Morning court went as well as it could have. The treaty terms were on their way to satisfying the officials, and they had definitely put their Great Rong at an advantage. After Shen Qiao settled that, every faction demanded his attention in turn, bringing their most pressing concerns to him. Likely because what Shen Qiao had said was true: he was a much more reasonable leader than Yan Wushi. When he disagreed with someone, he made that clear, but he'd work the conversation into something productive where Yan Wushi would have spent at least ten minutes making fun of their requests.
Ruyan Kehui had reminded Shen Qiao that the Linchuan Institute was still closed, so Shen Qiao officially opened it back up and increased the number of spots for the incoming class, then he did the same for Purple Manor.
When Abbot Xueting interceded and demanded that Tiantai Temple receive the same favor, Shen Qiao told him he'd divert two percent of the dudie fees from the last exam to fund any Buddhist pilgrims their dear Abbot wished to send out.
Shen Qiao also increased the budget for the relief sent to the northeast at Zhao Chiying's request. He assigned her and Dou Yanshan to draft a work plan that would give the refugees just outside the capital a lump sum to move back to the northeast, and a salary to start rebuilding, which made Dou Yanshan upset until Shen Qiao reminded him how much money the ports there made them each year. Investing in the area's full recovery was really in everyone's best interest, and to cover any over-expenditures, Shen Qiao increased the tax to foreign imports from Xian and Sindhril, which Dou Yanshan had been begging for for months.
Tan Yuanchun did not speak up throughout the session, which Shen Qiao couldn't blame him for. If Tan Yuanchun made requests and Shen Qiao agreed, it would look like Shen Qiao was doing his brother favors. If Shen Qiao rejected his brother's requests, others might take advantage of the Chancellory's ever-waning influence. Shen Qiao couldn't stand to see his own brother bullied at work, so it was likely for the best.
The silence that concerned Shen Qiao more was that came from Sang Jingxing's faction. Even though he'd been vocal about rejecting Beimu's peace proposal, mainly on the grounds that Ruru and the lower congress did not have the authority to negotiate, he hadn't said a word as Shen Qiao revised and re-revised the treaty. Even though the treaty still greatly favored Rong, Shen Qiao didn't want to drive the Beimu people further into the ground than he needed to, especially since Ruru was a reasonable, calm ambassador. So the fact that Sang Jingxing hadn't spoken up…
"Is everything alright?" Bian Yanmei said as they walked back to Yan Wushi's palace.
"He'll strike soon, won't he?"
"I would if I were him," Yu Shengyan said.
Bian Yanmei shot him a look, and then said to Shen Qiao, "You shouldn't worry about that. His Majesty has already accounted for everything. It's best to carry on as if you don't know."
Luckily, Shen Qiao was so enraged when he opened the door to Yan Wushi's chambers and found him at his desk working, he forgot that Sang Jingxing was breathing down the nation's neck.
"What do you think you're doing?" Shen Qiao demanded.
"I'll give you three guesses," Yan Wushi said as he dropped a booklet into the approved basket. "Ah, you look like an immortal in white, I'm glad we went with that instead of the blue."
Bian Yanmei presented the edicts Shen Qiao had collected for review during court to Yan Wushi.
"Aren't you a little busybody," Yan Wushi opened one and nodded, then marked a few changes and stamped it.
"It was a long day at court."
Yan Wushi nodded as he read another booklet. "Shengyan, stand guard for a bit. Yanmei, have Wu Mi bring lunch for our dear regent, then go to the front hall and wait for the letter to arrive."
After placing a new set of edicts on Yan Wushi's desk, both of them bowed and left. Shen Qiao watched them go, then said, "You're expecting a letter?"
"En."
"From whom?"
"Who do you think?"
Shen Qiao had an idea, but instead of answering, he huffed and plucked the brush out of Yan Wushi's hand. "You ought to be resting. Your lips are blue and your hand is shaking."
Yan Wushi frowned and appeared to think for a moment. "Perhaps you're right."
Shen Qiao nearly dropped the brush! Never had Yan Wushi ever agreed so meekly to anything Shen Qiao suggested! Even when he was ill and out of his wits, he'd still try to fight Shen Qiao, but now…?
"Just one more," Yan Wushi said, snatching the brush from Shen Qiao's hand. Shen Qiao opened his mouth to argue, but Wu-gonggong knocked at the door and brought in a pot of noodles; Shen Qiao tested the food and then portioned it out into two bowls once Wu Mi left them.
He forced Yan Wushi away from his desk and to the low table so he could eat, "Alright, you've done one more," but Yan Wushi only stirred the bowl of noodles absentmindedly as he stared at Shen Qiao.
It made Shen Qiao nervous, so he asked, "Where's your deer?"
"I had A-Qing take him out to the gardens. He gets depressed if I keep him in too long."
"Well, he's a wild animal, of course he gets depressed inside."
Yan Wushi asked, "And what about my dear Meiren, hm? Does he get bored couped up with me too?"
"How can I be bored? If I stop paying attention for even one moment, I'll end up in trouble again, isn't that right?"
Yan Wushi laughed, saying, "Quite right!"
Yan Wushi pulled a few of the newer booklets to review while they ate, even though Shen Qiao gave him a withering glare over it.
"You're being much too lenient with the Beimu treaty," he said with a click of his tongue. "I'm surprised the ministers agreed to this. The grain disbursement terms will need to be changed to be less generous–A-Qiao, my nation isn't a restaurant, you know."
Shen Qiao rolled his eyes.
"Overall a naive, kind treaty," Yan Wushi continued, a trace of distaste in his voice, "It's missing the section that dissolves the treaty when they attack us again."
"Again?"
Yan Wushi set the booklet down. "Yes, again, what do you think this treaty will last till the end of time? Just as there is no banquet that doesn't end, there is no drought that lasts forever. When you strengthen another nation, do you think they will be grateful? They're more likely to build forces in secret and rebel the moment they have enough to feed their troops. When that happens, we must have a plan of action. Why do you think I kept your plans for the wall, hm?" he nodded over to the desk, where the scroll Shen Qiao had prepared for him still sat.
"Even if it makes no sense to pursue now, in thirty years, the Department of Works will be grateful they don't have to come up with the numbers themselves."
When they each finished their food, Yan Wushi tossed the booklets back on the table and stretched, raising his arms over his head and arching his back. As he stood, he didn't even make for his desk; instead, he began taking off his outer robe and washing his face. Shen Qiao was going to do the same, but Yan Wushi stopped him.
"Wait, it's not time yet."
Shen Qiao didn't understand what he meant and stood uselessly in the center of the room as Yan Wushi extinguished some candles and rinsed his mouth out with tea.
He laid himself down so that the bed's wooden posts framed him perfectly. "Alright, undress."
What was the point of all that? Shen Qiao shot him a confused look, and began untying his belt. He folded it up and put it on a shelf on the side of the room. Then he began untying his outer robes.
"A-Qiao, what are you doing? I can't see you over there!"
"Why do you need to see me?"
There was a noise like Yan Wushi couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Did no one teach you how to please your husband?! What were you doing at all those harem meetings, twiddling your thumbs?"
"Your Majesty?"
"We haven't been together properly, and it's time we fix that. Undress where I can see."
Shen Qiao was shocked! Furious! Speechless!
"Hurry up, now!"
Shen Qiao stomped over to where Yan Wushi could see him.
"Better. Aiyoh, slow down!"
Shen Qiao had been plucking at the ties of his robes faster than usual, both out of passive aggression and embarrassment. He scowled at Yan Wushi but did as he was asked, stilling his hands and letting the ties fall undone. He let the sheer outer layer fall to the floor, then slid himself out of the white silk middle layer. He hesitated to let that layer go. He had sent A-Qing to get more clothes for him while he was taking care of Yan Wushi, and for whatever reason, the only inner robes A-Qing had provided him had been dudou. That wouldn't have been an issue, but this particular dudou was made of thin white silk, which left little to the imagination.
Yan Wushi raised an eyebrow at him. Shen Qiao let the middle robe fall. With a smirk, Yan Wushi let out an appreciative hum. Shen Qiao's ears were burning, and he didn't know what to do next, so he was going to pick his clothes up off the floor to fold them properly, but Yan Wushi said, "Leave them."
Shen Qiao was left standing in a dudou and trousers, feeling adrift; he awkwardly stepped towards the bed, then took the futon from one of the cupboards in the frame and began to lay it on the floor.
