GRUDGES

"Sir Rumilie... please, don't be sad anymore. If you are sad, my heart hurts..."

Rumilie kept grasping Wan Ya's right hand tightly, which was as thin as a skeleton. "Wan Ya... please... you have to get well... it's not the end..."

Tears started to fall down Wan Ya's cheeks. "It is my Fate, we have to surrender to it, even though He is cruel, Sir Rumilie..."

"I won't surrender if He wants to snatch you from my side!" Rumilie shouted, shaking his head violently. "Fate is cruel! He always takes the people I love from my side... first, my whole family that the Ming has slaughtered... then Xie Wang... and now... No! I don't want to lose you!!!"

Rumilie could no longer hold back his tears, he started to cry aloud. Wan Ya kept looking at him. Even though his energy had been drained... even though he knew, this terrible disease had eaten away his body and did not allow him to live any longer... but he kept forcing himself, to always look at Rumilie's face. He was so scared, that Fate would take his life at any time, and when he did still not have enough look at Rumilie, he had already died.

"Don't talk about life and death anymore, Sir Rumilie. It hurts." Wan Ya forced himself to smile cheerfully. "Just talk about something else, okay? How is Master Yun today? What is she doing? What is..."

***

Rain poured down on the earth as Rumilie buried Wan Ya's body.

Finally. It turned out that no matter how hard humans tried, in the end, Heaven still determined His Fate forcefully. Wan Ya had tried his best to fight his illness, but he still had to breathe his last, and left this world forever.

It was Rumilie who chose this place as Wan Ya's cemetery. The hill with the background of vast rice fields below, appeared absolutely stunning like a giant oil painting. It was indeed raining right now and made the sun's valor hidden, but when the rain stopped, he was sure, it would be a beautiful final resting place for Wan Ya. Wan Ya would like it very much.

Even though the rain was getting heavier, Rumilie still stood there. Huan Shikang and the others had left the place a long time ago because they assumed Wan Ya as a mere lowly follower and did not deserve to get much respect, but Rumilie had a totally different opinion. For him, Wan Ya was not just a life partner. Wan Ya was his everything. Wan Ya was a place where he leaned, strengthened his spirit, rejoiced, grieved, feared, angry, calmed down... everything!

And now, everything had been snatched from him.

His world had totally collapsed.

He was frustrated. He was depressed. He... also really wanted to die, followed Wan Ya!...

"No, Sir Rumilie. Don't follow me..."

Rumilie looked heavenward. "Wan Ya?!?"

"Sir Rumilie must stay in this world. So that you can take my revenge on the enemies who have made us suffer."

Rumilie's hands were tightly clenched. They were even shaking violently right now. He could not feel the light rain that covered his face anymore. He felt tensed up. Tensed up with rage. Burning with revenge.

He must take revenge. Towards the one who had killed Wan Ya...

Towards Hu Nayin Wang Fei!

"Hu Nayin..." Slowly, Rumilie said. His voice was dry and hoarse. Like a witch who was hissing a series of evil curses. "You have killed my love... but it's not over yet. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. You have killed my love, I will make the person you love so much kill you!"

***

Liu Ku was not only the one who tried to defend Hu Nayin. Wu Qi also did the same. As soon as he heard that Zhu Su interrogated Hu Nayin in a rage, without thinking anymore he immediately faced Zhu Su.

"Your Highness! Please be careful! We are in war right now, and the enemy may launch every kind of dirty slander! I am worried that what Shuanghu people said was no more than lies the enemy spreads by design, to divide you and Hu Wang Fei. The Strategy of Sowing Discord * !"

"Two men are eagerly defending the Wang Fei who already belongs to His Highness?! What the hell is going on here?!"

Having been eavesdropping behind the door, Zhu Su's daughters, along with their loyal court ladies, could not take it anymore, soon entered the room and scolded Wu Qi and Liu Ku.

Wu Qi glared at them. "Jun Zhu! Please mind your words! We are not the same as your perception!"

"If both of you have no special feelings for Hu Wang Fei then why are you here defending her?! It's clear that Wang Fei is guilty of attacking innocent people, she fails to carry out her responsibility as a Wang Fei, how can you still defend her?!" One of Zhu Su's daughters snorted. "If you said that it isn't affection, then what must it be called? Especially Liu Changshi, who is often together with Wang Fei in the dungeon, and is now willing to bear Wang Fei's all mistakes!"

Liu Ku glared at the princesses sharply. "Wow, well, well. Jun Zhu. Instead of the enemy, it is you, His Highness' own daughters, who spread The Strategy of Sowing Discord! Tsk Tsk Tsk! What kind of sin has His Highness made that he must have such the apostate children like you?!"

The princesses were immediately burned with anger. "Fu Wang! Look! Liu Changshi even dares to insult your daughters! What should we do to him, Fu Wang?!"

Zhu Su replied in a weak voice. "Both of you... go out."

"Fu Wang!!!" A princess screamed. "Fu Wang always tells us to go out when the matter is relating to Hu Wang Fei, but you also know that she has made such a big mistake!..."

"Don't you understand?! Go out!"

The princesses soon were shocked and frightened, then immediately ran away.

Wu Qi bit his lip anxiously. After all, the princesses had managed to make Zhu Su suspect that Hu Nayin was cheating on Zhu Su and committing infidelity with him and Liu Ku, and that was enough to let Hu Nayin executed after going through gruesome tortures. He really did not want that to happen, because he knew very clearly how deep Hu Nayin's love for Zhu Su, and that Hu Nayin's faithfulness was so immense it even surpassed Mount Tai. Therefore, he had to do everything he could to get Hu Nayin out of danger.

"Your Highness, do you know the reason why Hu Wang Fei could create this disease? Because of her great love for you. She is deeply hurt by your enemies who are so mean to you, so she is determined to avenge you at all costs. Yes, her method does break the law of nation, but please understand the touching reason behind it!" Wu Qi said. "And more. Please, don't listen to the imposters said by the residents of Shuanghu District. All these matters, are not for us, or for Hu Wang Fei. All these matters, are for your own sake. We are unwilling to see your regret after executing Hu Wang Fei and realizing that she is innocent, but it's unchangeable since she has already died."

Zhu Su sighed. "Alright. I will close the issue regarding the rumors that Hu Nayin is Yun's former disciple."

Both of them beamed. "Your grace is immeasurable!..."

"However, Nayin is guilty. She has killed many people who are perhaps innocent, many children and babies even have died because of the disease. And of course, she has to be responsible for this."

"You are still going to punish her?!"

"She is pregnant right now. So, I put this matter on hold for a while. We'll talk about it after she gives birth."

Wu Qi's cheerful decreased. It turned out that Zhu Su was just postponing the sentence and not totally cancelling it. Ah... but at least Hu Wang Fei can be relieved. Until she gives birth, she can have a happy day.

...

* The Strategy of Sowing Discord = one of the strategies in Sun Tzu's book "The 36 Strategems". The form of this strategy is: Work hard to discover the spies of your enemy, and then feed them false information. We can also create discord between generals, allies, and other friends. Try to make their internal arguments so deep they become distracted from the battles with you and are unable to deploy optimum strategies. (http://changingminds.org/disciplines/warfare/36_strategems/36_stratagems_33.htm)