Chapter 20

 

 

 

The next morning Boran found himself waking up from his sleep, on his bed.

"Ugh," He rolls his right hand onto his head and then flinched in pain, slightly.

"Piao Ge," Lushi rushes to his side the moment she walked into his room. "Are you okay?" Her eyes spoke thousand ways of worries.

She grasped onto his bed sheets gently by his knees.

"What happened?" He asked her with his eyes staring at his right hand. "Why do I have a bandage wrapped around my hand? And why does it hurt?"

He was confused for a moment until Yang Sun approaches them slowly and stops a few feet away from the bed frame.

Lushi pouts, "You got drunk and fell, cutting your hand on your broken cup." Lushi explained as if she was there to saw what had happened.

"My cup?"

"Yes..." Lushi nods quickly, "I mean, at least that's what Yang Sun Jie said." She gurgled her name with a bit of envy mix annoyed emotions.

"Yang Sun?" He looks up and over to her. "That's right, I was drinking with Yang Sun."

He then saw her walking over through the corner of his eyes.

"How are you feeling? You drunk a lot last night." Yang Sun said with a sweet smile. "You had fallen and cut your hand on the cup... I helped bandaged your hand, hopefully you don't mind."

He gave an 'that's ok' smile. "It's fine..." He rolls his gaze back to his hand and then took a moment to try and remember what had actually happened but failed. "... I guess I did have too much to drink last night. I don't even remember what happened." He looks back to her.

Yang Sun stares at him as she tightens her hands together in front of her. She kept her clam in a perfection manner.

 

The Royal Harem;

Renci Palace

 

Luyang walks into the main hall of the Empress's Palace and stops in front of the main doors to be announced. She wore a lavish milk-silver colored silk robe with black linings at the bottom of the dress and sleeves that beautifully scattered into flower patterns on the front and back of the outfit. Her hair was tied half up using gold colored jewelries and jade pins with a thin piece of metal silver jewelry that laid flat on her forehead.

"It's too hot!"

Luyang could hear the Empress yelling through the doors. She carved an upsetting frown towards the maid servants who served her some water.

"Didn't I tell you to serve this with ice?" Her eyes gutted them all one by one.

"Please forgive us, your highness!" All the young maid servants cried as they dropped to their knees with their heads on the ground as fast as they could.

The maid servants did serve it with ice, but by the time they arrived at Renci Palace, the ice had melted away. The Empress rolls her eyes away and smacks her lips together due to the dryness in .

"Your Highness, Princess Luyang is seeking an audience with you." The Empress's personal lady in waiting servant said as she bows her head low.

The Empress looked a bit surprised through her eyes. She waves her right hand for all the maids to remove themselves from her sight and positions herself to sit up a bit more. She then allowed Luyang to enter her hall.

Luyang enters the hall with her personal maid servant a few feet behind her, who was holding onto a dark colored tray with a white piece of cloth over it and stops before she could pass the red line on the ground towards the Empress.

"Your royal highness," Luyang greeted her with a custom bow.

"What's this? The 4th Princess paying me a visit today?" The empress mocked her visit carefully and then secretly rolled her eyes to the side.

Luyang was still bowing with her knees bent.

"... You're excuse," She excused Luyang from her greeting and straightens her spine, "What brings you into my palace today?"

The Empress's Palace was decorated well and highly in the color gold and black. Strings of thick laced curtains dangled from the ceilings and sides of each pillar in the room, that was connected with gold beads. Expensive paintings, vases and flower pots, made from the finest makers, were settled on tables to the side of the room or either hanged on the walls in frames, with a small burning incense pit in the middle of room to keep it smelling fragrance.

Luyang pulls herself up and gazes over to the Empress, "It's nothing really. Royal Father lectured me the other day to come and greet you since it's been a while." She explained.

"Oh, and you have... Is there anything else?" The Empress looked rather tired today.

Luyang smiles carefully. "Your highness, I heard that your throat has been feeling a bit dry lately.... Perhaps it's because of the fast pace changing of the weather?"

