6 REUNION (1)

"Sister Ling," Bian opened the doors waiting all morning for her sister. She faces a disappointment as she sees General Cao Cao and his soldiers. She knew it, it was too early for her sister to reach the house anyways since the sun barely making its way out of the mountains. Meng De stared at Bian, dressed beautifully with a smile. She is just what he needed to rejuvenate. He have never seen her smile before. She was even more beautiful and gentle looking with her smile. But as soon as she seen him, she started frowning again. "You are home, General Cao Cao," Bian quickly backed away and bowed.

Meng De nodded and entered the house. "You are home," Lady Ding said. Meng De was surprised Lady Ding was awake early to receive her husband. Truthfully, Lady Ding was up early to wait for her guest, Consort Ling. Time goes by, there was another knock on the door. "I can get it," Bian said as went to get the door again. "Who is here this early?" Meng De asked Lady Ding after getting dressed comfortably and coming to the court yard. "Sister Ling!" Bian excited voice filled the morning chill. She locked hands immediately with her older sister. "How are you Bian?" Consort Ling rubbed her sister on the arms. "I am fine," Bian smiles. "Look who I brought here with me?" Ling pulled in Physician Chang. Bian smiled even more brightly at Physician Chang, her long time crush. "Physician Chang," Bian bowed to great him properly. "You are so grown up in the past three years," Chang said as he is surprised to see Bian as a woman.

Mengde watched the interaction as Lady Ding explains who is who. "That is Consort Ling, my official consort, and Chang, a town boy who became our famous physician," Lady Ding said, "I did not inform you they were coming because I thought you were still away, it would not concern you, would it?" Meng De shook his head no, "I would like to meet them," especially meeting Chang, who Bian is smiling all over for.

Consort Ling and Physician Chang walked towards General Cao Cao and Lady Ding. They greeted them properly. "Let's go eat breakfast," Lady Ding leads everyone to the dining hall. As they all sit around the circle, Lady Ding gave permission for Bian to sit with them, next to her sister. "Welcome to the Cao's manor" Meng De toast. "It is an honor to be dining with a well-recognized general," Chang responded. In the circle table, sat Mother Yan, Meng De, Lady Ding, Lady Mei and Lady Guo, Bian, Ling, and Chang. The circle table was filled with food that Lady Ding requested the night before, mostly Consort Ling's favorite, which were also Bian's favorites because the sisters had similar tastes.

"Here you go," Ling added the shrimp to Bian's bowl. Without touching her bowl and food, Bian just stared at her sister, who she missed dearly. "Eat up," Ling told Bian. Bian shook her head, "I have no appetite." "You are a consort for the past three years and you still don't know proper manners," Ling teased Bian about her rejecting food a form of rudeness. "Thank you," Bian said as she passed the shrimp to Lady Guo, who also had similar taste to the sisters. "Don't tell me you change after these three years too?" Ling said thinking her little sister does not like shrimp. "No, have not changed a bit," Bian pulled out her hands and arms to show her older sister that she is the same person.

Meng De watched how childish Bian can be to her older sister. He has never seen her acted that way before. Everyone passes food around a form of respect and courtesy. Ling, Mother Yan, and Lady Ding discuss about life. Chang and Meng De gets to know more about each other. Chang observes and sees Bian's bowl. "You haven not eaten anything at all," Chang said to Bian as all the food cleared out. He grabbed the last shrimp of his bowl and put it in Bian's bowl. "You have to at least take a bit of this," Chang insist. Bian nodded at Chang's offer. She brought it up to her nose, it smelled strong. It made her felt nausea. "I really have no appetite," Bian said. "Where are you sick?" Meng De asked before Lady Ding was about to open her mouth and asked. Bian shook her head and looked at straight at Meng De, which even made her feel like throw up more.

Bian felt the nausea to her throat ready to come out. She covered her mouth and ran out to the court yard to the plants to throw up of nothing, but spit mixed with water she drank from the morning. Ling and Chang walked out to soothe her. "Chang, please check her if she is sick?" Ling was worried about her sister. "Where are you hurting?" Chang asked. Bian waved her hands at them to tell them it is nothing. Throwing up nothing made her made her weak, Bian had never felt this way before.

Mother Yan, Meng De, and Lady Ding followed outside to check up on her too. Mother Yan knew it was successful. She excused herself to her manor. Although, Meng De and Lady Ding demanded to know what was going on. "I will call for our family physician," Meng De said. "We can have Chang check her," Lady Ding said as they took Bian back into the dining table for her to rest since she looked out of life after throwing up nothing. Meng De and Chang followed the ladies back inside as Meng De looked at Chang and said, "minimal touch." Chang chuckled at Meng De care for the single ladies in his household but Chang was a doctor so he had the rights to find out what was going on with a sick patient.

