Chapter Ninety-One: What Is the Empress Laughing At?
The Jing residence.
Tang Wei ducked his head as he slipped into Jing Heng’s room, then carefully shut the door behind him. Only after making sure no one was around did he lower his voice and say, “Young Master, something has happened!”
Jing Heng, bundled in thick clothing and warming himself by a charcoal brazier, still felt cold.
People said fat men could withstand the cold, but Jing Heng was an exception; he feared it deeply.
“What is it?”
Jing Heng was a little distracted. He had just sent a letter to Jing Tianlie, telling him that he was being marginalized at court and that the Jing family’s power was being suppressed, asking him to return and take charge of the situation.
Once the letter had been sent, Jing Heng felt his confidence return.
As long as Jing Tianlie came back to court, everything would improve. The Grand Marshal’s residence would still be the Grand Marshal’s residence.
“Just now, during the morning audience, Her Majesty ordered a thorough investigation into Shui Han’s death in battle.”
Tang Wei kept his voice very low, but his tone was anxious.
Jing Heng was startled. “Didn’t they say Shui Han died in battle? What is there to investigate?”
Shui Han was dead, killed when Shangguan Wei gravely wounded him and he could not be saved. Jing Heng had been delighted to hear it; once the dead could not testify, the matter of collaborating with the enemy would quietly pass.
He had never expected the Empress to demand an investigation in open court. If something were uncovered, collaboration with the enemy would mean death.
Tang Wei stamped his foot. “It was all that old Bai Qiulian. She was the one who demanded the investigation in court!”
Jing Heng froze. “Wasn’t it Long Cheng’en and Di Luoxi who demanded it?”
Tang Wei shook his head. “Those two were firmly against it. Bai Qiulian, however, insisted on a full inquiry.”
Jing Heng was thoroughly confused and cursed, “That damned old witch. Didn’t she want to marry her daughter to me? Why dig up this old business? Is she trying to get me killed?”
Tang Wei said, “Young Master, we must be careful about this. We don’t know what Bai Qiulian is plotting.”
“Still, I doubt there’s any evidence. If Long Cheng’en had proof, he would have exposed us long ago.”
Hearing that, Jing Heng felt it made sense.
He and Long Chen were sworn enemies. If Long Chen had obtained proof of his treason, he would certainly have denounced him at once.
Long Chen was against the investigation, which meant he had no evidence.
Thinking of that, Jing Heng relaxed again.
“Let them make all the noise they want. Without evidence, who would dare touch me?”
He hugged the brazier to his chest and basked comfortably in its warmth.
...
Phoenix Singing Palace.
Long Chen brought Zhang Qian to the entrance. He went in, while Zhang Qian was stopped at the door.
Long Chen asked for an audience with the Empress, and the maid hurried to announce him.
After a while, the maid returned and said that the Empress would see him. Long Chen went inside, and once within, Shadow Phoenix came out to greet him.
“Minister Long, Her Majesty is in the inner chamber. Please go over.”
The inner chamber? The place where one sleeps?
Long Chen felt a little thrilled.
When he reached the entrance to the inner chamber, Shadow Phoenix stopped and motioned for him to go in alone.
After Long Chen entered, Shadow Phoenix closed the door. Inside lingered a faint fragrance of women, the sort that clung to mature beauty.
The lavish, solemn furnishings, the mature woman’s scent—there was an atmosphere to it, irresistibly so.
The Empress lay upon the couch. Several braziers were placed beneath it, warming the wooden bed until it was pleasantly hot. She wore very little, only a purple robe, and the pale whiteness of her skin showed clearly at the collar.
What is most seductive is what is half-hidden. The Empress seemed to understand that very well.
“This minister pays respect to Her Majesty.”
Long Chen stepped to the side of the couch and bowed slightly.
The Empress looked at him, gave a faint acknowledgment, and then pointed to the wooden bed.
Long Chen hesitated for a moment, then still went over and sat on the couch, bowing again. “This minister has been disrespectful.”
The Empress smiled. “So you do know what disrespect is. I hear you and Luoxi are spending your days together. How does that feel?”
What did she mean, how does that feel?
