So hey, it's been a while. I was going through my old computer when I found this. It was the first chapter to LLL#3 before I had decided to scrap it. I don't know if there's any interest in this, but if I get enough reviews, I'll post more. Enjoy!

Another Wedding and Another Empress

She would like this wedding better if it were her own. Or at least, if it wasn't her husband's to not only one, but two new wives. The Liu ladies, she had taken to calling them, daughters of the former emperor and now living symbols of his submission.

A woman that she didn't recognize approached Cao Pi and his new wives, sitting on either side of him. Her brown hair barely reached the shoulders of her violet and teal robes. There was an air about her that she didn't like. She didn't know what exactly, but there was something behind that woman's practiced smile.

She wanted to know whom she was, but she would have to remain at her place, beside Lady Bian.

Eventually, the woman gave Cao Pi something, a box. She couldn't see what was in it. Then she could only assume that the woman said something cleaver. Enough so that the two sisters laughed, but not enough so that Cao Pi did. His expression remained unchanged.

Suddenly, one of the sisters caught her eye with a nervous glance. Before she had the chance to scowl properly at the woman, a different one approached her.

"Consort Yin, it's an honor to meet you..." The woman started.

'Consort'. The word made her cringe.

Reluctantly, Yin turned towards the woman and took a moment to appraise her. The red of the Wu kingdom suited her pale skin. Her raven black hair was long, almost as long as Yin's used to be. Her eyes were sharp with intelligence.

Yin instantly didn't like her either.

"You must be Consort Lianshi." She guessed.

"Lady Lianshi. I am my lord's wife"

"Hardly." Yin scuffed.

Sun Quan had multiple wives.

Lady Bian gave her a warning look.

Lianshi was about to rebuttal, but Yin interrupted.

"It's a pleasure to have Wu here."

Lianshi was caught off guard by her sudden change of tone. Leaving her silent for a few moments.

After their humiliation at Hefei, this must be even more humiliating, watching Cao Pi be given the title of emperor, but they desperately needed a stalemate to recuperate their forces. As did they.

They may dine and celebrate together now, but Sun Quan of Wu and Liu Shan of Shu would both be dealt with in turn.

When Yin became bored of waiting for Lianshi's response, she turned to look over at Liu Shan. He sat between a few generals clad in green robes and golden ceremonial armor.

"And Shu." Yin added.

She picked up her cup and took a drink of her favorite tea. It was the only thing that she could keep down right now.

She put her other hand on her belly. She was obviously pregnant, but not so much so that she was uncomfortable yet.

Lianshi notices and makes comment.

"It can't be easy, sharing your lord, at this time. Don't worry. Surely you realized that one son from a dead wife wasn't enough? More heirs means more stability."

Even a year later, it still felt strange to hear people talk about her like that.

"and with his other wife banished..."

"How many wives does Sun Quan have now, eight, nine?"

"Ten."

"Ten wives and how many children?"

Lianshi lifts her chin.

"Five."

"Are any yours?"

"No."

Yin looks back to Cao Pi.

"Twice as many wives as children. Surely you realize that creates greater instability than simply not having as many wives."

She smirks at Lianshi.

Lianshi's emotionless face turns to a frown. She spins around and marches away.

Apparently, she wasn't so practiced.

"You shouldn't be so bitter." Bian tells her.

"Am I not entitled?" Yin challenges.

"No." Bian says flatly. "You know how important this is and you know my son better than to be jealous."

She looks over at Cao Pi. His eyes find hers. His expression softens from biter boredom to apologetic.

She can't take it. She stands up and makes her way out the hall.

She already sized up everyone that was of any note. So what was the point of staying any longer? But Bian was right. Cao's marriage to the Liu's was good for all of Wei.

Shao Len and Jing Jia found her when she was halfway to her chamber.

"How was it?" Len asks.

"As intolerable as I imagined."

Which was almost as bad as meeting Guo.

Yin forcefully shut the door to her chamber behind her, signaling the maids to not follow her. She wanted to be alone in her modest chamber compared to the one she used to share with Cao Pi in Xuchang.

She had been sharing Cao Pi's chamber here in Luoyang, but with the wedding, she'd have to sleep in this room for a while

X

She couldn't fall asleep. For the first time during this pregnancy, she wasn't able to get comfortable. Although, the pregnancy wasn't to blame.

Eventually, she heard footsteps out in the hall. She recognized them immediately. So she quickly rolled over with her back to the door and pretending to be asleep.

Her door opened with a click and a groan and closed again with a quieter groan and an almost silent click. Cao Pi quietly crosses the room. He slips into bed and settles next to her. His fingers slide into the back of her nightgown and begin to circle around the curves of her spine. She squirms to get him to stop. She wants to say something bitter, but decides against it.

A moment of silence passes between them. She can't stand the silence anymore.

"Isn't there somewhere else you should be?"

"I already explained how this is going to work for the Liu's."

"How's that?"

This happened so suddenly after his victory in Hefei that they hadn't had the chance to talk about it.

"That I don't care what they do with themselves, as long as they remain discreet. I care even less about eunuchs, but if they do have any bastards, they'll have to pass as my own or else I'll have them sent away, like Guo."

She rolls over and faces him.

"I still don't like this."

"I know, but you'll like tomorrow."

X

The next day, when Cao Pi was crowned Emperor of Cao Wei, Yin Ji was crowned his empress.

So there she sat, on her golden throne with golden cushions and the golden crown upon her head. She sat back comfortably as everyone bowed. Her eyes found Lianshi, who wouldn't meet her gaze. That brown haired woman from the other night stared at her, her expression was truly unreadable. The Liu sisters smiled and clapped alongside their father, Liu Shan, whom didn't look entirely pleased.

Lady Bian thought it a mistake, spiting the Liu's and making her empress instead of one of them, but they seemed content with Cao Pi's decision. Had one of them become empress, then whatever affairs they were planning would be near impossible.

Besides, making Yin empress now was hardly a questionable decision, especially in her condition. Guo, with only a daughter, had been banished and he hardly knew either of the Liu's. Their contentment with their arrangement made their presence tolerable. So after a while, she came to accept it and even a while after that, she caught herself enjoying their company, beyond the fact that they were the living symbol of their father's submission.

This must be how Cao Cao felt whenever he looked at her.

X

Now empress and no longer some insignificant consort, Yin Li was finally able to spend time with Rui without the fear of falling under suspicion. So she took him out into the courtyard as the snow gently fell. They caught snowflakes on their tongues and hunted for icicles. Rui rolled down every hill he could find until he was soaked. So she had Len and Jia draw him a warm bath.

Upon leaving the courtyard, that brown haired woman clad in purple and teal robes approached her.

"I never had the chance to congratulate you."

"Thank you."

"My name is Zhang Chunhua, my husband sent me to stay here until the war is over."

Many officials and generals had done the same.

"Wise of him."

"I wish I could join him, the way Lianshi joins Sun Quan in battle. She used to be his sister's bodyguard before they were married."

Rui's face begins to loose its color. So Yin picks him up and holds him against her hip.

"I had heard that the Lady Shangxiang was a fierce warrior."

"Shame how she died. Although one can hardly blame her, defending her husband."

"I suppose, excuse me, Lady Chunhua."

With that, she left the ominous woman standing in the courtyard.