21 Chapter 18: Traveling to Beijing
Beijing Prefecture, China
Perez Residence
"Reporter": "A few days ago, we talked about child traffic. We have more information regarding that topic".
" Officer! Officer! Come quickly!" Mrs.Perez called out to me shouting.
" Madame, you called?" Ying Jie came out to the living room.
" Watch this!" Mrs.Perez showed me the news.
"Reporter": "These traffickers have been seen around the city of Wuxie lately. More information is to be gathered.
Shanghai Prefecture, China
" What's this? Child traffic? Do those barbaric methods still exist? What's the police been doing? Why haven't they been caught? Of all the places where they could have gathered, why have they chosen the city of Wuxie? Why, Wuxie? Why? Why? Wei is in grave danger. I need to get to Wuxie as soon as possible" I said after watching the news.
Beijing Prefecture, China
This doesn't look good! Not good at all! Ying Jie thought to himself while looking tense.
" Child traffic should have been abolished long ago, but this activity is still active. When I think about those parents who might never see their children ever again, I get pained in my heart" Mrs.Perez said while watching the news.
If only you knew the truth, madame! If only you knew! Ying Jie thought to himself.
" Talking about children, have you found out anything about Estrella?" Mrs.Perez asked me in a questionable tone.
" No, I'm afraid! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find her whereabouts. I don't know where she could have gone to" officer Ying Jie simply said.
" My daughter, where are you?" Mrs.Perez fell on the ground crying.
" Madame, calm down!" I tried calming her down.
" My daughter? Where could she be?" said Mrs.Perez crying.
I hope Yue didn't watch this! Ying Jie thought to himself.
" Don't you know where my daughter is?" Mrs.Perez asked me in a questionable tone.
" What are you saying? I've told you everything I knew" I said.
��� Are you sure?" asked Mrs.Perez with insistence.
" Are you suspecting me?" Ying Jie asked Mrs.Perez questionably.
" Don't answer my question with another question! Answer me!" Mrs.Perez said angrily.
I didn't know what to do anymore. I was at a loss. Should I tell her the truth or not? What's the right course of action?
" I don't have anything more to say. Believe me or don't believe me, your choice!" I said to her.
" What are you hiding from me?" Mrs.Perez grabbed my collar firmly.
Shanghai Prefecture, China
Ying Residence
" It's decided! I'll go to Wuxie and retrieve Wei before it's too late" I said affirmatively.
Li Imperial Palace
Emperor Li Jun
" Have you found out anything about my son's whereabouts?"
Commissioner Mu Beiyang
" Not yet, unfortunately!"
Emperor Li Jun
" What are you waiting for?"
Commissioner Mu Beiyang
" Calm down, your majesty! Officer Ying Jie is gathering information as we speak. We'll notify you once we find out anything. Be patient!"
" Were you talking to the police department? Any news about my grandson?" asked Empress Dowager.
" No, mom! There's still no news about Wei" Emperor Li Jun replied.
" Don't be so tense! You got to be strong for Wei! Don't be discouraged! If you lose hope now of all time, Wei will also lose hope!" said Empress Dowager.
" I won't lose hope as I know Wei will be coming back in a few days," Emperor Li Jun said.
" That's the spirit!" said Empress Dowager happily.
" Mom, have you seen Mei anywhere these past few days?" the emperor suddenly asked.
" She must be in her room" the empress replied.
" Thank you for the info! Love you!" the emperor hugged his mother and left.
10 minutes later
Princess Li Mei Pavillon
[Knock! Knock! Knock!] [Knock! Knock! Knock!]
" Who's there? I don't want to see anyone! Go away!" said the princess from the other side of the room.
" Not even me!" said the emperor from the other side of the door.
" That voice? You may come in, your majesty!" the princess granted permission.
The emperor entered the princess's chamber.
" What happened?" asked the emperor.
" Excuse me?" said the princess confused.
" You're calling me your majesty now?" the emperor asked confused.
" I don't understand what you mean. You're the emperor, aren't you?" asked the princess.
" I don't deny being the emperor, but you never called me your majesty before. You calling me your majesty all of a sudden must only mean one thing: You're not feeling well" said the emperor.
" What are you saying? I'm calling you your majesty due to your title!" said the princess.
" Have you noticed, you haven't called me brother, not even once. The only word I heard from you was, your majesty and that's all" said the emperor to the princess.
" I'm tired! Please, leave from here!" the princess said turning around.
" I won't leave! I won't go from here!" said the emperor confidently.
" Leave from here or you'll never see me again in the future," the princess said, threatening the emperor.
The emperor looked terrified hearing the princess's words and turned around sadly.
" Ok! I'll leave! I'll leave you alone! Take care of yourself, sister!" said the emperor taking his leave.
The princess saw her brother left with a sad look on his face and that pained her heart.
I'm sorry, brother! I had to do this. You have to distance yourself from me. You're the emperor of the Li Empire. and you have to act like one. I'm sorry to have hurt your feelings like that! It was necessary to do that for you to understand your position. I hope you can forgive me! The princess thought to herself.