"A-Qiao, what are you doing?"
"Getting ready for bed," he said skittishly.
"On the floor?"
"You're obviously feeling better, so—"
"Is sleeping with me so repulsive to you!"
Ah, he really sounded offended. Shen Qiao stuttered and tried to explain, but Yan Wushi cut him off, furiously saying, "If you don't come to bed this instant, I'll make your sister the Chancellor!"
Shen Qiao's body locked up. But then he saw the emperor's pinched face and thought he looked a bit like a child throwing a tantrum; with a deep breath his joints loosened once more. Honestly, if the emperor really wanted to sleep with Shen Qiao, he could have just said so! Shen Qiao stood upright and hesitantly took another step towards the bed, leaving the futon behind. Yan Wushi's stormy expression cleared up right away.
Shen Qiao's steps stuttered once he reached the bed frame. Yan Wushi was watching very carefully, like he was proctoring the imperial exams. Shen Qiao almost snorted—as if Yan Wushi would ever care enough about the exams to proctor them himself! But he was clearly in a touchy mood, so Shen Qiao schooled his expression. He put one knee on the bed.
"Come here."
As Shen Qiao climbed up from the bottom of the bed, his heart began to beat faster, and he prayed Yan Wushi couldn't hear it. He came to kneel on the left side of the emperor's hips and found that each time he tried to look at Yan Wushi, his eyes would skitter off somewhere else. He could feel Yan Wushi's own gaze running over his body. He startled when Yan Wushi wrapped his left arm around Shen Qiao and dragged him onto his lap.
"You're still not fully healed—" he started, only for Yan Wushi to shut him up with a kiss. Shen Qiao had to grab his shoulder to keep his balance, and reflexively his hands bunched up the fabric there as Yan Wushi forced his head to the side and took what he wanted. After having so many kisses forced on him, Shen Qiao knew the emperor enjoyed a bit of a fight, so he tried to pull away. And also because he was piqued that Yan Wushi kept interrupting him. But since Yan Wushi was still recovering, Shen Qiao didn't put much strength into his struggle.
Yan Wushi bit Shen Qiao's lower lip, making Shen Qiao grunt and dig his nails into Yan Wushi's shoulders. Yan Wushi licked into his mouth and hummed as Shen Qiao tentatively met him halfway. The whole time, Yan Wushi had been feeling along Shen Qiao's waist, sliding his hands up under the soft fabric of the dudou, thumbing along the lowest of Shen Qiao's ribs. But then he squeezed, and Shen Qiao surged up in surprise, knocking their noses together and pressing himself further into the kiss.
Yan Wushi laughed against his mouth, and tweaked one of Shen Qiao's nipples through the fabric, eliciting another startled noise and flinch from Shen Qiao.
Shen Qiao had been hot-faced almost since Yan Wushi had told him to undress, but now his whole body felt warm, even though he was down to his underwear. The heat only increased and moved southward when Yan Wushi broke away from their kiss and a thread of saliva drooped and snapped between them, but he didn't have time to think about it much longer because Yan Wushi used their positions, with Shen Qiao kneeling over his hips, to nibble the underside of Shen Qiao's jaw.
Shen Qiao bit his bottom lip, ignoring how puffy and wet it felt, just trying not to make any noise. Yan Wushi's hand slid up from Shen Qiao's lower back to the lower tie of the dudou, and he slowly pulled one of the knot's tails. Shen Qiao could feel the moment the knot unraveled, air slipped between the cloth and his chest as the corners wilted at his sides.
"This kind of garment suits you," Yan Wushi said against his ear. "Why bother with outer robes, hm? I ought to keep you locked up here just like this."
"Who will run your empire if I'm here?"
Yan Wushi chuckled, and the puff of air caused Shen Qiao to shiver. He could feel Yan Wushi's hardening cock under his own groin, and he found himself slightly thrilled. Embarrassed, confused, but not averse to the sensation, not unwilling.
"Who cares?"
Shen Qiao clicked his teeth, but Yan Wushi took that as an invitation to kiss him again. He pulled at the dudou's upper knot, the one behind Shen Qiao's neck, and when the undergarment fell between them, Yan Wushi used their positions to press Shen Qiao deeper into the embrace, so their tongues had nowhere else to go but in the other's mouth. The emperor tasted a bit like the tea they used to clean their teeth, but it was really the sensation and sounds that made Shen Qiao squirm, having a second tongue in his mouth felt unnatural, like he was being invaded, and the noises were downright obscene, but Shen Qiao had always been very good at going with the flow, so he allowed Yan Wushi his liberties and allowed the nips and bites and tight grip on the back of his neck. But then Yan Wushi's other hand slipped under the waistband of his trousers and Shen Qiao had to pull away. His hand accidentally slid under Yan Wushi's collar, and the warmth of their skin meeting in two places made Shen Qiao's stomach twist.
Yan Wushi was somehow able to shoulder his way out of his open under robe without removing his hands from Shen Qiao's hair or rear end. Shen Qiao was panting, still out of breath from kissing, and he stared at the pink scars on Yan Wushi's torso. He'd seen this chest a hundred times before for treatments and checkups, but this time looking at it made Shen Qiao feel dizzy. He squeezed Yan Wushi's pectoral muscle absentmindedly, and Yan Wushi laughed breathlessly.
"Assessing your work?"
"Don't…overexert yourself," Shen Qiao said lamely.
Yan Wushi pinched his butt in retaliation, which made Shen Qiao jerk forward and rub their cocks together. They both made short bitten off noises, but Shen Qiao's was too loud! He slapped a hand over his mouth and felt a dribble of something run down his dick.
"If you're trying to get me off with my pants on again, I'm afraid I'm going to ruin your night."
"I-I-" Shen Qiao was trying to get his thoughts in line when Yan Wushi lifted his hips up and yanked down his trousers without even bothering with the drawstring. Shen Qiao lurched forward, accidentally ramming his chest into Yan Wushi's face; Yan Wushi wasn't offended, or perhaps he was, because he bit down on one of Shen Qiao's nipples, making Shen Qiao gasp, his toes curl.
Shen Qiao's taut trouser waistband meant he couldn't easily move his legs since the tightest part of the pants was now tied around his thighs. He didn't dare look down, even as Yan Wushi spat in his hand and wrapped it around him.
"A-Qiao, you're already wet?"
Shen Qiao tried to pull away, but ended up squeezing Yan Wushi's chest again, his other hand coming to rest over Yan Wushi's other shoulder. He bit his lower lip when Yan Wushi rubbed his thumb along the crown of Shen Qiao's dick and shamelessly bit the thickest part of Shen Qiao's chest muscle.
"Second drawer to your left," Yan Wushi said, raking his nails down Shen Qiao's side.
Shen Qiao blinked down at him.
"Second drawer. On you left," Yan Wushi repeated, expression going smug. "Do you understand me?"
It took him a moment, but Shen Qiao nodded and leaned to his left to rifle around the bed frame's indicated drawer. As he did so, Yan Wushi pushed his own trousers down, the head of his cock brushed against Shen Qiao's thigh and left a wet trail, almost causing Shen Qiao to drop the clamshell he'd retrieved from the drawer. Yan Wushi took his wrist, then opened the clamshell and ran his fingers through the ointment inside. He pumped his own cock—not that Shen Qiao looked down to watch, honestly the sounds were enough to make steam come out of his ears!
"A-Qiao," Yan Wushi said softly, "Come here."
Shen Qiao shuffled forward with his eyes closed. Yan Wushi took Shen Qiao's cock in hand as well, and the tight, warm, twisting sensation, combined with the knowledge that he was being held together against Yan Wushi, made Shen collapse forward. Yan Wushi laughed against his ear as the pleasant itching sensation built, Shen Qiao threaded his arms under Yan Wushi's just so he could drag his nails down Yan Wushi's shoulder blades, he buried his face in Yan Wushi's hair and tried not to shout. Yan Wushi's hand stilled, and Shen Qiao couldn't help but kick the tops of his feet into the bed, even when the action made the waistband of his trousers dig into his thighs.
Wrapping his forearm under Shen Qiao's rear end and leaning backwards, Yan Wushi lifted Shen Qiao up again, just long enough to use his other hand to pull Shen Qiao's trousers down to his calves.
