The princesses did not expect Yue to respond right away, allowing themselves to be ushered into the embassy while the girls greeted their other guests. Yoshika gave her friend a concerned glance.

“Are you alright?”

Yue sighed and nodded.

“I’m fine—Lin Xiulan warned me this might happen. I didn’t expect the princesses themselves to show up in person, but it’s customary for women who reach xiantian to receive an invitation to join the imperial harem.”

Yoshika grimaced.

“Over a thousand...”

“After a point, I imagine it’s largely ceremonial. My understanding is that the God-Emperor stopped having children a long time ago. The harem is for show.”

“Why would anyone accept that invitation?”

Yue shrugged.

“For the prestige and the power, mostly. A guaranteed life of safety and comfort, not to mention freedom from all this.”

She gestured at the growing line of guests waiting to be greeted.

“But it comes at a cost. The emperor’s consorts are not permitted to leave the Jade Palace, and while he may not have exercised that right for a long time, they are obligated to attend him if he commands it, and to bear his children.”

“Ew.”

“Some consider it a great honor. Many of the girls back home would consider the fact that the emperor is unlikely to actually call on them a downside.”

They politely greeted a few more guests. Each one introduced themselves as the master of such and such a sect, or the disciple of some important person. Yoshika wasn’t really paying them much attention, and most of them were focused on Yue.

While none gave as overt an invitation as the twins, it was clear that most of them intended to make their proposals at some point or another.

Yoshika’s hopes for a productive summit of leaders from each nation rapidly dwindled. The princesses were powerful, but their influence was mostly limited to the imperial family and the more distant northern sects. None of the other guests were nearly as important, and the Great Sects were remaining distinctly neutral.

“Do you think you’d ever consider the offer?”

Yue was taken aback by Yoshika’s question.

“What do you think?”

“I don’t know. Isn’t it quite convenient for you? No obligations, plenty of other women to socialize with, and a partner for emotionless—”

“Stop right there! Firstly, watch your mouth—we’re in public.”

Yoshika pouted.

“I only said ‘socialize.’”

Yue scowled at her.

“Don’t be coy! You said it strangely. Second, I don’t want my ‘partnerships’ as you so subtly put it to be without emotion, simply without attachment. Beyond all of that, however, is the fact that I value my freedom and my friendships. I didn’t escape becoming some old man’s trophy just to become an even older man’s larger trophy.”

Yoshika winced, recognizing the hurt tone in Yue’s voice. She’d only meant to tease a little, but it was clear that she’d overstepped.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you.”

“It’s fine, I forgive you. I suppose even the great Yoshika can get jealous from time to time.”

Jealous? Maybe she was, just a little. The very thought of Yue leaving to live cloistered away in some harem far to the north disturbed her. Yoshika felt a bit silly for doubting, now that Yue had pointed it out.

“Ouch. I guess I deserved that. Sorry again.”

“Quite alright. I can hardly blame you after seeing all these suitors. Thank the emperor we’re almost at the end of—wait a moment, is that...”

Zheng Long stepped forward and bowed. Yoshika hadn’t seen him since the expedition to Chou’s tomb, where he had ascended at the same time as her.

“Greetings, Empress Yoshika, High Arbiter Yan Yue. It has been a long time, and I apologize for not visiting sooner.”

Yue hissed at him through clenched teeth.

“What are you doing here? Did my father put you up to this?”

Zheng Long looked much healthier than he had when they’d seen him last. He’d grown a beard, developed some muscle that filled out his robes a bit, and his aura was nothing like the fragmented mess that it had been left in after a demon had chewed it up and spit it back out.

His eyes, however, looked tired. He was stressed by some great burden weighing on his soul.

“Unfortunately. We can discuss things in detail somewhere more private—when you get the chance.”

“Zheng Long, when we parted, I made things very clear. I did not then, do not now, and will not ever love you. I am insulted that after five years you would show such blatant disregard for my feelings by presenting yourself to me as a suitor.”

Her words struck the man like a dagger, and he stared down at his feet, wounded.

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“I know. I’m sorry, but if you’ll just listen—”

“I have nothing else to say to you. Go back where you came from, and when you get there, tell my father—”

Yoshika held up a hand to stop her.

“Yue, wait. Zheng Long, we would be honored to have you stay as a guest. We haven’t forgotten the aid you gave us in Chou’s realm. Please enjoy our hospitality with my blessing. We will catch up later.”

He bowed low, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Zheng Long left for the embassy with the others and Yue turned to scowl at Yoshika.

“What was that?!”

“Did you see his face, Yue? He looked scared, and ashamed.”

“As well he should be! His obsession with me is embarrassing for us both.”

Yoshika shook her head.

“I think there’s more to it than that. His aura is much stronger than it was after Yang Qiu injured him, but the Zheng Long we know is arrogant, self-assured, and shameless. Something is wrong, and I want to know what it is.”

“Alright, I trust you. Now that you mention it, he was uncharacteristically morose.”

“Thanks. I know dealing with your ex-boyfriend is probably the last thing you want on your mind right now.”

Yue bit her thumbnail, frowning.

“Truth be told, we reconciled our differences back in Chou’s realm. I suppose I overreacted a bit, but I thought we’d reached an understanding.”

