By: Kia Lam

*Despite that the father of Xiao Jian and Xiao Yian Zi was once a mandarin and had served the emperor YongZheng (Qianlong’s father) in court, the Fang family is Han, not Manchurian.
The dowager empress had just awakened, and was wondering where Qing Er had gone to when a battalion of troops filed into her room carrying a stranger. Outraged by this act of intrusion, she angrily responded when they kneeled at her foot, "What’s this?! What’s going on here? You, stranger, why have you trespassed into the palace? Qing Er? You have harassed Qing Er?! Where is she now?"
"Right here. Lao Fu Yai ji xiang." Replied Qing Er as she stepped into the empress’ room.
"Qing Er, what’s this about this man harassing you? Do you know him? Why has he trespassed into the palace?" the empress asked angrily.
Glancing quickly at Xiao Jian, Qing Er felt a pang of hopelessness. How could she save him? If she were to tell the truth, that she had some sort of feeling for him and that he wasn’t exactly "harassing" her, she feared the empress would be outraged. The empress would be outraged that Qing Er was having relations with a stranger outside the palace and without her notice. The fact that Xiao Jian was Han didn’t help also made things "sticker". * The empress held a somewhat different demeanor towards Hans that her own Manchurians.
"Hui Lao Fu Yai, this stranger is actually Xiao Yian Zi’s brother, he goes by the name Xiao Jian. I am not clear on why he has entered the palace…and…he was…not…harassing me…I-" struggled Qing Er. She didn’t want to lie to the empress, she wasn’t sure if she was, but a siren was going off in her head and she could not ignore it.
Before she could finish, Jin Er stepped in.
"Lao Fu Yai ji xiang. Lao Fu Yai, don’t listen to Qing Er. That man over there has obviously threatened Qing Er not to report his abusiveness to anyone. I was there, I saw the horror in Qing Er’s eyes as he abused her, what’s more, he looked like he was enjoying it!" screeched Jin Er wildly.
Her face ashen with livid anger, the empress pointed a trembling finger at Xiao Jian, "I don’t care if you are Xiao Yian Zi’s brother or a dog’s brother, trespassing onto palace grounds and harassing a Ge Ge is qi juen da zuie (sorry my pinyin is horrible, but it basically means: the ultimate mistake)! I am too upset and angered to deal with you correctly right now. Guards, take him away to lock him up! He is to not to be served any food or water, and I will tend to him a week later."
The soldiers kow-towed and rose, dragging Xiao Jian away.
The dowager empress then commanded everyone to get out, and slammed the doors shut. Qing Er left reluctantly, her whole body shaken and battered.
As Jin Er watched Qing Er walk away, a menacing smile came across to her face and her eyes narrowed gleefully.
Her whole body trembling, Qing Er walked unsteadily. Suddenly, she pelted helter- skelter towards Ji Niang Gong. Meanwhile, the skies had darkened and distant rumbles of thunder started sounding.

*****

There came a loud banging on doors, which belonged to those of Ji Niang Gong. Mistaking it for thunder, the couple dismissed the noise. It sounded again, this time louder and more urgently. Annoyed, Yong Qi rose and opened the door.
"What is it ah?" he asked.
Instantly, Qing Er ran in and grabbed Yong Qi.
"Yong Qi! You have to help Xiao Jian! They caught him in the palace, I have no idea why he came, but they have locked him up!" she said desperately.
She then ran over to Xiao Yian Zi and shook her, trying to wake her up. "Xiao Yian Zi, Xiao Yian Zi, Xiao Jian’s locked up! We have to try and help him!"
"Why have they locked him up? Who has?" Yong Qi asked angrily.
"He…he was talking to me, we were listening to the scholar talk about The Classics…then he grabbed my hands…and he was captured by guards…Jin Er was there as well."
"Who locked him up?"
"…Lao Fu Yai."
Suddenly, Xiao Yian Zi stalked straight up. "What?! Why would Lao Fu Yai lock Xiao Jian up? What did he do Qing Er?" she asked.
"He was…he sneaked into the palace, I don’t know why. I found him listening to the schooling going on. We talked…I guess he got a little emotional and he grabbed my hands. Then Jin Er appeared. She called the guards and they captured him." Stammered the bewildered Qing Er.
Xiao Yian Zi, forgetting to dress, grabbed Qing Er’s hand and started to walk out of Ji Niang Gong. Yong Qi, seeing what Xiao Yian Zi was about to do, ran in front of Xiao Yian Zi and Qing Er, causing them to stop.
"Yong Qi, get out of the way! I have to rescue my brother! How could Lao Fu Yai do such a thing to him! She must be out of her head!" cried Xiao Yian Zi.
"Xiao Yian Zi, please don’t say that about Lao Fu Yai, remember, she’s the dowager empress, and most importantly, Huang A Ma’s mother. Come, going to Lao Fu Yai’s won’t help. Let’s tell Huang A Ma, he’ll be able to help us." Pleaded Yong Qi.
"Alright fine, let’s go then!" As the three of them headed out, the first few drops of rain began to fall.
The emperor Qianlong was with Ling Fei having tea when the three bolted in. They dropped to their knees, "Huang A Ma, please help us! Lao Fu Yai has locked up Xiao Jian!" cried Xiao Yian Zi desperately.
"Huang A Ma ji xiang, Ling Fei Niang Niang ji xiang!" interrupted Yong Qi.
"Huang Shang ji xiang, Ling Fei Niang Niang ji xiang." Added Qing Er.
The emperor exchanged puzzled looks with Ling Fei, then stared at Xiao Yian Zi, "Oh? Xiao Jian…your brother?" he inquired.
"Yes! Lao Fu Yai has locked him up, Huang A Ma! Please help him!" pleaded Xiao Yian Zi, on the verge of crying.
Qianlong, baffled by this sudden sprout of events, stared at Yong Qi with a conspicuous look. "Yong Qi, perhaps you can explain this bizarre turn of events to Yours Truly." He said sternly.
Just as Yong Qi was about to explain, Qing Er stepped in front of him. "Huang Shang, allow Qing Er explain this for it involves both Xiao Jian and I." She said gravely.
The emperor sat back and beckoned Qing Er to explain.
After telling him what had occurred between them in the Royal Garden, how Jin Er had Xiao Jian arrested and taken to Lao Fu Yai’s, and Lao Fu Yai’s sentence, the emperor shook his head and sighed.
"First off, Jin Er did the right thing when it comes down to Huang Gong being trespassed, that is absolutely not allowed, and Lao Fu Yai did what was equitable considering all the factors that involved this event. Although…Yours Truly does think she did act a little rash, but that’s only because this involved the "harassment" of Qing Er. Now, Yours Truly knows that Xiao Jian is an important figure in your lives, he’s Xiao Yian Zi’s brother, and he’s a dear companion to all of you. Moreover, without him, Zi Wei would’ve perhaps been abused into a prostitute, to have never been found…Xiao Yian Zi would’ve probably died from her carelessness and troublesome nature, Yong Qi would’ve never gotten married, and all of you might have not survived at all. Therefore…Yours Truly has agreed to help you." he said conclusively.
At this, Xiao Yian Zi instantly brightened a little, "Thank you Huang A Ma!" she cried.

