While the women chatted below, admiring the garden with some establishing connections and others showing off their wealth, the men were performing the same song and dance above. The only differences would be that their conversations revolved heavily around the state of political affairs and their eyes admired the fluttering flowers rather than the garden itself.
Seated at the edge of the upper floor of the pavilion, with a perfect view of the garden below, was the Emperor and his closest advisers. Although his eyes were following the actions being carried out on the first floor, he was still able to pay attention to the conversations around him; speaking a word every now and again.
"The north is rather strange lately. They've gone silent this past year, not making a single peep. And now, although there have been no major quarrels between our five countries since the last great war more than a decade ago, they've been strengthening the numbers at their borders."
"Hn." The emperor, Liu Hui Huang, turned his gaze toward the adviser who had spoken. "The spies we've placed... any word from them?"
"We've sent many messages via pigeon, but so far we've received nothing in return."
The emperor then switched his gaze to the man leaning against a red pillar adorned with a dragon relief at both the top and bottom. His single crimson-eyed gaze was staring off into the garden, unfocused as he was deep in his own thoughts. Ah, he was such an unsettling fellow. It was difficult to believe that they had the same blood of their father flowing in their veins.
"A'Ling," he called out, "your thoughts on the matter?"
Li Yu Rong felt his spine twinge in disgust over the affectionate term made from the name that he had been carelessly given when his father came to the realization he had none. Although he had the name said to be one his mother wanted to bestow on him, he did not feel inclined to enlighten the man that sired him. It was "Ru Ling," he had not been permitted to carry the surname of the royal family, thus furthering his want of nothing from them. Therefore he did not feel the need to acknowledge this off-handed appellation that man had given.
"As the master of the Palace of the Four Gates I have no views," he answered tactfully and then added: "Rather than here with me, shouldn't this be a conversation you have at a later date with your heir apparent."
Laughing, the emperor said, "just curious. Well then, do have an opinion on sending in contracted demons to do the spying? Surely they wouldn't be as easily found or as easily killed as their human counterpart, no?"
Li Yu Rong's eyes narrowed and said pointedly. "Those contracts that are held under your own hands, of course, I have no opinion. Do remember, however, the rules you're bound to by the Palace of the Four Gates when you took the contracted from there."
Those that took upon themselves the contracted must treat the individual fairly and could not throw their lives away carelessly and nor could they be traded off another. To be assured that they were not being treated like caged livestock the contractor had to agree before taking upon the contracted to an annual inspection. These inspections were carried out by the spirits of the Palace of the Four Gates.
A splash of red, from the corner of his eye, lit up the garden of monotonous color. Rather than continuing the conversation from before, Liu Hui Huang turned his gaze to happenings below. Beneath his view of the garden acted out a play of the hero saving the beauty. He felt his lips twitch upward as he watched the red-haired delicate-featured girl pull Commander Jiang's adopted daughter behind her. Not counting the fact that she was an unfamiliar face -as he knew all the beauties of Jin Ang country- her features and coloring were more in line with a demon's.
It was easy to guess at her identity.
"Your pet is quite the hero, isn't she." He remarked as he waited for a reaction. Depending on how his dear elder brother reacted, he would take it as a chance to move the conversation toward the tidbit he had heard from Minister Li.
The air of the surrounding area plummeted in degree, becoming almost as chilly as the coldest night of winter. Li Yu Rong clenched a fist beneath his sleeve as he watched Paoxiao run out -dressed in his female attire- a whole moment later. If Paoxiao did not have a good enough explanation for how this came about, then... Li Yu Rong laughed with a dark and ominous note.
The sound caused those close enough to hear it, to shudder violently. The advisers and those close by had been doing their best to pretend that he did not exist. However, with such a horrific devil with such a bloodthirsty red-eyed gaze so nearby, how could they ever bring themselves to fully relax.
Just as Emperor Liu Hui Huang opened his mouth, having finally thought how to entrap his brother, the sweet sound of a flute fluttered pass his ear. Pausing, he focused more fully onto the scene unfolding below them. The melody was a style of music that he -being so lavishly covered by the wonders of this world- had never heard.
The sound, it carried him away as he immersed himself in the pleasure of it. Soon after, his eyes were delighted by the lithe movements of the girl below as she began to dance, creating an enchanting sight. Her hair fluttered about, her skirts moved and lifted slightly here and there giving a wonderful view of her delicate ankles. Though she were a demon, many breathes hitched and throats went dry for her eyes the sparkled wildly with an innocent passion.
"Hehe," one of the advisers leered as he carelessly remarked, "it's no wonder the Elemental Spirit Master made her a pet though she's a demon. To have such a girl writhing beneath you is probably quite the pleasure. I can say, I wouldn't mind taking her for a spin myself."
The teacup in his hand, as he moved to take a drink, shattered suddenly. The shards embedded themselves in the adviser's flesh, some even going as far as to slice across his cheek, drawing blood. The man was so stunned that he could hardly breathe, let alone to dare move to take care of his injuries.
The palatable rage coming from Li Yu Rong as he leaned, unmoving, against the pillar could choke a person to death. Those seated around him were finding it difficult to breathe as they cursed the lack of intelligence in their fellow cohort. Another, seated nearby the fool, laughed. It was a strained sound that was painful to hear.
"Fool," he joked weakly, "getting so excited and shattering your own glass." Though they had an inkling toward the truth of the matter, none of them wanted to admit that Li Yu Rong could shatter a glass without moving from so far away.
Narrowing his eyes in displeasure, Liu Hui Huang couldn't help to find them all as fools. Their comments, one after another, were digging into his brother and dragging out his murderous ire. There was no helping it and so he stood from his seat. "It's about time we all moved to the dining hall for the rest of the festivities and the meal."
With the mood souring so, sounding the man out right now would be a complete miss. It was better to hurry this along so that Minister Li could jump in, before everyone in the hall, and put forth A'Ling's wrongdoings. This way, he would be able to rightly, legitimately, and justly act to acquire that demon woman for himself.