The following writings pick up after the end (Chapter 214) of Her Majesty is Busy. A manga story that had so many twists and turns and came to and end before it's time. The writings are not in any way meant to steal the original Author's ideas and content but are instead a tribute to the original story. May it long live and may a book two become reality.
Let us now continue...
#215
QingTian opens her eyes to find that she is in a crowd of people enjoying cherry blossoms in the park. A sound both familiar and unusual assaults her senses before she realizes it's the sound of city traffic, as well as all the other noises you hear in city life. She is back In the modern world.
Her mind whirls in a panic over what had just happened. XiaHui! Without her, he would not be able to travel to the future. Would the predictions not happen... Would she never see him again?
And then she remembers that LiuFeng and Qiling should be here too. She needs to get money and a phone and find them using the social media account. Then they can figure out what to do next.
She rushes through the crowd in her ancient clothes not noticing the looks she gets. Everyone of course just assumes she is a pretty cosplayer.
---
Meanwhile in ancient times, XiaHui hugs the altar book tight and stares at the empty space where QingTian had just been. He prays that she is home in her world and safe, for that is all that matters. Even if he may never see her again. Yet deep inside, his heart breaks.
----
# 216
LiuFeng and Qiling welcome their baby boy and are filled with such joy. But, they can't help but feel worried for QingTian and the fate of the people they left behind.
Qiling had brought back some ancient treasures and used some of the money to open a small traditional medicine shop. Late at night, he spends hours trying to find out what happened to the Xia dynasty and his Halastan tribe.
In her room, QingTian is the same, researching the altar and the mystery book. Where did the book come from and where would they find it in the modern world? She thinks about her past children and her future child. And the face of the man she came to love. She will find a way.
----
In ancient Xia there was more good news on the warfront. After months of seige, winter had come and the enemy's supplies had dwindled. Out of desperation they launched a surprise attack; however due to their weakened state they were easily defeated. Their leader escaped by trading the Halastan king in a hostage exchange; but many of his troops were destroyed. The Halastan kingdom was saved; but their losses were large and their power much diminished.
XiaWei had proven himself to be fearless on the battlefield and more ruthless than his younger self. He came home to Xia in triumph and the stories of his heroic feats spread. The people whispered that the former emperor was not the cowardly prince anymore.
XiaHui welcomed his brother back, relieved to see him safe but noticing with sadness how war had hardened his brother.
---
#217
Thanks to XiaWei and the troops, the kingdom of Xia's position was stronger and they managed to balance out the threats from their neighbours. A celebration banquet is held to honor the victors but XiaWei notices that YiWen/QingTian is not present. He asks XiaHui her whereabouts and is told she is unwell and could not make it. Suxi who is with him notices his concern, and it leaves a little shadow in her heart.
Later that night XiaWei comes to see the emperor and demands to know what happened with YiWen. XiaHui knows it will be impossible to hide it for long, so he tells his brother that she is no longer in the palace. XiaWei refuses to believe it for YiWen would never have willingly left her child.
He had let her go and agreed to separate for he had disappointed her too many times and had failed to protect her. He thought she would be safe with the Emperor so how could this have happened. He goes home in a rage vowing he will find Yiwen
---
In modern times, Qiling and QingTian have a breakthrough. They are able to trace the location of the ancient Xia palace and the two travel to the site. LiuFeng has stayed home with the baby and they promise they will come back safe.
Where the ancient Xia center used to be is now an ordinary small town but they recognize it from the way the rivers meet and the mountain rises. The Xia kingdom they knew had been replaced by many other dynasties and long forgotten but they hoped to find some traces.
They climb the mountain where the altar used to be. There are no traces of any buildings there now, but both of them feel uneasy. Near the top there is a shallow spring pool. QingTian doesn't remember it being there in the past. She starts to tell Qiling this, but a sparkle in the water catches her eye. She looks down and sees her reflection when suddenly it shimmers and she sees herself as Yiwen in ancient costume. Before she knows it she's surrounded by water and sinking down when everything fades.
---
Qiling searches in a panic once he sees QingTian is gone. He hadn't heard a splash or seen her go in the water, it's as if she had vanished in thin air. But he knows the spring pool has something to do with it even as its clear waters refuses to reveal any secrets. Soon it starts to get dark so he has no choice but to head back. He takes some spring water with him. He must find a way and this water may be the key.