"News travel like fire... Perhaps it is." She leans over to her arm rest and shuts her eyes for a moment with a soft sigh.

A brief moment of silence walked into the room until the Empress's lady in waiting servant begins to fan her master slowly with a paper fan.

"With Summer coming to an end, Autumn is just around the corner. I received some natural spring water from Lang Shan a few days ago." Luyang said and waves her left hand for her maid to bring the tray over. "... Perhaps your highness wants to try some?"

Her maid stops to the side and Luyang reveals a leather water pouch filled with the spring water that was collected from Lang Shan, as she pulls the white piece of cloth away from the tray.

The Empress opens her eyes and looked curious all of a sudden.

She stands from her seat, "Natural spring water from Lang Shan?" She said and walks over to Luyang, slowly. "I've heard of the water source there before. It's said that the water stays cold for days with or without ice."

The Empress was fixated on the leather water pouch sitting on the tray.

"It also helps sooth the mouth and throat during humid days even." Luyang added in and another maid servant walks over to pour some into a small cup.

The Empress watched as the maid opens the leather pouch from the top and poured the rushing water into a small gold colored marble cup. The gushing sound of the water reminded her of a beautiful fresh painted waterfall.

"Your highness," The maid reaches the cup over to the Empress.

The Empress took a quick glance at Luyang with her sharp eyes and then grabs hold of the small golden cup. She found it hard to resist, tasting it finally. The icy feels from the drink quenched her thirst and sent a chilling sensation down her spine. It was a sweet savor in .

"I've long heard of the spring water from Lang Shan. It has exceeded my expectation indeed." The Empress was impressed by the taste.

The dryness in the Empress's mouth disappeared and the hard sought out dessert in vanished. It was like magic! Luyang nods her head and was happy to know that she has helped the Empress to relax a bit.

"Tell me," The Empress handed the cup over to her maid suddenly, "What is that you wish to have?"

Luyang stared at her with a moment of pause, hesitating to answer her question. She noticed how deep the Empress's eyes glowed.

"Child, I know that you didn't come here today to give me this precious gift and not want anything in return." She implied and then turns around to walk back to her seat. "Spring water from Lang Shan is hard to obtain... Even the Emperor himself barely gets to taste it."

Luyang smiles shortly.

"Only those who belong to Lang Shan are able to taste this pleasure whenever they want. You're lucky enough that your Shifu is the head chief of Lang Shan."

"Yes, Your highness," Luyang spoke.

"Tell me, what is it that you seek from me?" She asked and her fingers gently placed themselves onto her lap. "What can I offer you as a reward?"

"If you must ask, it's nothing much... But I heard that there is a batch of female servants that are kept under your control closely... These servants have created either a major or minor crime in the past. They once served other princesses and princes before..."

"You're talking about the Cuzhong female Servants."

"Yes..."

The Empress blinks a few times slowly and continued to listen to her speech.

 "I' m in need of a few female servants to help me in my palace and was wondering if I can get a royal decree from you to pick a few from that batch. I know that without your royal order, these female servants can't be used."

The Empress takes in a slow and hallow breathe, "Child, if you are in need of new servants for your palace, why would you choose from this batch?" She questions Luyang with her brows furrowed. "These are criminals who have wronged their masters before... They are not to be taken lightly. If you want, I can give you a few of my most excellent ser--"

"Forgive me for my rudeness, but..." Luyang looks right into the Empress's eyes with confident as she interrupts her, "... As you can see, I'm not young anymore... The younger generations will only cause me pain and headaches. I think keeping an older servant who knows the ins and outs of the palace will be more useful. Besides, these are servants who are doomed to perish within the palace walls anyways; and having a few of them to serve me will probably open their eyes to a new world."

The Empress was a bit upset about the sudden interruption but nods to her statement, "Hao ah, since you've given me a precious gift and made my day a bit happier... I will grant you a few of these servants..."

