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Chapter 27

Second Class Female Attendant Wei
Lady Wei Li Lian
The Dragon Palace

A rumor has spread within the palace walls from the courtroom. The emperor has plans to kill the Huticah slaves in the next moon. Right after that, maybe the king too. He was close to attaining all the evidence he needed for his father’s case.

Li Lian paced up and down the large bedchamber of Yuwen Hong. It was night and her last duty for the day consisted of lying in his bed and warming it. When he was done bathing and ready for bed, Court Lady Nam would come and tell her to leave. Li Lian liked scenting her body with her favorite flowers―Lotus flowers―and lying in bed, rubbing her scent all over his blankets. When he came to sleep she wanted him to think of her, to dream of her and to miss her.

On this day, Yuwen Hong bathed but before he could retire to sleep, Zhi Peng requested for his audience. They had been speaking for long, Li Lian was worn out from lying in his bed and waiting for Court Lady Park to tell her to leave.

She wrestled anxiousness. How was she to ask Yuwen Hong about the slaves without him becoming suspicious? And also the last time she saw him she got him upset.

Dimmed conversation penetrated the walls from the other room. It was the library the emperor used when he sought to study in the dragon palace. The room wasn’t as big as the main library that was situated at the palace middle ground.

She placed a glass she took from the table by the bed, against the wall. Her ears connected to the glass as she listened intently. For a person that was punished last week for eavesdropping, she had not learnt her lesson.

“We investigated the heart chest, Your Majesty.” Li Lian had passed Zhi Peng a few times around the palace. He was an old man wiser than his many years that greyed his hair. “After close inspection, we realised something.”

“Finally, some results.” Yuwen Hong seemed pleased.

“The lock was not tempered with, which means the person who opened it was someone who was close to the fallen dragon.”

“You mean I was right in assuming it was one of his attendants?"

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Likewise, time has been wasted on this case. This is why I want to close it by sending one of my mighty generals to Huticah.”

What does Yuwen Hong mean by he is sending someone? Does he plan to spy her homeland?

Li Lian didn’t know how the previous dragon fell. When that calamity happened, she was at the Borderlands and all news was hidden from her. All she was told was that her grandfather had died. He was the one accused of murdering the previous dragon, which was unfair because at that time he was weak in health. So how could he execute that? Her grandfather died a few days after the dragon because of his health.

Before the dragon fell, the plan was for her to go to Nevoria if they needed her as a backup plan. Her mission was not of much importance but when the dragon fell, and Huticah got punished by Nevoria imposing harsh trading laws, her marriage became a necessity. There was caused pressure for her to succeed.

Huticah was withering away with Nevoria being stingy and selling most of its goods at unnecessarily high prices. Moreover, Nevoria had countless threats on Huticah concerning the possible war it intended to start. Then also don't forget how the Borderlands was a playground for Nevoria capturing  Huticah people as slaves.

A croak startled Li Lian from her spying.

She held her chest in panic, expecting that someone had caught her. However, there was no one but her in the room.

The croak repeated and her attention was brought to the gold covered bird cage.

Qi Qi was the emperor’s beloved bird he got gifted by his swordmaster. The bird was treated as if it was an emperor. The maids took him for walks, made sure he was comfortable and regularly checked on him. When he was addressed, he was called, His Majesty.

Apparently, he was the emperor of all birds just because he was owned by an emperor. There was a story of an eunuch insulting the bird and when this was heard by the emperor, the eunuch was chopped off, his head being displayed on the capital gates for everyone to see.

Li Lian pulled the cloth, revealing the parrot with bright red and green feathers.

“Li Lian is beautiful,” she said to it.

It perked it's head to her and gurgled. Qi Qi shook his body and bounced on his feet with excitement. “Li Lian, beautiful! Li Lian, beautiful!”

Li Lian smiled. What a good parrot it was. She reached for the crunchy crumbs that were on the ceramic plate by the cage and fed it through the hole, stroking its feathers.

A silly idea passed her mind which she entertained. She guffawed, before saying, “Yuwen Hong is stupid.”

Catching the words, Qi Qi responded eagerly, “Yuwen Hong is stupid! Yuwen Hong is stupid!” He fluttered his feathers and trilled.

Li Lian whizzed and clutched her stomach. Qi Qi was a good bird, she wanted to have him. She wondered whether Yu'er would lend her the bird, if she asked. It wasn't like he gave the lonely bird any time, with him being kept busy with state affairs most of the time.

The large doors opened as Li Lian covered the cage.

“His Majesty is coming to take his rest. Her Ladyship may leave.” Court Lady Nam announced.

“I would like a word with him. I will leave after.”

Disapproval was displayed on Court Lady Nam’s features. “Your Ladyship, this is against the rules. This subject reminds Her Ladyship that she is supposed to keep her distance from the dragon as much as possible as an attendant. Also, His Majesty didn’t ask for an audience with Her Ladyship.”

“Willful and presumptuous. A servant is reminding me rules?” Li Lian intimidated Court Lady Nam. She knew the court lady’s character. Court Lady Nam was a woman who acted according to the rules and had a backbone when someone tried to break them. Fire can only be defeated with coldness.

“Stop abusing my servants, Li Lian, and get out.” Yuwen Hong entered, defending the court lady she was about to bully.

