Embrace the Serpent - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

On the third day after arriving in Western Shu, the King of Western Shu summoned me.

The envoy said this was improper. According to the rites of the Great Zhou, an unmarried couple was not to meet before the wedding.

The King of Western Shu threw out a longsword, slicing off the envoy’s hair crown. The envoy trembled with fright and slunk back to the Princess’s Residence.

When my maid told me of it, she was indignant. “For the King of Western Shu to act in such a manner-does he have any regard for our Great Zhou at all?!”

“The Great Zhou was defeated in battle. We did not come here to enjoy ourselves as the Princess Consort.” I looked out the window.

“Among my dowry are three cities.”

They called it a dowry, but it was nothing more than a veil over the truth of ceding territory in exchange for peace.

I dressed and groomed myself in full finery and entered the Western Shu Royal Palace, only to be led by the guards into a rear hall.

After seven or eight turns within the hall, a steaming spring suddenly appeared before me.

There was someone in the water. His human body floated on the surface, while his serpent tail lightly stirred the waves.

That figure looked somewhat familiar.

The guard who had led me here had already vanished. I turned to leave, but I was not as fast as that serpent tail.

It rose from the water, coiled once around my waist, and with a forceful pull dragged me into the spring.

My hairpins and ornaments scattered, and my carefully arranged coiffure loosened behind my head. I stared at the youth in terror.

It was the very person who had entered my dreams for two nights in a row.

I could not swim, so he let me sit on his tail. “We only met last night, and today you no longer recognize me?”

“That was only a dream.”

“Was it really a dream?” He covered my eyes and smiled. “The Princess Consort should know the answer in her heart.”

“Last night, even my tail was soaked by you.”

The dream from last night flooded into my mind.

My face burned scarlet. I did not dare look at his serpent tail, wishing desperately that he would never speak again.

“I did not.”

But he refused to stop, smiling with frivolous ease. “How did you not? Next time, I’ll be sure to let you see clearly.”

It had clearly not been my wish yesterday either, yet he pressed me step by step.

I had never imagined Western Shu would have such a person!

His serpent tail circled across the water’s surface, ring after ring enclosing me within it, when he suddenly said,

“Why are you crying? Tell me yourself-which word of mine was false?”

It would have been better if he had not spoken. The moment he did, my tears became impossible to hold back.

“Who exactly are you?” I sobbed, all my imposing manner collapsing completely.

“I was summoned into the palace today, yet you speak such nonsense and humiliate me like this. Aren’t you afraid the King of Western Shu will punish you?”

Even when I brought up the King of Western Shu, the youth remained unmoved.

He saw through me at a glance. “The one who is afraid is clearly the Princess Consort.”

“After all, our king is famously protective of his own, and quick to anger.” He smiled as he spoke, all extravagant, bewitching beauty.

My heart sank.

If the King of Western Shu were to stumble upon this scene, he would certainly not believe me. He could even use unchastity as grounds to ruin this marriage alliance.

And I would become the sinner who caused the diplomatic ties between our two nations to collapse overnight.

The serpent tail tightened around me, its scales pressing painfully into my skin. I scrambled with both hands and feet, trying to climb ashore from his tail.

Unexpectedly, he suddenly tightened his hold and pulled me right in front of him.

I glared at him, and felt a damp touch against my cheek.

“Stop crying. The king is drunk. He won’t discover us.”

“I’ll let you play with my tail.” He wrapped his serpent tail around my ankle, coiled it once, then loosened it and placed it in my palm.

I flung it away and grew anxious. I leaned forward, only to be tripped by his serpent tail and fall into his arms.

He gave a muffled groan. “How about I advise the king to receive the Great Zhou envoy?”

The envoy had been worrying over this for the past two days. If I could make the King of Western Shu receive him, it would count as my doing my part for the Great Zhou.

I lifted my face to look at him. “Really?”

“Of course it’s true.” He suddenly smiled again and wiped the tear tracks from my face. “However, I’ll have to ask for one more thing.”

All the hairs on my body stood on end. Though I knew it was a trap, I still jumped in. “What?”

“Perhaps, a kiss.”