I’m gonna paused for a few days after releasing chapter 10 to double edit all the previous chapters. Kept feeling I missed some edits here and there.
Chapter 9 A Lotus' Confession
One day, Yun Xiang ran over to tell me, "Young Miss, those several townsmen outside the city were calling you as the Fair and Compassionate Lady Min."
I spurted as I laughed, "What?"
Yun Xiang was very complacent, "They're already think of you of an immortal, just had yet to make a temple for you."
I gazed at the mirror. Xie Zhao Hua's appearance was fresh and elegant, the pair of large eyes seemed very clever, but for the 'Fair' part, it was quite a distance. However, a girl when praised as beautiful would be happy. I was pleased as I faced the mirror.
Yun Xiang said, "I heard Qian Elder Sister (married) from the kitchen said, Second Madam is a beauty too, the person is good, just unfortunate to die young. Young Miss, they said that your eyes are similar to Second Madam."
I saw before Xie Zhao Hua's biological mother's drawing. In the ancient fine brush painting, the human were relatively abstract, after looking for half a day still couldn’t make a conclusion, just knew that she was a weak and gentle woman. Xie Zhao Hua had a healthy and strong body as could eat a lot and sleep, evident that she didn’t inherit her mother's sickly and weak body.
The next day, I sneaked out again.
The moment Ma Elder Sister (married) saw me, fervently greeted, "Min Lady, come sit here. I cooked some tea eggs."
I smiled, "Not bad, Elder Sister recently is comfortable off."
"My husband got a horse watching job."
"You guys can find job now?" I was glad.
Ma Elder Sister's face was brimming with happiness, "Yes. Although still not allowed to enter the city, but at least no longer chasing away us. Now that we had jobs, we don’t have to worry about our meals."
Ma Elder Sister's son, Jin Zhu ran like a streak of smoke to here, loudly told, "Mother, that mister helped reconnected Second Child's legs.
Ma Elder Sister released a breath, "That is great." She said at me, "These few days, a mister came, also to give us food and treat us."
When I heard, I asked, "Who is he?"
"It is me." A very, very familiar voice.
I turned around my body. Among the early spring breeze, Song Zi Jing clasped his hands at his back while standing, with smooth skin and cool, graceful bearing, loose willow conduct and plum snow appearance. His smile was pleasantly warm, appeared more his delicate, pretty and elegant appearance. My little heart even trembled once.
Song Zi Jing said with a smile, "I thought who is that Lady Min, the goddess who descended to mortal world, it turned out to be you."
Even if my face is thick, I felt it was very embarrassing at the moment.
Ma Elder Sister said, "So you know each other. Old people said, humans gathered by same kinds, animals divided by groups, good people also get together."
I asked Song Zi Jing, "Why are you here too?"
Song Zi Jing said, "I heard that outside the city, there are refugees short of food and clothing, with no permanent residence, got worried since the weather now is just starting to turn warm, epidemic disease may prevail so I come here to check it out."
Both student and teacher skipped class. If Madam Xie picked today to inspect the education performance, she wouldn't think that both of us joined hands to elope right?
Song Zi Jing said, "I heard from them about a benevolent and liberal with money lady since I first came here. Fourth Young Miss really open my eyes."
I blushed, took him toward the Land God temple, "You come at the right time. I alone is not too busy to handle here. Among them are several with weak bodies, had already got typhoid once, I used medicines to supress it down, but I'm afraid of a relapse. They inhabiting here, cramped and hard to get to, drinkable water is fetched from a small channel at the side. That channel water is not clean, although I had tell them to boil the water first before using, but this is not a long term solution."
Song Zi Jing said with a smile, "Don’t worry, they will stay here for long. The officers already permitted the shopkeepers and innkeepers to employ them, when they had found a living, naturally will leave. You too don’t have to worry of epidemic disease to spread."
I was curious, "Didn’t they disagree no matter what, even wanted to chase away, why the sudden change?"
Song Zi Jing had yet to say when the people inside the Land God temple saw us and warmly greeted, "Lady Min, Mister Song."
This Song Zi Jing really had an unmatched charm, he just came one day and already made everyone frantically crazy of him. I just saw he leading a lady with his left hand, his right hand leading a small boy, in a short while lowered his head to talk with an aunt, in a short while turned his body to chat with an uncle. There was nothing for me.
At this time, Yun Xiang suddenly ran over here in a rush and called out loudly, "Young Miss, Mister Song. Zhao family sent people over to find Mister Song."
Song Zi Jing pursed his brows.
I probed, "Young Miss Zhao?"
