Just as the Grand Empress Dowager inhaled, preparing to unleash a verbal tirade of such epic proportions it would likely be recorded in the annals of history for generations to come, the grand doors to the hall swung open with such force it nearly took a guard's head off.
The poor eunuch stationed at the entrance, whose entire job was to announce visitors with a booming, melodic voice, found himself utterly redundant. He could only squeak in alarm and hastily pull the doors shut as not one, but two of the most powerful men in the empire strode in.
Jeremy looked like he'd been force-fed a whole lemon tree. His face was a spectacular shade of crimson, as his eyes darted to Everly for a split second—a look of pure, unadulterated horror and embarrassment—before he snapped his attention to the Grand Empress Dowager.
"Grandmother, I—"
"Emperor grandson, why are you here?" Grandma Qin's voice was sharp enough to slice through steel. "Did you come to defend this shameless girl?"
