Chapter 22 The Ink Butterfly
Talk of deep feeling between emperor and empress spread through the court again.
Xiao Yan favored me more and more, with a faint madness in it.
When the imperial physician said I might be carrying twins, he grew so excited that he granted a realm-wide amnesty in my name.
For a time my name spread everywhere. The people called me a worthy empress.
This time his attention stayed on me. He sent no one out among the people to search for women.
The wounds on me increased too.
Pinches. Bites. Blows.
He took a needle dipped in ink and pricked a butterfly into my skin.
Lan Zhi had once said Xiao Yan believed pain was love.
Why did he not go feel that pain himself.
When he bent to kiss the butterfly, I slapped him.
His face went dark, frightening. He stared at me, vicious.
After a while he picked up the familiar knife, pointed at his chest, and said, "Here."
I drew the blade across. Tears gathered in his eyes. He lay against me and cried.
......
That day Lan Zhi came to Jiaofang Hall and saw Xiao Yan in a white robe, lying in my arms.
His collar was open. Blood marks crossed his chest.
Lan Zhi's eyes went wide. She looked more shocked than when she used to see wounds on me.
Her face twisted. Roars and curses kept coming, like a beast in grief.
Xiao Yan waved a hand in disgust and had her dragged out.
Tears covered her face. Resentment burned up in her eyes.
She had used flesh and blood to fill the hollow in his heart. It seemed she did not know an abyss could not be filled.
I glanced back at Xiao Cui.
......
Blood stood dark across the white of his robe.
However deep the love, the hate was that strong.