26 Liaoping (1/2)
After everything was resolved with the Shi Zhang and the villagers, the chaos finally settled down. Some of the villagers left home with eloquence filled with guilt because of their approach to Suyin during her stay in the village of Jiaoshu. Suyin had addressed the plan to save Jiaoshu and the people and ways to restore their living style. It took the whole day to assist them to set it up.
The next morning, Qin Fuhua, Suyin, and Weizhe bid their farewell to the Shi Zhang, who genuinely wished them the best in their journey. With a polite bow, the three were ready to depart when the Shi Zhang whispered something in her ear that made her face turn red. With a flustered expression, she vigorously waved her hands in rejection and hurried inside of the carriage.
Qin Fuhua glanced at the Shi Zhang who snickered with a shake on his head, then stepped back inside his home.
”What a pity.”
He blurted out on purpose to let Qin Fuhua hear.
He furrowed his brows and went inside the carriage to see the woman with a red face.
(What the Shi Zhang whispered to Suyin: ”If you'd like, you can stay here forever. I'll set you up with my grandson!”)
--------------------------------------
Heading back inside, the Shi Zhang was in a satisfying mood, marching to the corridors with his cane. As he pushed the doors open, a male sat on a chair, twirling a little toy ball. With the sight of this person, the Shi Zhang glared and rambled past the man.
”What are you doing here?” Shi Zhang charged in a gruff tone.
”Whoa, old man. Don't tell me that you are not acknowledging me now.” The male turned his head to Shi Zhang and smirked at him. ”Not to say, I had a part in saving the village too. I heard that the village was struck with a strange illness, so I came by to see what was going on around here.”
It was the person that was hanging around Suyin, Zhaohui!
Zhaohui playfully got up and followed the Shi Zhang, who had an irritated look on his face.
”Don't care for the village if you do not want to be a part of it.” He groaned, scrunching up his white mustache as Zhaohui stepped in front of him to halt his progress.
”I know. I didn't mean to leave the village, but I had no choice--”
”No choice to be the next Shi Zhang?! Are you trying to follow your father's footsteps?!--”
”That has nothing to do with it!”
Zhaohui took a long breath and closed his eyes. He stared at the Shi Zhang, who was his grandfather and held his shoulders. ”I know that the villagers would not accept me as the next Shi Zhang. You already know how I feel about it and what I was going to do about it.”
The Shi Zhang did not speak a single word, the side of his eyes full of wrinkles from all of the stress and grief he had gone through in his life. ”Child. It's been six years already--”
”And I am back, for now at least. I think I finally found something to make me want to become reliable.” He gazed at his grandfather's eyes, ”I will take the trial to fully become a part of the Jiao.”
The Shi Zhang was shocked.
A flashback of little Zhaohui flew through his mind, reliving the times when he would always run away from the house because he didn't want to be the next Shi Zhang. The villagers never knew the child's status because him becoming the heir to the Shi Zhang was not declared until he was fully a Jiao. This meant that he needed to go through the trial and get his tattoo at the pit of his elbow to be accepted completely as a man.
Zhaohui never got the chance to go through this trial because he ran away from home in search of his parents and his missing sister.
As time passed on, the Shi Zhang couldn't avert his fate. All he knew about Zhaohui was that an encounter with someone would change his life.
It was an unpredictable thing that the person who altered his mindset would be that woman.
----------------------------------------------------
In the carriage, Suyin eventually calmed down to be fully focused on the next question that she had been asking herself since their departure from Jiaoshu village. She turned to Qin Fuhua, who was reading a manuscript next to her.
”So... how did you know that the mosquito was the culprit of this illness?” Suyin inquired, interested in his answer and discovery about the bug.
Qin Fuhua glanced at her, then gazed in front of him, ”Weizhe.” He called.
Weizhe, who was sitting outside of the carriage perked up at his name.
”Ah, yes. Your Highness was investigating the illness before we took you there.” Weizhe said with an enthusiastic tone, ”Prince Fuhua witnessed someone who got bit by a mosquito and then got sick a couple of days after. We didn't know if it was exactly the problem behind the illness, but we gave it a shot to give you a hint to see if it was correct.”
