Disguised as a Noble Consort (MxM)

6

Exiting his quarters, Jin was met with a servant standing still, a few inches away from the door. The servant's head was downcast and if Jin squinted he could see a red mark, like a handprint beginning to form on the servants left cheek.

"Is everything okay?" Jin asked, frowning.

"Someone wants to speak to you, my Lady" the servant spoke softly, her head still bowed. Jin forced a smiled, he could feel that the servant wanted to say more, probably something about who the guest might be but her prolonged silence made Jin wave the servant off.

Jin confidently strutted towards the area where they accept guests, his eyes landing on a woman who sat legs crossed, a mug of tea in her hand, staring at the garden with a calm face, a face Jin doesn't seem to recognize. Jin made his appearance and brightly offered the guest a pleasant welcoming smile, one of which the woman ignored, not even hiding the scoff she made when she glanced at Jin's face.

'Now that's just rude'

Jin scowled at the woman's behavior, taking a seat at the opposite side of her. The woman continued to ignore him, giving Jin plenty of time to asses the woman.

The woman looked to be in her 50's, but her skin had a youthful glow to it so Jin debated the she might actually be older. Her hair was pure ink black, decorated with a layered headpiece made from gold but that wasn't the most interesting thing. The woman's eyes caught Jin's attention, it was the same silver irises as the emperor. But how odd, they look nothing alike, not even to the empress.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Jin politely asked, breaking the long awkward silence even though the woman was clearly being a little rude from how she sits there, ignoring his presence like it's her own place.

"Quite a lovely garden you have" the woman spoked, without paying him any attention and ignoring his question. Jin felt a vein in his forehead pop but his face remained unfazed.

"I'm glad you liked it—"

"I didn't mention I did" Jin was taken aback by being cut off in the middle of speech. He was about to say more when the woman slammed her tea cup on the table non to kindly, turning her head to face Jin fully.

"Excuse me?" Jin asked in disbelief, earning a chuckle from his guest.

"You heard me well, I don't like it" the woman stated, a sly smirk plastered onto her lips. Jin swallowed, counting one to ten inside his head to cool down his rising temper. He debated whether to kick the woman out of his manor or just forcefully wipe that smirk off of its face; both choices appealing greatly to Jin but he didn't came here to let out some unwanted steam, he must always remember his reason and keep a cool head.

"I'm sorry to hear that then" He answered calmly, completely unfazed as he took a sip from his own tea. The woman seemed to smirk wider it almost turned into a sneer and Jin was very tempted to do something about it.

'Who does she think she is. Unsightly and rude, I hope her face ages quicker'

Jin's train of thoughts were filled with different scenes of him making rude comebacks, or even physically hitting the woman but those scenes will stay in his head, deep inside his train of never ending thoughts unless the woman did anything physical then he would have an excuse to do it as self defense. Oh how he wish that were to happen now.

The woman slowly stood up from her seat, Jin's eyes following her every move as she stopped infront of the large windows overlooking the garden. For some unknown reason, Jin was starting to feel a little anxious, like his gut was telling him something was wrong with this woman. Jin pretended to sip more tea as he tried to calm his nerves and not let any emotion show.

"Noble Consort Li?" the woman started, pausing her sentence as she moved her full attention towards him while Jin faced her stoically, humming in response.

"Tell me when did you come to the palace?" The woman asked, studying Jin intensely.

"Long time ago" Jin responded.

"How long?"

"Very long, like this kind of long" Jin put the tea cup down to spread his arms widely. Jin watched as the woman's smirk twitched, this time it was Jin's turn to be amused.

It wasn't that he didn't know when, he knows everything about his sister. From the first time they got the order, to the day his sister got promoted , and even more tiny details about his sister's life inside the forbidden city. But even with those knowledge he wasn't gonna start answering the woman infront of him, atleast not without sarcasm. She started the fight first and Jin was more than ready to finish it however the following questions were something Jin wasn't ready to answer.

"What makes you think you're so special, hmm?" The woman asked, curling her lip in disgust as she stared directly into Jin's eyes.

"Do you think the emperor's favor can protect you. Just like everything else, nothing lasts forever. You can enjoy being pampered with his attention for a while, you can feel all special about it but by the end of the day you're only a mere consort. You have not provided any sons to him, you have no value other than your pretty face so if I were you. I'd get off that high horse" The woman finished, a satisfied smirk plastered on her lips and Jin felt his whole being burning in anger. His face no longer has that unfazed look, his glare was obvious and prominent and any second now he would explode.

Who does this woman think she is!?