TWENTY

Li Fei Long and Commander Lin Rui En led the accompaniment of the troops passed the imperial city gate gallantly. Wearing full armor, Li Fei Long and Commander Lin Rui En waved to the commoners while they were leaving the capital city. While the commoners were in awe, Jiang Xi Yu watched them leaving with heavy hearts.

To stay in respectful manner with Jing Gui Fei and also because she thought she needed to be distracted, Jiang Xi Yu chose to enter the palace after Li Fei Long and the troops left. She brought Ding mama and left behind Ru Ming and Ru Qing. This also gave the impression not only towards Jing Gui Fei but also towards other people that she trusted Jing Gui Fei and their relationship was fine.

After the announcement of her arrival inside the Zhong Jing Hall, Jiang Xi Yu got the lead to enter Jing Gui Fei's bed chamber instead of sitting at the main hall like usual. Jing Gui Fei was sitting by the window that was opened so she could see her beautiful yard that was full with varieties of flowers that blossomed.

"Erxi greets mufei." Jiang Xi Yu bowed and bent her knee with the help of Ding mama.

Jing Gui Fei straightened up and waved her hand. "Quick stand up and sit here next to me."

Jing Gui Fei pointed to the next cushion just an arm length from her seat. "Huáng shang has given you permission not to be too formal since we all knew about your deficiency. Therefore, bengong tells you to be at ease."

"Erxi feels grateful. Mufei is generous." Jiang Xi Yu took her seat.

"How was the accompaniment of the troops this morning?" Jing Gui Fei did not wait until Jiang Xi Yu fully settled on her seat to ask. Jiang Xi Yu knew her mufei was missing her son.

Smiled softly, Jiang Xi Yu took an orange on the tray and started to peel it off. "Wang ye looked very gallant when he was leading the troops. With a full golden armor, wang ye made the commoners feel the empire already got their victory."

"Erxi does not have too many worries, bengong feels proud of you." Jing Gui Fei smirked at her after she heard Jiang Xi Yu's overview of what happened this morning.

Her hands stopped, Jiang Xi Yu lifted up her gazes and their eyes met. "Mufei, erxi has been worried. By entering the palace and being here with mufei, erxi thinks this was a good idea for us, the two women who have a full heart for wang ye, to give strength to each other and wait for him to return back to us."

It was obvious that Jing Gui Fei was stunned by her answer. To break the ice between them, Jiang Xi Yu gave the orange that had already peeled off.

"Before wang ye left, erxi had mentioned that erxi would often visit mufei. Wang ye ordered some amusements to bring along to entertain mufei." After Jing Gui Fei received the peeled orange, Jiang Xi Yu turned her sight to Ding mama who gave signals for their yahuan to represent some of the amusements that Jiang Xi Yu has prepared before.

"Wang ye promised to send out letters whenever he has the time to do so. Erxi will read it with mufi. For the time being, I hope mufei is willing to let erxi visit Zhong Jing Hall more often for us to keep each other entertained while wang ye is not around." Jiang Xi Yu said casually.

Jiang Xi Yu was peeling off the second orange while Jing Gui Fei was eating the first one she peeled for her. Jiang Xi Yu let her mufei enjoy the yahuan showing off the amusement while snacking the sweet orange on her hand. In closer look, Jiang Xi Yu found Jing Gui Fei had actually gotten a lot better than the last time she came.

"Mufei seems healthier and brighter than the last time erxi came here." Jiang Xi Yu's remark made Jing Gui Fei turn her head and smile at her.

"Bengong took some nourishment that erxi gave last time and also followed thoroughly the special medicine that the imperial taiyi prepared. After taking a complete rest for days and even stopped painting, bengong felt a lot better." Jing Gui Fei was much more relaxed in front of her.

Jiang Xi Yu felt good hearing because the last time she saw Jing Gui Fei, her condition seemed really poor. She put down the orange from her hands after taking a slice of it. In excitement, Jiang Xi Yu called one of her yahuan to get close to her. The yahuan was holding a silver tray which carried some cream that in collaboration with Gao Xian Gongzhi was created with the intention of reducing facial wrinkles.

"Try this one, mufei." Jiang Xi Yu picked up the ceramic container. After she opened the lid, she gave herself a sniff before applying it on the back of her hand.

"Since wang ye gave full support to a scholar named Gao Xian gongzhi and let Gao Xian gongzhi stay at the fu until the imperial examinations comes, erxi is trying to use his intelligence and expertise to help erxi to create several products for skin and facial beauty. We can think of his contribution to the creation of this product as a reward for living in our fu, right?" Jiang Xi Yu did not hold back anymore and carried herself shamelessly in front of Jing Gui Fei.

While holding out the back of her hand so Jing Gui Fei could smell the scent of the cream, Jiang Xi Yu let her mufei understand the ingredients that it contained.

