The Ageless Dream

10.1 Unmasking Huang Zhao (40)

"Do I look like a monkey that you're scared of me?" Huang Zhao laughingly said. His words made her reveal a smile she hadn't expressed for a while.

"Yes." Dong Li Hua nodded. She tittered lightly before looking up to Huang Zhao. Upon meeting his dark somber eyes, she unknowingly got enchanted. They were as clear as spring waters yet mysterious like the universe. Though she did not see his real appearance, she seemed to not care. Back in the manor, Jie Cui once mentioned Huang Zhao covered his face with a mask to cover his ruined face.

"Ah Li?" noticing how different she is staring to him; Huang Zhao had his brows knitted.

"Hm? Uhm... Did the dagger spear and crossbow worked?" she tried to change the topic to hide her real thoughts.

"En. The cavalry men can't evade the arrows thrown that they got disarrayed and the infantry men easily defeated them. The weapons you made were effective. Zhao State will soon fall in the hands of Qin." he carefully explained as his gaze traversed towards the lit brazier.

"... For what reason is this happening? Invading six other stages will cause many bloodshed. Have any of you thought of the civilians' wellbeing?" Dong Li Hua asked. From the dramas and online novels she read, Qin Shi Huang is often portrayed as a man who hungers for power. He was inhumane and manipulative. She wanted to know if that was the truth from mouth of those who followed him.

"Two centuries of war after Zhou Dynasty completely fell, it costs more lives than this unification. King Zheng is only asking for peace, to create a new place where everything is set right. To have no wars, death or scheming against other states. For two hundred years, this is what millions of lives asked for. Only in this campaign can the warring states end." Huang Zhao smiled wryly. He too had been a victim of these seven warring states. The bitter past of his childhood emerged where he was vulnerable.

"Sir General is sad?" Dong Li Hua thought after seeing his emotions from his clear gaze. She let go of the quilt and placed her palm on his hand. Huang Zhao looked up, confused yet nervous for some reason.

"Ah Li." he gently whispered. Her limpid crystal eyes made his last restrain to break. Huang Zhao lightly pinched her chin, his other hand intertwining with hers. Dong Li Hua foolishly remained on her place as Huang Zhao leaned down. He is feeling a bit nervous, an emotion he has not felt for years. Huang Zhao lowered his gaze, his eyelashes fanned with his eyes setting on her slightly gaping painted red lips, tempting him to just claim her right away.

Dong Li Hua kept telling herself to move away but her mind and heart is actually expecting him. Only when the soft yet cold sensation of his lips spreads through did she tremble in nervousness, her thoughts getting disarrayed. Suddenly, the bracelet went warm that she flinched in pain. They barely started and Dong Li Hua subconsciously moved her head back which caused their contact to break. Huang Zhao furrowed his brows in puzzlement.

"Uhm... I- I should rest." she stammered before lying on the bed with her back facing him. In truth, she nearly lost her control. If not for the bracelet turning warm all of a sudden, she wouldn't have stopped herself. It might have led to something she will either regret or not regret.

Huang Zhao sat there in silence yet he is scolding himself inside. How can he fall for someone else? He already offered his heart to a girl before, but why is he doing this with Dong Li Hua? His fists clenched above the bedsheets but he quickly regained his calmness. The bed moved; Huang Zhao had left. The young girl opened her eyes and stared at her wrist where the bracelet is. Seems like the naughty bracelet is her guardian. Hopefully, Huang Zhao was not aroused or she wouldn't know how to face him later on.

The next day, an unexpected guest came to see her. Jie Cui was crying while holding Dong Li Hua's hands.

"Miss suffered many grievances. Its nübi's fault. I hid the truth from Miss." she cried in front of Dong Li Hua who is sitting across her. Jie Cui wiped her tears profusely.

"You did nothing wrong. Don't cry." Dong Li Hua coaxed her, not knowing what is really happening.

"Miss, I concealed what Jie Ming did. General never touched her. It was Wu daifu who is responsible of her. Before Miss even arrived, Wu daifu is Jie Ming's suitor. However, Jie Ming saw General's real appearance and fell for him. Its servant who did wrong too for hiding this truth from Miss."

"What?" she frowned at the revelation. Jie Ming is one of the people she trusted, lying to her is a great impact. What's more, it was for her own gain. Dong Li Hua slowly stroked Xiao Hu's back to calm herself. She closed her eyes for a moment then opened them afterwards. "What happened to Jie Ming then?"

"At first, General let Jie Ming choose, to marry Wu daifu or not. Jie Ming is truly obsessed of General and refused, even pleading for General to take her with him. General was angered and locked her up in the city jail. Wu daifu can't ask for Jie Ming's safety since General is not in a good mood. Perhaps only Miss can save Jie Ming. However... Jie Ming already went against Miss. She forgot our sisterhood too." Jie Cui sniffed. Having the same surname made her feel more closeness to Jie Ming thought they are not related to each other. But on the wedding day, Jie Ming changed. Jie Cui doesn't like her now.

"I'll ask for her freedom then. Even if she made a mistake, there are some people deserving a second chance." Dong Li Hua decided. She is not angry at Jie Ming but that doesn't mean Huang Zhao is not affected. Giving Jie Ming a second chance to redress her mistake is a rational thing to do, she will try convincing Huang Zhao to free Jie Ming.

"Miss, I heard you are going to Xianyang next week? Please take nübi with you." Jie Cui asked after regaining her composure. She wanted to serve Dong Li Hua, having a kind master is already rare these days.