(BL) Reborn as Lycan's Emperor's abandoned Beta concubine?!

Chapter 39: 39. When two Empresses Dowager work together

AT THE SAME TIME

XAVIER

I was still staring at the half-eaten pastry when the door opened.

"Chef Wei." I immediately straightened as the Empress Dowager walked in.

She took one look at me, then at the pastry, then at my bright red face.

"Oh."Her eyes narrowed.

"Your Majesty?"I immediately became nervous.

"Nothing."She slowly smiled.

That "nothing" sounded extremely dangerous. Before I could ask what she meant, another pair of footsteps approached. I turned as Zhao Rui and Lin Rui entered together. The moment Lin Rui saw the pastry, she stopped, her eyes moved from the moonflower design to my face, then she looked at the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager gave her a tiny nod and Lin Rui’s smile immediately widened.

"Why are you two looking at each other?"I stared at them.

"Nothing." Lin Rui said innocently.

"Everyone keeps saying that!" I groaned.

"I believe we arrived at an interesting moment."Zhao Rui cleared his throat, clearly trying not to laugh.

"No, you didn’t."I said as I quickly picked up the pastry. "It is just breakfast."

"Of course." Lin Rui said.

"Just breakfast. The Empress Dowager agreed.

Both women exchanged another knowing look.

I narrowed my eyes.

"Why do I feel like I’m being investigated?"I asked quietly.

"You are not." Lin Rui said.

"Then why are you smiling?"I asked.

She glanced toward the doorway. I followed her gaze. A servant was standing outside.

"Your Majesty." He announced nervously. "His Majesty the Emperor has sent another message."

"What message?"My heart immediately skipped.

"His Majesty wishes to know whether Chef Wei enjoyed the pastry."The servant bowed.

Silence. The Empress Dowager slowly turned toward Lin Rui, Lin Rui slowly turned toward her, and both nodded.

"Stop doing that!"I stared at them.

Neither listened. Lin Rui covered her smile with her sleeve.

"Oh, I approve."She said.

"Approve of what?"I nearly dropped the pastry.

She looked at me with the most innocent expression imaginable.

"Nothing."She said.

"Your Majesty!" Zhao Rui finally laughed. "I believe your son has made his intentions rather obvious."

"Your son?"I froze.

"Lang Li, the Empress Dowager’s son. "Lin Rui smiled.

"Oh." My face heated again.

"I was wondering when you would realize it."The Empress Dowager looked absolutely delighted.

"Realize what?"I asked.

"That he is completely taken with you."She leaned closer.

My brain stopped.

"I’m a chef."I said.

"Yes."She said.

"He’s the Emperor." I added.

"Also true."She nodded.

"I’m..." I hesitated.

Straight. I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

"Ding. Host affection toward Emperor Lang Li: 40%."The system quietly appeared.

"Nothing!"I immediately covered the notification with my hand.

Everyone stared at me. Lin Rui’s eyes sparkled, the Empress Dowager smiled, Zhao Rui looked amused.

And I suddenly realized something terrible. They weren’t shocked, they looked pleased. The Empress Dowager exchanged one final approving glance with Lin Rui. Then both women nodded at exactly the same time.

"This is going to become a nightmare."I slowly sank into my chair.

"Perhaps."Lin Rui smiled.

"Or a very entertaining romance."The Empress Dowager picked up her tea.

I nearly choked.

I should have known something was wrong when both Empress Dowagers invited me to tea on the same afternoon. Together. That alone was terrifying. I walked into the pavilion and immediately noticed them whispering to each other. They stopped the moment they saw me.

"Good afternoon, Your Majesties."I said.

"Come sit, Wei." The Empress Dowager of the Lycan Empire said sweetly.

I sat.

"Try this."Lin Rui pushed a plate toward me.

"Thank you."I picked up a pastry.

"Do you like sweet things?"I picked up a pastry.

"Yes?"I paused.

"Good."The two women exchanged a glance.

"Why?"My suspicion increased.

"No reason."One of them said

Again. That phrase was becoming a palace wide disease. Meanwhile, somewhere else in the palace, Lang Li was apparently receiving completely different instructions.

HOURS LATER

LANG LI

I sat in the garden where Wei sat a few hours earlier.

"I want to give Wei something."He frowned.

The two Empress Dowagers looked at each other.

"What kind of gift?" Lin Rui asked.

"A useful one."He said.

"Son, courtship gifts are not supposed to be practical."The Empress Dowager sighed.

"Why not?"Lang Li frowned.

"Because they should show that you pay attention to the person."She said.

