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2024-10-29 19:42:56Mo'lan sat down in a huff. She wrapped her hands around her knees and raised an eyebrow at Bingquing who was obeying the command. "Qing-er, I thought we were going to meet someone rich. This looks like some old geeser's house whose run into hard times. I don't want to be the wife of a crumbling old man. I'm still young. This is the opposite of what you promised me . . . I know I'm not supposed to trust someone who is more intelligent than me, but I feel like you're very nice to me."
"Maybe he'll be nice to you, mam. You should kneel like the guard said. It might not be what you think." Bingquing said quickly. She said this more out of a fear that the guard was a fan of collective punishment. She did not want then, for Mo'lan to be whipped for being ostentatious.
Mo'lan complied in an irritated fashion, "You know the only reason I'm doing this is because I don't want to see his ugly face when he coos over how beautiful I am compared to you. Qing, since I am also responsible for bringing you here, I'll try to beg for you to be my maid. I'll use my beauty for our benefits."
Bingquing was trying to think of a reply when a housemaid opened the door. The guard's shoes came in view first. He paused and then stood behind the two girls he had bought. The second pair of shoes were incredibly beautiful to Bingquing's peeking eyes. They were emerald fabric that had been expertly embroidered with jumping tigers in gold thread. The feet were attached to thin lanky calves which made Bingquing wonder of the health of her owner. In her mind she pictured a stooped over grisled man from raging wars he participated in to protect carravans crossing the Silk Road from Persia or India.
He strutted in front of them confidently. The fabric of his clothes were perfumed with something that reminded Bingquing of a pine forest. She couldn't put a finger on it.
His soft velvet voice, destroyed her suspicions. It was a well-bred young man's voice. His accent was distinctly that of the Caiwong Empire's upper class. "Ning Fan, are these the women?"
The guard or Ning Fan bowed, "Your highness, it was recommended by your uncle that you take a concubine or have a bedchamber maid to start your harem. For appearance's sake that you took up your uncle's good advice we needed to procure a woman."
The voice had a lit as he assessed the work of his servant, "I see two."
"Highness, as you have never brought home a woman or shown interest in the noble brides offered to you . . . I choose two of different types to serve you."
"I could like men you know." The voice was slurred a bit as he assessed his potential. "Now, now ladies I am gesting. I am a scholar so I keep to my books and riddles. Now I want to see your faces. Look up."
Bingquing and Mo'lan both moved their heads up in tandem.
Mo'lan gasped and shook her billowing sleeves in delight as she screamed, "You're not an old man. Thank goodness. I'll be your anything. You're so beautiful." She quickly covered her mouth and blushed strongly.
The man was indeed attractive with high aristocratic cheekbones and piercing eyes that radiated intelligence. Bingquing was strangely infatuated with his mouth which was hypnotically angled in a smile. She couldn't stop looking at it. It reminded her of the mouth of a cat. His piercing gaze was warm as it met hers. The pupils dilated by alcohol, curious as they bore into hers.
Mo'lan put her head down in shame. Her exaggerated sleeves making her look like a sitting doll.
He assessed them with a cool stare. Bingquing looked around the room curiously as he waited for her eyes to meet his again. When they did, his smile was mischievous. "You, the one with the beautiful dress. What is your name?"
Mo'lan's head shot up in alarm, "This one is Mo'lan, sir. I am sorry that I spoke out of turn."
"You want to be a concubine?"
Mo'lan blushed again, "I want beautiful things. A man would be nice."
"Is that so?" He turned to Ning Fan. "Put her back in the carriage to take her to a beautiful place."
Mo'lan was delighted. She gathered her skirts and followed the guard with glee. She stuck her tongue out when she passed Bingquing, "I got what I wanted and you got nothing. Have a good time scrubbing floors for the rest of your life, ugly. You're too filthy to even carry my shoe cushion."
After Mo'lan had gone, the Master swung his ceramic wine pot around and grinned at Bingquing, "Do you want to know what I'm going to do with her?"
Bingquing bowed her head, "This one is not worthy to ask what is going on in another's mind."
