Langhua: The Codependence of a Prince and His General

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Three days later, Xuanyuan Lang led Xuanyuan Rui to the Empress' palace for the first time.

There was something familiar about the way Xuanyuan Rui looked around, feasting his eyes on every new sight. Xuanyuan Lang's smile faded, however, when he saw the red marks peeking out from just under Xuanyuan Rui's sleeve as he pointed at the large rock structures and intricate hallways.

"Sixth Brother, are you injured?"

"Huh?" Xuanyuan Rui took a moment to react. When he followed Xuanyuan Lang's gaze to the garish red marks on his pale wrist, he hurriedly pulled his sleeve down again. "Oh, it's nothing. I just caught myself on a doorframe."

If that was true, why could Xuanyuan Lang see at least four distinct scratches? But he did not call Xuanyuan Rui out on his bluff.

"Just make sure to hide it when you meet Her Majesty the Empress later, or she'll worry." Worse still, she might ask about it, and she would not be as willing to accept a lie as he was. Xuanyuan Lang dug through his clothes and found a tiny vial of ointment. It was for emergencies. "Here, use some of this. It might help reduce the inflammation and swelling."

It was probably a drop in the ocean, especially since they were just around the corner from Phoenix Palace now, but Xuanyuan Rui still accepted it gratefully. Xuanyuan Lang eyed him as he applied the medicine, taking in his thin frame and ill-fitting clothes. He might have to invite his Sixth Brother over for dinner too sometime.

"His Highness the Sixth Prince and His Highness the Seventh Prince request an audience!" the eunuch at the door to the audience hall in Phoenix Palace declared in a booming voice. His words were meant to travel, and Xuanyuan Rui flinched slightly at the sheer volume. As expected of a reclusive prince, Xuanyuan Lang thought as he put a comforting hand on his brother's arm.

"You may enter."

The Empress' voice was even, almost gentle, but it reached their ears all the same. Xuanyuan Lang gave his brother's arm another reassuring squeeze and then walked across the doorstep, into the hall. On his face, he wore an easygoing smile.

"Your son greets you, Your Majesty. How are you feeling today?"

"As well as you could hope, Seventh Prince. And I see you've brought your Sixth Brother with you?"

Xuanyuan Lang gave Xuanyuan Rui a nudge, and the latter lowered his head, his voice almost too soft to hear.

"Y-Your son greets you, Your Majesty."

For a moment there, Xuanyuan Lang could not even be sure if the Empress had heard him. Nevertheless, she waved off the ensuing awkwardness. "It is good to see you. Both of you, please take your seats."

Feeling relieved, Xuanyuan Lang took his regular seat on her left. When they had meetings with the Empress, Xuanyuan Chen or Consort Liang usually took the seat opposite him. This time, however, Xuanyuan Rui sat next to him, taking a seat slightly further from the Empress' throne.

The Empress frowned. It was a tiny motion, a bare creasing of her brow, but Xuanyuan Lang had gotten used to reading even the tiniest changes in her expressions. After all, Empress Wang was not usually one to wear her emotions on her sleeves, and he needed every cue he could get.

He could understand her displeasure too. By taking the further seat, Xuanyuan Rui had placed himself at a lower status than Xuanyuan Lang. Although it was true that Xuanyuan Lang was more active and experienced in palace politics than Xuanyuan Rui was, the latter was still older. It made no sense for the older brother to lower himself before the younger.

Xuanyuan Lang cleared his throat to draw the Empress' attention to him. "It is a rare pleasure indeed, isn't it, Your Majesty? Sixth Brother was just so eager to meet you, despite the fact that his health is wanting. At the same time, he's worried that he'll pass his illness to you, especially as the days are becoming colder. It's nothing serious, of course, but still, better safe than sorry."

"Is that so?" The Empress turned her eyes back to Xuanyuan Rui, who quailed under her gaze. With his pale complexion, slight tremors, and the way he tugged at his sleeves, he did indeed look unwell. Finally, the Empress sighed. "If you are feeling under the weather, Sixth Prince, let me not keep you here for long."

In the end, their conversation was shortened. The Empress and Xuanyuan Rui exchanged pleasantries, rather one-sidedly, after which she excused him in consideration of his health. Once he was certain that he had permission to leave, Xuanyuan Rui could not jump to his feet quickly enough, his face so white now it was looking grey.

Xuanyuan Lang stood up as well to escort him, but the Empress' mild-mannered voice stopped him. "If you may, Seventh Prince. There are other things I would like to discuss with you."

He had no choice. After walking Xuanyuan Rui to the door and handing him over to the eunuch there, he gave the eunuch express instructions to bring the Sixth Prince back to Competence Palace. Finally, he saw Xuanyuan Rui off with a reassuring wave and a smile. The Sixth Prince peeked over his shoulder just once. The uncertainty in his eyes seemed to lessen somewhat when he met Xuanyuan Lang's smile.

Once Xuanyuan Rui had turned the corner and was out of sight, Xuanyuan Lang put his hand down, let out a long breath, and returned to his seat in the hall.

The Empress was looking quite amused. "So you've grown enough to take on the role of an older brother, Seventh Prince?"

Xuanyuan Lang laughed weakly. It was strange, but at one point he had gotten used to the Empress' oppressive aura. Dealing with her now somehow felt easier than handling Xuanyuan Rui earlier. Just slightly. "Please do not jest, Your Majesty. Sixth Brother is merely... unaccustomed to such occasions. I am sure he will grow bolder with time, as I had."

"Really? But if I remember correctly, the first time you walked into these chambers of your own volition, you did so alone and promptly proceeded to ask for a man's life." The Empress chuckled as Xuanyuan Lang stiffened. "Well, if you wish to play babysitter, I will not stop you. However, I hope your little tangent will not distract you from our main concerns on hand."

Xuanyuan Lang's frozen smile faltered. "Has Lord Lin informed you?"

The Empress' response was a small nod. "I must profess... that I expected something like this. Chen'er has made it evidently clear that his loyalties lie not with me."

"I see." Xuanyuan Lang tightened his fists in his lap. "What do you think he has in mind, then?"

"I can't say. For now, I wonder if even he knows." Her gaze on him was soft. "Perhaps you should be the one to ask him, Seventh Prince. He might confide in you what he would never tell me."

Me? Xuanyuan Lang blinked. After Xuanyuan Chen did not deny his part in General Hua Meng's death, Xuanyuan Lang thought that their relationship had been cordial at best, if not outright strained. The idea that Xuanyuan Chen might tell him anything was absurd.

"Do not look so surprised, Seventh Prince. If I know one thing about Chen'er, it's that he is a good older brother. The problem is he had never learned how to be a son... just as I have never known how to be a mother."

The Empress was being unusually talkative today. Xuanyuan Lang watched her carefully. Was it the revelation of Xuanyuan Chen's rebellion? Perhaps this was her rare moment of weakness. In that case...

"If you have something to ask, Seventh Prince, don't hold back. It is unbecoming of you."

Even when she was vulnerable, she was as sharp as ever. Xuanyuan Lang gave her a wry smile and plunged on ahead,

"Your Majesty, do you ever wonder how things would have been different if my Third Brother had survived?"

The Third Prince, Xuanyuan Liu. The Empress' one and only biological child, her stillborn son.

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