They got the Message

 With shaky hands she raised her dress to slightly to her knees, Ji yan turned his face sideways not to add to her shame unlike the cold hearted monster beside him.

 His cold eyes saw the fresh wound with dried blood, he looked at her while her eyes were casted down.

 ''Who did it'' came his straight forward question without giving anything away with what he had saw.

 ''The headmaid my lord'' she added '' i didn't complete my work that was why i was punished ''

 ''Leave the clothes, you are damaging them with your blood'' his cold voice stated.

 She was about to explain she had to do it, but he gave her look asking if she wanted to rebut.

 ''Thank you my lord'' she thanked him bowing.

 He nodded walking away along with his second in command.

 She left leaping slowly down the hallway to find the others on her way she met Fenfang, who immediately ran to hug her when she sighted Li Guang.

 Taking Li Guang's hands in hers she asked worriedly ''How are you, where does it hurt? '' her voice laced with concern.

 Li Guang nodded with a calm smile '' I am fine Fenfang''

 ''I had planned to come assit you but Dingbang had her eyes in me on my every move, giving me more tasks immediately i was done with one'' she sadly stated.

 ''Where are you headed?'' Li Guang asked her because she was in a rush when she saw her.

 ''I was coming to find you, lieutenant yan said you should leave all work till tomorrow'' she reported happily 

 ''Really?, he told you that?'' Li Guang was honestly surprised, when she was told to leave the clothes because she stained them, she didn't know she was also to stop working for the day.

 ''Yes he did, i was surprised he came to the cooking room to inform us, i ran here to tell you my self'' she continued ''You should should go have you bath, so you can clean your wounds to avoid infecting them, we don't get any paste for wounds but it will help when it is clean, i fetched you water in the bathing room''

 ''Fenfang i can't thank you enough''

''What are friends for, now go we are about to make dinner, i will bring yours to your room''

 Friends. she didn't think she would have one, after wen moshen had left her family had gotten into depth there no time to make any when she had to work. Friends, she liked the sound of it.

 When she took her bath, the water stung her wounds but it also gave relief to her, her body felt a bit lighter after the cold water, she wrapped her legs with a clean long cloth to avoid infection.

 She had finished the food Fenfang brought to her and was about to sleep when she heard a knock 'who could it be, or did Fenfang forget something?'

 she stood up to open the door but was suprised to see a soldier, but she could open her mouth to speak, he handed her an item in her hands, when she looked at it she saw it was a medicinal paste when she smelt the container.

 When she looked up to asked who it was from, he had walked away ''Wait'' she shouted after the soldier.

 The soldier kept on moving with pause, she closed the door behind her, she sat on the bed to apply it, she didn't know who sent it but she was grateful, she loosened the cloth she wrapped over the wound, after applying the paste she wrapped them back with another clean one she the other cloth she had just removed had been stained by blood.

 Her body ached all over, it didn't take long for her to drift off into sleep.

 When morning time came, her legs felt relieved and less painful, the paste worked like magic after getting dressed she applied more. when she got to the cooking room, since nobody was gathered were she met them the first morning she was here.

 Low gossips and mumuring was around the kitchen, there was a tension she felt around the room she was about to ask what she should do when Dingbang came and everyone become silent;

 ''Hey you, why are you standing there'' the question was directed to Li Guang.

 ''I just got there, and i am not yet assigned to anything yet'' she responded.

''join the others in spreading the clothes at the back'' Dingbang instructed, she was more serious today than usual.

 When she got there she saw Fenfang who rushed to her dragging her by the hands to her side.

 ''Good morning Fenfang''

 Fenfang smiled exictedly ''Good morning Li Guang''

 Li Guang smiled back, her happiness was infectious;

 ''Last night the soldiers came into the maids quaters to take the headmaid away'' she whispered while checking around.

 Li Guang was shocked ''Really?, what happened'' she didn't hear any commotion last night after she slept off.

 '' It has been going around that she tried to poison the lord'' Fenfang snickered joining Li Guang in spreading more clothes on the bamboo stick.

