Desire

The servant, his demeanor a blend of apprehension and discretion, lowered his head, a silent gesture commanding Suyin's attention as he pressed his index finger against his lips, invoking a hushed solemnity that hung palpably in the air.

Suyin, her pulse still racing from the recent confrontation, harbored no trace of shame for the desperate clutch she had upon the servant's legs mere moments ago.

Seated now, she gathered herself, folding her legs beneath her, a picture of composed curiosity, while the servant, with a quick, furtive glance beyond the chamber's threshold, pivoted back to her.

"In the wake of Master Jianhong's dalliances," he murmured, his voice a mere whisper, as if fearing eavesdropping shadows, "tragedy unfurls its relentless tapestry. Women who end up in this room find their fates sealed in grim silence, either by their own hands or by the hand of the Master himself. His strength, oftentimes a tempest beyond his control, wreaks havoc in moments of frenzy."

His words, delivered in a tone barely audible, drifted like smoke tendrils, leaving an unsettling chill in their wake. "And as the moon casts its spectral glow, we, the silent sentinels, bear witness to his nocturnal soliloquies, punctuated by his fits of unhinged laughter."

Suyin recoiled inwardly, her mind grappling with the harrowing scenarios painted by the servant's words.

The weight of what might have transpired in the veiled darkness of the previous night pressed upon her consciousness like a suffocating cloak, a chilling reminder of the precariousness of her existence within these walls.

The realization of her narrow escape cast a shadow over her thoughts, imbuing her with a newfound urgency tinged with dread.

Had fate not intervened in the form of the unassuming child who had disrupted the Master's sinister designs, her own destiny might have mirrored those tragic echoes that lingered in the mansion's haunted whispers.

"Why," Suyin ventured, her voice a mixture of disbelief and a hunger for understanding, "do you choose to talk to me?"

Her gaze bore into the servant's, seeking solace in the depths of his eyes, the same eyes that had breached the sanctum of her confinement on that fateful night.

"One of the older servants had mentioned Jianhong taking interest in a woman after meeting her at the medical shop."

The servant's admission hung in the air, his gaze averted, fixated on the timeworn floorboards beneath his feet.

"I... know it sounds ridiculous, but I cannot save enough money to buy my mother's medicine, and she is very ill."

His confession, laden with the weight of desperation, finally found release as his eyes met Suyin's, a plea etched in their depths.

"The Master had promised to give me extra money to provide for my mother's medicine, but he always delays it. My mother's condition worsens by the day. Upon hearing that you possess the jade of the dragon, bestowed by the Prince of Qin, I am left with no choice but to implore you for assistance in procuring funds for my mother's treatment!"

His supplication was punctuated by a profound bow, his deference a testament to the depths of his desperation.

Suyin, taken aback by the magnitude of the servant's plight, found herself wrestling with conflicting emotions.

If circumstances had driven this young soul to work under someone as crazy as Jianhong, in a bid to alleviate his mother's suffering, then indeed, his appeal for aid was not merely born out of selfish intent but of dire necessity.

Suppressing the tumult of her thoughts, she offered a compassionate smile to the trembling figure before her.

"Listen carefully," she began, her tone tempered with resolve. "If you help me escape from this place, I solemnly pledge to provide you with the means to see your mother's condition and help her."

Pausing to gauge his reaction, she continued, her voice imbued with urgency.

"However, in return, you must vow to sever ties with this tyrant who holds you captive in servitude."

The servant, his eyes brimming with gratitude, sank to his knees before her, his gratitude overflowing in earnest fervor.

"Thank you, thank you!" he exclaimed, his words tinged with a profound sense of relief.

"I am aware that the Master always keeps the key to your confinement within a pouch on him. The only instances when he relinquishes his hold on it are during his morning ablutions or when he retires for the night. As he prepares for his morning bath, I shall ensure to keep a vigilant watch."

Suyin nodded in acknowledgment, her mind already racing ahead, formulating plans for their imminent escape.

"Once you secure the key," she instructed, her voice laced with determination, "ensure to bring along a change of attire for me. These garments will serve as evidence of my departure."

The prospect of freedom, however fleeting, stirred a newfound sense of purpose within her.

"What is your name?" Suyin inquired, her gaze fixed upon the servant who stood before her.

"My name is Shao Feng," came the whispered response, laden with the weight of a childhood robbed of innocence.

Suyin, her heart heavy with empathy, watched as the young servant hastened from the room, his silhouette a testament to the injustice that pervaded the halls of Jianhong's domain.

Shao Feng.

The name echoed in Suyin's mind, a poignant reminder of the innocence lost amidst the whirl of power and greed.

