Dressed as the last nine-tailed fox

Chapter 367 The Relationship Between the Supervisor and the Empress
Even though she only glanced at him for a moment before looking away, the Empress noticed the direction Gao Weiche's gaze lingered on. She curled the corners of her lips into a smile. "What, do you think my behavior is improper and unbecoming of an Empress?"

"Your Majesty..." Gao Weiche was about to explain when he saw the Empress waving her hand at him.

"The world wants me to be dignified, generous, and virtuous." The empress's face showed no trace of loneliness and weariness. "I just want to be more relaxed in front of my own people."

"One of our own?" Gao Weiche could guarantee that he had never seen the Empress, who had lived in the deep palace for so long, before today. The Empress's use of the words "one of our own" was truly baffling to him. Moreover, he was just a disciple of the Imperial Observatory and dared not presume to be on the Empress's good side.

Seeing Gao Weiche frozen in place, not daring to move, the Empress asked in surprise, "Why are you so surprised... Could it be that your master never told you this?"

"My master?" The disciples of the Imperial Observatory came from all over the country. Their locations were determined by divination by the Director of the Observatory, who would then send someone to bring them to the Imperial Observatory to be taught divination techniques. Therefore, everyone who could enter the Imperial Observatory had the Director of the Observatory as their master. Because disciples were recruited through divination, the people of the Imperial Observatory were used to attributing everything to the will of Heaven. They generally believed that the title of Director of the Observatory was more appropriate and respectful than "master."

Gao Weiche clenched his fists when the topic of the supervisor was mentioned.

The Empress ignored Gao Weiche's strange behavior and said to herself, "Yes, your master. Your master and I have been friends for many years. We have known each other since before I entered the palace. I am in the deep palace and there are always some things that I cannot do. Whenever I am at a loss, your master will always lend me a helping hand and solve my urgent problems."

When the Empress mentioned the Director of the Imperial Observatory, her expression softened unconsciously. "You are the most talented disciple in the Imperial Observatory. He once promised me that you would be of service to me in the future."

From the ambiguity in the Empress's words, it is not difficult to deduce that there is an unspeakable intimate relationship between her and the Supervisor. Gao Weiche lowered his eyes and chose to be honest, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty, the Supervisor has never mentioned a single word of these things to me."

"You think I'm lying to you?" The Empress's face instantly turned cold. "If you don't believe me, you can go back and ask your master for confirmation! I am the Empress, not so destitute as to have to lie to a mere disciple of the Imperial Observatory!"

“I don’t… the supervisor…” Gao Weiche gritted his teeth and said the truth, “… passed away.”

Upon hearing this, the color drained from the Empress's face instantly. She lowered her head slightly, as if she hadn't heard clearly, and turned her gaze to Gao Weiche. "You... say it again?"

"Your Majesty, I came to the palace for the matter of the Supervisor." Every word Gao Weiche spoke was like poison, hitting the Empress's ears and piercing her heart.

The Empress's vision went black, and all her strength seemed to drain away in an instant. She slammed her back against the cold chair back to barely keep from falling. Her once composed brows were now furrowed in anguish. She bit her lower lip hard to keep from sobbing—the death of the Imperial Censor was too much for her to bear, so much so that she could barely maintain her dignity.

Because the Empress was in a bad mood, Kunning Palace fell silent instantly. The palace servants all lowered their heads and dared not even breathe, for fear of being affected by the Empress's anger.

"How...did he get there?" The Empress finally spoke, but even though she tried her best to keep her voice steady, the handkerchief she was tightly clutching and the deformed threads at the corners of the handkerchief completely betrayed her forced composure.

The black umbrella at the Star Gazing Tower threatens the entire human world. If the black umbrella continues to grow, no one will be able to escape this calamity, including the high and mighty royal family. Gao Weiche truthfully told the Empress everything that had happened and pleaded, "Your Majesty, please help me to see His Majesty."

"To see him..." The Empress slowly lowered the handkerchief in her hand, "What for?"

"What for?" The Empress's question caught Gao Weiche off guard. He became more serious and answered almost subconsciously, "Naturally, I will inform Your Majesty of everything that happened at the Star Gazing Tower and ask Your Majesty to decide how to deal with the Black Umbrella Catastrophe."

"Let him decide?" The Empress sneered, her eyes filled with undisguised contempt and disgust. "A good-for-nothing who spends all his time indulging in pleasure and debauchery, constantly consuming elixirs in an attempt to achieve immortality when he's sober. If he's to make the decisions, the world might as well perish now!"

