A whisper was heard and was hastily shushed. The figure on the bed groaned and s.h.i.+fted its position. A face still flushed with sleep was revealed. An Ning's eyes remained closed. The figure sitting on a chair, waiting, relaxed with a soundless sigh.

An Ning slept for another hour. The figure on the chair still waited, his white hand silently turning pages on a thick doc.u.ment.

An Ning's eyes fluttered and opened.

"You're up early," she mumbled after seeing the figure on the chair. Her heavy lids drifted close again.

"Hmn...," the emperor said softly. "Go back to sleep if you still feel sleepy."

An Ning slept for another half hour then finally woke up with a yawn.

"What you doing here?" she said, not surprised to see Gu Sheng. "Or am I still dreaming?"

"No, I'm here. You're not dreaming."

"Tired," An Ning yawned, snuggling against a pillow.

Just then, Kang Jun entered with a steaming cup of tea.

"Tea is here. Sit up and take a sip."

"Hmnn...," An Ning languidly said and did as she was told.

Kang Jun gasped when the blankets slid down and the empress' naked body was revealed. The emperor calmly took a robe from a dresser and helped the empress put it on. It doesn't seem to be the first time because the emperor's face remained calm. He was even smiling a little.

"Big baby," he said affectionately, ruffling the empress' hair.

"Hmnnn...," the empress' voice was still languid with sleep.

"Come on, breakfast is ready."

The emperor pulled her up to her feet. The robe gaped open. The emperor casually closed it by tying a belt around her waist. He then pulled her outside into the kitchen where breakfast was laid down on a table, still steaming and warm.

The empress ate quietly, seeming to revive her energy after drinking her favorite tea. The emperor and Kang Jun quietly discussed matters in a low voice, their eyes gradually drifting to the empress with some sort of puzzlement.

An Ning got up and went back to her bedroom. When she came back, her black hair was still wet from the shower she took. She had discarded the robe and changed into a white dress with short sleeves, a square neckline, and a red belt tied jauntily around her slim waist. The men watched as she happily gorged herself in her favorite macaroons, drinking tea and making small talk with the chef, a very capable gentleman who once worked for a now deceased scholar.

"When are you going to stop beating around the bush and start telling me what happened?" An Ning asked, drinking and putting aside her sixth cup of tea.

"I didn't think we were that obvious," the emperor said, smiling.

"It became obvious when I had my third cup. You were just slow to catch on. Okay, tell me," she sighed resignedly.

"You won't like it," the emperor warned.

"I'm a big girl. I can take it."

The emperor echoed her sigh.

"Give her the letter, Kang Jun."

An Ning took the letter and started reading.

"Who in h.e.l.l is this Wu Xiang Yun?"

"I think she's one of the representatives from the Lu w.a.n.g contingent, your grace," Kang Jun said.

"And he said we kidnapped her?" An Ning said then looked suspiciously at the emperor, "Little Gu, did you have someone kidnapped a girl? I mean, if you're into that sort of thing..."

"I'm not," the emperor said, calmly notating a doc.u.ment in his hand.

"But why did he say that we kidnapped her?" An Ning frowned then turned to Kang Jun. "Kang Jun, is there something you're not telling us?"

"Your grace, I'm not into women either!" Kang Jun was petrified and blurted out.

The two people stared at him stupefied. The emperor edged a little closer to An Ning.

As the meaning of his words finally sunk in, Kang Jun flushed tomato red.

"I...I mean...I..I am into women. I'm...that is...It's just that I...I haven't..that is...I haven't..." Kang Jun was wis.h.i.+ng that a hole would open up and immediately swallow him into nothing.

"Why not?" An Ning was unperturbed, staring at Kang Jun like he was an interesting specimen under her microscope.

"I'm too young," Kang Jun was becoming desperate, his voice breaking up like he would suddenly burst into tears.

"No, you're not," An Ning disagreed. "You're actually just the right age for s.e.x."

"An Ning!"

"Your grace!"

