The Tale Continues (Saiunkoku Monogatari Fanfiction: Ryuuki x Shuurei lemon)

Chapter 71: Passing Days

Ryuuki stopped signing documents and watched as his elder brother stared at a rose. Seiran is in-charge of guarding today since Shuuei must be with his wife making up for the time they were apart.

''You seem to be in a good mood today Seiran,'' he noticed.

Seiran who was smiling as he recalled the kiss with Jyuusan quickly made his expression blank. ''I'm just at ease today since Shuuei is not here today. I have no one to annoy me,'' he lied.

''Eh? Really?'' Ryuuki said and resumed his work. He silently wondered why he felt like there is another reason. After a while, he checked his brother again and this time, he is smiling as he looked out to the trees outside the window.

Ryuuki was happy to see his uptight brother smile like that. He wondered what the reason could be. He felt like it has something do about a woman.

Seiran immediately turned his head towards the door when he heard footsteps. He relaxed again when he saw it is Kouyuu. He returned to looking at the trees.

''Your Majesty, these documents needs to be signed immediately. I have reviewed it,'' Kouyuu informed and proceeded to explaining the contents. He was surprised that Seiran just listened from where he is seated.

Seiran often comments rudely when documents that need urgent approval suddenly turns up and Ryuuki had to prioritize it over everything else. He complains that they should prepare the documents earlier if they need it early. He hated how they pressure Ryuuki to just work and work all the time without rest.

Both Ryuuki and Kouyuu turned to look at Seiran who did not say a word. They saw him smiling. Kouyuu turned to Ryuuki with a questioning look.

''He had been like that since a while ago,'' Ryuuki said. ''I was also wondering why.''

Kouyuu studied Seiran for a while. ''It seems to be due to a woman.''

Ryuuki blinked. ''You think so too? Maybe he met someone outside the walls of Kiyou.''

''He was out for two weeks right? I heard he came a day later than he's supposed to be. He looked like he had a wonderful time with a woman. Perhaps he spent it with someone,'' Kouyuu hypothesized.

''You think so? I wonder who it was. He should have brought the woman with him here in Kiyou if she could make him smile like that. I've never seen brother look so happy,'' Ryuuki noted.

Kouyuu looked at Seiran again. ''Perhaps Shuuei had influenced him since they are always near each other as your guards. Maybe he prefers now to have various flowers.''

Seiran turned at that. ''I can hear you! Why won't you get out now if you're done with those documents before I burn it? What's wrong with me smiling once in a while? Stop putting me up with that Shuuei.''

Days later, Kouyuu, Shuuei, and Ryuuki murmured at each other at how they often caught Seiran smiling to himself. If they would ask him about it, they would just get chased away.

Seiran sighed in relief when the three finally stopped pestering him. They were all thinking that he had a woman when he went out for work. 'Just what do you take me for?' he thought angrily. 'I carry out my duties perfectly without extra activities like that Shuuei.''

He was walking around the palace to ensure security and check on the guards when he saw Jyuusan. He sighed in relief that she is back safe. He walked back to Ryuuki's office. It's getting dark.

He hoped that his brother had stopped working. He hated how Kouki overworks his little brother. If he was the Emperor, he would not accept that kind of behavior. He hoped that Ryuuki would scold that Prime Minister even if just once. He sighed knowing fully well that his brother is kind, unlike him.

When Seiran did not find Ryuuki in his office and bed chamber, he instantly worried and searched for him. He was relieved when he saw that his brother is with Kouyuu and Shuuei in the pavilion on the other side of the building.

''Come and join as Seiran,'' Shuuei called out. The three are drinking sake.

Seiran sat with them. ''What's with this sudden drink?''

''Kouyuu said he wanted to drink so we joined him,'' Ryuuki informed and poured wine for his elder brother.

''His wife went back to the Kou Province without saying a proper goodbye to him. He already miss her so he is using alcohol o forget that he would sleep alone tonight. Right Kouyuu?'' Shuuei teased his friend.

''Shut up! Not because you are able to be with your wife now, you can treat me like that,'' Kouyuu complained.

''I heard that Jyuusan just got back from giving additional trainings to her troop,'' Ryuuki said to Seiran.

''Yes. I saw her back in her posts a while ago,'' Seiran affirmed.

''She's really so energetic. She just got back and yet she's already helping to maintain security. She should have rested,'' Ryuuki commented.

''My sister does not like lazing around. She gets bored if she is not doing anything,'' Shuuei told them.

''No wonder she always gives demonstrations. I heard she's the only one who does that. She does not like just watching her soldiers does she,'' Kouyuu thought.

''She does not watch them. She personally trains them, sparring one on one with all of them. She always checks their skills, even those who were already trained by her years ago and already appointed different posts,'' Seiran informed.

Ryuuki smiled. ''I'm glad we have her in the military. If not for her efforts, the women who joined the military would have been just bullied and hurt. Due to her strength and strict guidance, their troop of women are now highly respected.''

All of them agreed. Shusui who is now the Head of the Cave of Immortals, Rin who is the Minister of Public Works and Affairs, and Shuurei known as the 'Official Killer' from the Censorate all showed to people that women can be good officials in the administration. Meanwhile, Jyuusan proved that women can be excellent military officers too just as women can be superb officials in the court.

Next Chapter: Ryuuki Likes Jyuusan