Chapter 15

Hu Zi and his servant carried Lushi into a cold dudgeon beneath the manor. There, ahead of them, were a few cells with metal doors. They then carried her in the closes cell, and placed her down on the dirty straw matt.

“Sir, you’re so lucky to have such a beauty in your hands.” His servant said out of breath from carrying her.

Hu Zi smirks. “A beautiful young girl like her is worth to be my woman.” He carved a erted smile across his old face.

Lushi was still knocked out cold, not hearing a thing they were talking about.

“Sir, how about you have a little fun for yourself before we head out?” his servant squeaked his voice.

“Should I?” Hu Zi giggles.

“Yes,”

Hu Zi rubs his hands and begins reaching them down to undress Lushi’s top layer robe.

“Stop!” Yang Sun came through the door and swung her hands across their faces.

“Who?!?” They both exclaimed and then realized they have just inhaled something strong.

A white ashy powder came flying down to their faces and they both collapsed onto the ground. They had inhale some hard core sleeping powder.

Yang Sun then rushes over to Lushi and pulls her into her arms. “Lushi,” She shook her, trying to wake her up.

Yang Sun made sure that Lushi wasn’t injured anywhere and quickly tidy her robe back up before she pulls out from her chest, a small jar, containing some dark colored pills. She stuck one into Lushi’s mouth and watched as Lushi swallows it; slowly waking up from her sleep.

“… What happened?” Lushi whispered with her eyes an inch open. “Where am’ I?”

Yang Sun helps her sit up in a sitting position, “You were drugged and taken here.”

“Drugged?” Lushi then remembers what happened. “You!” She pulls back and faces her. “You drugged me!”

Yang Sun noticed the fear written all over her face, “It’s not what you think,” She tried to explain, “I didn’t drug you.” 

Lushi gasped with a frown and stands from the ground. “You’re a bad person!” Her fingers bounces back and forth. “Boran Ge shouldn’t have believed in you and let you come with us here!”

“Listen to me first,” Yang Sun stood too with an anxious expression, “Look!” She points to the ground where Hu Zi and his servant laid in a deep sleep. “They actually drugged us, afterwards, they were going do bad things to you. I came in time to save you!”

Lushi looks down to Hu Zi and his servant and then back to Yang Sun, “Why? Why only me?”

“I don’t know, maybe because you looked really pretty.”

Truth was, Yang Sun had placed a spell over herself the moment they entered the city so she wouldn’t attract Hu Zi’s eyes; instead she made it out for Lushi to be the only pretty one, so Hu Zi could kidnap her and then only she can find the dungeon.

A silence came in between them for a second, “You… You’re lying!” Lushi didn’t believe her and heads towards the doors to exit the cell.

“Wait!” Yang Sun tried to stop her before she could exit the cell but it was too late.

Lushi’s eyes roamed around the cold and smelly hall ways of the dungeons. There was blood stained everywhere and dead bodies lying in each cell. Her heart wrecked in pain and fear as she ran back into the cell where she was before.

“Ah!” She fell into Yang Sun’s embrace. “Blood! Dead people! They’re everywhere!” She buried her face into Yang Sun’s chest.

“It’s okay,” Yang Sun wrapped her slim arms around Lushi’s body, “It’ll be okay.” She pats the back of Lushi’s head to calm her down.

A few moments later, Lushi followed closely behind Yang Sun as they strolled around the cold smelly dungeon.

“Where are we going?” Lushi asked, scared of the dark.

“Remember when I told you that I smelt fresh blood?” Yang Sun kept her eyes on the pathway.

“Y-Yes… I remember.” Lushi whispered as she held onto Yang Sun’s right hand.

“You see, I have an ability to see, smell and touch things nobody else can.” She explained herself.

“What?” Lushi bite her lips. “Are you telling me that you’re some kind of freak?”

Yang Sun gave a friendly smirk, “Not a freak. Just someone with an ability.”

