open post: Empress Liu Mingyan

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan has a lot on her mind.

In the three months since Luo Binghe vanished into thin air, Xin Mo abandoned at the foot of his throne, his Empire—her Empire—has... changed. The throne remains empty, of course—to have anyone else claim it, even temporarily, would be conceding that his absence is unintentional, either accidental or, more likely, a malicious coup. Whoever did the claiming would be the prime suspect for mal intent, including Mingyan herself. So it sits, empty, at the center of his great hall, Mobei-Jun standing sentinel beside it, never to be looked at directly by any visiting dignitary or sniveling demonic petitioner.

She's been redirecting all audiences to her wing of the palace instead. Her hall is not quite so grand, but it is nearly as imposing, and her own throne no less terrible and beautiful. When Luo Binghe is in residence, she primarily uses this hall for meetings with her network of all-female spies—not because Luo Binghe doesn't know about them, in his vague and uninterested way, but because Liu Mingyan has learned from experience that if they encounter him they turn very quickly from useful and competent agents to fawning and lovestruck young maidens, and then it's only a matter of time before they join the ranks of the harem. Liu Mingyan does not resent this; there would be no point. But she prefers to conduct her business in private nonetheless.

Now, of course, even from her own throne many of her edicts must be delivered as if they're orders that Luo Binghe left for her to give. Ning Yingying has been surprisingly useful on this front; despite Liu Mingyan's disdain for what she believed a naive and trusting heart who had given up her sect loyalty to marry for love, Ning Yinging does know Luo Binghe, perhaps better even than Liu Mingyan does, offering insight into what Luo Binghe would have said, if he had in fact instructed Mingyan on how to handle this matter. Liu Mingyan does not always take this advice—she does not always want to do what Luo Binghe would have done, especially as his absence stretches from days into weeks into months, but she does not resent it, either.

In truth, what Liu Mingyan resents is the idea that Luo Binghe will return, and she will be expected to relinquish rule back to him, and everything she has built—the tenuous and confusing peace between herself and Sha Hualing, and thus the quelling of the constant threat of southern rebellion; the ease with which she receives the other wives and soothes their fears, rather than holding herself above them;¹ the shifted tenor of court itself, with fewer public displays of violence²—all of it will go back to normal, and Liu Mingyan finds she has less taste for normal every day. It's not that she doesn't want Luo Binghe to return—of course she does—but she wishes that somehow he might return different. It's a futile thought, and a disloyal one to think about a man who created this life for her, a man she cares deeply about, but she cannot deny that she thinks it.

So when she steps down a secret stairway into a corridor that should lead to her chambers and ends up in an unfamiliar hallway instead—the light entirely wrong, the architecture unfamiliar—her first thoughts are uncharitable. It seems obvious that this is the same trap that ensnared Luo Binghe. It also seems unfair to make her the one to bring him home, and be the agent of her own undoing. She'll do it—he is her husband, and while that doesn't mean the same thing to her as it does many of his wives, it does mean something significant, as undeniable as it is ill-defined—and her Emperor. But—

She sets her jaw behind her veil and wraps her fingers around Cheng Luan's hilt, proceeding silently down the hallway.

[NSFW: Susan's thread, Janet's thread]

¹ Well, sometimes she's still above them. If you know what I mean.
² Not that there has been no violence—it's just generally conducted elsewhere. Her floors are harder to clean than Luo Binghe's.

Comments

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Well, here's a woman clearly familiar with wielding authority! Susan takes in the veil and the sword, and then takes a step back so she can get a better look.

"You're new," she observes and then - nothing ventured, et cetera; it's a good day: "I'd remember if I'd seen you before."

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan looks her over, not bothering to be subtle about it—one of the many advantages to wearing a veil is it draws attention to her eyes, and the movements thereof—and inclines her head. This woman dressed strangely, but it suits her beauty, and there is nothing overtly threatening in her bearing. She relaxes, a little, and lets a smile touch her aforementioned eyes. "A sentiment I share." She sweeps into a graceful bow. "My name is Liu Mingyan."

It's a greeting and also a test; one can learn much from how someone reacts upon learning they are in the presence of the Empress.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Liu Mingyan," Susan says. The name means nothing to her, of course, but the woman's bearing is familiar. She curtsies, precisely as deeply as one queen might curtsy to another. "Well met. I'm Susan Pevensie. Do let me know if I can be of any -" She pauses here, and tilts her head to one side. "- Service."