"Thank you, your highness!"

The Empress looks over to her lady in waiting servant, "Grab me a scroll and my stamp seal."

"Yes, your highness." Her lady in waiting servant bows and then turns to walk away into the back room to fetch a scroll and her stamp seal.

"But I want to revise you that if anything shall happen, you will be held responsible."

"Yes, your highness." Luyang bows her head.

A few minutes later Luyang walks out Renci Palace and headed out through the Empress garden yard. Ruyang was also seen walking towards the side and noticed Luyang leaving.

"Isn't that Luyang Jie?" Ruyang asked her personal maid servant.

"Yes, crown princess. It's the 4th princess."

"What is she doing here?" Ruyang whispered to herself and watched as Luyang climbs into her small carriage to leave Renci Palace. "I haven't seen her around for months."

"Royal mother!" Ruyang walks into her mother's chambers.

"Ruyang?" The Empress smiles upon seeing her only daughter. "Come here," She cutely flagged her hands.

"I just saw Luyang Jie exit your palace, what was she doing here?" Ruyang asked and takes a seat next to her mother.

"Luyang was just here to visit me prior to your royal father's orders. She also brought me Lang Shan Spring Water."

"Lang Shan spring water? But we're heading into Autumn soon."

"Yes, I thought the same... But it's very soothing and has a chilling effect when you drink it-- it's perfect for today's weather."

The Empress's mood changed very quickly. She was very uptight and strict when Luyang was here a moment ago, but loose completely when her daughter walked in.

"Do you want to try some?"

"Royal mother, it's just water." Ruyang laughed at her cutely.

"It's not just water my silly child! It's Lang Shan spring water! Water from Lang Shan can stay cold without ice for many days, and it's said that Lang Shan keeps spring water all year round... It taste fresh and clean just as if it is still spring..."

Ruyang shakes her head side to side and secretly laughed at her mother. The Empress noticed the teasing expression her daughter had and frowns.

"Do you know that filtering this kind of spring water takes months! This is my first time tasting it and I'm very impressed... So, don't laugh at me, you have a taste and tell me it's not good."

"Hao le, I believe you! Sorry," Ruyang giggled and grabs for her mother's hands.

Ruyang noticed how fascinated her mother was with the water Luyang had given to her and gave a pretty smile, but she was a bit more focus on the fact that Luyang was here. She wanted to know why Luyang would show up all of a sudden especially because she isn't the type to show up unannounced.

 

Cuzhong Hall;

 

"Princess," Luyang's personal maid servant stops her from entering through the old wooden doors to Cuzhong Hall. "Are you sure you want to enter this place?" Her eyes read fear.

"I have to if I want to find them. This is the only place left I haven't checked in the harem."

"But... I've heard a lot of unpleasant things about this place. It's scarier than the cold palace."

"It is?" Luyang asked.

"Yes! Do you even know why they call this place Cuzhong Hall?"

"I'm not sure."

"Female servants who are banned here are all menial servants. They lack in skill and talent to prove that they can be servants of the royal family. And they are criminals just like what the Empress stated... Also..."

"Also?"

"Also... I heard that once you enter through here, the only way out is death."

"Death? You're joking right?" Luyang didn't want to believe her maid.

"I'm not! I know a friend who was banished here a few years ago, she didn't make it out alive."

Luyang froze for a minute.

"I don't care. Death or not, I've fought alongside my father in war before... I'm not afraid! I have to check it out... If those two servants are still alive, we need to get them out of there! We need any kind of evidence to help us catch Taiyang's killer."

"But..."

"Hao le, Weiting is right. I can't give up, especially me!" Luyang tells herself and then bites her lips softly. "I failed to protect Taiyang, I can't fail in Weiting's trust in me."

Her maid servant gulps and frowns in fear still as she watches Luyang takes in a deep breath and runs through the old wooden doors.

"P-Princess..." Her maid failed to stop her from entering the Hall.

