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

[peaklordshen]

"Oh," says Shen Yuan. "I—hadn't thought of that. I did meet some other visitors today, but—" but he'd assumed Airplane was here for good. Because why wouldn't he be? Shen Yuan was, and—and Janet was, and Susan and Magnus—this seemed like a likely place for transmigrators and other, like, portal fantasy people to wash up. He'd kind of assumed, once Airplane showed up, it was the place transmigrators and other portal fantasy people washed up, along with all sorts of other people, too, of course.

He doesn't know how he feels about the idea that Airplane might go back. It's not jealousy, really; he'd made his peace with never returning to that version of PIDW. But—but they're not going to be able to figure out how to outwit Aornis¹ together. He can't show Airplane his Pokedex, or watch him eat pizza for the first time in, like, 50 years or whatever the fuck. Airplane slept with Sagramore, and he's not even going to stick around long enough to find out he's the best dude ever and not just a handsome Arthurian slut! His mouth thins.

¹ Ping!

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan sets her teacup down, untouched. She'd known upon entering this place it was a temporary visit; perhaps this Airplane will, as well. "Send for him," she suggests. "We will ask."

[protagonisthalo]

"There's no staff here," Luo Binghe says with a roll of his eyes. The obvious next question is whether he would ask Liu Mingyan or Shen Yuan to go fetch someone for him, inevitably elevating one of them and insulting the other. Rather than do so, he stands. "I'll find him myself."

[greatmasterairplane]

Shang Qinghua is having a great time. Drinking with hot men and making fun of Cucumber-bro—what more could he ask for! If he's really trapped here, like the welcome sign says, he won't object at all. (Well, it does worry him to think how Mobei-jun will get by without him—he's useless on his own—but maybe it'll teach him to appreciate Shang Qinghua more, anyway.)

He is entirely unprepared for the sight of his terrifying stallion protagonist approaching him. And looking right at him, like he's actually looking for Shang Qinghua! He checks behind him, just in case, but no, it's definitely Shang Qinghua he's looking at. Shang Qinghua wishes he were, like, 30% less drunk. Not sober, though. Definitely not sober.

"Aaahaha, Junshang," he gets out. "What—What can I do to serve you?"

[protagonisthalo]

It takes Luo Binghe a moment to remember his name (or rather, the name he goes by, since he is not who he appears to be). If he only knew him as Mobei-jun's lackey, he wouldn't remember at all, but this man was a Peak Lord of Cang Qiong Mountain when Luo Binghe was a disciple there. "Shang Qinghua. Come. My wife and boyfriend would like to speak with you.'

[greatmasterairplane]

The and boyfriend is nearly enough to crack Shang Qinghua's composure—he wants to tell Qi Qingqi about this soooo bad!—but he manages to keep it together. He bows deeply with a muttered "At my Emperor's service" and hurries after Luo Binghe.

[peaklordshen]

Shen Yuan looks up from awkwardly sipping his tea as Binghe ushers Airplane into the room. "Dude," he says, reproachfully. "Are you leaving??"

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan regards this newcomer as well. She does not recall if she had ever exchanged words with Shang Qinghua; he'd been her martial uncle, once, but was always closeted away in his Peak--handling logistics, and then, of course, passing information to Mobei-Jun. Primarily she remembers him skulking around the edges of her wedding, and then he was dead by the time she took her place as Empress. This ghost in his body changes it less obviously than Shen Yuan does Shen Qingqiu's.

"I am returning to my world, once this day is over," she says, coolly. "If you are as well, we would like you to bear a message."

[greatmasterairplane]

"Um." Shang Qinghua's eyes dart nervously from Shen Yuan to Liu Mingyan to Luo Binghe. How he wishes he could say Whatever you want, Your Majesties and Cucumber-bro! "I don't, ah, know? No one told me that? But I can definitely, um, take a message just in case—but write it down, please!" He has had far too much alcohol to guarantee he'll remember whatever they tell him, and something in Liu Mingyan's expression tells him he's dead if he misrepresents a word.

[protagonisthalo]

Satisfied with this answer, Luo Binghe kneels again, taking his place across from his Empress and next to his lover. He reaches for Shen Yuan's hand again under the table. There is a look of concern on his face that causes an echo of pain in Luo Binghe's heart.

[peaklordshen]

Shen Yuan had been prepared to get mad if Airplane had known he was only here temporarily and hadn't told him, but with his confusing--and Binghe's hand in his--he subsides, a little. "Oh," he says. "It's cool. I guess we'll, like, see."

He doesn't have a quill for Mingyan, but his notebook and pen are in his back pocket. He pulls them out and opens the notebook to a new page, sliding it across the table to her. "She wants to write to Liu-shidi," he explains to Airplane, "since our version is. Um. Alive."

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan shakes her head and pushes the paper back toward him. "I want you to write to him," she corrects. "It would... grieve me, to hear from a version of him I could not reach or respond to. But you can ease his heart about your whereabouts." She considers, and then allows, "you may mention you have met me, if you wish."

[greatmasterairplane]

"Oh sure," Shang Qinghua says, relieved that this makes sense. "He's, um, a really great shixiong," he says to Liu Mingyan. "We all love him. He's the best shixiong. Ah, present company excluded. Or not!" he adds hastily, with a worried glance at Luo Binghe. "I don't know!" He makes a pleading face at Cucumber-bro, trying to send a psychic message to him along the lines of I'm really drunk but please don't let me accidentally tell Liu Mingyan I killed off her brother in Chapter 10. Or was it Chapter 12? Cucumber-bro would know, but Shang Qinghua absolutely must not ask him!