"You'll have to do the rest of the work yourself. I can't reach, and honestly, I have more interesting things to play with up here," he said, slipping his lubed fingers between Shen Qiao's buttcheeks.
Shen Qiao kept kicking his legs to escape his pants, and every time Yan Wushi prodded at his ass, he shifted forward, rubbing their cocks together. He felt ridiculous! He felt lightheaded! He wished he could keep his mouth shut! But the way Yan Wushi touched him had goosebumps running along his arms, he could feel sweat beading at his temples, and then Yan Wushi caught him in another kiss, how was Shen Qiao supposed to fight back?
He moaned into the kiss when Yan Wushi finally pushed his fingers inside. It was a confusing sensation, both pleasant and uncomfortable; it made the heat running along Shen Qiao's skin intensify, made his tongue sloppy against Yan Wushi's. He felt so out of control and tense like fabric in an embroidery hoop that was fraying at the edges, but then Yan Wushi pulled away, kissed him on the cheek, bit the lobe of his ear, took their cocks in hand once more, and Shen Qiao couldn't help himself.
With a mortifying moan, Shen Qiao's body unwound, he could feel his cock twitching in Yan Wushi's hand, especially as Yan Wushi kept wringing him out. With each pulse, Shen Qiao breathed out another moan, trying to ignore how easy the slide of Yan Wushi against him became with the added lubrication.
"So quick, are you always this easy?"
Shen Qiao just made an exhausted noise against Yan Wushi's neck.
"You're young though, I suppose that's fine."
Shen Qiao yelped when the fingers in his ass prodded and brushed against nerves that had Shen Qiao's whole body tightening up again.
"Y-Yan Wushi—"
"Stay still." He drew his fingers out and pressed back in, and Shen Qiao shouted.
He tried to scramble away, but if he went forward, he would only be leaning further into Yan Wushi, and if he tried to go backwards…Yan Wushi's fingers were really too much. He ended up listing to the side before Yan Wushi released their dicks to wrap an arm around his waist.
Shen Qiao panted, "I've already—"
"What? That's all you're up for? You're what, twenty-three? Twenty-four? You can definitely go again. At least once more."
"I can't—" Shen Qiao said, whipping his head from side to side. "I can't, Yan Wushi, no, I can't."
Yan Wushi rubbed a little harder over those nerves and Shen Qiao couldn't help the wail he let out.
Suddenly, his vision blurred and the back of his head hit the bed. Yan Wushi had flipped him onto his back easily, he could feel his dick filling out again. If Yan Wushi's expression was anything to go by, he could feel it too.
"A-Qiao, ah, A-Qiao, you really do look best when you're helpless. Look how flexible you are?" Yan Wushi pushed both of Shen Qiao's knees up until they rested on the bed on either side of his torso. Shen Qiao tried to kick out of his grasp, since the position left him extremely vulnerable, but Yan Wushi pressed down harder, and his hip muscles, the backs of his thighs, began to protest.
"It hurts," he breathed. Yan Wushi's grip tightened just for a moment, then leaned forward, laying his whole weight on Shen Qiao. Shen Qiao's legs flopped back down and bounced off the back of Yan Wushi's calves.
"Don't cry, A-Qiao, I'll make sure it's worth it." Yan Wushi licked up Shen Qiao's cheek and kissed his eyebrow. Shen Qiao hadn't realized he was crying. He bucked his hips against Yan Wushi's as he tried to push Yan Wushi off of him just so he could catch his breath, but Yan Wushi was too big, and much too persistent to let him go as their cocks rubbed against each other.
He slid his fingers back into Shen Qiao, startling another moan out of him. It was just—so—much! Shen Qiao had already come, why was Yan Wushi still playing with him? Wasn't it normal to be over-sensitive after coming?
Each press inward made Shen Qiao jolt, and Yan Wushi was smiling against his ear, laughing at him. Just when Shen Qiao really thought he couldn't take it any more, Yan Wushi lifted himself up and removed his fingers. Shen Qiao took a long breath only to gasp as something thick and blunt rubbed up against his ass.
"That's right, deep breaths," Yan Wushi said sweetly against his skin. "Discomfort is normal, pain isn't, understand?"
That was the only warning Shen Qiao got before Yan Wushi pressed the head of his cock into him. Shen Qiao truly felt like all the air was being forced out of him, like he was being forced out of his own body, every inch of Yan Wushi's cock felt interminable, but it satisfied something in Shen Qiao, and he found himself yielding, yielding, yielding, until Yan Wushi was fully inside him.
Shen Qiao opened his eyes. He couldn't remember when they'd fallen closed, and above him, Yan Wushi was startlingly vulnerable. His own eyes were closed, brows furrowed, a splotchy blush on his chest. The gray hairs at his temples clumped together with sweat. With a shaking hand, Shen Qiao smoothed down those hairs, let his fingers slip between the strands. Yan Wushi turned his face into Shen Qiao's hand and kissed his palm. He pulled out almost all the way, slowly, like he was savoring it, then, just as slowly, pushed back into Shen Qiao's body. Shen Qiao's lashes fluttered, and involuntarily, he wrapped one of his legs around the back of Yan Wushi's thigh, forcing him closer.
Closer.
Shen Qiao wanted him to be as close as possible. Even though Yan Wushi was already as close as he could possibly be, Shen Qiao still wanted him closer, and the intensity of the emotion surprised him. He wasn't someone who felt emotions deeply, so why, so suddenly…
But it hadn't been sudden, and to say so would have been lying to himself. Shen Qiao felt another tear run down his cheek.
"More," he said on an exhale.
Yan Wushi obliged with a quick snap of his hips that made Shen Qiao's eyes cross. The increase in pace was noticeable, but Shen Qiao knew Yan Wushi was still holding out on him. His face was too thin to demand more, but his lower body was straightforward as always, and he kicked against Yan Wushi's legs.
"A-Qiao," Yan Wushi said, with no follow up. He kissed Shen Qiao again, over and over, as he meticulously rearranged Shen Qiao's insides. It was infuriating and infatuating and made Shen Qiao turn his head away to groan. His whole body was twitching again, and Yan Wushi refused to grant him mercy, but wasn't that what made Yan Wushi, Yan Wushi? Shen Qiao bore down on Yan Wushi's cock, feeling faraway satisfaction at the soft, "Fuck," Yan Wushi let out as he buried himself in Shen Qiao again.
He picked up his pace again, his breath coming in pants; he smiled down at Shen Qiao when they caught each other's eye. Shen Qiao swallowed, and Yan Wushi's gaze dropped to his throat, then flicked back up to his eyes.
Shen Qiao stopped kicking Yan Wushi and instead wrapped his legs around the backs of Yan Wushi's, his arms wrapped under his armpits so he could hold Yan Wushi again, then dug his fingernails into the skin when another well aimed thrust hit Shen Qiao in those nerves that made his cock twitch.
"Breathe, A-Qiao," Yan Wushi said between heavy pants.
Shen Qiao let out his own shaky breath and felt the muscles in his butt relax just in time for Yan Wushi to shove back inside. Every muscle in Shen Qiao's body tightened back up and he scratched down Yan Wushi's back, which made Yan Wushi's dick twitch inside him.
He murmured, "Are you close? A-Qiao? Are you going to come again? Already?"
Shen Qiao was embarrassed, but not as much as he would have been if he weren't so strung out. He clenched his lower body once more and Yan Wushi's rhythm stuttered, then sped up.
With the new pace, Shen Qiao finally felt like he was heading somewhere rather than being trapped in a whirlpool. Their skin made slick slapping noises as they met, and each push and pull had Shen Qiao making pathetic little noises through his clenched teeth until Yan Wushi kissed him again, then he was moaning into Yan Wushi's mouth, especially when his cock bumped against Yan Wushi's stomach.
At that point all Yan Wushi had to do was wrap his hand around Shen Qiao's dick and stroke twice, and Shen Qiao fell apart. His whole body went rigid, he whipped his head back and forth as he finally fell over the edge of that waterfall; his legs spasmed violently, his heels connecting with the backs of Yan Wushi's knees. Yan Wushi fucked him through it, biting at his ear and pressing their chests together.
And then Shen Qiao collapsed back into the bed, boneless. Yan Wushi ran his hand up over Shen Qiao's stomach, through the splatters of come and up over Shen Qiao's chest. He pinched Shen Qiao's left nipple, eliciting a full body shudder. He rolled his hips, and Shen Qiao groaned like he was in pain.
