By: Kia Lam

Xiao Yian Zi walked stolidly back to Ji Niang Gong, alone. The rain had completely drenched her, making her hair and clothing stick to her skin. Still, she walked on, oblivious to the pounding rain. Yong Qi was trailing behind her, he suspected something was amiss, but stayed his distance. Finally, the silence began to get the better of him. He presently walked up and took her hand.
"Xiao Yian Zi, what’s the matter with you?" he asked, tired but worried. Unfortunately, it sounded like the former.
Pulling her hand away, she whirled and faced him.
Despite the rain, Yong Qi could see that she had been crying, for her round eyes were red and swollen.
" ‘Not showing any respect myself’ right? Do you think that calling Xiao Jian a "dog’s brother" IS showing respect? Do you think locking him up without asking for his say in the mess is showing respect? You, you’re despicable! You…you didn’t even speak up for him when we were at Lao Fu Yai’s. YOU stood there like a baby, while the rest of us pleaded our hearts out, and you actually had the nerve to reprimand me?! I think you’ve gone crazy, Yong Qi!!" she berated him. For each insult she flung at him, it came back and stabbed her heart mercilessly, causing her to cry. It was "Adding insult to injury" on herself.
His eyes widening in rage, Yong Qi responded impulsively, " Crazy am I? You’re the one who reprimanded the Tai Ho! That is forbidden in the law of the royal court!"
"Forbidden! Laws, laws, LAWS!!! I’ve had enough! The moment I come back, you’ve turned back to your half-baked A Ge xun fun (status). I can’t take it anymore! You’ve done this too many times.’ Wiping away her tears, Xiao Yian Zi started to run towards a nearby wall. Yong Qi chased after her, and when he caught up to her, Xiao Yian Zi was in the act of taking off her headdress. Flinging it at him, ‘Here, a momento of your wife. Don’t ever expect me to come back!" she screamed at him. She then bounded the walls, and was lost in the darkness of the stormy night.
Yong Qi, tossing the headdress aside, bounded the wall and was swallowed by the night. He landed on wet dirt and slipped. Immediately, he got up and looked around him. The night was dark, he couldn’t see but a few feet in front of him. The pelting rain had drenched him from head to toe, making it impossible for him to search about him swiftly and carefully.
"Xiao Yian Zi!!!" he cried desperately.
It was all in vain. Thunder had crackled above, and it drowned out his cry. Still, Yong Qi continued to call out her name as he frantically searched, his voice hoarse and tremulous.
Finally, after hours of searching uselessly for Xiao Yian Zi, Yong Qi slumped dejectedly against a tree. Suddenly, he whirled and started to pummel the tree. It shook under his blows and was about to crack when Yong Qi stopped. Lowering his bloodied hands, he turned and started to head back to the Palace.
Nestled on the branches above was Xiao Yian Zi. She watched Yong Qi head back with unspoken words that were almost choking her. She continued to watch him until he could no long be seen. Then, resting her head on her hands, she cried quietly to herself. Lightning and thunder struck and roared, and the rain continued to ceaselessly pound the earth. Suddenly, the wind began to howl, whipping the branches of trees to and fro. Snuggling closer to the tree, Xiao Yian Zi closed her eyes, and tried to block her world that was turning and shaking out of control.

