Chapter 13: Lied To

Qinglan stood up with the yellow slip crushed in her fist.

"Forty days," she said.

"Yes."

"You watched me for forty days, and then you cleared a seat like a gardener pulling weeds."

"Three men are alive in Yangzhou, drinking, because of that seat."

"Three men were lied about, and so was I."

Her voice shook, and she hated that it shook.

She snatched her grey robe off the carpet and shoved one arm into it.

She was naked under it, and her skin was still damp from Yue's thighs, and she did not care.

"I came here believing I might be next in a row of bodies."

"I came anyway, because three hundred taels keeps my clinic open."

"I held your wrist and was afraid for you, Yue. For you."

"Qinglan."

"Don't."

She tied the green sash in a hard knot and went to the door.

Behind her the Dowager of Daying stayed on her knees on the carpet, hair spilled to the floor, and did not stand.

"Go, then," Murong Yue said, very quietly. "I will not order you to stay."

That stopped her hand on the latch.

Of all the things the woman could have said, it was the one that Qinglan could not stand.

She turned around.

Yue was kneeling there with her bare breasts rising and falling, her mouth set, her eyes dry and enormous.

She looked like a person waiting for a blow she thought she deserved.

Qinglan's anger did not go anywhere.

It turned hot instead, and dropped low into her belly.

"You think you can say that to me," she said, "and I'll just leave."

"I think you should be free to."

"Get up."

Yue rose, slowly, the full pale length of her.

"Come here."

She crossed the room barefoot.

"Back against the door."

The Dowager backed up until her shoulder blades met the wood.

Qinglan slammed her palm flat beside her head, hard enough to shake the latch.

"Here is the rule," she said. "One rule."

"Tell me."

"No more lies. Not big ones, not small ones, not kind ones. If you are keeping something, you say so the same day, even if it is ugly."

"Yes."

"Say it."

"No more lies, Qinglan."

"Good."

She dropped the grey robe off her shoulders and let it fall.

Then she took the Dowager's face in both hands and kissed her, furious and open-mouthed, tasting salt.

Yue made a small broken noise and kissed her back.

Qinglan bit her lower lip, right below the beauty mark, and tugged.

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