My Liege And I

Scent

Chapter 1

Emperor Huizhong
Bai Shen Hong
Yuwen Hong

Yuwen Hong ran his index finger along the silver-grey sword blade, tracing its sharp edge that wasn’t that far away from bleeding his flesh if enough pressure was applied. It was beautiful and gorgeous, precise and well carved.

Many of these produced, and they would win against Gurio.

He couldn't wait to farm their land, cultivating it with their corpses while watering it with their blood. Child or woman, he was killing everyone because he had to set an example and also feed his arrogance.

His empire was the best. He owned the world. There was nothing else to say after that.

Blessed by the earth, he was the son of heaven, his word law whenever he spoke.

“This is perfect. I like it.”

“Thanks to His Majesty.” The sword wielder replied from among his few generals seating behind his short but wide table in his study room. “Good work. Make many like these and send word that we will leave for war after two months so as to mislead Gurio. While from our side, we will strive to leave within a month’s time.”

“His Majesty is sagacious!”

He folded the map they had been studying earlier on. “Hao, get all things in order, we will be doing the last military strategy check by fortnight.”

They did their last bow and departed. General Ling entered as they exited, returning from the mission she'd been sent to. Hanging on her arm was a wool coat in white.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Report your findings.”

“Your Majesty, we have tried all day, but they will not allow us in.”

Ridiculous. “Why not if I have sent you to search the academy?”

“Miss Lu Ruo Xi stated that her master is not there, therefore she could not allow anyone inside―not even the imperial security―since the academy is restricted land. The royal family gifted the academy to their master, thus he has the right to disallow even the royal hand from disturbing him if he desired.”

Well, then.

“Further on, Your Majesty.” She knelt on the floor and lifted both her hands to present the wool coat. His eunuch ran to collect it.

“What is that?”

“Replying to His Majesty. Palace Maid Dao begs for leniency on Luo Meng’s life. She asks His Majesty to take her life instead, and only so, after smelling this wool coat.”

Luo Meng was bound in the dungeon with a death sentence breathing down his neck. Servants who took the emperor's respect for granted were not worthy to live. Luo Meng had been selfish, disrespectful and traitorous by running away.

Yuwen Hong wanted him to learn a lesson by leading him to think he was going to die. Which wasn't the case as he had the  intention to release him later on because the skills invested on Luo Meng for so long could not be wasted.

He took the coat from Eunuch Nam and inhaled.

The soft scent of lavender, sweet honey and a fruity hint invaded his senses that his heart blindly soared in excitement at the familiarity of the smell.

She was alive.

Really she was alive.

Relief chased away his anxiety and the euphoria of happiness clouded him, overwhelmed in merriment.

She was alive indeed. He had not wanted to believe it, afraid of disappointment and falling back into his state of disparity.

Such news was too good to be true. Someone should slap him awake if he was dreaming it. He took it in again and it was the same scent.

It had to be her. He had to see her. Now.

He looked at General Ling with renewed determination. “Organise more of my servicemen to prepare for my departure to the academy. Let’s see if they will say the same things to my face.”

At last he could let go of his grief, let it float away into obscurity. Happiness flowed through his pores, warming his skin like the rays of an early summer sun after winter. His customary cautious grin exploded into a radiant smile he had never worn for months, not even when he saw the bastard child Hu-go on his knees.

Everything was going to go well. Li Lian was alive. It was going to be all right. Although, he wondered why she had not reached for him yet, if she was alive all this while. Was she not well?

“Furthermore, Your Majesty,” General Ling was still before him.

“Speak.” Nothing could ruin his mood now that he had found his love.

“Update on the Noble Consort.”

“Did you find anything?”

“She snuck out of the palace the other night.”

Another person who was pushing it. People were ungrateful. “For what?”

“She met with a certain woman and they spoke in the sedan. We tracked the woman she met with and found out that the woman used to be a court lady who worked for the Dowager Empress Wang.”

More of the politics, the scheming and the conniving behavior. He saw it coming anyway. Nothing new. However, it was not enough to charge the Noble Consort with anything. He would have to wait for the right timing to charge her for demotion.

Besides, the court was unstable for him to deal with the silly woman at the moment. With the drama of the South Wing, which committed treason by migrating back to Huticah, he was tied up and busy with the process of persecuting them while trying to get a balance of power in his court. Any more disruptions were unnecessary.

Forget that stress. He first had to get his lotus flower back.

By the time they got to the academy, it was at night. And he was amazed that even in his presence they did not want to open for him.

Despicable.

He commanded that they summon the superior on the academy grounds if they did not wish to see him burn down the place.

“Grand General, a pleasant night to you.” Ruo Xi stepped forth from the gate with her lamp raised. They had called her as the superior.

“I am disappointed in you,” he coldly muttered.

Ruo Xi knew it when he was breaking apart. He sent letters sharing his heart with her as his confidant, writing about the pain in his life, yet she had Li Lian by her side and did not tell him. This was why he did not trust people, thanks to her for reminding him why he was like that in the first place.

“Duty first. Then life. Then love as last. Without a duty upheld, this servant cannot live, and therefore, cannot love those she wishes to love," she said.

“Well, then I dread this sad reality that within this fortnight you are to become my consort.” What a shame it was.

S.V