Oh, My Emperor! (Zhanyi Fanfic) - PART 1

Cha. 005

One by one, they stick their heads out from the corner. They; Huasiang, Yibo,  Xingchen, and Zhuocheng.

Their eyes gawked at the guards that stood at the front gate.

"So..." Zhuocheng began curiously. "What's the great plan?"

The night was dark, and their surrounding was peaceful, except for the whistling wind against the windows and the chirping sound of the night crickets.

Huasiang cleared his throat and they pulled back, hiding away from sight. He put his hands behind him and took out a little hand fan that matched his yellow attire. "Watch and learn from the master, people," he smirked before stepping out from the corner, heading towards the guards while the others remained back. They peek from the corner, watching as their friend spoke to the guards.

"I wonder what he's telling them," Xingchen whispered. Moments later, they watched as the guards ran off from their post while Huasiang waved at them. They approached him in hasty steps. "What you tell them?"

Huasiang grinned proudly. "That's my secret. They will be back in seconds, let's leave,"

Yibo didn't know why he agreed to this but he did as he trailed behind them, walking out from the front gate without taking another glance back and vanishing into the night like shadows.

*~*

Getting into the palace was simpler than they thought as they strolled down the active hall, then again, it was Huasiang, he could get into anywhere and could get away with anything and everything with a little twist of the words.

Standing at the corner while his friends occupied themselves on the extra chairs and table, Yibo watched the live performance in the center, staring with a blank gaze as the maidens danced and flowed with the sound of the drums, gaining the attention of everyone in the main hall; commoners and nobels alike.

"Childe Wang, why are you standing there, you are going to give our identities away!" Huasiang tugged on his wrist, pulling him beside him, and shoved into his hand a jug of liquor. "Drink,"

"I don't feel comfortable here,"

They were surrounded by people of different statuses, from the poor to the richest, it was a festival where everyone in the empire was allowed into the palace as long as they didn't overstep their boundaries. How generous of the emperor!

"Relax for once, please. You are never comfortable with anything except those monotonous old tales. Look at those maidens, is there one you like, I can arrange her for you, just say the word, you can trust me on that!" Huasiang beat his chest proudly. His flirting skills were top notch.

"I'm not interested in any of them, Huasiang. I only came along because you dragged me. Don't mind me, enjoy yourself," He spoke blankly and Huasiang let out a defeated sigh and enjoy the rest of the festival, vanishing with the others as they rushed to taste the different types of food, leaving Yibo there with a tiny jug of mead. He dumped the jug on the table and stood up, suddenly colliding with a maiden that was barely covered rubbing on his arms.

"Hello childe, want to have some fun?"

What sort of festival was this?

Yibo instantly shook his head and rushed away from the girl, finding himself in an empty hallway, far away from the active festival going on in the main hall of the palace.

He glanced at both sides of the path, finding no guards in sight, he took his left, moving further and further away from the loud drums till he abruptly stopped, finding himself in a much stranger hallway, swiveling as he realized he was lost.

Which way did he come from? It was his first time stepping into the palace and he was already lost. He stood for a moment before deciding to follow the faint sound of the drums, however, the more he got closer to the drums, the more he felt an eerie feeling ahead of him, pulling him in like magnet and he didn't hesitate to follow till a hand fell on his shoulder and he swiftly turned, getting ready to attack but his breath caught at the sight of the person.

Was he also a guest, why was he dressed like that? Walking around with robes, a loosened cross collar that revealed the skin beneath, and long hair flowing down his back with no pin; no identity.

A guest won't dress like he owned the place.

Staring at the unknown person, Yibo found himself unable to move, he hated confrontation with people and why was the man staring back at him with amusement dancing in those dark eyes of his?

"It appears you are lost?" the eyes of the man inspected Yibo over, taking in every single feature that made him.

Yibo's grip tightened on his sword, this person seem calm and ethical, but at the same time, he seemed dubious. "I am,"

"I see, the festival hall is that way, " the man gestured towards his right, where another path followed.

Was the palace a maze?

Yibo stared at the hall and back at the one he wanted to follow.

"This hallway leads to the chambers of the emperor,"

Yibo raised an eyebrow and took a long suspicious look at the man that didn't appear much older than him. "And what are you doing here?"

The unknown man shrugged and held his hand behind him, sporting a tiny grin at the corner of his lips. "I saw you and followed, you should return to your friends, they might be worried,"

Yibo stared for a little longer, noticing the odd air of authority lurking around the man. If he knew his way around the palace, he must be an important guest. "Thank you," He saluted and went on his way, without glancing back, failing to notice the satisfied smirk that stretched across the man's lips.

"Nice to meet you again, little one,"

*~*

Have any idea who the mystery man might be?

XIAO XINGCHEN

WANG ZHUOCHENG

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