"I'm really fine," Bian said not wanting Chang to examine her. "What is wrong with you?" Lady Ding demanded Bian to tell her as she was worried about Bian. "Nothing," Bian said as she looked at Lady Ding to see Meng De next to her. Just seeing Meng De made her more nausea and weak. She covers her mouth and slowly pats her chest.

"She may be pregnant," Mother Yan walking to the dining room with the same medicine she always had brewed for Lady Ding during her pregnancy. "Brew this for Consort Bian," Mother Yan handed to a consort to do the job. Bian looked away in embarrassment from her sister and Chang, her long time crush. Bian knew it was true about her pregnancy since she missed her monthly cycle. Lady Ding felt bad because wanted a proper time to explain to her best friend who entrusted her with Bian. Chang pulled out Bian's wrist to listen and nodded at Ling, "there are two bloodstreams." Ling was confused. When did her little sister met with a guy and became pregnant. "Who is the father?" Ling asked Bian. She knew Bian wouldn't never dare commit an embarrassment in the family, getting pregnant before marriage. "I am," Meng De said. Chang and Ling turned to Meng De, a famous general of China, would obviously sleep with all the women in the world. Ling was even more upset at her little sister, becoming a concubine and especially for their Lady, who they are indebt too. "I am sorry Lady Ding," Ling apologized immediately to Lady Ding, "I will make sure Bian is properly discipline." Ling grabbed for Bian's wrist, but Lady Ding grabbed onto Ling's wrist, "Consort Ling, follow me outside for me to explain," said Lady Ding. Ling and Chang followed Lady Ding to listen to the explanation she had saved for them.

"It is not Bian's fault," Lady Ding started. "I am the one who is incompetent to produce an heir for the Cao's family. I just had a miscarriage and is going through a cleansing. I begged Bian to carry the heir for me. She is my surrogate mother," Lady Ding finished. Ling and Chang was confused. "Consort Ling," Lady Ding reached for her best friend, "if you think what I did was wrong, please lecture me." Ling shook her head, "Lady Ding, my family is indebted to your family. Bian knows this and that is why she is willing to agree to do this for you. You are not wrong to ask a favor from either me or Bian at all." "Thank you for understanding," Lady Ding sighs. Ling looked at Chang, trying to feel fine but these were Bian's duties now, always taught as consorts, to serve your Lady to the fullest, to even die for them.

Bian hid her face in shame after her sister and Chang followed Lady Ding outside for an explanation. Will her sister be more understand if she finds out Bian is a surrogate, and will Chang still like her after not being an innocent lady? Mother Yan have left to see why the consorts took so long on the medicine that needed to be brewed. "How are you feeling?" Meng De bent down to face Bian who was hiding her face in shame. Bian looked at him with tears filled eyes. He didn't understand if she was looking at her with hatred or sadness. As Bian blinked, tears rolled down her face. Meng De reached to wipe her tears, and again Bian turned away to avoid his touch. Meng De balled up his hand into a fist and smashed the dining table with a loud thud scaring Bian and everyone else as they rushed in to see the dining table have broken in half.

"What happened?" Mother Yan said knowing her son's temper as soon as she enters. Ling and Chang ran to Bian's side to check up on her. "Ungrateful," Meng De smirked at Bian and walked away. "It may have been the table's legs, servants come and take it away," Mother Yan lied to not create any other misunderstandings. Lady Ding watched Ming De walking away in anger. She wondered what got so him so angry to break the table. He has never even treated her that way before. He was always gentle with her and nice. Lady Ding looked at Bian, seeing her terror from Meng De. Lady Ding wanted to keep it that way.

After taking Bian to rest, the family physician arrived on Mother Yan's request. "Consort Bian is in early stage of her pregnancy. She must get many rest and intake nutrition as much as she can," the physician informed and then turned to Bian in telling her, "you cannot avoid food just because you have symptoms. It will cause malnutrition. You need to try to eat as much as you can to help yourself and the fetus." Bian nodded and looked at Mother Yan, Lady Ding, and Chang discussing with the physician with further help.

Ling and Chang was more understanding after Lady Ding's explanation and her taking responsibilities. "After you give birth, you can return home, and I will come back with Chang to work with this family," Ling assures her little sister. Although, she had more questions and nagging to do, she didn't want to stress Bian out any further. "You and Chang?" Bian asked. "Yes, that is what I wanted to tell you," Ling said as she nudged Chang, "before coming to back to replace you right after I recovered, Chang asked for my hand in marriage," referring to their engagement. Bian smiled in happiness for her big sister. Although, it was bittersweet about her feelings towards Chang. She had always like Chang since she was young. Now, he is with an even better person than her, at least it is her sister than someone else. "I am happy for you two," Bian said. "Thank you," Ling said as she held onto her Bian's hands and pats her head to soothe her to sleep.

