chapter six
Au Co looked stunning. Which made Sung Lam rather annoyed that he noticed that detail in the first place.
She sat across from him at the large, teakwood table that spanned most of the elegantly furnished room of the Le residence. His grandfather sat at the head, Senator Le next to him, conversing in low tones. Next to him, My Nuong shifted in her seat, looking beautiful as usual.
Au Co’s smile was positively feral. Raising her hand from her lap, she waggled her fingers at him by way of hello.
Her petal-pink hair was swept upwards, away from her arresting face, carefully crafted into finger waves that curled over her ears. The round sharp planes of her face, her broad and high cheekbones and her pointed jutted chin, juxtaposed each other in a sort of poetic harmony, a feature he hadn’t noticed before with her pink hair awry. Her golden eyes, the color of the hoa mai on the first days of spring, were framed in smokey lashes and sharply sculped dark brows. Her lips were stained a subtle shade of brown, complimenting the ochre-colored ao dai she wore. Those same lips opened, probably to say something snarky, but before she could utter a single word Senator Le straightened from his conversation and clapped his hands.
Servants from the adjacent kitchen filed out, carrying golden platters of various exotic fruits and rice cakes. Following them came a larger retinue of servants, carrying tureens of what smelled like thit kho and rau muong and freshly cooked rice.
Minh sat back in his rather plushy chair, hands folded in his lap as he surveyed the servants setting the platters down, putting elegant blue-and-white lacquered bowls in front of him with ebony and mother-of-pearl chopsticks.
Senator Le cleared his throat. “Please forgive us, Be he, had we known you would be gracing us with your presence we could have prepared a far more suitable course of dishes. I do hope you find the food to your liking, though. Our chef was curated from the best from Sai Gon, known for cooking the traditional cuisine of our blessed country exquisitely.”
“It is of no matter.” Minh waved away the servant after she had ladled a generous serving of the dishes into his bowl. He picked up the bowl, his elegant fingers framing the dancing cranes painted on the side of it. “I must thank you for your expedient hospitality. I understand it was an imposition to call on you without due notice.”
Senator Le dipped his head obsequiously. “It is a pleasure to always have you deign to visit our household, Your Grace.”
“Yes.” He picked up his chopsticks. A murmur of xin moi echoed along the table and everyone dug in, Au Co with particular gusto.
Sung Lam eyed her, as she practically shoveled the food into her mouth, yet somehow with as much grace as My Nuong, who picked at her food delicately besides him.
“To business.” Minh took a bite of his thit kho, dabbing the corner of his mouth with the gray linen napkins the servants had set out. “I understand you are hosting a Highlander in your household. And she is now presently seated here. My dear,” he turned his gaze to Au Co, who had sat back in her chair and met his gaze, holding it unwaveringly, “what is your name?”
“My name is Lai Au Co, Your Grace.” She raised her chin, still holding his gaze, refusing to be cowed.
Minh’s eyes narrowed, though not necessarily disapproving. “Interesting. And do all Highlanders possess your similar… stature?” He gestured to her relatively broad, rather Amazonian build.
“Yes, Your Grace.” She dipped her head, her voice lilting in a pleasant, acquiescing tone. So she was bold, Sung Lam realized, but not stupid enough to provoke the most powerful man in the country. Good. She just may survive this encounter.
As she continued, her voice continued on it’s steady plane of humble and subservient lilt. “We Highlander women tend to be… rather, large, to say the least.”
Minh nodded. “Very good. You must have many fine warriors. One of the councilwomen we have here in the city hails from a similar bloodline. She retains your similar build, and she is one of the finest warriors. We have been blessed with her presence to defend our homeland. Do the Highlanders have a present standing army?”
Au Co hummed, considering this question, her eyes shuttering as she bit her lip in thought. “Not that I know of, Your Grace. My people’s isolationist tactics mean that having a standing army would be rather moot point. We do have internal law enforcement and infrastructure, though, of course.”
“I see. I suppose it makes sense.” Minh took a draught of tea from the cup set besides his dining set, motioning for a servant to refill his glass. “This tea is wonderful. Who curated this tea, if I may ask Senator Le?”
“My daughter.” Love and pride shown in his eyes. My Nuong met his gaze with a tentative smile. “She has excellent rapport with the tea merchants importing and exporting from Viet Nam. This is from one of her associates. She recently mediated a business deal between him and another merchant, and this particular batch of tea was a thank you gift. It has been brewed from the finest tea leaves the country has to offer, grown in Da Lat, with jasmine harvested from the beaches of Da Nang.”
“Positively lovely.” Was that… affection, in his grandfather’s eyes, as he turned toward My Nuong? The princess demurred with a smile, dipping her chin. “She will make a fine Lady and bring honor to the Le household. I expect your attendance at next week’s gala, yes?”
My Nuong nodded. “Yes, Your Grace. I would not miss this event for the world. I look forward to welcoming our venerated prince back into court life.”
“Good, good. Very good.” Minh placed his hands on the table, palms down. “While we discuss these courtly matters, I must confess, I am surprised your father has not announced any news of your betrothal. Or perhaps, the lack thereof of one.”
My Nuong blanched. Even Au Co looked rather taken aback by this.
“My Nuong is still young, my lord. I know that our human lifespans are but an ephemeral blooming and wilting of a flower in your exalted eyes, but I would like my daughter to be able to enjoy her life without taking upon the burden of marrying.”
“I see.” Minh’s eyes sharpened as his gaze darted between father and daughter. Carefully, he ventured forward. “I have heard the Tinhs are looking for a match, as well. Perhaps a union between the two houses would be prosperous for the state.”