“Oh,”

“I sense… Those two men back there aren’t the real Mayor and servants of this city. I think they killed a lot of the people in this city already.”

“Then…Where is the real Mayor?”

“I think he has to be down here somewhere. I can feel life down at the end of the hall over there.”

They both came to a corner in a dark hall.

“Life?”

“Stay close,” Yang Sun hushed her with a finger at her lips.

“O-Oh.” Lushi nods quickly and attached herself onto Yang Sun’s back.

They both gathered themselves and walks all the way until the last cell at the end of the dark cold hall.

“Urrrggh!” A loud voice popped up against the metal bars and grabs Yang Sun by the neck.

“Ahhh!” Lushi fell back onto the ground with her eyes closed.

Luo Mayor’s Manor;

The next early morning, Boran was seen rushing into the living halls of the mayor’s resident and roamed his eyes around, “Lushi! Miss Yang Sun?!?” He called out for them both but no reply came back.

He took no hesitation to exit the hall and order for his men to search the whole manor; every corner, every room. Still no where were they found.

“What now?” Su Tang asked Boran as they paused in a garden.

“Keep searching! We have to find them!” Boran yelled out.

“Yes!” His soldiers bow and leaves to search again.

“… Where are you girls?” Boran bit his lips.

Dungeon;

Yang Sun was seen leaning herself against the walls, knocked out. Suddenly, her eyes twitched side to side and slowly she was awaking from her coma.

“Ugh,” She rubs her neck with her left hand, in pain.

“… You’re awake,” An old aged male’s voice woke her up completely. He was sitting in the cell in front of her.

“Lushi!” She quickly thought and turns to her left side. There Lushi was knocked out cold on the ground next to her.

“Sorry.” The aged man apologized, “I thought you were those bastards... How do you know Lushi?”

Yang Sun picks herself up from the dirty ground and frowns, “You are?” She dared to ask, dismissing his question.

A few hours later, Boran became extra frantic as he already searched the whole manor multiply times already, and still no sign of Lushi or Yang Sun anywhere.

“What now?” Su Tang became worried. “What if…”

“Impossible. They must be here somewhere. There has to be a secret room or something!” Boran didn’t want to give up. “They couldn’t have left without me.”

“It was a good thing that we discovered the bad people first, and took them out!”

Boran nods. He had discovered that these people weren’t the real city people the moment they had walked into the city. The few stares the people gave, the smell and he knew that Weiting would have never contacted the city’s Mayor without telling him beforehand.

“Continue to search! We must find them before sun down.”

“Yes, sir!” Su Tang bows and as he turns to run off, he noticed 3 figures walking over towards them. “General!” He pointed. “Look!”

Boran looks over and begins running over to them, “Lushi! Miss Yang Sun…” He paused from surprise. “Commander Chan!” He was ecstatic to see Weiting’s father. “Sir!” He bows his head.

“At ease,” Weiting’s father smiled upon seeing him. “Boran,”

It seems the commander had injured his left leg, as he had his arms wrapped around Yang Sun and Lushi’s shoulders for support.

“Here,” He took over for the girls and wraps Weiting’s father’s arms around his shoulders. “Su Tang!”

“Yes!” Su Tang rushes over to help Boran carry him inside the mayor’s resident.

A few more hours pass by, and the evening soon fell. They were all seen standing in a guest room where Weiting’s father had stayed in before, chatting about everything that has been happening.

“How did you end up here?” Boran asked Weiting’s father as he finished helping him change into a clean robe. “Weiting was so worried about you.”

Weiting’s father sighs. “After the war, I fled North and Weiting was to flee back to the capital. But… There was a spy in my group, and I was attacked at the golden bridge. I fell into the water and drifted for 2 days and 2 nights until I landed here… As you know, my family started out as bandits. So, this was a safe place for me to hide until I could heal my wounds.”

“I see,” Boran nods.

