Phoenix: Rules Of The Harem
Chapter 14: Under the Moonlight

After spending ten days in Zhuzi Palace that culminated with the restoration of the body, the, Ling Mei had been inside her residence in the cozy capital of Xiaoyang and looked preoccupied with a few rolls of parchment piling up on her desk. The woman was so serious about her work that was delayed due to a bloody incident a while ago. Ling Mei felt quite happy that there was no need to feign mental disability in her own residence and hide the fact that she was normal from Yun Rui just because she was also living in this residence. Now the thing Ling Mei had to do was spread the rumor that the mental retardation she had experienced had progressed and was slowly starting to recover as before.

It would make the people think naturally that the fourth princess who was the scum of the empire would again show her light as the true heir to the imperial throne. More than that, there are good things related to the attack that occurred. Shao Mu Lan's suspicion on the grounds of how difficult he was to kill could now be Ling Mei diverting well, his first brother would probably think that the person who helped him to stay alive in the midst of the seizure of the imperial throne was his grandmother, Imperial Grand General Hong Chang Yi. After all Ling Mei was unable to use Wu Jin constantly as the reason for her survival from the entire assassination attempt aimed at her.

Even with Wu Jin's abilities, he still wasn't strong enough to withstand the many attacks and poison that had suddenly attacked him. Therefore, the day of the attack was Ling Mei, Wu Jin, the day of the attack, and some of the other shadow troops who had taken part in the journey to Ningle City brought a special jade liotin that was indeed only owned by the elite forces belonging to General Hong's family. Then deliberately leave all the evidence to be found by Mu Lan's special forces who are looking for their hired assassins who do not return after carrying out their duties. That way, Mu Lan's side would think that Imperial Grand General Hong had deliberately placed some of his elite troops under wraps to guard the only granddaughter he had.

It would divert Mu Lan in some time to come, while Ling Mei still had to increase the number of members of her Yuyin army. Since this time Ling Mei was going to draw Great General Shi to her side, then she had to make some small preparations to convince the woman.

"Hmm .. First brother, this time I won't give you a chance to win. Then, look how this stupid brother of yours is going to overthrow your position just as you did to me eight years ago."

Immediately after, as if not letting Ling Mei have her own time, suddenly the sound of knocking on the door rang out from outside her study. "My wife, this is Yun Rui. Can I come in?"

"Come in!"

Hearing the reply of that agreement, a happy smile was reflected on Yun Rui's charming face. Then, when the door opened, the fourth princess's main companion walked into Ling Mei's study with a few servants behind her.

"Your Majesty, I was worried when Yu Shen said that you haven't had lunch yet, so I brought you lunch."

Ling Mei's gaze slowly began to soften even though there was no smile on her face, it had already made Yun Rui quite understand that Ling Mei no longer treated her so coldly.

Ling Mei nodded, her gaze turning back to the parchment that was in front of her. "You just prepare, I'll eat it after this."

However, Ling Mei raised one of her eyebrows in astonishment as she sensed that Yun Rui was still motionless from where she stood. Ling Mei raised her head again, she looked at her official husband with a less obvious look of confusion. "Is there something you want to say again?"

Yun Rui looked at Ling Mei restlessly before turning her gaze to the side. Seen a faint hue appearing on both cheeks as smooth as jade belonging to Yun Rui, he felt too embarrassed to stare at his wife any longer.

"Uhhhh! That ... ma-can you have lunch here with me?" Yun Rui squeezed both of her hands in agitation, the look on her face was hesitant and hopeful at the same time.

Ling Mei snorted softly, feeling funny when she saw the anxious Yun Rui just for a little thing like this. The young man now looked quite cute in his eyes.

What's?!

Ling Mei blinked her eyes a few times, it seemed like something was wrong with her thoughts lately! How could he think about such a thing, this was not true! Feeling awakened, Ling Mei then rolled back the parchment she had in her hand and placed it on the left side of the table along with the other piles of parchment she had read.

"Ens. Do as you wish."

Yun Rui looked at Ling Mei with eyes that sparkled happily, he asked the servants to help him put down some trays containing the full meal and arrange them on an empty table not far from where Ling Mei was doing her work. As soon as all was finished being prepared, Ling Mei got up from her seat and walked towards the direction Yun Rui had been waiting for her. As well as the servants who had come with Yun Rui, they had left the room and left the two married couples inside. The two of them ate their food quietly, none of them were talking, but it was occasionally seen that Yun Rui was stealing glances towards Ling Mei.

Ling Mei could only snort inwardly, she let Yun Rui who was staring at her silently with a face that remained flat as usual and pretended not to know about it. Her official husband was different, but she didn't hate him. Ling Mei could not deny that Wei Yun Rui had almost the same traits as her father Hong Yu Wen.

............................

After that pleasant lunch moment, time had changed to night. Since Yun Rui was an official escort and Ling Mei had no other concubines, it was Yun Rui's duty to accompany and spend the night together with Ling Mei. When the door of Ling Mei's room was closed with Yun Rui who had entered it, the man looked at the fourth star of the empire with a look that looked nervous. Fourth Princess Shao Ling Mei turned out to be not the mentally handicapped woman she had shown before. Therefore, after Yun Rui saw the true side of his wife, the second prince of Wei Kingdom became awkward to sleep one bed together with Ling Mei in the evening.

"Sorry, I can't do that with you for now. I hope you can understand." ling Mei said as she stared at the shallow, square-shaped pond decorated with blue lotus flowers with some floating candles that were right in front of her bed inside her main room located in the Yin Pavilion and decorated with many blackish blue ornaments.

