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"A storm, a threat capable of devouring empires. You, my love, a harbinger of destruction, the greatest downfall bringer, my ultimate weakness, you, my love, will always be my sweetest misery." Yuwen Hong
Quote By Ei_Daisuki
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The above quote gave me chills and had my heart beating. This is beyond beautiful.
It had me happy that someone was inspired by the story to write such words. Like this is basically something the emperor would say to Li Lian. The person who wrote this understands the characters just as the writer does. That leaves me happy because it means I'm able to express what I feel to the extent that you guys are catching what I'm feeling.
Lost for words, happy reading.
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Chapter 19
Emperor Huizhong
Bai Shen Hong
Palace Garden
The emperor's robes were the colour of brown lychee. Everyone was to dress in any brown shade for the lychee tea testing. He entered the palace garden with his retinue trailing behind him.
Consort Wang did well on the organising of the event. She was running the Inner Court in assistance to the Grand Dowager since he locked the Empress Dowager. That was one sore off his back.
"Did Noble Consort Qi help or it was only Consort Wang who organized?" He was curious.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Noble Consort Qi helped." Court Lady Nam answered from behind.
That was good. With Dowager Empress Wang gone, Noble Consort Qi would have space to make a name for herself. She didn't have to hide behind poems anymore, letting people shame her and Consort Wang acting as if she is the highest-ranked woman in his harem.
Noble Consort Qi was the highly ranked, yet in the public's eyes she was undeserving, so there was only one consort to them: Consort Wang. That was a story for another day.
The garden was lively with the brought-in lychee trees decorating the place.
The eunuchs holding the dragon flags, leading the way shouted, "His Majesty arrives!"
Everyone rose and bowed, servants falling on their knees and his women bending themselves in a curtsey. "Morning greetings to His Majesty, the emperor!" They stilled as he walked on the made way between two elongated tables. Along the length of them, was his women seating according to ranks. Those who would seat closer to his main table were highly titled.
As a second class female attendant, Li Lian sat by the exit, at the edge of the table. She was one of the lowliest of his women, yet she was the one who held a big portion of his heart.
Where Shen Hong was to sit was an enthroned granite seat etched with patterns, the shape of lychee tree leaves. Next to the enormous seat were planted lychee trees, with his mother and Grand Dowager seated at each of the seat's sides respectively. They were the only women qualified to sit at his table.
He strolled to his seat, sat and raised his head to the awaiting audience. "Take your seats."
The harem sat at his instructions. Standing by them were their court ladies that helped them sit gracefully.
For most of the women, it was only this chance they got to see him. This is why many made excessive efforts in dressing themselves to perfection. This was their once in a while opportunity to get his attention. Shen Hong allowed only one event per moon where he would entertain the harem with his presence.
He waved his hand for Court Lady Nam to pour him some tea.
She hurriedly obeyed.
He picked his enclosed teacup that was a porcelain cup decorated with fine art of lychee drawings. "Morning greetings Empress Grandmother, greetings Muqin." Shen Hong bowed his head to each, then lifted his lid to taste his tea.
The women on the other tables copied him in unison. "Morning greetings to our respected mothers." They held their teacups and drank after he did.
"Hao." His head nodded in approval. "This taste is of high calibre, who made this tea?"
A concubine who he wasn't familiar with, stood. "Many thanks to His Majesty for speaking so kindly of this servant's tea."
"Reward her with a box of gold to the measuring of five medium cup cylinders."
His scribe agreed by writing down his instructions.
"Grand Dowager also likes this tea. You have done well Concubine Fuca." His grandmother added to his praises. "I will reward you with a tonne of cloth of your choice."
"This servant is honoured. His Majesty and Her Highness are gracious." Concubine Fuca bowed. She was attractive, very attractive. But not like Li Lian. No one could turn his insides cold just because he couldn't have her, like Li Lian.
The kitchen palace maids rushed in when they were done drinking their first cup, with the second set of teapots. They were to taste another batch of brewed tea.
"Has Empress Grandmother been faring well?" He made conversation he intended not to keep. At these festivals he was the centre of attention, everyone listening in on his conversations. He intended to show off that his relationship with the Grand Dowager was pleasant.