He pointed at her with a drunken half grin. "You're so perfect. But, I did hear everything she said to you when you two were alone. What's her name again? Oh Mo-La-Na . . . it could be a rhyme if she was truly beauty. You know I could have any woman in the capital. I've been to pleasure houses. I've seen the most beautiful of females in every state, in every class, in every . . . you know the one thing they all have in common--" He paused to take a swing of his wine. "They leech off men until they have what they want and move onto the next one. My mother was like that. Do you know she was executed?"
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Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall 08
"I'm very sorry to hear that, your grace."The master looked at her with a strange expression, "Do you know what that's like to grow up without your mother? It's a pain so deep that no one can understand. I've always been alone."Bingquing found herself nodding. She felt locked in the gaze of a snake. His beauty was disorienting her and at the same time she just wanted to hold his gaze for as long as she could. His eyes were so empty of anything that she wondered what it would be like to meet someone whom he cared for.Wrinkles appeared to disrupt his forehead as he considered this. His mouth hung open at an angle as he watched her, "You?"At the same moment, Ning Fan came back into the room and rushed towards his master, "Highness . . ." The master was sideways in his chair as he tried to lunge at Bingquing. "Highness, please get ahold of yourself." He took the wine flask and handed to the
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall 09
The next day, Bingquing woke refreshed. Her back was surprisingly sore from several weeks sitting cramped in a cart. There was a maid who did her hair and helped her dress. There was a qin laid out for her to play. The view was beautiful. The meal the chef made for her was nice and fragrant. It was almost as if the last month had not occured. She could for a millisecond fantasize that she was still the daughter of a minor court official.Father . . . she wondered if he were still alive.Escape would not be easy as the guard's eyes were on her as she traversed the room. She slept mostly and looked out the window. Interestingly, even though the outside of the manor was not well tended, the inside was immaculate. The trees were cut in the shapes of flying swans and soldiers battling endlessly. It was a bit comical as she realized from an angle it looked like the soldiers were battling a swarm of swans."Wh
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall 10
Ning Fan and Ning Ren exchanged glances on the balcony as they watched Bingquing play with some white rabbits in the garden. They had been caught to be roasted and served to guests, but as she had found them in their covered baskets by the kitchen, she had insisted that she wanted to have them as pets. The wide eyed cook could say nothing as a boiling pot of water simmered.The chef had apologized profusely for not being able to prepare the rabits as she had been ordered. Ning Ren had held up a hand when the older woman had cowered before him, he didn't seem bothered much and instead deftly changed the subject to use some old jerked meat for the filling, saying it would add a rustic taste to the existing palate which he had not often eaten.Ning Fan had exchanged glances with the cook in alarm, but quietly the better meat had been exchanged for one that the cook knew was not really appreciated by the princes who prefered fresh meat t
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall 11
"The Prince is going to Jungpi?" Bingquing couldn't believe her ears.Her maid reiterated it with her head bowed. "That's what I heard from the other housemaids miss. The other maids and I were wondering if we would continue to serve you or not."Jungpi was where father was.On the surface, anyone who was looking at her would assume that she had spent the last month in relative happiness. Ning Ren was crafty. Every pleasure he created for her was a test to try to figure out her identity. He would bring different wines from all the territories to see her sensibilities. The cook would rotate cuisines to see which plates she finished or asked for again. The books she found in her room also reflected this -- poetry, politics, religion. The cage was beautifully made -- but the bars were still present.She did not wish for him to know who she was. It was still unclear who had ordered the massacre
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall 12
Ning Fan set the tea tray down briskly on the half desk as the Prince stared at the open garden outside. Ning Ren lounged with his hair unbound in a beautiful silk dressing gown embroidered with small birds sitting amongst a tree in spring. It billowed around him as his still gaze did not waver. His fixation was deep as if something was disturbing him."Excuse me, my lord.""Speak, Ning Fan." Ning Ren without altering his gaze, took the cup offered to him and drained it. He made a face as he wiped his mouth. "Next time you make it, make sure the water is newer. It takes bitter." A drop of blood ran down his nose and he turned to Ning Fan, "Where did you get that tea, Ning Fan?"Ning Fan upon seeing the blood rushed to his master. He dove to his knees and produced a clean white handkerchief from his side pocket. "Your highness please punish me. I should have tried the tea before handing it to you."