----
#218
In ancient Xia, XiaHui sits outside looking at the full moon. It's been months since QingTian left. "Are you safe," he wonders. "Are you living happily and looking at the moon like me". He tells her that her sons are doing well and they are smart like her.
The court is starting to stabilize now that the issue of war and outside threats has been settled. As Emperor, XiaHui has declared that his nephew remains the crown prince and he will also be in charge of raising the little Prince ChenHua so he has no need for further heirs or wives. And while there have been some grumbles from the ministers, no one has dared to push further. If no one gets to marry the Emperor then no clan has an advantage over another.
XiaHui's other sorrow was his estrangement from his brother. After learning of the Empress' disappearance, XiaWei had blamed his brother and remained cold.
XiaHui sighs and looks up again at the night sky, thoughts of QingTian heavy in his heart. A glow in the distance catches his eye and it's not long before he realizes its the altar. XiaHui is up and running before he knows it. Could it mean something is wrong? Or...? A tiny kernel of hope floats in his heart.
Upon reaching the top, everything seems calm. XiaHui scans the area near the altar, his heart beating fast, but there is nothing. Perhaps he imagined it. He had tried not to have any hopes but even so he could not help feel a sharp sense of loss.
"QingTian..." he whispers, and turns around. Then stops.
She stands in front of him with her soft eyes filling with tears. He doesn't have too much time to think or wonder before she's in her arms and all he can do is hold her.
----
#219
Meanwhile in a nearby palace, XiaWei is lying in bed unable to sleep. In the past, he had struggled to juggle the demands of the ministers and be a decisive ruler; but as King Ping and focusing on the army he found that things were easier. Fight strength with strength. Cut down those who would harm and promote those who help him gain.
Thanks to his marriage to Suxi and his battlefront wins, his relationship with the Bais had improved. When XiaWei had been Emperor, General Bai, his current father-in-law, had been skeptical of him, but now he had won his full support.
Nearby there is a gentle rustle. Soon a warm body embraces him.
"My King.. are you not able to sleep?"
XiaHui turns to look at the soft woman next to him, that face so much like his Yiwen.
"Go to sleep, my King. Soon you will have your revenge." She holds him close and he lies there, his mind swirling around those words.
----
At the imperial palace XiaHui is also laying on his bed. He holds QingTian loosely in his arms as he gazes at her face, tracing every single feature.
"I can't believe you're here," he says, "how is this possible?"
"I'm not sure myself," she replies, "I've been searching for a way ever since I left you".
She told him how she and Qiling had found the spring pool near the top of the mountain and it appeared to have pulled her back through time. But she did not know if she would start disappearing like last time or if the pool would work again.
"It's OK . It's enough that you are here," XiaHui whispers, "Rest for now. Everything else can wait until tomorrow".
---
#220
In the morning, the news that the Empress was back reached MenGui and Ruby who rushed over to her side, tears of joy in their eyes. Aside from the Emperor, they were the only ones who knew the truth of her time-traveling and they had thought that they would never see her again. The rest of the court were only told that the Empress was suffering a long illness and that Qiling had been by her side treating her. Since hardly anyone aside from the Emperor lived in the interior palace, it had been easy to hide the truth.
QingTian joyously reunited with her sons, soothing the hole in her heart from when she had left them. Tiny ChenHua was almost a year, and making baby words. Crown Prince ChenLing had grown very serious, perhaps feeling the weight of his mother's reported illness and absence. He told her he was working hard on memorizing his texts, and practicing the arts. But when she pulled him in for a hug, he cried softly and hid his face in her arms.
A small commotion near the entrance interrupted their moment and in strode XiaWei, his eyes anxious.
"YiWen, where have you been?"
He had rushed over to the Imperial palace as soon as he heard the news. For months he had sent people out to secretly investigate; but it was as if YiWen had vanished into thin air.
His arms reached out to pull Yiwen up but a hand on his shoulder made him pause. He turned to see the Emperor standing next to him.
"Brother," nodded the Emperor, "the Crown Prince and Prince ChenHua have missed their mother while she was ill and have been sharing their news with her". He tipped his head in warning, whatever was to be said should be said when the children were gone.
XiaWei looked down at his sons' eyes and swallowed.