The two young voices were outraged.

"What? Am I the only person here who actually knows what s.e.x is like?"

Like Kang Jun, the emperor's face was turning a deep fire-engine red.

"Stop embarra.s.sing, Kang Jun," the emperor ordered, sputtering angrily.

"Stop embarra.s.sing you, you mean," An Ning muttered under her breath.

"What?" the emperor glared at her.

"Nothing," An Ning smiled innocently. "So, if both of you had nothing to do with this supposed kidnapping, then who does?"

"No one," Mu Xing answered.

They were inside Mu Xing's study, having hurried there immediately to clarify what the contents of the mysterious letter meant. The emperor and empress along with Kang Jun had thought it over and since none could find an answer they decided to visit Mu Xing. After all, this Wu Xiang Yun was a partic.i.p.ant in the game. Most likely Mu Xing knew more about the matter than they did

"I don't," Mu Xing said, who was a little surprised to see them. He was on his way to watch the compet.i.tion when they arrived so he had no choice but to invite them to his study.

"But who is she? Why did this, what's his name again, Wu Duo Xian think that somebody from Yuqui kidnapped her?" An Ning again cast a suspicious eye on Mu Xing. "Mu Xing, fess up. Did you have something to do with this?"

"I have nothing to confess, your grace," Mu Xing laughed easily. "I don't even know what you're talking about."

"You must be lying," Kang Jun accused. "You're the only among us who knew who this girl is. Besides, we all know what a player you are."

"What player? What lying?" Mu Xing sputtered angrily. "I only know the girl by name. I don't know her personally."

"How did you know her?"

"Well, she introduced herself to me."

"So, you do know her!" Kang Jun fastened on that fact.

"I said she introduced herself not that I know her personally," Mu Xing glared at him.

"So you've never seen her?" An Ning asked.

"No, never. Well, she did wrote to me six months ago about a book and we've corresponded once or twice since then."

"Aha! I knew it! Player!" cried Kang Jun, jeering at Mu Xing.

Mu Xing flushed angrily.

"About a book?" the emperor repeated, looking suspiciously at Mu Xing.

"A thesis book that one of the scholars here wrote," Mu Xing said, meeting the emperor's eyes. "She wanted to get a copy of the book that's why she wrote to me. And of course, I've heard about her from the guild."

"What is she like?" An Ning was curious.

"Very beautiful, I've no doubt," Kang Jun said in a loud whisper.

"I said I haven't met her," Mu Xing was nettled by Kang Jun's words.

"So, you do like her. If you kept corresponding as you said...," the emperor said, throwing Mu Xing another suspicious glance.

"She was interested in meeting the author when she arrives in Yuqui. I told her that's not possible because the author is away on another research project. She wrote again hoping that we could meet so I could tell her a little more about this author."

"Aha!" cried Kang Jun gleefully.

"Will you please pick your brain up from the gutter?" Mu Xing huffed, extremely irritated. "It's really starting to get annoying."

"Player," Kang Jun mumbled under his breath.

Mu Xing exhaled a deep angry breath.

"So, have you met with her yet?"

"I did, your majesty. On the night of the banquet. But apparently it was not a good night to introduce ourselves to each other."

"Why not?"

"Because she fell into the lake and nearly drowned and had to be escorted back to her room because she was a bit hysterical. I only knew it was her myself when I asked about her this morning."

"First meeting and she nearly killed herself. Way to go, Master Mu," Kang Jun chortled gleefully.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Mu Xing gritted, glaring balefully at the emperor's secretary.

An Ning laughed.

"Children," the emperor said, shaking his head.

"So, it wasn't you," An Ning said, turning to Mu Xing with a perplexed frown.

"Of course not, your majesty. I'm not into that sort of thing,"

"You, too?" An Ning was shocked.

"What?" Mu Xing was baffled.

"That sort of thing."

As her meaning sank in, Mu Xing's face turned a deep red.

"I happen to like girls, your majesty," he said, nose in the air. "But I also happen to respect them."

