Chương 6: Chapter Eight: Ubria - Threats and Choices.
The days after my 'arrangement' with Xiáng, we still avoided each other. No, I'll rephrase that. I avoided him because I am mortified of my future. I am so young! And I want to be with him, but there are so much more things I need to do! I need to heal Chéngshí, get my mother out of the claws of that disgusting man Fù Jǐn, make sure I find love for everyone who shares blood with me and eventually expose a spy at my fathers court, which I have never been to so HOW IN THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO THAT!?
And on top of that, I am certain I haven't seen Kuài for days.. Where could that girl be? I admit that I haven't payed attention to anyone but General Xiáng, mostly was so I could avoid running into him. But with her being my handmaiden, it raises suspicion. And with my father announcing that we are to depart to our kingdom again. (YES he called it our kingdom, I am so thrilled.) I am starting to worry.
Walking around the courtyard I run into a servant. "Sir, can you help me with something?" The mans eyes bulge out of his head. "Diànxià! My Princess! This humble servant isn't worthy of your acknowledgement!" And he bows in front of me. An awkward silence follows. Him still bowing to me, me looking at him with wide eyes. No servant ever treated Zhōng Nuǎn with this respect, and I have no idea what to do or say because in my world we didn't really have servants. Butlers maybe, but I didn't have one of those so I have no idea what to do. An uneasy smile appears on my face. "P-please don't do that? I merely acquire your assistance." He looks up at me. "Off course Princess. The name is Bǐhuà. What can I help you with your Highness?" I'm feeling so at loss about my new title. "Please call me Zhōng Nuǎn?" He shakes his head. "No can do your Highness. But I can settle for Princess Nuǎn?" I nod. Better then constantly all the title recites. "Can you tell me if you came across my handmaiden Kuài?"
The man starts to think. But then he shakes his head. "No, I'm sorry Princess Nuǎn, never seen her here. Maybe you can ask one of the kitchen maids, they are the center of gossip here." I thank him and make my way to the kitchen. On my way there I ask more servants about this, but to my horror most don't even know who she is! Panic is creeping slowly in my heart. Where could she be? What could have happened to her?
After speaking to Nǎiyóu, one of the kitchen maids, I come to one conclusion. Kuài didn't join me here. And I fail to understand why. So I start looking for my father, whom I find in the study alongside my half brother and Xiáng is there too off course. They all look as if they had seen a ghost. "H-hello?" I walked in after knocking a few times when they didn't answer. "Guys, what is going on?" They all turn towards me. I see my dad with tears in his eyes. The eerie silence that hangs in the room is giving me goosebumps everywhere. Then my father starts to explain the situation slowly, after he asks me to sit down.
"I don't know where to start. It's about Kuài and your mother.." I gasp and slap my hand over my mouth. "P-please tell me.." Tears well up in my eyes. "We have been informed that Crown Prince Fàngsì has taken Kuài hostage. And on top of that we just received news of the imprisonment of your mother. She is being accused by the Jiǎohuá Fūrén of poisoning Jiǎohuá Fù Jǐn." I feel the colour leaving my face. Two important people of mine are imprisoned. My mind is empty.
[ Don't worry! I can help you! I can check where they are and if their conditions are okay! ]
I snap out of my daze after Líng tells me this.
{ I had no idea you could do that? Since when is that possible?! }
[ (#^.^#) Forgot to tell you again? All systems are able to monitor important events in a world. And this counts as an important event. ]
{ Okay, I trust you Líng. Please be fast, will you? }
[ Have no Fear! Líng is Here! Sorry always wanted to use that line. I'm going! ]
After some time I finally register what is happening in front of me. Three fully grown man are practically dancing in front of me looking all worried. Ah, they appear to be dancing off course. In reality they are running around the room frantic because I didn't respond to them. It looks so funny I can't help but giggle. They all freeze and turn to face me. "Are you all right sis?" I nod and wipe away my fallen tears. "We will get them back. I believe that." They all smile. "Don't worry my daughter. I'll do anything to get your mother back!" I look at him in anger. "And off course your handmaiden as well!" He swallows slowly.
