The phantasm peeled away and Luo-Luo shot up with a shuddering gasp, waking to a world seeped in fear and shadow. Heart pounding in her heaving chest, she ran her fingers over her neck as she fought for air, her shaky fingers finding nothing but silk and jewellery. Shuddering in the cool night’s chill, she unclasped the buttons around her neck, desperately wishing for a glass of warm tea to quench her parched throat. Her silk dress clung weakly to her skin, held in place by cold sweat and little more, but she cared not for modesty. Finally, she could breathe easy without those cold, slimy innards... no, the damnable dress collar squeezing the air from her lungs.

Still unable to shake her unease, her hands turned to searching the darkness around her. Finding soft cushions, padded walls, and silk curtains, the familiar surroundings offered some small comfort to her panicked state of mind. She was sitting in her palanquin, so cozy and welcoming, nothing like the cold, hard dungeon she’d imagined. Yes, imagined, a nightmare is all it was, a bad dream brought about by all the excitement of her big day. There’s no way her Lord Husband would try to choke her with his own intestines, still attached to his body and protruding from the gaping wound in his belly. That would be madness, not even Defiled would go so far.

Though what he did... what he asked for was almost worse. Mother above, what sort of people had she been gifted away to? What other ghastly, grotesque practices would her Lord Husband come up with?

Fumbling about her armrest, her trembling hands took long seconds fiddling with the latch, her teeth chattering loud enough to wake the dead. With a thunderous click, the latch slipped free and she almost cried for joy as she lifted it open and pulled out the blanket stored within. Throwing it around her shoulders, she wrapped herself in the light, comforting cotton and drew her knees to her chest, an inadequate shelter from the terrifying world she’d awakened in, but one which made her feel better nonetheless. Focused on steadying her breathing, she forced herself to empty her lungs in a long, drawn out exhale, followed by a short, abbreviated inhale, continuing until she was finally breathing normally once again. Her heartbeat soon followed and the erratic, uncontrolled pounding slowed to a rhythmic, steady pulse, no longer deafening her to the world around her and freeing her to hear to her own thoughts.

The memory flashed through her mind, an image of Falling Rain lying flat on his back, stargazing without a care in the world while the ‘Medical Saint’ poked and prodded through his innards. Luo-Luo must have fainted soon after, for she remembered nothing which came after. Would her new family look down on her for fainting? No, more importantly, did it work? If so, would her Lord Husband be condemned for his actions, or celebrated? Were the guests still there, or had they stormed off in disgust? Would her Lord Husband be heavy handed and force them to silence, or would he let them go free and not care about what they said about him?

Did it matter? He did nothing wrong. Distasteful though it might be, there was no law against self-mutilation...

“Silly girl, be reasonable and rational,” she scolded herself, her mind’s voice calm and soothing though she felt nothing of the sort. “What self-mutilation? You heard the Medical Saint’s analysis, plain and clear. While conventional treatment of Lord Husband’s ailment was possible, it would have required multiple skilled Healers keeping watch throughout all hours of the day, a taxing and costly affair. What’s more, such treatment was not without risk, for even Healers could lose focus and make mistakes. Lord Husband offered an unconventional, but straightforward solution, one befitting the circumstances he found himself in and with minimal risk. Healers and mundane physicians alike are known to excise and amputate when necessary, this was nothing more than taking it one step further, removing a troublesome, life-threatening impediment which just so happened to be situated within his intestines.”

But frightening as all the blood and viscera had been, it wasn’t what terrified her so. No, what scared her even more was how casually he’d suggested the course of action, as if he’d followed in the footsteps of the heretical madman Zhen Shi before. This would not reflect well on him, nor on the Imperial Family considering he’d just been elevated to their ranks. She kept telling herself that it wasn’t the same, for Zhen Shi was a madman who mutilated and dismembered thousands of innocents in his demented search for ‘enlightenment’. Lord Husband was merely in possession of an eccentric personality and an idiosyncratic thought process as a result of his high education and tribal upbringing.

For better or for worse, Luo-Luo was his concubine and thus would stand firmly at his side.

Mostly because she feared death too much to ever invoke her Privilege, but there were worse fates than to stand beside a man so... unique.

