The Bride and Groom (Last)

Behind the doors of the wedding chamber, Hui Lan was absent-minded since she knew of this news.

A lover?...Already?

The Empress Dowager's voice kept repeating over and over again in her mind.

How…?

From what she heard, the Emperor was never known to be a playboy neither was he well known for his kindness. Though there was his grace, Hui Lan knew deep down it could have been just to make his reputation better.

...What to do?

For one thing, she knew was that the Empress Dowager was not truly supporting her neither was she against her.

...It's just, to make a deal with the Emperor?

As Hui Lan was contemplating what to do, the door to the wedding chamber opened once again.

"Bixie has arrived!"

First was the black boots that had the dragon with 5 claws sewed beautifully around it. His steps were steady as he walked towards the circular table that his new bride was sitting at.

However, he uttered no words. The entire room fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Just as Hui Lan thought that the person in front of her was not going to say anything.

"Zhen won't waste your time. Welcome to this palace, but Zhen has already someone in my heart." Emperor Yang Long spoke leisurely as if it was a matter of how the weather was.

On the other hand, Hui Lan was as quiet as a mouse. This did not catch her by surprise, but the first few words were about another woman on their wedding night. Oh, how much love did he have for that person?

She was not angry or jealous at him for loving someone else, but her dreams had all crumbled down into pieces. Underneath her veil, some tears began forming along the rims of her eyes.

...No, she cannot cry.

"Zhen, won't touch you either, but Zhen can give you as much wealth as you want and let you be the Empress of this inner palace. However, don't ever touch my woman. Is that a deal?" As he spoke the last sentence, there was a hint of threatening in his voice that made Hui Lan's hair stood up.

...But she did not want any wealth or to be an Empress, she just wanted to be a wife...was that too much to ask for?

Seeing Hui Lan remaining quiet, the Emperor took that as a 'yes' and turned around to leave, "There is nothing more for Zhen to say, so you can go to bed."

Then a thought came to Hui Lan. Something that was just too daring to ask for…

A deal...

She took a gulp down her throat as her brain was calculating what to say.

"Your majesty." Hui Lan's sweet, gentle voice spoke out in the silence.

Emperor Yang Long came to a halt in his steps. This was the first time he had heard her voice. It was pleasantly pleasing to his cold heart.

"May I ask you something?" Hui Lan took the courage to speak what she was thinking.

That, had caught the Emperor's attention. His left brow lifted slightly in a very cunning manner. He slowly turned around to at least hear what she had to say.

Hui Lan did not see the Emperor's face that was gazing at her like how he would to his subjects, cold and indifferent. If she did, she would not have been able to utter her next few daring words.

Since there was no rejection from him, she opened her red lips, "How will chenqie be the Empress of this inner palace...if chenqie does not have a child?"

When that was let out, Emperor Yang Long's eyes grew dangerous and the room had become hard to breath for Hui Lan.

However, the eldest miss of the Feng family did not stop there, "Bixie, it will only be tonight in exchange for you to never come to chenqie's chambers at all." Immediately, her face grew red as she thought of what she had just uttered.

She bit her plump red lips as she felt she had just thrown away her pride for asking this. However, this was for her and her family. She must find a way to live in this palace since there was no turning back from this point.

On the other hand, she felt sorry for her child that was to be born because she was using her child as an excuse to live, but she'll make sure to take care of her child well. She must.

Meanwhile, there was a slight annoyance in the Emperor's heart as he did not want to do so. However, this deal was not too bad. As he thought of his beloved lady and the future to come when she is taken in as his concubine and would learn that he was to sleep in someone else' chambers at night instead of hers, how heartbroken she would be?

One night in exchange for the rest of the years to come…it was not that bad.

However, his heart grew cold as he was seeing this new consort of his in a new light. She was not that noble as his news source had told him. The kind and generous eldest miss of the Feng family that was beloved by the citizens at the border. Where was that? All she was doing was to let her child be a shield for her, hmph!

...Well, she thought too lightly of this palace.

Little did he know that it had never been her idea in the first place, but his very own mother, but this knowledge was never to be known.