"You haven't?" he said, feeling tears welling up in his eyes again. Shen Qiao could take pain, he didn't cry often, especially over injuries, but this kind of pain was different, less piercing, and more overwhelming, like he'd scratched an itch too much and now his whole body was raw, but Yan Wushi was still…
"This face of yours," Yan Wushi said rubbing the moisture under Shen Qiao's lashes away, "I'd give you anything."
He snapped his hips forward, and Shen Qiao's eyes rolled back in their sockets.
Yan Wushi hushed him, saying, "Not much longer, just a bit more."
Shen Qiao nodded lazily, not quite understanding what had been said.
True to his words, after a few more minutes of using Shen Qiao's body, telling him to clench, to look Yan Wushi in the eye, Yan Wushi's shoulders curled forward, and his pace sped up. With a short, breathy sound, Yan Wushi slammed himself into Shen Qiao, and his cock twitched, the glide in and out became impossibly smooth, something wet dripped down Shen Qiao's skin and onto the bed.
It ought to be disgusting, but Shen Qiao almost wanted to keep his legs locked around Yan Wushi so that he couldn't escape.
Yan Wushi must have understood Shen Qiao's thoughts because he didn't even bother pulling out, he just laid himself on Shen Qiao, resting his face in the crook of Shen Qiao's neck to place a kiss there.
"If you didn't have to go to court tomorrow, I'd tie you to the bed and go at least two more rounds with you," Yan Wushi said, his voice rough and lethargic.
"You—!" Shen Qiao didn't get anything else out because his dick twitched against Yan Wushi's hip, and Yan Wushi laughed at him.
"I'll have Yanmei bring you a cushion to sit on if you're uncomfortable tomorrow."
"Why am I going to court if you're well enough to…"
"The letter didn't come today."
"What letter is this?"
"Might not be a letter," Yan Wushi said with a yawn. "But it didn't come," Yan Wushi said, rolling to Shen Qiao's side. As his cock slipped out of Shen Qiao, come dripped out of Shen Qiao faster, making Shen Qiao's cheeks heat.
Yan Wushi took a cloth out of the drawer in the bedframe and cleaned himself off, then produced another cloth and made to clean between Shen Qiao's ass cheeks, but Shen Qiao snatched the cloth from him and handled the matter himself. Yan Wushi still came up behind him and leaned on him to nuzzle the back of his neck.
"Still doesn't answer the question," Shen Qiao said grumpily.
"You don't need to worry about it. Just go to court like usual, handle them as you did today. The letter will eventually come."
He pulled Shen Qiao back into bed, and curled around him. Every once in a while he'd push his lips against the top of Shen Qiao's head in a lazy kiss. His palm rested gently over Shen Qiao's wrist, his fingertips drumming over the ring Shen Qiao still hadn't taken off.
Shen Qiao awoke to aches in muscles he didn't even know he had. He'd often felt this way before he'd entered the palace, when he still exercised vigorously, but it had never been centered around…never in such a private area. His shoulders and neck were a bit sore too, but that wasn't such an issue.
When Bian Yanmei knocked on their door in the morning, Shen Qiao tried to swing his body out of bed and almost cried out from the unexpected twinges. He managed to stand, and found that fine, but walking took a bit of composure. He threw on a random robe from one of Yan Wushi's drawers and kicked the clothes from last night to the edge of the room, silently cursing Yan Wushi. He hobbled to the door to let Bian-gonggong in.
"Good morning," Bian Yanmei said. If he noticed anything, like the way Shen Qiao couldn't look him in the eye, or the marks on Shen Qiao's neck, or the scratches on Yan Wushi's naked back, which were in plain view , he didn't say anything. "Court begins in an hour, so let's get you bathed and dressed."
"Weiqi," Yan Wushi grunted from the bed. "He can't leave until he sets up the board."
"Of course, Your Majesty."
"Don't let anyone else bathe him."
"Of course, Your Majesty." So instead of shepherding Shen Qiao off to the emperor's bathing chambers, Bian Yanmei had servants fill a small tub for Shen Qiao to bathe himself in. Shen Qiao would peek over his shoulder every now and again to see if Yan Wushi was staring at him, but his husband must have truly been worn out, because each time, Yan Wushi was facing away from him.
The servants returned to remove the tub, and Bian Yanmei helped Shen Qiao dress, tying him into a high-collared under robe and soft blue outer robes. His hair was still wet from the bath, so Bian Yanmei braided it and pinned it into a low bun with a simple silver hair stick. Shen Qiao laid out a life-and-death problem for Yan Wushi on his weiqi board, and then denied Bian Yanmei's request that he wear a veil. Shen Qiao expected Yan Wushi to press the issue, but he stayed silent. Shen Qiao went over to the bed again and placed a hand on Yan Wushi's forehead. He wasn't feverish, but when Shen Qiao moved his hand to Yan Wushi's throat, his pulse was sluggish again. Yan Wushi caught his hand and kissed his palm, then said, "Have fun in court," before drifting off to sleep again.
Bian Yanmei motioned for Shen Qiao to follow him out of the room, and while he was still sore, he at least didn't have to fight himself to take each step.
Shen Qiao entered court and took his place before anyone else got there. He worried that as the ministers filed in, they would begin questioning his authority again, but thankfully, they all took their places up diligently and quietly.
Court proceeded well, they tweaked the Beimu treaty a bit more (in accordance with some of Yan Wushi's wishes), they discussed increasing and decreasing taxes, Shen Qiao had Dou Yanshan lay out his plans for the relief effort before the court. Everything seemed to be going well until Shen Qiao opened his mouth to dismiss everyone.
"If there is no other business, I ask to present a topic of discussion," Sang Jingxing said. Shen Qiao nodded for him to continue. "Concubine Shen, as acting regent, you have the ability to choose the empire's heir. Considering the emperor's health, I would like to put this topic forth for discussion among your ministers."
Before anyone else could speak, Shen Qiao said, "His Majesty will make a full recovery, I can assure you. Please don't speak such inauspicious words."
"Minister Sang is right," Ruyan Kehui said, stepping forward. "Even if he does get better, can we be sure he's fit to rule?"
"He will get better," Shen Qiao insisted.
"When?" Dou Yanshan asked.
"That's up to him," Shen Qiao muttered, then louder, he said, "His current illness is caused by over-work. As long as he doesn't stress himself—"
"So he is unfit to rule," Ruyan Kehui interrupted.
"I wasn't finished speaking," Shen Qiao said, only for Sang Jingxing to speak up once more.
"Has anyone been to see the emperor? I went yesterday but was turned away."
"That's not true," Bian Yanmei said.
But Yan Shou, one of Sang Jingxing's lackeys said, "No one's seen him. How do we know he's still alive?"
"We have been turning visitors away so the emperor may rest and recover," Bian Yanmei said. "I can assure you His Majesty will return to court soon."
"Regardless, Concubine Shen has the power to choose an heir, and without His Majesty here to make a fuss, I firmly believe we must seize the opportunity," Xie Xiang said, stepping forward. Ruyan Kehui glared at him from out of the corner of his eye but didn't reprimand his deputy director.
"Deputy Director Xie, speaking of the emperor as if he's someone unreasonable is disrespectful. And even if I were to choose an heir, His Majesty would only return and undo my ruling. Let's not worry about this issue for the moment."
Xie Xiang clearly wanted to press the issue, but Director Ruyan pointed for him to step back into line.
"Let's end court here for today. You all are dismissed." Shen Qiao kept his face calm, but was beginning to feel agitated. Bian Yanmei gave him a conciliatory smile, and once everyone else had left the hall, he took Shen Qiao back to the emperor's quarters.
Rumors spread quickly. In just one day, the story had changed from the truth, that the emperor was ill and needed his concubine to fill in for him, to wild stories about how Shen Qiao was keeping him ill so he could rule the palace, how the emperor had already ascended, but Shen Qiao wanted the throne for himself. Yu Shengyan even reported that he'd heard two eunuchs discussing whether Bian Yanmei had switched his allegiance from the emperor to Shen Qiao, or if Shen Qiao was just Bian Yanmei's puppet.
The next day at court, the topic of choosing an heir became a two hour debate that Shen Qiao could not redirect, no matter how hard he tried to remind everyone that the refugees' relocation should take precedence.