Li Imperial Hallway
Flashback
" Have you noticed, you haven't called me brother, not even once. The only word I heard from you was, your majesty and that's all". The emperor reminisces what happened with his sister a few minutes ago.
" I'm tired! Please, leave from here!" Said the imperial princess.
" I won't leave! I won't go from here!"
" Leave from here or you'll never see me again in the future". Said the imperial princess in a rather cold tone.
Present time
" Jun, why the sad face? Weren't you able to see Mei?" The empress dowager suddenly asked.
" I saw her, mom! I saw her!" the emperor replied.
" If you did, then what's the problem? Why do you look so sad?" the empress dowager asked.
" Do I look sad to you? I'm not sad in the slightest! I'll be in my room!" the emperor said, taking his leave.
" What's wrong with him? I better ask Mei about it. She must know something" said the empress dowager.
Beijing Prefecture, China
" What are you hiding from me?" Mrs.Perez grabbed my collar firmly.
" I've told you, haven't I? Why would I be hiding something from you?" Ying Jie asked in a questionable tone.
" I have reasons to think you're hiding something from me," Mrs.Perez said.
" Reasons? Which ones?" Ying Jie asked in a questionable tone.
" When you came back from your investigations, you were acting strangely," said Mrs.Perez.
" Strangely? In what way?" Ying Jie asked.
" You start avoiding me. You start avoiding my questions to be more precise, which you never did before. When I picked the topic of my daughter's disappearance, you irremediably changed the topic without a second thought" Mrs.Perez replied.
" You noticed all that? I don't have any other choice, but to tell you the truth. First of all, I would like to apologize to you. I've hidden something important from you" Ying said.
" The thing you're hiding from me, is it related to my daughter?" Mrs.Perez asked in a questionable tone.
" Before I tell you anything, you need to make me a promise," Ying Jie said seriously.
" A promise? What do you want me to promise you exactly?" Mrs.Perez asked.
" You need to promise me that whatever I'll tell you, you'll keep your calm" Ying Jie said seriously.
" Why? Is it that serious?" Mrs.Perez asked.
" Yesterday as you already know, I went out for my investigations. Based on my investigations, I found out the location of your daughter" Ying Jie said seriously.
" You found out the localization of my daughter? Where is she?" Mrs.Perez asked in a questionable tone.
" Don't forget your promise!" Ying Jie said.
" I promise not to lose my calm. Tell me the whereabouts of my daughter!" Mrs.Perez said calmly.
" Your daughter, Estrella, was found in Wuxie," Ying Jie finally said.
" Wuxie? The child traffickers were also found in Wuxie? My daughter? What's going to happen to you?" said Mrs.Perez terrified.
" She's going to be fine! I won't let anything happen to her, I promise" Ying Jie said with assurance.
" Are you sure Estrella will be okay? Are you sure nothing will happen to her? Are you sure she'll be saved?" Mrs.Perez asked with insistence.
" I'm positive! Believe in my words!" Ying Jie said with assurance.
" I trust you completely! I know you'll find my daughter!" Mrs.Perez said confidently which made Ying Jie happy.
" Thank you for your trust! I won't disappoint you! Go and have some rest!" Ying Jie said.
" I will! Food is in the refrigerator. Make sure to eat on time! Good night!" Mrs. Perez said, taking her leave.
" I will and thank you!" Ying Jie said thankfully.
" There's no need to thank me! See you tomorrow! Don't stay up too late!" Mrs.Perez said turning around.
" I'll call Yue to check on her. I hope she didn't do anything drastic" Ying Jie said.
Shanghai Prefecture, China
" What am I going to bring with me? 5 shoes, 10 pants, 10 shirts, 5 skirts, 5 dresses, 1 toothpaste, and 1 dentifrice. What else could I bring with me? Let's see------------------------------------------------------------------" I said packing my luggage.
I was still in the middle of packing when I heard my phone rang.
[Ring! Ring! Ring!] [Ring! Ring! Ring!]
Ying Yue
" Hello, brother! What's up?"
Ying Jie
" What are you doing right now?"
Ying Yue
" I'm getting ready to go on a journey. I've already packed my luggage in my suitcase".
Ying Jie
" A journey? Where to?"
Ying Yue
" Wuxi!"
Ying Jie
" Wuxi?"
Ying Yue
" What's wrong? Why are you silent?"
Ying Jie
" Sister, can you come to Beijing tomorrow?"
Ying Yue
" What for?"
Ying Jie
" I have something to tell you".
Ying Yue
" Something to tell me! What is it?"
Ying Jie
" I can't tell you on the phone. See you tomorrow!"
I hung up the phone and composed a new number.
Ying Yue
" Hello, I would like you to prepare a driver for me tomorrow morning".
Train Driver
" What time would be appropriate?"
Ying Yue
" How about 10:00 a.m.?!"
Train Driver
" Got it! I'll arrange for a driver that will be perfect for you! I'll give you a call tomorrow!"
I hung up the call after that.
Traveling to Beijing? I have never been there before. This will be my first time! What's Jie wants to talk to me about? I won't know until tomorrow! I'm sleepy! I better go to bed! I headed to bed.