"He likes cooking."He considered this.

"Excellent." Lin Rui smiled. "Then give him something related to cooking."

"A new knife."Lang Li nodded seriously.

"No."Both women stared at him.

"A better knife?"He tried again.

"No."Lin Rui said.

"A complete knife set?"He tried again.

"Flowers."The Empress Dowager covered her face.

"Flowers?"Lang Li looked horrified.

"Yes."She said.

"They will wilt." He said.

"That is why you give them repeatedly." Lang Li stared at her as though she had suggested giving Wei a live dragon.

"I don’t understand."He said.

"You don’t need to understand. Just follow our advice."Lin Rui smiled.

WEI

I had absolutely no idea that this conversation was happening. I was too busy wondering why the Empress Dowagers kept asking strange questions.

"What color do you like?"She asked.

"White." I said.

"Favorite flower?"She asked.

"Moonflowers, I suppose."I said.

"Favorite food?"Another one asked.

"That’s difficult."I said.

"Favorite person?"She said.

"My what?"I nearly choked on my tea.

"Favorite person."She asked again.

"I don’t have one."I said.

Both women exchanged a disappointed glance.

"Why are you asking me this?"I narrowed my eyes.

"Research."She said.

"Research for what?" I asked.

"Tea."She said.

"Tea?"I asked.

"Yes."She nodded.

I stared at them and they stared back. I knew they were lying, I just had no idea why.

"Would you like to receive flowers?"Then Lin Rui suddenly smiled.

"From whom?"I asked.

"Anyone."She paused.

"Sure."I said.

"Wonderful."Another glance.

"You two are plotting something."I slowly put my cup down.

"We would never." They said it together.

That made it worse. Later that evening, I returned to my room and found a huge arrangement of white moonflowers waiting beside my bed. There was no note.

"They’re beautiful."I stared at them.

Ana appeared behind me.

"Master Wei!"She gasped.

"What?"I asked.

"Those are imperial moonflowers."She said.

"Apparently."I nodded.

She picked up the card attached to them.

"There’s no name."Her eyes widened.

"Maybe someone forgot."I said.

"No."Hin leaned over.

"What?"I asked.

"Nobody forgets that."She pointed at the tiny imperial seal.

My stomach twisted. Then footsteps approached.

Lang Li appeared at the doorway. He looked at the flowers then at me.

"Do you like them?"I asked.

"You sent them?"I blinked.

"I was advised they would make you happy."He nodded.

"Advised?"I stared at him.

Lang Li became suspiciously quiet. From somewhere down the corridor came a muffled giggle. I slowly looked toward the hallway and the two Empress Dowagers were standing around the corner. They immediately disappeared as I looked back at Lang Li, then at the flowers, then at the hallway.

"Oh."I said.

"What?"Lang Li frowned.

"I think your mother is secretly helping you."I said calmly.

"Mother."His face went blank.

"We heard nothing."From around the corner came a very innocent voice.

"Absolutely nothing."Lin Rui added.

I covered my face.

"This is becoming complicated."Lang Li sighed.

"Ding. Host affection toward Emperor Lang Li: 40%." A system said.

I froze.

"What happened?"Lang Li looked at me.

"Nothing." The two Empress Dowagers peeked around the corner again.

They exchanged an approving nod. I knew immediately they were not going to stop and somehow, I suspected their secret courtship campaign had only just begun.

The next morning, I walked into the kitchen and froze. Flowers. Everywhere. White moonflowers covered the counter, the windowsill, and even a small vase beside my cutting board.

"Why are there flowers in my kitchen?"I stared.

"Oh."Ana peeked around me.

"Again?"Hin appeared behind her.

"Again?!"I gasped.

"There was another delivery before breakfast."Ana nodded toward the vase.

I picked up the card. No name. Just the imperial seal.

"Those two Empress Dowagers are definitely doing this."I slowly sighed.

"Doing what?"From the doorway, Huan suddenly coughed.

"Don’t pretend you don’t know."I turned.

"I know nothing."He smiled nervously.

"Ding. Suspicious behavior detected." A system said.

"Huan..."I began.

"I suddenly remembered I have somewhere to be."He immediately walked backward.

I watched him flee.

"This palace is ridiculous."Then I looked at the flowers again.

"At least they’re pretty."Ana smiled.

"They are."I reluctantly touched one.

And unfortunately, I smiled. I was a straight man from the Earth, but apparently I had a weak spot for Moonflowers. I needed to find a way to stop reacting to it, before Lang Li noticed and I had more problems. Little did I know, these flowers were the least of my worries.

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