27 The secret training room

Chao Shen returned to his manor exhausted. Since he started working for King Ju-long, he will go home exhausted. He would stay in the palace all day. King Ju-long even suggested that he stays in the palace already. But he cannot. He walked around his manor courtyard. All the servants are now asleep. He ordered them not to wait for him every day. Hui also returned to his quarters after sending him to his manor.

Chao Shen passed through the servants' quarters. He looked at that door where in the past, he knew that when he opens it, he will find her there. He felt a sharp pain in his heart again. He continued walking until he reached the big peach tree. He looked up. He remembered the young Lihua up there smiling down at him. He smiled back but then the image faded.

He continued walking until he did not realize, he is in front of the secret door towards the training room. He entered the room. As he is walking, he remembered the conversation he had with his father in this training room, few weeks after he brought Lihua in the manor.

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"I noticed the new maidservant you brought in," Prime Minister Chao asked his son suddenly.

"Oh," Shen is surprised with her father's question.

"I noticed she is quick and smart," he said without looking at his son.

Shen becomes suspicious of his father's interest to the maidservant.

"What are you thinking?" he asked his brows furrowed.

"One of our spies was caught. We need a new one. And the one who brought in might just be the one we need."

Shen is surprised with what he heard from his father. He knew that his father often used people to do his bidding but this is the first time he wants to use his own people.

"She's mine. You cannot use my own people," he said firmly.

"She is your person that's why I want to use her. It's time for you to do your share in our plans," Prime Minister Chao said challenging his son.

The father and son stare at each other. Even though Chao Shen knew that his father is just doing all these for him, he still doesn't want to use innocent people. After a while, Shen gave up.

"Okay, but I will be the one to do the planning," he said finally.

Prime Minister Chao think about it deeply before nodding his head.

"Okay, that's good. You go and find me when you come up with the plan already."

After his conversation with his father, Shen went out to look for Lihua. It's been a few weeks since the little girl started working in their mansion. He went to the servants' quarter but did not find her. He went to the courtyard but she is not there. He is walking near the kitchen when he suddenly thought of checking there.

He entered the kitchen quietly. No one was there. He roamed around. When he thought that no one is there, he heard a sound in the far end corner of the kitchen. He moved closer and under the table, he found the person he is looking for. She's eating a steamed bun, unaware that she was already been found.

"What are you doing there?"

Shen's voice made the little girl jumped and trembled. She immediately kneeled and bowed.

"Come out of there," Shen commanded silently. He saw the little girl slowly come out trembling. He thought that she might have remembered what happen to her in the Minister of Finance residence.

"No need to kneel and bow. You can eat your steamed bun freely,"

Lihua looked up at him with surprise. Shen nodded his head, signaling that its okay for her to eat. Little Lihua immediately eats her steamed bun. Shen looked at her with pity.

"I will allow you to eat anytime you want. But you have to do a good job for me, okay?"

Little Lihua nodded.

"Let's go somewhere first. You can bring your food."

Chao Shen brought little Lihua in the secret training room.

"Where are we young master Shen?" she asked him while looking around the training room.

"We are in the secret training room. Lihua, I have a question for you,"

"What is it, young master?"

"Do you want to be strong?"

Lihua looked at him straight to the eye. He tried to read what's there but he can't. It is as if he is looking at a well whose so deep he cannot see the bottom. She nodded to him after a while.

"I want to be so strong so no one can bully me. And for me to have food to eat." She said with conviction.

Chao Shen's heart was moved. He never expected that she is so innocent.

"I can make sure that no one can bully you and you can have more than enough food to eat. But I also need your help."

"Whatever it is, I will help you,"

Shen was relieved. He thought he will have a hard time convincing her.

"You know Hui right?"

"Yes, the other boy who is always following you with a frown on his face all day?"

"Yes," he laughed lightly hearing how the little girl describes Hui. He will definitely tell him that later.

"What about him?"

"Hui is my bodyguard and he is helping me by protecting me. Now, I need other help to achieve my goals. And I hope you can help me."

Little Lihua thinks for a moment.

"I will help you get that throne," she said straight to his face.

Chao Shen was surprised. He did not know what to say.

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"I will answer young master later but there is one condition that I want to request."

"Okay, go on. What is it?"

"I can act as a servant but I don't want to be treated as one."

Chao Shen saw a different kind Lihua that day. Her demeanor is not of a lowly slave. He can sense her inner confidence. With what she said, he immediately got an idea.

"Okay, I can accept that. When there is only us, you are now a servant. Now, tell me, why did you say that I want to take the throne?"

Little Lihua was silent for a moment. Is it as if she is weighing something. Then, she looked at her and said, "It is not you who wanted it but the Prime Minister wanted it for you. I heard it from the old master when I am tending the plants near his study hall."

Shen did not know if he will be happy or scared of this child. Maybe his father noticed it as well that's why he talked about her.

"You are sharp, that's good. But I want you to know that I will not hesitate to kill you if you are working for someone else."

The two of them stared at each other as if having an inner battle. After a while, Shen is satisfied. He lowered his gaze.

"We need to strengthen your body. Every night after your work duty, you have to go here and train. Do you think you can do that?"

He saw the determination and fire on her eyes, she nodded in agreement.

"I will also teach you techniques and methods to gather intelligence."

The little girl nodded again.

Since that day, Little Lihua and Little Shen would train in the training room every night. Some nights, they were accompanied by Hui. The three of them become bonded in training.

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Chao Shen sit down and looked around the training room again. Sadness and longing can be seen on his face.

"Maybe, it is time to let you go..."

And for the last time, Chao Shen allowed himself to cry for her. For the girl who endured everything with him. The girl who sacrificed herself to achieve what he wanted. Only if the girl knew that she is the only thing she wanted all this time.