The Male Empress 男性的皇后 (BOY X BOY)

Pendants and Collars

"No matter what I do he ignores me!" I stressed grabbing and pulling at my hair to Han Ling.
"Now, now da ge. Being bald would not help with your plain face!" He said stopping me. As much as he annoyed me, he had more experience in love as I had focused on my studies when I was the Crown Prince while he played and flitted around with the maids and when I became the Emperor he became a regular of brothels. But still he had everything effortlessly, Imperial father and mother consort's affection while I had to work. And he was of the bloodline of kind mother consort, while I was the son of a an ugly sow and the Imperial father who held captive and almost killed the only person that cared about me, mother consort. If only Han Ling didn't exist, Mother consort wouldn't have to be caged and neglected by Imperial father. But... I can never hate him enough to act on emotions. He was still my little brother, innocent. He still had Mother consort's blood running through his veins and if Mother consort could endure it, I had no rights to complain. But it still amazes me how he can endure the living reminder of that unspeakable experience.
"I've sent him expensive robes, rings, pendants, and jade bracelets! Anything anyone would adore! But he refuses them all!"
"First of all he's undeniably a man, even if he may play a female in bed. Maybe I can go and ask him why he doesn't accept it." Ling di* offered, I thanked him. He shouldn't seem suspicious as he usually visits.
Why does he permit Han Ling but not me? I thought in waiting, hiding behind a tree. Since I wasn't allowed in his residents after the previous incident, Han Ling invited him to his court.
"So I'm curious...Why do you never accept any of the things my brother rewards you? Usually people would be ecstatic for riches and particularly from the Emperor, personally. It's such an honor!" Han Ling began and my ears perked up.
"Prince* Han Ling, your humble subject is grateful for his majesty's acknowledgement while I am unworthy and it is an honor, but I still cannot accept his gifts." He replied while playing a few notes on the guqin.
"But why?" Han Ling persistently pressed while randomly juggling some fruits.
"I know what his majesty feels for me, how he sees me. I know he views me as a female. And what's the only circumstance where a man buys a women clothing? I'm sure a playboy such as your highness would know."
"To take her clother off..." Han Ling trailed off as the image of me ripping Yun Xu's robes to pieces, how dare they abstruct me, the Son of Heaven* and my little dragon...Well not necessary "little" dragon sprang to life.
"And rings means marriage, bracelets are cuffs and chains, while pendants are collars." He continued to explain, I would never do that to him...I would never harm or put in a position to do so...
"In addition, I use to be a hermit...I willingly gave up my possessions. Is that a good enough answer for your Majesty the Emperor? I know you're behind that tree." He stopped playing.
I was shocked at this new revelation and tripped and fell on my butt. Its gonna hurt my reputation, as my face was red as Han Ling was laughing inelegantly while in constrast Yun Xu allowed me to see a rare smile, which made me according to Han Ling "smile like a fool" until Yun Xu had left.
And I had realized I had no idea what to get him until Han Ling said "Why not get him the guqin strings from first guqin of the Yellow Emperor Fuxi Shennong* and the famous music sheet for guqin Plum-Blossom in Three Movements*?"
And I immediately ordered a servant to retrieve them.
~A/N~
Did the trip remind you of anyone? Like father like son. The apple never falls far from the tree. 上梁不正下梁歪 same meaning.
*little brother 弟 and older brother ge 哥

*technically 王爷，王 means king but the other translations say Marquis but that's 侯爷 or 武侯, so I stuck with Prince.
*Son of Heaven is a title for Emperors 天子

*Supposedly created the first guqin
* 梅花三弄 Plum-Blossom in Three Movements is a flute song, composed by Hengyi(桓衣), who was a famous militarist and musician in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420). Now there is also a Guqin (古琴, a seven-stringed plucked instrument) version. The theme of the song is to praise the gritty spirit of plum: blossom in the severe winter.