"This cream was made of plum extract, sesame extract, and pine seed extract. After a few trials and erxi cannot find any way to make the scent nicer, Gao Xian gongzhi added rose fruit extract and plum tree flower extract. So, now we got a nice smell of cream to not only brighten the under eyes but also to reduce the wrinkles." Jiang Xi Yu gave the explanation in eagerness. This was her interest. She could talk about it for the whole day and would never get tired of it. She always got the inspiration to create more and to research more.

Jing Gui Fei seemed interested. She took over the ceramic container from Jiang Xi Yu's hand. She smelled it once more before carefully putting some on the back of her hand.

"Mufei can give it a try. Start to apply it just a bit under the eyes before going to bed and…"

Since she was trapped in an ancient era, the only way she could get in hand of skin care products was by creating them. With the status and limitless servants that she has, she easily got so much extra hand to help. The one thing Li Fei Long wondered was her possession of the skin care products that she was proud of and she cared more than any other rare treasures.

Ding mama and other servants inside the chamber felt the change in atmosphere. Half inclined, Jiang Xi Yu eagerly helped Jing Gui Fei to apply the cream under her eyes.

***

At the same time, at The Grand Chancellor's mansion.

Bai Xia was doing the same routine. She entered the chamber where Pan Xi Yin was badly torture. Everytime she entered the chamber, she had a habit where she tried to not look directly towards Pan Xi Yin because she was too scared to witness Pan Xi Yin's condition. She tried her best to avoid making eye contact and the last few days were easier for her since Pan Xi Yin was mostly unconscious.

Ever since The Grand Chancellor and The Grand Princess showed Pan Xi Yin's state to their children, The Grand Princess started to torture Pan Xi Yin even more for Rui Wang Fei to watch. In Bai Xia's opinion, The Grand Princess was teaching Rui Wang Fei to become as cruel as her.

This time she thought Pan Xi Yin was unconscious too. Her hands already held a broom and chop to clean up any mess around Pan Xi Yin. This was because the head house steward said The Grand Princess might wanted to come again later that day to gave torture to Pan Xi Yin herself so he needed to made sure every morning the chamber was at least clean enough for the master to enter.

When Bai Xia was about to start her duty, she heard a pitiful voice. The voice she remembered usually sounded soft and sexy, at that time it was hoarse. Bai Xia looked up fearfully. The woman who used to be proud of herself was no longer beautiful.

Pan Xi Yin was unrecognized. The blood spots were half dry and covering her chin. Bruises were all over her body. She was missing a lot of teeth. Her body looked like just skin covering bones and her hair was matted. On top of her body odor, half of her lower body smelled like dung.

"Bai...xia…" Pan Xi Yin called her name softly.

Bai Xia was too scared because Pan XI Yin looked almost like a ghost. Everything slipped off her hands as Bai Xia squealed.

"My Lady, please be gone in peace. Nu just a small pea that is worth nothing. Nu no longer can stand with all of this series of violence." With a trembling voice, Bai Xia wept and begged.

She was just an orphan that randomly got picked up on the street to serve Pan Xi Yin. She was originally happy to be working as a servant at The Grand Chancellor's fu. But after she found out about the lifestyle and witnessed all the sexual courses and other inhuman things that people with power could do, her mental state was broken down. She wanted to escape but she could not.

"Bai...xia...save...me…" Pan Xi Yin's eyes were swollen so Bai Xia could not tell if Pan Xi Yin was opening her eyes or if they were damaged.

"My Lady...how can I save you when I cannot even save myself out from here?" Sobbed, Bai Xia fell to her knees in front of the dying Pan Xi Yin. "I can not even drag myself out from here. I even do not have courage to kill myself."

Uncontrollably crying, Bai Xia encouraged herself to lift up her face and to give Pan Xi Yin a second look. Some of Pan Xi Yin's fingernails were forcibly removed. Bai Xia's eyes quickly moved up to avoid the gruesome state and her eyes ended up meeting Pan Xi Yin's swollen eyes.

"The only one...who could help me...is just you. Please sister...give me...another chance...to live." Pan Xi Yin whispered.

Hearing that plea, Bai Xia's heart was torn. She lowered her head and sobbed. Half her heart told her to try to find a way. Half of her was too cowardly to face the situation that stressed her mentality.

She wiped away her tears. Shouted and standing up, she said, "Forgive me, My Lady."

Then Bai Xia ran towards the door. Leaving behind her equipment, she opened the door and ran out crying.

***

After neglecting her duty, Bai Xia got caught crying inside the store room. One of the pozi who found her there dragged her out and scolded her real good. The pozi even punched her face and left a bruise on her face. Bai Xia had to finish her other punishment at the kitchen until the sun set.

Feeling starving but yet she did not dare to steal any food at the kitchen, Bai Xia folded herself to hold in her hunger. In her mind, a picture of Pan Xi Yin begging for her help kept coming out the surface.

The commotion on the outside of the kitchen made Bai Xia curious. She left the kitchen thinking she might be able to ask one of the servants there some leftover bun. She found two kitchen helpers standing there and looking very much cautious.

"Sister, what is going on?" Bai Xia leaned on the door frame and watched both of them in full curiosity.