“But… A few days ago, a group of mysterious people entered Luo City, they killed everyone! I was told to hide away in the dungeons by the Mayor. I didn’t realize that everyone was dead until I came to look for myself. Some people fled South, while other was left to die here.”

“Uncle, why didn’t you leave?” Lushi asked with a sad expression. “Weiting was waiting for your return!”

His father chuckled, “I wanted to leave, but as you can see, I can’t use my left leg no more. How was I supposed to leave?”

Everyone stared, “Hao le, as long as you’re alive and well.” Boran sighs. “… Wait, how did they get your armor? And how did they know who we were?”

“They must have found my armor because I left it in my room during the attack… And as to knowing your names… That I’m not too sure.” Weiting’s father thought about it too. “I have a feeling that they must be sent by someone who wants the Chan clan wiped out.”

“Who could it be?” Boran turned away to think. “Uncle, were you the one who sent us the clue of your armor being here?”

“Yes,”

Boran smiles. “You did good, Weiting wanted to come here himself, but he is tied down by some matters.”

“What matters?”

“Uh…” Boran coughs for a moment and rubs his nose. “… It’s getting late, we should all get some rest.” He ignored the topic and turns around. “Everyone should get some rest and we’ll head back to the capital tomorrow morning.”

“Eh, what about those two down in the dungeon?” Lushi brought up.

Boran and Weiting’s father looks at Lushi and Yang Sun.

“Don’t worry. They won’t wake up anytime soon. The powder I used will have them sleeping for a whole week.” Yang Sun said in a kind voice.

“This young miss is??” Weiting’s father asked.

“Oh, this is Yang Sun. A friend of mine.”

“A friend?” Weiting’s father called her and stares at her. “… Thank you for saving me.”

“No problem. It’s an honor to help.” She smiled, trying to escape his eyes.

“You,” Weiting’s father paused as he quickly scans her from top to bottom. “You look rather familiar, have we met somewhere?”

“I don’t think so,” She peeks up at him, “This is the first time I’m meeting you, sir.” She lied.

“Really?” He sequenced his eyes for a moment, “... Why do you give off a similar vibe to her?”

“Who?” Boran asked in curiosity.

A few minutes later, they all stepped outside the room, leaving Weiting’s father to rest up for tomorrows travel.

“Don't mind him... He's old and forgetful."

"It's fine,"

"... Are you hurt anywhere?” Boran asked Yang Sun as the three of them came down the steps together.

“I’m fine.” She replies.

Lushi bit her lips in annoyance, “… What about me?” She interrupts their conversation. “I’m hurt!”

Boran laughs at her secretly, “Hao le, where are you hurt?” He grabs her arms to take a look, “I don’t see any blood.” He .

Lushi pouts, “… My heart hurts!” She yells out in anger and then turns to run off.

“What?” Boran scratches his head. “So immature,”

Yang Sun coughs a bit and walks to his side, “… General Dong,”

He turns to face her, “Please, call me Boran.”

“B-Boran…” She called him and blushes a bit, “I don’t know if you’re playing stupid or if you’re really stupid. But… If I’m not wrong, Miss Lushi really likes you.”

Boran rolls his hands onto his hips, “I know,” He looks away.

“Then…”

“I’m playing stupid.” He looks back to her. “Our marriage is chosen by our parents, but I won’t give in... I grew up with Lushi, although I love her, I only love her like a younger sister. I don’t harbor any feelings for her. I know it will hurt her because I can’t return the love she gives me, but I rather act like I don’t know then to know, giving her hope and hurting her even more.”

Yang Sun understood what he meant, “You’re more farfetched then I thought.”

“I?”

“Yes,”

“Is that a complement?” He continued smiling at her.

“If you think it is, then it is…” She gave him a kind smirk and his heart skipped a beat. “… Hao le, it’s getting late, I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Hao,” He waves and she walks off the same direction Lushi went.

