Chapter 19

Princess Elora
Wei Li Lian
Lady Wei

Li Lian pulled the blanket over her and snuggled for warmth. At least her feelings were not as erratic and wild as before, she was stable now.

After they dyed her hair, she was escorted back to Hougong, her old quarters, to sleep there. It had awakened her servants who were always stationed there in case she wanted to move back in. This was Grand Consort Shu's idea.

Li Lian was dozing off when the voice of her beloved awakened her.

"Why did you not report she was here all this while?" he shouted.

"Your Majesty, she asked for us to not let any visitors in."

Thudding footsteps filled the hallway, Li Lian's heartbeat accelerating with it.

"Your Majesty, Her Ladyship has requested for no visit―"

"Be quiet!" He slammed the door open and bulldozed at full speed. "Li Lian!"

Her mind raced with possible explanations to give to him. Yet, he engulfed her into a hug and sighed in relief.

"Li Lian... I thought I had lost you again," he muttered. "I would not  forgive myself if I lost you again... the heavens granted me another opportunity to redeem myself with you." His hand sunk into her hair, ran on her scalp, and waved through her strands.

This had her shrinking within, knowing her hair was slightly wet as they just washed it to remove the dye.

It made her nervous, and seeing one of the servants sneak in a lamp at the door, she was all the more self-conscious and weary that he would see the beastly appearance on her face.

However, he did not question the wetness of her hair, apparently stuck in the overwhelming gratefulness of having found her.

"You said you would be back in a few minutes, what happened?" He still embraced her, not wishing to let her go anytime soon. "Are you all right? Did someone bully you?"

Li Lian got teary. He knew she was the most cunning woman around, yet to him, she was the child who could get abused and taken advantage of.

This man would do anything to keep her and have her by his side. He was insanely in love with her and regarded her as his everything. How could she ever abandon this for anything else? Such love was unquestionable to just up and leave.

"No, who would dare do that?"

"Then what is it? Was it me? Did I hurt you earlier?"

"What? No." They parted and came face to face. His visage carried a frown of pain and regret already. "It is not that... I just wanted some breath of fresh air... then I thought if I came back, I would wake you up and you were so tired from all the recent work... I couldn't dare wake you up."

He did not give away any sense of belief towards her words, but his words did give her relief.

"Really? You care for me that much?"

She nodded slightly.

"Thank heavens you do, Li Lian." Again, he embraced her into his strong warm arms. "Never, never could you be a bother to me. Wake me as many times as you want, as long as I have you in my arms. It is worth it."

"Hao, I will remember that next time."

He loured when he let go of her again. "What is that smell?"

Oh, no. "What smell?" she tried her best to act dumb.

"A weird herb... blunt smell..." He looked around. "Anyone out there?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Eunuch Nam ran in.

"Do they not clean this place? It smells funny. Who is responsible?" he shouted. "This my favorite concubine's quarters, and you dare be reckless?"

It was the horrible dye he was smelling. "No, no, that must be me, Yu'er."

"You?"

"I fell outside and something went onto my hair and clothes. I even had to wash my hair."

His eyes stared, expressionless, blank,  not giving away anything. It was always like that. Yu'er was not one to believe people blindly, even when it came to her. He always tested answers against reasoning before letting his guard down. Li Lian even suspected that sometimes when he did admit to believing her, it was nothing but an act, while honestly, he had an inkling she was lying.

Yuwen Hong probably pretended just to avoid fighting or facing the truth. I mean, she was the woman he was in love with. Maybe he'd rather convince himself that she was so innocent, because who would want to admit they fell in love with the devil whose father killed your father?

"If the smell is awful, you could go back to the dragon palace and I will see you tomorrow."

It took a while for him to finally shake his head in refusal. "I will sleep here with you."

He got into bed with her and Eunuch Nam took away the lamp for them to rest.

"Are you sure it was not because I hurt you earlier?"

Her heart soared. He was so sensitive and cared for her wellbeing. What had she done to deserve such a man?

"No, I promise. It is not that." Well, indirectly, he was the cause of her episode. If it was not a dragon she slept with, she would not have gone through that.

"Please do not do that again. You almost killed me," his voice was delicate and hoarse.

She secured his arm around her. "My apologies, I was not wise in what I did. It shall not be repeated."

He dragged her to his chest and whispered, "You could already be carrying a royal son, always be careful now."

She blushed.

Indeed so.

What a day it had been. She had a terrifying thing happen to her, was forced to have a talk with the sister she wished to stay away from, and possibly, she would mother the nation's future emperor.