"But we have to return to Tánhuáng first." I turn back to my father. "Why? It will take almost three weeks to reach your capital!" They all look at me. "Show me the papers." They all pale and shake their head. "It's better if you don't se-" I ignore my father, run past him and snatch the two letters from his desk. Then I sprint towards my own room so I can read them in peace. I start with the letter informing about my mother. But nothing special about that. She is accused of poisoning the Left Prime minister, but he is still alive so for now they can only hold her captive until he wakes up and clarifies what happened. I sigh. Thank god! They cannot do anything to her yet. But we need to make haste none the less.
Then I open the letter with the information about Kuài:
||
My dearest future Empress, Jiǎohuá Zhōng Nuǎn.
As your future husband I took liberty to escort your handmaiden to your future palace so she can get familiar with the environment. Xīwàng Kuài Jīngzhì will be completely safe, provided that you arrive to our wedding two moons from now. Otherwise I have to place her as substitute bride, and coincidentally enough I never lack the need of a new concubine.
See you soon my Love.
Crown Prince Kòngzhì Xié'è Fàngsì
||
I drop the letter. That son of a BITCH!!!! I start to cry.
[ Are you alright? ]
I smile through my tears.
{ As long as you stay with me, I will be. I need to make a plan. Is there a way I can get a message to that despicable man? }
[ Let me check, I'll let you know. ]
Then I write a letter to him as a counter. While almost puking while writing it.
||
Crown Prince Kòngzhì Xié'è Fàngsì.
I received your letter. And I will agree, on the following terms.
1: You will make sure my mother is freed, unharmed and rid of all charges against her. You will also dissolve her marriage with Jiǎohuá Fù Jǐn as he doesn't treat her right. She is to be the mother of the Empress so she should be respected.
2: During our marriage you are not allowed to wed new Concubines or another Wife before I have given birth.
3: You are not to procreate with another Concubine, only after I have given birth to your Son and Heir you will receive this freedom.
4: You are only allowed in my room once every month.
5: You cannot hurt me, nor my family or staff, physically.
If one of these terms is not met, I will be free to go.
You will have me, but never my love.
Love is a destiny. Not something gained with threats or bought with money.
Zhōng Nuǎn.
||
{ Líng? Have the information I need? }
[ Yeah, but I can't use that function here. I'll need a computer for that. ]
{ Great. I'll do it myself then. }
I peek out of my room. Nobody around. I slowly sneak to the room of my brother. There I steal one of his robes so I can put a disguise on. After putting it on, I looked like a girl in the clothes of a guy.
[ Maybe if you put pillows underneath you'll look like a fat man? ]
So I tried that, and it worked a little better. So after contiplating in the mirror I decided to cut a little off my hair to stick on my face as thicker eyebrows, mustache and beard. And that helped to conceal me a little more. I also dripped the concoction my mother gave me in my eyes so people couldn't make out the colour.
After preparing myself, I snuck out to deliver my letter to a messenger. I was worried I was recognized, but then I remembered that in this town I wasn't familiar, so even though my disguise was poor, nobody knew who I was. I told the messenger that he needed to hurry and gave him extra coins (I took them from my dad don't judge me.) so he could switch horses and run through the night. He needed to hurry, because that horrid man expressed our wedding be two moons from the moment he wrote his letter. And the first full moon is in three days, so that gives me roughly 5 weeks. 5 weeks until my life is over.
When I returned to my room I burned the clothes. I hope my brother won't miss them. But they were made of cloth. Not of expensive fabrics. So I think he won't. Then I wrote letters to explain myself. One for my father, so he could get my mother out of there secretly after I had become the Empress. And I included the one for my mother with his so he could give it to her after he had saved her for I would never be in the position to explain everything to her. Nor would I possibly see her again. One for my brother, where I tell him he should marry Fāng Hé because they are made for each other. In Fāng'ers letter I tell her the same, but that she should gain the permission of her father before they do. Sometimes a tear drops on the paper leaving the letters a bit blurred.
The last letter I wrote was for Tài Xiáng. The letters appeared shaky on the paper. And a lot where running because I was crying. This man. Was the soulmate of this body. But his soul was connected to mine own. I expressed that I hated to sacrifice myself, but that my conscience wouldn't allow me to follow my own dreams and love. But I couldn't finish the letter.
