68 Liser, She Said? (1/2)
BAI SHEN HONG
EMPEROR HUIZHONG
THE PALACE
The last night before leaving for YiYuan, Shen Hong withdrew to his palace and had his entourage change him to plain cotton white robes. He enjoyed slumbering in the darkness of the garden at night so as to clear his thoughts.
Seated there on a wooden bench, he watched the moon and enjoyed the tranquility the place possessed. Owls hooted and insects chirped noisily. It was serene for his tired self.
”Push over,” a female voice demanded.
He scowled, surprised someone could speak so rudely to him, the dragon.
”What?” Probably he heard her wrong.
”I said push over and make space for me, idiot.”
A palace maid boastfully held her hips. He subsequently noted that he was not wearing his dragon attire, lowering him to be a servant of the palace. This he did, to wander around anonymously without his entourage and having every person bowing in front of him when they cited him. He just wanted to be normal, sometimes.
When he made no move, she arrogantly bulldozed him. And he let her push her.
She then threw herself next to him tiredly and pulled a book from her sleeves. ”Mmhhh… This is strong.”
”What is?” He was curious.
”Sshh,” she held her lips with one finger. Then grinned as she plastered the book to his face. In it was a drawing of a nude couple being intimate.
”This is the latest edition I recently got!” she squealed excitedly. ”It's strong isn't it?”
”Strong?” He was not familiar with slang.
”Makes my insides stand in awe. So strong,” she moaned.
He glared at the drawing with the help of the full moon. Shen Hong didn't get it. Nothing about the profane drawing made his manhood hard.
”Aiyah,” she laughed. ”It's so strong he has no words for it.” The palace maid took the book back and opened another page.
It was interesting how she was sexually poised by what he dimmed 'weak'.
”If you want one, just give me the money and I will get it for you,” she offered.
He stifled himself from laughing. ”No. Thank you.”
”No? This book has the kick, it's really strong.”
Strong was having a shameless courtesan bent over for him and moaning his name in ecstasy, not these weak images. Though the art was fine, he gave it that.
”The concubines also have this edition,” she advertised. ”They look at these and satisfy themselves in the middle of the night, you know?”
”Right.” He contemplated finding out the truth behind her words by sending palace guards into Hougong the next morning. That would have him kill half the harem.
A concubine belonging to the emperor couldn't delve into such things, plus promoting such material through their purchases was disturbing at best. Then lusting over other men than him... Hmm he would charge them with treachery.
But it was not a good idea as that would diminish his power. And what had he to care about them having explicit books when he barely slept with most of them.
”Well, it's your loss,” the girl grumbled. She rested her back on the hand of the bench and hauled her legs up, facing him. The light signified her features on her new seated position. She had a slim body and delicately soft features.
”Lucky girl,” she finished dreamily.
”Which girl?”
”The one who drew this.”
The palace maid flicked through the pages, her attention not wholly on him. It made him itchy that she barely focused on him. He was not used to people treating him as insignificant. Wherever he went, he always held a presence .
”The person who drew this. She is a courtesan that spends nights with a handsome general.” The girl brought him back to earth. ”After every encounter with him she is inspired to release a book. I wish they could draw them faster though, it took time to get this because I was at the bottom of the waiting list.”
She got his attention when he heard about the courtesan. Shen Hong also had encounters with them. He snatched the book from her.
”Excuse me?” she snapped.
He flipped the book around and checked the cover. It was written, 'The Grounds Camp Encounter'. He became quite suspicious as he paged through the sexual images. They were a replica of what he had with the stunner at the Grounds Camp. The conniving woman displayed what they did privately for the world to see. ”Bloody hell.”
She was using him and easily, it could be found out that it was him with her. His enemies would have reason to refute his position as Grand General and why he should step down. Losing his position would destroy his stance on the throne.
”Give that back or I will report you,” the girl grabbed the book back.
”Report to who?” He was accountable to no one.
”To my lover, he fights really well and would have you licking the ground.”