The Yao Emperor and His Human Doctor.

Chapter 7 - You are very close, aren't you?

Qiang Yong blinked repeatedly in disbelief. He always used to play a game of go with his mother in the late afternoon and never won a game. He also didn't let her win on purpose because he knew she didn't tolerate that kind of thing. Sometimes, the Emperor thought that a strategist like her was the one who should lead the yao, however, she delegated this role to her husband and then to her son, as if this were the best and most correct thing to do.

In any case, Qiang Yong always consulted her, aware that this wisdom could not be wasted. Perhaps the Empress feared that she did not have the strength and iron fist that both father and son shared.
Seeing everyone so intent on the match, the Emperor silently slid to Xian Zhong's side and made a gesture with his head that meant what have I lost now?

"The Empress was in a much better mood today and Dr. Su Ning was looking for something for her to entertain her spirits. So Dr. Han Chia, knowing that she enjoyed playing go, invited her to play a game. But the fox lost miserably, hehe." The servant laughed softly.
"So the Empress challenged Dr. Su Ning too. You know how she is when she's playing. He won the first match and she asked for a rematch. This is the second match and it's almost over, it looks like she's going to win this time ."

Qiang Yong: "............."
The Empress lost a game of go??? You despicable doctor! HOW DARE... (excerpt censored for obvious reasons).

The Emperor stopped to observe the board. Apparently it was a really difficult match. He always played with all his abilities but was unable to corner the Empress like that. The doctor had a big territory advantage, although he sacrificed some good pieces. And the Empress had a lot of pieces, and some good territories too. All in all, a very tight game of points.

"Time's up! Let's tally up the points!" Xian Zhong announced full of exaltation. Qiang Yong stared at her. Was this the same crying maid he had seen two days ago?
The Empress laughed heartily.
"There's no need for that, he won again by 10 more points. A splendid match! The movements are so unpredictable, I can't know what you're thinking. Let's play..."

"Tomorrow. Now is medication time." Su Ning stood up.
"You played three games and don't show the slightest sign of tiredness! That's really splendid." The doctor laughed for the first time.
So do you know how to laugh? Qiang Yong thought, and it wasn't just any laugh. It was a melodious, clear and spontaneous sound. Something he wouldn't release if it weren't something true.

The Empress turned around with satisfaction and was met with her son's surprised expression. "Yong-er! You're here!" She exclaimed beaming. The Emperor returned the smile, his eyes fell on the mess in the room, full of books and other personal objects that the Empress requested from her servants.
"I left you in the morning with just a simple conversation and it seems like the whole world collapsed here afterwards, was that it?"

"Ah, I wanted to show some of my favorite books to Dr. Su Ning, and I ended up getting excited, and something else led to another, I asked my girls to bring everything down. Sorry for the inconvenience, dear." The Empress made a slight bow to the maids who were still in charge of returning the objects to their proper places.
"I also never imagined that the Doctor had an interest in this type of hobby, being so busy with yao problems." Qiang Yong raised one of his eyebrows.
It was a veiled irony about his visit to the Swamp.

"And why wouldn't he?" An Shu questioned. The snake was already wide awake.
"Isn't go one of the Four Arts Cultivated by Admirable People [1]? How would he not know that?"
"As far as I know you bit him the first time you met him, how do you now consider him an Admirable Person?" Qiang Yong pinned the small snake, wrapped around the doctor's neck. The white snake turned purple with anger.

"LIKE YOU...!" But didn't continue, An Shu snorted and turned back to her shoulder position, with a strong feeling of guilt that she couldn't shake off. Su Ning gave him a friendly pat on the head, but the snake hid further into his hair, wanting to disappear from sight.
"Well, I also have to cook the noodles, otherwise the Empress won't have dinner today either." Su Ning withdrew with his usual indifferent elegance.

The Empress looked at her son in fright.
"That is true?"
"Uhm, Dr. Han Chia told me. It seems that the little snake also didn't have much faith in a benevolent and detached human doctor. Now... you two seem to be quite close."
The Empress held back her laughter: "Yong-er! Are you jealous?"