"It's okay. Yun Rui understood, Your Majesty."

"More than that, do you want to come with me?"

Yun Rui looked timid, yet in her heart she felt warm. "W-Where does His Majesty want to take me?"

"Although the Yin Pavilion isn't as beautiful as the Xuanshi Pavilion, under the moonlight, I want to see Xiaoyang city with you, Rui'er." Ling Mei said flatly, but it still made Yin Rui grow wide in shock with a red hue that spread across her face to her ears.

Unlike the gazebo in the Xuanshi Pavilion which tends to be located a little low and above the water, gazebo owned by Yin Pavilion is actually located in a towering position and parallel to the height of the third floor of Yin Pavilion with large, long pillars that support the gazebo. Because of its high enough location, the gazebo is designed with an open balcony that juts forward, black in most buildings, and transparent striped walls that surround almost on all sides, the building is open, except the front and left side of the gazebo which serves as the entrance into the gazebo. The entrance is a large round shape with transparent white curtains as the cover.

As the largest and widest pavilion present in the fourth princess residence, Yin Pavilion had three floors with a balcony located on the third floor, the balcony has a special connecting bridge that is the only way to the gazebo. While the Xuanshi Pavilion consists of two floors with a balcony on the second floor, almost all pavilions in the residence of Shao Ling Mei consist of two floors. However, in some pavilions there is only one floor with the form of buildings and courtyards that are quite spacious.

During visiting the Yin Pavilion, Yun Rui never went to the third floor where everything related to Ling Mei's personal matters was stored there. Therefore, once they were inside the gazebo, Yun Rui felt stunned. It was beautiful, with a view of the night sky and moonlight illuminating them. Candles and lanterns are hung at each corner of the gazebo as lighting, a thick carpet with a wide short table on which contains Guqin and a cushion chair underneath, some table and wall hangings, and some, writing and painting brushes and ink, as well as sheets of paper and parchment that have not been used. It seemed like this gazebo was used by Ling Mei to work, paint or just play Guqin while enjoying the fresh air amid the tension felt due to the bloody throne fight.

"Well! Your Majesty, this is beautiful! I can see the hustle of the city from up here clearly, the moon and the stars as well..." Yun Rui turned her head towards Ling Mei who was standing next to him, her tone wailing. For a moment he was glued to see the beauty that emanated from his wife.

Currently they are on the balcony in front of the gazebo, from there can be seen the view of the city crowd at night with a variety of beautiful lanterns along the road as a light.

"You're right, it's beautiful. Then, did you bring your Dizimu?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I brought it."

Hearing that answer Ling Mei smiled thinly, so thin that Yun Rui did not even notice it. "If you don't mind, let's play music with me tonight!"

That sudden call made Yun Rui dumbstruck for a moment before smiling widely until both eyes curved so sweetly. "certain. With pleasure, Your Majesty."

"No need to call me Your Majesty, just call me Ling Mei! Ahem! We're officially married and I'm not Grand Empress, so you don't have to be so formal with me." Ling Mei cleared her throat, her face slightly flushed with a timid look that was not too obvious.

Yun Rui gasped, she looked at Ling Mei with both eyes rounded in disbelief, but after that a happy look and a tinge of red hue were clearly visible on her charming face. "As you wish, Ling Mei."

Ling Mei sat herself down and began to pluck her Guqin strings calmly, accompanied by Yun Rui who also entered into her tone with her Dizi. Under the bright moonlight they played the melodious music, both so beautiful as paintings. The perfect blend of Guqin and Dizi with a matching cast of dragons and phoenixes, makes anyone who sees it pound with a burst of awe. As if it had been destined to be together, the aura of a true leader emanating between the two seemed so clear. The blowing night wind makes the transparent white curtains installed on all sides of the gazebo move and fly making the atmosphere look more peaceful.

There, from a distance, more precisely from the rooftop of a pavilion located not far from Yin Pavilion, Liao Wu Jin looked at the two of them in silence with a look of eyes that showed a faint fondness. The master was indeed no longer treating Wei Yun Rui so coldly as before, yet somehow there was a hint of unwillingness in the corner of Wu Jin's heart. The fourth princess' personal guard as well as the head of the entire shadow army from level one to level three was raising his head upwards, Wu Jin could see the full moon shining brightly right above him. He had looked at Shao Ling Mei from the angle of male and female romance since a long time ago. Because of that, when the decree had been determined and the marriage would take place, Wu Jin felt disappointed and upset at the same time.

The person she loves will marry someone else, even if that person is her first love. As a fellow man who loved the same woman, Wu Jin could also feel jealousy in his heart. Wu Jin's thoughts revolved around an old memory that made him meet Ling Mei, back then he was still so pitiful that it felt like he would even die just from being kicked by someone, but Ling Mei saved him. Teach him how to be strong and make him subconsciously love the fourth star of the empire. Although not clearly visible, Wu Jin quite understood that Ling Mei loved him and because of all the things he never imagined he would accept, Wu Jin gave all the loyalty he had to Ling Mei.

"You look pathetic. Come with me, then I'll give you a lot of fun!"

"Because it has no name ... Liao Wu Jin's! I'll call you that."

"Do it like this! You should be able to protect yourself if you intend to protect me, do you understand, Wu Jin?"

"I trust you, Wu Jin. Therefore, never betray me."

Recalling all that, Wu Jin smiled slightly. Even if the woman did not notice it, Wu Jin had fallen into a deep abyss for her. 'You have given a wonderful life to me. Even if you don't love me, I will always love you, Your Majesty.'