Empress YuLong

Chapter 14

The Empress stood at the palace entrance, beside the Emperor as they waited for SongKeYan to arrive.

"Emperor SongKeYan of the Yan kingdom arrives!"

The carriages rolled in. there were 2 of them. but one could easily guess which one belonged to SongKeYan.

YuLong watched curiously as the foreign ruler stepped out of his carriage with his servant and someone who looked like his mistress. What really caught her eye was the servant. She furrowed her brow at his behavior. Like he didn't want to be seen.

The foreign ruler's eyes darted all over the place. His gaze caught YuLong, he smirked and walked up to The Emperor and Empress.

He bowed. "Greetings Emperor Jing. This is a very warm welcome you give me."

LongJun nodded, "It is our honor to have you here."

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure..." SongKeYan said as he kissed YuLong's hand. While his mistress smirked at her. "LongJun, your Empress is indeed a sight to behold."

The mistress chuckled, "KeYan," she trailed her fingers up his arm.

The foreigner laughed, "I almost forgot, this is my mistress, QingSiJiang." He then gestured to his servant. "And this is my most trusted servant FengHe."

The Emperor and SongKeYan talked the entire welcome.

HuangAn was also at the welcoming, YuLong caught her cousin staring at the foreign ruler with an intensity she never saw in HuangAn before.

Was her cousin in love in love?

YuLong shook her head and focused on LongJun.

The welcome was over soon enough and she walked hand in hand with LongJun as they walked SongKeYan and QingSiJiang to their rooms.

LongJun kissed YuLong on the cheek, her eyes widened, "LongJun, not in front of-"

He pressed a finger to her lips, "I'll be waiting in my chamber." LongJun smirked as he walked off.

YuLong turned to the foreign ruler, "Your room will be here, Miss Qing will have the room opposite yours unless you want to share rooms?"

SongKeYan grinned, "I am tempted, but my mistress and I should have separate rooms."

The mistress pouted, "But-"

He patted her shoulder, "just in case, but trust me, you'll be sleeping with me every night."

He turned to YuLong, "If you ever get bored of silly old LongJun, I could always pleasure you, Empress Xue."

She paled, what did he just say?

"Your Highness, that is highly ina-"

He cut her off and looked her up and down, slowly undressing her with his eyes. he tried to touch her. "You really are a beauty, in the future we could-"

"No," YuLong said firmly, slapping his hand away. "I am no whore. I am an Empress, and I will be treated as such.  If you want a whore, go bed yourself. But please spare me from your barbaric fantasies. Good night, you highness."

YuLong said, she turned her back on the surprised ruler and made her way to LongJun's chamber.

"YuLong!" He wrapped his arms around her, "SongKeYan didn't bother you did he?"

She shook her head, "Not really. he proved to be quite the pervert, but he did not get to lay a hand on me."

He nodded in relief and kissed her, "Good, because if he did, I'll tear him limb from limb until all that's left is a pile of mincemeat."

YuLong furrowed her brow, "Someone's feeling protective today."

"Only for you, my Empress." He nuzzled his head against her neck, "Only for you."

XXX

The next day, YuLong went to visit HuangAn, along with Concubine Wu and Liu'er.  They all became close friends over the past few days. Something was...off.  HuangAn didn't rush out to greet YuLong, and HuangAn, who always had her windows open since she'd love staring out of them, had them tightly closed with curtains blocking the outside view. 

"HuangAn?" YuLong knocked on the wooden door. 

Muffled voiced were heard inside the house, minutes later, HuangAn opened the door, greeting them.

"YuLong! what a nice surprise." 

YuLong and the others walked in, confused, HuangAn was always the beauty guru. she'd have her hair done to perfection. and her skills in doing makeup was no secret.

But HuangAn seemed different. her hair was down and messy, and her lips swollen, and not a trace of makeup on her face.

They sat down as HuangAn poured them some green tea.  

"I've been meaning to ask, how did you become such a love expert?" Liu'er smiled and sipped her tea.

HuangAn nodded, "I've had...experience, not with men. Just with the emotions. I guess it was looking after my sister and her situation with her husband that taught me."

"Have you ever thought of getting married?" Concubine Wu asked.

HuangAn nodded, "Before, yes.  But now, I don't want to."

"HuangAn," YuLong set down her tea, "This is unlike you, you're usually the one with perfect appearances. You never even allow a single hair to be out of place. Were you in the middle of something?"

Her cousin blushed and shook her head, "No, I was just waking up, that's all."

YuLong raised her eyebrow, "But something's different about you..." She trailed off and observed the room. 

It stank of sweat. The bed was also wet. HuangAn's swollen lips. The muffled voices, YuLong swore she heard a familiar male voice along with HuangAn's when she arrived and was that a drop of blood on the bedsheets?

He eyes widened, "HuangAn." YuLong said carefully, "Were you...Were you with a man before we came?"

Her cousin sighed, "I can never get anything past you can I YuLong?"

"You must tell us who it is!" Concubine Wu squealed, "Who's the lucky man?"

"I'll tell if you tell us who the man you're seeing is." HuangAn crossed her arms and smirked.

Liu'er huffed, "Come on HuangAn,  we really want to know."

"And besides," Concubine Wu said, "I'm not supposed to say since I'm a married woman."

"And I'm not supposed to say since I'm supposed to be an untouched maiden until marriage." HuangAn countered.

"You're always so stubborn HuangAn."

YuLong chuckled, "HuangAn, just tell us. Please?"

HuangAn sighed and sipped her tea, "Maybe just this once. For you guys."

"So who is it?"

"Th foreign ruler that visited today. SongKeYan."