Chapter 4: Little Miss Mishaps 4

The Prime Minister left Minglan's rooms after asked some few tests he slip in between their father and daughter conversation. About the books he sent and of how she had been and few others that lets him sound out her well-being, only after he is satisfied he left with a relieved state of mind.

Minglan is very happy spending time with her father. It shows how much the man cared for her, seeing as he is willing to take a long detour to go to her courtyard that is quite a distance away from the main residence.

Wu Jian wants her nearer to the residence, but due to her weak body and relapsing 'Sickness', he had no choice but make her live far way from most people of the family. But thinking about it well, the distance is also a form of protection from jealous people who cares nothing but themselves. Unknown to Minglan, there were attempts of killing her that the Prime Minister hid from her. And he did a good job of it that Minglan really don't know of it, if it wasn't of Maddy's information.

The decision brings them to the current situation where he needs to make a long trip just to visit his own child.

Minglan understood the man's dilemma, therefore making her appreciate the man's visits no matter how rare it was. So whenever the man come over, she tries to make him feel welcome and happy.

"Young Miss it's time for your medicine." Ling said as she offered a bowl of thick concoctions.

Minglan face turned a little grim at the sight of the bowl. She really doesn't want to drink that bitter 'soup'! Its taste is indescribable!

"Maddy I you help me with the taste? It's very bitter that I think I'll not be able to taste anything later." Minglan asked in her mind.

[I think you should not relay on me on things like this. There are some world where there are things taste more nasty than that. If I help you now with that you'll not be able to adjust by then. Just take this as a practice for more inconvenient worlds in the future.] Maddy answered with amusement in its voice.

"There are things worse than these?! You got to be kidding me! Things like this is just not for a person's tongue." Minglan said in horror.

Maddy did not answer her and the girl is very uneasy with her drinking more bowl of this viscose liquid. Trying her luck she turned to her maid.

"Ling can I drink them later?" Minglan tries to bargain with her maid.

Ling laughed a little then spat a single "No" with no refusals allowed.

With that Minglan could only try to swallow it all without vomiting it out. After she drank it all she turned to Ling with a pair of teary eyes, which the other saw and read, she then offered a piece of candied fruit to elevate the bitter taste.

"Ling let's go to the gardens!" Having something sweet in her mouth, Minglan regained her vigor. "I want to see the new flowers I heard from the servants so much about."

Ling made her wear a cloak to help her young miss resist with the cold. Only then the maid allowed and followed her master in her walk.

Minglan's weak body is very sensitive with coldness that a slight lowering of the temperature will cause her to be bedridden. Although she is wearing a cloak to cover her up and the sun is way up in the spring skies, Minglan still felt the slight chill that runs in her skin whenever a slight wind passed.

But Minglan did not mind it much as the sight of the garden have taken her breath away. Myriad of colors from different flora painted the whole place. The area is also surrounded with relaxing smell of rain, which she just noticed that the ground is a little wet probably it had rained while she still slept.

"Young miss lets go to the side pavilion to enjoy the scenery. I heard that the view is good in there too." Ling said as she make a hint of others' presence nearby. "It's also near to the small pond of your favorite koi fishes."

Taking the hint, Minglan nodded and made Ling lead the way.

"Okay. No wonder I haven't seen the fishes near my courtyard. They actually moved them away. Why haven't you told me..." Minglan kept on talking about the fishes Ling have told about. In truth she is really worried about those fishes that she had been eyeing the cats that passed by her rooms to be the culprit of their disappearance.

Their pace was slow and full of chatters like they have not noticed the people in the pavilion ahead. Their voices then faded into obscurity as they walked away from the pavilion that is just a few distance away.

Later they knew that there were guests at that pavilion from the Imperial palace. But even if they knew they will still go far away as possible. Their daily life is already a drama and a tragedy in a making, no need to add action and crimes into it.

Nevertheless, Minglan is still in a good mood to enjoy the peaceful scenery of the garden. It is mostly contributed to the fact she now knew that her fishes didn't die, but also she meet her older brother whom she is in speaking terms with.

His name is Wu Yihan, the youngest of the legitimate wife of the Prime Minister. Currently he is nine years old and very mischievous. He inherited Wu Jian's peach blossom eyes coupled a pair of lush pink lips from his mother Wei Ting.

He often do some mischief and his sole refuge is Minglan's shelter. Most of the time he prefer to stay near Minglan instead of his full blooded siblings who never seems to see things in his view. In his words, even if the two were not of the same mother, it was she who understood him most in this household other than his father and select few.

Although he doesn't show it much, Wu Yihan is one of the few who genuinely cared of the 'sickly' Minglan whom he sent some medical herbs to improve her health. And Minglan is forever grateful of such care of a sibling who is willing to spend his allowance to help her who is not of the same mother.

The relationship of the children of the Prime Minister is quite complicated. One is that there were camps led by their mothers who competes with each other. Some children were instilled with beliefs and ideas of what they should be, leading them to isolate and alienate each other.

Two even if all the living children are in good terms, they are not to show it to the people of the house, least there will be less living child in the days to come. Therefore, the children have grown very cautious of everything, they don't want to see another sibling to die because of their closeness.

It is very clear with the number of living children to how dangerous the boudoir is. From the Twenty children of the Prime Minister, only eight remained living. All because of the toxic home environment.

"Good Afternoon thirteenth sister." Yihan greeted his obviously in good mood half sister. But as usual to their interactions, he asked the obvious and got a cheerful response.

"I got a good night sleep last night fifth Brother." Minglan shared her good tidings. "And I found out that my koi fishes is still alive! Only they were transferred in the pond in the side pavilion."

Wu Yihan smiled at the simple things the other found to be a great news. He found such things to be of matter of course, but for the other it is something hard to come by. Because of this simple joys his little sister shows him, he no longer feel as much anger towards the difference in care with his full bloodied siblings.

"Good for you little sister!" He said after he made sure that no one else is around. "Since you're here accompany me for a little while."

Wu Yihan said as she pulled her over to the side pavilion.