The Emperor's reputation among the common people is indeed not very good, but he is, after all, the Emperor. Gao Weiche, as a subject, is naturally loyal. "Your Majesty, His Majesty is the Son of Heaven, and the fortunes of the mortal world are closely related to the fate of the Son of Heaven."

Halfway through his speech, Gao Weiche suddenly knelt down on both knees. "Your Majesty, His Majesty is the last hope for humanity. Please do not let my master's sacrifice be in vain."

The Empress couldn't help but shout, "If he truly is the last hope for humanity, then humanity is utterly doomed! Your master's sacrifice was truly in vain!"

The Empress's outburst deeply shocked Gao Weiche, but he still insisted, "Your Majesty, the hope for humanity lies with His Majesty."

Gao Weiche's insistence puzzled the Empress. "Why are you so sure?"

“Emperors have their own destiny, and the fortunes of the world are linked to the destiny of the reigning emperor.” Gao Weiche clenched his fist. “Your Majesty, whatever your relationship with the Director of the Imperial Observatory may be, the Imperial Observatory was established because of the emperor—the Imperial Observatory guides the emperor toward his own destiny. As long as I am in the Imperial Observatory, I will swear to serve His Majesty to the death.”

Gao Weiche's attitude surprised the Empress. She raised an eyebrow and said, "You are indeed loyal. However..." She changed the subject, "I cannot help you see the Emperor."

After being rejected several times, Gao Weiche was somewhat displeased, but he didn't show it on his face. He only said, "Your Majesty is joking. This is a matter of life and death for humanity. Please, Your Majesty, think of a way to help humanity... and also to help yourselves. If the Black Umbrella is not dealt with, humanity will be swallowed up sooner or later, and then no one will be able to escape!"

“It’s not that I don’t want to help you. Yes, I admit I didn’t want you to see the Emperor before, but you’ve already put it this way. Even if not for the sake of the world, I have to think about myself. I should send you to the Emperor immediately. But the biggest problem is, I really can’t let you see the Emperor.” The Empress sighed helplessly. “You’ve been staying in the Observatory for so long that you don’t know. His Majesty hasn’t attended court for a long time. He’s locked himself in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. The Crown Prince is handling all the affairs of the court. Even I haven’t seen His Majesty for a long time.”

“Yes,” the female official who had been standing by spoke up. “Lord Gao, His Majesty hates being disturbed. If the Empress hadn’t sent me to bring you to Kunning Palace today, you would probably be dead by now.”

“His Majesty’s actions are so… absurd?” Gao Weiche frowned, but the determination in his eyes remained undiminished. “But I must see His Majesty. Even if it costs me my life, I must fight for a glimmer of hope for humanity.”

“But His Majesty’s mind is only on alchemy. Even if he knows about the Black Umbrella, I’m afraid he will…” The Empress’s face was full of worry.

At this moment, the female official stepped forward and leaned close to the Empress's ear, "Your Majesty, why don't we inform His Highness the Crown Prince and let him take charge of the situation?" The female official's voice was not quiet, and Gao Weiche, sitting below, heard her words clearly.

"Will this... work?" The Empress looked at Gao Weiche with a questioning gaze.

“Of course,” the female official said. “As Lord Gao said, the Imperial Observatory is loyal to all emperors. His Highness the Crown Prince will one day ascend the throne, so he will naturally be their loyal subject as well.”

The lady-in-waiting tilted her head slightly. "You agree, don't you, Lord Gao?"

Now that things have come to this, how could Gao Weiche not see that the master and servant in front of him were putting on a show for him? But now that he had entered Kunning Palace, it was probably not so easy to get out. Gao Weiche nodded and said, "Then I will trouble Your Majesty the Empress to invite the Crown Prince here."

The royal family had few heirs; the emperor had only one son, who was made crown prince at a young age and became the rightful heir apparent. This was the reason why Gao Weiche nodded. If nothing unexpected happened, the crown prince would inherit the throne, and his fortune should also be related to the fortune of the human world.

The empress smiled contentedly, and there was no trace of sadness left on her.

……

The Crown Prince arrived at Kunning Palace quickly. "Mother, why did you summon me so urgently? Has something happened?"

The moment the Crown Prince appeared, Gao Weiche unabashedly focused his gaze on him. Like a spring breeze caressing a lake—that was Gao Weiche's first impression of the Crown Prince, gentle and warm.

