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

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan can easily imagine Naonao. She is angry enough that Luo Binghe has been away so long, and if Liu Mingyan's cultivation were less high she would have the (mostly consensual) whip scars to prove it. "Fei Tianwu, of course; she feels—" perhaps rightfully "—robbed of her due time with you, as your newest wife." She also likes to bring her knife to bed, as if it will do any more to Liu Mingyan than it had to Luo Binghe. "Guo Tanglang, recently, as well; I believe she is... used to a certain level of attention, whether from you or at home, and I have been glad to provide it."

There is also Sha Hualing, of course, but what Liu Mingyan does with Sha Hualing is not about fulling her needs. That would imply she cares about Sha Hualing's needs, and she does not. She skips over her and ventures, letting some of her frustration bleed through into her voice, "Yingying will not come to me."

[protagonisthalo]

The mention of Fei Tianwu causes Luo Binghe a rare stab of guilt. It's all seemed so far away, here—so far away that he forgot her name, and considered only how thoughtless it made him look to Shen Yuan. The rest, though—

"Yingying?" He smiles at the thought of her. "She is so kind and accommodating. She spurns you?" She's never rejected Luo Binghe, but he'll try not to be smug about it.

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan frowns at this, a little. "It is not that she spurns me," she says. "She only--does not--" she stops, feeling suddenly and unexpectedly embarrassed. What was the problem, truly? That Yingying did not offer herself, prostrate, the moment Liu Mingyan began acting as de facto Emperor? "I have not asked," she admits, finally. "But I do not need to ask. Not with anyone else."

[protagonisthalo]

This, Luo Binghe understands. He felt the same on arrival here, when none of the women were responding to his attentions as expected. Liu Mingyan has his sympathies. But she is speaking to Ning Yingying's husband. Luo Binghe is perhaps the person most qualified to assist in all the realms. "Yingying has a compassionate heart. Displays of strength and power do not entice her. But if she sees that you need her, she will not be able to resist. Even better if she believes you need only her—if you are strong and confident with everyone else, but unveil a more troubled side to her alone."

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan sighs. "And I suppose it must be a true unveiling," she complains. What a new feeling, to complain to Luo Binghe, but she knows this is a difficulty he will understand. "She will see through false vulnerability."

[protagonisthalo]

"Oh, yes. She's far too perceptive for that." Luo Binghe didn't really have a choice in this matter—Ning Yingying has known him since he was too young and pathetic to conceal anything. "It's too bad you can't do it in a dream. That's what I do when I want to reveal something I have no desire to talk about."

[empressliu]

"That does sound convenient," says Liu Mingyan. She wonders if this conversation, itself, may serve as her opening—her experience finding their husband in this strangest of all realms, the changes she found in him, how unsettling but simultaneously hopeful, even joyful she found them. But—and this is the thing that has really prevented her from starting this conversation with Yingying so far—something else will be required of her, as well. "I'm afraid I may owe her an apology."

[protagonisthalo]

"Oh?" Luo Binghe crosses his legs, his mouth quirking upwards. "What has my Empress done to my First Wife?"

[empressliu]

"Underestimated her," Liu Mingyan says, immediately. "Sidelined her, in my estimations of those in your harem with power and skill." She folds her hands together and stares at them. "I have never entirely understood your relationship with her. I thought her ruled by sentiment." And his regard for her born of the same, but that is too much to say to Luo Binghe, even speaking as friends.

[protagonisthalo]

Hm. Luo Binghe loves Ning Yingying, but he would not deem her particularly powerful or skilled either. Perhaps he has underestimated her as well—perhaps, in his absence, his wives are discovering things they could not discover with him near, just as he has learned things he could not discover with them near. "When you speak of this to her"—he is not going to bother advising Mingyan to do so; he can see she already intends it—"will you also tell her I miss her?"

[empressliu]

"Of course. She misses you, too." They have not spoken of it, but she knows it's true nonetheless. She regards Luo Binghe thoughtfully. "She is your friend, I think, without needing to change anything at all."

[protagonisthalo]

"We were friends," Luo Binghe acknowledges, "when we were children. If I have ever had a true friend before this place, I think it must be her."