*****

As the sun peered over the horizon, it’s rays spread, trying to mend the world from last night’s rage. Finally, the rays caught up to Yong Qi, on horseback, riding towards the Fu residence. His mind raced, ceaseless and ever spinning. As he reached the front entrance, one of the outside servants bellowed his arrival.
Descending from his horse, he turned and was met by the surprised faces of Er Kang and Zi Wei.
"Yong Qi? What are you doing here? Alone?" asked Zi Wei, baffled. Suddenly, her eyes widened in horror. "What happened to Xiao Yian Zi?" she with apprehension.
Er Kang, looking distractedly about him, grabbed Yong Qi’s elbow, "Come, let’s talk about it inside." He said, leading him in.
"Sit down."
Slumping into one of the delicately carved ebony chairs, Yong Qi stared questioningly at Zi Wei.
"Xiao Yian Zi did not come here last night did she? I can tell by your face that you don’t have the slightest idea what happened last night either." He said.
"She didn’t come here last night." Replied Er Kang.
"What happened?" Asked Zi Wei. She sensed something was definite wrong, and as she listened to Yong Qi explain what had happened, about Xiao Jian’s capture, the "plea session" with Lao Fu Yai, and the argument last night, her mind began to race. Various places popped up in her mind that might have been where Xiao Yian Zi was hiding, but deep in her mind, she knew these places did not conceal a Xiao Yian Zi.
When Yong Qi finished, there was a muffled silence that had invaded the room.
After a while, Zi Wei spoke, "I’m not blaming you Yong Qi, but you should know better than to reprimand Xiao Yian Zi, especially when it comes to court laws and customs. You know what Lao Fu Yai did was unfair, and by reprimanding her, you were indirectly telling her that what Lao Fu Yai did was right." She told Yong Qi, staring him down.

"You also know how much Xiao Yian Zi loves her brother. For him, she wasn’t even about to marry you! Hey, also, why you didn’t speak in Xiao Jian’s defense when all the others did?" said Er Kang.
"I…I couldn’t." he told them.
"What do you mean you couldn’t? Do you have something against Xiao Jian?" asked Zi Wei angrily.
"No! Nothing of that sort. It’s just, when I reprimanded her, she gave me this stare…it was so retaining that I was lost in it after that."
Again, silence enveloped the room.
"By hearing your side of the story, it seems that you’re the one to blame." Er Kang told Yong Qi.
"It is! But I was only trying to protect her from the wrath of Lao Fu Yai. My heart almost jumped out of my mouth when she spoke those daring words. I was sure Lao Fu Yai would lock her up along with Xiao Jian!" Yong Qi said agitatedly.
"Well, you need to tell her that." Said Zi Wei.
"I think our most important task right now is to find Xiao Yian Zi. Let’s not sit here and babble all day when Xiao Yian Zi could be in grave danger." Er Kang said decidedly.
"We should go to Huei Bing Liu first." Yong Qi said.
"Okay, we’ll go there first." Replied Er Kang.
As the three of the proceeded inside the cart, Er Kang told the eunuch to go to Huei Bing Liu.
"Ya!" cried the eunuch, flicking the reins to get the horses moving.
As the cart rolled slowly away and into the busy city of Beijing, Zi Wei’s doubt began to grow. She somehow knew that Xiao Yian Zi wasn’t there, but yet she was hopping that she was wrong, and that they would find Xiao Yian Zi and she would be alright. She sat quietly; trying to block out in impeding notion of dread that had appeared first thing in the morning when she woke up. Now, it began to increase.

*****

From atop the branches, Xiao Yian Zi stirred. Releasing her body from her tortured stifled position, she leapt off the tree. Landing right in front of the tree, she stared at it quietly. Running her hand over the imprints Yong Qi had left on it, her lips began to tremble. Bawling in anger and agitation, Xiao Yian Zi began to kick effortlessly at the tree. Finally she stopped when her audacious crying had ceased to a quiet tremble. Composing herself, she thought, I can’t go to Huei Bing Liu…I can’t go to Zi Wei, Er Kang would be there. Where can I go??? She thought. STUPID YONG QI!!! Hmm… I can go the commoner’s house (Da Sa Yuan)! It’ll be fun to see Xiao Bua Zi and all the others again!!!
Excited by the future notion of a reunion, Xiao Yian Zi began to trek towards the city of Beijing, putting last night’s dramatic turn of events out of her mind. Suddenly, stopping in her trek, she reared and sneezed. Wiping her nose, she sneezed again.
When Xiao Yian Zi reached the commoner’s house, she had sneezed a countless number of times, and her head began to feel heavy. Her body felt faint, as if she was in a dream. Stepping over the doorway, she called out weakly if anyone one was there. The children were in a circle, chanting loudly last night’s lesson, others were chatting away, and yet others were busy playing chess. No one heard her. Suddenly, Xiao Yian Zi collapsed.