Both kitchen helpers turned at her and sniffed at her. Both of them knew she was used to serving the prostitute who acted snobbish and by then was becoming their house prisoner. To be exact, the whole has become their master's punching bag.

"So here she is." The first helpers exclaimed loudly.

The other one shouted. "The Grand Princess just got notice that the Young master has left the fu. Apparently that slut inside that room is also gone. Everyone in this fu turned upside down as The Grand Princess commanded to search inside and outside the fu to bring back Young Master and that slut back."

"You must be that slut's accomplice right?! You acted innocent but actually you helped that slut brainwash the young master to run away with her right?" The first helpers pointed at her with the accusement.

Bai Xia was stunned in confusion. She was there inside the kitchen and got her punishment done but she got wrongly accused. Then two helpers looked at each other with the same thought.

"We need to report this to the head servants to get this bitch arrested and interrogated by The Grand Princess. Imagine the reward that The Grand Princess might give us." The second helpers seemed happy with the thought.

The first one seemed not happy. "I am the one who thinks this way. I am the one who remembered her, so I am the one who supposedly got the reward. Not you."

Both helpers started to bicker as their greed started to grow. Bai Xia imagined she could ended up get torture no matter how innocent she was if both kitchen helpers take her to The Grand Princess. This family was mentally sick and she was too frightened.

When the two kitchen helpers bickered and they got away from her, Bai Xia saw her chance. She forgot her hunger and her cowardness. She turned her body to the other side and ran her life away from them. In her mind she made a heavy thought on which gate to choose.

She decided to choose the side gate and gamble her life. To get out from the fu, she needed a permission stamp from the head house steward. The guard will interrogate her. She almost reached the left wing gate. The gate was open at that time, she clearly saw the tree that grew outside the fu. Bai Xia speeded up.

She needed to become that tree. Free.

An old taijian pulled a small wagon filled with wheat. The guard was checking with him about his stamp to get outside. Bai Xia did not see any other guard. Her heart beated fast as she approached them. She held her breath and did not look back. Bai Xia jumped from behind the wagon and covered herself with the wheat. She had difficulty breathing in but she made sure her small figure was covered perfectly.

What was done, was done. Her heart pounded uncontrollably but she could only pray that she would not be caught. Once she got caught, she would be dead. Same if she stayed there, she would also become dead. But in a slower way.

She felt the wagon move. She almost fell and rolled out of the wagon as the taijian slowly pulled it and made the wagon slightly tilted. Her hands grabbed anything she could grab to maintain in her position.

With eyes closed, Bai Xia prayed to the deity to give her a chance to be free. It seemed her prayer was to be heard. She did not roll out from there. The wagon moved steadily slowly and she could even hear the gate get close.

***

Han Hong Yuan passed through the capital city gate and only stopped and tied his horse after he was certain about the spot there.

He dropped Pan Xi Yin to the ground there and ignored the groaning sound emanating from her. When he took her out from his fu, he wrapped around Pan Xi Yin's thin body with a thick burlap. It was an easy escape as no one in his fu imagined he would run away with his mother's prisoner.

Han Hong Yuan untied Pan Xi Yin and let her lay down on top of dirt and sand. He stood up next to her under the hot son and looked down at her. She was not like before when he found her. The beautiful girl with the sly motive has got her life lesson.

"Why are you bringing me here?" Pan Xi Yin asked.

Pan Xi Yin looked around her while laying down on the ground. The sharp stone poked her back right on her bruise and it hurt so bad. Han Hong Yuan did not care about it and kept watching her.

"This was the spot where I first met you." Han Hong Yuan sounded cold.

Pan Xi Yin tried to get up but she could not do it. She did not have any energy left. An obvious bruise was left on her wrists. It was from the rope that tied her all this time. Apparently the bruise on her feet was way more serious because she was not able to feel her feet anymore.

"Why...did you save me?" Pan Xi Yin asked in tears.

Immediately, Han Hong Yuan shook his head. "I did not save you. I just leave you here. I bring you to the same spot where we met to let you free from my parent's cruelty. After this, I did not expect you to live."

Han Hong Yuan turned around and walked back to where he tied his horse. "Knowing you made me understand the meaning of love and understand how evil my parents could be. This made me decide to leave them. You did not deserve the torture but you also do not deserve to live."

After untying his horse, Han Yong Yuan jumped up on his horse and looked at Pan Xi Yin for the last time.

"You turned into a man." Pan Xi Yin stuck out her hand like she wanted to touch him one last time. But it was too late. Han Hong Yuan has already changed. He was not as weak as he used to. The pitiful words did not get into his heart.

Han Hong Yuan answered her coldly, "Yes. I have turned into a man. A wise man. Thanks to you."

After that he kicked his horse, the horse neighed and started leaving Pan Xi Yin behind.

Under the bright hot sun, Pan Xi Yin was watching as Han Hong Yuan moved away. He looked more manly. The dust billowed and covered the shadow of him leaving her all alone in the ground.

Pan Xi Yin cried her heart out. This was not what she dreamed she would become.