How was he supposed to answer that?
Should he say: Your Majesty, your daughter is tender and juicy, and tastes wonderful?
“Her Highness has the bearing of a great general.”
Long Chen could only say that Di Luoxi was very skilled at warfare and leave it at that.
The Empress gave a soft, mocking laugh, turned over, and lay face down on the couch. “You are answering a different question.”
Long Chen was stunned. What did she mean, answering a different question?
“Give me a massage. I hear Luoxi very much likes your technique.”
The Empress turned her head and languidly rested on the pillow. The graceful curve beneath her robe was truly alluring.
An aunt’s charm is beyond imagination.
Long Chen had wanted to sit astride her to give the Empress a massage—that was the proper posture he used with Di Luoxi.
After a struggle with himself, he still did not climb on top of her, and instead stood by her side to knead her shoulders.
“What do you think of the Ministry of War’s request to thoroughly investigate Shui Han’s matter?”
The Empress closed her eyes and enjoyed his touch, speaking softly.
Long Chen said, “Your Majesty’s far-reaching judgment has made a fine move.”
The Empress gave no reply, only closed her eyes and enjoyed the massage.
He kneaded from head to toe, but this time Long Chen deliberately avoided the vital spots and did not dare touch any critical area.
The Empress rose lazily, leaning against the couch with sleepy eyes, as if just awakened. She looked at Long Chen with a smile that was not quite a smile.
“This minister’s technique is crude. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”
Long Chen could not tell what the Empress was thinking. What did that look mean?
As expected, beautiful older women had complicated minds; they were impossible to read.
“The technique is very good. I am very satisfied.”
The Empress drew a deep breath, then slowly let it out, with just a hint of a moan in it. The sound made Long Chen go weak all over.
“What brings you here?”
The Empress sat up straight. Long Chen immediately climbed down from the couch and stood respectfully before her, carefully reporting the negotiations with the World Alliance.
“Tell us not to expand further? Hmph, this World Alliance really thinks itself an uncrowned king.”
The Empress’s tone carried a trace of disdain.
Long Chen said, “This minister believes it is not necessarily a bad thing. We have just taken Caishi City, and the southern frontier needs stronger defenses. The World Alliance can buy us time.”
To gain a firm foothold in Linjiang City and Caishi City would take years.
If the World Alliance could keep Southern Liang in check, so much the better.
“Then no expansion at all from now on?”
The Empress looked at Long Chen and asked.
Long Chen bowed. “I said that if Southern Liang invades, we will certainly strike back.”
“Li Chengdao is a man of enormous ambition. Once Southern Liang recovers, he will certainly launch a campaign against us. By then, if we send our troops, the World Alliance will have nothing to say.”
Just now, Long Chen had not spoken in absolutes, leaving himself some room.
Moreover, he understood Li Chengdao too well. Li Chengdao would absolutely not march again.
The Empress nodded slightly. “You are right. This agreement is beneficial to us. You have done well.”
Long Chen bowed. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
After finishing with the World Alliance, the Empress asked, “How is the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix technique coming along?”
Long Chen bowed. “I only just began practicing it, but it feels excellent.”
The Empress looked faintly surprised. “You can practice it too?”
Long Chen found that odd. “Of course. Does Your Majesty think this minister cannot?”
Inside, Long Chen thought: So you know I can’t practice it, and you still showed it to me? Are you fooling me?
The Empress smiled. “Nothing much. This Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix was practiced only by women before. I never expected men could practice it too.”
Long Chen’s heart lurched, and he quickly corrected her. “Your Majesty, this minister is a eunuch, so I do not count as a man.”
The Empress paused, then burst into a soft laugh. “That’s right, I forgot. You are a eunuch.”
“All right, go down. Practice diligently.”
After leaving the inner chamber, Long Chen could still hear the Empress’s laughter.
Once he left Phoenix Singing Palace, Long Chen complained as he walked, “What’s so funny about that?”
Zhang Qian asked, “What’s funny?”
Long Chen said, “I said I was a eunuch, and Her Majesty kept laughing.”
Zhang Qian asked in surprise, “Why?”
Long Chen replied helplessly, “How should I know?”