Having reconciled with her Lord Husband’s actions, she heaved a sigh of relief and turned her attention back to the world around her. Just in time too, for she heard footsteps and voices approaching, faint at first but growing louder as they drew closer to her palanquin. “...fat, furry gluttons with no restraint. They couldn’t even hop onto the wagon without help.” Lord Husband’s voice sounded low and raspy,

“They’re animals,” Mila replied, and Luo-Luo imagined the freckled beauty rolling her eyes. “What did you expect when you gave them a mountain of food?”

“Me? I didn’t order the mountain of pet food, I thought that was Lin or Li Song.”

“Nope.” Lin-Lin’s cheerful denial put a smile on Luo-Luo’s face, imagining the sweet girl’s adorable smile. “Wasn’t Li-Li either, we didn’t have anything to do with the party planning. It was all Sa-Sa.”

Lord Husband sighed. “I swear, Mom treats them like her real grandchildren now, spoils them to no end. Pretty sure they like her more than they like me now. Their eyes all light up every time she comes into the room, but I almost died on stage and they didn’t even spare me a glance. Ingrates is what they are.”

“Silly man, pouting over...”

They were all so comfortable and informal with one another, able to laugh and tease without care for face or pride. Bristling with jealousy at their close bonds, Luo-Luo wondered if Lord Husband would ever grow to love her like he loved his wives. As an Imperial Servant, she never dreamed of becoming more than a concubine. No, her dreams were far more mundane, to be valued and held in high esteem, a prize to inspire envy at her Patron’s good fortune. Love was never a part of her aspirations, for if even the highest of nobles couldn’t marry for love, how could Luo-Luo? Yet now, after less than a day at his side, she longed for her Lord Husband’s affection, if only because she couldn’t bear to be the only one treated so coldly in a house so full of love.

Her teachers often warned her to keep her competitive nature in check, for the love of a Patron would often come hand-in-hand with the wrath of the legal wife. Lin-Lin didn’t seem the type, but she would need to tread lightly around Mila and Li-Li, for warriors tended to be a temperamental bunch. Now all Luo-Luo needed to do was entice her Lord Husband, but Luo-Luo’s lessons never covered how to make a man fall in love. No matter, their relationship would begin with lust and infatuation, then it would develop from there.

Shifting the curtains by a hair, she lifted the darkness in her palanquin and inspected her dress. Ruffled and dishevelled, she looked like a mess, but it would suit her purposes just fine. Leaving the front unclasped and ready to fall free, she arranged it so as to provide an even more tantalizing view of her breasts, not quite so vulgar as to bare her body but almost. Leaving the blanket draped about her shoulders, she tangled both her hands within, giving the impression she was trapped and helpless to resist his advances without impacting her previous visual arrangement. This done, she angled her body so she faced the side her Lord Husband would enter from and kept her knees closed but feet spread, again making her seem like an easy target. Men were predatory creatures, and like his gluttonous pets, Falling Rain would find it difficult to tear his eyes away from a sumptuous feast laid out before him.

As she closed her eyes to feign sleep, she realized the glaring flaw in her plan: What if her Lord Husband didn’t think to check on her? What if instead, he sent one of his wives? Or worse, his fearsome and indecipherable sister-in-law? Mother would likely approve of Luo-Luo’s tactics, but Sister Alsantset seemed far too close to her Lord Husband than appropriate, sitting directly beside him with Brother Charok on the other side. By tradition, the brothers should have been seated together, but what if -

Her wild imagination was brought to a halt as Lord Husband said, “I guess I should go now, can’t keep the Legate waiting for long. Again, sorry about getting blood on your dress.”

“It’s fine.” Luo-Luo could imagine Mila’s understanding smile, head tilted ever so slightly as she gazed fondly at Lord Husband. “Get some rest and try not to do anything stupid in your meeting. Listen to Yuzhen, she knows what she’s doing.”

“Yes, my love.” A short pause, where he probably kissed Mila on the cheek, so chaste and adorable. “Good night wifey.” And another kiss on the cheek for Lin-Lin.

“Good night hubby.”

The curtains to her palanquin parted and a heavy boot stepped on board, then silence. Mila and Lin-Lin wore cloth shoes and Li-Li’s steps were as light as a feather, so it must be Lord Husband. The moment of truth was upon them, how would Lord Husband react? Would he gaze in blissful silence or be driven to take a more active approach? Would he roughly shake her awake or gently stroke her cheek? Perhaps he’d wake her with a kiss or even lose his head and take her here in -

“Hang on,” Lord Husband exclaimed, stepping back out of the palanquin. “I think you forgot someone. Luo-Luo’s still asleep in the palanquin.”