Something crossed Senator Le’s face, something unpleasant. “Yes, but, Your Majesty, you have heard of Thuy Tinh’s dealings with the gangs that sully our otherwise pristine streets.” Something like anger, true, unrepentant anger, flitted across Senator Le’s otherwise pleasant countenance. “And of course, the attack that brought Au Co under my protection.”
Actual concern and anger bloomed across Minh’s face. His hands slightly fisted on the table. Sung Lam paused in his quiet dining. It was rare his grandfather showed genuine emotion, much less anger. It was deemed improper for a dragon to show such mortal grievances.
“Yes.” The emperor grimaced, and something like thunder crackled in the distance. My Nuong flinched quietly in her seat, and even Au Co looked mildly perturbed. “He jeopardizes the name of the Great Houses of the city. However, his errant son is rather hard to track down, even with broad dealings of his unsavory accomplices.” Minh’s lips curled in disgust. “He is a disgrace to the name of the ruling Mystics. Son Tinh should be named heir, not him.”
Au Co chose her next words carefully. “Should he be apprehended, would the state laws of criminal justice still apply to someone of his stature?”
“Yes.” Minh looked grave. “His father may enable his behavior, but should we find concrete evidence of his mafia dealings he would be subject to high treason against the Crown. Working with such… incendiaries is a crime worthy of being stripped of his title, even death.”
Au Co sat up straight, something like fury blooming in her eyes. “Your Majesty, at the risk of sounding impertinent, may I ask if you think it was possible that he was responsible for this attack upon me and my fr- Lady My Nuong?”
“I do not think it impossible,” Sung Lam interjected. He met Au Co’s eyes, and something passed between the two of them. He saw her remember the circumstances under which they met. “Crime rates of Ghost addicts have been rising.. as well as most of them having gang affiliations. I would not be surprised if Thuy Tinh were connected to these more recent acts of violence.”
Senator Le bristled. “Your Majesty, why did you not address this at the senate meeting? This is a threat to our city and the legitimacy of our reign. Was it just to curry favor with Lord Tinh?”
“Careful. Mark your words, Le.” The room’s air sharpened with the smell of ozone and the rain, Minh’s brown eyes glowing gold as they morphed into those of a slitted reptile. “You forget who is emperor here. Do you dare question me?”
Senator Le cringed in his seat. “No, my lord. Please, forgive my impertinent act with mercy and grace.”
Minh sat back, the corner of his lip curling in distaste. “I trust you will not undermine me as my trusted vassal. The senate meeting is precise why I am sitting here. I only trust you with this knowledge. I believe Thuy Tinh is a traitor to the crown. He holds secrets no one outside the royal household should know, due to his… unsavory dealings. I believe he poses a real and imminent threat to the stability of the state and the power of the crown. I desire to seek the aid of your daughter, to help me and gather evidence to convict Thuy Tinh of his treason to the crown.”
Senator Le gaped. “Sire, but… if he seeks to kill my daughter, or at least target the heirs, what good will putting My Nuong directly in conflict to him do?”
“Yes, that is unfortunate, however,” Minh picked at an invisible piece of lint off his shoulder, “as with the tea, your daughter has demonstrated incredible grace when dealing with the common folk of the realm. She will need those connections in order to unearth sufficient evidence. I do not intend his trial to be a sham for political gain. I believe he truly poses a threat to the stability of the state and deserves to be tried as any criminal would for high treason.”
Senator Le looked positively murderous, but to his credit, kept his mouth shut. My Nuong, meanwhile, met his grandfather’s gaze with something akin to determination.
“I will not let you down, Your Majesty. I will bring him to be tried as the treasonous fool he is.” Fire smoldered in My Nuong’s brown eyes, alighting them to the shade of warm coffee in the fluorescent lightning of the room.
Sung Lam snuck a glance at Au Co. She stared, open mouthed and gaping, at her friend. Her hands fisted on the silken tablecloth. Her eyes flashed as they darted towards Minh, but the emperor met her gaze steadily with an arched brow. Her lips thinned, but she averted her gaze and focused on staring daggers into her lap.
“Very good, my dear,” Minh purred. He pushed his lavishly carved chair back, black hair glinting under the golden light of the chandeliers. “I shall take my leave. My esteemed grandson will stay in order to talk strategy and offer the crown’s assistance. I thank you, Lord Le, for your imminent hospitality and for bearing such a wonderful daughter. I look forward… to seeing what results they reap.”
His smile was positively feline, something cold and dark shining in his eyes. Sung Lam knew that look. It was that look that his grandfather wore, just as comfortably as the crown that perched on their brows, just before he ordered an execution. A look of utter satisfaction and retributive justice.
His grandfather’s security detail flooded out from the shadows of their room, their sharp and angled faces blank while they escorted their lord out of the room. Minh caught Sung Lam’s eye and nodded. It was clear he expected Sung Lam to behave, and to offer all of the royal resources available to relieve his grandfather of this thorn in his side.
Sung Lam resisted the urge to scowl. Crown Prince to one of the most powerful empires in the world, relegated little else to his grandfather’s page. But instead, he plastered a look of indifference on his face, nodding back to his grandfather imperceptibly.
Once his grandfather had left the room, with the Le household’s butler also taking his leave in order to escort the entourage, Senator Le waved his hand and sagged into his seat.
He waved his hand wearily, and servants began to clean up the table. “This dinner is adjourned.” He met his daughter’s gaze with thin lips and disapproval in his eyes, but other than that he said, “You shall have the rest of the night in my office to discuss these matters. I shall retire for the night. I wish you the best of luck on your search. May you bring honor to the crown and this family.”