Dark Empress

3

My Empress:

My Empress...

It was [My] not Zhen! What does that mean?

Jiang Chuwei shuddered; don't think about it anymore. Just looking at the man's smile, one could tell that he was up to no good: He had an expression like he had just found a new toy.

The idea of being seen as a toy made Chuwei unhappy, but she was under his roof and she clearly understood that she was in a weak position in the Palace. Her opponent was the Emperor accompanied by the tiger, since hearing him utter that phrase, she could not fathom what he was up to, so, she could only wait and see.

She sneaked a look at him. He was sitting beside her, wearing purple robes that had been embroidered with the customary dragon on his sleeves and the skirt of his robes, at the end of his belt hung a jadeite pendant. Upon his head was a Zijin crown[1]. He looked like a refined and erudite Confucian scholar, but his forehead was aggressive and fearsome, not letting anyone dare look down upon him. All in vain - wolf in sheep's clothing.

'Beast in human clothing,' she muttered disdainfully under her breath.
Xiahou Yin's hand holding ivory chopsticks stilled, although she had only muttered, as someone who practiced martial arts, his heading was exceptional. (Zuben: Martial arts trains the ear 'muscles' eh?). Her words were very repugnant, heh!
He smiled and turned to her, 'Empress, what did you say?'

Chuwei went stiff and stared at him. She was whispered yet he heard her?

'Hmm? Did you want to say something?' The Dowager asked looking at Chuwei.

It was the Dowager Empress' birthday, but she had not wanted anything extravagant. She just wanted a small intimate dinner with the Emperor and the Empress to celebrate with her. They sat in the seats of honour; the Dowager in the middle and Xiahou Yin at her right side. The imperial concubines sat at the tables below.

Chuwei smiled demurely, gripping her knee tightly she lowered her head shyly and said, 'Rong Er thinks the crystal dumplings are delicious.'

'Oh is that what you said?' Xiahou replied with a faint mocking smile, he fished the crystal dumplings into her bowl, 'Then, here, eat some more, you're so thin, I feel so bad when I look at you.'

He placed his hand over her hand that was held on her knee and used his thumb to gently caress the back of her hand.
What are you touching, you perverted bastard?

Chuwei wanted to shake his hand off, but she had to remain docile, 'Yes, thank you for your concern, Emperor. She wanted to work her hands loose to pick up her chopsticks but the pervert won't let her go.

She gritted her teeth and looking at him with feigned bashfulness, 'Emperor, your hand...' pervert! Haven't you done enough? Let go!
Xiahou Yin ignored the hateful look in her eyes, instead he smiled and picked up a crystal dumpling with his chopsticks and brought it to her mouth, 'Here eat...'

This scene shocked everyone. The Dowager gaped at her son, he was usually cold to the Empress, but now he was holding her intimately and feeding her.

Chuwei took a deep breath; she knew this guy was goading her. He was playing with her for his own entertainment.

Chuwei hung her head; this kind of sheepishness went against every fibre of her being. She was a very temperamental individual, and her anger was very fierce. She raised a foot under the table and stomped on him, maliciously grinding her heel into his foot. Unfortunately, these shoes were not seven inch heels she favoured otherwise he would be wailing most painfully. She pinched his offending hand with her free one while keeping a meek appearance on her face.