The Last Concubine (14 page)

“Because of Wu Min?”

“He is but one obstacle. I have always been careful not to show a preference for any of my wives,” Hüi said. “Lest some scoundrel scheme to slay one of them to wound me. If I should lose you now, having just found you—”

Lan’xiu laughed joyously. “You will not, my Lord. I have a stake in this matter too. I will take great care to keep on living.” He startled when Hüi Wei stood up, lifting him with him, but turned to wrap his arms about Hüi, looking at him questioningly.

Hüi got out of the bath, holding out his hand to assist Lan’xiu as if he were a delicate maiden. They stood dripping with their naked bodies pressed together. Hüi kissed Lan gently and reached for a cloth to dry him.

Lan’xiu accepted the attention and then took the cloth from Hüi to dry him in turn.

Holding Lan’s hand, Hüi led him to the bed, laying him down and staring at him in silence. He reached for the oil, and Lan spread his legs wide. Hüi stroked over Lan’s hole, teasing the tight entrance until he placed the tip of his finger against the opening and pushed slowly inside.

Lan gasped and arched as the finger penetrated him. Stroking his finger in and out, Hüi watched Lan’s face for signs of discomfort, but there was none, only an expression of blissful pleasure.

When Hüi bent to suck first one nipple and then the other to a point, Lan’xiu writhed on the bed in ecstasy. The sensation seemed to go right to his cock, and added to the finger up his ass, he was in heaven.

Hüi withdrew his finger and crawled between Lan’s thighs, stroking them with his palms. He bent and took Lan’xiu’s cock in his mouth, clumsily, as if he’d never done this before. Lan put his forearm over his mouth to prevent the rather loud scream of pleasure from breaking loose. He really didn’t require Ning’s assistance at this point of the proceedings and didn’t want to scare his servant with his enthusiastic expression of the pleasure the hot wet mouth was giving him. Suddenly he understood Hüi’s earlier need for this service from him.

Hüi released him and wiped his mouth, grinning down at him. “I guess you liked that.”

Lan moaned and held out his arms, fearing that later he would be embarrassed by the abandoned whimpers of need issuing from him, but right now he needed more.

He could feel his hole flex hungrily as Hüi rubbed the tip of his hard cock over it. Lan widened his legs even more, letting out a deep groan when Hüi pushed inside him. Hüi was still on his knees, edging closer to slide a little deeper with short thrusts. Lan couldn’t wait to be filled, even though the stretching hurt him again.

Something about being so filled made him feel utterly owned and possessed. When Hüi was buried as deeply as he could be, he inched forward, kissing Lan’s chest, throat, and face, until he was stretched full length on top of him.

Lan wrapped his legs around Hüi’s, feeling a hand circle around his shoulders and cradle his head. Hüi couldn’t seem to stop kissing his throat, even while his thrusts became longer and deeper. They moved as one, and Lan felt as if he were soaring amongst the clouds, propelled to even greater heights of pleasure with each stroke as their bodies moved together. Lan felt Hüi’s grip tighten upon him. He couldn’t move his arms, he was so wrapped up in the other man’s embrace.

And then Hüi’s tongue was in his mouth, plundering the depths in time with the cock plundering his ass. Lan writhed beneath his weight, feeling the spurt of his release as he convulsed with a powerful orgasm.

Then he was filled again with the wonderful hot essence of Hüi’s orgasm and heard the other man’s groan of release.

Together they drifted in a dream-like state of lazy surfeit, their bodies pressed so close they almost felt as one.

Gradually, their bodies relaxed, and inevitably they separated. Hüi pulled Lan to him, bringing him close so his head rested upon Hüi’s shoulder. They lay together, their breathing synchronized, almost not daring to speak lest they break the mood.

Finally, Hüi sighed again. “Why do you enjoy wearing the dress of a woman?”

Lan’xiu gave him a secretive smile. “They are much nicer to the touch, the silks and satins. There is more to choose from, and they are made in pretty colors. The softness next to my skin gives me pleasure.” He drew his hand along his inner thigh, rejoicing to see Hüi’s eyes widen as they tracked his caress. “Besides, I simply… feel pretty dressed like that. I like it.”

