Empress YuLong

Chapter 1

XueYuLong watched her maid XiaoYue as she combed her hair, XiaoYue's nimble fingers completing the hairstyle in nearly no time at all. YuLong closed her eyes as XiaoYue applied the makeup. She heard a sudden shout from outside.

As she stood up she turned to XiaoYue, "XiaoYue."

"Yes, miss?" XiaoYue answered. To YuLong, XiaoYue was more like a sister than a maid. Unlike YuLong, XiaoYue had a normal upbringing. YuLong was raised to be the Empress. To be manipulative and powerful. To survive in court. XiaoYue was innocent and pure. But they were like sisters nonetheless.

"Who's outside?"

" XueLiZhu miss, 3rd sister of the Xue family," XiaoYue replied sadly. LiZhu had tried to poison YuLong repeatedly, once, she accidentally poisoned XiaoYue's brother CaoFen instead of YuLong. "Should I tell the guards to-"

YuLong cut her off, "No need, I can deal with my sister. You stay here" YuLong smirked and placed a hand on top of XiaoYue's to reassure her, "This time, I won't let her off easy." Yulong took a small bottle from off the table.

XiaoYue saw the bottle and nodded gratefully. "Good luck miss."

LiZhu was the 3rd sister of the Xue family, the stubborn and arrogant 16-year-old had recently decided to dabble in murder. Not that she was dangerous in any way. YuLong rolled her eyes, LiZhu had thought herself to be discreet and smart. That YuLong didn't know how evil she was. But the truth was, YuLong had already guessed LiZhu's intentions. YuLong was just very subtle in showing it. But it was YuLong's wedding day, and she had nothing to lose.

LiZhu was waiting outside YuLong's chambers with her maids.

"YuLong!" LiZhu smiled, "I am so happy for you!"

YuLong slowly turned around, her back facing LiZhu, "Think before you act LiZhu, are you sure you wouldn't like to reword that?"

LiZhu was confused, "I don't understand, why can't I be happy for my eldest sister on her wedding day?"

YuLong started to slowly walk to the sedan next to LiZhu. The servants by the sedan were also confused.

"You think I don't know?" YuLong chuckled maliciously, "You have wished to marry JingLongJun for quite some time, haven't you?" YuLong waited for LiZhu to say something in her defense, but LiZhu stayed silent. And so YuLong carried on.

"A few weeks ago, you had a maid poison my breakfast. That failed, and so a few days later you tried again with my morning tea, that also failed. At dinner, you tried again, but you accidentally killed my maid's brother! The reason for your constant bad mood these days was because I wasn't dead." YuLong scoffed at the memory, "There was then a banquet a few days ago. You then made a smarter plan, you tried a sort of nearly undetectable, slow working poison in my wine. Then you invited me to drink in front of many, I couldn't possibly refuse, could I?" YuLong turned around to face LiZhu, who stricken, but said nothing.

"The only reason you checked in now, was because if your poison worked, I should've been dead by noon." YuLong walked towards LiZhu, clapping slowly and mockingly, "I must commend you for your efforts dear sister, but you will see, it's already evening."

"I couldn't possibly think of such a clever plan YuLong." LiZhu laughed nervously and shot a quick glare to her servants, telling them to leave. "Your thinking about it too much. I was in a bad mood these few days because my sister was about to leave me." LiZhu placed a hand on YuLong's arm. 

YuLong brushed LiZhu's arm away and held up the small bottle she had fetched right before meeting with LiZhu. "Your servant was found with this,"

LiZhu paled when she saw the poison. "It wasn't from me! My servant was the one with the poison, not me!"

YuLong shook her head, "Give up LiZhu. I also have a letter from you to your servant, instructing her to put the poison in my wine cup. I have that servant's testimony too." Yulong smirked, "Can you imagine what father and mother will do when I give them the evidence?"

LiZhu shook her head as if she didn't want to believe it, "But you realized too late right? The poison worked it's way into your body already, you could only slow down the poison a little, that why you're alive right?" LiZhu shook YuLong's shoulders and cried, "You're about to die by my hand, so you want me to feel pain and guilt before you died! You're lying! You don't have any evidence!"

YuLong was disgusted, LiZhu was laughing hysterically, "My plan worked! You realized too late! My plan-" LiZhu was cut off by YuLong's firm hand slapping her across the face, causing her to fall onto the ground.

YuLong smirked, "It was you who realized too late, I spilled some of the wine your servants poured me and had my own servants add something to neutralize the poison when they refilled a wine jar. I asked for a refill from my own servants, not any others, right before you invited me to drink, did I not?"

LiZhu shook her head vigorously, "It's not true! I will receive news of your death tomorrow!"

After she had XiaoYue give her a veil, YuLong entered the sedan, but could still hear LiZhu's cries.

"JingLongJun will be mine!" LiZhu shrieked.

YuLong just peacefully sat in the sedan. She remembered all the fun and memories she had of LiZhu when they were younger. Her kind heart, the way LiZhu would laugh, how she and LiZhu would run and play in the garden, how LiZhu would sneeze every time she got near the flowers. 

The first handkerchief LiZhu ever made properly, and how she insisted on YuLong to keep it.

Quietly, she said to herself, "LiZhu, you are not the sister I once had. The sister I used to have is now dead, replaced by an evil spirit wearing her skin."

YuLong took out a small piece of cloth from her pocket. 

Slowly and silently, YuLong reached for the small opening at the side of the sedan,

And threw the handkerchief out.        

XXX

Hey guys! What do you think of the first chapter? Mostly I will be updating every weekend since even though it's summer I am very busy.

I really hope you liked this chapter! YuLong and LongJun will meet soon don't worry!

Please note, any constructive criticism will be very welcomed. Since this is the first time writing a story for me, I do want the feedback.