"This old woman has been well, Your Majesty. Just old age is the problem," she sighed.
He nodded in understanding. "No worrying. I will have them send some things to make Empress Grandmother comfortable."
"Grand Dowager Empress would love that." She filtered the contents of her tea with her lid and drank her cup empty.
He changed the subject to the pressing matter. "My thanks for getting me a second class female attendant." He smiled, though his eyes were unpleasantly chilly. Shen Hong was secretly chastising her. Opposing his authority time and time again would tire him sooner or later and he would retaliate.
Grand Dowager caught the warning. She showed it by her discomfort. "How can this subject get honour for that?" She twisted her nail guard slightly. "It is my duty."
Shen Hong was not sure what his grandmother's plans were. Why make Li Lian his attendant if she knew they would spend more time together? If his grandmother sent a fake Elora, then she definitely knows Li Lian is Elora by now.
Li Lian as his attendant, wouldn't it have him fall for her? An outsider like Li Lian later becoming promoted in the Inner Court would not benefit Grand Dowager's clan. So why did she help out Li Lian?
Female Class Attendants were concubines of personal service. They were not like other harem women who waited all day in their quarters and looked pretty, hoping he would come and bed them.
The attendants served differently. They were the link between his retinue and the dragon. Some things he needed were too personal for Court Lady Nam and his palace maids to do and that's why they were there.
An attendant was a woman who stationed next to him as he ate, breaking his food from the larger portions onto his small eating plate. She warmed his bed before he got in to sleep. This was most needed in winter when it was cold, someone lying in his bed and warming it then leaving when he was about to come in. An attendant also chose the scent of his bathing waters, the clothes he wore and the food he ate. She worked with his mother who was in charge of his palace to ensure he functioned well as a dragon.
"Li Lian is a living jade. Does His Majesty like her?" The Grand Dowager brought his thoughts to a halt.
He considered her words before answering. Was she laying a trap?
"I like her a lot." Searching the crowd, he added, "I can't get enough of her. Where is she?"
Whispers erupted among his women. The words were carried by the wind of anxiety.
"Li Lian to stand." Court Lady Nam announced.
Heads turned to the back, as unsure Li Lian stood.
"Hao. There she is." An ugly plan formed in his mind. "Muqin, would you mind if Li'er sat between us?" He asked his mother who had been quiet since he arrived.
When there were events Grand Consort Shu barely spoke. It was not her place of comfort because in the past anything she said was classified as unsuitable to come out of an elder's lips. He didn't care what others thought and said, but alike Noble Consort Qi, she did.
His words brought excitement to her sullen face. "Li'er! Lái!" (Li'er, come) She encouraged her once-upon-a-time palace maid.
Li Lian sauntered to them, ever so dignified in how she walked. She was as graceful as the time he met her in the Dura mountain.
Cups clanked and words of disapproval were passed among the women watching.
"I don't like her." Someone whined.
"His Majesty has never had a woman seat by him." Another agreed.
"I thought his Majesty hated her and now he is favouring her before our eyes."
"I hate her already."
All their musings made him smirk in satisfaction. If Li Lian wasn't considered a threat to any of his women, she was now. To the few she was invisible to, she would be seen as a troublesome boulder that must be eliminated. Would Li Lian survive in the Inner Court after this?
The Inner Court was a place where many women were vipers. They were not shy to express their jealousy using carnal methods, while those who weren't jealous still strategised against their competition because they were there to prosper their clans by becoming phoenix.
"Li'er is my favourite. Hope everyone treats her well." He leered to his mother, adding coal to the fire.
One concubine acted out by getting up and running away crying.
His harem was made of many types of women. Some were still very young since they just came of age. These tended to be very immature.
Li Lian sat on a chair Court Lady Nam put for her between him and his mother.
He noticed a scab had formed on her neck, although it was too deep of a wound to be scabbing already. Shouldn't she had gotten sewn?
Nevertheless, the sight of it brought a swell of triumph in him. Every time she saw that scar it would have her thinking of him. Any man who tried anything with her would know she was owned by another man.
She was his. Always been.