Qiang Yong heard Dr. Han Chia choking on his tea behind him and took the opportunity to change the subject. "We'll talk better later. I have business to discuss with this old fox in particular!”
Han Chia: "..........."

"How can I help you, Your Majesty?" The fox was obsequious.
"Did you assess the Empress's condition today? Or did you spend the whole day fooling around? I want to know how she is  of course!"
"Your Majesty, did her eyes deceive you by any chance? The Empress has almost completely recovered! Yes, I assessed it, in fact I told Dr. Su Ning that three days is even an exaggeration on his part."

Qiang Yong stroked his chin thoughtfully, his imposing and majestic countenance was evident in this cold and distant posture.
"Dr. Han Chia." He paused. "How much do you know about Su Ning? Maybe I've asked you this before, but by Heaven! This man six days ago heard about the deaths of four human children in the Swamps and do you know what he did? He just told them to tamper with the memories parents to prevent more deaths!"

"But sir! If the children were dead, what else could he do? The humans would seek justice and it would be a bloody massacre! More lives would be lost."
"He won't rebel, he won't curse, he'll accept it like that??? He has something against humans, is that it?"
The fox showed surprise.
"Not that I know of. I've seen him treat humans and he treats them very well, yes."

The fox then lowered his eyes.
"Emperor, I was not mistaken about this person's character. He is quiet, reserved, and even indifferent. But he is not a cruel person. The decisions he makes are all rational, so it may even seem like he didn't care. with the deaths, but surely he must have regretted it very much."

Qiang Yong let out a heavy sigh. The two returned to the room as the Empress  began to enjoy a rich noodle dish.
"How long will she have to eat human food?" The Emperor glanced at the plate suspiciously. The aroma was good, that much he could assure, but a Dragon eating rice noodles, mushrooms, lotus root, bamboo shoots, in short, vegetarian food!

"Only until tomorrow." Su Ning was leaning back against a diva, his hair flowing like a waterfall over his light gray robe. At that moment, Emperor Yao was unable to help but admire him. His appearance was so ethereal, like a breeze. His clothes were certainly humble and modest, but they were always clean and impeccable. He could very well be mistaken for a fairy or deity, above worldly desires.

"Yong-er, don't you really want to taste it? There's still some left." The Empress handed him the bowl, but Qian Young refused. "If he said it's part of the treatment, you should eat everything. But aren't you going to eat it too, human?"
Su Ning stared at him. Qiang Yong felt very uncomfortable with that pair of eyes on him, as if he had been caught in a net.

The human responded carefully. "I've eaten something before. I usually don't have much of an appetite and don't need to eat much."
"Ah! That doesn't look good. It could be because you have an advanced cultivation but it could be a health problem as well. Maybe Dr. Han could take a look at you. How was the spider bite on your hand?"
"There's no need. I'm perfectly fine, the hand is much better." He took off the bandage,  revealing only a small hole that was still a little swollen and red.

"I don't know. Sometimes you don't even look like a living person, maybe you're more like a ghost or an undead?" Qiang Yong shrugged.
Su Ning: "..........."
(and the Empress in the middle of these two).
Then the doctor burst into laughter.
"I imagine that when you squeezed my neck you must have seen that I'm very much alive, Your Majesty. Dead people don't bleed and they don't have a pulse." He stretched and then stood up.

"I will leave now, Lady Empress. Thank you for today, your company is truly pleasant. Lord Emperor, see you tomorrow." He gave a brief bow before leaving.
Qiang Yong put on a fake smile. At some point he would expose this person's secrets to the sunlight.

Author's Note

Ah, Su Ning smiling and laughing is so beautiful to see! Now I want to see Qiang Yong maintain his composure. You've already started to notice the other's beauty, I even know where this will end...

[1]In China, go is considered one of the "Four Arts Cultivated by Admirable People" along with calligraphy, painting and guqin.