Even if Yan Wushi didn't have any direct relatives, if you went back far enough, everyone at court was related, so the officials began just throwing names out to see who'd stick.
Each faction wanted a different official to take over the throne: The Ministry of War seemed to think General Yi would be the best candidate, to which General Yi spat on the floor and called them all ingrates. The Department of State Affairs kept putting Xie Xiang forward even though he wasn't related on Yan Wushi's father's side. The Chancellery…The Chancellery seemed to be split among several different officials, and Tan Yuanchun refused to even give an opinion, let alone reign in his underlings.
Worse yet, someone in every single branch of their government put forward Sang Jingxing as a possible candidate.
Shen Qiao was so frustrated and fearful that Sang Jingxing would be the one the court rallied around, he even began thinking of who was competent enough to rule the nation, but when the only person he could think of was Bian-gonggong, Shen Qiao had to stop himself. Putting a eunuch with no family on the throne would lead them right back to this very issue in ten years. Besides, it would have infuriated Yan Wushi.
Shen Qiao let them all argue until they tired themselves out. The moment there was a lull in the debate, Shen Qiao ended court.
Yan Wushi laughed at him when he told him.
"Those idiots really have some nerve, trying to steal my nation out from under my nose."
Shen Qiao was just glad he was well enough put a sentence together. For the last two days, he'd been in and out of consciousness, and Shen Qiao had felt like he was paddling a boat in circles without Yan Wushi making snide comments and teasing him.
"To be fair," Shen Qiao said as he read another appeal and tossed it into the pile for burning, "it can't be out from under your nose if you're not at court."
Yan Wushi walked over to the desk and took the next scroll out from Shen Qiao's hand. "Stop reading their ridiculous demands and come play with me."
Shen Qiao sighed and took the scroll back. "You'll be grateful I sorted when you retake the throne. Otherwise you'd have another mountain to dig yourself out from. The faster I get through these, the sooner I can…play." His ears and the back of his neck went hot as he said those last few words.
But Yan Wushi was always unpredictable, and that night's "playtime" was Yan Wushi forcing Shen Qiao to bathe their deer A-Qiao while he watched and laughed.
The next day, Shen Qiao proposed extending an arrangement with Touei, which, as expected, went over like a pack of brawling dogs. As with the issue of the heir, Shen Qiao said very little, letting the ministers fight with one another until he couldn't stand it any more.
But that night, the letter finally came.
"This is what we've been waiting for?" Shen Qiao said, holding the calling card up to the candlelight. It wasn't anything special, there weren't any coded messages that he could see, it was just a simple card asking for a private audience the next morning with Shen Qiao. Well, Shen Qiao figured he ought to be grateful for the forewarning, considering his last one-on-one with Sang Jingxing.
"Of course this is what we've been waiting for," Yan Wushi said, snatching the card out of Shen Qiao's hand. Shen Qiao let him, then let his hand fall to stroke along their deer A-Qiao's back. Yan Wushi continued, "This is really a cause for celebration, don't you think?"
"How so?" Shen Qiao said, but Yan Wushi had already stuck his head out the door and called for a servant to have supper prepared. Then he went to his desk and lit the incense burner. It was a different scent than usual, more floral than Yan Wushi's usual agarwood.
"Let's have the servants take A-Qiao for the rest of the night, hm?" He squinted at Shen Qiao as he smiled, looking unfairly handsome in the fading light of evening. Shen Qiao pursed his lips, but let Yan Wushi guide their deer out of the room. When the food arrived, there were two drinks on the tray, and Yan Wushi had Shen Qiao put the tea pot on the floor to make room, then poured them each a cup out of the separate jars.
Before they began eating, Yan Wushi had Shen Qiao test their food and drink, then he immediately began piling meat onto Shen Qiao's plate.
"Don't give me all the heating foods, you're the one in need of yang energy," Shen Qiao said, removing a piece of meat from his own bowl and putting it into Yan Wushi's.
Yan Wushi laughed outright, but didn't rebuke Shen Qiao. "How lucky I am to have such an attentive doctor. Are you so close with all your patients?"
Shen Qiao ignored him and put some vegetables into his bowl.
Yan Wushi drank from his cup freely while Shen Qiao eyed his own suspiciously. He sniffed it and found the drink's scent sweet, he let his tongue touch the orange liquid and found it delicious.
"What is this?" he asked.
"Mango juice. It's a popular drink for children in Xian. I know how sensitive you are to alcohol," Yan Wushi said, rolling his own cup of clear liquor lazily. The possessiveness in his voice made Shen Qiao squirm, so he drank a mouthful to hide his reaction.
They discussed the issues at hand in court some more, then Yan Wushi went on a tirade about how sloppy his ministers were, about how they ought to handle the rebuilding efforts in the northeast, about how the laundresses hadn't washed his robes correctly again. Shen Qiao let him talk as they drank and put bits of meat and vegetables into each other's bowls.
As the night wore on towards the hour of the rat, he realized Yan Wushi was stalling, but he didn't know what for. Well, if they were "celebrating," he had a good idea, but Yan Wushi hadn't drawn it out like this the last time.
Eventually, Yan Wushi obliquely mentioned Shen Qiao's assault, more in relation to the empress's downfall than anything else, but the casual way he spoke made Shen Qiao's brow furrow.
"What's with that look? Are you still sad that she died? She hated you, why should you feel sorry for her?"
"It's not that. Rather, I'm not sad, I only think it's a pity that someone felt the need to kill her. She was already disabled, what harm could she do?" Yan Wushi opened his mouth to refute him, but Shen Qiao continued before he could speak. "I just wonder, do you…regret what you did to me? What you let happen, I mean."
Shen Qiao had asked him a similar question before, and Yan Wushi's response had been flippant at best. It had hurt, but now that they were closer, perhaps Yan Wushi had come to—
"Of course not. How could I regret it?"
Shen Qiao deflated, although he should have known better.
"Stop looking so sad. I can't regret what happened, because it led directly to the present we have now. I'd be a fool to give that up when things are going so smoothly. A-Qiao, the situation at court is delicate, you've seen that. Any change in circumstance could have led to an infinite number of outcomes, and I refuse to entertain the possibility of a different today. I cannot regret the past because I'm too selfish to give up the present. Do you understand?"
Yan Wushi was staring very intensely at him, and it made Shen Qiao's stomach flip. Because he did understand. He understood what Yan Wushi was saying completely. His ears were heating, so Shen Qiao took another sip of his mango drink and found that on the back end there was a slight bitter taste to it, like a stringent vapor on his swallow. Shen Qiao took another sip, and the drink was sweet once more. Smiling sadly into the cup, he said, "Then you're really going to have me accept Sang Jingxing's request for an audience?"
"Of course." Yan Wushi said.
"And I'm going to negotiate with him."
"I think we all know you're not someone who negotiates," Yan Wushi chuckled into his own cup. "Besides, what is there to negotiate?"
Shen Qiao furrowed his brow. That was right. What would Sang Jingxing want to negotiate? He had a mercenary army and Beimu behind him. He wanted to meet before court.
"It's an ambush," Shen Qiao realized.
"Now you're starting to think like an emperor." Yan Wushi rested his elbow on the table and his chin in his hand. The low candle light made his unimpressed face seem a bit softer than usual, and it flustered Shen Qiao until the words straightened themselves out in his mind.
"You—!" Shen Qiao said suddenly. "You haven't been training me to be emperor, have you? That's not what this is, is it?"
Yan Wushi laughed again, then refilled Shen Qiao's empty cup. "Oh, yes, you've finally figured it out! It only took, what, three years?"
Shen Qiao narrowed his eyes. "You're lying."
"What makes you say that?"
"You're trying to get me to…to…"
"To what, A-Qiao?"
Shen Qiao was going to finish the sentence, but then he felt like he shouldn't, but he wasn't sure why. "You're buttering me up."
"Whatever would I need to do that for?"
Shen Qiao glared at him. As if Shen Qiao could say it out loud!
"If you don't tell me, I can't admit to it," Yan Wushi said with a pout. "My dear husband is so unreasonable."
"Not your husband," Shen Qiao reminded him, but the words came out slurred, and as his eyes drifted to the cup in his hand, he found he couldn't quite focus on it. "What type of juice did you say this was?" He picked up the bottle Yan Wushi had been pouring from, but there was no label on it.
