Living in the lavish and picturesque White Lotus Hall had been, at first, felt like a dream come true. But after an entire week of being locked in place, the exquisite palace food had grown stale. The never-changing lotus ponds had become an irritating sight to see, and LiAi was already plotting on murdering people left and right.
Even LiYue was tired of sleeping and not working for so long. LiBai and LiChun were doing quite well. The two were quietly studying the female guard that had brought them food and drinks for the last seven days.
The guard had on modest clothing, deep brown and utterly unremarkable in every way. Dark strands of hair were tightened into a high ponytail. A heavy sword hung by her sash.
Throughout the seven days, she had quietly brought them the food, prepared the table for them, then stood guard by the pond, studying their every move. She hadn't uttered a word the entire time. Crossing her arms over her chest, she shot them a stern stare through the open doors, making their enjoyment of the food wain like a wilted flower.
"How can we eat when she looks at us like that?" LiAi snapped as she shredded the bread in her hands but didn't eat it. The first meal of the day was already ruined for her.
"Hmm, who?" LiYue mumbled as she nibbled on her plum cake. LiAi looked like she would bust a vein. LiYue was way too careless of her surroundings!
"That guard! Maybe I should test that weapon Wei KaiJun gave me." LiAi cackled with evil intention as she brought out a foldable fan and spread it out to fan herself. It was a curious little item that Wei KaiJun had thought of with LiAi and, in the heat of the moment, built for her.
On the surface, it looked like a regular fan, but at the base, there was a small handle. When one pulled at the handle, the top of the wooden sticks that held the fan together, opened up, revealing the poison darts hidden within. They would fly out with a sharp flick of the wrist, impaling the unexpecting victim. It was the perfect weapon for LiAi.
"She has been very nice, killing her seems a bit much," LiBai said with a little knowing smile. LiChun snickered next to her.
"Where's 51? His food's running cold." LiAi changed the subject, but her hands still itched to use the fan as her eyes fell on their stoic guard once more.
"Somewhere over the pond with QingYu." LiChun shrugged as she stabbed the steamed fish with her chopsticks and ripped it apart like a vicious animal.
Meanwhile, LiangLin was keeping Lan QingYu company as the green snake wandered along the path encircling the White Lotus Hall like a lost hen. He had been sullen ever since their first night staying in the house. LiangLin could sense it had something to do with that one emperor, who hadn't shown his face ever since they parted ways at the staircase.
Lan QingYu stopped before one of the many lotus ponds and, reaching over the wooden railings, started picking the petals off the flowers one by one, tossing them in the water.
Feeling pity towards the innocent flowers, LiangLin cleared his throat.
Lan QingYu raised his head and turned over to LiangLin. His lips were red and swollen from him biting on it nonstop, while his eyes were wide with worry. At that moment, QingYu looked more like a scared deer than a snake.
LiangLin wrapped his hands around the green snake, feeling the need to comfort him.
"QingYu, what is wrong? You aren't sad just because he hasn't visited, are you?"
"No, it's not that," QingYu mumbled as he burrowed his head in LiangLin's shoulder.
"He is the emperor, there must be a lot of duties piled up from the time he was away from the palace." LiangLin continued. He had no idea what emperors did in the palace, but he was throwing stuff out there that sounded plausible.
"I know."
LiangLin's mind worked overtime. He hated seeing others sad. QingYu was like a brother to him at this point. He would gut the emperor and paint over the walls with his blood if it made QingYu smile. But that might be a little radical, so he tried talking his way out of the situation first.
"Then why are you so sad?"
"I'm not sad," QingYu said, but LiangLin could feel his lips quiver against the groove of his neck.
"Crying will turn your eyes puffy and red."
Vanity was always an excellent weapon to use against snakes. QingYu sniffed loudly and raised his head from LiangLin's shoulder. He was blinking away any tears that might have tried to creep up.
LiangLin released his hold and brushed his knuckles over QingYu's cheek.
"See? Immediately better! And don't worry about that emperor. He will show up eventually, or else..."
"Brother LiangLin, it's not about that."
"Huh?"
What else could make QingYu sad? The food? Were the beds too soft? They were very fluffy compared to their beds in the inn.
"Then what is it?"
QingYu tried to bite on his lips, but seeing LiangLin's frown, he stopped himself. Instead, he reached up to play with the lone golden hoop in his ear.
