Truth in the Feigned Affection (X)

Emperor Yang Long's brows were creased up as he looked at her displeased face.

Even with a red veil on her face, he could still the displeasure in her eyes and that straight line of red lips.

"Empress," The Emperor spoke with his low distinct voice.

To that, Hui Lan looked up and spoke, "Emperor," her voice was neither sweet to the other and without looking at him, she pulled her hand down and instantly it was released from his big hand.

She did not even give him any glance and walked passed him.

Emperor Yang Long looked up at the sky and touched his teeth with his tongue in annoyance.

...This girl…

Hui Lan's face now had clouds all covering her face. Her mood was truly at its worst…

All she wanted now was to get in the meeting hall and say hi to the parents and leave. At least, this owner's parent's would feel relieved that their child is alright and leave her be.

However, before she could even walk pass the door in front of her, a tall figure walked up right beside her and took her hands in his.

Hui Lan looked up at him with a fierce stare, but all he did was reveal a playful smile which completely took her by surprise or rather to be exact, it took her reflexed action or some sort.

His smile was not one that was feigned but a seemingly genuine playful smile.

Without waiting for Hui Lan to react in time, Emperor Yang Long swiftly took his Empress hand in hand out of the door.

Once both of them stepped out of the door, the Royal guards that had been standing in one line were ready for the Emperor and all saluted and bowed cohesively. Meanwhile, the rest of the Emperor and Empress' entourage followed side by side behind their masters.

From the unexpected loud noise, Hui Lan was momentarily shocked and also because of what happened, she was completely taken aback. She stepped sideways to her left in reflex as the loud noise came from the row of guards that were standing on her right. However, her left side consisted of none other than the Emperor.

Hence, her fragile figure bumped into the sturdy figure beside her completely unintentionally.

Emperor Yang Long swiftly looked down at her but all he could see was her neat yet elegant bun for she did not even take a glance at him and quickly moved away.

Hui Lan who was quickly on alert took the chance to break free from him, but the moment that her hand should be released, his big hand gripped tighter on hers.

Her figure that was turning away was brought swirling back to face him. With her weak body, she felt slightly dizzy over the amount of movement and speed it took. It was good enough that she could stop her body just in time before colliding into his. However, the distance between them had reduced and they were fairly close to each other.

So close that the Emperor could smell a distant flowery yet herbal smell from her.

When Hui Lan looked up and met eyes with him, her pair of eyes were as innocent as of a deer.

Only then did he look at her face properly. Unlike other times and unlike other ladies, her face was oddly natural-looking but there was somewhat enhancement that brought out her features even more. Even the red veil could not hide it, it was just that he could not express it into words...

Both shared a very brief moment in time as they looked at each other. However, soon, in those innocent pair of deer eyes, grey clouds gradually shrouded it.

Hui Lan too was looking at that handsome face. Yes, she had to admit that he was handsome and yes, she had to admit that her heart was beating like a mad lady again, but all of this did not make up for what had happened.

Revenge? She was not going to waste her time thinking about them but just to give them a lesson. What they did was not right, if they had a little guilty conscience she would not feel this badly towards them. The moment this body felt the pain of the loss of her son still lingered clearly in this body and mind. So, they would just have to bear with it for a while before she leaves this place.

With whatever might she had left in this fragile body, Hui Lan immediately flicked his hand away from hers.

Surprisingly it worked.

Though she might not be able to be free for long, she still wanted to try it. Hui Lan quickly stepped forward and strode away.

Her entourage led by Su Rong also sped up to catch up with their master in time.

Feeling free, Hui Lan felt as if a rock was lifted from her chest. She found it more pleasant walking alone than with him as if she was herself again.

She looked ahead and the meeting hall was just in front of her. No one but the Royal guards was around which meant that everyone was already inside the meeting hall.

...Tch, she was already running late but because of him, she was running even later. Another thing she missed was having a watch here, but then again, time here did not go by a watch so even if she got the time right, it might not be the same as how time worked here.

There was a slight feeling of relief in her heart as she almost reached the meeting hall.

However, when she was on her last few steps and looked up, the person she had been running away from was right in front of her eyes.

The short freedom she felt was truly short-lived.

...These people...was everyone martial arts or something but except this girl?

...She had forgotten about those unrealistic martial arts, but unsurprisingly to her possible and impossible judgemental mind, she did not feel weirded out that he could just simply fly over her and land 20 meters away.

...What should be more impossible was coming here in the first place, so what more should she be surprised about people being able to fly?

Instead of walking up with a light heart, Hui Lan began stomping her way up the stairs. Another thing that she was going to do once she got out of here was to learn how to fly. If he could fly, so could she.

Just getting up the almost 20 stairs, Hui Lan was already tired. The dress that had not felt heavy was now heavy.

The Emperor was surprisingly patient. He waited for her to arrive at the top of the stairs before dragging her inside. This time his grip was even tighter than ever.

Hui Lan did not even have enough time to steady her breathing and was already being pulled away. At that moment, she had never felt this helpless in her lifetime. All she could do was walk faster so she would be dragged, but even that was too slow for the other person.

