Chapter 183 - The Place Of No Return 3
Chapter 183 – The Place Of No Return 3
The Sixth Prince's study
Zhongshan Cheng walked forward and looked expectantly a the entrance of his sturdy. He frowned when the visitor turned out to be his guard and not Zhu Faye.
"Why are you here? Is there any word from Faye?" He ran his hands thrive the back of his head.
The guard bit the inside of his cheeks in fear of how his master would take the bad news, he was about to deliver. It was no secret that his master doesn't take bad news well. The last person to deliver less than favourable news to his highness left on a stretcher.
"Young master Zhu is yet to answer because_" he forced himself to stand still as a teacup was thrown at him. It wasn't a good thing to dodge anything thrown at you by His highness. He shut his eyes and prayed silently in his heart that it would not heat him. He let out a breath when the cup hit the wall behind him. He didn't budge when the shards of glass hit behind his ear as the cup shattered on hitting the wall.
The sixth Prince glared at the guard and resumed his pacing, he didn't want to look at this guard any longer. He stopped by the table, placed both hands on his table and muttered,
"Why isn't he answering? What is taking him so long! Hashe betrayed me? Is that why he is silent?"
The guard swallowed, he glanced at his master and shut his eyes calmly. He glanced down at the letter in his palm and summoning up much-needed courage came forward, "your highness, there was a fire at Minister Zhu's house. Young Master Zhu is no more!"
"What!" Zhongshan Cheng grabbed the guard by the collar, "Faye is dead! How is that even possible! You must be in league with him,! This must be his play to let me go, I don't care how you do that but get me, Zhu Faye!"
The guard paled as he heard that, "your-your highness, I am loyal. I, it is true your business the news was delivered to his majesty. Young master Zhu's funeral will hold in four days".
Zhongshan Cheng blocked, he searched the guard's face for even a small strand of unsteady movement but found nothing. He let go of the guard and stepped back. 'Dead… How come he died. What about our plans… How will I? FirstChu Xiaosi and now Faye? It is now or never it seams' he thought tapping the table silently.
"Was Faye's man A'Bao also involved in the fire?" He asked.
"No, your highness"
"Call him over immediately"
"Yes"
After some thought, he called the guard back, "hold off calling A'Bao over yet. I need to go into the palace. Inform the footman to bring the carriage over.
*********
The Governor's mansion, Ningzhuo Northern Wei.
Su Liya jumped down from her horse as they rode into the governor's mansion and ran straight to the main courtyard. She hadn't bothered changing out of her plain gown and bloody apron when the soldier informed her that Lu Yaozhu was injured. It was like her whole world was falling apart, she ran her horse but stopped by the horse when she remembered that she couldn't ride a horse.
Luckily Baozhai ran after her, she helped Su Liya up the horse and climbed in behind her on the horse. They rode fast to Ningzhuo, arriving two hours later, they were delayed at the gate by the soldiers keeping guard. Security at the gate was very tight, they submitted a name tag and we're cleared by Commander Bai before being let in. The usually busy streets of Ningzhuo was deserted as most citizens stayed back at their homes when the fighting began.
They rode straight to the governor's Mansion, finally coming to a stop at the door. While the footmen rushed forward to get the horses, Baozhai got down from the horse and helped Su Liya out of the horse. Su Liya ignored the greetings gr the guards and steward, without any delay, she ran into the house, heading to the main courtyard.
Nothing had changed in the governor's mansion since the last time she was here weeks ago. She paid no mind to the servants and refuges that walked about the compound. Her attention was fully focused on getting to Lu Yaozhu, she had a bad premonition that thinks might progress badly. Her thought was in turmoil, she couldn't think past the news.
Su Liya was someone that had been alone all her life until now, she never felt worried for another human being well being until now. This was a new feeling for her, she had gotten close to Lu Yaozhu. To her, he was both a friend and a husband, the thought of losing him… Was unimaginable for her. Her heartbeat increase as she ran into Lu Yaozhu's courtyard, every step felt heavy.
