ALTG Chapter 10 (1/2)
Chapter 10: Twin Steeds Fleeing
No one paid attention to Lotus over the next few days She recited scripture, practiced her brushwork, strolled and admired the view by herself The lake was accessible outside her tent flap Hints of sureat desert beneath the rays of the proud sun, but a cool breeze shook the branches of thetrees
“Water’s surface is calh the wind” This familiar view often made Lotus think of Imjim Lake and the happyplayhtly when she thought of Lee Fangyuan Hoas he doing? Was he still fighting with the royal father? Had he made peace with the Crown Prince?
Lotus had also tried to take a further walk to look at the cows and sheep on the hills, but the guards barred her way and forbid her forward progress It seemed that the area from tent to lake was to be her picturesque jail Thus, she had only be able to glean fro of “the cows and sheep return home as the sun sets”
When she thought of for Jongseong, as well as the gazes of the Mongolians at the banquet a few days ago as if they were eyeing up prey, Lotus’ heart was extreht several tiuard was heavy and she had no idea where she was Hoas she to ain her freedom?
Lotus leaned on the table and kept lass
The treasured toas still htly on the tower’s tip as she sighed and began to recite the heart sutra silently, “Avalokitesvara… to overcome all difficulties… The form is nonexistence, and nonexistence is the form…
The tent flap suddenly lifted as two e steps The one in front wasn’t tall as he stuck his chest out and had a protruding sto close behind Lotus gathered her thoughts and hastened to make her respects, “Crown Prince!”
The person who’d arrived was indeed Crown Prince wang of the former Goryeo Dynasty His expression softened a bit when he saw Lotus’ respectful expression and he said, “Rise!”
Lotus stood up, her head lowered as she moved to the side The Crown Prince looked her up and down, “You don’t look any different froood life these past couple of years!”
Lotus stood with a bowed head and didn’t make a sound
The Crown Prince saw the tower of glass on the table and held it up for a closer view, “What is this?”
“It’s the tower of glass given to me by Master Zichao Lotus recites scripture everyday, and seeing this tower feels like seeing the master”
The Crown Prince put down the tower carelessly and was indifferent, “So Zichao has moved to Seoul?”
“Yes, uk Temple” Lotus answered with a low voice
The Crown Prince nod his head, and sat down grandly, “Tellto do in the imperial court?”
“The japanese pirates are too powerful Lotus wishes to ask the iain replied quietly
“How naïve!” The Crown Prince sniffed coldly, “The Li thief has always been insidious If you want the Ming Court to help, why not just send a report or an envoy If not, he has five sons, ould he need a weak girl like you to go there? There must be some conspiracy behind this!”
“It was ed for it,” Lotus quietly explained, “My father, Ah Min and Ah Xiu were all killed by the japanese pirates General Wu has had to retreat to Northern Cholla Province The situation is quite difficult”
“General Wu? Wu Benyuan? He becaeneral as well?”
“Yes” Lotus’ voice was a bit low
“These ti and treacherous officials all yielded to the Li thief!”
The Crown Prince ground his teeth in anger
Lotus did not dare to answer him, so she bowed her head and remained silent
The Crown Prince was filled with hatred and raised his voice, “I’ to kill the Li thief one day, and kill these vile traitors I’ll make them pay for my father’s death!”
He then glanced at Lotus, “I’m afraid you’ll have to suffer a bit and wait here It would be the best if Li thief gave up on you Someone has already written the petitions to censure him in the Imperial court, hahahaha!”
Lotus was shocked by these words She bit her lip, gathered up her courage and said quietly, “Your Highness, the japanese pirates have occupied the Cholla Province, and the people suffer!”
“Huh, whatever! They were my people, but they yielded to Li thief! They deserved to be killed by japanese pirates!” The Crown Prince said with detest
Lotus was shaken to hear these words, but stared into the Crown Prince’s eyes, “Are the people’s lives so cheap in Your Highness’He returned a cold stare that sliced through the air
Lotus continued, “Your Highness spared no effort and had the Mongols slaughter e of two hundred just so I would come Shan Xi,” she choked out a sob, “Shan Xi ith hness? She was hacked to death by the Mongolians” Lotus’ eyes held anger, criticisolians are a trapped here in the north of the desert They would not easily withdraw if they go to Korea Please reconsider this!”
The Crown Prince was stunned and couldn’t answer for a second His eyes then sparkled and he said acrimoniously, “It’s none of your business! The horses will be upon the Li thief’s place in a few days Stay there docilely until I give you further orders Don’t think of co up with any silly plans!” He swept the curtain aside viciously and strode away Jeong Jongseong followed him out of the tent, without any emotion on his darkened face
Lotus stood there and didn’t knohat to do for a while She sat down slowly and looked at the tower of glass with great anxiety weighing down her heart What to do?
Nothing happened over the next two days The h it was all vegetarian, it was quite substantial, with vegetables, fruits, bread, and cheese Servants were present to help with cleaning and disrobing, and they soht over soet that she was in the empty Gobi desert
Lotus counted the days and believed the Crown Prince has alht His Majesty deal with this? Of course, he won’t trade himself for her Would he send some troops to save her? But hoould they find her? Ransom her? The Crown Prince didn’t care about money Tell the Imperial court? He would then be afraid that the Crown Prince would take drastic measures Pay the ransom and trade her for soree to that
And ould Li Fangyuan do if he knew? His te and had becoyuan had stood outside her door, annoyed, and didn’t eat, drink, move or talk She’d hidden herself and her tears in her room and wouldn’t open the door It had been a snowy day after the winter solstice, and he’d stood next to the door, downhearted No matter how Mada him away, or how the servants of the Li faive up and re there for some hours It wasn’t until Lotus had opened the door to talk that he finally relented His hands and ears were frostbitten, and the injuries didn’t recover until early spring Madame Cao pointed at the two kids later and said, “You tere sweethearts in your past lives”
The candlelight flickered, casting a lonely shadow on the tent Lotus held her face with one hand, looking at the tower of glass beside the candle withoutshe had held this position “A spring silkworm’s silk won’t vanish until its death, and a candle’s tears won’t dry until it beca its body drop by drop and eventually gathered into layers of wax on the botto, she could not understand how silkworms was mentioned in the same breath as candles, but nohen shebecame heavy
The curtain htly, and a black clothed man with his face covered snuck quietly in Lotus’ mouth was covered before she had ti!” Lotus looked at him with surprise and confusion