"So, you're a virgin, too," An Ning sighed woefully. "You know, at your age, that's not something you really should be proud of."

"Your grace!"

"Your majesty!"

"An Ning!"

The three young voices were extremely aggravated. And the look they threw An Ning was one third annoyed, one third embarra.s.sed, and two thirds an aha moment.

"I'll have someone invite Shao Wu here so she could clear this misunderstanding up for us," Mu Xing said, leaning back in his chair, his cheeks a bit heated.

"Shao Wu..ha!" For some unknown reason, Kang Jun was really enjoying nettling poor Mu Xing.

Mu Xing gritted his teeth impotently.

But when Wu Xiang Yun arrived, the three young men literally were rocked on their heels by surprise.

Wu Xiang Yun was not enamored of her beauty. In fact, although she was aware of the fact that she was very attractive, she doesn't draw attention to it by primping herself up. On the night of the banquet, for example, she wore a hideous dress and barely made the effort to make herself attractive. It was fortunate then that she fell into the lake and avoided being noticed by locking herself up inside her room.

The issue of hiding had become rather urgent when she heard word that her father was furious and was looking for her. So, at all cost she didn't want to draw attention to herself so he could find her and drag her back and make her marry some old fool she didn't even know.

What Xiang Yun wanted was hide herself in Yuqui so she could enter the school and meet the mysterious scholar who wrote that thesis about the bacteria. She wasn't worried about money or how to support herself. She already brought a large sum with her when she left Lu w.a.n.g. And she knew she could make more, if she liked. Wu Xiang Yun, besides having a scholastic bent, was also a genius in making money. So she knew she could survive even without receiving help from her parents.

She was thinking about this, trying to think of a way to literally divorce herself from her parents, when a student knocked on her door and told her the princ.i.p.al was looking for her. Hearing the words, something like a bulb lit in Wu Xiang Yun's mind. Why not? She had been trying to find a way to hide herself in Yuqui. She was at a loss but meeting the princ.i.p.al...what an opportunity.

Maybe he could help her after she explained that she never wanted to go back home. She didn't want to find the next best perfect husband so she could brag over her sisters and win the goal. All she ever wanted was to stay in Yuqui, in the school, so she could study and meet that scholar who fascinated her so.

Wu Xiang Yun was so overwhelmed by excitement that she forgot to dim her brilliance just a bit. So, when she went to the study and came face to face with three bachelors who have never even held hands with a girl before, the effect was quite hilarious.

Wu Xiang Yun's beauty was different from An Ning's. If An Ning was a wild flower nurtured by the elements, Xiang Yun's beauty was delicate and sweet, pampered by caring hands devoted to s.h.i.+elding her from bruising of any kind. Her white skin had the sheen not only of excellent health but privilege. Her eyes were black, the bow-shaped lips a natural and kissable pink. Her long elegant neck held a face as delicate as a fawn's. She was not tall but her slim body was so exquisitely proportioned and she carried herself so well she might as well be neither tall nor short because n.o.body would notice the difference.

It was no wonder then that the three young men practically goggled when they saw her. Mu Xing swallowed his saliva. He was so affected by Xiang Yun's presence his hands were practically wet with sweat.

Expecting to see only the princ.i.p.al in the room, Xiang Yun frowned when she saw the other people with him.

"We've spoken through mail so many times I feel like we're already acquainted," Mu Xing said. "But let me formally introduce myself. I am Master Mu and these are his majesty, the emperor Gu Sheng, her majesty, empress An Ning and Master Kang, his highness' personal a.s.sistant."

"h.e.l.lo," Xiang Yun greeted softly. "I am Wu Xiang Yun."

Mu Xing indicated a chair for her to sit and she sat, waiting for him to say something. Perhaps explain the presence of all these ill.u.s.trious people here with them. But Mu Xing was actually so nervous and tongue-tied he suddenly didn't know what to say. The only thing he was aware of was Xiang Yun's eyes staring at him. Her face gentle and sweet. Doe eyes he could drown in bliss.