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan raises one delicate eyebrow, noting the tenor of the curtsey as well as its unusual form—and, of course, the clear flirtation in Susan's words. She's not unused to such a welcome, but she'd hardly expected to find it here. "Perhaps we might start with a tour?" she suggests, lightly. "As you note, I am new to this... house." This last with some dubiousness.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Of course," says Susan, graciously. She draws herself up and gestures down the hallway. "There's a table with information, but nobody has managed to create a useful map yet." She knows; she's been trying during her attempts to inventory the Mansion's supplies. "Do you have any particular interests or needs? We can begin the tour accordingly."

[protagonisthalo]

Luo Binghe's body reacts to Liu Mingyan's presence before he consciously recognizes her. It's an immediate feeling of relief, conditioned by how many times he has gone to her chambers for support.

But this isn't Luo Binghe visiting Liu Mingyan to seek her counsel or company. Liu Mingyan is here, in the same place as Shen Yuan—the same place where Luo Binghe has been trying to find a new way to live. An unwelcome sense of insecurity unfurls in his heart, as though he's been discovered naked—if he was the kind of person who would be bothered by that. He's thought about introducing Shen Yuan to Liu Mingyan and the others, when he arrives back in his world, triumphant, with his new, best wife on his arm. Not like this, when Luo Binghe is still learning how to fit himself into the shape of someone Shen Yuan deserves.

What will Liu Mingyan think of him here? She would expect him to be ruler of this place. The population here is so small and easily dominated. Luo Binghe has stopped seeking power, but now it shames him how easily he let it go. Wouldn't it be simple to assert his rule? He is undoubtedly the strongest here. He should have everyone else pledging him tribute and bowing at his feet. That is undoubtedly what Liu Mingyan would expect—what she will assume is true. And what is he doing instead—brooding over his past, and worrying about making friends?

It's truly pathetic. He has been seeing himself through the eyes of Shen Yuan and Nina Zenik, who like this softer, more introspective Luo Binghe. But that is not who Liu Mingyan married—her partner in rule. If he has failed to secure his own position, it means he has failed to secure hers as well, and the foundation of their relationship is how they protect each other.

But let it not be said that Luo Binghe was ever afraid of greeting his own wife. He strides forward. "Mingyan."

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan turns, her grip on Cheng Luan slackening. "Junshang," she says, and her relief at seeing him does outweigh her trepidation about returning home. She doesn't reach out to touch him—that isn't the kind of wife she is—but she steps up and nods a greeting. He's unharmed, of course—how could he be otherwise?—but she feels the need to say something to express said relief. She lets her eyes warm. "You have been missed." She hesitates a moment, and then adds, "you... have adopted a local style of dress?" It's not exactly unusual for Luo Binghe to be showing an improper amount of skin, but she's never seen him in anything like this before.

[protagonisthalo]

The outfit signals Shen Yuan's claim to him, and even if Luo Binghe is not proud of how he's conducted himself here, he could never be ashamed of that. He raises his chin, daring her to comment further.

The words he spoke to Shen Yuan come back to him unbidden—Mingyan is my closest friend, said so confidently. An easy thing to say in her absence. It strains his nerves to put it to the test. "It is good to see you. My thoughts have turned to you often, these past few months. Come, sheath your sword and let us sit in the parlor. You are in no danger here, and we have much to discuss." He gestures in the direction of one of the mansion's many lounges.

[empressliu]

This reassurance satisfies her that he has, in fact, taken control of this place; she does as she is bid, putting aside her blade and entering the lounge. The furniture, like the architecture of the hallway, is strange; much of it appears overstuffed, overly soft, more like what one might find in a boudoir than a public parlor. She perches on the edge of a couch. "I have news of the Empire," she offers, "but I am eager to hear how you have fared here, as well." It comes out too much like she is offering to indulge him by letting him direct the conversation; she has lost the easy pattern that used to exist between them, the unthinking way he used to lead every interaction, and she follow.

[ravkanwitch]

Nina rounds a corner and nearly runs into her, mildly startling herself in the process. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she says - before realizing that it's someone new. She eyes the veil and the sword. "Hi, I'm Nina. You must be new here?"

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan takes a split second to take her in—the pleasing soft curves of her, her wide eyes the color of sea glass—and immediately sweeps into an apologetic bow. "The fault is mine," she says, straightening up and letting her eyes crinkle in a smile. "My name is Liu Mingyan, and I should not be skulking in hallways with my weapon readied."

[ravkanwitch]

"Skulking or not, it's a pleasure to meet you," Nina says with a smile. "Have you been here long?"

