Interlude: The Debt of the Former Emperor
Li Feng stood alone in the Annex, the scent of fresh tea and plum blossom mixing with the acute dread of a man who had just accidentally caused a marital crisis in a politically unstable kingdom.
The Divine Emperor Xuan Tian shimmered into existence, this time not upside down, but standing with unhurried steps, his aura calm yet absolute, like the sky itself had lowered its head.
Li Feng clasped his hands politely, desperate for guidance.
Li Feng:
"Mr. Heavenly Emperor."
The Divine Emperor raised a brow, amused.
Divine Emperor Xuan Tian:
"So formal? You usually call me 'old ghost' or 'celestial troll.' Why so respectable, my dear boy?" he chuckled.
Li Feng hesitated for half a breath, then spoke with genuine, mounting confusion.
Li Feng:
"Mr. Heavenly Emperor… I have a fundamental question about this world."
Divine Emperor Xuan Tian:
"Oh?"
Li Feng:
"Aren't Emperors supposed to have many concubines?" He tilted his head. "I once heard of an Emperor who kept three thousand—some say even more. So… why is the Empress Wan Qing so furious over something as trivial as me cupping a single concubine's cheek?"
The Divine Emperor Xuan Tian froze.
Not in anger.
In recognition. The memory of the former Emperor's life suddenly settled on the deity like a heavy shroud. For a moment, the heavens themselves seemed to quiet.
Divine Emperor Xuan Tian (softly):
"...You noticed that contradiction," he said.
Li Feng frowned, pressing the point.
Li Feng:
"That's why I'm asking. Was this body that loyal to her before? Or is there some specific backstory I don't know about that makes flirting a capital offense?"
The Divine Emperor laughed—low, bitter, and far older than it sounded.
Divine Emperor Xuan Tian:
"Three thousand concubines," he repeated. "Yes, history remembers only the number."
He looked at Li Feng, his gaze suddenly sharp and melancholy.
Divine Emperor Xuan Tian:
"But history forgets who paid the price."
Li Feng didn't interrupt.
Divine Emperor Xuan Tian:
"This body," the Divine Emperor continued, "was never unfaithful. Not in heart. Not in intent." He paused. "The concubines were politics. Treaties. Bloodless wars. Names written on jade slips, nothing more. He never visited them, never touched them, never acknowledged them beyond formality."
Li Feng:
"And the Empress Wan Qing?" he asked, a knot tightening in his chest.
Divine Emperor Xuan Tian:
"She knew," he said quietly. "She knew he didn't care about the other women. Which is precisely why she is jealous of that consort."
Li Feng blinked. "That makes no sense."
The Divine Emperor smiled faintly, a sad, knowing expression.
Divine Emperor Xuan Tian:
"She is not jealous of Consort Mei Lian's beauty," he explained. "She is jealous of you touching someone without calculation. She saw genuine warmth and protection in your gesture."
Li Feng stiffened, thinking back to the former Emperor's deep, paralyzing fear of the Empress.
Divine Emperor Xuan Tian:
"Because once," he went on, his voice dropping, "this body—the man who became your 5% influence predecessor—promised her something foolish."
Li Feng:
"...What?"
Divine Emperor Xuan Tian:
"That his hands," he said, raising his own, "would never touch another woman with warmth. That no other woman would know his kindness or his gentle support. Only his Empress."
Silence fell, thick and heavy with the weight of the former Emperor's commitment.
Divine Emperor Xuan Tian:
"So no," the Divine Emperor finished. "This body was not loyal by nature." He met Li Feng's eyes. "It was loyal by choice. And you just violated that choice publicly."
Li Feng swallowed. The gravity of the accidental betrayal settled on him.
Li Feng:
"...Then I really messed up, didn't I? I broke an oath that defined his relationship with the most powerful woman in the Inner Palace."
The Divine Emperor laughed again—this time genuinely, the sound clearing the oppressive air.
Divine Emperor Xuan Tian:
"You didn't mess up," he said, stepping forward and clapping Li Feng on the shoulder. "You simply uncovered a debt this body never finished paying. And frankly, Li Feng, absolute loyalty like that is boring and terrible for the plot. Now that the drama is set, you need to manage your allies. You have a disaster to fix, and two powerful women to keep interested."