*****

The dowager empress, upset by the morning’s incident, was in an extremely aggravated mood when the emperor, Xiao Yian Zi, Yong Qi, and Qing Er entered. She knew why they were here, and sighed inwardly. Why am I always opposed by everyone for every decision I make? Even my son dares to rise against me! She said to herself.
When the formal greetings were said, the emperor inquired, "Your devoted son has heard that Huang Eu Niang has locked up Xiao Jian, Xiao Yian Zi’s brother, for "harassing" Qing Er and trespassing into the Palace."
"Yes, that is true." Came the impassive reply.
"Well then, Huang Eu Ni-"
"I know why Huang Di has come here, you need not tell me." Interrupted the dowager empress.
At this, the emperor smiled disarmingly. He was about to speak again when Xiao Yian Zi broke in.
"Lao Fu Yai, Xiao Jian is my brother, he is MY brother. As the dowager empress, I would expect you, your revered one, to treat all relatives of the imperial family… no any family with respect and honor. To call him a "dog’s brother"…it’s…it’s not the demeanor of a dowager empress!!!" she said hotly.
"HOW DARE YOU!!!" screamed the dowager empress angrily.
Instantly, there was a deathly silence that gripped the room. Outside, a loud pang of thunder erupted, it’s massive sound waves shaking the Middle Kingdom that resided under.
"Xiao Yian Zi, please control yourself! You say that Lao Fu Yai doesn’t show respect, you’re not showing it yourself!" reprimanded Yong Qi severely.
Slowly, Xiao Yian Zi turned towards Yong Qi. Facing him, Yong Qi could see tear-streams on her pale face, quivering lips, but what jolted him the most were her eyes; they were burning into him painfully. Wide but narrowed, the white in her eye held him, while the dark brown pupil stabbed him with thousand knives…over and over and over…
"Huang Eu Niang, please be calm. All this livid anger will be deleterious to your health. In regards to Xiao Jian, perhaps Qing Er can reason with you." soothed the emperor.
Qing Er stared at the dowager empress full in the face. "Lao Fu Yai, Xiao Jian was in fact not harassing me. What Jin Er had said was wrong, for looks can be deceiving. We were having a talk, and what talk does not include gestures? As to my behavior when being threatened to lie to your revered one, I would rather die than lie to you. Why? I would be degraded, I would lose your trust, and most of all, I would lose your respect. These things are more important to me than whether I die or live." Said Qing Er, solemnly.
"Yes, what’s more, if it wasn’t for Xiao Jian, we would’ve probably never seen these four (Er Kang, Zi Wei, Yong Qi and Xiao Yian Zi) again. He was the one that helped him survive the harsh outside world, he was the one who helped find Zi Wei when she was blind and lost, he was the one that always rescued Xiao Yian Zi from her troublesome exploits. Please, at least consider letting him go free, Huang Eu Niang." Qianlong earnestly added.
At this, the dowager empress sighed, and replied resignedly, "Alright, I will allow Xiao Jian to be freed, since Huang Di even has the nerve to oppose me and everyone else as well. It seems that in my old age, my judgement seems to be upsetting everybody and is constantly opposed."
Everyone but Xiao Yian Zi and the emperor kow-towed, expressing their thanks to her mercy.
The emperor bowed, and was about to speak when he was silenced with a wave of the dowager’s hand.
"Leave." She said quietly.

*****

Above, the dark clouds opened, and rain pelted down mercilessly. Thunder crackled loudly, and a strong gust was starting up.

End of Book 6

~Book 7: What will happen to Xiao Jian and everyone after wards? What was that "stare" Xiao Yian Zi gave Yong Qi all about? Zi Wei and Er Kang are included in book 7 as well!