Fall palace is a big place. It was much bigger than light palace or other palace occupied by the consorts and concubines with the exception of the lotus palace, which belonged to the empress.

The empress dowager sat in the pavilion within Fall palace drinking tea.

Upon hearing the maid announced Zhang Lin's arrival, she couldn't help but frown slightly.

Why is this person here? Didn't she cause a lot of trouble during the banquet which basically ruined the banquet for most part as well as the mood.

Despite her inner thought, the empress dowager still told the maids to invite Zhang Lin in.

Since you dare to come here after what happens during the banquet, you sure are bold. Let's see what you are planning to do.

Zhang Lin came to find the empress dowager without much hope that the empress dowager would see him as their first encounter didn't go so smoothly and on top of that he didn't leave a good first impression and also got himself in trouble, and for some reason he also make the empress dowager angry, thus when the maids came out to invite him inside, he was a bit surprised.

Didn't think that the empress dowager would agree to meet me. Shouldn't she be hating me? Oh well...whatever. First, I need to meet her as I need to get her permission to leave the palace.

Zhang Lin followed behind the maids heading inside to Fall palace.

Seeing the empress dowager, Zhang Lin bowed to greet her, "Greeting, empress dowager."

The empress dowager did not say anything and continued to drink her tea leisurely.

Seeing that the empress dowager was treating him as if he was invisible, Zhang Lin suddenly went down on his knee.

"I am here to ask for empress dowager forgiveness. I really didn't mean to ruin your birthday banquet and upset you on purpose, but I really, really didn't know that you are the empress dowager since you look so young. Beside, I was sent to the palace not long ago, and didn't know much about the palace etiquette, thus if I have offended the empress dowager in some way, I beg for your forgiveness, and I will try my best to learn more about the palace etiquette."

The empress dowager didn't expect that Zhang Lin would come to apologize to her, so she was a bit surprised. She can feel the sincere coming from the latter's words.

"Rise."

"I won't if the empress dowager won't forgive me."

What a stubborn child.

"Fine, since you have already admitted your wrong and have sincerely come to apologize to me, then I will just pretend that it has never happened."

"Thank you, empress dowager." Zhang Lin said while still kneeling.

"Still kneeling?"

"I have something to request from the empress dowager."

Just as I expected. None of the consorts or concubines would come to me without any motive.

"Speak."

"I hope that empress dowager would give me permission to leave the palace for a few days. My mother passed away not long ago, and I really wish to go visit her tomb stone." Zhang Lin said with tears rolling down.

Seeing Zhang Lin's tears, the empress dowager instantly went soft.

Honestly, Zhang Lin was only acting in front of the empress dowager as he had planned to never come back to this dangerous place ever again once he gets out.

Zhang Lin didn't plan to cry in front of the empress dowager, but when he recalled the original host's memory, he just couldn't hold back his tears.

The empress dowager was stunned upon hearing Zhang Lin's request. Originally, she thought that Zhang Lin would be like the other consorts and concubines, where they would come to ask her for good stuff, or try to gain her favor, but unexpected Zhang Lin came to see her in hope to gain her permission to go visit his deceased mother's tombstone and didn't even try to do anything to gain her favor at all.

Didn't think this person would be this fulfill.

"Alright, do what you need to do, you have my permission. YaYa, give concubine Lin a pass out of the palace."

"Yes, empress dowager." With that YaYa quickly took out a pass and gave it to Zhang Lin.

"You can go out of the palace with this pass." The empress dowager told him.

"Thank you, empress dowager. Then I won't be bothering you any longer."

Without waiting for the empress dowager to react, Zhang Lin had already turned around and walked away happily.

What is this? Did I just get cheated on? The empress dowager thought inwardly.

With the help of the guards, Zhang Lin returned to light palace without much difficulty.

Zhang Lin was very excited now that he got the empress dowager's permission to leave the palace. He couldn't wait to leave at the moment, however he still needs to prepare some more stuff in order to survive outside of the palace, thus he could only wait until tomorrow morning to leave.

"Ju, go bring me some more materials." Zhang Lin said, handed a list of materials to the maid. "Oh...and go tell the head eunuch to bring me some money."

"Yes, concubine Lin."

Seeing the maid go away, Zhang Lin couldn't help but smile happily.

Zhang Lin got up from his seat and walked away from the pavilion to his bedroom. He opens the door and turns around to close it. Walking toward his bed, Zhang Lin had his eye widening upon seeing a familiar figure sitting on his bed.

Why is this person here?