An Ning smothered a laugh beside him, which woke Mu Xing up with a bang. The painful flush practically turned his face into a boil. Kang Jun disguised his mirth as a hiccough. Gu Sheng was the shameless one because he turned to Mu Xing and actually laughed.

Xiang Yun was oblivious, waiting for the amus.e.m.e.nt to subside. Driven to either kill himself or commit regicide, Mu Xing excused himself and hurriedly left the room. His three tormentors jeered at him as he left, finally giving way to their suppressed emotions by laughing loudly and hilariously. Xiang Yun still waited. Perhaps Master Mu had stomach problems and needed to go outside?

"I'm sorry," An Ning said, still chuckling merrily. "We're not laughing at you. We're merely having fun at Mu Xing's expense."

"I understand, your grace," Xiang Yun said.

"Do you?" An Ning smiled. "You're probably wondering what we're doing here, right? Well, we just want you to clarify something for us, that's all."

"Clarify something?" Xiang Yun frowned. "What is it?"

"Nothing to be scared about," An Ning a.s.sured her. "You see, we received a letter, I think it's from your father, demanding that we send you back..."

"My father?" Xiang Yun interrupted. "He already knows I'm here?"

"Wait," said An Ning. "You mean you already knew that he was looking for you? It says in the letter that you were kidnapped."

"Kidnapped? No, I wasn't kidnapped. I ran away."

"You ran away?" the emperor asked, meeting An Ning's gaze.

"Yes, I did. It's a father-daughter thing. No big deal. I can't believe he would tell you something like that though."

"He was worried about you, I guess," An Ning said.

"He's such a hypocrite," Xiang Yun sneered. She was so incensed at what she thought was her father's insensitivity that her temper got the better of her. "He knows very well why I ran away. If he's so concerned about me, he wouldn't have threatened to marry me off to a man old enough to be my father."

"What?"

The shocked reaction came from Mu Xing who had returned to the room after doing some breathing exercises to calm himself down. But it seemed that didn't work either since his temperature again shoot up when he heard what Xiang Yun said. He opened his mouth to speak but An Ning cut him off.

"There must be some misunderstanding. I mean, you're not even old enough to date someone," An Ning said, a warning in Mu Xing's direction.

"Apparently I'm old enough to have babies. Just ask my father," Xiang Yun said unhappily.

"That little...," Mu Xing muttered under his breath.

"So, what do you plan to do now? I mean, are you still going back to Lu w.a.n.g?"

"No, I'm not going. I'd rather kill myself than go back."

Although she was speaking almost dramatically, An Ning caught the desperation in the sweet voice. And she remembered something.

"Last night, when you fell into the lake, was that an accident or did you...?"

An Ning stopped because the girl's face suddenly turned ashen, her eyes hidden by the thick lashes.

They were all so shocked by the girl's silent admission that no one spoke. For a girl like Wu Xiang Yun, who was known and envied for her fame and beauty, to resort to harming herself deliberately out of desperation...

"What do you plan to do?" An Ning asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"I want to stay here and study in your school. You see, I'm not interested in my looks or how rich my future husband should be compared with my elder sisters. I don't care about anything like that at all. All I want is to study science, alchemy, magic, anything because I believe being a scholar is better than all this nonsense. I have money. I can take care of myself. I won't be a burden to anyone. I'm very good at investments and stuff like that. I guess what I'm asking is that I want to be allowed to stay in Yuqui to further my education. If I go back...," Xiang Yun's pa.s.sionate voice ended in a sob. "I'd rather die. I'd kill myself for sure."

"Your highness...," Mu Xing was appalled.

"I think it's rather late for that," An Ning looked at the girl with a grim face.

"Surely we can do something to stop him?" Kang Jun was almost in tears.

"What? He's her father what can we do?" The emperor sighed heavily.

"There's something else," An Ning said. "The letter said to bring you back safe and sound. If we refuse to comply to his demands, there's only one outcome. War."