[empressliu]

"Hardly any time at all," says Liu Mingyan, "and I'm afraid—" she says this part with real regret, "I don't plan on staying long. I'm looking for my Emperor." It is likely he is Nina's emperor as well, by now; but it is better not to assume, in case he is playing a longer game.

[sorrowandsorrow]

Whoa. Janet had thought the badass woman shtick was basically being filled by her and Susan, but this is kind of a new level of badass. There's some crazy power radiating off this lady, too.

"Hi there," she says, crossing her arms and a little bit glad she has her axes strapped to her back today.

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan is intrigued. This Mansion seems entirely populated with gorgeous and confident women; the former is not entirely unexpected, on adventures that involve Binghe, but the latter is a nice change. Liu Mingyan enjoys a damsel, don't get her wrong, but it's—refreshing. "Guniang," she greets, with a graceful bow. "I am Liu Mingyan; to whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?"

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Liu Mingyan," Janet repeats. She's subdued for maybe half a second, but then she's smiling her best queenly smile. "I'm Janet. Queen of Fillory. By the way, I hate to break it to you, but this place is probably a lot more boring than wherever you came from."

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan shakes her head, allowing herself a little rueful sigh. "What I have come from most recently is the fourth delegate in a row complaining about how he can't possibly maintain our borders with the weaponry we've supplied him, even though he knows and I know he's going to defend our borders with nothing but his claws and teeth and melt down our weaponry into dowry gifts in a pathetic attempt to sneak his second daughter into my husband's bed so she can stick a knife in his ribs that he won't even feel." She runs a hand through her hair. "This place will have to work hard to be more boring than that."

[wickedwit]

There's a time for lines like you look familiar and have I met you before? Even when you're well aware where you met -- it can be worth playing the game of going through all your past engagements and acquaintances, dancing around where your interests happened to meet. It's the feeling of getting to know someone again, enlivening in its way, with plenty of opportunities for smiling flattery because how could you forget a face like that.

But Claudius couldn't forget a face like this one. It's veiled, yes, but her clothes, her manner -- they're all things Claudius couldn't invent. Tell-tale signs. He even thinks he remembers her name, Liu Mingyan, because even in his dream he had to memorize everyone's names.

"Luo Binghe," Claudius says out loud, to no one. "I'm conscious for this one. You caught me in the middle of a nightmare, last time, and if you want me to thank you for interrupting, I will. But I'm ..." What would Luo Binghe want to hear? It's a waste of time to even consider it. Claudius isn't giving him more extravagant flattery, and it's not as though they're friends. He's not going to flatter himself into thinking the interruption of his nightmare came from any personal concern. Nevertheless. "I'm fine. You can go back to manipulating the dreams of other mortals."

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan's regards him with an expression halfway between suspicion and amusement. "Sir," she says. "I understand this place is strange, and I have only recently been convinced myself it is no dream. But even veiled as I am, I have never been mistaken for my husband before."

[wickedwit]

"Ah, we're strangers now, I see. Listen, Liu Mingyan, I like you. I like how sharp you are," he says, directing his comments to the vision now. He spreads out his hands, even, talking through it, the way he would if he were awake. "So sharp it makes me reconsider Luo Binghe's own intelligence, but you and I both know that isn't fair to him. He's intelligent enough when he isn't following phantasms, which he conjures out of his own insecurity. And, for whatever reason, all I see of him is insecurity ... but he has a devoted lover and should be quite happy now. Other than his hundred of wives, of course. You know what I mean."

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan is of half a mind to dismiss this man as entirely mad, but he recognized her, and the things he's saying do ring true, except one—what, precisely, differentiates Luo Binghe's devoted lover from the ranks of his wives? She will have to ferret it out, it seems, and weave some sense out of his ramblings.

"We are strangers," she says, evenly. "And I don't often take kindly to criticism of the Emperor. But I understand this is not my Empire. You say you like me. How do you know?"

[sagramore]

He's in a less pleasant mood than he was earlier for having spoken to Reynaldo, but not so unpleasant that he doesn't bow to this new newcomer when he rounds the corner and sees her. "My lady."

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan returns his bow, still graceful—though if there had been anyone watching all of her encounters so far, perhaps less calculatedly graceful than her bows to the female residents. "Sir," she says. "I wonder if I might ask you a few questions."

[sagramore]

"It depends on the nature of the questions," inasmuch as they'd better not be about Laertes, "but I'll try."

[empressliu]

"Nothing too difficult, I promise," says Liu Mingyan, voice amused. "And I believe I am here for some hours yet, so no need to have it be an interrogation. Is there somewhere we could talk?" She hesitates, and then, "ideally somewhere with wine? It's been a strange day."