*****

"What?! Xiao Yian Zi’s gone?" asked the surprised Lieu Qing.
"She didn’t come here last night." Said Jin Suoa sadly told Zi Wei.
"Jin Suoa doesn’t lie to me, Xiao Yian Zi’s not here." Zi Wei told the group. "I had a feeling from the beginning Xiao Yian Zi wasn’t going to come to such an obviously place like this. Last time she didn’t* why would she now?"
"Then where could she be??!!" cried Yong Qi.
"…….The commoner’s house!" replied Zi Wei excitedly after much thought.
"Of course!" the rest answered.

*****

Jin Er was lounging luxuriously and being attended to and fed by her servants when there came a soft knock on her door.
"Come in."
In stepped two servants, Xiao Sou Zi and Qeng Er. Seeing it was them, Jin Er dismissed her own servants. She beckoned the two to approach her and sat up from her seat.
"Your humble slaves Qeng Er and Xiao Sou Zi bids Jin Ge Ge good morning." They said, kow-towing.
"Have you heard any news as to Xiao Jian’s confinement?" she asked them.
"Hui Ge Ge, Lao Fu Yai has agreed to release him on the request of Huang Shang, along with Wu A Ge, Huan Zhu Ge Ge, and Qing Ge Ge." Replied Xiao Sou Zi.
"Damnit!"
Flinching, the two servants began to feel uneasy, their sixth sense was telling them danger was abroad.
"Jin Ge Ge, your humble servant may have some news that would be some particular interest." Spoke Qeng Er a little hesitantly.
"What?"
"Last night, Wu A Ge returned to Ji Niang Gong alone, Huan Zhu Ge Ge was nowhere to be seen with him. Also, before dawn, Wu A Ge left the palace on horseback."
Slowly, a sly smile crept upon Jin Er’s face. "I think this very alarming news indeed…that which must be reported to Lao Fu Yai! Yong Qi is her favorite grandson and the crown prince. We can’t have him going off all of a sudden to chase that big-headed wife of his and not regard his family." She told them, her eyes flashing.

*****

Staring absentmindedly into the mirror, the dowager empress sighed. Surprised, Qing Er looked up from her combing job.
"Lao Fu Yai, is there something wrong? Do you not feel well?" she asked, worried.
Staring at Qing Er though the mirror, the Tai Ho asked, "Do you think I’m getting too old for this life, Qing Er?"
"Lao Fu Yai, what are you talking about? Qing Er has always regarded you as a capable and extremely clear-headed empress. What is it that you’re is trying to ask?" replied Qing Er.
"Haha. Nothing dearest. It just seems that nowadays, people are constantly rebutting my decisions, contradicting me, and reprimanding me. Where has the respect gone to?"
"Lao Fu Yai, don’t stress over that little bit of matter. Huang Shang has his reasons for doing what he does, we all do. Therefore, we all respect the reasons behind a decision." Qing told the dowager empress, smiling in spite of herself.
Nodding, the Tai Ho smiled. "That is a very clever, yet very true answer. Oh, by the way, Xiao Jian is still in his cell. Why don’t you…go and release him personally? Hmm?"
"Wha-? Me?"
"Yes you. I finally understand what is going on between you two." Replied the Tai Ho, grinning.
"There is nothing between us Lao Fu Yai! At least, not that I know of." Qing Er replied hurriedly, her cheeks flushed.
"You should go release him anyway, he must be crawling to get out."
Hesitating, Qing Er bid the dowager empress her thanks and walked out.
Just as Qing Er left, the outside eunuch called out the arrival of Jin Er.

****

End of Book 7