[protagonisthalo]

Luo Binghe leans forward. "May I write to him? Once you've finished?"

[peaklordshen]

It would be like, super useful if for some reason Airplane knew American Sign Language right now, because he's clearly desperately trying to tell Shen Yuan something, and Shen Yuan would desperately like to tell him all sorts of things, such as what the fuck, why does Binghe want to write to Liu-shidi, and what the fuck, why does Liu Mingyan think Liu-shidi is so worried about me, and what the fuck, are you fucking drunk??

Instead, he turns to his beautiful, wonderful boyfriend, and says, "ah, of course," and then puts pen to paper and writes:

Dear Liu-shidi,

Surprise! I'm alive! I've been whisked away to an alternate world but it's really all good. I'm gonna just stay here.

He pauses, feeling unbelievable scrutiny. He's never written Liu Qingge a letter in his life. He's not the letter-reading type! He can probably read, but only because it's necessary for the Five Gentlemanly Arts! Why are they forcing Liu Qingge to read?? Can't Airplane just tell him what happened??

I hope you finally have some disciples now, hahaha. Tell Yingying she was right to make me take a walk and not to be sad.

Shen Qingqiu

P.S. I met an alternate version of your sister here! She grows up to look even more like you. Have you ever considered wearing more purple??

He stops writing. "Um. There?"

[protagonisthalo]

Luo Binghe slides the letter over in front of him, casually skimming what Shen Yuan has written. Ah, just as he expected. There is a cool distance to his words, a total lack of acknowledgement of Liu Qingge's feelings. Obviously, Shen Yuan does not want to encourage his shidi, after rejecting him so definitively at Madam Meiyin's. There's almost no need for Luo Binghe's addition, but he writes it anyway:

Liu Qingge,

Spend more time with Mingyan.

Forget Shen Qingqiu.

Luo Binghe

He folds the letter, and hands it to Shang Qinghua before Shen Yuan can read.

[greatmasterairplane]

Shang Qinghua takes it, and tucks it away carefully in a pocket of his robe. Then he bows again, just in case. There doesn't seem to be any reason to do so, but who's going to object to an extra bow??

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan waits for this process to be over, then turns to the false Shang Qinghua. "You are still allied with Mobei-Jun?"

[greatmasterairplane]

"Yes?"

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan nods. "I do not know what the future of your world holds," she says, "but if demon forces take Cang Qiong under Luo Binghe, as they did in ours, you will not allow them to kill my brother." She looks at him levelly. "Understood?"

[greatmasterairplane]

"Yes, Empress." He bows again, giving himself a woozy head rush when he straightens. Great, that means he has to figure out some way to protect Liu-shixiong, even if Luo Binghe wants him dead. But he dare not disobey. What if she found out!

He makes meaningful eye contact with Shen Yuan again. Can we talk elsewhere??

[peaklordshen]

Picking up that one loud and clear, Airplane!! Could not agree more!!

Shen Yuan leans up to press a kiss to Luo Binghe's cheek, and then, just to really drive it home to Airplane that he's dating Luo Binghe, a soft, brief kiss to his mouth, as well. "I'll let the two of you catch up," he says, as if he's not sneaking away to eat pizza and gossip. He pushes himself to his feet, and gives Liu Mingyan a deep, respectful bow. He's glad she's not staying, he thinks a little guiltily, even if she is his favorite wife—it's just too damn weird to kiss his boyfriend in front of the Empress!!

Tucking a hand into Airplane's arm, he drags him out of the room and closes the door.

[protagonisthalo]

Luo Binghe turns back to his wife, slightly flushed from the kiss but composed. He wants more Shen Yuan, as always—but he forces his mind to turn back to the present moment.

Liu Mingyan will leave soon, and they have concluded their business. They have never been a sentimental pair; theirs was a practical alliance to begin with. Still, it is a little disappointing that she will not stay longer.

"You've been understanding and patient with my matters," he says. "Your sensible and trustworthy nature is, as always, exemplary. I look forward to meeting with you again when I return."

[empressliu]

Liu Mingyan watches Shen Yuan drag away his fellow ghost, and then notes, with interest, that only a single kiss has painted Luo Binghe's cheeks a delicate pink. He was not lying about the difference in his attractions; Liu Mingyan has seen him half-dressed with one woman astride him and another with her mouth on his fingers, far less affected than this.

If they were friends in truth—nay, she thinks, they are friends in truth. If they were only friends, and practiced at it, and had no structures of power between them—friends like Luo Binghe seems to have friends, here—she would ask him how he knew the attraction he felt to women was false. Whether it meant anything to him, to be a man who loves only men; whether he'd learned, in this strange place, with these strange people, if there are women who love only women. She is not among their number, of course; she merely dislikes when men can see her fully, and cultivates a chaste path.¹ But the concept intrigues her.

But he is still her Emperor, and she is still his Empress, so she simply bows her head. "It will bring me great joy to see you upon your throne again," she says, somehow both more and less of a lie than when she arrived, and stands to take her leave.

¹ Obviously.