Beyond the Galaxy

Chapter 2 - Drama in the Palace

"Haha, so you dare to come back, I thought you were just going to go off, get married and forget about us. In fact, I won't accept it, I didn't see it happen after all. You'll have to get married again. I'll make an imperial decree of it; the emperor and his consort must be in attendance of any weddings concerning the imperial family, or it doesn't count!". Buyi, already expecting this reaction, laughed deeply while trying to see how Shaoshang was going to react to the emperor's comments. "Do you even see us as family?" he continued to complain. Buyi piped up at the first opportunity, knowing how riled up he would get if they didn't say something. "Yes, your majesty, we just...". "There is no just about this! Child, the three of us have waited years for the day you finally get married. The empress would have wanted you two to have the wedding you deserve, and I'm sure your parents would be in agreement with us too. Zisheng, listen. You're not only a child of the palace but also a great general of the imperial army. How would I look to the public if I didn't support you with this?". After going on a little more, he stood up and made his way over to them. Consort Yue, smiling at her husband's tantrum, warned Buyi that debating would get him nowhere; the emperor's mind was set so that was that. He subtly nodded in response before the emperor was right in front of them.

Emperor Wen bent down slightly, bringing himself down to Shaoshang's height before asking her gently if she wanted them to have a proper wedding in the capital. Desperate to win her over he also joked that the flowers of the nation would stop bothering Buyi once they were officially and openly married. She was very easily swayed onto the side of the emperor, it made Buyi smile. Encounter after encounter with women trying to coerce Buyi to their side had been enough, so it made sense to Buyi that she'd agree so quickly. "May I ask for a condition to the deal Your Majesty", she raised the side of her mouth into a cheeky grin as the excitement radiated in her mouth, "Can I plan it?".

The emperor sighed as he straightened up, looking Buyi in the eyes with an expression of expectation. Buyi turned in her direction, and pulled her close, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. "Niao Niao, planning for weddings has always been overseen by the parents". Buyi was interrupted again "... and as acting parents for Zisheng, me and Consort Yue will meet with your parents and organise it for you!". Shaoshang was about to open her mouth before being shut down again. "No buts"; she was stopped in her tracks, changing her expression into a playful frown. Consort Yue spoke up again, asking them to have a rest after their long journey. Buyi and Shaoshang paid their respects and left. Usually, they would have gone to rest within Buyi's residence, but it was quickly approaching the curfew time, so it was agreed that they would rest in Shaoshang's old quarters within Changqiu Palace. After the empress passed away, Changqiu Palace was no longer used as a main residence, but it was still frequented by family members who wanted to pay their respects to her.

As they gradually approached the residence, the bouncy, talkative girl who lit up by Buyi's side got quieter and more reserved. Noticing her change in mood, Buyi stretched his hand down and took hers into his. "We still have time to go back to the military camp if you'd rather that than stay here. His Majesty won't mind; we don't have to stay here if you're not comfortable here". He was determined to be as supportive as possible for her, but exhaustion from their long journey was making itself known, showing off her emotional side. A calm, uncertain voice responded to his concerns "We'll be fine here, it's just one night and we can go back to your residence tomorrow, right? Let's rest first". Buyi could feel her hand quivering, so he squeezed his hand around hers, a sign that he understands how she feels and is there to support her.

Eventually, they arrived before the door to Shaoshang's old chamber. Buyi led the way as he opened the door to the room. Each item that he had ordered his men to bring for Shaoshang's comfort 5 years ago was still exactly where they had been when they were placed. A sense of home radiated from each item, including a number of gadgets and toys, each expertly handcrafted by Shaoshang herself sat on a table at the centre of the room. Buyi felt a small tug of hesitation on his hand as he stepped into the silent room. He turned to see a single droplet slowly rolling down Shaoshang's cheek. Instinctually he leant down and wiped away the tear with his hand before rubbing it away between his fingers, "I know this place brings back a lot of memories love. I understand it's difficult, but the empress is at peace now". As Shaoshang suddenly scrunched up her face, he pulled her into a tight hug. They stood like that for a while, with numerous emotional outbursts from Shaoshang. Buyi tried to make her comfortable, patting her back softly as tear after tear soaked into his shoulder.

Once she had calmed down, he picked her up like a princess and carried her to the bed at the back of the room. After gently lowering her down onto the bed, he carefully took her shoes off before sitting by her side and caressing her cheeks, which were now damp from fresh tears. He lowered his tone to one that was cautious yet adoring, "It's been a long day my love. Once your parents return to the capital they can talk to His Majesty and eventually we may get a bit of peace". He sneaked out a chesty chuckle, as did Shaoshang, though her timid laugh was barely audible, especially over her husband's. Buyi quickly removed his boots and lay by Shaoshang's side. Seeing her eyes, puffy from the overflowing emotion, broke his heart into a million pieces. He instantly pulled her head to his chest and they lay down in silence before falling asleep in each other's embrace. It was a long day for both of them; a day that was finally over.

For a while, Buyi stayed, still warm in her embrace as she slept until he eventually wriggled out of her grasp and tucked her into the delicately sewn quilt. He kissed her lightly on the head and turned to leave before a rogue hand swept up to grab his arm. Smiling at her reaction, he tucked her back into the quilt before making his way out of the room. The doors slid shut silently as A'Qi and A'Fei appeared from behind him. Worried about what they'd seen in their patrolling, A'Qi asked the question about Shaoshang's current condition. They started walking to the centre of the yard as Buyi gave his answer, keeping quiet so as to not disturb her; "She's okay, it's difficult for her to be back here now the empress has passed. After all, she did so much for her. Back to business, have you organised it?". A'Fei, raising the volume of the conversation, shouted an answer; "You mean the residence on the land beside the ca... mhmhm mhm". He was suddenly cut off by A'Qi's hand, which was covering his mouth. "Be quiet, the lady is sleeping! It's all in progress General Huo".

Buyi waited for the anger to fade away before continuing the conversation. His sleeping beauty desperately needed the sleep and if she had been woken by A'Fei's lack of care, they would be working at step one again. It didn't take long to fade; it wasn't exactly the first time he'd spoken out of line like this. The content of his outburst wasn't exactly a secret either. Buyi had already told Niao Niao about the emperor gifting him the land by the camp of the Black Armoured Guard and nearby Imperial Army Base, and he had also told her that his intention was to create a home for them on that land, with room for her to do whatever she pleased. It is close enough to the camp that Buyi would be able to resume his regular everyday activities and it is distant enough to be secure and ensure their privacy. Buyi thought that it was be the ideal time to start putting their plans together, seeing as they were already married. Having a place to call their home made his body radiate with an intense wave of warmth, especially knowing that he would be letting Shaoshang design it herself. "So how is it going?" he asked. A'Qi then continued, "The materials have been prepared for my lady".

A huge grin spread across Buyi's face as he nodded. 5 years of separation from the person he loved the most made him realise how important of a role she has in his life. She had become the centre of his world; like gravity, so much so that his entire existence seemed to revolve around her and her happiness. Buyi was stuck in his own thoughts about Shaoshang until A'Fei interrupted once again. "You do so much for Miss Cheng, why..." he opened his mouth to continue the sentence before a fuming Buyi cut up his sentence. "Of course! I would do anything for her to guarantee her happiness. You two should go and rest. All of us have had a busy day and have got an early start tomorrow". A'Fei stared at him, mouth wide open in shock as Buyi passed them to return to Shaoshang. He entered her room, closing the door carefully as to not wake her up. As he tucked himself in next to her, she didn't stir at all. Eventually, he fell asleep by her side.