Emperor Yang Long felt slightly better in his heart after all she did to him.

However, if Hui Lan knew that he was purposely walking faster as a sort of punishment for her, her eyes would probably ignite with fire.

Seeing the Emperor, the Royal guards swiftly opened the grand redwood door of the meeting hall.

Instantly, the glamour inside was revealed for the outside to see.

Lines of ministers and noblemen stood awaiting for the master of the Palace. Their voices quietened as the door opened and revealed the one and only Emperor and Empress of Xin Li.

Immediately, all the ministers bowed all together and paid their greetings to the Empress and Emperor.

The grand deco and the extravagance were truly beyond words. Hui Lan was momentarily impressed by the skills of the architecture in this time period. This was worth drawing a picture of and kept for people to learn.

In the very far back where the floor was elevated up into different levels. The highest was the Emperor's dragon throne with a phoenix craving around the throne. The Emperor's throne could fit at least 4-5 people.

Meanwhile, the Empress' Royal seat was placed one level lower than of the Emperor's on the Emperor's left side and then one level lower than the Empress' was Li Gui Fei's Royal seat which was on the Emperor's right-hand side. Then, the next was where the first and second prince stood on each side.

As Hui Lan and Emperor Yang Long entered halfway in the Royal meeting hall, the Emperor slowed his walking pace so that the person beside him could follow in a better manner. Although she had been trying to pull her hand away secretly from other's eyes all this whole time, it did not work.

Failing to do such with her little might, her gloomy eyes began looking around the Royal Meeting hall that was very much pleasing to her eyes. In her head, she began counting and estimating the prices that it would be when her mother's Xuan Group auctioned them off.

Though she was 'merely' an eastern historical professor, her family business was even more sophisticated than history itself. Her mother sold old goods that were as rare as diamonds that were left behind for centuries. As the person who had been taking care of the Xuan group before coming here, if she could go back to present time, she would leave some of these goods at a place where she could find them in the future and would probably make a great fortune out of it.

...However, the only thing was could she ever return?

As Hui Lan thought away, she and the person beside her were already walking closer to their Royal seats. Drawing closer, Hui Lan could finally see familiar faces. Hui Lan began looking at the ministers on both of her side matching the names from the paper roll she read last night.

One figure caught her attention which was the one person in full armour that had his head bowed down. This time her own mind slightly wavered as she could recognise from the first glance that he was none other than the great general Feng Hong Yi.

Nevertheless, she quickly looked away as she tried to push her nervousness. Beside this owner's father stood a familiar nobleman who was bowing on her left; it was none other than the left prime minister she met yesterday. The Emperor's cunning left-hand man...

Her eyes then landed on the most recent person she had an incident with, the second prince Shen Kun, who was looking at her with a very funny looking face indeed. It was as if she had done something terrible to him.

Nevertheless, she did not keep her eyes on him for long and swept her beautiful eyes to the person who stood indifferently on the other side of the Second Prince.

This person...she had never seen him yet. No, more like, she did not, but the owner of this body had. If she did not remember incorrectly, this person was none other than the first prince...Shen Min Tian.

However, she had no such memories or impression of this prince for the owner of this body had never encountered or even talked with this person.

Hui Lan's observative eyes began collecting small details of this seemingly aloof person. Though he looked one eighth like the person beside her, his features were even slightly sharper than of the Emperors, yet, it was those cold eyes that were even more distrustful than anyone she had ever seen before.

He was not even looking at the Emperor but merely looking ahead of him as if the Emperor was never in his eyes...such a person, was it good to leave him in the palace?

Having felt someone's gaze on him, the first prince coldly looked up to the person that had been looking at him before. Hence, his eyes met hers.

Seeing those eyes on hers, this body's weak heart skipped a beat. Meanwhile, her appearance showed no such feelings and her expression was as if simply curious.

On the other hand, he turned to look at the source and saw that it was the lady with a red veil. Realizing that the person who had been looking at him was none other than the Empress, he looked away disinterestedly as if she was not in his eyes.

Hui Lan could only wonder, how many more dangerous people would she have to meet in this Palace? It was as if it was a pack of tigers living in the same walls all waiting to bite each other.

Here was another person, if she could choose, she would not want to encounter or go against. Let's live in peace…but then again, wasn't she already going up with a dangerous person right beside her? What more could it be?

...Maybe just two tigers fighting for food and that food could be her?

Then, just above the second prince stood a very eye-striking figure who was dressed in a light velvet dress.

Li. Gui. Fei.

Almost immediately, Hui Lan's eyes became chilly before vanishing in those dark black eyes. If Hui Lan could see her own eyes, she would not call the first prince's cold in the slightest bit for hers was even colder.

Hui Lan's lips hooked up ever so slightly behind her red veil.

...We meet again, Li. Mei. Fang.

Just a few nights ago, she was merely a Li Cai Ren, but only a few days later, this girl was already Li Gui Fei. Hui Lan turned her cold eyes to look at the ministers on her right side, and in the very front stood a middle-aged man who had his head down like the rest. From his side profile, she could see what a crafty person he was.