Marrying her was the only thing he could think to do with how much he loves her. If he thinks on it too deeply, he's going to fall back into brooding over all his failures. "If we've finished with the business between us—would you like to meet Shen Yuan? It would please me to introduce you."

[empressliu]

"Please," says Liu Mingyan, with some relief. It's not that she doesn't value Luo Binghe's advice, but she doesn't know how much he truly might like to hear that his wives find pleasure in her; she will not mention, for example, that some of them call her husband in hushed tones, or admit they prefer the company of women. None of them regret their marriages, of course, but there is a sense of relief, in his absence, living alongside the sorrow of it, sometimes within the same heart. "I am eager to see this beautiful ghost who has so enchanted you."

This is mostly true. She does not relish looking upon Shen Qingqiu, whole; but she would like to see for herself how a physical form can be changed by a new soul alone.

[protagonisthalo]

Of course, Luo Binghe can easily locate Shen Yuan with his blood. He takes Liu Mingyan through the halls, finding Shen Yuan near the entrance to the mansion, in conversation with a shorter man Luo Binghe doesn't recognize.

Or does he? Luo Binghe narrows his eyes. Isn't that the An Ding Peak Lord—Mobei-jun's former spy? He wasn't very good at it, to Luo Binghe's memory, and Mobei-jun killed him without ceremony as soon as he was exposed. But perhaps he comes from Shen Yuan's world, where he might not have outlasted his usefulness yet. If so, his presence may put pressure on Shen Yuan to continue acting like Shen Qingqiu, something that would surely burden him. "My love," Luo Binghe says to Shen Yuan in greeting, keeping a suspicious eye on the spy.

[peaklordshen]

Shen Yuan would school his expression from threatening Airplane to looking at Luo Binghe, but it kind of happens automatically, his scowl melting into a soft smile. If Airplane makes fun of him he'll definitely still claim to have done it deliberately, though. "Hi," he says, and then takes in the figure with Luo Binghe. "Oh--oh my god, hi." He sweeps into a bow that befits an Empress.

[greatmasterairplane]

Shang Qinghua is about to respond to the news that his favorite OC fed his trashy fantasy novel blood parasites to a character from Hamlet, but then he glances up. And freezes.

That's—that's Luo Binghe! Shang Qinghua has seen him before, the miniature disciple version, but he always tried not to get too close, or even know too much about it. He might have written this tragic backstory of child abuse, but it still made him squeamish to actually watch it. But this is the real thing! The stallion Emperor, conquerer of warlords and women, radiating demonic power and vitality!

Shang Qinghua is pretty proud of himself. Luo Binghe is really fucking cool. And handsome—which he notes with an artisan's eye, since Bing-ge is not to his taste—but he crafted him for mass appeal, and the result is undeniable. Next to Liu Mingyan, whose presence is almost as impressive—like a rare flower, cold with the morning frost—it makes for an extremely intimidating tableau.

He's also, it must be said, a little impressed with Cucumber-bro. Not for scoring Binghe—Luo Binghe is unbelievably easy. But for daring to! Even if Shang Qinghua were interested, he'd be scared out of his mind! Like kissing a fire-breathing dragon!¹ Does the beauty really outweigh the danger??

Well, he's not about to stick around to find out. Great to see you, son—time for your old dad to leave before he finds out where in the original Shang Qinghua's lifespan Bing-ge is from!

"We'll talk about this later," Shang Qinghua tells Shen Yuan, and high-tails it out of there.

¹Sorry, Temeraire.

[protagonisthalo]

Luo Binghe will have to check in with Shen Yuan later, and make sure that Mobei-jun's lackey said nothing to offend or upset him. For now, he pulls Shen Yuan up out of the bow with a hand on his elbow, and leans in to kiss him on the cheek. "This is my Empress. Liu Mingyan."

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan gives Shen Yuan the same bow she gives to every wife that Luo Binghe presents her. As she straightens up, she regards him: it is Shen Qingqiu's body, but it takes her a moment to be certain, because both his dress and his mannerisms are so entirely different. He is dressed in the same strange style as Luo Binghe, though his shirt has longer sleeves and a softer, thicker fabric, for comfort rather than fashion. His bow is uncertain, slightly awed, rather than vicious and mocking. His smile--he is smiling at all, and it is aimed at Luo Binghe, and it is genuine, and warm, and everything she needs to be certain that this is, in truth, an entirely new person.