The next morning finally came and they had packed up their bags, getting ready to travel back to the capital. On the road, Boran rode on his horse while Lushi and Yang Sun had to squeeze Weiting’s father in the carriage with them. They were short on rides.

“Sorry,” He apologized to them both, “Because of me, you girls have to suffer a little.”

The carriage went over the unpaved roads causing them to hit each other on the side for a moment. It was really cramped in the carriage.

“It’s okay,” Yang Sun smiled his way as she blinks her eyes a few times. “It’s understandable for you to ride the carriage... It’s us who should be walking on the road instead.”

Weiting’s father liked the way how she talked. She really reminded him of someone.

“Uncle,” Lushi noticed him staring at Yang Sun non-stop.

“What?” He looks at her to his left.

“Do you… Like Yang Sun?” She joked and Yang Sun’s eyes glared over to her. “I’m just kidding! I noticed that my uncle hasn’t stop staring at you since last night.”

Weiting’s father laughed, “It’s not like that… I just feel like she is very familiar to someone I knew.”

“Who?” Lushi asked and he didn’t reply.

He stared at the curtains that were flowing side to side in silence.

“You’re not going to tell me?”

He continued to keep his silence.

“Hao,” Lushi frowned and sat back. "Then don't tell me." She crossed her arms on her chest.

Yang Sun felt like a heavy rock that was in , hard to swallow, as she sat there nice and tall, trying her best not to bother him on the rest of the journey.  Later that evening, the group decided to stop and rest for the night nearby an open space near a stream. Weiting’s father was placed under a tall shady tree to get some fresh air that night, with Lushi sitting to his left. She was frying a fish on a stick for dinner.

Yang Sun was seen sitting across them with the fire pit in between them while Boran was scouting the area for their safety with his men. The fire blazed up in flames and ashes scattered under the moonlight. It was quite and no one was talking.

“The times are hard: a year of famine has emptied the fields; my brothers live abroad- scattered west and east. Now fields and gardens are scarcely seen after the fighting, Family members wander, scattered on the road. Attached to shadows, like geese ten thousand li apart, or roots uplifted into September's autumn air…” Weiting’s father quoted a poem to break the silence of the night.

“… We look together at the bright moon, and then the tears should fall, this night, our wish for home can make five places one.” Yang Sun finished it off and her peeks across the fire to her eyes.

She was seen staring at the fire burning in front of her, not noticing that Weiting’s father was staring at her. He could really feel the similarity of her to the person he once knew.

“… It seems you like Su Shu’s poem?” He asked and she then took noticed of his stare.

“W-What?” She gasped and raises her head high.

“Not a lot of young girls read his poems.”

“Oh, my shifu taught me a few.” She lied and looks away.

“Your shifu? You can fight?”

“No, I’m nothing but a weak woman.”

“Then... A literate shifu?”

“Um,” She nods and unfolds her hands onto her lap.

It became quite again as they all sat there in front of the fire. Yang Sun takes in a deep breath and stands up from her spot, uncomfortable from Weiting's father constanly stares. She brushes herself from the twigs and leaves that stuck on her robe and walks pass Weiting’s father. She suddenly she drops her jade palette pendant in front of his eyes.

“Oh,” She looks down to it and picks it up.

The fire, for some odd reason, blew up in a bigger flame and caused Weiting’s father to notice the word on the palette quickly.

“Wait…” He stopped her from leaving.

“What is it?”

“That pendant. Where did you get it from?” He frowns. His expression looked rather angry now.

Lushi noticed the expression he was giving and peeks up to Yang Sun. She held it tightly in her hands, covering it up. Why was he asking her that? Does he know something about it? What if he knew who she was by recognizing the palette? Wait… Is he… Someone who knows about the witch’s past? Does he remember something that could get her in trouble?

Yang Sun gulped her spit and blinks her eyes quickly.

“I asked you where you got that from?” He asked her again and Boran walks right into the conversation.

He stares at them both back and forth. What was going on?