Before public eyes, she looked docile, quiet and harmless. Caterpillars coiled themselves as defence when touched, and in the same manner, Li Lian made herself seem innocent and harmless as defense. Many women would think she was easy, then attack. Which was far from the truth because she was a vixen.
He did not recognise the girl that stood next to her, her attendant. She had a foreign look but not one similar to Li Lian. It was as if they were both foreigners but from different countries.
"Who is she?" he asked.
Li Lian checked her attendant and smiled. It was the excitement of happiness that he was talking to her. "This is Ai. She was my attendant at the Borderlands and I asked Grand Consort Shu to let me bring her into the palace to serve me."
A concubine mewled. "She speaks to His Majesty informally." The concubine was Concubine Pi.
The last time he saw her was in Yi Yuan. Months later to today, she had a stuffed appearance, the gaining of weight. What was the woman eating lately to get herself large that quick? Must be the steamed buns. During this time in which winter was approaching, many people liked to eat those.
His attention on the concubine was taken away due to Li Lian commanding people's attention onto her.
"As you have all heard, I'm His Majesty's favourite." Li Lian spoke loudly to the women, and not to him. She had a tone of authority he'd never heard her use. "To make things clear for you, this means no one is to plan any deceit against me unless you wish death upon yourself from the dragon."
From him? How insolent. She was using his ugly plan against her to her best advantage.
"See this mark on my neck?" She pointed at her wound. "This, here, means I'm His Majesty's and he is quite taken by me. Willingly, he chose to engrave himself on the neck of his future empress." Li Lian chuckled. It was a pure mockery. The mocking of all the women who despised her. "Which means all of you will respect me and treat me like one."
Silence. There was deadly silence. Astonishment on everyone, who dared to say anything against such bold words?
It was the Grand Dowager Empress who broke the silence by loudly laughing. She loudly broke into fits that she lost her ladylike demeanour. Muqin too assisted the Grand Dowager in the laughing session, enjoying herself to see her Li'er be brave when she couldn't.
There and then, everyone followed in with intentional fake laughs so as to dismiss Li Lian's words as a joke. Yet inside they were shaken to the core.
Shen Hong looked at Li Lian and grinned. This Li Lian was cunning. She was indeed his little fox and living up to the name.
She stared back at him and smiled back.
He was a little startled when she pulled him to her. Shen Hong didn't like to be touched by surprise as his body impulsively took it as danger.
He thought her acting was over but she had just begun. She drew close to his ear, her hand fisting his robes to keep him close.
"Are we not going to talk about what we did the other night?" she whispered just for him to hear. Her breath was a sensual breeze on his ear that danced on his nerves.
An image of her screaming, not being able to handle what he worked on her body, crossed his mind. He cursed to himself, alarm bells ringing: not now, not now.
"Are you talking about me banishing you?" He played dumb.
"No." She lightly laughed. By the sound of her voice, he could tell she was blushing. "The part before that... the part where... you touched me."
Of all the places. She was talking dirty in front of his so-called harem. Li Lian was not good at dirty talk because she lacked experience but he was fighting a hard-on anyway. She was a vixen and he was mortar in her hands, yielding to her torments.
This can't be. He had to gain back control.
"Not happening." Yuwen Hong tried pushing her back but she didn't budge into loosening him.
She cleared her throat, then more whispering. "Imagine me beneath you tonight... touching you, kissing you, feeling you... Maybe that will give you the balls to come do me as you should, Your Majesty." She let him go and cleared her throat again.
Slight chattering was ongoing among everyone but he wasn't aware of it. His mind was roaring, trying to make sense of where he went wrong.
Fighting to get a grip on himself, he stilled his breath, searching for his sanity. He needed control not to be a beast and take her for his sexual pleasure tonight. It would blur the lines he drew to protect himself and blind him from her deception. He didn't want to be a slave. Her slave.
Shen Hong made a point not to address her for the rest of the event. It worked well as she also avoided him using Grand Consort Shu. Her reasoning was her embarrassment while for him, it was because he liked having her close but communication with her made him angry. It reminded him of the cactus standing between them yet his feelings toward her were stronger than ever.
Her. His forbidden jewel. He wanted her bad. Because... because he was still in love with her.
S.V