CHAPTER 6
"My Queen," Gan Luo Yi bowed to the Queen of Wei Zhuang.
She was drawing Wei Zhuang's barier new figure on a large roll of paper. The barrier drawn was decorated with purple foxglove poison and its light green leaves.
"General Gan Luo Yi, your child really is something. I spent years finding the Jade Ring but your son did it in only half a day" the Queen complimented.
"Very impressive"
"My Queen, you're being too much. Gan Xin is still immature and unaware of the bigger picture" Gan Luo Yi plastered his attention to the Queen adding details to the drawing.
"We still need to confirm if the crown princess is the one that used the foxglove poison." The Queen advised.
"You're still unsure of the crown princess of Hei An Guang as the Jade Ring?"
"I don't trust your son, that's all" she smiled. "It's hard to believe that the king of Hei An Guang will expose the Jade Ring with such a grand title at such a young age. He doesn't even claim the crown princess as his daughter."
"Alert our spies at Hei An Guang to keep an eye on the crown princess. Try finding the Jade Ring marks on her"
"Considered done, my Queen" Gan Luo Yi walked away backward.
---
The cold wind of Hei An Guang training base passed through the cold body of Wei An Ge furrowing her eyebrows as her eyes were squinted in pain of the whipping from General Rong Zhe. She failed to shoot the arrow, again.
It was the first day of the operation of her punishment. She hasn't even recovered from the previous poison cure yet has to be whipped without mercy.
"Try again" General Rong Zhe instructed, after whipping the Crown princess for the fifth time.
She didn't dare to look at Rong Zhe. Instead, kept her view on the floor of bricks. She got up off the bench she was lying on and gripped on her bow again, trying to shoot. Her face turned pale as her lips barely have any color. The blue scar on her forehead was still there, but paler. The black glove covering her left hand was torned at the under part of the arm.
"Dismiss" Rong Zhe ended, glaring at her revealed left hand.
The total whip she got was 30 times for the day.
"Wei An Ge thanks General Rong Zhe for your guidance" she bowed, tired.
She rode a white horse back to her Chang Ge manor all by herself.
"Let her rest" Wei An Ge instructed the servant to take care of the only silver horse at the kingdom of Hei An Guang as soon as she reached back to her manor, Chang Ge.
"Yes, crown princess" the servant took over the horse to its stable.
"Crown Princess!" Jing Nu called from a far distance, worried. "You're too weak"
"I'm not," Wei An Ge laughed in denial, gripping Jing Nu's left arm tight. "I'm Wei An Ge, the crown princess, being hit and whipped are what I consume all the time"
"Don't worry, Jing Nu" she patted the maid's shoulder, masking an innocent smile.
"Let's go and get you a rest before going to the court" Jing Nu assist her to change her outfit.
Wei An Ge sat on her throne at the court, just beside the King.
"How are you, crown princess?" The King asked with a strict voice not sparing her any glimpse.
"Replying to the King, I am all well. I wouldn't dare to bother Your Majesty with such a small matter" she replied, bowing her head down. She didn't want to have any of the king's attention even though her face was already half-covered.
The court was working smoothly for approximately two hours.
The crown princess started massaging her right wrist, feeling burnt upon getting hit with General Rong Zhe the morning before.
"Uk" she coughed, patting on her chest trying to catch her breath.
The King took a glimpse of the crown princess before realizing her health issues.
"That's all, we shall be dismissed. I'm tired" The King stood up, wiping his mighty black outfit. "Call Jing Nu"
He pointed to Wei An Ge.
Jing Nu rushed to her, worried.
"Crown Princess let's go back to Chang Ge" she helped to pat An Ge's tight chest. "Okay?"
Wei An Ge gripped the hands of Jing Nu shaking her head, disagree. She was still smiling.
"Go to Minister Sun manor, continue training," she said, determined. "And then visit Li Zhi Jian, apologize"
"Don't be like this, okay?" Jing Nu placed Wei An Ge's right arm on her shoulder, trying to assist her back to Chang Ge manor.
"Jing Nu, please,"
"No no nope!" Jing Nu refused as they started walking out of the court. "I refuse to listen,"
Wei An Ge giggled seeing the rebellious Jing Nu.
"Hey, I'm the Crown Princess right?"
"But you need to respect your elder, listen to me. Go back and rest."
As Jing Nu was leading the way to Chang Ge manor by their feet, Wei An Ge kept pulling Jing Nu towards the path that went straight to the Sun manor.
"Crown Princess, stop pushing me there." Jing Nu smiled, tickling Wei An Ge. "Back to Chang Ge. No more discussion. Court ended!"
Wei An Ge giggled again.
"Oh, now I'm the crown princess again?"
They cracked up. Wei An Ge felt more energetic she started walking by herself.
Along the road, a few familiar figures appeared.
"Crown Princess," it was Minister Sun Lai Zhe himself. Beside him were General Wang Kuan and his daughter, Wang Xuan followed by Sun Ai Er. Li Hua Rong was leading the way.
Wei An Ge had her eyes plastered on Li Hua Rong that sadly, didn't even spare a look at her.
"Is Li Zhi Jian getting better, Hua Rong?" She asked, concern,walking towards her.
Hua Rong stepped backward, silent and awkward.