...So, because of your father, you got to become Li Gui Fei and because of your father, the investigation for the little prince's death was put down. If murdering someone by your own hands could be erased that easily...

She remembered the first time she met this girl. She was holding hands with the Emperor before her eyes. However, it was just funny that their position was switched.

Though she did not feel happy standing beside this Emperor, she was simply just happy seeing the look in this girl's eyes.

...Do not blame me, young lady, because I did not ask for this either...you should clear this with your husband, but it seemed he did not consult this with you, did he?

Mei Fang, on the other hand, had been looking at the Emperor and Empress since both of them walked in. Her heart felt so many different emotions of what portrayed in front of her eyes.

The man she loved was standing beside another woman. Though she had told herself so many times that a day like this would happen, it would not make her feel better.

Looking at the woman standing beside her lover looking at her with such contempt in those eyes, her heart was fuming in fire. This same woman was the one who had destroyed her plan to become Li Gui Fei with honour.

...Those rumours, if this Empress had nothing to do with it, she would not believe such words.

...Everything was planned so well, but because of her...it was ruined into pieces.

If she could, she would want to rip those eyes out from those sockets and pull her dirty hands away from her man.

However, all she could do was sink her own fingernails into her palm to remind herself to stay in her place.

...He was only doing this because of something else, and not for her. She had to look at the bigger picture and the true reason behind it.

Nevertheless, she could not help but feel restless in her heart as she thought of yesterday when he came to see her.

The Emperor did not stay over with her, but left so soon. In full honesty, she was not sure whether the Emperor left because he felt sorry or it was because of something else…

Although Mei Fang was boiling inside, her face was calm and as serene as a fairy. However, those flashes in her sweet eyes did not fool Hui Lan.

...Tut tut, just this and you're already boiling up.

Hui Lan no longer put up with Mei Fan's pretence and swept her eyes on her Royal seat that was placed just below the Emperor's.

Unlike, Gui Fei's Royal seat, hers was much grander but all she could remember from sitting in that seat was watching the Emperor and Li Gui Fei meeting eyes with each other.

...Poor Empress Feng…

By now, both Hui Lan and Emperor Yang Long was finally reaching Hui Lan's Royal Seat. However, as she had remembered in her memory, she was supposed to sit in her chair so she was prepared to go to her seat when the big hand stopped her.

She turned to look around annoyingly, but his other hand was already placed on her waist and then swiftly she was brought right in front of his Royal throne instead.

By the time Hui Lan realized, she was already in front of his seat and he had already let go of his hand from her waist and sat down. Now, she was the only one standing while this unfathomable Emperor sat ignorantly on his throne.

At the same time, Eunuch Wu had already made an announcement for all the ministers to return back to normal.

Without looking at her, Emperor Yang Lan quickly pulled her to sit down. It was easy as pulling a feather down to sit by his side.

When all the ministers all lifted their head, all they could see was the Empress sitting beside the Emperor and not in her Royal seat. All of their eyes were on the husband and wife that looked rather close to one another, whispers began creeping in the Royal meeting hall.

...This...this had never happened in the entire 7 years of this Emperor's reign.

Mei Feng's heart almost fell out of her chest. She was taken by surprise with what her lover had just done.

However, since the moment he walked inside the Meeting Hall he had not met eyes with her not even one glance.

If she could make his attention all on her right this moment she would, but what could she do? It was the first time ever she felt this way. She had thought that all along she trusted him and she would not question him, but those words were gone before such a scene.

It was also the first time ever that she had ever seen him with another lady, it was just...just beyond any words of pain.

Meanwhile, the Emperor who sat before and higher than his ministers and could see every movement they did, but he did not say anything; it was as if he had turned a blind eye to their whispering.

Hui Lan who was sitting beside the Emperor could see everything as well, but why was it that he did not say anything? If she was him, she would be rather unhappy that these ministers were lacking off and badmouthing her.

She looked at the person beside her and all he did was quietly read the official documents that were on the table in front.

As the whispers grew and surrounded the meeting hall, Hui Lan could vaguely hear what they were all talking about.

Some were saying that the rumours that had been spread all over the entire Kingdom were not true and that the Emperor did not neglect the Empress. While others rebutted that they had never seen the Emperor show such or any affection at the Empress before, how come he did today.

Hui Lan could not help but sneer inside her heart, so he was simply using his minister's mouths to speak for him. From the looks of where this was going, all of this was just to pour water into the fire she had caused?

...Tut tut, wasn't he being too efficient ah? Just by acting affectionately to her would completely hush the rumours?

...Words had already spread in the capital, by doing this he did not clear much of the rumours at all...no...it wasn't much of a clearing was it? All this act, it was only for show and if it was a show, then he wanted 'someone' to see this and that 'someone'...was none other than...

Hui Lan slowly turned her eyes to the middle-aged man that was in his full armour as he had just returned this morning, 'her father' of this time period. Unintentionally, both father and daughter were looking at each other.

...If she could hear those words and assumptions from all these ministers, so could her father.

Hui Lan's eyes grew cloudier.

Since you've used me, then I'll be of use for you; Shen. Yang. Long.