~~~

    “If you are an assassin, I am afraid I will have to kill you. It is unfair of me. I know. I deal with people much worse than assassins every other day. Yet, instead of throwing them to the dungeons and letting them kill each other so the world might be a more silent place, I greet them with open arms and mediate their many childish issues. If I must do that for them, you’d think an assassin would merit lands, riches, and women. It’s all so tiresome.”

    Liu Jin blinks.

    Xiang Zuolin, Emperor of the Crimson Cloud Empire, sits alone in his throne room. His legs are stretched out, and his arms hang loosely to his sides. His head is tilted back far enough that he is staring at the ceiling with a look of distinct annoyance and resignation. The aura of gloom around the man is so intense that it is nearly visible.

    “I am not an assassin, Your Majesty,” Liu Jin says. His body blurs as he steps out of the shadows and bows in front of the Emperor. “Granny Zhao would not have let me inside if I was.”

    “Oh, do not discount it. When I was young, she often allowed assassins to try their luck. I am pretty sure she hired some of them just so I’d get experience. A pity she never did the same with beautiful women,” the Emperor says. Slowly and reluctantly, he brings the upper half of his body forward to look at Liu Jin. “...Are you sure you are not an assassin? You stand like one. I am fairly certain you move like one. You are more assassin-like than people who have tried to kill me.”

    “I am fairly sure I am not an assassin.”

    The Emperor sighs. His whole body slumps back into his throne. It is a very undignified position, yet Liu Jin does not feel the Emperor has let his guard down in the slightest.

    “What a pity,” the Emperor says. “It has been decades since the last time I unwound. Oh well, what are you here for? If you wish to ask for a favor, I have none to give. If you want me to mediate any issue, I will warn you I am terribly biased. If there is a grievance you must air, I might fall asleep while you do so.”

    Once again, Liu Jin is left blinking. He’d heard people talk about the Emperor’s oddities but had assumed they were exaggerating as people often do. Not so, it seems.

    “None of those, Your Majesty. My name is Qing Jin, Emperor of the Storm Dragon Empire,” Liu Jin says. “There is a matter of great urgency I must discuss with you.”

    Emperor Xiang stares at him.

    “Is there any chance you meant to say that you are an emissary of the Emperor of the Storm Dragon Empire?”

    “I am afraid not.”

    “Of course,” Emperor Xiang says, shaking his head. “The ruler of another nation enters my country and my city without anyone knowing about it, and the person who should be helping me decides to let him sneak into my throne room. Why not?”

    “Your Majesty, you are in the Emperor Realm. I am not,” Liu Jin points out. “We both know I am not a threat to you.”

    “What I know is that I have been deliberately increasing the strength of my aura since the moment you opened your mouth, yet you remain at ease. I know people centuries your senior who would already be having trouble breathing. You are too comfortable in an Emperor’s presence for me to be comfortable in yours, Your Majesty.”

    Emperor Xiang is still sprawled over his throne. Gloom hangs around him like a well-worn cloak. That has not changed. @@@@

    However, the look on his eyes is by no means dull.

    It is not that Liu Jin had not realized that Emperor Xiang was increasing the strength of his aura. He’d just assumed it was happening due to the stress. ?Α?NO?E?S?

    “I suppose I am already used to Emperors who show little regard for the effect of their presence,” Liu Jin says.

    “Those are words that should be said by no one.”

    “It is hardly that impressive. If His Majesty were to use the full might of his Qi, I wouldn’t be able to breathe right now. This much is remarkably restrained of you.”

    “Everything you say just makes it worse.” Emperor Xiang covers his face with his hands and rubs his eyes. “Enough. What motive did you deem important enough to trespass?”

    “I am sure you already know there are several interests surrounding the Crimson Cloud Tournament,” Liu Jin says, then thinks a little more and adds, “More so than usual.”

