Chapter 310 - HomeComing

Monk Du and his passengers reappeared in a dark bedroom, lightly illuminated by the moonlight coming in from the slits in the windows. Monk Du promptly fell to his knees taking deep breaths, cold sweating, still holding onto Chun Hua's arm, while she stood still, completely out of it seemingly still reeling from the sudden realization of her "true" value.

Chun Hai promptly knelt down beside Monk Du and asked with concern, "Are you alright?" 

"I'm fine...Just the distance was a bit too much." Monk Du responded in between ragged breaths.

Meanwhile, Bao Zhun was more concerned for someone else, as he grabbed Chun Hua's shoulders and despite the poor light, he appraised still bleeding large slit on her neck, running end to end. Bao Zhun frowned.

{...That bastard! This is probably going to leave a scar...}

"Does it hurt a lot?" Bao Zhun gently asked but then Chun Hua simply squinted at him as her vision blurred and managed to say, "I thin-" before she slumped and passed out. 

Bao Zhun caught her before she hit the ground but feeling wetness on her back, he immediately panicked and exclaimed, "She's injured!"

This instantly arrested Chun Hai and Monk Du's full attention as Bao Zhun went down on his knees with her and sat her up so they could appraise the bleeding slash running across her back.

"Go get your uncle!" Monk Du ordered and Chun Hai jumped to his feet, ready to race out but then he stopped in confusion and asked, "My uncle?"

"Yes, get hot water, clean sheets, and whatever herbs he has in the manor and we'll work from there..." Monk Du said as he ripped open the back of her dress so he could get a better look at how deep the wound was. 

Even if he really did not understand, Chun Hai did not ask again and simply turned and ran out the door, grateful that his uncle was safe and that Monk Du had brought them to him. But as soon as he opened the doors and stepped out, Chun Hai realized where they were and understood why Monk Du had been so tired out...He had brought them a huge distance.

Not only had he taken them out of harm's way, he had taken them all the way to Jiu country, to his uncle's manor, to Chun Hai's old bedroom to be exact. 

Chun Hai's heart filled as he raced over to his uncle's courtyard to rouse the old man. His uncle obviously must have escaped in time and come here to wait for them, knowing they would come back here.

He burst through his uncle's bedroom doors to find the old man with a sword raised, ready to strike him. His uncle quickly dropped the sword and raced to hug him, "Oh, you're alive! Thank heavens! I was starting to get worried." The old man said through silent tears.

Chun Hai hugged him back, happy to be home again before he promptly remembered why he was here, he held his uncle back, "There's no time for this...Huayan is injured." 

With that announcement, the two swiftly jumped into action and went about gathering what was needed, they no longer kept servants here as after their uncle's wife died a few years back, he decided to move to Zou kingdom to be closer to the only family he had left, his niece and nephew.

But his uncle returned to this manor once every year for a few days on his wife's death anniversary. And it just so happened that this yearly event fell right around the period were the Chun siblings became wanted fugitives - this meant that their uncle had long left Zou kingdom before the news of their activities reached there... Luckily. 

Chun Hai could not help thinking about how they really got lucky this time on all fronts. Even though Chun Hai was worried about Chun Hua's wound, Monk Du was here and he was much better than any doctor they could ever find.

Therefore, Chun Hai's relief at being home, far from Long country and Zou kingdom outweighed whatever worry he felt. 

She was in good hands...they were in good hands.

***

The next morning Lei Xing woke up in a super good mood. She and the Emperor had spent a lazy day together happy holed up in their palace. It felt really nice to just disconnect from all the trouble and responsibilities for a while and it felt like it had been forever since they have had a day like that.

Although Lei Xing acknowledged that it was her who had been blowing the Emperor off for the last month or so, being too busy with qin rehearsals and other preparations for his birthday as well as other matters. Vacations feel best after a long time working hard, she really was enjoying have a job again, more so one where she was the boss. 

Today, it was back to life as usual, by the time she woke up the Emperor had already left for court and Lei Xing went about her morning routine and then went off to see Princess Nalan.

The Emperor had asked Lei Xing to talk to Princess Nalan and try to get confirmation on her departure date.

The Emperor did inform her two days ago about the situation with Prince Rui and during their very brief encounter that day, she did not seem at all excited at the prospects of leaving. It seemed something was bothering her, so as her host, the Emperor asked if there was a problem and she obviously said that nothing was wrong and that she would discuss with the others and get back to him with a date. 

But she still had not given a response. He expected that given the urgency of Prince Rui's situation, she would be quick to respond. But that did not seem to be the case so he mentioned it to Lei Xing yesterday and since they were "friends" perhaps Princess Nalan would find her easier to talk with. Of course, Lei Xing was ready to jump up and go get it sorted yesterday since it was quite a serious matter but the Emperor stopped her and said it can wait till "tomorrow". 

As far as he was concerned yesterday, everything could be pushed till "tomorrow" and Lei Xing had little issue with his mantra of the day. 

