard to find good help these days," the Empress said gently, gesturing toward the open doors. "Please, come inside. Let us not stand out here any longer. We have much to discuss."
Heena gave a slight, polite nod and followed the most powerful woman in the empire into her private domain.
The interior of the Empress’s pavilion was suffocatingly opulent. Every surface was carved from rare woods, inlaid with jade and gold. But the first thing that hit Heena wasn’t the wealth; it was the smell. The air was thick with the scent of heavy, incredibly sweet floral incense.
Combined with the harsh chemical cocktail of painkillers currently flooding her system, the cloyingly sweet air instantly made Heena’s stomach churn. She discreetly dug her fingernails into her palm, forcing the sudden wave of nausea back down.
The Empress gracefully took her seat at the head of a beautifully carved low table and gestured for Heena to sit across from her. Immediately, two young, terrified-looking palace maids rushed forward, pouring cups of hot, honey-scented tea and setting down plates of delicate lotus pastries.
Heena sat with perfect posture, resting her hands in her lap. She didn’t touch the tea.
"I must admit, I was incredibly distressed when I received word from your grandfather yesterday," the Empress began, her eyes filled with manufactured, deep concern. "He informed the court that you had suddenly collapsed. I was so worried about your health. I told him immediately that the Imperial Edict for you to become the Ninth Prince’s Royal Tutor could certainly wait. If your body is failing you, child, you should be resting in your estate, not wandering the palace."
It was a perfectly disguised probe. The Empress was trying to figure out exactly how weak the Vanguard’s heir truly was. If Heena admitted to being sickly, the Empress would immediately use it as an excuse to revoke her political power and replace her as the Royal Tutor.
Heena smiled, her dark eyes completely clear and unyielding.
"Your Majesty is far too kind to worry about me," Heena replied, her voice radiating absolute, unshakable strength. "It was merely a momentary bout of exhaustion from managing the estate’s internal affairs after my mother’s... departure. I assure you, my body is perfectly fine. The blood of the Vanguard does not stay down for long."
She leaned forward slightly, resting her forearms on the table, entirely ignoring the sweet pastries.
"In fact," Heena continued smoothly, "I came to the palace today specifically because I am entirely ready to take up my post. I would hate to keep the Ninth Prince waiting for his martial instructions."