"It's just... He is the emperor," QingYu said as he turned his attention over the lotus pond. The water reflected the sunlight, glimmering before them. "He has so many duties. The empire goes before all else. He is not a leader of an empire, he is more like a servant. He carries the worries of the entire nation."
LiangLin hadn't thought QingYu was that observant of the world around him. He was developing newfound respect towards the green snake.
"He won't have time to dote on me," QingYu continued. "He must already have a lot of lovers, across the nation and in the palace."
QingYu turned to LiangLin. His eyes were cast down, covered by his long lashes.
"I... I don't want to be just an addition to a collection."
LiangLin parted his lips to pitch in a saving word for Zhang YaYun, but he found nothing. QingYu had been right about everything. Marrying into the palace differed greatly from what QingYu had dreamed of all this time. A rich merchant, or maybe an official, could have turned his dream into a reality. But an emperor had lovers lining up the entire length of that damned staircase, and then some.
LiangLin thought of a way to wriggle out of this sudden depressing situation. He wasn't very good with relationship problems. He thought of himself as a bright specimen, but this was not a purely intellectual problem. Getting the two together would have been easy, they already had eyes for each other. But this was a different case altogether.
Zhang YaYun, you just had to be a damn emperor!
LiangLin looked around the endless lotus ponds, and a brilliant idea crossed his mind.
"What do you say if we go look around the palace by ourselves? Staying in one place will depress even the brightest person."
QingYu mood seemed to perk up as he beamed at him. "You think we can sneak past that guard? I think she has eyes growing from the back of her head."
"Fear not, my sisters are there. They will find a way to distract her."
While the two snakes confided in each other at the lotus pond behind the house, the sisters had already devoured all the food. LiBai had brought out the Wei Qi board and was playing a match with a very confused LiAi. LiChun was fiddling with the weaponized fan, watching over the two's game.
LiYue had trailed off to the distance, standing over the pond, yawning. Eating always made her sleepy, but today, she didn't feel like sleeping. Sleeping bored her, so she decided on the second best thing, doze off while staring into the distance over nothing.
The guard was still there, rooted in place like a statue, turning her gaze between the sisters. When the two male snakes appeared from behind the side of the building, her attention was on them immediately.
LiBai and LiChun had also noticed the two from the open, round window. LiAi was still pondering over where to place her white stone piece. Seeing LiangLin's fidgety posture, the two sisters already knew he was up to no good. LiChun and LiBai exchanged knowing looks before LiChun turned her gaze over to the guard. A smile quivered on her lips as she made a subtle hand signal for LiangLin, telling him to move towards the gate.
The guard shifted her posture, ready to catch the two snakes if they tried as much as escape the area. Her hand moved over her sword.
LiangLin and QingYu walked past the main hall.
LiAi finally found the perfect place to put down her game piece.
LiChun cleared her throat, then with a mischievous grin, screamed like the world was ending.
"Sister LiYue! A rat!"
"What?! Where?!" LiYue screeched as she was startled out of her slumber. She moved without looking and hit her knee over the railing, knocking her off balance.
Slender arms caught her in time before she went over the fence and plunged into the pond. Gasping for air, LiYue found herself wrapped in the guard's arms.
Icy eyes studied her as the hold around her waist eased and left LiYue standing there, flushed and blinking furiously.
"LiChun! You did it on purpose!" LiYue snapped as she turned her attention to the sister. LiChun was busy choking on her laughter to answer. LiBai only shook her head as she tried her best to suppress a smile.
LiYue side glanced at the guard and muttered a thank you before she dashed inside, mumbling something about being scared would cause wrinkles. She needed her beauty sleep!
The guard looked after LiYue but said nothing.
LiBai had now glided away from the game of Wei Qi and stood over the door, smiling at the guard.
"You are so different from your animal form, ChangChang."
A little speck of flush appeared over the guard's rounded cheeks. She gave them a polite bow.
"Zhi ChangNing at your service, ladies."
LiAi was clicking her tongue as she appeared beside LiBai. "Eh, want to bet how long you'll be in our service? You did just let those two rascals run away."
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Wei Qi is a board game that resembles chess. The game starts with a blank board and black goes first, then white. The over-simplified idea is to use your game pieces to surround the opponent's game pieces to 'eat them' off the board.