With furrowed eyebrows,Bai Jingyi picked up another memorial. She opened it and skimmed through the content with her jaw clenched tight.
"All of them contain the same thing. So infuriating !" She snapped, flinging it across the room together with the memorials.
"What's got Her Majesty this angry?" A playful voice asked, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps.
She looked up and the frown on her face melted to something else,her gaze softened,lips curling into a loving smile.
A middle-aged man stood below the platform holding one of the disposed memorials. The man was tall with striking features and was dressed in light blue opulent robes with a gentle smile lighting up his countenance.
"Everyone is complaining about Ah-Xiang. They want me to discipline her after last week's incident. She humiliated all those boys from the noble families," Bai Jingyi explained, her voice laced with irritation.
"She's becoming more like you back then," the man said with a teasing smile.
Bai Jingyi gasped in mock offense,eyes widening comically,"How dare you slander the Empress? Mr Han that's a serious crime. I can have you beheaded right now," she threatened playfully.
"Your Majesty you want to behead your husband over that? So cruel," he tsked,"Besides ,how is it slander? I lost count of how many times I stopped you from killing Bai Ruolan."
She chuckled at the memory.."You're right. I plead guilty," she admitted playfully.
" Why are you in the audience hall at such a time?" The man queried.
" I got bored in my room."
"It's evening now. Let me take you somewhere interesting," He said stepping on the platform and walked towards her.
She immediately wrapped her arms around his torso and buried her face in his belly and shut her eyes,a regal expression on her beautiful face as she inhaled the sweet, comforting sandalwood scent on him.
"Feng'er," she called out endearingly.
" Hmm."
" You smell nice,"she remarked sniffing his attire.
" I just took a shower,"he said pulling back and stooped down to her level looking into her eyes with affection. They had been married for fifteen years and still behaved like a newly wed couple. The older they grew the stronger their feelings for each other became.
Back then when they fell in love Bai Jingyi was just the willful Crown Princess and Han Feng,her eunuch with a big secret.
"You look exhausted let me help you recharge," he said and she smiled knowing exactly what he meant by recharging. He cupped her chin softly and leaned down capturing her lips in a tender kiss— a kiss that made her feel cherished and temporarily forget she was the Empress Bai, the figure that the entire nation looked up to.
"How dare you kiss in the audience hall!" A loud female voice echoed through the hall , interrupting them.
The couple pulled away and Bai Jingyi turned to glare at the intruder for disrupting their intimate moment. Bai Yulan,the Empress' third sister stood in the middle of the hallway with arms crossed and a disgusted expression on her face.
"Did your husband kick you out for wearing men's clothes?" The empress mocked.
Bai Yulan smirked,"My Prince Consort supports everything I do. He even lets me wear his clothes. Also,he lives in the palace,how can he kick me out of my own home?" She bragged, raising her chin,a smug smirk adorning her face.
"Then why are you here interrupting us?" The Empress countered.
"I have something to tell you.," she announced.
Bai Jingyi glanced at Han Feng who nodded in approval before she shifted her attention back to her younger sister.
"You have half an hour to express yourself. My husband and I have a date," she boasted earning a scoff from the younger female.
Han Feng bowed slightly and walked out of the place offering the two sisters privacy to chat.
∆∆∆∆∆
Han Feng had been sitting at the gazebo beside Fenghua Hall admiring flowers when he heard a cheery voice yapping followed by airy giggles. He turned around to see his fifteen year old daughter Bai Han Xiang chatting with the palace maids. He smiled fondly watching their daughter lively and unrestrained just like her mother when she was young.
The moment the young girl looked up and spotted him,she instantly sprinted towards him with a cheeky grin calling out his name in that squeaky tone that usually annoyed him. She jumped into his arms with so much force that her father almost lost his balance.
"You cheeky girl. Where are your manners?" He scolded in an affectionate tone, pulling away from the hug.
"Father,how can you say that?" She whined pouting,eyes blinking innocently.
"Your mother is very angry with you right now," he said flicking her forehead.
"Can't you defend me like you always do?" She asked giving him puppy eyes.
Before he could speak up another voice interrupted,"Let alone him, even the heavens can't save you from me today,," came the Empress' authoritative voice.
The daughter immediately rushed to her father's side, stepping behind him while he acted like a shield.
" Come here!"Bai Jingyi commanded.
The daughter peeked at her mother,tugging at her father's sleeve as a silent plea to defend her.
" Darling,just let her go for today. I have a surprise for you.You can just punish her another day," Han Feng said persuasively.
"Okay I'll let it go for today. Go and reflect on yourself . Also pick up your brother from your aunt's place," she instructed.
"Yes mother," she bowed three times and bolted from there,the sound of her triumphant giggles fading away with every step taken further from the gazebo.
"And you ,what surprise were you talking about?" She asked sternly.
"If I tell you then it won't be a surprise anymore," he replied with a sheepish smile.
With each passing minute,Han Feng finally mustered the courage to approach her. He carefully took her soft hand in his, watching her reaction and when he was confident enough, he intertwined their hands and led her out of the palace.
— — —
The market was bustling with various activities reflecting on the lively lifestyle of the citizens in the capital. However,that evening,Han Feng had only one destination in mind .While they manoeuvred through the alleyways,Bai Jingyi kept questioning about their destination and everytime Han Feng countered with a subtle response.
" If you dare say we're almost there again I'll go back to the palace,"she threatened,her patience wearing thin.
"We're here," he said , smiling sheepishly.
"Good for you," she scoffed.
"My darling, after you," he gestured at her with a loving smile.
The empress took a few steps forward and looked up ,her gaze landing on the nameplate , 'Obsidian Story house.'
"Let's go in," Han Feng urged.
At the entrance stood two guards carrying a number of masks.
"Please choose a mask," one of the guards instructed quietly.
Bai Jingyi turned to face her husband with a questioning gaze.
"Oh I forgot to tell you. It's a tradition to wear masks in this place," he explained quickly.
" Give me one then,"she said with an exasperated sigh.
The guards forwarded two masks to them and Han Feng ever the gentleman helped her wear it before putting on his own. The masked couple then stepped inside the big hall that was almost full with masked people.
"It's just a mere story house why do we have to wear masks as if it's some kind of assassin organization," she grumbled.
"Don't underestimate this place. It's very popular. Its mystery is what makes it interesting. Also the stories told here are not fictional,they are based on real life events,"he whispered.
Han Feng guided her to the upstairs venue where he had reserved seats for the two of them.
"Where's the surprise?" Bai Jingyi asked impatiently.
" Just wait and see,"he said smiling mysteriously.
A few minutes later ,a man appeared on the stage holding a small bell and a series of indistinct chatters was heard in the hall.
" Dear guests, welcome to Obsidian Story house. Tonight we'll be listening to a story called,'A Eunuch's Love Story,"he hyped in a loud,clear voice and the audience erupted in cheers.
"Sounds interesting," The empress murmured.
"The characters are even more interesting," he said with a cheeky smile.
"And tonight we have a special storyteller who will narrate the story and as usual,his identity is a secret," the audience cheered and then booed in disapproval of his last words.
"Darling it's time," Han Feng announced, getting up on his feet.
"Where are you going?" She asked in confusion.
"To narrate the story," he said and walked away with explaining everything clearly.
The bell rang, urging the audience to relax and to signal the beginning of the storytelling session as the mysterious storyteller took over immediately.
Little did the empress know that their love story would become one of those legendary love stories in storybooks.