Song Zi Jing gravely nodded his head.
This Young Miss Zhao was too amazing, even now had yet to give up, really was if live must see the person, dead must see the corpse.
I said, "Why don’t you meet her face to face and tell her properly?"
In the end, Yun Xiang was smarter than me, "Young Miss, if Mister Song really do so, he will go but never return[1]."
True, Young Miss Zhao might be able to understand but Old Master Zhao might not be.
I told Song Zi Jing, "You should quickly run away!"
Yun Xiang said, "Tens of soldiers came, east and west sides also have."
Were they trying to surround bandit?
I made a decision, ordered Song Zi Jing, "Remove your clothes!"
Song Zi Jing who usually calm and composed, was troubled with this sentence until his handsome face immediately turned red.
I stamped my foot, "I will dress up as you to escape!"
Song Zi Jing sternly, "No, cannot implicate you!"
I straightforwardly started to strip his clothes while saying, "So what if they catch me? I'm still the young lady from Xie family, that Zhao old man will not trouble my father like this."
Yun Xiang also came over to help, with a few movements, Song Zi Jing's outer clothes were removed. He blushed while helplessly unable to resist, even his voice while refusing was pitiful and cute. I hastily put on the clothes. This clothes was fitting when Song Zi Jing wore but when I wore it, there was a large extra chunk. He looked quite thin though.
Yun Xiang had just helped combed my hair when the child we sent out shouted from outside, "They are here!"
I raised the clothes and tossed Song Zi Jing a flying kiss, "Move separately and meet up at the study courtyard!"
I didn’t wait to see Song Zi Jing's blushing face as I dexterously climbed the window to escape.
Just like I expected, those Zhao family soldiers really took me as Song Zi Jing, all of them chased after me. This piece of land I already roamed a long time ago, was familiar with the topography, turning right and left, they could never catch me no matter what.
I saw the distance between us had increase, while releasing a breath, I entered the city. Now, it was very lively.
Today originally had a fair, the streets were very festive, selling items, miscellaneous plays, families with children strolling around the streets, causing the streets to be densely packed.
At this moment, a short and small child took a great advantage.
I launched out a technique passed down by our Xie family ancestors, 'Whitefish Crossing Gap', legs were not touching the ground, seized every bit of chance to seek advantage in the crowd and quickly slipped far away.
The Zhao family soldiers saw that they could not catch up to me and angrily shouted, "Stop right there! Stop right there!"
Joke! Called to stop right there would stop right there, there would be no more thieves in this world!
I jauntily went through the crowd, the Zhao soldiers shouted from the distant opposite side, "To remove a criminal, comrade yet need to overexert -"
An unknown thing suddenly appeared from the side, causing me to fall onto the ground, I tumbled until I could see stars, incomparably painful. I didn’t have any more strength.
And then I heard a dignified and just male voice said, "In the impressive Shenjing, under the govern of the Son of Heaven, intolerable of little thieving hooligans to behave atrociously"
I separated my messy hair, strenuously gazed at the unconcerned man gracefully pacing forward, though I was still dizzy, I could still see clearly his long, graceful and slim luxurious clothing and his handsome and spirited face putting on air.
I wrathfully got up and said to him, "What did you say? Who steal things?"
The pale handsome elder brother looked at me and got stupefied for a moment, "You're a girl?"
I with a head of disordered hair, like a fiend meeting nemesis, "Is a girl so what? Which eye of yours saw I steal things?"
At the same time, those several Zhao family soldiers managed to surpass the sea of people to reach the port. They while out of breath said, "Mister Song, please follow us for a trip."
I proficiently changed my face into a delicate and pretty lotus sister, "These soldier elder brothers, what you are saying?"
Those Zhao family soldiers' eyeball almost poked out, "You're not Song Zi Jing?"
My hand at the waistband, acting like I was going to untie it, "Do I need to proof it for you all to see?"
"Ah, no need! No need!" The Zhao family soldiers were like monk, immediately scared as they blocked their eyes while ran away in all direction and decided to return to the outskirt of the city to continue finding.
This method was really useful for all purposes.
I abruptly turned around. The handsome pale face man was still staring tongue-tied. I pointed my not so slender and long fair finger at his nose, "You! Have to apologise to me!"
Several people came out quickly from the side restaurant, headed by hearing what I said and gave a loud shout. "Must not be rude to Second Prince!"
Second Prince?
I hurriedly pulled back my hand.
Those loyal dogs quickly arrived and asked, "What's wrong?"
I smiled, "Misunderstanding. It's just a misunderstanding."
