I arrived in my residence. Stepped into my bedroom and turned to close the door but Shen Qing pushed his way inside. Alert, I took a step away from him as he mysteriously closes the door behind him. I continued to stare at him.

“What do you want?” I ask, locked my eyes on him.

“A talk” Shen Qing answers, got closer to me.

“About?” I broke the eye contact and sat on the stool. He did the same and sat perpendicular to me.

“Consort Fang”

“What about her?” I ask, started to pour myself a cup of tea.

“Do you really think she did it?”

“Does it really matter what I think?” I angled my head a little higher as I looked into his eyes. At the same time I took a sip of the tea.

“Yes”

I set the teapot down, “What I think is that you’re a heartless husband. She wanted you to believe her, but you didn’t. Plus, you had a child with her yet you were so willing to let her and your child die” I stood up from my seat and moved myself so that my back is facing him.

“You really think I didn’t want to save her?” He got up too and took a step towards me.

I turned back to him; “No” I retort as he stopped where he was, “You never intended to save her. You never loved her. If you had loved her, she would still be here”

He didn’t say anything and stared at me with a blank expression. I sigh and turned towards the door. I pulled the on the handle. My eyes narrowed when I realized someone had locked my door. I tugged harder on the wooden handle, but it still wouldn’t open. Immediately, I angled my body to face Shen Qing who looks confused at what I was doing.

“Did you lock the door?” I ask, angry.

“No” he denied and approached the door to help open it. He tugged like how I did, but the door wouldn’t open.

I pushed him aside and began to shout, “Someone! Open the door!”  I pound on the door.

No one answered.

“It’s late. Everyone probably left their position already” Shen Qing said, referring to the guards.

“Someone has locked us inside” I mumbled, “A’Li! Open the door!” I shouted as I heard footsteps approach.

“Ah Yun” a familiar female voice said from the other side of the door.

“Imperial Mother?” We both said, glanced at each other.

“I was the one who locked your room”

“W-why?” I stuttered.

“After the death of Consort Fang, your father and I had a talk. Ah Qing needs an heir, but with Consort Fang’s death it had jeopardize his position to receive the throne”

“Imperial Mother, you’re saying---” my voice broke off, didn’t want to conclude that his mother wanted us to consummate the marriage.

“Yes Ah Yun, you should understand what I mean. Goodnight and rest well”

“Wait! Imperial Mother!” I shouted as her footsteps have already faded.

I quickly angled my body to face Shen Qing.

“We’re definitely not consummating the marriage” I warned him, who’s silently leaning on the door as he gazed into my eyes.

“We’re definitely not” I repeated myself as I pointed at him. He stopped leaning on the door and grinned as he closed the gap between us.

“You better stay away from me” I warned him again, took a step back, “Shen Qing, you better not be thinking of anything lustful in your erted mind right now!” I raised my voice, stopped at a dead end when my back hits the wall. He quickly plants his hands on the wall, trapped me from escaping on both side.

“You heard what mother said” he grins.

“And you heard what I’ve said” I didn’t lower my eyes, “We’re definitely not consummating the marriage” I shoved him from blocking my path. He caught my arm and slammed me against the wall as he leaned his body on me.

“Shen Qing” my eyes widen, can sense that he’s serious about consummating our marriage. He gazes into my fluster eyes like he’s waiting for a signal to allow him to take further action.

“Calm down, Sheng Qing” I spoke softly as I tried not to entice him. He leans forward to the point where I can only see my eyes reflected in his. As he was closer to me there was this strange aroma coming off from Shen Qing’s body. I purposely leaned closer to his neck for a stronger scent. Oh crap. I know that smell. Someone gave him aphrodisiac!

“Shen Qing” I reached to caress his left cheek, “This is going to hurt” I smash his face on the wooden door, just enough to knock him out. His body flops to the ground as I exhaled in relief.

“That’ll do it” I smiled.