Aggravating man! He didn’t even take the time to appreciate her beauty, just jumped right to getting rid of her. He sounded surprised too, did he not notice her absence? Had he forgotten all about her?

“Bring her with you,” Mila replied.

“Why?”

Luo-Luo struggled to hold back her tears while Lin-Lin giggled. “To show the Legate how happy you are with your gift silly. If he thinks you don’t appreciate his efforts, he might get upset, ya?”

“Oh. Make sense. Okay, see you tomorrow.” Entering the palanquin once again, Lord Husband muttered, “The man dumps a hot mess into my lap and now I have to go thank him for it. Makes sense.” Sucking his teeth, he sighed and grabbed Luo-Luo’s knees, which filled her with mixed feelings. First he called her a hot mess and then immediately moved to molest her? Her fears were for naught as Lord Husband dragged her legs to one side, grumbling, “So tall there’s barely room enough for my skinny ass. Probably be more comfortable riding on top of this damned thing than sharing it with -”

Luo-Luo snapped. “My apologies Lord Husband. This ‘hot mess’ shall endeavour to make herself smaller.”

“Oh.” Lord Husband at least had the sense to look ashamed, frozen in a half crouch before her. “You’re awake.”

“Indeed. To be roused by Lord Husband’s gentle touch and kind words is a truly a blessing.” Her words dripping with sarcasm, she shifted over and leaned into the palanquin walls, leaving as much room for him as possible while fastening her collar buttons. Horrible man, so this is what he thought of her? “If it would please you, Lord Husband could remove this one’s calves and reattach her feet to the stumps, then we would both be of similar height.”

With an awkward chuckle, Lord Husband settled in beside her and signalled her guards to move out. She was lucky they still obeyed her instructions, seeing as he had yet to order them otherwise. “Okay. I deserved that, and I know you’re joking, but it’s a shame Healing doesn’t work like that. If it did, I’d have two giant bear arms instead of these scrawny noodles.”

Hurt and enraged, Luo-Luo threw away all pretense of courtesy. “Some things should not be said, even in jest. To be associated with the Heretic Zhen Shi is not to be desired, especially now that you are of Imperial Peerage. You have an image to maintain and a reputation to uphold. Should you bring shame or dishonour to the Imperial Clan, justice will come swiftly and without warning.”

“Okay, okay.” Holding his hands up in surrender, Lord Husband sank back into the cushions and sighed. “I didn’t ask for any of this you know? Two years ago, I was just Falling Rain, out seeing the Wall for the first time on my way to the Society. One year ago, I was a talented rookie sent out on an easy mission to hunt bandits around Sanshu and raise goodwill for the Bekhai. Now? I’m ‘Imperial Consort’ Falling Rain and a shining example to all. It’s a lot to take in, especially since I’m not the most... politically savvy person around. It’s all so bothersome, if I had a choice, I’d leave all this behind and go home...” With another sigh, her Lord Husband shook his head and fell silent, lost in his own thoughts. After a long pause, he said, “Sorry about interrupting your performance. I know you were looking forward to it.”

Taken aback by his abrupt apology, Luo-Luo stared at her Lord Husband who defied all expectations. Did he truly care nothing for reputation or prestige? And how was she supposed to respond to his apology? It’s not as if he got drunk and made a scene, he almost died. Her anger subsiding, she bowed her head in shame and whispered, “Luo-Luo begs forgiveness for her earlier outburst and asks Lord Husband to pass judgment so that she may atone.”

“For what? Speaking your mind? Psh.” Dismissing her apology with a wave of his hand, he grinned and added, “I think that was the first genuine exchange you’ve had with anyone since you arrived. It’s good, much better than sifting through all your subterfuge and deceptions. Acting all friendly and cheerful one moment, then girlish and shy the next. You change personalities more often than I change pants, and that’s saying something.”