They both entered the Hall together and noticed the heavy draft and hallow open space. There was no light, no air and no one around to greet them. It was like a plague had hit this Hall.

"See... There's no one here." Her maid servant whispered to her as she walks lightly just behind. "We should turn back and leave this place."

"No, since we already entered we have to follow through until the end." Luyang shook her head.

"Princess."

"Shh!" Luyang hushed her as soon as she heard a voice from the end of the hall. "Someone is there." She then paced her feet towards the end of the hall.

"P-Princes!" Her maid calls out for her and chases her.

"Aiya!"

Luyang stops before she could bump into the figure that stood in her way. Her hands flipped over her head and she fell back into her maids catch.

"Princess," Her maid caught her before she could fall to the ground.

"4th Princess," The figured belonged to Ke Chi.

"Ke Chi?" Luyang gasped upon seeing him there and stood up properly. "What are you doing here?!?"

"I should be asking you that!" Ke Chi replied and wipes his mouth with his sleeves.

He looked a bit wet.

"I..." Luyang stops and noticed a slim figured female servant bundled up at a corner of the Hall behind him.

The female servant was wet as well. Her dirty thin robe was torn a bit at the shoulders and revealed bruising all over her body.

"... What's going on here?" She gave a mad look. "... You..."

Ke Chi looked stammered and stuttered for a moment and quickly moves to the side, "It's not what you're thinking!" He fought in his defense, fast. "I'm here on orders from the Empress. I have to check on these servants twice a month." He said as he digs out a royal seal. "Look! I have authority to be here..." He raised the seal right into her face.

Luyang looked a bit closer at the seal in his hands but wasn't sold on his explanation yet.

"Look... You have to believe me! I wasn't doing anything bad with this servant, honest! Besides, I'm not here alone. I'm here with a few other royal physicians!"

"Even so... Why would you need to check up on these female servants? And why does she have bruises all over her arms and neck?"

Ke Chi sighs and places the seal back into his chest pockets. He then reaches his hands down to help the female servant up, "I'm just going to help her up. I'm not going to do anything."

Luyang stares at him closely and noticed that the female servant wasn't fighting back. She looked rather worn and zoned out, like a crazy person who is lost in her own world.

"Follow me." He said and begins walking with the female servant back to the main hall of Cuzhong Hall.

"Teacher," Ke Chi enters through the doors of the Main Hall.

"Ke Chi," His elderly teacher saw him coming over. "4th Princess," He got up as fast as he could to greet her with the rest of the royal physician's in the room, surprised from her visitation.

"You're excuse."

"Thank you, your highness."

Luyang roamed her eyes around the dim and dusty room and found two middle aged royal physicians handling medicine at the stove while Ke Chi's teacher and another elderly aged physician attending to some of the female servants nearby.

"What's going on here?" Luyang asked with her brows furrowing up and down.

"It is what I told you." Ke Chi said after settling the female servant down to the side. "We're here on the orders of the Empress to treat these servants."

"Why?"

"They're sick." Ke Chi's teacher spoke and caught her attention.

"Sick?!?"

"Yes..."'

"How sick are they?"

The two elderly physician's peeks at one another and then bows their heads. "Honestly, the Empress ordered us to look after these servants, just in case there is an outbreak within the palace."

"Outbreak!?" Luyang gasped and steps back a little. "Is it...?"

"No, it seems that they caught a cold only. If they drink the medicine and rest well, they will be fine."

"... I see."

Ke Chi walks to Luyang's side quietly, "4th princess, can I speak to you outside for a moment?" He advice.

"Oh... H-Hao." She nods and turns to leave the room with her maid first.

Luyang stops in the middle of the weeded garden and turns to face Ke Chi. He peeks at her maid and frowns slightly.

"Don't worry... Li-Er is my personal servant who has served me since I was a child, anything you have to say to me you can say in front of her. She won't betray me."

Her maid nods quickly yet cutely.

Ke Chi was amazed at her trust in her maid, "You didn't come here to be shocked at what you found out."

