Sorrow In Autumn

Chapter 31 They Threaten

Well this is possibly the twelfth go, so hopefully it will work!!

This chapter went through a mass editing phase because it was so big it practically spawned its own side story! :) Now it is in two parts, that fingers-crossed makes sense!

💙 🎄 Merry Christmas Evy! 🎄 💙

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The threat of death never seemed far away.

Shen Wei wanted to angle his body so he could shield Kunlun, an urge that seemed to have immediately reawakened in him so easily after ten years of standing on his own. He was hyper-aware of every breath Kunlun took, the strength of his thrumming power, every shift of his body, the sound the fabric of his robes made when he moved. He wanted to press close and after he had been through sit him down so he could rest.

He wanted to promise him that Shen Wei's love was still his.

The robes that hung from his frame showed how much weight he had lost. His cheekbones were sharper, eyes deep-set and shadowed, bruised from all he had suffered.

As much as he feared hearing of it, Shen Wei wanted to hear everything that had happened to him, every hurt and every scrap of his ordeal...but he didn't know if his heart could take it. Guilt and pain washed over him, just at the thought of how much Ah Lan had been through these ten years. That he was alive and sane was miracle enough, to have him breathing beside him, real and solid...that was beyond a dream.

To hear that someone wanted him dead barely caught his interest. His main goal was to remove Kunlun and Wang Zheng to safety. What happened after that was a bonus or necessary consequence.

But he knew he was caught and that infuriated him.

When he had been Lord Commander, he thought of his Emperor first. How his actions would effect Ye Zun, effect the nation. Now he was Emperor, he had to think of his people, balance consequence and justice. As Shen Wei, he thought of Xiao Anujin, his child's future and safety. He thought of Wang Zheng and his promise to her.

He thought of Zhao Yunlan. Because while he was newly returned, his place in life was not certain. He had to protect him, no matter what his mountain king thought.

He could, he mused simply kill the kidnappers and end this situation. It would not be honorable but it would prevent the outbreak of war and the death of thousands. If the crowd here thought him ruthless and murderous, would that protect his love ones?

He could and he wanted to.

Rage simmered and his power echoed that desire for breaking bone and spilling blood. It always had, no matter how righteous he tried to be.

They had attacked him, on Dixingian soil. As the Emperor he could not ignore this fact or suppress the inevitable rumors. And somehow, some way he thought bitterly, it would be blamed on Kunlun. Of this he was sure.

That was the simple problem. Any action taken now would resound in consequences he had to be willing to bear. It was no good surviving today to bring war on the lands tomorrow.

Jie Ming as the King of Shangbei would not and could not ignore it either. An attack had been made on his people and Jie Ming was only forgiving to his family. His distrust and hatred ran deep for Southern Haixing, enough to overcome his despair over the number of causalities they had suffered, the number of prisoners of war he had saved. His kindness was contradictory . His loyalty to Kunlun absolute.

To learn there had been a plot against Kunlun, one he too had failed to see and stop...Jie Ming would not be swayed.

War would begin again.