The Crown Prince's refined and scholarly air seemed innate. His eyes and brows carried a scholarly clarity, like a piece of warm jade, making people feel close to him. However... Gao Weiche's expression changed. The Crown Prince lacked the sharpness and majesty that belonged to an emperor. He was more like a gentle scholar than an emperor who could rule the world. This was definitely not the destiny of an emperor!
"You can't be the Crown Prince!" Gao Weiche exclaimed in panic. "You absolutely can't be the Crown Prince!"

"If I'm not the Crown Prince, then who is?" The Crown Prince showed no anger, but simply smiled and asked the Empress, "Mother, who is he? Where did you find such an interesting person?"

The Empress's face gradually darkened, and she threatened, "Lord Gao, His Majesty only has this one child. If my son is not the Crown Prince, who else can be the Crown Prince! Do you intend to rebel?"

"Isn't what you're saying a bit too serious, Mother?" The Crown Prince, acting as a peacemaker, said, "I don't think he intends to rebel."

“I understand now, I finally understand.” Combining the Crown Prince’s fate with the words left by the Imperial Censor before his death, Gao Weiche finally understood and connected everything. “No wonder the Imperial Censor spoke of atonement. It turns out he really was guilty.”

"The Supervisor? Atonement?" The Crown Prince's expression turned serious. "Mother, who exactly is he?"

"A junior disciple from the Imperial Observatory." Looking at the Crown Prince, the Empress's eyes were filled with undisguised affection. "My son, you are your father's only child, and as the Crown Prince, you will surely inherit the throne and shoulder heavy responsibilities in the future. I have summoned you here today because I have important matters to discuss with you." The Empress paused, then added, "It concerns the survival of humanity."

"Is this a matter of life and death?" The Crown Prince frowned, his voice anxious. "Mother, what exactly happened?"

"You..." The Empress pointed at Gao Weiche, "Tell the Crown Prince everything that happened in the Star Gazing Tower, without omitting a single word or adding a single word, do you understand?"

With each word Gao Weiche uttered, the Crown Prince's face darkened further. "Before you entered the palace, did you seal off the Star Gazing Tower? No one else can die in vain."

“The Star Gazing Tower is sealed off, and no one will be able to enter.” Gao Weiche paused, then continued, “However, I can’t guarantee the safety of things flying in the sky.”

The prince's expression softened slightly, and he quickly said, "Then what are we waiting for! Come with me out of the palace, I want to see that black umbrella myself."

"No! You can't go!" the Empress stopped him. "My son, if that black umbrella is really as sinister as he says, how will you ensure your safety?"

"Mother, your first priority is to ensure the safety of the people! If the Black Umbrella continues to grow, what will happen to the people of the capital? What will happen to the people of the whole country?" The Crown Prince's eyes were firm. "As the heir apparent, it is my responsibility to protect the people!"

"No, you can't go." The Empress still refused. "Find a trusted confidant and send him. After he finds out the situation at the Star Gazing Tower, he can come back and report to you. Also..." The Empress looked at the female official behind her and said, "Find a few skilled bodyguards and have them climb to the top of the Star Gazing Tower."

"Mother! You can't do this."

"Your Majesty! You're sending them to their deaths in vain!"

The Empress gripped the armrest tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force. Two flames of fury burned fiercely in her eyes. "I'm sending them to their deaths for nothing? Very well, Gao Weiche, you really are very well! Do you really think I wouldn't dare kill you?" Before she finished speaking, the celadon teacup beside her clattered to the ground. "These guards have been trained from childhood to serve the royal family! Now is the time when they are needed. What's wrong with letting them sacrifice themselves? How is it that I'm sending them to their deaths for nothing!"

"Guards!" Broken porcelain shards mixed with tea stains splattered all over the floor, but that was nothing compared to the Empress's disheveled face. "Drag him away and lock him up!"

"Mother!" The Crown Prince shielded Gao Weiche behind him. "What he said makes sense. You can't let the secret guards go to the Star Gazing Tower! Besides, the Director of the Imperial Observatory is dead, and he is the new Director. I still need his help to deal with the Black Umbrella, so we can't lock him up!"

"My son, although he is highly talented, he is not the only disciple in the Imperial Observatory." The Empress patiently advised, "You are the emperor, and he is the subject. To stabilize the country, what is needed is an obedient subject."

"He is the most talented disciple in the Imperial Observatory. If even he can't do it, how can anyone else?"