Li Lian flitted her eyelashes. “Your Majesty, how could I dare?” She hurried to him and took his hand. The other held a huge folded map. “I am innocent." She smiled purely.

Luo Meng was behind the emperor with the rest of the retinue. Yuwen Hong was surrounded by people most of the day, didn’t he feel claustrophobic?

She gave the ‘I don’t like you’ stare to Luo Meng and he returned it with a brood. Rat!

Li Lian put her arm around Yuwen Hong’s waist, resting her head on his chest. He smelt fresh whenever he came from bathing. The soft white silks of his sleeping garments caressed her cheeks, and she loved it. She was being extra nice to make him forget that when he last saw her, he was angry with her.

She whispered to him, “I want to ask something and talk to you. Please tell them to leave?”

Surprisingly, he nodded for all his attendants to disappear. A relief. He was willing to talk to her.

Once they were gone, she began, “Yuwen Hong, about the other day―”

“What do you want to ask me?” He was impatient to dwell on past bygones.

How could she ask him directly about the slaves? She sought to soften him up first. "Can I sleep here tonight?"

"May or can?"

"May, Your Majesty." She blinked repeatedly and exaggerated her features by pouting. "Please, please, please."

"No. You are an attendant."

"Seriously? You don't even follow those rules."

"I choose to when it comes to you. On your way," he dismissed her by pushing her off gently. Yuwen Hong ambled to his bed and spread the map on his bed. He scrutinised it and concentrated on it, ignoring her presence.

As far, it was awkward because he wasn't letting her in. He was guarding his heart from her. "You are treating me quite harshly."

"You lie a lot," he shrugged.

True.

"Maybe it's to protect us."

He turned to her, his eyes bobbing in disbelief. "You are deranged, aren't you?"

This was not how she planned this to go. Talking about lies and secrets always had her losing him. He had justifiable reasons to be angry and she couldn't defend herself without exposing her mission.

"Yuwen Hong stupid! Yuwen Hong stupid!"

Li Lian gulped and covered her face. Of all the time this bird could choose to repeat her words, it had to be now? Her face was definitely beetroot red.

"Qi Qi." Yuwen Hong crossed the room to the cage, cooing to his bird. "Who has been teaching you to say naughty things?" 

Li Lian uncovered her face to see him feed the bird. She cleared her throat. "I thought it would be kind of a joke for Qi Qi to say it because no one can say such words to you." Not if they want to die.

Qi Qi sang, "Yuwen Hong. Yuwen Hong!" Then he chewed on more of his snack.

For a while Yu'er didn't say anything as he watched Qi Qi eat. Li Lian couldn't tell whether he was angry or offended.

His voice was cool when he finally spoke, she still couldn't figure him out.

"Kneel," he said.

She dropped to the ground without hesitation.

Shen Hong picked the parrot and placed him on the crook of his arm. His eyes shone with amusement while his mouth was pressed that he would not laugh.

"Qi Qi, in the past someone told me they do not bow to anyone yet look at them now. They will do anything for me."

The parrot croaked.

"That's not fair!" she complained. "I didn't know you were the emperor when I said that."

"So what if I am the emperor? Does that mean things have to change? I am a person too. I want to be loved, teased and jokes to be on me. I want a friend who will call me by name, who will laugh when I'm stupid and think I am not always right."

Qi Qi fluttered his wings in agreement. He was picking his master's side.

"But… Yuwen Hong, it's not about that. It's your temper… I don't know when next you will flip the table, choke me or threaten to kill me. All that has me on edge to really be myself. Can you blame me?"

He cursed and sighed. Locking Qi Qi back, he traced back to her and bent so that they were head to head. "But do you really believe that?"

"Believe what?"

"That I can kill you. You really think I could live with myself after doing that?"

Excitement coursed in her veins. He likes her.

"Never mind that." He straightened.

"No!" she whined, entangling her hands around his leg. "Tell me more. I want more."

His muscles contracted, flexing his leg. The vibration was a tease from him, to remind her of his built body.

Why was he doing this to her? When he did that, he shouldn't expect her to go back to Hougong.

"You are spoilt. I think as the Grand General, I spoilt you to believe you can take only without giving."

She giggled, standing. "I know how to give too."

"Really?" He gave that lazy look. The one drenched with puppy eyes that spoke of his earnest feelings of infatuation toward her. "Then tell me how you feel."

She smiled and opened her mouth. "Yu'er, you make me feel…"

He nodded, encouraging her.

"You make me… "

No words were forming in her mind. She was just blank. What did he make her feel? She liked him isn’t it?

“I make you what?” He further encouraged her.

She regarded him blankly. Again, no words could she put together to make a coherent sentence. What she felt seemed so stupid and not good enough. It wasn’t as admirable as the words he had said to her today or in the past. What if he didn’t believe her or her affection wasn’t satisfactory enough for him?

“Right.” His face fell at her contemplation, disappointment apparent. "What was I thinking? Forget I asked."

Author's Note

Your author has been so busy and finally after a hectic month, she gets to rest. It's holiday time! I would like to be as awesome and say this means loads of chapters... But I am actually an exhausted person in need of rest.

This month has been a lot and I am tired. Next chapter is not even finished too, normally I'm a few chapters ahead. As far, I can promise at least one chapter a week, until I can figure out a new routine.

#inneedofmotivation :)

S.V