Chapter 16 Blood on the Token
People in the palace began to go missing again.
The palace servants walked the night paths in pairs, shaking, afraid some evil thing would fix on them and hollow out their flesh.
Xiao Yan always came to Jiaofang Hall deep in the night. When his hand touched my belly, it still carried a chill.
He grew more and more open. He even sent men to search, by portrait, for similar women among the common folk.
But the carts carrying those women were always robbed. They met either "mountain bandits" or "roving raiders."
After several months, Xiao Yan had not found even one similar woman.
He flew into a great rage and ordered the army to hunt bandits on every side. For a time, the common people's lives grew much more settled.
When Xiao Yan could not find anyone similar for the moment, he turned his gaze back to the harem.
He had only just taken the throne. The harem still held only me and Lan Zhi.
A stage rose at the mid-lake pavilion. Lan Zhi's water sleeves drifted. Song and dance went on day and night.
As for me, I used the discomfort of pregnancy. The moment Xiao Yan came to eat with me, I vomited.
He ate, and I vomited. He ate. I vomited.
Smack, smack. Retch, retch, retch.
After a few repeats, he rarely came to find me.
I was glad of the quiet. I finally passed six months in peace.
My spirits slowly improved. My appetite was good. My belly grew round, a full circle larger than was usual for the month.
I touched my belly and sewed a tiger-ear cap for the child.
A bloodstained token was thrown onto the cap and cut me off.
The token bore the totem of the Duke of Zhenguo's manor.
"These days the court has been clearing bandits, yet this was found on certain bandits."
Xiao Yan's face was dark. His gaze was icy.
He toyed with that familiar little knife.
"I never thought the Empress had ability like this."
I glanced at him, tossed the token aside, and went on sewing my cap.
Xiao Yan was fully enraged. He snatched the cap and threw it on the ground.
He pulled too fast. The needle tip pierced my hand. Tears slowly filled my eyes.
Through the tears I stared at him, and took out the painting I had prepared early and hidden under the couch.
The woman's brows and eyes in the painting were seven parts like mine.
I pointed at the painting, then at myself.
Xiao Yan frowned.
"What? Are you saying you are jealous?"
He leaned down. His eyes were full of doubt and scrutiny.
"The Empress hides from me every day. I thought I was hated."
The cold knife crossed my face lightly and left a white mark.
Facing a madman, I had to be madder than he was.
I glared hard at him, tore the painting to shreds, then grabbed his knife and set it against my own neck.
Xiao Yan watched me with no expression on his face.
The sharp blade pressed lightly to my neck, as if it would cut straight through the way one cut a pastry.
I clenched my palm, still held my head up, and stared at him without moving.
The whole room was silent.
A soundless contest. It was also a gamble.
He was a madman. He was an emperor. I was betting his obsession ran far past an ordinary man's.
Clang.
The knife was thrown aside.
"I had not found that this temper of yours was so fierce too."
He pulled me into his arms. My palm was full of sweat.