"Mango is the best thing to cover up the taste of Baijiu, don't you think?"
Shen Qiao felt very tired, and very much like he'd like to rest his head on Yan Wushi's chest, and the liquor was definitely strong if he was having such thoughts. He put a hand to his forehead, then realized Yan Wushi was smirking at him.
"Th-the incense…"
"I hear lavender does wonders for those with insomnia."
"And the drink…"
"You ought to rest well tonight, A-Qiao. Tomorrow is a big day."
Shen Qiao's stomach flipped again, but this time in fear. "You're going to…You can't. You're still recost-re-recovering."
Yan Wushi leaned across the table and swiped his thumb over Shen Qiao's cheek, wiping away a tear.
"You could barely get out of bed just yesterday," his words sounded too lazy given the stakes!
"Not to worry. My people have been preparing for this for a while. Just rest, A-Qiao." Yan Wushi stood and came around the table. Shen Qiao tried to fight him as he slid one arm under Shen Qiao's knees and the other around his back, but Shen Qiao's movements were much less coordinated than he had hoped for.
"Yan Wushi," he said with his eyelids drooping, "Yan Wushi, if you go through with this, I'll never forgive you!"
Yan Wushi laughed softly and set Shen Qiao down on their bed. "Of course you will, A-Qiao. It's in your nature."
The room was spinning, but it wasn't; Shen Qiao shut his eyes, and as he did, Yan Wushi pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.
Shen Qiao woke with a start and an incredible headache.
Banna yelped next to him.
Squinting his eyes against the morning light, Shen Qiao asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Bian-gonggong called me over early this morning," she said, pressing him back into the bed.
"Where is Yan Wushi?" Shen Qiao knocked her hands away and swung his legs out from under the covers.
"You're supposed to stay here," Banna said, stepping in front of him. As he stood, she cleared her throat. "Bian-gonggong said you need to stay here until he comes to get us."
"Banna, excuse me," he said, stepping around her, but she was quick and blocked his way again. "Banna!"
"He said it's really important that you stay here!" she replied just as urgently. There was a soft roar from outside, like many people crying out in unison.
"What's going on out there?"
"They'll explain everything if they get back." At Shen Qiao's alarmed look, she corrected herself, "When! When they get back!"
Shen Qiao pressed his lips together and tried to get past her again. At this point, they'd moved all the way to the door, so Banna stretched out both her arms to touch each side of the door jamb.
"Banna!" Shen Qiao said, feeling his temper slip out.
Banna stared at him with her big black eyes.
"Banna, please," he begged. "Please."
Her lips twitched. "You really…It won't be safe for you either," she said softly.
"I haven't been safe from the moment I entered the harem," Shen Qiao said helplessly. "But he…he has to live."
Banna's arms slumped, and before she could change her mind, Shen Qiao ducked under one and flew out of the emperor's inner chambers.
The halls of the emperor's palace were disconcertingly empty. Shen Qiao ran faster. It felt like he was in a nightmare, no matter how hard he pushed himself, he wasn't going anywhere! Hall after hall, turn after turn, even though he knew where he was going, why was it taking so long! Every second wasted here was a second that Yan Wushi—!
He reached the main courtyard before the court hall and stopped short. Several men in green robes and bronze armor were dead on the ground. Some looked like they'd been stabbed, others like their necks had been snapped, still others had devastatingly accurate arrows sticking out of their chests.
Shen Qiao had seen plenty of dead and injured bodies while studying, but the number of them just outside the courtyard made his stomach lurch. He didn't see the gold of the Golden Tiger Guard, nor did he see any of the eunuch's gray robes among the dead. He let out a long breath and was about to push open the courtyard gates when a familiar voice came from behind him.
"There you are," Huo Xijing said. As Shen Qiao turned, he saw Huo-gonggong flick blood off his sword. "I was wondering where that bastard was hiding you."
"Where are they?"
"Surely you don't need to worry about your dear emperor at a time like this? You ought to worry about yourself first, ah?"
"Why should I be worried?" Shen Qiao said stubbornly. If Huo XiJing was going to come at him, Shen Qiao was going to make him admit it outright.
Huo Jixing spat on the ground and laughed. "We were all ordered not to kill you. Minister Sang wants that privilege for himself, but we can have some fun before he gets here, can't we? I'm sure a missing ear or hand won't make him too upset!" Huo Xijing rushed forward, sword brandished. Shen Qiao spun out of the way just in time, and yanked an arrow out of the nearest corpse. Without a bow, it was practically useless, but it was better than nothing.
He dropped to the ground when Huo Xijing rushed him again and stabbed the arrow into Huo Xijing's foot. Then, while Huo Jixing was howling and hopping about, Shen Qiao found a mercenary who'd died holding her sword and thanked her for letting him borrow it.
Huo Xijing was angry when he threw the arrow away and faced Shen Qiao again. "Arrogant, you and the fucking emperor have always been so arrogant! I know you're just a whore looking for a little influence!" Their blades met with a clang, and Huo Xijing pelted Shen Qiao with move after move.
Given their handicaps, Shen Qiao's raging headache and Huo Xijing's limp, the fight was slow and heavy. Shen Qiao wished he'd stayed in better shape; before he entered the harem, he could have had Huo Xijing on his back in four moves, but now, each blow made Shen Qiao's arms shake. He misjudged his next step, and suddenly he was falling, tripping backwards over a dead mercenary. Hou Xijing took the opportunity to trap him against the ground, stabbing his sword into the ground next to Shen Qiao's neck. "Having a little taste can't be wrong, can it?" he said, kneeling over Shen Qiao's torso to wrap his hands around Shen Qiao's throat. "I could castrate you too, then you'll know what it's like! It's not like you'll need that when I turn you over to Minister Sang—"
Both of them went rigid when a strangled cry came from within the courtyard. Shen Qiao used the distraction to kick Huo Xijing in the stomach and roll out from under him.
Shen Qiao didn't have time to deal with a sadistic eunuch!
"Oh, no, you don't!" Huo Xijing said, grabbing his ankle and yanking him back.
But then an arrow sank into Hou Xijing's shoulder with a resounding thunk . Without waiting for him to realize what was happening, Shen Qiao took up his sword again and slashed Huo Xijing's throat open. He missed the artery because the blood didn't spray—Shen Qiao cursed under his breath. Huo Xijing made a sick gurgling noise as he collapsed forward, clutching at his neck. Shen Qiao hobbled over to where Huo Xijing was writhing on the ground; he raised his sword and plunged it into Huo Xijing's back, right where his heart should be.
With a heave, Huo Xijing spat up a mouthful of blood, twitched a few more times on Shen Qiao's blade, then stopped moving.
Shen Qiao felt his stomach roil and brought the back of his wrist to his mouth. He had never killed someone before, at least not on purpose; he didn't regret it, Huo Xijing was not someone who was willing to change, and Shen Qiao had his own life and the life of his emperor to consider, but the way those death throes had traveled up the sword and into Shen Qiao's hand…it was power he did not wield willingly.
"Are you alright?" a voice called from atop a pavilion a bit away from them. A young man about Shiwu's age with a quiver and bow waved to him.
"I'm fine!"
"The hell is going on in there?" the young man said.
Shen Qiao almost shouted back, "A coup!" but he caught himself. He didn't recognize this man and had no idea if he was friend or foe. "No idea!" he said instead. "But thank you for your assistance!"
Before the young man could ask any more questions, Shen Qiao barged through the gate to the main hall's courtyard and slammed them shut behind himself.
His breath caught in his throat.
There were bodies strewn about the courtyard, but this time, the bodies were in all kinds of colors, blues, golds, grays…Shen Qiao's eyes bounced from body to body, looking for familiar shoulders or arms. He was so worried about who was already dead, he didn't realize there were still living people in the courtyard fighting—but a clash of swords caught his attention near the hall's stairs.
Bian Yanmei and a few Golden Tiger Guards were fighting off what appeared to be a force of six Beimu warriors. Just as he was about to head toward them, another arrow shot down and hit one of the Beimu men in the back, and he collapsed. Another Beimu warrior, one Shen Qiao recognized, whipped around to see who'd killed his comrade. When Duan Wenyang laid eyes on Shen Qiao, his expression turned terrifying.
"You!" He flicked his whip, then wound up by swinging it around above his head.
