My Liege And I

Groveling

Chapter 5

Emperor Huizhong
Bai Shen Hong
Yuwen Hong

Yuwen Hong felt tiny hands circle his waist and a head rest on his lower back. That irritated him as he loosened her hands, although they persisted to hold on and not let go of him. He was too annoyed with her games.

When he finally managed to release her from him, Li Lian then stood by his side and observed the sparring of the seniors he was also watching.

"They are really good," she muttered in awe.

He didn't say anything back but continued to watch, ushering his instructions when he caught onto a fault from their practising.

In truth, he did not know what he was still doing there, instead of going back to the palace.

Waiting for Oren? He knew that was a lie. He did not need to wait for his master if he really wanted to leave.

Li Lian spoke of needing freedom but she did not realise how much she was in control and free. Was the person chained and bound ever in possession of control?

Her freedom was more mental than physical. It reminded him of a tamed elephant born into the hands of men. In its childhood, it would have a rope around it that would be used to leash it, a weapon to control it, and due to its size at a younger age, whenever it tried to tug away from the leash, it always ended defeated in the hands of men, thus it eventually gave up fighting thereafter.

When it reached an older age and bigger size, still a rope on its neck, it still did not fight against the leash. Although it could win, in its mind, it had decided from a young age that the rope around its neck would always overpower it. A big elephant was controlled by a small little man due to a broken will and a mind chained by circumstances at a younger age.

He understood her mindset. However, it got him angry the most that she had been alive all along and never dared send word to relieve him from grieving. She had made him a fool and taken advantage of the situation against him. Li Lian was selfish, always been, and for long he had tried to ignore it although it had always been in the open.

"Grand General," his court lady called, "it is time for your lunch. Shall we serve it?"

"Why would you serve it when I am here? Leave it for me to handle," Li Lian intercepted.

"I'm not hungry," he dismissed. It was too late for Li Lian to begin groveling. She had that chance when he asked for her, but rather, all she was focused on was to seek a rabbit hole for herself.

She rubbed his sleeves and he glared at her giving her his blank look. Master Oren once said a man who had his emotions hidden and unread was the most deadly and feared. That man left no room for anyone to take advantage of and use him.

"I was just wiping something off your sleeves."

Like she was. He turned his attention back to observation.

"I think it will rain. Get the parasol for the Grand General," she hurriedly instructed his entourage.

He looked at the sky. It was grey but the rain was apparently not on its way.

Minutes later, Li Lian was forcefully holding a parasol over him, although still no raindrop in sight. His lip lifted but he bit it down to hide his amusement at this charade around him.

The rest of the day went along with her behind him, trying to excessively serve him at each opportunity she got. It was the attention he had never received from her so he let it be. Let her grovel more.