She felt a heavy chill down to her bones when two maids rushed out, carrying a bowl of bright red water. She glanced at the water and looked around the courtyard, she stepped by the entrance to the Pavillion for some seconds to collect her thought before going in. It was basic knowledge that as caregivers you are meant to uplift the spirit of your patient.
She needed to put on a bold face, she couldn't let Lu Yaozhu catch wind of other true feelings so as not to make him lose hope. Many studies have shown that a patient's state of mind always affects recovery.
After she felt calm enough, she took in a heavy breath and let it out before walking forward. A tick stench of medicine mixed with the metallic smell of blood rushed into her nose as she walked in. Her eyebrow twitched a little but she continued forward. Yu Tao cane forward as he caught sight of her at the door, "Your Highness". He ran forward and curtsied, glancing down at the apron shielding the front of her gown.
That drew her attention to the neglected piece of white cloth, she quickly pulled at the strings tied around her neck and waist. She pulled the apron down and handed it to Baozhai. "How is he?" She asked her eyes locked on the tall male figure lying on the bed.
Yu Tao glanced at his master, "young master's injuries although serious are not life very threatening. He will recover but it will take a while. Once the surgeon is done with him, he will prescribe something for the pain." He glanced at her pale face, she had huge bags under her eyes and looked frail. "You must be tied after coming down here in such a hurry, why don't you go into the other room and get some rest. The Surgeon is still busy, I will call you if there is anything serious".
Lu Yaozhu walked around him went into the from, she stooped a short distance from the bed. Watching silently as the surgeon and doctors went about dressing Lu Yaozhu's injury. This was a safe distance from the bed, while it gave her a good view of the doctors as they worked. It was also completely out of the way that she didn't get in anybody's way.
"I cannot be as tired, as you are," she said as she heard Yu Tao walk closer. "Didn't you just come out of battle, don't worry. I will manage" she said looking over her shoulder.
Yu Tao stood silently beside her until the doctors were done controlling the bleeding and dressing his wounds. Su Liya received the prescription from the doctors as they left. While Yu Tao sent them off, she sat by the bed and kept watch. Lu Yaozhu woke up the next morning, after a thorough check-up the doctors left with Yu Tao.
Sometime before he woke, she had washed up and changed into fresh clothes. Su Liya sat silently on the seat beside his bed looking down at him. There was a little stare down before Lu Yaozhu broke it by smiling up at her sheepishly.
"Looks like you are not getting rid of me that easily, YaYa."
To which Su Liya rolled her eyes, she raised her hands to hit him on the shoulder but brought down her hand when her eyes fell on the bandage wrapped around his shoulder.
"You are to joke about this? I don't like the risks that come with your job, since I cannot convince you to resign. We must agree on some ground rules. Next time you want to be a hero, think twice. I don't have any family except for you and the Lu family. If anything happens to you, I will be all alone. I don't have a child so I will have to rely on your brother a fengyin forever. You better don't take any foolish risks or every year on the anniversary of your death. I will visit your grave just so that I can insult you and dance on your grave"
He laughed softly careful not to pull at his stitches, "I guess you won't let me have peace even in death".
"no, I won't. You cannot be at peace while I am in pain, we share everything 50:50."
"Alright, then it is settled"
"What is settled?" She asked blinking twice.
"Our next agenda, once the war has ended. We will start trying seriously to have a child that way you will not be alone and we can share everything 50:25:25 if it is a good thing and 10:75:15 if it is something bad. You only get to receive 10% I and our child will share the rest. Don't worry, I will get 75%, while our child can take 15%. The extra 5% is because of the pain you felt during childbirth".
Su Liya moved him and kissed him on the cheek, " I love you" she whispers.
He held her back and kissed her squarely on the lips, "Not as much as I love you".