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall 13
Within the hour the manor house was quiet.Bingquing's maid told her, she was to be left alone with Ning Ren and handed her a silver knife, "It was a privilege to serve you madam. The master instructed you to have this so you will not misunderstand his intentions."She took the knife and found it fit well inside of her nightgown. It was easy to hide and would be easy to use. A strange gift for a man to give a woman. An appropriate gift for a master to give his spy or assassin.She felt like a lamb being lead to slaughter as they approached Ning Ren's room. Everything was dark as the candles had been snuffed out. That part of the house was vacant of servants and as Ning Fan led her with a torch he seemed conflicted.It was nighttime. Ning Ren had never asked for her this late before."Master," Ning Fan bowed as he presented Bingquing to Ning Ren. "Where are all the servants?"N
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall 14
Ning Ren didn't refute this. "I will hope you will be more civil when the bloodlust isn't upon you as it is now. Father would be very interested to know if this continues.""They call me the wolf you know. Not that you've won any such honor as a person in the borderlands. Father was disappointed you know when you said you'd rather be an official than be a soldier."Ning Ren nodded, "I don't have servants here so I can offer you neither tea or a meal. The only bed that's made is mine.""I'll take it. You leave with your woman to Jungpi in the carriage outside. I've been wanting this house for a long time.""You can have it as a present upon your recent ascension. The deed is in the bottom drawer." Ning Ren wrapped Bingquing in blankets and hoisted her like a bale of hay over his shoulder. Ning Fan emerged from the shadows and took Bingquing in her mass of blankets away through the corridor.
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall 15
"Bats! They're everywhere. Are you sure this is a good idea, highness?" Bingquing ducked her head as a stalactite brushed the top of her head. She clutched a stalagmite to brace herself."It's not. It's the complete opposite of that. It's a genuinely horrible idea. But I think you'll notice many of my horrible ideas lead to a safe Ning Ren, Ning Fan and Qing. This is the only thing that mattered."Ning Fan tapped against the side of the cave and got some of the cave slime between his fingers and tasted it. "It's salt and dirt."Ning Ren slapped his shoulder as he gestured at the broad expanse, "This is a fine cave that I shall make into a new manor to house all of my servants and horses and cannons and cavalry." His voice echoed through the cave as Bingquing looked on in disdain.They continued on their walk. As they came to a fork, Ning Fan knocked against a section of the wall. Ther
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Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall march 29
“Who dares to disturb the emperor after the court session? That’s bold of whatever minister can even bear the thought of death for his point. This is not the time to keep pushing a point that has died through discussion. Tell that courtier that I will execute him if he persists with his petition. I am not in the mood to entertain anybody under any circumstances. I will not be forced into doing more things that I have no care for.” Ning Zhuo nursed his head as his head was spinning after reading so many memorials. Even though the pile to the left of finished memorials was more in height than the one on the right, he knew there was a whole pile of them that his eunuchs had hidden behind a pot to encourage him to continue. It was incredibly annoying as work now was never ending. He already knew all the sides to the argument so he was irked that some small person was still trying to push after being re
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall march 28
Langhua, the queen of Jungpi, put her arms around Yan Sha tightly and started to cry as Yan Sha was too shell shocked to move or react. “You’re healthy. My daughter has finally returned to me the way that she does in my dreams. To see such a beautiful sight is beyond what I have hoped for so many years. I am so happy. You’re healthy finally. I have felt such guilt as your mother for sacrificing so much just to stabilize the reign of the incumbent. I searched so hard for an answer to my question of how to stabilize what I had put up for slaughter.” “Mother I—“ Yan Sha didn’t know what to say as she was so used to the brutality of the ruler. To be even here to see the tears and true joy in her return to a better state of health made Yan Sha realize that her aunt really did love her even if she preferred her own daughter above Yan Sha.