“You can handle a sword. Against an opponent more your size and strength, I would back you for the win,” Hüi mused in a wondering voice. “You have been well taught.”

“I shall remember to tell Ning you said so,” Lan’xiu said. “He will appreciate the compliment.”

“When I took you before, I would never have been as rough with any of my other wives, but you were fine with as hard a pounding as I have dealt.”

“More than fine,” Lan’xiu said. “Can’t you accept that, with you, in bed, I am a man as much as you, but when I go out, I enjoy the thrill of wearing pretty silk dresses and hiding behind a fan?”

Hüi rolled atop Lan, looking down into his laughing eyes. “And I enjoy looking at you and knowing that under those dresses are silken underthings—”

“That you enjoy ripping off me—”

“Very much,” Hüi agreed, lowering his head to mouth one dark nipple, enjoying feeling the nub of flesh harden again under his lips and tongue.

Rather breathlessly, Lan said, “The budget for upkeep of the household will increase if you keep spoiling my clothes.”

“Maybe you should wear the ones you like least when I light your lantern,” Hüi murmured. “You may count upon a certain amount of damage, I fear. When I first see you—” He dropped his head to bite sharply at Lan’s nipple, enjoying the jerk and cry that followed and then licking the sting away with the sweep of his tongue.

“Again, please, my Lord.”

“Again,” Hüi said in a proud voice, rubbing his growing cock over Lan’s smooth thigh.

C
APTAIN
W
EN
had noticed that both the eunuch, Ning, and his mistress, the Princess Lan’xiu, seemed to be much addicted to keeping fit. Ning and the princess did early morning exercises in the courtyard behind the seventh house and often walked together around the inner square, sometimes for an hour at a time.

They were almost always together, but Wen had noticed that sometimes Ning would run behind the houses by himself. Naturally, Wen would never have committed the solecism of approaching a concubine belonging to the general, so he had to wait to catch Ning alone, especially as it was Ning in particular he wished to speak with.

And so when Ning began to trot behind the houses one crisp morning, Wen was able to surprise him when he stepped out from behind the corner of the last house.

“Greetings, Eunuch Ning. I am Captain Wen, of the household guard.”

Ning was panting from his exertions, but he hid his surprise. “Greetings, Captain Wen. What business have you with a mere eunuch, a servant such as I?”

Wen was amused that Ning seemed a bit guarded and unconsciously let his hand rest over an imaginary hilt, even though he wore no sword. “I merely wondered if your mistress was partial to chicken.”

Ning’s face became more guarded, even hostile. “And if she is?”

“I only wondered why you did not order the kitchen maid to go to the henhouse.”

Ning was caught without an answer. “I am new here and….” His voice faded away.

“You need not fear any indiscretion. I haven’t written all my observations in my reports,” Wen said.

“Then why challenge me in the street?” Ning looked about, as if realizing they were not exactly in the street.

“I have noticed your habit of exercise. I admire that.” Wen bowed.

“As a eunuch—” Ning began.

“I know,” Wen said with an understanding smile. “I fear I am interrupting, but you are in no danger of encroaching plumpness if you forego a quarter of an hour to speak with me.”

“What do you want of me?” Ning’s voice was sharp.

“I want nothing. I do not even want the price of the chicken you, er, borrowed.” Wen seemed a bit embarrassed. “I came to announce that I am—ahem—partial to the third sex,” he said, as if only then realizing how awkward an approach this was.

Ning’s wrath died down, and he looked perplexed. “A eunuch is not adept at the usual sexual practices.”

“If you will forgive me for being rudely direct, it depends on how one was cut,” Wen said. “I have had many a pleasurable afternoon in bed with a eunuch.”

“Pleasurable for you, no doubt,” Ning said irritably.

