Leading the Way

"Yating... my name is Liu Yating."

Hearing that soft utterance, Nastasia smiled. "Nice name." She complimented.

The boy, Liu Yating, ducked his head to hide his embarrassment over the compliment. It was the first time someone had ever said anything remotely kind about his name. This appellation had been given to him out of mockery due to his birth mother being a prostitute from a run-down brothel.

Yating carried the meaning of "graceful and refined." His mother had been praised as a devastating beauty that could easily bewitch a person's mind. However, she was a person of the streets, orphaned from a young age. She only knew how to please men so how could she survive among the noble personages of his father's house. She didn't have the wit, the etiquette, or the sense for it; easily falling to underhanded schemes.

The legal wife of his father was a rather vicious woman, not letting them go even to the tiniest detail. It was a wonder that he could manage to survive to this near adult age of thirteen. His birth mother, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky.

She died shortly after giving birth to him. He didn't know her face or her name, the only things that he knew were the slander his stepmother vomited to abuse him. Such a vicious woman, how could he believe her?

He tried to do his own research into the matter, but that nearly got him killed in the process. A sympathetic servant saved him from death and helped him to escape, but had died while trying to aid him. The servant had taken an arrow to the back for him and passed along the way. Yating buried the body as best as he could, saying a few prayers; hoping wild animals didn't find her.

That servant was called Bai Cui, she had been a gift to his mother from his father. From her, Yating learned that his father and mother had known each other long before his stepmother fell into the picture. Mother's status would never see her married to such a noble person as his father, much less for her to be his concubine.

However, when his mother had become pregnant with him that all changed. Especially since the imperial doctor claimed that he would be born a boy. From there, his mother was brought in as a concubine in his father's harem; one of many women, but without the background to support her from treachery.

From Bai Cui, Yating learned that his mother hadn't been a prostitute as his stepmother claimed, but an orphaned girl that had saved his father when he was injured. Bai Cui claimed they were deeply in love, but Yating didn't believe it.

His mother only provided his father with some warmth and his father was only attracted to that warmth. He wasn't foolish. A man like his father, as vicious and cold as he was, couldn't seriously love anyone. That man only spent enough time to get his warmth and then move on. If he could no longer get it than that woman and everything associated with her, faded away.

Liu Yating held no expectations of such a father. He had been missing for two years, but nothing had been done. Whether alive there was no search and whether dead there was no funeral held.

As his mind wandered down these less than pleasing thoughts, his body mechanically lead the way. They moved through many twisting turns and through many tight streets. The ways he took were mostly avoided by others but made for the shortest routes.

As Nastasia followed behind him, she tried to memorize the way. However, with all the turns and strange streets, it would probably be difficult to retrace their steps. Not that it really mattered, she realized of a sudden, as going back the way they came would only have her back at that residential street.

In about forty-five minutes to an hour, they finally arrived at the gates to the Jiang Estate. Seeing that Yating led them to their destination without incident and that he seemed very familiar with the town's streets, she said to Paoxiao in a whisper.

"Ask him, do he know how to get to..." ah, she couldn't remember how to say the name of Li Yu Rong's home and so said it as best as she could remember. "How to get to... Solid of the Four Depressed."

"Palace of the Four Gates," Paoxiao corrected her pronunciation. After correcting her, he nodded before saying to the boy. "Hey, little Yating, do you know how to get to the Palace of the Four Gates from here?"

Liu Yating almost opened his mouth to complain about the way he'd been addressed, but pressed lips despite being unwiling. Only a child complained about being treated like a child. He was going to be an adult in two years so it should be beneath him to complain about such things. He decided to let the matter roll off his back.

So Yating merely said a simple, "I do."

This child was very cold and withdrawn, treating words like gold. Even though he didn't speak much and his expression was frozen into a scowl, Nastasia found herself liking the little boy. Walking over to hand him another silver, she said. "Stay with us to take us there, okay?"

Getting a single inclination of the head for agreement, Nastasia was happy. Flashing the boy a smile, she followed Paoxiao all the way to the front gate where two guards sat diligently watching the entrance.

Liu Yating followed since had agreed and taken the silver. Also, he was a bit curious as to what these two strange people wanted with the Jiang family. As the guards recognized Paoxiao as one whom frequently came to visit with Commander Jiang, they let the trio through the gate with barely a question asked.

A servant standing at the side came forward. "This way sir," he said upon seeing Paoxiao, "Third Master Jiang is in his study."

"I'm not here for Commander Jiang," he denied and then glanced toward Nastasia. "My young miss is here to see miss Jiang Ya Lin."

Their Fifth Young Miss Jiang had many friends visit her from the town. Though they were all common folk, due to Commander Jiang and the Old Madam's doting, they said nothing when those children came to visit. This was the first time in a long while that someone obviously from a wealthy family, stopped by.

Changing the direction the servant said. "Our Fifth Young Miss is this way."

They were lead down a long corridor that opened up into a spacious courtyard that was beautifully decorated. The lotus flowers floating gently in the pond were eye-catching. Around the pond were a few plum trees in full blossom and to the furthest side of the pond was a magnificent mahogany bench. A leaf and stem pattern had been carved into the wood down the sides and beautiful plum blossoms had been carved on the top, with fluttering butterflies.

Before they could enjoy the serene scenery, the atmosphere was broken by a sudden yell. "I already told you, I won't marry him! And you, I don't know what you were hoping to gain by telling grandmother what happened the other day, but I won't be marrying you. So get it out of your head."

Jiang Ya Lin had stood from her chair and slapped her palms against the table. Across from her was an older woman. Aside from the wrinkles at her eyes and lips, she was rather well preserved that it was difficult to tell her exact age. Her silver hair was in a beautiful knot atop her head, with many glittering accesories adorning it.

As she was the only other woman sitting at the table, she must be Jiang Ya Lin's grandmother.

"Insolence!" The older woman cried, "you and your father both! Wanting to worry this poor old woman into an early grave." After heaving a tired sigh, she said. "Why won't you marry?"

"It's not that I won't marry, I just don't want to marry him." Jiang Ya Lin answered honestly, hardly caring that the object of their discussion was right beside them. After hearing her words, he coldly harrumphed.

As he opened his mouth to say something. Jiang Ya Lin turned to the side and noticed Paoxiao standing over there watching them. Feeling embarrassed, she faintly called out questioningly. "Xiao-ge...?"