"Shen Qiao!" Bian Yanmei cried, "What are you—? Get out!"
The whip came down, but Shen Qiao was just out of range, and he didn't waste any time hopping over the bodies in his way and attacking Duan Wenyang. The whip came down again just as Shen Qiao got within striking range, so Shen Qiao let it wrap around his sword, then hit Duan Wenyang in the chest with an open palm.
Duan Wenyang spat into Shen Qiao's eyes and kicked him down.
"I thought killing your brother would be enough," Duan Wenyang said, "but seeing your face…" Duan Wenyang cracked his whip again, and Shen Qiao's trouser leg split open, red beaded up in its wake. The pain was unimaginable, but Shen Qiao didn't have time to hurt—he rolled to the side before the next strike could hit.
"Your little rat of a brother, selling us out like that, letting you kill Kunye! Watching him bleed out was satisfying, but I bet killing you will be be even better!"
Shen Qiao dodged the next few moves, starting to feel some fatigue set in. How could Yu Ai be dead? Hadn't he sent that note just a few weeks ago? Wasn't he doing well?
"What did you think we'd do to him after he double-crossed us? You think the warriors of Beimu will be bitten twice?!"
Shen Qiao's blood ran cold and his hands shook.
"It took me a while to track him down, but he wasn't hard to kill. And with the right backer, even finding him was simple."
"The right backing?" Shen Qiao spat. "If you mean Sang Jingxing, you've truly learned nothing! He'll kill you all the moment he captures the throne!"
"Not if we kill him first!" Duan Wenyang raised his arm to strike at Shen Qiao again, but another arrow pierced him through the forearm, his whip fell to the ground.
Shen Qiao and Duan Wenyang both looked to the gates just in time to see the young man who'd saved Shen Qiao earlier knocking another arrow and aiming it at Duan Wenyang.
"Shen Qiao, get out of here!" Bian Yanmei shouted again as he parried the hits raining down on him.
Duan Wenyang dodged the next arrow that flew, but the distraction and injury left him open for Shen Qiao to grab a knife off a fallen Golden Tiger Guard, it was almost too easy for Shen Qiao to stab Duan Wenyang in the side.
Duan Wenyang backhanded him, then stumbled and fell, howling the whole time.
"My brother aimed too high, I know this, and I'm sure he did too. But he wanted what was best for the nation. Even if we didn't agree as to what the best was, I can understand him. I can still forgive him," Shen Qiao said as he righted himself. His cheek stung, numbing the pain coming from his leg. "Don't remove the knife until you can get medical attention."
Shen Qiao snatched up another sword and rushed to help Bian Yanmei, but Bian Yanmei said, "If you have time to help me, you have time to help him!" He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at the main hall.
"He's in there?"
"Go!"
Shen Qiao took out one more Beimu soldier before running up the hall steps, practically leaping up the stairwell.
There were a few bodies lying prone in the entrance halls, but mostly splashes of blood on the walls and floor. Shen Qiao was careful to avoid the puddles, even as he added to them.
Once the noise from Bian Yanmei's fight outside fell away, the air inside the hall was thick and silent, but then he reached court's main entrance, and just when Shen Qiao thought perhaps he'd gone deaf from such loud silence, his brother called out for him.
"A-Qiao."
It wasn't the brother he desperately wanted to see.
"Da-ge," Shen Qiao returned the greeting.
"What's happened to you?" Tan Yuanchun took him by the shoulders and looked him up and down. "You're bleeding–What's going on?"
"Can't you tell? It's a coup, Da-ge." Shen Qiao raised his hand to open the main hall's door, but Tan Yuanchun caught his arm.
"What's in there? You're severely injured! If it's really a coup, we need to get out of here!"
Shen Qiao pressed on, reaching for the door again. "If it's a coup, how can I leave?!"
Tan Yuanchun pushed him back, inserting himself between Shen Qiao and the hall entrance. "Let's get you looked at first, if another sibling dies—"
"Da-ge, please!"
"You're bleeding, you need to see a medic," Tan Yuanchun said through gritted teeth. "You can't be here!"
Shen Qiao blinked. "Why are you here?" he asked.
Tan Yuanchun let out a short breath through his nose. "I'm the Chancellor, so of course I'm here! You're losing too much blood, come." He took Shen Qiao by the shoulders again, but with more force this time, like he meant to pick him up.
There was a crash from within the hall and someone screamed.
Even in his state, Shen Qiao was much stronger than his Da-ge; he shoved his brother away, rushed to the door, and threw it open as Tan Yuanchun cursed at him from the ground.
Again, there were so many bodies on the floor. Yu Shengyan was wounded and kneeling at the side of the chamber. Yan Wushi's body was in Bai Rong's lap.
"Shen-lang!" she said, trying to rise up.
Shen Qiao dropped his sword. His first step was cautious, he even worried that perhaps Yan Wushi was pulling his leg, but the next step, the step after that, each came quicker until Shen Qiao was running. Bai Rong was covered in blood, but didn't seem to have any injuries. "I tried to stop the bleeding," she said, helplessly moving her hands from over Yan Wushi's upper arm, revealing a large, pulsing wound.
Shen Qiao pulled him off of her and began taking stock of his injuries. He felt for Yan Wushi's pulse on his wrist, but couldn't quite catch it. "Where was he hurt?" he said when he failed to find anything more major than the arm wound. Why was his pulse so weak if he only had that one injury?
"He hit his head pretty bad," Bai Rong said in a trembling voice. "Jiujiu, he-he threw him against the throne."
At the word "jiujiu," Shen Qiao's entire body locked up. "Where is Minister Sang?"
Bai Rong pointed to their left, where Sang Jingxing lay face down, several throwing darts lodged deep in his back.
Shen Qiao let out the breath he'd been holding, then began threading his fingers through Yan Wushi's hair to find the lump that must have followed such a fall.
Bai Rong gasped and pulled a knife out of her sleeve, so Shen Qiao whipped around, only to see Tan Yuanchun standing in the doorway, looking lost.
"That's it?" Tan Yuanchun said almost at a whisper. "That's it? He just…They all just died?"
"Da-ge—"
Tan Yuanchu laughed. At first Shen Qiao thought it was an uncomfortable, shocked laugh, but the longer it went on, the less sure Shen Qiao was.
When he was finished, he picked up the sword Shen Qiao had dropped and began picking his way over the bodies.
Bai Rong stood and took a step forward, but Tan Yuanchun flicked the sword at her. "Shen Qiao," he said calmly. "As the regent, you have the ability to choose the next ruler."
"What?" Shen Qiao said as he clutched Yan Wushi's body closer to himself.
"Now would be a good time to choose, don't you think?"
"Da-ge, you…"
"You were the one!" Bai Rong shouted. "You set this whole thing up!"
"You're giving me much too much credit," Tan Yuanchun said coldly.
Bai Rong attempted to duck his blade, but was unable to reach him with her knife before Tan Yuanchu kicked her in the stomach, sending her halfway across the throne room.
"Bai Rong! Da-ge, why…What are you doing?"
"Director Guang doesn't want it, and Director Ruyan is too old, plus, I am your brother. The choice is obvious, isn't it? If you'd been good and listened, we could have ruled together amicably, but as of now, you will hand the throne over to me."
Shen Qiao blinked dumbly at his brother. Tan Yuanchun had never been an ambitious person, and hearing such words come out of his mouth confused Shen Qiao beyond reason.
Yu Shengyan stood half upright with a groan and pointed his sword at Tan Yuanchun. "You've certainly been busy, Chancellor Tan!" he spat.
With an easy turn of his blade, Tan Yuanchun faced him, then said, "I barely did anything. Said a few words to Minister Sang here and there, stirred a little conflict between my brothers, sent a letter or two to Beimu. Just little things."
"Conflict?" Shen Qiao's voice broke.
Tan Yuanchun's dull gaze returned to Shen Qiao, and he snorted. "You all accused me of being indecisive, but what about Yu Ai, hm? He was so caught between father's final wishes and his own resentment…It wasn't hard convincing him to send you into the harem."
"He resented me?" Shen Qiao's eyes burned. He'd always…even when they'd fought, he had always held his brothers in such high regard.