Without thinking much, Emperor Yang Long took off his imperial belt and his red robes and threw them on the cold floor. Only his white silky trousers were still in place. His bare masculine shoulders and chest were revealed in the dimly lit room. He took a few steps closer to this eldest miss of the Feng family and then took his hat off and placed it on the circular table carelessly. As there were no more ties on his head, his long black hair flew down to his waist like silk.

Subsequently, he took the wine glass and poured it in the wine cup. One cup, two cups, three cups, four cups until he placed his cup down fiercely.

"Fine, but don't you break your words, or I'll make sure you can never speak anymore." Then, in a swift, Hui Lan's body was picked up in one lift. As she was lifted up, the red veil flew away with the force of gravity and her beautiful oriented face was revealed.

Caught by surprise, Hui Lan subconsciously grabbed for a place to hang onto which happened to be the Emperor's neck. Only then she could see how close they were and that the Emperor was no longer in his robes but with only his trousers. Hui Lan nervously tried to push him away from her, but his grip around her grew tighter.

"Why? Having second thoughts now?" At first, there was a slight shock in his heart when he saw her face, but it had also quickly dissipated somewhere inside him. She was just asking for him to touch her, just so she could protect herself, hmph!

Hui Lan could see the disgust in the Emperor's eyes and could only look down sorrowfully. Without knowing, she bit her lips in frustration. She could slightly comprehend what he was thinking, but that was never her intention in the first place…

...Ha? Trying to seduce him? She should do better than just bitting her lips.

With an agitated heart, he threw her on the bed without retaining his strength for the delicate lady. Due to not having much strength or any fighting skills, her soft body took the fall hard. Before Hui Lan could even get up, there was another person on top of her.

Her dear like eyes widened with shock due to his scary speed.

Meanwhile, the person who was holding the beauty underneath him was also slightly taken aback by her beauty. There seemed to be no harm that would come out from that kind of face, but the reality was different. Hence, slowly his lips hooked up in a dangerous smile.

...Was this her acting? Of looking innocent? Well, he did not like innocent girls that much...but let's see what is inside her…

Emperor Yang Long's big hand took the eldest miss of the Feng family by the wrist and raised it up beside her face. Then, slowly, he drew his handsome face closer to hers until his tall bridge nose was slightly touching her tender nose. They both could feel each other's soft breath.

On the other hand, seeing the Emperor draw closer, Hui Lan could not help but close her eyes tight and held her breath.

However, just as she thought that his lips would touch hers, Emperor Yang Long quickly drew himself away.

"Zhen will not sleep with a stick." His mean comment was directed towards Hui Lan without thinking much.

Hui Lan's eyes popped open with the comment and when she saw that the Emperor was about to get up from the bed, her eyes grew in fear.

She could not let him leave, else her family and everyone would not be safe…

Before he could leave the bed, with all her might, Hui Lan quickly pulled the Emperor back and threw herself over him.

Now, the person on top was not the Emperor but the stick that he had just named was keeping him underneath her. However, her soft body was resting on his bare chest with only the silk wedding dress in between them.

Their faces were facing each other and their eyes were locked together.

Like the thunder before the storm, Hui Lan's body was thrown underneath the sturdy figure. Before Hui Lan could comprehend what had happened next, her robes were almost torn apart and her fair neck had red marks almost all over it.

She bit her lips tightly when he left his prints over her neck down to her collar bone. Then from her collar bone, he slowly made his way up to her chin and to her lips. However, when he saw that she was biting her lips so firmly that there were a few drops of blood seeping out, he crossed his sword-like brows.

Then, with a swift of motion, the candles in the room were entirely blown out. Now, the two were both in the dark.

While the Emperor was able to adjust his keen eyes to the dark faster, Hui Lan was not. She could barely see anything.

At a loss, Hui Lan felt sorry for herself. Did he despise her that much that he did not even want to see her face?

However, little did Hui Lan know that Emperor Yang Long felt like he was forcing himself on her when, but it was her that forced him to do this, or was it not?

Then again, it was too late to stop now. Hui Lan's robes were gone and her long hair was already loosened. Furthermore, his fiery fire was just beginning.

Like a flower that had been peeled, a scream was heard from the wedding chamber before quieting down again.

The phoenix that had been roaming in the wide sky was now caught in the steaming fire of the dragon that was paired to her.

However, it was only the first fire that had consumed her, the second had yet to come, but when it did, it took everything away from her.