Luo Binghe also touches him differently than he ever has his wives. Casually, but compulsively, as if he cannot help it. There had been no flirtation or purpose to that kiss on his cheek, simply an expression of genuine and unthinking fondness. It makes something in her chest ache, sharply.

Still--she does not know this ghost. It is possible, if not exactly likely, that he might have some sinister motive--possible, even, that it is he who has brought Luo Binghe here, and that his winsome and yielding exterior is the sweetness at the heart of this elegant snare.

This must surely have occurred to Luo Binghe as well, and he has presumably dismissed it; still, she holds herself back from unreserved acceptance as of yet.

"Young master Shen," she greets him. "My husband has explained to me his heart belongs to you, now."

[peaklordshen]

"Um," says Shen Yuan, casting a slightly panicked glance at Luo Binghe. "Yes, I--I promise to be careful with it? And if he--I'm not trying to claim, like, anything--if he wants to date other people--other men--" oh, god, what have they talked about?? Does Liu Mingyan know Binghe is like, gay gay? Is she mad? She doesn't look mad, probably, but the veil makes it pretty hard to tell. She kind of has an aura like she might be mad, but that could also just be general imperiousness. It's Liu Mingyan. And not the young, impressive but shy, overshadowed by her older brother Liu Mingyan that he knows back on Cang Qiong. This is like, the actual Empress!! His favorite wife!! Chaste and graceful and totally badass!!

He remembers with a start that he's supposed to be, like, talking to her. He gives up on his previous sentence like roadkill that's too mangled even for a vulture. "It's--it's an honor, Empress."

[protagonisthalo]

Luo Binghe insinuates his hand into Shen Yuan's grasp, tangling their fingers together. "I don't want to date other men. And Mingyan and I"—he glances back at her—"have decided to be friends."

[peaklordshen]

Binghe's hand in his immediately helps Shen Yuan relax--embarrassing!--and he casts a slightly more settled glance at Luo Mingyan. "You don't--mind, then?"

[empressliu]

Shen Yuan's first rambling mess of an answer had entirely satisfied Liu Mingyan that he was no mastermind. The way he visibly sags when Luo Binghe provides reassurance is sweet, if slightly pathetic for a man of his spiritual power. Liu Mingyan allows herself to soften.

"Luo Binghe and I do not share a bed," she says. "You have taken nothing from me. The other wives may feel differently, but--" she looks at Luo Binghe, confirming what they had already planned. "We will speak to them. Eventually, when the two of you return to our world." She cocks her head, gaze shifting back to Shen Yuan. "You do intend to return with him?"

[protagonisthalo]

Luo Binghe is often proud to have Mingyan as his Empress. Her beauty and strength—both in terms of cultivation, and her strength of will—are unmatched. No other woman could be qualified to stand by his side, as (nearly) his equal. And Shen Yuan is the finest treasure he has ever possessed, his value beyond expression. To watch them observing each other—no doubt noting each other's fine qualities, and assessing each other's suitability for Luo Binghe—is satisfying indeed. He squeezes Shen Yuan's hand, pleased.

[peaklordshen]

Shen Yuan squeezes back. Thank god he and Binghe have already talked about this, so he can answer this part confidently!!

"I do. I mean--assuming we can get back. We'll have to figure that out. I'm guessing you came to rescue Binghe, but I'm sorry, it won't work. No one has figured out how to get out of here, not yet."

[empressliu]

"I have my own way to return," Liu Mingyan reassures him. She can no longer see the stairs back to her audience hall, but she is confident they remain where she left them. It is clear that whatever brought her here is not entirely the same as what brought them here, or at least not for entirely the same purpose. "As for the two of you--"

She removes a qiankun pouch from her belt and opens it, drawing from within a long bundle wrapped in pale, almost moonlit leather, tattooed all over with suppression talismans in ink the color of dried blood. She turns to Luo Binghe. "Junshang. I know you may have more to do here before you are ready to return, and please know I will gladly shoulder the burden of your Empire and your harem until you see fit to return. But when you decide it is time, this may help."

She carefully undoes the ties around the bundle of leather and the folds of it part, revealing the long, shining, crimson-and-onyx blade of Xin Mo, its hilt extended toward Luo Binghe's hand.