Mother Yan enters Meng De's manor while he studies away to cool down. "What do you think about making her your concubine?" Mother Yan gave an idea. "No, I am not marrying anyone else," Meng De said. "Then she will stay as a consort in this household her whole life until the day she dies if she gives birth without a title," Mother Yan looked out to the courtyard from the view of Meng De's door. "That is good," Meng De said, "so she does not run around liking men." "She deserves something," Mother Yan said. Meng De sighs and looks up from his studies. "Do you know if I make her a concubine, with your sought-out prophecy, if she gives birth to a son, how many enemies will I make?" Meng De said, "how the Emperor will eliminate all of us because of a prophecy to end his dynasty?" Meng De looked at his mother who didn't thoroughly thought the situation through, "I do not have that much soldiers, and all of my soldiers have parents, children, and wives to return to, just like me."

It was slightly dim outside as Bian slowly wakes up. Did she sleep for a long time? She hasn't had a good night sleep in the past couple of weeks. "Where is Lady Ding?" Bian searched for Lady Ding and her sister. "Everyone went out to enjoy the night market," the consort told Bian. "Where is Lady Yan?" she asked. "Lady Yan is in her manor," the consort said. Bian got dressed in one of favorite dress and sets out with another consort to the night market where Lady Ding, General Cao Cao, Ling, and Chang are. Unexpectedly there is an event where many people were celebrating. The night market was crowded. Bian spots them quickly in the crowd and tries walking to them as people pushed around.

"Watch out," Chang said as he catches Bian by her arms, who almost tripped and fell as the people pushes her towards them. "Thank you," Bian smiled at Chang and fixed her dress. "How are you feeling?" Lady Ding asked. "I feel fine," Bian said. "Let's go eat," Lady Ding said. As people pushed, Meng De blocked any harm towards Lady Ding as Chang did for Ling. Bian was jealous of Chang and Ling. She admired how Chang is such a gentlemen and her sister deserved him. As they reached the crowded restaurant, they were seated after a long time trying to call the waiter for a table. "Boss, 6 bowls of soup," Meng De ordered. Bian was starving being able to smell such good food. Her appetite must had been coming back. As soon as the bowls of soup arrived, everyone dig in.

Chang took two bites of the noodles. As he was blowing his third bite, he knew Bian, pregnant lady, would want to eat more since she was gaining her appetite after those brewed medicine she took. With the crowded people, he knew it would be impossible to order seconds because the Boss would kick them out for more people to come inside. He poured the rest into her bowl. "Why are not you eating it?" Bian asked. "I'm full," Chang smiled. Ling knew how thoughtful Chang was. "Share with me," Ling said as both of them ate from one bowl. Lady Ding smiled of how lovely the new couples were. She looked at Meng De to converse with him but notices that him staring at Bian as if he wanted to kill her. "Are you feeling fine General Meng De?" Lady Ding asked. Meng De nodded at Lady Ding and finished his bowl fast.

The event has become quiet and as the night deepen. Many people were heading home. "Tonight, was a nice time," Ling said as she locked arms with Bian. "How long we haven't done this with Lady Ding?" Ling asked Bian. "Three years," Lady Ding said. "Soon you and I will get to be together more," Ling said. Lady Ding smiles, "I am patiently waiting until you come to be my consort again." "Talking about coming here, General Cao Cao, do know if anyone in need of a family physician?" Chang asked Meng De. "There are couple families who are looking for replacements and additions in this town," Meng De responded. "Please introduce me to them when you have, I am planning to settle here with Ling after Ling comes to replace Bian," Chang said. "Where is Consort Bian going?" Meng De asked. "She is planning to go back home," Chang smiles.

Meng De recalls what his mother said that past afternoon, "if you do not make her a concubine, then she will stay as a consort in this family until she dies". She was mistaken in a way, Bian is leaving. How can leave when she is giving birth to a Cao's bloodline? "What about Consort Bian's unborn child?" Meng De asked. Chang was confused. Lady Ding definitely told them Bian was just a surrogate mother, indicating Bian's child will be given to Lady Ding and Meng De. "As the father, won't you be taking care of the child?" Chang asked Meng De in confusion too. "Yes, I take care of all my children," Meng De said. "That is good then," Chang said and entered the manor. Meng De's questions weren't answered though.