    “I suppose the possible appearance of the Wandering Wind does merit calling this tournament more interesting than usual, but what of it?” Emperor Xiang asks him. “The Crimson Cloud Tournament has always been a cause of headaches for me. Right now, thousands of people all over the city are plotting and scheming so their chosen children will be more effective at destroying each other. If you wish to invite me into any plot, I am afraid I have lost the taste for them.”

    “I do not seek your participation, Your Majesty,” Liu Jin says. “I merely seek to inform you of what might happen in the coming weeks. Since I might end up causing some of these events, I thought it would be too brazen if I did not give any notice to the ruler of this nation.”

    The Emperor stares at him.

    “This is a new one,” Emperor Xiang says, rubbing his chin. “I am not sure if you are being considerate or brazenly disrespectful. I am starting to think you have managed to be both.”

    “I apologize.”

    “Don’t. This is new, and I am not altogether displeased by it. I am considering kicking you out of my country, but the Eternal Flame Clan would probably complain. That’s never ideal.” Emperor Xiang’s mouth twitches left and right as though he were chewing on something. “Alright, speak. What is so important?

    Yet, the people cannot deny what their ears have just heard. Not only is the Emperor of the Storm Dragon Empire involved with a woman of the Divine Frozen Palace, he is apparently married to her!

    “You sound so confident,” Lu Mei says. The air in the park warms slightly. “Yet, he has not made you Empress. Are you so confident in the position of wife that you have not realized how brittle your relationship is?”

    “Ice is not brittle!”

    “I am sure you will find anything built on ice melts all too easily when the right heat is applied.”

    “And you will find flames are snuffed out in the frozen cold.”

    ~~~

    “I sincerely apologize!”

    Lu Mei blinks as Xiao Shuang’s image in the mirror repeatedly bows her head to her.

    “Whatever for?” she asks, shifting a little to make herself comfortable on the bed. “Certainly, your delivery could have used more polish, but it was believable enough.”

    “But I said so many awful things!” Xiao Shuang protests, utterly mortified. “I basically called you a... a...”

    She could not even say it. Adorable.

    “It is hardly the worst thing I have ever been called,” Lu Mei says. “Besides, we agreed on it. Do you see me apologizing?”

    “Even so,” Xiao Shuang says, “was this truly necessary?”

    Lu Mei considers the question and waves her hand in a so-so motion.

    “If I reported to the Eternal Flame Clan that I find you agreeable, they would think the Divine Frozen Palace is plotting something.”

    “You could have just said we are friends just now.”

    “I could have.”

    Xiao Shuang pouts. “Fine. It pains me to say it, but the Divine Frozen Palace would be suspicious if I were to report no conflicts with you. Maybe not my master, but the rest of them would. Considering your background and reputation, they would have more cause for suspicion.”

    Lu Mei smiles approvingly. “See? You can do it if you try. This satisfies everyone.”

    The rumors of their encounter would spread throughout the city and beyond, reassuring everyone that they were doing their job and vying for Qing Jin’s favor.

    “Besides,” Lu Mei adds, “there are other benefits. Or am I wrong?”

    Lu Mei’s smile widens when Xiao Shuang looks away.

    “Two people approached me hours after the incident,” Xiao Shuang reluctantly admits. “The servants have notified me that messages have arrived from other parties that wish to set up a meeting.”

    “Oh, is one of them my mother? I would love the opportunity to humiliate her again.”

    “...Why are you like this?” Xiao Shuang asks.

    “Oh, that’s a conversation far too long to have right now,” Lu Mei says with false cheer. “Regardless, you see how this is useful, right? As long as we keep up the pretense, we are each other’s strongest opposition, meaning those against us will seek the other. Controlled opposition is no opposition at all!”

    “The deceit bothers me, but I must admit its effectiveness,” Xiao Shuang says, her white eyebrows furrowed. “It would be bothersome if we had to deal with so many would-be foes one at a time. Although that still leaves...”

    She does not finish. She does not need to.

    The smile on Lu Mei’s face falls off.

    Some things cannot be controlled no matter what, and unfortunately, one of them decided to put Qing Jin in her sights.

    ~~~