6 The Capital |Part 1| (1/2)
XieRong had never seen the capital before.
Neither had Fa Chun.
The idiotic, limp master of the Fa Family was too much a shame to bear for the right prime minister, Fa Boqin.
He would punish anyone who dared to mention the only black spot on his golden reputation. This was one of the reasons they had been locked away in a remote corner of the Fa estate.
XieRong knew that no one would recognise her while she was dressed as a girl but she couldn't help but wear the cloak her mother had packed.
She couldn't let her mother's years of planning go to waste because of a simple mistake.
The capital was everything XieRong had heard it would be. Bustling, lively, and full of cheer.
XieRong remained unfazed.
With quick steps she walked around looking for the herbalist store.
XieRong went to a small restaurant and sat down pulling the hood off of her head.
”What can I get you, miss?” A girl about her age asked politely.
”One dumpling stick.”
”You must not be from around here if you're asking for just one from our shop.”
XieRong looked up and smiled at the waitress from where she was seated.
”Actually, I came here looking for directions to the herbalist store.”
”There is only the Fa Herbalist store which is well known in the capital, but I would avoid going there if I were you. I'd take my chances finding medicine in the forest than in that herbalist store.”
This piqued XieRong's interest.
”Oh?”
”Waitress!”
”Coming!” The young girl shouted.
”Excuse me miss, I'll come back with your order.”
XieRong's curiosity was heightened as to what the Fa Furen had done to the herbalist store from her mother's dowry.
XieRong remembered her mother always mentioning the store with deep regret laced in her tone. The store was something her mother had passed on to her, but she'd been unable to save it from the clutches of Fa LiHua.
XieRong listened to the conversations from the nearby tables hoping to get some more news about the affairs of the Fa family, more specifically about her death. However, most of the current gossip she heard was about the second prince, the fiance of Fa MeiLien.
”Have you heard? The second prince is helping the disaster struck families up north.”
”I have. We are blessed to have such a kind prince. He doesn't act proud or arrogant even though he's already about to break through to the Dantian formation realm!”
XieRong scoffed at the gossip in her heart. Only she knew how much of a black heart the second prince possessed despite being only a year older than her.
Her eyes blazed with fury when she thought of the ideas he came up with to bully her; pushing her in the pond, throwing rocks at her leg, throwing scraps and leftovers and making her behave like a dog, but the worst was when he had tried to feed her night soil. She clenched her fist as she remembered it.
”Hey, Fa Chun,” Fang Chao had said, blocking her way.
”Big brother Chao!” she'd exclaimed, pretending as if she'd been happy to see him.
”Come, let's go play,” he'd said trying to drag her away.
XieRong had tried to avoid going with him. His 'play' always meant playing using her as a tool for his, Fa MeiLien's and other kids' amusement.
”But brother Chao I need to go to mother.”
”It won't take long,” he'd said, pulling her along.
As usual, Fa MeiLien and the rest of his friends were gathered to watch the show and even help him.
”Here.”