The pale skin Second Prince now regained his soul and said too, "Everything is just a misunderstanding."
Everyone released a breath. My eyes suddenly shone and called loudly at a certain person among those loyal dogs, "Foxy elder brother!"
Prince Han’s son originally wanted to quickly disappear from my view but now that he was called out by me, could only harden his scalp to lift his head and strenuously smiled. "Ah, fourth little sister."
The Little Pale Prince said, "You know each other?"
Prince Han’s son painfully said, "Replying to Your Highness, this lady is the daughter of civil doctorate marquis, Xie Grand Tutor."
The Little White Prince upon hearing it, his eyes shone as he asked, "You're Lady Xie Zhao Ke's younger sister?"
The way he said my Third Elder Sister's name was just like the way my Third Elder Sister said Song Zi Jing's name, softly and warmly, full of tender feelings. Really was a sentence was better than thousands and thousands of words.
I suddenly saw the light and smiled while saying, "Ashamed. This little girl is not worth even one of hundred part of elder sister."
"Is…. Not true." This Little White Prince should had wanted to say, "Is true", but changed to opposite when reached his mouth, "Lady is naive and lively, simple and pure, must not belittle yourself."
Simple and pure? Would a simple and pure girl remove her waistband in the public?
I coldly laughed.
Prince Han’s son came over to pull me to a side and asked, "Why are you here? Even make your head and face covered in dust? Does your elder brother know? Come, I'm sending you back home."
I smiled, "Foxy elder brother treats me very well. How should I thank you?"
"No! No need!" Prince Han’s son seemed to have even a desire to die. It couldn’t be that he already knew about the incident in which he ate my 'saliva chicken'?
Just when we're leaving, the Little White Prince cried to stop me, "Can fourth lady represent this small prince to send a greeting to your elder sister?"
I obsequiously replied, "Of course, of course! My Third Elder Sister is extremely well too. Your Highness is a man of striking appearance, must be very good if you're my Elder Brother-in-Law."
The Little White Prince was delighted when he heard it, even praising this Fourth Young Sister was obedient and smart that in the future surely would marry an ideal husband and so on. He even forcefully gave me a seemingly highly valuable white jade pendant as a meeting gift.
I expressed a thousand thanks as I took my leave. My heart thought, an ideal husband? Then I would not have the criteria to be your concubine mother.
Han Wang Sun brought me back to the Xie Manor.
On the way, I asked him, "Little Prince, that Young Miss Zhao, do you know her?"
Prince Han’s son said, "The Imperial Uncle Zhao's beloved daughter? Don’t know her. You think other family young ladies are just like you always showing your face in the public?"
I was eager to gather information so I didn’t fuss about him offending my sacred prestige. "Then, you must at least heard about her."
The foxy man laughed. This person had a very good look too. His laugher was like a dawn in spring, with only flaw was it gave a dishonest and unkind sensation.
"This year, Zhao family young miss is 15 years old, the third child, conferred as Huilin Xianzhu[2], given name is Fu Rong."
"Ah?" I asked.
"Fu Rong." Prince Han’s son said.
"The lotus (Fu Rong) as in the longing to clip lotus to check colour?"
Prince Han’s son said, "So you actually can read poems."
I secretly cursed, Xie Zhao Ying, you vile person, selling out your own little sister when drunk.
"This Elder Sister Fu Rong - or maybe Younger Sister, really is very ugly without comparison just like the rumour?"
Prince Han’s son said, "This, I really don’t know. But I had met her little brother, Zhao Zhu Xiu. He appeared quite pretty as well as refined and polite. I guess Zhao Third Lady should be not ugly much."
"But as a young lady, chasing a man all over the city, her father didn’t control?"
"Zhao family this generation has altogether 14 children with her as the only daughter. The whole family cared of her like a treasure still not enough. What? You're interested in Song Zi Jing too?"
I coldly laughed, suddenly raised my eyebrows at him, "Hateful, looking up to you is already enough."
Prince Han’s son shivered as he got scared greatly.
He didn’t send me until the main door, instead we turned into a side alley.
I made a joke with him, "Bad uncle, where are you taking me?"
Prince Han’s son's face twitched. "I really pity your Second Elder Brother."
He pointed at a familiar enclosing wall as he said, "Climb by yourself. Inside is your courtyard."
I laughed, "Foxy Elder Brother, green hills and plain water, we'll meet again one day."
After climbing pass the wall, I heard Han Wang Sun helplessly said, "Best if there is no more meet again…."
[1] Gone forever
[2] Title given to imperial lineage daughter, second to Junzhu and third to Gongzhu