The Ageless Dream

9.3 Red Fabrics (38)

"Who is it?" Huang Zhao stepped out of the garden with Dong Li Hua and Lan Hu. The soldiers guarding there is holding down a young man.

"This is... Physician Wu Qiu?" Dong Li Hua recognized him. What could he be doing here?

"Wu daifu [1]?" Jie Cui also arrived, cuddling Xiao Hu in her arms when it jumped down and went to Dong Li Hua. She picked Xiao Hu and then tugged Huang Zhao's sleeve.

"Sir General, I should go." Dong Li Hua bid her farewell. She won't stay here anymore and left. Jie Cui stared at Dong Li Hua's back in reluctance while Huang Zhao gestured for his men to let go of Wu Qiu.

"What is it?" he coldly asked.

"General, Jie Ming lied to you. She was not forced by General!" Wu Qiu stated; his words shocked everyone except for Jie Cui. "If General doesn't believe me, Jie Cui can prove it! She knows everything!"

"Jie Cui?" Huang Zhao frowned, he gazed towards Jie Cui who is already full of guilt. She looked down in fear, afraid of Huang Zhao's dangerous looks.

"Wu daifu is telling the truth. Jie Ming was forced by Wu daifu." she started reminiscing the day Wu Qiu attended Huang Zhao's wound on the back.

After getting out of the bedchamber, Wu Qiu ordered Jie Cui to take a basin of warm water fir cleaning Huang Zhao's wound. She forgot her handkerchief is in Jie Ming's hands and returned when she saw them having an argument.

"Leave!" Jie Ming bellowed, she seemed to be afraid of Wu Qiu as she kept stepping back.

"Jie Ming, what's wrong with you?" Wu Qiu held her arm forcefully that Jie Ming hissed. She stared straight to Wu Qiu's eyes with a pleading look.

"What's wrong with me? Wu Qiu, since you don't want to take responsibility, I'll let General replace you." she pulled her arm back successfully and left Wu Qiu with a puzzled expression.

"You... How could you? He is your mistress's lover! Jie Ming, stop this madness!"

"They won't be lovers anymore if I were to intervene. Miss Lizi is kind, she won't hesitate to let me share with her once I tell General forced me." Jie Ming reasoned out, a feeling of infatuation spilling out of her limpid eyes.

"This..."

"You can't stop me. You have no evidence to prove I fooled them. Leave now." she pointed her finger on the hallway when they noticed Jie Cui standing there. Jie Cui hid herself behind the wall and hurriedly got away of that place. Later that day, Jie Ming begged for her not to tell anyone about what she said.

"Sister Ming, why did you turn like this? General is Miss Lizi's loved one. How could you?" Jie Cui asked with a frown yet helping Jie Ming to stand up.

"I know Miss Lizi is General's lover but- you should know how I feel too. Sister Cui, I like General. No, I fell for him in first sight." she explained to Jie Cui in a dreamy way. "Yesterday, I... I removed General's mask. Jie Cui, you won't believe it. He is not disfigured like rumors said. General is-"

"Sister Ming, enough! General is not for you! If you were to stay on the same page with him and Miss Lizi, its not the right thing!" Jie Cui is about to say more when Jie Ming bursts into tears.

"Please, Sister Cui. This is only for a lifetime. I fell in love to General and parting with him is not easy for me."

"Fine... I'll- I'll conceal this." she made a decision by choosing her friend over the master she served. Dong Li Hua is kind to them which strengthened her conscience day by day.

"She removed my mask...?" Huang Zhao asked after hearing Jie Cui's narration. He looked more frustrated than ever, the murderous aura around him nearly suffocated Wu Qiu.

"Huang Zhao!" just as they all went to silence, Meng Tian rushed in. "Why is Miss Lizi outside? Du Feng abducted her!"

"Hn..." Dong Li Hua slowly opened her eyes. She looked around to see herself inside an unfamiliar tent. Moving her hands, she noticed her wrists were tied on a bedpost. Upon looking down, her modern clothes were gone, replaced by a wedding dress.

"Awake?" a man in silver clad entered the tent. Dong Li Hua's eyes widened to see Du Feng; he was smiling at her with ill intentions written on his face.

"Mmff!!" she struggled more but she can't speak clearly. Du Feng approached her and knelt with one knee in front.

"Hm? Want to say something?" he removed the red blocking her mouth when Dong Li Hua spat out. Du Feng moved quickly and evaded it.

"You scum!" she cursed. Du Feng was annoyed and held her neck with one hand. A cold beastly light flashed across his eyes that contrasted with his gentlemanly face.

"Say it again? Do you want me to tamper you right now before Huang Zhao arrives?" Du Feng sneered; he was holding her neck tightly that it was difficult for her to breathe.

"Let...go..." she was being strangled slowly. Her eyes were full of tears from pain. Thankfully, Du Feng removed his hold as she coughed fervently. She felt regret not taking her situation seriously which placed her in this inevitable state. Dong Li Hua had worn the bracelet back but it did not work then Xiao Hu ran back to Xinzheng. Du Feng took advantage of her loneliness and knocked her unconscious.

Du Feng caressed her cheeks gently. "If he won't come within two shichen [2], I'll just enjoy myself tonight and feist on you." he laughingly said before leaving. The young girl gazed outside with a glimmer of hope from her eyes. Dong Li Hua feared for the possible outcome. She bit her lower lip and forced her tears back but her shoulders trembled. Huang Zhao's image appeared in her mind. Does he know Du Feng took her? Is he going to risk himself to save her from that man after all she said and done to hurt his feelings?

"Huang Zhao... Save me." her weak soft voice whispered within the silent room.

[1] daifu is a respectful reference for doctors.

[2] one shichen is equal to two hours