"Your highnesses, the crown prince is here." The maid bowed deeply before the two who were giggling in the bath.
Yan Sha was in the hands of Yan Ming who was kissing up her back. Yan Sha pulled away and got up out of the bath. A maid came forward with the undergarment. Yan Ming splashed loudly in the bath before doing the same.
"Come off it, Yan Sha, why won't you listen to me?" Yan Ming hugged Yan Sha to her body as the maid was still bowed after she made the news known to the duo. "Are you scared of him?"
"I'm not a true member of this family." Yan Sha said softly. "I'm the easiest one if one of us have to leave."
"Mother has often told me to treat you like a slave. I am the legitimate one and you are not. I have all the responsibilities and you get all the fun."
"Going to cults to learn about the art of war is the least fun. There are so many books and mistakes and people who coul
"Prince Consort, Your serene higness, I want both of you to rest assured. The result of the plan that you have set forwards has come back through the crown princess's servants as well as the imperial physician who was decided to stay on alert as the incident was unfolded. As you have predicted, the result is completed to the satisfaction." The servant bowed in front of the duo who were eating their evening meal together. Most of the dishes were uncovered, but hardly touch as neither had really touched this food which had been brought before them. The soft heat had ceased rising from the dishes which the servant looked nervously at. "Please let me take away these cold dishes and replace them with something warm from the kitchen.""No there is no need. You can return back, tell my daughters that we would like to speak them before they retire for the night. If they are afraid, have the maid return with some guards. They canno
"Madam we have been here for a little over a month, the lord has not visited our pavilian once. Concubine Wu has been making fun of you as someone who will never garner the favor of the lord."Yan Sha sighed with a soft smile as she took a delicate sip of the tea which had been handed to her. "The lord has many wives to visit in the midst between his military expeditions. What need is there for us to compete for favor. Eventually all will get a turn. I can rebuff him as I know there are many here whom are waiting to be favored by our lord. I am not in a rush to be close to our lord duke, there have also been many accidents in the yard, why rush into a place where we do not know which hand will help or hurt.""But madam, we would get such nice treatment from the household service. You would get the best food and nicest things.""The food we get is satisfactory. It's fine. The clothing though often not the best
Yan Sha looked around at the strange surroundings which was the servants chambers. The windows were small and the smell of the moss covered stones above where strangely having a drowsy effect on her. She moved the bed over to where the ground was less damp."Madam, I apologize for leaving you in such squallid conditions. Yangfeng likes to have her courtyard and that of the concubines fixed quickly. My own rooms are in this state of extreme disrepair. It's a bit of an embarassment that I have to leave you here while we have guests in the house. I wish there was some other accomidation which could have been set up, but it is inappropriate for you to stay outside."She nodded slowly as she got up to see the Duke standing with his manservant who was holding additional bedding. Her two servants came from behind them and rushed in with whoops of amazements at such a condition. The duke looked progressively more and more uncomfo
Master Guo stood in the backroom of the embroidery shop with a gruff expression as he read reports which had been returned to him by members of court who were pushing his policies forward. Zaiyuan's impatient handwriting was seen on a note that sat uncrumbled on his desk. He burned it with annoyance as he wondered if he really could keep such a vivacious girl in line doing what a group of men were telling her to do.Langhua was pressuring him to return her daughter home as Yan Sha had slowly withdrawn from her after the whipping incident with Yan Ming. It was irritating that he was in the middle of the Jungpi royal family who could not get along. Adopting a new family member did as always come with it's complications which the family often tried to ignored.He burned the letter with impatience as he watched the paper turn into ashes, a shadow appeared above him. Automatically he flinched and looked up.Ning Zhuo smiled down at him a
In the cover of darkness, Ning Zhuo was quiet as he returned to the house of General Xun. The only reason he had really even come was due to his own investigation and leads into the case he had promised his lover to find. General Xun was responsible for secretly investigating the Chu massacre incident, before being stopped by the emporer once it came out that it was he whom was the criminal.The general had been ascended to a due to his loyalty to the crown. Even in burying the case without question, the duke had been good at hiding his tracks. Everything was sabatoged to stage it as if the task has been completed by bandits, instead of by the true perpetrator. Another reason that Ning Zhuo was interested in the duke was whether he was aware of his reputation as an assassin.Duke Xun was either beyond caring about the case or a much smarter man than he appeared to be. To have that kind of control of emotions, would be str
Master Guo returned from the embroidery shop on a carriage that he had rented for this purpose if he needed to visit important persons who wanted designs from the women working at the shop. Now the use of it was proactive rather than visiting for service, he stood in front of the manor of the Xun family. The guards outside aimed their spears at the elderly man who put up his hand slowly. His voice wavered as he spoke, "Hurry, please tell Ah Mi that her grandfather is here.""Grandfather? Are you sure that you can stand outside here like this? I should find a servant to tend to you.""Tend to me, good soldier. Don't worry. That won't be necessary. I have more than enough to entertain myself. Or would you like to become the seat I sit on?""I'm on duty sir. The Duke will not be happy if I leave the post to tend to your needs. I have told someone to bring her forth. They're moved from their usu
Ning Ren looked out into the open street and laughed darkly as he held the missive that had just been handed to him from his shadow. Throughout the city there had been several strange incidences with his elder brother which had led him to do a private investigation. The news started to pour in slowly of the traumas of Xun Manors and the fates of the unfortunate occupants which was leaving the public in quite an uproar. It was so much beautiful death that served no purpose which was the hallmark of a lovesick assassin whose idea of inpressing his beloved was to kill her surroundings until only he remained."Oh brother, Ning Zhuo . . . you have always been better than me in every aspect. Father lavished attention on you when you were adopted by the empress. Our mother is the same in blood, but in death, she will never be named as yours. This pain was such a delight to use to twist and mock you from the kind person I could rely on to someone I
"Father please, I beg you. This woman was set up. There is nothing here which is irresponsible. I wanted for her to come to you willingly. She will slip through your hands if you aren't careful. You think that she is called that title for no reason.""Be quiet. I think I've had more than enough from you today. It's apparent that even with your wedding this afternoon that you're pining after this woman. Do you think that the politics of this country will allow a foreign princess to take the part which should be played by our own?""She is the daughter of Chu Bingquing. Can't she be pardoned for her--""She is no longer. I remember when I was young and went to the lands that eventually became Jungpi. I met her adopted mother Langhua when she was still shooting hares instead of having her famous human hunting. She luxuriates in inviting me to watch the festivities or to see what she has in stor
“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
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. 
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.
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.”
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
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?” “
“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
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. 
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.”