Blushing at having been exposed, she held her tongue for she had nothing to say in her defence, but thankfully, her Lord Husband magnanimously let the subject drop. His exhaustion showing through, he soon nodded off to sleep, head resting against the cushioned walls with eyes closed and breath steady. Such a strange, unpredictable man, unlike anything she’d been taught to expect. Most men of the Empire would kill for the title of Imperial Consort, yet her Lord Husband found it more burden than boon. Brilliant, yet humble, arrogant, yet charitable, Falling Rain fought not for honour and glory, but for duty and love, to protect his family and people from the Father’s evil minions.

Perhaps that’s why the Guardian Turtle loved him so, always looming over him like a protective hen watching over her chicks.

When they arrived at their destination, Luo-Luo gently touched her Lord Husband’s arm to wake him. Coming to with a start, his body tensed as he surveyed his surroundings, ready to fight and kill should the situation demand it. It shouldn’t come as a surprise for the number one talent in the Empire to possess such instincts, but for Luo-Luo, it was like seeing a different person come to life, a ferocious, untamed warrior completely at odds with the quiet young man she’d first taken him for.

After rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, the untamed warrior faded into memory as her Lord Husband slapped his cheeks and grinned. “Okay then. Time to meet the Legate.” Stepping out of the palanquin, he held the silk curtain aside for her and asked, “Are you two close?”

Linking arms with him, she followed him up the stairs alongside Mother-in-Law Akanai, Marshal Yuzhen, and a handful of scruffy soldiers from Lord Husband’s retinue. “Legate is merely a title, so Luo-Luo is uncertain if she knows Lord Husband’s Patron, for she was unworthy to meet with such an esteemed nobleman."

“Oh. Well, his name is Shen Zhenwu. Ring any bells?”

Uncertain what bells had to do with it, she shook her head. “This name is unfamiliar, for it too, is a title bestowed upon him by Imperial Edict. ‘Shen’, written ‘Divine’, denotes he holds the Emperor’s authority, which stems from the Mandate of Heaven. ‘Zhen’, written ‘True’, denotes he has demonstrated excellence in his chosen pursuit, which in this case is indicated by the last character of his title, ‘Wu’, written ‘Warrior’.”

“Oh? So he earned the name? And here I thought his parents just had unrealistic expectations for their newborn son.” Tilting his head, he turned and Sent, “You say ‘Zhen’ denotes excellence in a chosen field. Zhen Shi means ‘True Corpse’. Was his title bestowed upon him too?”

Luo-Luo heart skipped a beat as she almost missed a step, thankful he had the presence of mind not to ask it out loud. “Yes, but we should speak of this another time.” Unable to Send, she prayed he would let the matter drop, and thankfully, he did. Zhen Shi’s origins touched upon an unspoken secret and century-long shame of the Imperial Clan, not something they should discuss on their way to meet Lord Husband’s Imperial Patron. Keeping her voice low, she coached him on etiquette and topics to avoid, worried he might upset his Patron and lose favour.

When they finally reached the antechamber, Luo-Luo’s legs burned with exertion, but she stood tall so not as to shame her husband. There was no Crier to greet them, only an old servant who gestured for them to follow, bringing them out of the throne room through a side door. Unable to follow, the Divine Turtle settled down for a nap and watched them leave, causing Lord Husband to mutter something about how ‘turtles want only one thing’. They didn’t go far, for the servant brought them to a small, private room where Lord Husband’s Imperial Patron sat waiting, a man who Luo-Luo was so shocked to see she almost forgot to curtsy.

Realizing she’d recognized him, ‘Shen Zhenwu’ smiled, unfurled his fan and displayed the Imperial Sigil for her to see, a casual gesture which the others overlooked. “Hear me,” he Sent, speaking as the Emperor’s chosen voice. “Imperial Servant Zheng Luo is not to reveal our true identity, under punishment of death.” Gently closing the fan, he added, “It’s no fun if everyone knows who I am.”

Unable to do anything else, Luo-Luo nodded and curtsied in compliance, wondering how her Lord Husband caught the attention of the most infamous man in the homelands. At least she now knew her Lord Husband was backed by a man of means. The youngest son of the previous Emperor, half-brother to the current Emperor, nephew to the Imperial Grand Marshal, and the publicly favoured contender for heir to the throne, there were few who could stand against this ‘Shen Zhenwu’, politically or otherwise.

Oh, how wonderful. Truly, with a man like this propping him up, Falling Rain was destined for greatness.

Chapter Meme