"We both did!" Tan Yuanchun exploded, pointing the sword at Shen Qiao's chest; Shen Qiao subconsciously twisted away so Yan Wushi's body was out of the line of attack. "You were always father's favorite! He never tried to hide it! And he was so dead-set on protecting you, he made us both swear we'd never let harm come to you! Even when we did as he asked and kept you away from the north, you still looked down on us!"
"I've never—!"
"You do! You think life in the palace is terrible, that politics are the root of all evils! And you're not wrong. For the last three generations, this nation has been corrupt and gluttonous, immoral beyond remedy, but father wanted to protect you. Why do you get to stay up on your mountain while I have to slough through meaningless plot after meaningless plot? Why do I have to worry about my position, stress over every word, while you enjoy your carefree, easy life as a spoiled third master!"
With his mouth hanging open, Shen Qiao tried to understand his brother's accusations.
"So, I suggested we have you do some real work for once. If you happened to get close to the emperor after marrying him, you'd be a good source of information and influence. If you ended up forgotten like the rest of his concubines, well, we'd fulfilled our agreement with father, and you'd get to continue living your idyllic life in comfort. Wasn't that a good deal for everyone?"
Yu Shengyan stood shakily and pointed his sword at Tan Yuanchun again. "I've heard enough. Face me, so I can kill you."
"Who are you to make me? Your emperor is dead."
Shen Qiao's hands twitched around Yan Wushi's shoulders.
"You'll face me or you'll die!" Yu Shengyan said as he took a step forward. His boots sounded so heavy against the floor.
Tan Yuanchun suddenly kicked Shen Qiao in the shoulder, forcing him onto his back with the emperor's body covering him from shoulder to knee. "Another step, and Concubine Shen dies." He held his sword point down over Yan Wushi's back; if he stabbed downward, he'd puncture Yan Wushi's lung and pierce Shen Qiao's heart—!
Yu Shengyan let out a ragged breath.
Tan Yuanchun sneered down at Shen Qiao. "You really did have that madman wrapped around your little finger, didn't you? And yet you were still such a shitty spy. But you're my brother. I'll let you and your little posee live in prison if you name me as the next emperor and give me the royal seal." He tacked on as an after statement, "And the Golden Lotus Ring. Otherwise you will all die here."
Shen Qiao's next breath shuddered. He started to speak, but the words were too thin to hear, so he took a deep breath, or as deep a breath as he could with Yan Wushi's body pressing down on him, and started again.
"As the acting ruler, I hereby banish you from the Rong empire." The words felt impotent, given the tears in Shen Qiao's eyes spilling over. "You will be taken into custody immediately. Once we've sorted the rest of this out, the Golden Tiger Guard will escort you to the border, and if you are ever found in our nation again, you will be executed."
Tan Yuanchun snorted. He raised his sword and was about to plunge it back down when suddenly his chest jerked back and he cried out.
"I believe making an attempt on the regent's life is a capital offense," Bian Yanmei said from the hall doors. He was covered in blood and looked exhausted, but he was alive. "Shen Qiao is too good natured to enforce his decrees, but I am not. And neither is this young man." Bian Yanmei stepped to the side, revealing the archer from before, an arrow ready, aiming right for Tan Yuanchun's head. "If you'd kindly put down your blade, I'll have one of my subordinates prepare a carriage for your trip to prison."
Tan Yuanchun's face went pale, his hand gripping the base of the arrow lodged in his ribs. He tried to raise his sword again, but another arrow flew past Tan Yuanchun's ear and lodged itself into the wood carvings that served as the throne's backdrop.
As a third arrow flew, Tan Yuanchun cursed and threw himself to the floor. Yu Shengyan hobbled forward and grabbed him by the bicep, knocking into the arrow "on accident." Tan Yuanchun grit his teeth, and fought a bit, but he wasn't a match for even an injured Captain Yu. As they passed, Tan Yuanchun bit out, "Useless, spoiled rotten," at Shen Qiao, who refused to spare him a glance. Bian Yanmei turned to the young man with the bow and nodded his thanks. "You will be greatly rewarded for your help, Duan Ying. If you'd follow Captain Yu to keep the prisoner in line?"
"Oh, yes, sir!" Duan Ying said cupping his hands. He took a minute to bid Shen Qiao goodbye, somewhat awkwardly considering Shen Qiao's red eyes and the fact he was still trapped under the emperor's body, then he ran off to follow Yu Shengyan.
Bain Yanmei explained, "He's the son of one of the Fajing Dancers. He noticed something was wrong and came to investigate after returning from a hunting trip."
"He's not one of your men?"
"No, Lord Shen. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and decided to make some good come of it."
Shen Qiao bit his own teeth and nodded. With Bian Yanmei's help, he sat up, still cradling Yan Wushi, then he said, "Bai Rong, she was—"
"I'm fine," she said, propping herself up against the wall, pale and drawn.
"He hasn't woken up?" Bian Yanmei said to Shen Qiao.
Shen Qiao shook his head and pushed Yan Wushi's hair out of his face.
As she approached them, Bai Rong said to Bian Yanmei, "If he dies, you'll still give me what he owes me." She knelt down next to Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi to get a better look.
Bian Yanmei nodded. "Of course. It only makes sense."
Shen Qiao wasn't listening to them though. He had his hand on Yan Wushi's chest, quietly encouraging his heart to beat stronger. He laughed to himself when he traced over the embroidery over the collars of Yan Wushi's robes. He was wearing the same robe he'd worn on his birthday last year, the one Shen Qiao had fixed with a black dragon curling up the left collar.
A few days ago, amidst sorting booklets and taking care of Yan Wushi, Shen Qiao had balanced the robe out as Yan Wushi had asked, with a white dragon flying up the right collar. When the collars crossed, the dragon appeared to have two opposing heads facing one another, yet their expressions were calm. On the red silk of the robe, the colors were very pleasing, even more so because of the figure of the man wearing them.
Shen Qiao couldn't help but clutch the fabric. "Yan Wushi, you really…can't leave me with an empire," he said softly. He tried to keep himself from crying again, but the hot feeling at the back of his throat won, and a few tears dripped down his chin, onto his neck. "I won't know what to do. I was just starting to understand what to do. You can't leave me like this. You need to tell me what to do."
He let his head fall so that his hair dropped forward, blocking out the rest of the throne room.
"You need to wake up. I'll do anything if you just wake up."
"Anything?" Yan Wushi said.
Shen Qiao whipped his head up. Yan Wushi's eyes were just barely open
"A-Qiao, you ought to be careful with how you speak, someone might take advantage."
"How long have you been awake!" Bai Rong said, slapping him on the back of the head.
"Don't hit him!" Shen Qiao said, grabbing her arm. "If you keep hitting him, he really might go stupid!"
"Yes, listen to the doctor! If you hit me again, you can forget about getting the Ministry of War."
Bai Rong stuck her tongue out at Yan Wushi, but pulled her arm out of Shen Qiao's grip. "You really had us scared, you know! If you had died, I would have taken care of Shen Qiao, but what the hell was Yanmei supposed to tell the rest of court?"
"You touch him and you'll be joining Chancellor Tan in prison!" Yan Wushi snapped.
"How long have you been awake, Your Majesty?" Bian Yanmei asked.
"A while." His expression softened. "I have to admit, A-Qiao, it was difficult staying still with you touching me all over like that. I almost got hard when you banished your brother. You didn't even bother with a trial, what a tyrant you are!" Although his tone was thin, like he was barely holding on to life, such words were really! Too shameless!
"Please hit him as much as you like," Shen Qiao frowned, face bright pink.
Yan Wushi laughed, saying, "Aiyoh, be nice to me, I'm gravely injured."
"Why would you—"
"I wanted to see what you'd do. Besides, with you here, your brother got sloppy, jumped the gate when he thought the opportunity might slip away. Why else would he make his move with no military power and unknown political support?"
Shen Qiao sighed, then dropped his head into Yan Wushi's chest.
"A-Qiao, what are you doing? I'm the one who's injured."
At that moment, someone just outside the hall yelled, and all four of them turned to see what the commotion was.
"You—! You—!" Ruyan Kehui stood at the throne room's door, hand fisting the robes over his heart. "Bodies outside, bodies inside, what the hell happened?!"
Bian Yanmei approached him with a placatory gesture. "Director Ruyan, there was an attempted coup, but—"
"A coup?!" Ruyan Kehui pitched to the side with a strangled cry.
Shen Qiao blinked twice, then realized, "He's having a heart attack!"