So after her meal this morning, Lei Xing made her way to see Princess Nalan, but arrived to be informed that the Princess had gone out for the day. So Lei Xing instructed the servants to inform her as soon as Princess Nalan returned. Then she went over to Li Ru's palace to find her sitting and chatting with Zhao Lan in her front garden. 

Lei Xing slightly faltered in her steps, a little annoyed, she did not anticipate a third party here, especially not this recently uncovered "childhood fre-enemy" of her Emperor's. 

Lei Xing was aware that Li Ru and Zhao Lan had become "friends" recently. Zhao Lan had visited a few times while Lei Xing was having her qin lessons with Li Ru.

Since Lei Xing was naturally a reserved person, Zhao Lan's attempts to try to engage her were received with short and disinterested responses with Lei Xing often leaving shortly after Zhao Lan's arrival. 

It was not that Lei Xing was running from Zhao Lan, it was just that she could not bring herself to trust Zhao Lan, it just felt fake. And Lei Xing did not have the interest in tolerating fake and pretending to be interested when it was not necessary.

Lei Xing did enough to be polite and then left. After all, the timing of Zhao Lan's switch in behavior was not lost on Lei Xing. Since their first day in the palace, Zhao Lan had looked at Lei Xing with condescension and given her the cold shoulder. 

But then suddenly after the Emperor announces Lei Xing as his choice for Empress, Zhao Lan's attitude did a full 180. She was suddenly warm and friendly with Li Ru, who she had put down and rudely ignored.

Even if Li Ru had forgotten all that, Lei Xing had not. It was blatantly obvious that she was only trying to warm up to Lei Xing because she was to become the Empress and since Lei Xing herself was highly unreceptive and hard to approach, she chose to use Li Ru as a pathway to Lei Xing.

Lei Xing did tell Li Ru to be careful around her, but she could not control what Li Ru did. 

But Li Ru could not blatantly be rude and bar Zhao Lan from her palace nor did she have it in her to be subtly dismissive in her behavior as Lei Xing always was. So she had a hard time brushing off a relentless Zhao Lan who lept showing up to visit her.

Regardless of Lei Xing's reservations about Zhao Lan, as the Empress and even as Lei Xing herself, she could not just turn tail and run like a coward because of an awkward encounter, especially not when she had already been seen. So she walked over with a smile as the two girls got up and bowed.

They sat down and Li Ru smiled at Lei Xing as she poured her cup of tea. Lei Xing smiled back and glanced at Zhao Lan as she picked up her teacup, taking a sip before breaking the awkward silence saying, "I was returning from visiting Princess Nalan so I thought I would stop by...It seems I came at the right time..." Lei Xing said with a calm smile at both girls, playing her part as a proper Empress.

Zhao Lan smiled and quickly spoke up first, "Your majesty truly came at the right time...We were just discussing our plans for when we leave the palace tomorrow -"

"Oh?" Lei Xing went with raised eyebrows glancing at Li Ru, this was after all the curious reason she had come here, "Do tell..." Lei Xing added.

Li Ru smiled and then hesistantly said, "Hmm...Well, I was thinking of maybe going home -"

"Home?" Lei Xing lightly exclaimed with slightly raised eyebrows in surprise, "I thought - Well, home is good..." She stopped herself from prying, immediately changed her tune, and plastered on a smile.

Zhao Lan was here so they could not discuss as they normally would. She was actually very surprised that Li Ru wanted to return home, she thought she would have chosen to stay. After all, why return to a place where she was maltreated?

{...Well, I guess I can understand wanting to have those who once trampled on you bow at your feet but -... Nevermind, she has time and money so why not get the gratification of groveling payback -_-)'...Can't say that I would bother though but okay...}

"I was just trying to persuade her to stay but she insists that she would like to go to her family home..." Zhao Lan said with a mini pout and Lei Xing looked at Zhao Lan's expression, somewhat put off by her expression.

While Lei Xing thought it would be nice if Zhao Lan and Li Ru had actually developed an honest friendship, she could not help seeing insincerity when Zhao Lan made expressions like these. It always looked as if she was trying too hard.

Lei Xing inwardly sighed and for the sake of politeness, she turned to Zhao Lan and asked, "What about you? What plans do you have?"

"Oh, I will be going home as well." Zhao Lan said, her face instantly brightening up with a smile, "But I live in the capital so I will be sure to visit you in the palace often..."

Lei Xing obviously was not interested in Zhao Lan visiting, but etiquette did not allow her to say her true thoughts, so she maintained her smile and flatly said, "Do that then..."

Although she was "free" to come, it will be up to Lei Xing whether to receive her not. And considering that Zhao Lan did not dare to go over to Lei Xing's palace to "visit" even while she was living right in the palace. She probably feared outright rejection from Lei Xing or worse, even the Emperor himself so Lei Xing doubted that girl would actually come "visit".

Already feeling tired of the conversation, Lei Xing went on to say, "I have other matters to attend to so I will leave you two to your planning..." Then she stood up and the other two followed suit and bowed to her in farewell. 

Lei Xing nodded and walked off with a silent sigh, with her plastered smile quickly falling off, feeling a tad depressed again.

{...This is for the best...}