Severing Time & Space

Hou Jingshu, Part II

Hou Jingshu hated having decisions made for her more than anything. She was never allowed to make her own choices. Just once, she wanted to decide what she could and couldn’t do. Was that really too much to ask for?

Finally, they at long last appeared before a small city, though she hesitated to call it such after seeing how tiny it was. There was no gate or guard protecting the entrance. Considering they lived in the sticks, where magical beasts were prone to attack, it was a wonder they were able to remain safe. However, perhaps because this place was so different from what she was used to, Hou Jingshu found herself staring in fascination out the window.

“It’s a lot different than the royal capital, isn’t it?” Father said with a kind smile.

“I never got to see much of the capital itself since someone I refuse to name kept me confined to the palace… but yes, this place does not look anything like the capital,” Hou Jingshu admitted.

The first thing she noticed was that most of the buildings were a lot smaller here than they were in the capital. She didn’t know if that meant there was a premium on land, or if the people here just couldn’t afford to make larger houses, but it was a lot different from what she was used to either way. When she turned her head left, she saw a number of stalls selling trinkets like jewelry and clothing. There were several shops with glass windows displaying some of their wares. One of those shops was a clothing store selling the “latest fashion from the capital,” though Hou Jingshu noticed from the mannequins stationed near the window that it was last year’s fashion. She supposed that went to show her how far away from the capital she was. News traveled so slowly here that even the shops were unable to keep up with the capital’s fashion trends.

This place is the boondocks.

While it was certainly a crude place, Hou Jingshu would admit there was a certain charm about the little town. The people were smiling, the kids were playing, and the scent of various foods wafted through the air. She wished she had a dozen more eyes so she could take in the sights.

“What’s that, Father?”

“What is what?”

“The food that kid is eating?”

Hou Jingshu pointed toward a young boy who was holding something she had never seen before. He would periodically munch on it. From the happy smile on his face, Hou Jingshu imagined it must have tasted quite delicious.

“It looks like Ci Faan,” her father said. “They are rice balls filled with all kinds of local ingredients. It looks like the one he’s eating has sugar and sesame.” He glanced at his daughter. “Would you like to try one? We will be having dinner with the Wu Clan… but it wouldn’t ruin your appetite if I let you have one.”

Hou Jingshu could practically see her father’s mind churning in thought. She had been in a foul mood ever since they left the capital without a word to anyone. That had been over two months ago now. It had taken two whole months to travel this far, and in that time, she had not relented with her quiet brooding. Father must have been at his wits end and wanted to put his daughter in a good mood.

And it was in seeing that expression on his face that Hou Jingshu finally found out how she would get her revenge.

I can use this…

“Can you get one for me, Father?” she asked.

“Of course,” he said in relief. “I’ll ask the driver to—”

“No. What I mean is… I want you to get it for me.”

“Jingshu…”

Father looked like he was ten seconds from warning her about overstepping her boundaries, but Hou Jingshu used a tactic she knew her father was weak against. She clasped her hands in front of her, made her eyes as big as possible, and looked at him with an upturned face.

This was her secret weapon.

She called it the Puppy Dog Eyes Technique.

It was the most fearsome technique within her arsenal.

“Please, Father. I would really appreciate it if you were the one who got that for me,” she begged.

A struggle took place on her father’s face. As the youngest of his children and his only daughter, he had always doted on her. She was the apple of his eye. That was why he had such a hard time dealing with her while she was brooding, and that was probably what led to him letting his guard down. Well, that, and Hou Jingshu imagined the lack of sleep had also caused his lapse in judgment.

Do not blame me for this, Father. Instead, blame it on your own lack of caution.

His expression relaxed as he capitulated to his daughter’s demands.

“… Very well. I will be right back.”

Hou Jingshu did feel some guilt using this underhanded method against her father, but her anger overrode her sense of judgment. She wanted him to understand how she felt. Since he refused to, she needed to teach him a lesson the hard way.

Father had the driver stop the carriage, stepped outside, and walked over to the street vendor selling the Ci Faan. He wasn’t wearing his normal stately robes. However, his state of dress was still far fancier than anything anyone there was wearing, which meant everyone’s eyes were drawn to him the moment he walked out. Even the street vendor was tripping over himself when Father ordered food from him.

But Hou Jingshu didn’t care about that.

Without any hesitation, she slipped out of the door on the other side of the carriage, making sure to open and close it as quietly as possible so their driver wouldn’t hear the sound and be alerted to her actions. The noise from everyone outside further helped mask her departure. She looked at the driver as he sat in his seat. He was not looking her way at all. Good. With a determined smile, Hou Jingshu slipped down an alleyway.

Since Father was so adamant on taking her all the way to this little hick town, she would just have to see what made it so special with her own eyes.