"You-!"

Liang Yingzhou sprang to his feet and pointed at Feng Yun. Feng Yun, to his credit, remained absolutely calm.

"I've known Ah Daiyu since she was born! How could you say that I'd upset her?"

"It's the truth."

"Feng Yun, you're going to wish you hadn't made an enemy of me!"

Liang Yingzhou flew up and drew his sword. Feng Yun sighed exaggeratedly and flew backwards to avoid the descending edge of the blade. When he stopped, he sized up Liang Yingzhou.

"Swift Breeze Sect is infamous. I wouldn't dare to challenge its master."

"Then what do you call keeping Ah Daiyu from me? You are with her every day. Now, after a month, I've returned to see her, and you won't let me."

"I assure you, Master Liang, I'm not intending to offend you. I'm simply following Her Majesty’s orders."

"I really doubt so. What intentions to you have towards my mei mei?"

"She's my younger cousin, even though we’re not blood. So, I have none. Don’t worry, I know better than to fall in love with someone who’s basically a relative."

Liang Yingzhou's eyes blazed. Feng Yun smirked.

"Did you really think I couldn't see just how much you care about Tang Daiyu? So incessant on seeing her," he chuckled. "Only someone truly in love with her would dare to argue with me for so long."

"Feng Yun, you bas-" Liang Yingzhou caught himself before finishing the sentence.

"Fortunately, you're not her real brother. Though I'm not her real cousin, I still don't have such feelings for her. I care about her, yes. But I don't love her in the way that you do. I’m not your competition, nor your enemy."

Liang Yingzhou glared at the man in front of him. He strode forward and was only a few cun away from his face. "Let me see her tomorrow, and I'll believe you."

"Okay. I'll ask her tomorrow morning if she'll send you a summons. Wait for it."

Feng Yun circled his wrist and hit Liang Yingzhou's chest, sending him flying backwards to the door, shocking him.

"Let's leave Her Majesty to rest, shall we?"

~~~

The next morning, Tang Daiyu woke and immediately had a coughing fit. Hua Chao-Xing stayed with her while Wu Caihong ran to get Feng Yun. By the time they arrived though, her spell had passed and she was sitting up in bed.

"Tang Daiyu?"

"I'm fine."

"Master Liang came to see you last night."

"What?"

"I intercepted him. He still demanded to see you. All I could do was promise that you'd send him a summons today."

"Feng Yun!"

"I know, I'm sorry. But he never would’ve left otherwise."

Tang Daiyu sighed and looked to her maids. "Help me dress and conceal my condition."

They nodded and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Tang Daiyu was dressed in amber orange and gold robes. Hairpins were pushed into her elaborate up-do. Layer after layer of foundation and concealer hid any signs of illness, and some gold colored eyeshadow accented her black eyes. Red gloss was swiped across her lips. Once she was ready, Hua Chao-Xing and Wu Caihong helped her up.

Turning her head, she requested, “Older Cousin, will you help me with something?”

Feng Yun nodded. “Anything.”

“You’re a martial artist, right?”

Another nod.

“Can you help keep my qi stabilized as I meditate? I think I can expel the dark qi from within me, but I might need your internal force to aid me.”

“Of course.”

They walked over to the bed. He sat down first and scooted back to allow her to sit in front of him. They both got into the lotus position and closed their eyes. She began to meditate, and he pressed his hands against her shoulder blades. Tang Daiyu focused all of her energy on purifying herself. Feng Yun let his internal force transfer to her, keeping her strong enough to do what she needed to do. They remained like that for a good shichen. When she finally slumped, he caught her in his arms.

“Younger Cousin?” he asked softly.

“It’s okay. It worked, Older Cousin. I’ll be okay.”

“Good, good. Never scare any of us like that ever again, Tang Daiyu.”

She nodded her promise and said, "Send the summons. I'll see him in the private study here in the Northern Palace."

Feng Yun sighed, "As you wish, Your Majesty."

Then, he climbed off of the bed and left.

"Are you sure about this, Your Majesty?" Hua Chao-Xing asked, worried.

"You know Master Liang. He'll do anything to make sure I'm okay. Therefore, I can't put him off forever. And now that I’m okay, there’s nothing to worry about."

Her maids escorted her over to the private study where Feng Yun and Liang Yingzhou were already waiting. Inside, the two men greeted her. She waved it off and sat down at her desk. They remained standing, and Liang Yingzhou stepped forward.

"Ah Daiyu, I trust you're feeling better today?"

She smiled sweetly and nodded. "Yes, very much. Thank you for your never-ending concern, Master Liang."

His brows furrowed with dislike. He was too used to her calling him Zhou-ge.

She swallowed nervously and wrung her hands under the table. Her eyes flashed towards Feng Yun. He noticed and cleared his throat.

"What did you want to speak with Her Majesty about, Master Liang?"

He glared at him but gritted out, "I think this should be a private conversation."

"I trust Feng Yun," Tang Daiyu said quickly. "Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of him."

Liang Yingzhou took a deep breath. "Very well. Ah Daiyu, did Master Pei put you up to this?"

She went still. Her eyes flashed darkly at him. "What? Where are you getting that absurd idea?"

"That day he reappeared, you sent us out of the room."

"He was unconscious!"

"Then how did he escape?"

She bit her lip, caught. Damn.

"Alright, he woke up. So what?”

“Did he tell you to become Heping's Empress? Did you plan all of this with him?"

"In that short amount of time? He was dying, Master Liang. We barely had time for a conversation."

"But did you or did you not talk about it?"

"Enough!" Feng Yun snapped. "I was the one who suggested it to her."

Liang Yingzhou's eyes blazed with fury as he rounded on him. "You-! Couldn't you have let her leave all of this behind and be happy?"

"How are you so sure she isn't?"