“Maybe there’s more to it than you think. You’ve always had a bad habit of jumping to conclusions.”

She winced at the reminder of her past mistakes.

“True enough. We can hear him out, at least.”

They made it through the remaining guests without further incident, and Yoshika was relieved to be done with it. Other than the twin princesses and Zheng Long, the remaining guests weren’t important enough that she would have to deal with them in person.

That was for the best, since Yoshika got the feeling she was going to have her hands full soon enough.

----------------------------------------

Deep within her soulscape, Yoshika’s near-constant state of internal meditation was disrupted by an unusual disturbance at the edge of her domain within the spirit realm. Heian shifted from a black cat to her human form and stood up to stare into the distance with a frown.

“Mother...”

“I felt it too. Do you know what the source of the disturbance is?”

Her daughter nodded.

“It’s them. The princesses from Qin. Not a real attack, they’re just testing us.”

Now that she knew what to look for, Yoshika could feel the twins poking and prodding at her domain, exploring its limits in both the physical and spiritual realms and searching for flaws in her defense.

It was pretty rare for anybody to even attempt to assail her from the spirit realm—only Sovereign Shen Yu had done it before, and Yoshika could count on one hand the number of others she knew who could spirit walk.

She manifested her avatar within the embassy and knocked on the door to the princesses’ room.

“Enter, Yoshika.”

The door opened on its own and Yoshika stepped in. The twins had wasted little time in redecorating their quarters. None of the furniture had been what Jiaguo provided, and there was far more than could have fit in their carriage. That meant that they had dimensional storage rings—extremely rare and valuable artifacts. Yoshika herself had only ever seen a small handful of the things.

Qin Ling smirked as she entered, while her sister pretended not to even notice. Yoshika pursed her lips and crossed her arms.

“Can I help you, your highnesses? There are more polite ways to get my attention.”

Qin Xiang glanced over and cocked her head.

“I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“It’s rude enough that you’ve abused my hospitality to probe my spiritual defenses, please don’t add to that insult by lying to me, Qin Xiang.”

She raised an eyebrow, a small frown appearing on her face.

“I am Qin Ling, not Qin Xiang. Perhaps you should get my identity straight before levying false accusations.”

Yoshika pursed her lips.

“No you’re not. I don’t know what sort of game you’re playing, but I’m not in the mood. You two are here as my guests, and I won’t hesitate to revoke the privilege that grants you if you continue to take advantage.”

Qin Ling’s eyebrows rose.

“Oh my! That’s a bold threat for someone who won’t even meet us in person.”

Her sister scoffed.

“The smallest dogs always bark loudest.”

“Now, now, sister—we aren’t here to make enemies. My apologies, Yoshika, we didn’t mean to cause offense. This is our first time meeting a cultivator as unique as yourself, and we couldn’t help our curiosity.”

“Most can’t tell us apart. Even our own family.”

Qin Ling nodded.

“Indeed! That was most impressive! Come to think of it, your master was able to do it too. I wonder if there’s a trick to it.”

Yoshika forgot the retort she was about to make at the mention of Qin Zhao.

“Elder Qin is alright?”

“Yes, he’s quite safe in the Jade Palace.”

Qin Xiang gave her a sinister smirk.

“And he’ll remain so for the next century or so, while he reflects on his actions.”

Yoshika let out a sigh of relief.

“As long as he’s safe. I’m sure a hundred years is nothing to him. I’m grateful for your leniency.”

Qin Xiang gave Yoshika a long, appraising look.

“You’re not quite what I imagined.”

“And what exactly did you imagine?”

Qin Ling shrugged.

“Someone proud and arrogant enough to declare herself in opposition to our father. Pardon me for saying so, but you don’t strike me as someone audacious enough to call herself ‘empress.’”

“Sorry to disappoint, then. Is there a point to all this? I can see that you’re testing me, but for what? Why?”

“We want to know who you are, ‘Empress’ Yoshika. Your reputation precedes you—our little nephew’s talented young protege taking the world by storm. Shen Yu and Yan De loathe you, Qin Zhao thinks the world of you, and you’ve made quite a few powerful allies.”

Qin Xiang crossed her arms and leveled a penetrating glare at Yoshika.

“But who are you, really? Your accomplishments are one thing, but beyond that we know almost nothing about you. How did a child like you rise so quickly to such prominence?”

Yoshika sighed and shook her head.

“You could have just asked instead of trying to force your way into my soul.”

Qin Ling covered her mouth and giggled.

“But where’s the fun in that? Besides, your domain is one of the more remarkable aspects about you. I was led to understand that you’re actually several women linked by dual cultivation, but it seems to me that you are, in fact, a single person with a very expansive domain.”

“I’m not inclined to start sharing the secrets of my cultivation with someone whose idea of ‘fun’ is casually attempting to penetrate my spiritual defenses. If you’d like a tour of my city, then I’d be happy to show you around. And if you’d like to get to know me, then you can earn my friendship like a normal person.”

Qin Xiang turned away and scoffed.

“We aren’t normal people, Yoshika.”

Yoshika rolled her eyes and huffed, turning on her heels to leave.

“Well maybe you should try it sometime. Either way, please stop poking at my soul. It’s distracting and my daughter will get upset.”

The twins exchanged flabbergasted looks as Yoshika stormed out.

“She has a daughter?”