But it had Li Lian thinking. If Eleanor knew who she was, it was definitely General Feng, now King Chang An, who told her. To what extent did he tell his wife about their past mission and plans?

It was Eunuch Nam calling out to Yuwen Hong that woke Li Lian up. It was already early in the morning.

She heard Yuwen Hong tiptoe out and whisper through the door, weary that he would wake her up. "Give an update that today, the morning court will be later on than usual. Let the guards and generals train without me, and don't disturb me until I come out. You are making noise for Her Ladyship."

Li Lian kept still to not give away she was awake.

Thinking about it, if Yuwen Hong was going to stay with her till the sun was out, that meant he could possibly see her nails, then what would be her excuse? And last night, it was dim for him to seriously see her face, what if her ears and something on her face looked outrageous still?

She stirred. "Yu'er."

"My apologies, I woke you up," he was  making his way back to bed.

"Why are you missing your duties for the sake of me?"

"I am just doing what I should have done a long time ago."

"Yes, but..."

"I thought about it. I have been taking you for granted and have not given up my time for you. Every time you wake up, I am gone. You have never woken up and found me next to you."

"I have."

"You have?"

"In Yi Yuan."

That had him laugh out loud.

"What are you laughing at?" His laugh was infectious.

"So what? You are admitting that you were pretending to be asleep on that day?"

She laughed, having been caught in her trickster games. "No!"

"Yes!" He tickled her and she squealed.

"Stop it!" she guffawed.

Why did he like doing that when she was so ticklish?

When she finally stopped laughing, she tried to talk him out of staying again. "But you know, the Grand Dowager will accuse me of keeping you from your duties. It is against the Innercourt rules."

"Shh..." He softly silenced her as he enveloped her small body. "My grandmother was once young and in love, if you must know too. She will understand. Come, Little Fox. Let us sleep in for once."

The sun was up when she stirred awake again. Through the curtains, sunshine radiated into their chamber.

Yuwen Hong was still fast asleep. She could take this opportunity to go see what she looked like, so she quickly rolled out of the bed and ran out.

She went into the dressing room, next to her chamber, and found the large mirror.

Looking at herself, she looked perfect. She was all right. Even her nails were not bizarrely darkened. They looked almost normal. She just had to keep them out of sight, not that they were much of a concern. What a huge relief.

She then strutted back to their chamber. Yu'er was awake now and silently gazing at the wall.

Li Lian got back to his side and slept facing him. "What are you thinking of?"

"What we could do, just the two of us, on this day."

"Hmm."

"We should leave the palace."

"And where would we go?" she chuckled.

"We will see. Where had you gone to, just now?"

"I was checking myself in the mirror."

"Why?"

"I like to be presentable and beautiful in front of you."

"He slid his finger into her hair. "Why bother? You are already more than alluring." He eyed her lips. "Beautiful. You are complete no matter what state you are in." He pecked her lips.

When he lowered for more, she stopped him. "It is in the morning and I have morning breath."

"Who cares about those things, Li Lian?"

She did not want them to sleep together so soon, what if what happened yesterday repeated itself in broad daylight?

"I want to ask you something." She was deflecting.

"No..." he moaned. "Who likes to talk this early?"

"I do."

"Well then. I like to do the doing, instead." He slid his hand into her bust.

She giggled. "You are insatiable."

"What do you want to talk about?" he exhaled. As if getting it over with as soon as possible would help get what he wanted.

"Huticah."

All the excitement left him.

"What about them?"

"I know you held a grudge against them, before." If he forgave the nation, surely she would survive the truth coming out about her origin. "But now that the king died and King Chang An came here to establish peace with Huticah, do you stil―"

"Nothing has changed, Li Lian. Nothing will, until I wipe out the whole nation."

"But you are currently entertaining the king and his wife here."

"What does that have to do with my plans? Didn't Feng Chang An deceive me too? Raised a dog that bit its owner is what I call it. All this time he was a son of the man who killed my father, what utter betrayal!" She winced at the raising of his voice and anger bristling through. "After Gurio, they are next. I will kill them all and make that country part of my empire, while surviving souls will become slaves of ours."

Li Lian felt chills by the coldness in his voice, the bitterness freezing his eyes. He was not the same man who made love to her. And heaven knows what man he would be to her if he found out the truth.

Author's note

There are people who are not happy that Li Lian's identity is not revealed yet, but we all know the temper of Yuwen Hong. Whether Oren is her real father, will it change a thing in his eyes, knowing his character? The truth is it is still deception, she was a spy and has lied time and time again.

Just food for thought.

S.V