"… No,"

"You're looking for two female servants named Cui Ning and Ling-Er, right?"

"How did you--" She stops herself and then looks clearly at him, "... So are you?"

Ke Chi nods, "Yes."

"Weiting put you up to this? Did you find them?"

"Yes and yes." He confirmed.

"Where?"

"4th Princess... It's a dead end." He gave a weak reply.

"What do you mean?"

"Cui Ning died last year due to the flu outbreak, and as you can see... Ling-Er is the servant you just saw me taking back here."

"And what is wrong with her?"

"She's not herself." He explained and drops his hands to his side, "She fell off the rooftop 2 months ago and injured her head pretty bad. She doesn't even remember her own name... I haven't told Weiting about this issue yet because I didn't want to give him false hope."

He saw the light fading in her eyes, "I thought I could help her heal first, and after that I will tell him the details... But..."

"But?"

"... She's gone crazy. I was chasing her around to try and treat her but ended up in the mud puddle, that's why I'm so dirty and wet." He self. "She speaks nonsense stuff, most of the time it doesn't make sense at all."

Luyang's hands dropped to her side and her maid rushed over to keep her up on her feet.

"Weiting is going to be upset again... Another dead end for him... How am' I going to tell him this news?" Luyang cried a little.

"Don't tell him yet... Let me try to treat Ling-Er first. Whatever that follows, we’ll explain to him together…."

 

 

Chan Manor;

2 days later.

 

 

"Young Master," Lu Geng walks into his chambers with a tray of breakfast. "Where are you going?"

"I'm meeting Boran at Sunshine restaurant this morning." Weiting replied as he was seen getting dressed. "I won't be eating breakfast here."

"Oh," Lu Geng nods and placed the tray of food onto the table nearby.

"You don't have to follow me today..." Weiting stops him.

"Huh?"

"Stay here and finish the food for me. I'll be back before nightfall."

"O-Oh, yes sir." Lu Geng bows his head in confusion and watches Weiting leave the room.

Weiting's carriage sets out and arrives at Sunshine Restaurant before 10 AM that morning. He climbs out of the carriage and heads to their regular VIP room.

"You're late." Boran looks up to him after sipping onto his tea.

"You're just early." Weiting pokes back at him and Boran tilts his head to the side with a funny face. "What? You're never early to these meetings, this is considered your first time-- on time...." He takes his seat across.

Boran giggles to himself and places his cup of tea down. "… I've done what you asked me to. I've settled Cui Feng in a hidden place... No one but us are allowed to meet with her for the time being."

"Good." Weiting stares at him and then noticed Boran's right hand wrapped in bandage. "What happened to your hand?"

"Oh, this?" He pokes his right hand up and smiles, "I'm not sure, Yang Sun told me that I got drunk the other night and fell, cutting my hand on a broken cup."

"Yang Sun?" He said her name.

"Yes."

It was weird for him to hear Boran call her by her full name without the 'Miss' part.

"What's the matter?" Boran noticed his facial expression changing.

"... I didn't know you and Miss Yang Sun was on friendly relationship terms." He said and grabs hold of his cup of tea.

For a man to call a woman by her full maiden name without consent, could only be called if they were in a relationship. But what was this? Boran felt a little jealousy vibe coming from his friend. He scoffs.

"What do you mean?" He asked although he knew what Weiting meant.

Weiting sips on his tea and then brings it down, "Nothing." He looks away quickly and back, "... Here," He dugged out a white envelope from his chest pockets and slides it towards Boran on the table.

"What's this?" He chuckled, "I don't need money for doing your dirty work for you." He joked with Weiting and slowly reached for the envelope.

"It's an invitation."

"Invitation?" Boran picks up the envelope and pulls out a white sheet of thin bamboo paper. "I like parties… But you've never hosted a party before, are you sure you know how to do this?" He laughs a little in between the teasing, "... This... A wedding invitation?" His eyes popped open wide after reading the whole piece together.