The Morning of Truth

Your senses are dampened considerably, despite the fact that you can sense others in your room. Your vision was blurred, and your hearing muffled. Most importantly, your entire body ached like something fierce, like you had indulged on too much rice wine or kumis. The headache that you felt certainly put a cherry on top of it all. From your limited senses, you could make out that maybe a few eunuch guards were in your room, along with Chen and Yi. What was Chen doing here? You had vividly remembered telling him that his priority was to fill up your inner palace with women and not coming to this room for no reason.

“The boy is just sick,” You think this was Yi speaking. Again, the voice was slightly muted, “A mother’s touch will heal him just fine.”

“This is no simple illness. I must ask Yaomei up here right away!” Was that Chen? He was sounding more confrontational than usual, “You have no knowledge of medicine or magics, I will not let my Emperor die so early in his reign.”

“You are exaggerating, this is just a flu.”

“At this time of year?! And I’m supposed to just take your word for it?! You are not Empress anymore!-”

That final shout from Chen was the last thing you heard before once again slipping into what felt like a deep sleep. The next time you open your eyes, you are unsure as to how much time has passed, only that there is an overwhelming green light. A little closer inspection from your gradually sharpening vision shows multiple green lights in the form of magic circles hovering around you, extracting some black fluid that permeated from your skin. The black fluid pooled above you through the **** of some strange magic and gravitated inside a vial that was levitating between the hands of a petite blonde she-elf. All you really noticed though was the regulating of your body temperature returning to normal levels and the aches disappearing. Soon, it was like they never existed at all.

The green lights disappeared all at once, and the vial that was collecting the black fluid had mysteriously corked itself as it fell into the hands of the she-elf. Your vision was sharp again, but it took several seconds for the ringing in your ears to dissipate. As it was, you see Chen talking to the elf with an urgent look on his face after he saw you regain consciousness. You just noticed the absence of Yi, who you had sworn you heard earlier when the petite elf seemed to disappear behind the foot of your large bed. Not wanting to lose sight of the cute elf, you sit up rapidly and just as rapidly grow lightheaded again. A eunuch catches your head before you fall back from the sensation. Go figure, you had finally become emperor, and the first person in your bed was a eunuch. Your hearing comes back.

“Your Imperial Majesty?” Chen inquired with worry, “How are you feeling?”

You did look at Chen as you answered. Your eyes were on the petite she-elf that was prostrated before the foot of your large bed. Her golden hair was so long that it covered her back completely in that position, and her Elven inspired Hanfu bore elegant shades of jade. Knowing not anyone could simply walk in to your bedroom, you ask, “Who is this?”

Chen was about to answer, but the petite she-elf spoke instead, never lifting her head from the floor, “I am Han Jinyu, Your Majesty. I beg your forgiveness for coming here uninvited, but once I caught wind of your condition, I could not bear the thought of losing you when I had just arrived.”

Chen cleared his throat, annoyed. “This is Han Jinyu, Emperor Yun, the youngest daughter of Han Lian. She is the daughter Lian offered during the last Court Meeting.”

You finally look at Chen, “What’s this about my condition?”

“You had been poisoned, Emperor Yun!”

Poisoned? You try and think when and where that could have happened, but it was impossible. Yi could not have administered poison sucking your cock, and that was the sole thing on your mind that happened recently. As if your thoughts had summoned her, a commotion came from your bedroom doors.

“It was a flu!” Yi shouted as she entered your room. She had Yaomei in tow, your Court’s High Priestess. It seems many who were not typically allowed in your most inner chamber were stopping by for a visit.

“Miss Jinyu has extracted the poi-” Chen stopped himself. The steward looked at the she-elf’s hand, only to see the vial of black fluid had mysteriously disappeared. He cursed himself for not securing it. He took a deep breath, “Whatever it was, Miss Jinyu has cured the Celestial Emperor.”

Yaomei approached the side of your bed and extended her hand at you like she was telling you to halt. A green magical circle with runes and symbols you did not understand appeared briefly in front of her hand before going away.

“Indeed,” Declared the fox spirit. Her six tails wagging slightly, “The Celestial Emperor is in perfect health. I am happy to hear my services were not needed.”

After her declaration, Yaomei left.

Yi walked up beside the prostrated she-elf, who your eyes returned to immediately after Yaomei made her exit. “Where did this come from?” Yi asked Chen while motioning at Jinyu.

Chen just dropped his head, ashamed.

“Well,” Continued Yi, “Since you are unable to wrangle the women of Emperor Yun’s house, I will do it myself. You! Come!”

With practiced elegance, Jinyu stood from her prostrated position and kept her head down. Not being summoned to the emperor’s side and forcing entry into your quarters could be seen as shameful, so it seemed she was expressing that in her actions. You were learned enough to pick up on that, and understood that this elf was apologizing to you with simply the way she moved. Apologizing, despite the fact that she saved your life from whatever happened. You will have to thank her later.

They leave the room, and so do several eunuch guards, seeing that things have come under control. You turn to Chen. “You believe I was poisoned?”

“I may have just panicked, Emperor Yun. There is no evidence of any poisoning, nor did anyone enter your quarters, according to your guards.” Chen bowed deeply, but the tone of his voice sounded like he was hiding something. “If you’d allow me, there are still many more women for me to interview.”

“I look forward to your results, Master Chen.” You decide he left it as it was because it was not the time to discuss this incident further.

With that, Chen left. Leaving you time to ponder just how long you had been out. The sun indicated close to midday. You never slept in this late, so something happened to you, but was it a flu, or did someone actually poison you?