           Everyone in the kitchen department had already left to go rest for the night. But A’Li is still brewing the ceramic pot on top of the small fire stove. In the quiet darkness with no candles lit, she fans the fire at a steady rate. Footsteps approach as A’Li looks up to see Qi Shi holding a pillar candle in his hand. He’s dressed in his sleeping robe layered with his dark blue cape. His tied up bun had loose strings of hair hanging out. A’Li ignores his presence. Despite the blackness that surrounds them, she managed to catch a glimpse of his concerned eyes. He made himself comfortable next to her and sets the candle where it’ll help her see. They both sat in the dark. Not talking. Not glimpsing at another. Both in silence, hearing the burning of the timbers flicker.

           Qi Shi sneaked a look at A’Li and realizes how thin she’s wearing. Without hesitation, he removed his cape and wrapped it around her. Finally, A’Li turns her head to him. Their eyes met.

“Your Highness Ping” A’Li draws back. Qi Shi finished securing the cape on her and leaned away, breaking the eye contact.

“What are you doing here?” she adds, continued to fan the fire as distraction.

“I couldn’t sleep”

“If you would like, I can go find you some schizandra fruit or poria paradicis to help you with your sleeping”

“No need. I’m going to be leaving tomorrow morning” Qi Shi spoke more quietly.

A’Li didn’t answer as she stopped fanning the fire. She blankly stared at the simmering pot. Qi Shi extends his hand towards her’s and gently held it. A’Li angled her head so that they’re both looking at each other. She coldly pulls her hand away and lowers her head.

“Is there anything you would like to say?” Qi Shi asks, studying her carefully.

“Your Highness Ping, please rest well tonight before your departure tomorrow”

Qi Shi sighs, “I’ll ask you one last time. Are you willing to go with me. . . to my kingdom and become mine?”

“I’m afraid you already know my answer”

Qi Shi reaches over and delicately lifts her face up. “Say it one more time”

“You already know my answer” A’Li repeats with no change in her tone. He faintly smiles as he leans forward planting a kiss on her forehead. He pulls back just so that their eyes only meet.

“Then I’m afraid I can only wait for you” he sweetly said, “Goodbye” he left the room.

           A’Li touches her forehead. The exact spot his lip lingers. The cape that protected her slips off her body and fell on to the dirt floor. She glanced to the cape and gently picked it up. She embraced the cape and took a deep breath of the fragrance.

“Goodbye” she whispers.

I watched him laid dead on the floor as I sat on the stool, enjoying my cup of tea. I finished about two cups of tea before I headed over to my bed. Angling my body to hide behind the net-like furniture to change out of my robe, from the corners of my eyes I noticed Shen Qing flinch. I stopped moving and clutch my clothing as I peeked at him. I waited. He didn’t move. I waited. He didn’t move. I turned my back to him and rapidly undressed. As soon as I position myself to him, his body was nowhere to be seen. I glance around and out of the blue he stood right behind me. Before I can even strike, he twists my right arm backwards. I raised my left hand to attack, but he twists it too. I tried to escape by wiggling, but he tightens the grip.

“You really knocked me out. What did I do to make you want to harm me? ” Shen Qing asks.

“Obviously because you were ” I answered and sensed his face filled with redness.

“W-what?” he seemed confused.

“Someone gave you aphrodisiac. I’m pretty confident that it was your mother who drugged you. So can you now, please let me go?” I stopped struggling due to the pain.

He releases me and staggers forward as soon as I turned to him. Instantly, I caught him from falling on top of me.

“Hey, you. Are you done acting?” I ask, shook him when he fell asleep on my shoulder. He didn’t budge.

“My head hurts” he mutters.

“What?” I ask, “I can’t hear you” I tried to pull his face away from my shoulder.

“My head hurts” he spoke a little more clearly and resumed to use my shoulder as his sleeping pillow.

“Okay okay. Go to sleep then” I moved my legs as I supported his body to the bed. I harshly let him fall onto the bed and helped him undressed into his sleeping garment. He continues to murmur about his headache as I carefully set the pillow under his neck. I observed him, brushed his bangs away from his face and inspected if I’ve caused a crack on his head. No wounds, but most likely a bruise will appear tomorrow morning.

“Night” I kissed his forehead and walked over to the candle stand to blow it out.