With a proud look on his face, he held his head high and lifted his chest with pride. ”Your Highness is accurate in his investigation yet again.”
Suyin then glimpsed at Qin Fuhua, who had no care in Weizhe's proud attitude. She was fascinated at the way how quick Qin Fuhua is to grasp on situations. There was no surprise as to why he was highly respected and dreaded by many not only because of his presence but his brilliant intellect. It was a pity that his rude character had to ruin it all.
*BOM*
The carriage suddenly halted, causing Suyin to rocked herself forward as she held onto the side.
”Are we home already?” She asked, peering out of the little window.
They arrived back at home. Great! Now Suyin can finally have some rest and time for herself! First, she would go and have a nice, warm bath as a fresh start of coming back---
”I will take my leave right now, Your Highness. If you need assistance, please let me know by then.” Weizhe's voice could be heard outside.
”Good. You may leave now.” Qin Fuhua appointed as the carriage began to move again.
”Wha?! I-I'm not leaving?!” Suyin's mouth was open wide. She didn't know where he was going, but she didn't want to go anywhere else at the moment.
”We still have to retrieve the key.” Qin Fuhua remarked. Correct. Suyin had forgotten about what the Shi Zhang had stated earlier.
*********
”There is someone with the key, though. I can tell you that. She lives in the village of Liaoping”
*********
There was no point in going back home if she couldn't save the Princess. Suyin let out a disgruntled sigh because she was exhausted. Eventually, time went on and Suyin had fallen asleep in the carriage, with Qin Fuhua at the side, studying his literature.
Minutes flew by and turned into hours. The exhausted Suyin was in a deep sleep with no disturbance from anyone or anything.
With all of the turns and jumbles from the wheels hitting pebbles and rock, Suyin's head flew from the side of the wall to Qin Fuhua's shoulders.
He was thrown off at the sudden movement but wasn't disturbed at her head leaning on him. He could see the exhaustion in her face. Her eyebrow furrowed and her eyes were pressed tightly as if she was having a bad dream. Qin Fuhua gently shifted her body so it wouldn't cause her to have any neck discomfort once she is awake and went back to reading his scroll with his left hand.
------------------------------------
The carriage was at a full stop when Suyin abruptly raised her head up to see what was happening outside. She felt the jolt that caused her to wake up as Qin Fuhua got out of the carriage. Suyin quickly followed him.
They had arrived at the entrance to Liaoping. Unlike the other places that she has been to in the Qin territory, it was easier to enter into the city.
Qin Fuhua swayed his hand to shoo away his servant who nodded to leave the two, dashing off with the horse and carriage.
”Wait, why do that for?”
Qin Fuhua turned around and set a spell on his face, concealing his face with his right hand. He swung around and leaned close to Suyin's face, which startled her. She gave him a concerned smile and hunched back, with no urge to get near him.
”Do you see who I am?” Qin Fuhua sought. Suyin shook his head. Right as she was about to open her mouth, he placed his index finger to his lips to signal her not to talk. ”I am Tienzheng. Remember that.”
”Right...” Suyin looked away and laughed restlessly at him, unsure of what she should do. No matter how much she looked at him, he was still the Prince of Qin. She knew that she had to follow his directions so Suyin stayed put and listened to him.
Qin Fuhua wrapped Suyin around with his left arm and pushed her close to his shoulders.
”W-What are you doing?” Suyin tried to fight back, pulling away as he quietly inclined to whisper in her ears.
”In order to follow along, I will be accompanied by my wife to see my 'family' here in Liaoping. If the Prince of Qin came to this village, it would cause a disturbance which means nothing but danger.”
The gates swung open, allowing the two to enter inside. Qin Fuhua let go of Suyin and roamed ahead of the district with Suyin following right behind him. Suyin was filled with awe and amazement of the town. It felt like she was back in her hometown! Many of the people were lively and cheerful. Music could be heard playing in inns and in other areas, people were singing with delight.
”Wow! This place is amazing! It's as if I walked into a scene in a Chinese drama!” Suyin commented, gazing at every little shop that the two came across.
Qin Fuhua looked at her and gave her a strange look as if he didn't understand her language.
”Ehehe... I mean, it's really different here from the other places that I've been to.” Suyin beamed to him.