"Crown Princess, I hope you won't mind if our class today is canceled. I apologize" Minister Sun bowed.
"THE CROWN PRINCESS WOULDN'T MIND AT ALL!" Jing Nu answered herself, smiling in excitement and satisfactory.
Minister Sun was startled. He pasted his view back to the Crown Princess.
Wei An Ge was surprised, she grinned and just nodded. Her cheeks raised, squinting her almond eyes.
---
"Grandfather, general Rong Zhe is here" Hua Rong and the general entered Li Zhi Jian's room with a sweet and peaceful smile decorating his emotionless face.
"General," Li Zhi Jian attempted to stand up to welcome the mighty generally.
"Don't bother, Elder Li" Rong Zhe stopped Li Zhi Jian, helping him to lay on the bed again. "Hua Rong, may I bother you?"
"It will be my pleasure to do so" she bowed,
"Get General Wang Kuan and Minister Sun Lai Zhe here"
Hua Rong was shocked at first but managed to conceal it.
"How do I?"
"Just tell them I summoned them myself. They will follow you. They just got back from the court."
Hua Rong nodded, understood.
"The Queen ordered us to start searching for the Jade Ring." General Rong Zhe whispered as soon as Li Hua Rong was out of sight. "The crown princess is the Jade Ring, Elder Li"
Li Zhi Jian coughed in shock he couldn't catch his breath.
"I had the same guess when the crown Princess told me the king applied the foxglove poison on her" he explained. "Unfortunately before I could report it to Wei Zhuang, I was caught and tortured."
They sighed in disappointment.
"General, they are here" Hua Rong introduced.
"Imperial Physician, Li Zhi Jian" General Wang Kuan with his playful and naughty daughter, Wang Xuan greeted.
"General Rong Zhe" Minister Sun Lai Zhe and his bright daughter, Sun Ai Er greeted.
Sun Ai Er was looking elegant and lovely with pastel pink and flowy handy while Wang Xuan dressed like how a guy would. Her clothes were white with strands of a dark blue pattern at the under part.
"Girls, why don't you leave us the elders here?" General Rong Zhe suggested.
The three girls nodded, walking out of the room as Sun Lai Zhe closed the door and windows.
"Li Hua Rong, how are you and your grandfather?" Wang Xuan asked with care.
"Yeah, is he getting better?" Sun Ai'er added the question.
The three ladies were in the backyard, appreciating the natural beauty while enjoying the complexity of teas.
"He's getting better. But he's old now, it would take time to fully recover" Li Hua Rong explained. "Thanks for asking, ladies"
She started bowing in respect.
"Eyy, don't be like this." Wang Xuan laughed. She stood up and started practicing her sword skill.
Her eyes were covered with a white cloth to test her senses upon the flowing flowers and leaves.
"Yup! it doesn't matter what status we hold, we're friends" Sun Ai Er added, smiling. "Yeah, and the crown princess as well"
Li Hua Rong's expression changed as her eyes stared towards the thin air, deadly.
"I don't want to have anything to do with her," she said.
"Why?" Sun Ai Er curiously asked.
"Her grandfather who treated every of her health problem was tortured because of the crown princess herself. Sun Ai Er, why can't you think of it?" Wang Xuan laughed, covering back her sword.
"But if something happened to my relatives because of the royals, I won't mind rebelling" Wang Xuan was determined.
"We'll be with you"
--
"Wolfie, I miss our mother's desserts" Gan Xin pet the silver wolf on his lap. It was laying on the left side after being feeded with a stronger poison that can overcome the foxglove poison.
"Those cakes taste sweet like my mother every time she feeds me. I want to see her smile, I miss it so much"
Gan Xin had his eyes like a pool of tears.
Wolfie placed its face in Gan Xin's palm to show its affection and longing.
Gan Xin giggled in reply as he slowly laid his side together with Wolfie.
"If only I didn't make the foxglove poison for that selfish princess of Hei An Guang," he start reflecting. "We could have still be with our parents practicing our sword games."
"No worries, one day we'll get our revenge." He looked at Wolfie, pity.
"I'll make us cakes tomorrow, okay?"
Wolfie's face went to his arm, burying his face in it.
---
"Argh!" A boy moaned in pain, holding his father's hand, tight. Their gazes were on each other.
"Hold on, my boy"
The queen of Wei Zhuang went to a large campsite. The campsite was located in a deep part of a forest in Wei Zhuang. A large white cloth was used to cover the campsite. People that have touched the foxglove will be located there for treatment. Unfortunately, it was full of screaming and moaning as the foxglove poison begun to affect the people.
Her eyebrows were furrowed, her lips felt dried and she's getting teary. The view of her own people suffering was overwhelming and too harsh for her to handle.
"How many people were attacked a day?" She questioned the doctor. Her tone was serious and intense.
"My Queen, it was 10 people a day before we warned them. But the number is decreasing as time passes" the young doctor replied, bowing with respect. "All thanks to your precautions idea"
"It's not a permanent solution. Only the kingdom of Hei An Guang can make the foxglove poison for now. They used it on their crown princess"
"The people of Wei Zhuang are waiting for the Queen's good news" the lines of doctors and ministers wished.
The Queen smiled, nodding with full of hope.