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall march 27
Yan Sha was led to an unmarked carriage on the side gate of the Jungpi palace. It was odd at this time of day and she tensed when she saw it. This was out of her usual routine. No one had left her a note or explained why there was such a deviation so she was instantly alert. Her daggers were with her and she brandished them quickly in a way that would disarm the people around her. But as her movement was swift, there was a clothed man in animal skins who was silent and unexpected to Yan Sha such that she had not thought that such a person would be waiting for her. She couldn’t remember what happened after as the disgusting taste of medicine filled her mouth and she slipped out of consciousness. Her body was dragged into the carriage and the wild man drove off in a huff as all the servants scattered.
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall march 26
Yan Sha looked at Ning Zhuo with a sigh as she could feel the world around her come crashing down. Her breath came in harsh strokes as she tried not to breathe at all, if this was a dream she had to fight hard to make sure that she didn’t wake up. But reality was quick to set in. The bath house behind them was abruptly searched. They could hear the sounds of the maid explaining that there were people just here. “Don’t you feel bad for them?” Yan Sha said with a forlorn expression as she could see their panic and expressions. “They work for me. They are all paid well and even if they are taken into the Prefecture Penitentiary. I will take care of their families and make sure that their descendants are well.”
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall march 25
The black melange was moving up her body which as her clothing disintegrated covered all of her up to her neck. All below the water was pitch black and pulsating. He dropped the torch and there was a hiss as the fire went out. “Crown prince you cannot. I have burned many people. Everyone gets burned as they come close to me. You should not. You cannot. I am poison to everyone. Crown prince, please.” He picked up her body and the black color dripped down onto his hands. He moved swiftly out of the lake. Yan Sha touched his face and bounced back as she remembered what was wrong with her. “Crown prince? Since when have you called me that? If I truly am the cause of this, then I will search day and nig
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall march 24
Yan Sha laughed as she heard this. “Sister, I can’t believe that I hear you say this that you want to share me with others and even outsiders. If the Duke would hear of this I’m sure he would be positively shocked. He would say that someone has stolen away his beloved concubine sun and replaced her with a pious monk. He would look all around the moon for you until he found you right at home where he left you. But truthfully, sister, business is not for me. I could never keep all of the older matrons happy with tinctures. It would be a lot more talking than simply giving medicine.” “Well then you can be in all of their good graces and then they will want to invite us to all of the good gatherings and food tastings. Who is to know what nice things that they will share with us then?” “
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall march 23
“What kind of school are we talking about, your highness. I have definitely never heard of it. Whom is this legendary teacher? But on second thought I would say he has been brutal to you. Your back is full of burns and scars and marks. It doesn't sound like a place where a delicate princess should be sent, even if you are the spare.” “I am not one who has been confined to private quarters like my sister all of her life. One sibling must learn of the outside world to keep the other safe while ruling. It is my duty to protect her and guard the line in front of our house. But these is explained in the words of men, I guard the land so I may have a place to go home to and a bed to sleep on and a sister whom I know will raise my children if I am to die first.” “If you say it in this way
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall march 22
The person was walking upside down now and Yan Sha wondered how that could be. Then she realized that the ground was by her face. She struggled listlessly as the person dragged her away and out of sight. The scene that she had left behind was strange as there was just cloth and bones that were swept away by the morning sweepers as they wondered why this area of town had gotten so dusty. The local magistrates guessed all that ash had come from fires. Not knowing the whole area was hallowed with human remains. =\\= Yan Sha spat up black phlegm again and she coughed to clear her throat. No matter how much she coughed her throat continued to burn until she just gave up that she had gotten used to it that there was no point trying anymore.
Cat Who Walks Thru The Wall march 21
Ning Zhuo then turned and saw a shadow in his study. He strutted back to find his bookcases trembling. His movements to fix everything were quick. Maids immediately rushed behind him and one poked him, “Crown prince, your man from Jungpi has arrived to see you.” Yan Sha froze as she sat on the roof. There was a good opening to jump over the roofs but she was torn as she knew that it was incredibly difficult to get spies into this manor. She was proud of her former partner but could not stop the lick of nostalgia. She wanted to say that she knew him. Below her, Ning Zhuo replied. “Oh good. Send him into my study. I want to hear what he has to say immediately.”