“It would not please me if I could not please my partner as well,” Wen said. “I had wondered if you had ever considered….” He looked questioningly at Ning. “Of course, we should have to get to know each other a bit better first. Perhaps I could help educate you with some of our more customary chicken acquisition methods.”

“I see! Blackmail?” Ning exclaimed wrathfully.

“Calm yourself. I am merely teasing you. I shall never let you live that down, no matter what your reason was for that clandestine poultry rendezvous. I go off duty at four in the afternoon, if you would care to have tea with me.”

“I shall consider it,” Ning said with great dignity but a gleam lighting his eyes. Then he abandoned dignity for practicality. “Where do you go to drink tea?”

“I am permitted outside these gates, but as you are not, I suggest we have our tea in your kitchen.”

“But Jia—”

“Jia is an old friend of mine. She may laugh at us, but she will not begrudge us the tea or the space,” Wen said.

“She will most definitely laugh,” Ning said gloomily.

J
IANG
had spent the past two weeks without success trying to corner Hüi Wei for some private conversation. He had heard the clop of hooves before dawn on the day after Hüi had gone to see Lan’xiu and looked out his window to see something he had never witnessed before: Hüi Wei fleeing the city as if from a rout. He wondered if the princess had anything wrong with her, or worse, if Hüi had failed in his manly duty. Or even whether he had forced the princess to reveal some plot so dastardly it shocked him into flight. For some time Jiang had wondered whether Princess Lan’xiu’s lifeless body lay within her house, not that he cared about her death if she had threatened his friend. Within the day, however, he ascertained that she still lived, which confused him even more.

He alone was privy to details of Hüi’s relationships with his many women—although the stories were few because his friend was a gentleman—but usually there was some small anecdote to be shared. Never had Hüi avoided him so comprehensively. Therefore, he had taken to watching Hüi, trying to decipher what was in the general’s mind. His initial thought that Hüi might be planning a new campaign or had received a secret missive from the emperor was dismissed. For too long Hüi had relied on Jiang for strategy, be it political or military, and he had done nothing to warrant changing that.

Then it occurred to him that perhaps Hüi was spending time elsewhere in the household, although the idea puzzled him. Hüi had always been disciplined about his bodily pleasures; he never drank to excess, nor ate too many sweets. And Jiang had never observed that Hüi was especially lustful; he seemed motivated more by affection and the need for heirs in his visits to the household, except for that fiery infatuation with Ci’an, which lasted only long enough to produce one sickly daughter. With her alone the flame of desire had burned hot for a short time, but the embers were long since cold.

Mere beauty could not hold Hüi for long. Ci’an was stunning, but her underhanded scheming disgusted him. Mei Ju had an affectionate nature, but although warm and welcoming, she was not interesting enough to hold his attention for long. After the disaster of Ci’an, Hüi had shrewdly taken concubines for political reasons alone. Jiang would not have been surprised to learn, if Hüi had had the bad manners to confide in him, that he visited their houses only for reasons of etiquette and ceremony. Hüi would not want to fall prey to the sexual power of any woman again.

Hating himself for doing so, Jiang had begun to follow Hüi. He had to know what was going on with his friend. Of course, with a soldier as alert and well trained as Hüi, it was not easy to maintain surveillance on him without being obvious, so there were times when Hüi Wei managed to evade him. It took a full week before any light dawned to elucidate the problem, and that came when Jiang trailed Hüi to the jeweler’s shop in the city that lay within the fortress.

When he noticed Hüi disappear within the doors, Jiang racked his brain to think of a reason why
Hüi might be patronizing the goldsmith. When it finally occurred to him, he started to shake with laughter.

Not the most gallant of men, Hüi had not been in the habit of giving jewelry to his wives. He tended toward more domestic sorts of gifts, like tea services or furniture. Therefore, something must have happened to change his usual habit of thought. Jiang took the chance of being observed and edged closer to the door, trying to overhear what was being said.

Apparently, five gifts had already been selected, but Hüi was indecisively wavering between the comparative merits of emeralds or rubies. Jiang retreated, wondering if he should return to the palace immediately or keep watching his friend.