My Devil Emperor
Wh who?

"The Empress, are you okay?" Jingli looked at the girl who was sitting casually with a worried face.

After Yuan gave her permission to enter the room, without further ado she immediately entered and checked the state of the girl.

"Are you really okay? Do I need to call an imperial physician?" ask for the umpteenth time.

"No need, sister. I'm fine," Yuan assured.

"Then why did you run and lock yourself up? It makes me very worried!"

"Ah that, I— sister, I'm hungry." Yuan hugged Jingli's spoiled arm, actually it was just a way to divert the conversation.

"What do you want to eat?"

"Umm, sweet sour fish and lotus root soup seem to taste good!"

"Then wait. I'll make it."

Yuan breathed a sigh of relief after Jingli came out from his room. Otherwise, what would he answer for every question Jingli asked him?

***

The next morning, Yuan was about to go to the library to look for some books. He walked leisurely while enjoying the scenery around the imperial palace. The wind gently swept his face.

A few of the bodyguards that were near the library lowered their gazes respectfully as the woman passed by.

He excitedly entered the spacious room containing the ancient books. His hand took some books and opened them. It was repeated until he got the book he wanted.

Yuan was so late that he didn't realize that someone had noticed him earlier. That person approached Yuan and stopped right behind the girl.

"Aah!" pekik Yuan as he turned around. He almost hit it.

The man smiled as he stared at Yuan.

"Who are you?" tanya Yuan saw a foreign man standing in front of her.

"I am a guest of His Majesty the Emperor, but it seems that I am lost until then I see a beautiful woman in the library," he replied still staring at Yuan with interest.

"Oh? Then excuse me." Yuan was about to step away, but the man's voice came back.

"Can you show me the way?"

Yuan frowned confusedly. "Did I look like a street sign? Why should you complicate your life? There are many servants and bodyguards here, just ask them."

"No. You look more like my future candidate" said the man with his nonsense.

The girl took a deep breath. Trying to quell his nearly exploding anger. "Servant!"

"Yes, Your Majesty." A few servants came to him.

The man raised his eyebrows. He thought it seemed like the girl in front of him was one of the members of the imperial family.

"Take this guest to the place of His Majesty the Emperor."

"good. Sir, let's follow us." The servant broke his reverie.

Before leaving, he turned to Yuan again and said, "Hopefully I can meet again with His Majesty."

The man walked following the servant who showed the way in silence. His eyes squinted as he looked at one corner of the palace building but then looked back at the servant beside him.

"May I ask?"

"Please, Sir."

"That's, what building?"

The servant followed the direction the man was referring to, and replied, "That's the entrance as well as the hareem section."

"Sorry, Sir. You mustn't behave like that, nor should you look at Consort Zhu disrespectfully, if Your Majesty knows, you will be punished," said the maid a little firmly as she knew the eyes of the handsome man beside her looked at Concubine Zhu along with her ladies-in-waiting who happened to pass by.

The man laughed a little. "Yes, yeah. You misunderstand me, I'm not looking at him. You look prettier than Consort Zhu."

The servant's face was reddened.

"Oh yeah, I just heard that the emperor has a concubine?"

"No. Not Emperor Xuan's concubine. It was Grand Consort Zhu's mother, the wife of the previous emperor."

"Ah so. Who was that lady? My guess is, he must be a member of the imperial family. Otherwise, you can't possibly call him 'Your Majesty' right?"

"Right, he's—"

"What brought you here, Crown Prince Ling?"

"Greet His Majesty the Emperor" said the servant bowing his body.

"I have seen His Majesty Emperor Xuan. Long time no see." This time Crown Prince Ling greeted him.

"You can come back" he told the waiter.

"Okay, Your Majesty."

ZiXuan looked back at the man in front of him who was the Crown Prince of Ling Kingdom.

"I came here with some wedding gifts to His Majesty the Emperor and Empress as congratulations on your marriage. But I hear, is there a little problem?"

ZiXuan smiled faintly. "I don't think it's your business."

"Sorry, Your Honor. I didn't mean that. Only, this Wei kingdom was extremely overrated. How could they play with the imperial family like this."

"That's already passed. No need to talk about it."

"Good, fine. I heard his replacement wasn't bad either. The woman from the Zhou kingdom is famous for her beauty, let alone the woman from her royal family."

ZiXuan simply nodded slowly without responding to it. He started walking with Crown Prince Ling behind him. It was common knowledge that the relationship between the Empire and the Ling Kingdom was not good. They had always been on different paths, but the Ling kingdom had for some reason never made any sort of counter-movement and was always well-controlled, therefore, the Qin Empire also never attacked their heads even though the two often had different opinions.

"But the women within the imperial palace were no less beautiful either. I accidentally met a very attractive young lady, whether Your Majesty can allow me to see her again or not" Crown Prince Ling said openly.

"Oh, has my man managed to steal the Crown Prince's attention? So many women here, how do I know which one you mean?"

"Ah that's him! I regret not asking her name. But the lady was wearing something beautiful on her head, it was like a phoenix hairpin with nine gems."

ZiXuan was stunned to hear that. He seemed to be thinking of something, before long he smiled faintly.

"By the way I am very curious about Her Majesty the Empress, is the first princess of the Zhou kingdom as the people are talking about?"

"What do you think?"

Crown Prince Ling laughed. "Your Majesty is joking, how do I know without seeing it?"

"You've met him."

Crown Prince Ling was silent for a moment and looked at ZiXuan with a frown. "Have I met?"

"I don't know where you met her, but the woman wearing a phoenix hairpin with nine jewels, there's only one woman wearing it here."

"Aah?" Prince Ling was stunned. His eyes narrowed at the man in front of him.

"She was my consort, Empress Xuan who was also the first princess of Zhou kingdom, Zhou YanLi."

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