Volume One, Chapter 11: The Sudden Halt of the Swaying

Liu Qi paused, looking up at Yang Yuqi. She stood over him, her face flushed with fury.

Liu Qi said nothing, silently lifting Yang Yuqi’s fair, snow-white feet. They were not as soft or supple as Sima Yun’s; they were firmer, yet no less beautiful. If Sima Yun’s feet were defined by their fullness, then Yang Yuqi’s were defined by their elegant grace.

As Liu Qi held her feet before him and leaned in, Yang Yuqi suddenly kicked him in the face, sending him sprawling to the ground. Before he could react, she gripped his throat and hoisted him into the air.

"You have quite the nerve," Yang Yuqi said coldly.

Liu Qi gasped, nearly suffocating, unable to utter a single word.

"Sima Yun seems rather fond of you. Since that’s the case, why don't I just hand you over to her? You seem to enjoy it, don't you?" As she tightened her grip, Liu Qi’s consciousness began to fade, his eyes rolling back uncontrollably.

"General Yang, why fly into such a rage over a mere slave?" Just then, Sima Yun, dressed in her official robes, walked into the tent.

Yang Yuqi frowned and dropped Liu Qi to the ground. He lay there, coughing violently. Just moments ago, he had truly believed he was going to die.

Sima Yun looked at Yang Yuqi with a smile. "This slave was a gift from you, General. To want him back is one thing, but to take his life—what is the meaning of this?"

Yang Yuqi replied coldly, "Since he is my slave, I have the right to decide his fate."

"That may be so, but is there any precedent for reclaiming a gift once given? If you have feelings for him, General, I would not dream of depriving you of your desires." Sima Yun’s words were gentle and smiling, yet each sentence carried a subtle threat.

Yang Yuqi sneered, glancing at Liu Qi. Though she was angry about the situation between him and Sima Yun, she could not fathom the source of her own agitation. Facing Sima Yun’s interrogation, she refused to admit anything; as a high-ranking General, the thought of being interested in a slave was something that would invite ridicule.

"Are you insulting me, Lady Sima? He is but a lowly slave. If I wanted one, I could have thousands. To suggest I have feelings for him is utterly absurd!" Yang Yuqi declared haughtily, refusing to acknowledge her own heart.

Seeing this, Sima Yun smiled slightly. "Since you have no such intentions, I shall not intrude further. I will take this little slave with me. Of course, should you ever desire him, you may come to my estate at any time—but remember, you may only borrow him, not possess him."

With that, Sima Yun took Liu Qi and left the tent. Yang Yuqi clenched her fists, her anger mounting. "Deputy General Guan!" she roared.

***

"General..." Deputy General Guan entered the tent, trembling.

Yang Yuqi struck him across the face, sending him reeling and collapsing to the ground. He stood up, looking at her in bewilderment.

"March!" Yang Yuqi commanded furiously.

"Yes!" The deputy scrambled to obey and fled the tent.

During the march, Liu Qi remained by Sima Yun’s side. She sat in a fragrant carriage, and he sat beside her.

"Take off the shackles," Sima Yun said, tossing a key to him.

Liu Qi caught it. "Thank you, my lady." He unlocked the chains from his ankles.

Sima Yun smiled. "From now on, you are mine. As long as you behave, I shall treat you well."

Liu Qi nodded. "Yes."

With the shackles gone, he had effectively shed his status as a slave, yet he still had a long road ahead if he hoped to align himself with the true centers of power. Based on the intelligence he had gathered over the past few days, he had gained a grasp of the Great Qian Dynasty’s political landscape.

The Emperor had nine sons, but as of yet, no Crown Prince had been named. The dynasty was currently embroiled in campaigns to unify the realm. The Second and Third Princes were brave, skilled in war, and held the support of the common people and the military. The First Prince, however, was timid by nature and avoided the power struggle, focusing instead on logistics and state finance.

By tradition, the throne should pass to the eldest legitimate son. Though no heir had been named, the First Prince was the most likely candidate. However, with the country in need of capable men, naming a successor now would surely incite the Second and Third Princes to rebellion. Thus, the Emperor had held off, telling the Second Prince, "The heir is frail, you must support him." That single sentence had ensured the Second Prince’s unwavering loyalty in battle, where he had performed heroic deeds and even saved the Emperor’s life multiple times. This only made the succession issue more complex.

Beyond these three, there was another candidate with significant support: the Fourth Prince—the Prince of Qi—who was Sima Yun’s master.

***

The Prince of Qi was the most refined and humble of the nine princes. To outsiders, he appeared entirely harmless, showing no ambition for the throne. But this was merely a facade. In reality, Liu Qi had surmised from the moment he first met Sima Yun that the Prince of Qi was the most calculating of them all.

The carriage swayed along the road of their triumphant return, rocking Sima Yun and Liu Qi within. Liu Qi’s palms were sweating; he knew he would soon face the Prince of Qi and likely enter the palace. Entering the palace was not the issue, but the Prince of Qi himself was. A calculating man would surely see through another. This was Liu Qi’s greatest fear. If he slipped up and revealed even the slightest flaw, his life would be forfeit. If the Prince were to investigate further and discover Liu Qi’s true identity as a minor prince of the fallen Kang Dynasty, his fate would be sealed. He remained on edge, startled by every sound.

Sima Yun smiled, gently stroking his thigh and sliding her hand further inward. "What is it? Are you nervous?"

"I am not," Liu Qi replied.

"Then why are you so rigid?" Sima Yun laughed. She straddled his lap, lifted his chin, and kissed him.

Though Liu Qi responded, his mind was elsewhere.

"I have never tried this in a carriage," she said, her face flushed as she gazed at him.

"Neither have I," Liu Qi admitted.

Sima Yun’s lips curled into a smile. She moved off him, leaned against the carriage wall, and parted her legs. "Undress me."

Liu Qi obeyed, loosening her sash and stripping away her robes. The road was no longer rugged but perfectly smooth, yet strangely, the carriage began to rock with increasing violence. It was only when a soft, stifled cry escaped that the motion finally came to a halt.