A week later my father announced that we would depart for their capital in two days. I knew that would be the moment I would 'escape' and ride to my own doom.
[ You will regret this. He is connected to your own soul! If you do this you also can't complete your tasks?! And what about the soul we have to safe? ]
{ Little Líng, you worry too much. After I have given birth to that mans heir, he'll leave me be for sure, I know that type of man. So I need to endure. }
I started to pack my stuff. One part that I would take with me to my doom, the other part I would pack into my carriage that my family would take with them. They would always have something with them that was part of me.
I sat under the tree where I had kissed with Xiáng, sighing I was taking in every detail so I would have a wonderful memory of him to take with me.
- - -
I can't let her do this! I need to make sure she never gives birth to that monsters baby's. But I have no physical body! How in the name of Jūn Fù Dà Néng am I going to stop this charade.
Then I got an idea. I can trick her. Plus I can use my high status to buy stuff from the store so I can save my host! Yes I'll do that.
Chéng Nuǎn Yǎ, I'll be the best system you could ever wish for!
- - -
It was the night before we would depart. Líng gave me something to drink and an incense to burn, he said it would help with my emotions. And because I had nothing to lose, I drank it. Feeling a bit tipsy after it I asked about it and he merely said it was alcohol related. So I believed him. When someone knocked on my door I opened it without asking who it was. Xiáng stood before me. He looked me up and down. And when I followed his gaze I noticed I was in my night dress! And I opened the door, without anything else on. I saw his eyes darken. "X-xiáng, why are you here so l-late?"
I swallowed slowly. His eyes followed my movement. The smell of my incense started to cloud my thoughts.
{ Líng? What was in those things you gave me? }
But he didn't react. The one who did, was Xiáng. And not lightly too. The moment he touched me, it was like a flame had burst from my deepest insides, igniting my whole body. A moan crawled up from my throat. And that was all he needed to lift me up and walk with me to my bed.
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!!!! WARNING! ADULT RELATED CONTENT AHEAD !!!!
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He laid me down softly and crawled on top of me. Our breaths mingled when he lowered his face to mine. "I think I love you, my beautiful Nuǎn." Then he kissed me with so much passion I saw stars. His hands started to roam my body, very softly and slowly. Goosebumps traveled over my arms and legs when he pushed his between mine. Soft pants started to fill my room when he finally released my mouth to trail a way of kisses along my neck down to my breasts.
He slowly removed my night dress and my dudou. Then he started to lick and suckle my breasts. My moaning grew louder and louder under his expert touch, which made me wonder if he had been with other girls. But before I could react to my thoughts, he spoke to me. "Don't worry. You will be my one and only." After that my brain just shut off.
When he crawled over me again, I could feel his thing pressing against my leg. Then he tore away the rest of my dress and undressed himself fully. He looked into my eyes, asking for permission so I just nodded slowly. After that he slowly pressed himself against me and slowly slipped inside. The pain was not as much as I had expected, but it was still present. He let me adjust slowly before he started to move.
It was euphoric. To share this with my soulmate was something so deep I couldn't truly comprehend it. Unconsciously I was so happy that Xiáng was the one who took my virginity in stead of that creature I would have to marry in a few weeks.
We made love the entire night. When we finally fell asleep together, I muttered to him. "I love you too Xiáng. You are my Only Love. Forever."
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Diànxià - 殿下 = Your Royal Highness. (Used when addressing members of the imperial family, such as princes and princesses.)
Nǎiyóu - 奶油 = Butterscotch
Bǐhuà - 筆劃 = Pen Stroke
Fūrén - 夫人 =Wife / Lady ( Example = Zhōng Fūrén: First wife of Zhōng Family.)
Xīwàng Kuài Jīngzhì : 希望 Xīwàng - Hope, Wish. 快Kuài - Quick, Swift. 精製 Jīngzhì - Refined, Graceful. ( Kuài's full name )
Sorry about the names of the servants. But I thought it was kind of funny!
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SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO 
SpecialClover
SpecialClover I feel so bad being late again. SOO I gifted you a little sexy time at the end.
I'll explain why it took so long. I was lost in research and after that I was busy making the storylines of the other worlds, which made me forget to post a new chapter.
SO, a big SORRY from me.
I hope you will forgive me!
Read you soon! -x-