As she contemplated the plight of this child, thrust into a world of cruelty and deceit, she resolved to forge a path to freedom not only for herself but for the countless souls ensnared within Jianhong's web of corruption.

For a child of ten, his rightful place lay not in servitude but in the embrace of learning and laughter.

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Servants, their presence an unassuming tableau of silent deference, lined the hallway flanking the path leading to the bathing chambers, their expressions a blend of obedience and veiled apprehension.

Anticipation hung thick in the air, a palpable undercurrent that rippled through the corridor like a whispered secret, as they awaited the arrival of their enigmatic master, Jianhong.

Inside the opulent bathing chamber, a sanctuary of luxury and excess, maids meticulously arranged crimson petals of vibrant hue around the edges of an extravagant bathtub, its dimensions rivaling those of a miniature pool.

The steam rising from the water imbued the atmosphere with a heady warmth, enveloping the room in a cocoon of sensuous indulgence.

As Jianhong swept into the chamber, shedding the mantle of authority embodied by his robe with effortless grace, he exuded an aura of regal poise, each step a testament to his commanding presence.

With practiced ease, he descended into the embrace of the glistening waters, their caress a balm to his weary soul.

At the heart of the expansive pool, a marble effigy of ethereal beauty stood sentinel, its delicate features frozen in timeless serenity.

Jianhong's gaze lingered upon the statue, a silent reverie punctuated by the echo of his own laughter, wild and untamed, reverberating off the chamber's walls like a haunting refrain.

"My wife..." his voice, tinged with equal parts longing and madness, trailed off into the expanse of the chamber, swallowed by the weight of his fractured psyche.

Meanwhile, amidst the orchestrated chaos of Jianhong's ritualistic ablutions, Shao Feng, a solitary figure navigating the shadows with practiced stealth, seized the opportune moment to slip into the chamber unnoticed.

With the other servants dispersing as Jianhong descended into the depths of his private reverie, Shao Feng seized upon the window of opportunity presented to him.

Concealed within the dim recesses of the chamber, he watched with held breath as Jianhong's laughter, tinged with an unsettling fervor, echoed against the marble walls.

With deft fingers, he retrieved the key to Suyin's confinement, a glimmering promise of liberation amidst the suffocating confines of Jianhong's tyranny.

As Jianhong's laughter crescendoed, Shao Feng, his heart aflutter with a potent blend of fear and determination, stole away from the chamber, the weight of his clandestine mission heavy upon his shoulders. In the flickering shadows, he vanished like a phantom, leaving behind the echoes of his footsteps as a silent testament to his daring.

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[Qin Fuhua's POV]

A solitary figure stood amidst the bustling streets, his gaze drawn upward by the fluttering of wings against the cerulean expanse of the sky. With practiced ease, Qin Fuhua withdrew a diminutive whistle from his pocket, its delicate melody a siren call to the avian denizens that soared above.

As if summoned by an invisible tether, a pigeon, its plumage a tapestry of muted hues, descended from the heavens, alighting gracefully upon Qin Fuhua's outstretched finger.

With a deft motion, he retrieved the missive affixed to the bird's slender leg, its contents a harbinger of both urgency and intrigue.

Unfolding the parchment with measured deliberation, Qin Fuhua's eyes scanned the words inscribed upon its surface, each line etching a map of intrigue and peril.

"There has been a sect in the village that is looking for the Prince of Qin to find reasons to take the kingdom down. Investigating at the moment is not a priority. Save Suyin and find the medicine for the Princess first.

-WZ"

The directive, penned with the unmistakable precision of Weizhe's hand, cut through the tumult of Qin Fuhua's thoughts like a blade through silk.

Though the specter of treachery loomed large upon the horizon, outweighing the current priority, Weizhe's sense of logic was exactly like Qin Fuhua: saving Suyin and the Princess.

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[Suyin's POV]

With the promise of liberation hanging tantalizingly within her grasp, Suyin watched as the servant, Shao Feng, slipped into the shadows, leaving behind the key to her freedom as a silent testament to their clandestine pact.

Clad now in the guise of a servant, her features obscured by the anonymity of borrowed attire, Suyin braced herself for the impending exodus, her heart aflutter with a heady mixture of anticipation and apprehension.

Yet, before she could steal away into the night, the tranquility of her clandestine departure was shattered by the cacophony of clashing steel echoing through the corridors with the force of a thunderous tempest. Someone was fighting somewhere in the same manor.

Alarm rippled through the air like a palpable wave, its tendrils of dread snaking their way into the recesses of Suyin's consciousness, a harbinger of impending peril.

"There's an intruder! Bring more help here!"

The urgent cry, a clarion call to arms, reverberated through the chamber with the force of a battle cry, sending shockwaves of apprehension coursing through Suyin's veins.