 Li Guang gasped, was it the other night she saw her adding a liquid into the lords dinner, hope wasn't going to get into trouble also.

 ''Is Dingbang the new headmaid?'' Li Guang inquired, she prayed she wasn't.

 Fenfang shrugged ''seems like''

 While they were spreading the clothes another maid had come to call her to the cooking room, when she got there every one was in a panick state.

 ''You, take the food to the lord'' Dingbang pointed at her.

 ''Me! why me?'' since she started serving here she had not smelled the lords quaters, talking more of stepping into it.

 ''Yes you, since everyone is refusing to go, i said you should and be fast about it'' Dingbang commanded

 ''I have a work myself to do'' she made excuses.

 'why is everybody refusing to go?, did something happen?, is it about the headmaid?' she thought, she prayed she wasn't going to get into more trouble, she couldn't refuse she was the junior amongst them.

 When Dingbang saw she was still standing her face twisted in anger ''Didn't you hear me?, go now and serve him while he eats, bring the leftovers back here'' 

 Li Guang was quick on her feet to take the garnised tray filled with varieties of breakfast, it looked like a royal meal, she covered it with a silk white cloth.

 When she got to the lords quater, it spoke of wealth, the ornaments looked rare and expensive, the incrate carvings and design on the wall gave the place a sphistication of power and wealth, the wood doors looked like it was dipped in gold, the hallways were larger sparking and neat.

 She was directed by a soldier, she has gotten used to their uniform which was black in colour, the shirts were fitted with short collar, long sleeved, they staped a leather like armour around their chest which was brown in colour, the boots high just a little above the knees

 She recognized them when she saw the soldiers training, when she got to the dinner room she placed the meal on the low wooden table, there was a wine clothed cushioned foam specified to seat behind the table on the carpeted floor.

 While she arranged the table, the lord walked in, calm and unhurriedly, his aura enveloped the room it had a strong sense of power, he flaunted a solid build, his black hair shimmering like the night, his skin fair not as white Li Guang.

 He wore his military uniform, but his dark green in color unlike his soldiers, his leather like vest black in colour strapped around his chest, his boots heavy but light around his feet.

 He sat on the cushioned sit behind the table opposite her, her hands trembling slightly out of fear while she arranged the table, she casted her eyes downwards while he ate.

 There was total silence in the room while he ate, she passed an item when he needed it, even the soldiers in the room didn't breath aloud untill a thick spoke out in the room.

 ''How is the wound'' came the lord's question in a cold calm voice.

 She raised her head only to meet his eyes that were on her, the longer she stared into his dark poles the faster she felt intimidated, when she remembered the question was directed at her she spoke up, her voice caught up in her throat '' Better my lord thank you''

 He hummed in response continuing his meal, the air in the room lessened a bit for her to breath properly when he asked a simple question.

 When he was done, she cleared the table she had her own meal which Fenfang had kept for her while she served the lord after she was done washing the pots and plates.

 They finished all work when the sun was up and hot resting for the rest of the day, since the lord did not come back home with his soldiers, everyone ate what was available.

 When morning came the sun was barely risen when a soldier came to gather all the maids, when they got outside they all trembled.

 Up against the tree was headmaid chonglin brutally flogged, she was screaming at the top of her voice begging and pleading, she was whipped at her back , her clothes soaked with blood, she looked she was about to die out of pain.

 The soldier didn't stop the swinging of the cane , it was like he had a favorite spot on her back while he flogged because he kept on hitting that place, she saw death right in front of her.

 '' MY L-LORD-D H-H-HAVVEE MERC-CCYY'' She screamed, all her screams went to deaf ears, despite the unanswered pleading she kept on begging and screaming out of pain her voice sounded patched and dry as a result of the loud screaming, the more she screamed and begged the heavier the whip landed on her.

 She looked away fear griping her heart, the punishment was brutal to watch, her eyes met the lord's who stood far away from where they stood, he had a sloldier in black behind him, his eyes held hers, his face cold with a soulless expression, his eyes like an abyss heavy and dark, her eyes were filled with fear, the fear that had lessened around him the other day increased hundred folds.