28 The Talk with FeiHong |Part 2| (2/2)
”Jie, in my past life, I was a big fool. I helped the people who betrayed me and destroyed the people who loved me. I made countless mistakes. Jie, this time, I promise you that I will never betray you, that I will always stand by you and protect you.”
XieRong hugged her sister tightly, a rage simmering underneath her skin. She held her sister and cried. She cried for everything she had felt, the helplessness, the despair, the shame, the guilt.
”FeiHong, this time, Jie will promise you that once Jie has become strong, she will make all our enemies pay in this life!”
”Jie, we will both make them pay. For now, let's go back. It's already morning.”
XieRong woke up beside her sister.
”FeiHong, every night until Jie starts learning with uncle, I will cultivate with you, and in the afternoons if I don't have other work.”
XieRong sent for the maids to bring water to wash up. She wanted to scrub herself clean. She could still feel the men atop her as they had held her wrists and groped her all over.
”What about today, will you cultivate with me in the afternoon?”
”No, Jie is going to go explore the city with RuiLing, I want you to come too.”
”Is there any specific reason as to why you're going to the city? Moreover, why with RuiLing?”
”I want to see if there is anything we can use to improve our cultivation and to start looking for shadow guards. As to why I'm taking RuiLing is because first aunt asked me to teach her.”
All the servants in the Qiu courtyard were blood bonded to either her aunt, uncle, or grandfather, so XieRong need not control what she spoke.
It was at the breakfast table that she saw the entire Guo family for the first time, including her uncle's kids.
Young master, Guo Qiang was a boy of thirteen years and very much unlike his father and grandfather.
He took after his mother in both, looks and demeanour, but you could tell from his eyes that he had more cunning hidden beneath his gentle exterior. She had heard gossips from the maids that the sickly crown prince was a close friend of the Guo family. She hadn't heard with whom the crown prince was friends with since people hardly ever talked about the crown prince or the Guo family in the Fa Mansion; it was always mostly about the second prince, the Fa family, and the Bai family. It was by chance that the topic of the Guo family had arose when they had been talking about her mother.
Now XieRong knew exactly who the crown prince had become friends with. As the people often said: birds of a feather flock together.
RuiLing was a beautiful and smart looking eight year old who resembled second aunt more than her own mother, however her posture was prideful and haughty unlike either of them.
XieRong sighed in her heart.
It would take some time before RuiLing would learn.
MuLan resembled uncle the most. She was playful and friendly and loved to run about. XieRong and FeiHong had had a hard time keeping up with their two year old cousin as she had run about their courtyard in the evening after her nap wanting to play.
She had come up to XieRong holding her arms out as soon as XieRong arrived for breakfast.
”Rong Jie, pick!”
XieRong laughed and picked her cousin up as she went to sit at the table with little kid in her lap.
”XieRong greets grandfather, uncle, first aunt, second aunt, elder brother and sister.”
FeiHong repeated the greeting and sat next to XieRong.
Aunt Biyu laughed.
”Looks like MuLan likes you more than me already!”
”Mommy is boring!” MuLan commented, eating rice from XieRong's bowl.
”Rong Jie and Hong Jie play with me. They're nice.”
”Daddy agrees. Mommy is boring.”
This earned her uncle a hard pinch on the hand.
XieRong shook her head at her uncle. This uncle of hers was always going about looking for trouble.
”Boring, huh?”
Guo ZiHao looked at XieRong with pitiful eyes.
”First aunt, I wanted to ask your permission to go to the city today. I would like to bring RuiLing and FeiHong with me if that's alright with you.”
”You can go, and take some money with you before you leave.”
Her uncle thanked XieRong with his eyes and she smiled in return.
”Uncle, I would like you tell big brother what we all discussed yesterday.”
”Tell me what?” Her brother, asked.
XieRong had noticed he had been observing her and FeiHong.
”Son, why don't we have a spar after breakfast?”
”Hm, fine, but I will surely defeat you again. Is that fine?”
Aunt Biyu chuckled.
”You can beat him on my behalf as well,” she said.
”Mine too,” her second aunt chipped in.
”And mine,” her grandfather said.
Guo ZiHao grumbled and sulked, but that was all he could do as no one would come to his aid.
XieRong glanced at the old general who looked as stern as ever. She hadn't spoken properly to the old general yet. She didn't know how or when to, so the atmosphere around them still remained awkward.
”I want to know too.” RuiLing chimed in.
”What does the daughter of a runaway woman want my brother to know?”
The atmosphere grew tense.
”RuiLing! Behave yourself. XieRong is still your younger sister!” Aunt Biyu scolded.
”It's okay, aunt. She doesn't know,” XieRong calmly said, eating her breakfast and feeding some to MuLan.
”I don't know what? That you're the daughter of the man my aunt ran away with tarnishing the Guo Family name?”
”RuiLing, enough!”
This time it was her grandfather who thundered, his face as dark as the storm clouds.
RuiLing sniffled. Her grandfather had never scolded her before and the first time he had it was because of these two girls.
”Finish your breakfast and hear what XieRong has to say. Am I clear?”
”Yes, grandfather.”