89 Give Me Back My Daughter or Else... (1/2)
The windows in the large bedroom remained fastened. It was quiet inside, what little sunlight was allowed pooled around the bed occupying a large portion of the room. On the bed, a head full of black hair cascaded about the pillows and the blankets covering the body snuggling underneath it.
A whisper was heard and was hastily shushed. The figure on the bed groaned and shifted its position. A face still flushed with sleep was revealed. An Ning's eyes remained closed. The figure sitting on a chair, waiting, relaxed with a soundless sigh.
An Ning slept for another hour. The figure on the chair still waited, his white hand silently turning pages on a thick document.
An Ning's eyes fluttered and opened.
”You're up early,” she mumbled after seeing the figure on the chair. Her heavy lids drifted close again.
”Hmn...,” the emperor said softly. ”Go back to sleep if you still feel sleepy.”
An Ning slept for another half hour then finally woke up with a yawn.
”What you doing here?” she said, not surprised to see Gu Sheng. ”Or am I still dreaming?”
”No, I'm here. You're not dreaming.”
”Tired,” An Ning yawned, snuggling against a pillow.
Just then, Kang Jun entered with a steaming cup of tea.
”Tea is here. Sit up and take a sip.”
”Hmnn...,” An Ning languidly said and did as she was told.
Kang Jun gasped when the blankets slid down and the empress' naked body was revealed. The emperor calmly took a robe from a dresser and helped the empress put it on. It doesn't seem to be the first time because the emperor's face remained calm. He was even smiling a little.
”Big baby,” he said affectionately, ruffling the empress' hair.
”Hmnnn...,” the empress' voice was still languid with sleep.
”Come on, breakfast is ready.”
The emperor pulled her up to her feet. The robe gaped open. The emperor casually closed it by tying a belt around her waist. He then pulled her outside into the kitchen where breakfast was laid down on a table, still steaming and warm.
The empress ate quietly, seeming to revive her energy after drinking her favorite tea. The emperor and Kang Jun quietly discussed matters in a low voice, their eyes gradually drifting to the empress with some sort of puzzlement.
An Ning got up and went back to her bedroom. When she came back, her black hair was still wet from the shower she took. She had discarded the robe and changed into a white dress with short sleeves, a square neckline, and a red belt tied jauntily around her slim waist. The men watched as she happily gorged herself in her favorite macaroons, drinking tea and making small talk with the chef, a very capable gentleman who once worked for a now deceased scholar.
”When are you going to stop beating around the bush and start telling me what happened?” An Ning asked, drinking and putting aside her sixth cup of tea.
”I didn't think we were that obvious,” the emperor said, smiling.
”It became obvious when I had my third cup. You were just slow to catch on. Okay, tell me,” she sighed resignedly.
”You won't like it,” the emperor warned.
”I'm a big girl. I can take it.”
The emperor echoed her sigh.
”Give her the letter, Kang Jun.”
An Ning took the letter and started reading.
”Who in hell is this Wu Xiang Yun?”
”I think she's one of the representatives from the Lu Wang contingent, your grace,” Kang Jun said.
”And he said we kidnapped her?” An Ning said then looked suspiciously at the emperor, ”Little Gu,did you have someone kidnapped a girl? I mean, if you're into that sort of thing...”
”I'm not,” the emperor said, calmly notating a document in his hand.
”But why did he say that we kidnapped her?” An Ning frowned then turned to Kang Jun. ”Kang Jun, is there something you're not telling us?”
”Your grace, I'm not into women either!” Kang Jun was petrified and blurted out.
The two people stared at him stupefied. The emperor edged a little closer to An Ning.
As the meaning of his words finally sunk in, Kang Jun flushed tomato red.
”I...I mean...I..I am into women. I'm...that is...It's just that I...I haven't..that is...I haven't...” Kang Jun was wishing that a hole would open up and immediately swallow him into nothing.
”Why not?” An Ning was unperturbed, staring at Kang Jun like he was an interesting specimen under her microscope.
”I'm too young,” Kang Jun was becoming desperate, his voice breaking up like he would suddenly burst into tears.
”No, you're not,” An Ning disagreed. ”You're actually just the right age for sex.”
”An Ning!”
”Your grace!”
The two young voices were outraged.
”What? Am I the only person here who actually knows what sex is like?”
Like Kang Jun, the emperor's face was turning a deep fire-engine red.
”Stop embarrassing, Kang Jun,” the emperor ordered, sputtering angrily.
”Stop embarrassing you, you mean,” An Ning muttered under her breath.
”What?” the emperor glared at her.
”Nothing,” An Ning smiled innocently. ”So, if both of you had nothing to do with this supposed kidnapping, then who does?”
”No one,” Mu Xing answered.
They were inside Mu Xing's study, having hurried there immediately to clarify what the contents of the mysterious letter meant. The emperor and empress along with Kang Jun had thought it over and since none could find an answer they decided to visit Mu Xing. After all, this Wu Xiang Yun was a participant in the game. Most likely Mu Xing knew more about the matter than they did
”I don't,” Mu Xing said, who was a little surprised to see them. He was on his way to watch the competition when they arrived so he had no choice but to invite them to his study.
”But who is she? Why did this, what's his name again, Wu Duo Xian think that somebody from Yuqui kidnapped her?” An Ning again cast a suspicious eye on Mu Xing.”Mu Xing, fess up. Did you have something to do with this?”
”I have nothing to confess, your grace,” Mu Xing laughed easily. ”I don't even know what you're talking about.”
”You must be lying,” Kang Jun accused. ”You're the only among us who knew who this girl is. Besides, we all know what a player you are.”
”What player? What lying?” Mu Xing sputtered angrily. ”I only know the girl by name. I don't know her personally.”
”How did you know her?”
”Well, she introduced herself to me.”
”So, you do know her!” Kang Jun fastened on that fact.
”I said she introduced herself not that I know her personally,” Mu Xing glared at him.
”So you've never seen her?” An Ning asked.
”No, never. Well, she did wrote to me six months ago about a book and we've corresponded once or twice since then.”
”Aha! I knew it! Player!” cried Kang Jun, jeering at Mu Xing.
Mu Xing flushed angrily.
”About a book?” the emperor repeated, looking suspiciously at Mu Xing.
”A thesis book that one of the scholars here wrote,” Mu Xing said, meeting the emperor's eyes. ”She wanted to get a copy of the book that's why she wrote to me. And of course, I've heard about her from the guild.”
”What is she like?” An Ning was curious.
”Very beautiful, I've no doubt,” Kang Jun said in a loud whisper.
”I said I haven't met her,” Mu Xing was nettled by Kang Jun's words.
”So, you do like her. If you kept corresponding as you said...,” the emperor said, throwing Mu Xing another suspicious glance.
”She was interested in meeting the author when she arrives in Yuqui. I told her that's not possible because the author is away on another research project. She wrote again hoping that we could meet so I could tell her a little more about this author.”
”Aha!” cried Kang Jun gleefully.