The Emperor's Concubine

15.

The next morning, the imperial physician came over to apply ointment on Fortunes wounds but Lixing Ji did not allow it. It never occurred to him that for the imperial physician to apply the ointment, he would be touching her soft white skin and that made him uncomfortable.
"Give it to me, I'll apply it!" Lixing Ji offered.
"But what's wrong with him applying it? What if you do it wrongly?" Fortune asked a bit confused.
Lixing Ji snatched the ointment from the imperial physician and said;
"I've gotten injured in the battle field and have gotten to apply ointments by myself, how can I not know how to apply it?" He asked and she stared at him puzzled.
"But I still think it would better to let the doctor do it. You don't want me to have any scars, do you?" She said and he sighed. He almost gave into her but the thought of letting another man grope her skin got him agitated. Then he came up with an idea.
"In that case, he can tell me what to do and I'll follow!" Lixing Ji suggested.
The imperial physician now felt tensed, he didn't know what the emperor was getting at and didn't want to make any mistake, for fear of his life. As soon as he had instructed the emperor carefully, he quickly dashed out to avoid any unnecessary argument.
Seeing that he was gone, Lixing Ji sighed then proceeded to applying the ointment.
Fortune had a suspicious eye on him and wondered why he acted so childish in front of the imperial physician.
"What's the meaning of that look?" He asked
"Why didn't you let him apply it?" She asked sounding straight forward.
"I didn't want him to touch you!" He said
"And why is that?" She asked
"Its inappropriate for him to touch your body. He is a matured man."
"From where I come from, gender isn't a condition for treatment. The doctors can treat both male and female anywhere in their body!" She answered indifferently.
Lixing Ji stared at her shocked. He started to imagine what her world looked like.
"So, in other words if I had a serious injury up my thighs, you wouldn't let him treat me and let me bleed to death?" She asked
"That's different!" He snapped "I would never let your life be at stake." He said and she nodded noting the facts.
"So now, it was out of your manly instinct right?" She raised her eyebrow and stared at him expectant. His ears turned red. Fortune caught a glimpse of it and chuckled.
"Let's...let's not talk about that anymore. Let me apply the ointment for you!" He said successfully changing the topic.
Fortune nodded and proceeded to pulling down her dress. Then, she remembered Lixing Ji was still looking.
"Pervert! Turn around!" She yelled at him and he turned immediately. When she had finally exposed the injured areas, she called out. "Carry on, but I warn you, if you stare too much, you will get blind." She said and giggled.
Lixing Ji turned around to face her and met with a very smooth looking skin. Aside from the injuries, her skin looked so smooth. He tried not to loose focus and started applying the ointment. Other than her skin being smooth, it was extremely soft to the touch. He was relieved that he had stopped the imperial physician from laying his hands on her, her skin was his and his alone.
"I'm done!" He announced and kept the ointment. He turned to look at her and saw a very fresh and enchanting figure before him. She wore her dress slowly and didn't know that he was staring. Once she noticed, she poked his eyes and he hissed in pain.
"Do you plan to blind me?"
"I warned you, if you stared too much, you'd end up blind. You can't say I didn't warn you." She shrugged her shoulders.
"But, how can you, a silly little girl, have such a nice body?"
"Hey peeping tom, you eventually become a pervert. But that's okay, just as long as you don't peep on those other girls." She had a sinister smile hooked up on her face and he smelt a threat in her words.
Lixing Ji reached out his hands and grabbed her by the waist. Surely, her waist was thin and slender, it could break if mishandled.
"What are you doing?" She asked as he stared at her.
"I remember you saying that you were good at pleasing me." He said
"When did I ever say that I was good at pleasing you?" She asked with a distrust expression.
"Okay, you're not good at pleasing me, at all." He smirked.
"Of course I'm good at pleasing you!" She admitted and soon realized her words. She gasped "Hey, how dare you play me with reverse psychology?" She said hitting his chest really hard.
"Reverse psychology?" He asked looking puzzled.
"You wouldn't understand." She said in order to avoid explaining to him.
"Then back to the topic. How about it?"
"I can't do that, I'm still a minor. Its practically illegal from where I come from." She pointed out.
"But you're 17 years old."
"Oh! Am I?" She wanted to avoid this situation now. She just wasn't ready to actually go to bed with a guy, regardless whether she loved him or not. Right now, she didn't know when she could go back to her world and had to avoid the possibility of getting pregnant.
Lixing Ji studied her reaction and immediately understood. He didn't want to force her and completely understood her.
"I understand that you don't want this now. When you're ready, let me know." He rubbed her head and kissed her.
'I hope he isn't upset. I know that men like to think with their lower body, so he might be mad that I refused him' she thought. "If you want it so badly, why don't you go to the other concubines?" Her words shocked him greatly "Not that I am okay with it but, if that's what you want now, I..." She was interrupted by his lips that suddenly pressed on hers. He kissed her viscously that she got confused. He finally stopped.
"How can you push me away to other women?" He asked looking really angry.
"I just thought..."
"No! If you tell me to wait, I'll wait without any complains but, it makes me sad to see you push me away to other women." He said and she nodded.
"Then don't be sad. I only wanted to make you feel at ease. I won't say so anymore, so cheer up. You look like a sullen seagull when you're upset." She said and laughed.
Lixing Ji pulled her in for an embrace.
Later, Lixing Ji decided to head into town in disguise as a commoner. Fortune was so excited. It reminded her of all the books she read concerning the heroin dressing up as a man in disguise and all those other stuff. She persuaded Lixing Ji tirelessly to let her go with him, and after much effort, he finally agreed.
"But I don't want you parading in the capital and catching every mans eyes." Lixing Ji complained.
"Then I won't go as a girl."
"Meaning?"
"I'll parade around the capital dressed as a boy, that way, if I catch every lady's eyes, you won't be that jealous." She said and he thought for a while.
"Fine! Then you'll have to stay close to me and try not to get into trouble, okay?" He conditioned and she rolled her eyeballs.
"Please, you're asking the impossible. I can't guarantee that I won't cause a ruckus." She said so indifferently.
"In that case, I can't take you along." He folded his hands standing firm on his decision.
On hearing this, Fortune quickly pulled out the puppy dod eyes and started pleading.
"Please, you know how naughty I can be. I promise I won't cause any intentional trouble. Please let me go out. The palace is too boring." She pleaded and he couldn't stand such cute eyes. He had to give in.
"Alright! You can come with me!" He said and cursed himself for having a weak spot. Then again, it would be great to let her see how this world looked like.
"Yeah! Did you hear that Sage, we're going to the capital!" She picked up Sage and spun around with her.
"I'll get someone to bring in male clothes that are your size!" He said
"No need." She walked towards his clothes chest. "There's this dress that caught my fancy. Wait here, while I change into it" she snickered as she hurried off to change.
'What is she thinking about? How can any of my clothes fit her?' He thought to himself and waited until she was done.
Fortune came out of the dresser and Lixing Ji stared at her with his mouth wide open. It was the red robe that he loved wearing when he was much younger. It looked so perfect on her.
Fortune looked like a charming boy. With her hair high up, she made him feel like, he was no match for her when compared to beauty. She was indeed too beautiful, both as a girl and a boy.
Fortune understood that gaze and could only smile proudly. It was indeed fun to be adored.