"I have been worried about your mother since she was unwell. But now I see she is better, I am much relieved. I will report to the Dowager Empress and will come back later"
He glanced meaningfully at the Emperor and QingTian, before quietly retreating.
QingTian and the Emperor exchanged a glance. They knew some kind of explanation would be needed. XiaWei had every right to be suspicious.
---
#221
Later that day QingTian found herself alone again in the garden. It was hard to believe that just yesterday she had been driving a car, using her cellphone. And now she was back in ancient Xia. When she was in the future, life as an Empress had seemed like a faded dream; but now stepping back through time, it was the future that seemed unreal.
She sighed.
XiaWei would be back soon to demand answers. She had heard from Ruby how her disappearance had caused a rift between the brothers and she couldnt help but regret that her existence always caused one or the other to feel sorrowful.
"Why the heavy sigh, Empress?"
She felt a familiar presence and turned to see the Emperor walking through the garden.
"Your Excellency," she greeted, "I did not expect to see you here at this time of day."
He approached closer and stopped next to her almost shoulder to shoulder and they both looked out at the beautiful garden scene before them .
"I was tired of the ministers and, truth is.. I missed you"
He turned and his eyes stared right into hers, a wealth of words unsaid.
QingTian swallowed hard, knowing how much she had missed him too; but those words stuck silently in her throat. She had recklessly loved before to the point of almost death; but even that love ended up torn and tattered after too many broken promises and mistrust.
"I am truly sorry to you," she sighed, "for too many years you have had to give things up because of me. And now I hear you have chosen to give up marrying and having your own children. But I do not want you to live a life of regret."
"QingTian," he stretched out a hand to pluck a peony then gently tucked it in her hair, careful not to hurt her.
"The one regret I ever had in this life is that I did not tell YiWen how I felt before I left for the border. If at that time I had been honest, I may have had a chance to fight for her heart then."
"But in my youth and arrogance, I believed that things would fall in place for me and that the future was mine. And because of this I missed my chance at that love."
His hand slowly traced her cheek resting gently to hold her.
"I know you are not the Yiwen from my youth. I know that you are you, QingTian. And I also know that this time I don't want to make the same mistake. I love you. I want to be with you, no matter what the future holds."
His lips smiled gently
"It's ok if you tell me no. I was able to tell you how I feel and so now, I have no regrets"
QingTian feels his fingers brush her cheek and she is surprised to feel the wetness of her tears.
"I am not a person of your world," she whispers, her throat catching on the tears, "I dont want to leave you..., but what if I disappear again?"
Her heart is heavy with all the things she didn't dare say or wish for.
XiaHui's fingers gently brush her lips, as if to sweep away the doubtful words
"Didn't our future daughter tell us already that we would be together? QingTian, I would follow you to the end of everywhere."
QingTian's breath caught as his lips slowly lowered and then ever so gently, he kissed her. And just like that the band around her heart loosened and she let herself fall deeply into the kiss and the love she had for this man.
----
At the end of the garden a pair of eyes watched them in shock. It was none other than XiaWei. To the misfortune of all, he would be walking towards the peony garden at this very moment only to see his brother and his former Empress locked tight in an embrace.
At that moment he forgot that he had been faithless, that his mistrust had broken the love from his youth. That he had many other women clamoring for his love and whom he took for himself as he pleased.
No, at that moment all he saw was that his brother had once again taken something from him. In their youth his brother had his father's indulgence and his mother's love. He had the ministers' respect and the people's honor. XiaWei had given back the Empire to his brother without a fight. And now, even YiWen was being claimed by this brother.
A fire raged in XiaWei's heart. He was not the same cowardly Emperor who was easily fooled and manipulated. He was now King Ping and he had seen the blood in battle, tasted the desperation of fighting for his every breath.
He would get his revenge on the people who had hurt him; and more so, he would take back all that should belong to him.
With a sinister look in his eye he quietly stepped away, unnoticed by the lovers in the garden.
----
To be continued...
Friends thats the end of my little imagination for now. Does first ml become the new bad guy? Or will he have redemption and become the ml again? in true style of the original story, who knows? Things can get very twisted. But if there is a season two, I expect more time traveling, LiuFeng and Qiling (and baby), Emperor XiaHui in his old-fashioned clothes figuring out modern life, sassy XiaLing (did I get future daughter name right?). And most of all love and what it means to love and be loved no matter where and when in time and no matter the distance.
