Chapter 10- Death Knocks On The Door
Yong Qi hurried home to find his whole entire bedroom flooded with paper. Flat sheets, scrunched up balls and even whole entire layers rolled frustratingly into huge wads. In the midst of all the mess propped up against a pillow was Xiao Yan Zi, adding yet another scrunched up ball to the mess. Ink was smudged on certain areas of her face and her clothing as she creased her brows in concentration and shakily blotted a few strokes onto the pile of paper placed upon a small bed-table in front of her. Again she scrunched the sheet up into a ball and threw it onto the floor, this time throwing her brush down as well. Giving out a loud grunt of frustration she angrily shoved the whole entire bed-table onto the floor and it crashed a few feet from where Yong Qi was standing. It was at this time that Xiao Yan Zi finally saw her husband standing by the doorway.
"You said it would be easy," she sulked, looking away from him.
"What are you doing?" asked Yong Qi in shock. His mind was devoid of all previous problems as he continued to stare at the balls of paper devouring his room.
"What else can I be doing? Huang Ah Ma's stupid essay of course! It's that stupid girl's entire fault…making me fight with her! I should find her and bring her to Huang Ah Ma, then he can punish her instead!" Xiao Yan Zi moped before punching her fist against the hard wooden bedpost.
"Ouch!" she cried in pain, carefully nursing her fist in her other hand.
Yong Qi quickly ran to her side and started to fuss. "Does it hurt? Is anything broken? Oh dear! I should call the Tai Yi!" he exclaimed worriedly, before getting up to leave.
"Yong Qi! I'm fine!" yelled Xiao Yan Zi using her free hand to pull him back before he took any drastic action.
Yong Qi took her hand into his and examined it. After careful evaluation he finally nodded. "Okay then, what have you done so far?" he asked her.
Xiao Yan Zi pushed away a few of the sheets on her bed and extracted a bunch of wrinkled papers with shaky writing all over. Yong Qi looked over the smudgy writing thoughtfully, before carefully straightening out the papers and placing then in a neat folded pile beside her.
"That's a good start! How many more words do you need?"
"One thousand," answered Xiao Yan Zi glumly. It had taken her the entire day to come up with the two thousand, how was she supposed to write another thousand words! Xiao Yan Zi yawned, even though it was only early in the night. Writing always made her tired. She can run around and practice martial arts without stopping for hours, but make her write for more than an hour and her whole body starts to ache.
"Well, most of it is done…just a little more," reassured Yong Qi.
Xiao Yan Zi yawned a second time. "Yong Qi…can you do me a favor?" she pleaded, resting her head onto his shoulder and throwing her arms around his chest.
"What is it?" asked Yong Qi, silently amused by Xiao Yan Zi's childish method of persuasion.
"Write my essay…for me…" she managed to say before giving in to her heavy eyelids.
"Won't Huang Ah Ma recognize my writing?" inquired Yong Qi cheekily, but Xiao Yan Zi had already fallen asleep on his shoulder. Shaking his head in amusement, he gently turned to gather Xiao Yan Zi up into his arms and laid her onto the bed. Clearing away the all the pieces of paper, he carefully placed her work on the bedside table before calling for Xiao Yan Zi's servants.
"Wu Ah Ge ji xiang," they all chorused as they entered.
"Where were you all?" he inquired.
"Ge Ge told us not to disturb her and sent us outside," replied Ming Yue.
Yong Qi nodded. "Ming Yue, can you get me a basin of water? Cai Xia, prepare Ge Ge's medicine. Xiao Deng Zi, Xiao Zhuo Zi, you two clean up this mess," he ordered them.
"Zhar" they all answered and set about completing their tasks.
Yong Qi settled himself by the bed and stared at Xiao Yan Zi's smudged face. Was she really Zhen Zhen? She had the same large eyes and the same stubborn, charming personality…but can there really be so much coincidence in this world? Taking a deep breath, Yong Qi gently rolled Xiao Yan Zi's head over sideways and swept her hair to either side. There staring at him was a small patch of white on her scalp, unmistakably and terrifyingly real.
"Show me your essay," boomed Qian Long's voice as soon as he arrived the next day.
Xiao Yan Zi handed over the wrinkled and smudged sheets, looking out the window to avoid Qian Long's eye. Scanning quickly over the pages, the emperor smiled before inquiring "it's a bit short isn't it?"
"No fair!" exclaimed Xiao Yan Zi indignantly. "I worked so hard on it and Huang Ah Ma doesn't even bother to read it. All Huang Ah Ma can see is that it isn't three thousand words! And Yong Qi was telling me that quality should always be placed over quantity! I could have written three thousand words on apples and passed the test!"
"Then why didn't you?" joked Qian Long as Xiao Yan Zi gently punched her pillow in frustration.
"Alright, alright! I'll stop teasing you now! Yong Qi told me that you worked hard all yesterday to write this essay, so I'm letting you pass the punishment."
"Really?" asked Xiao Yan Zi excitedly.
"Yes, really!"
"Yay! Huang Ah Ma, next time you punish me, I'd prefer it if you just gave me the cane! Writing is even more painful! Letting you beat me only means one area hurts, but yesterday, my head hurt, my hand hurt, my back hurt…everywhere hurt!" protested Xiao Yan Zi.
"Maybe if you don't get into trouble, I won't have to punish you. What kind of person plans the next time they get punished?"
"I know I'll get into trouble…especially here in the palace…"
Qian Long shook his head, resigning.
Xiao Yan Zi was out and about in less than two days, despite everyone's restraints.
"It's so windy this morning Yong Qi! I want to go and fly my kite!" she exclaimed happily early one morning. She was already dressed and ready to go. Yong Qi yawned.
"Aren't you supposed to be resting in bed?" he asked her, even though he knew that she would never listen.
"I've been in bed for two whole days! I feel fine…and it'll probably never be this windy again! Plus, Zi Wei is coming over today!" protested Xiao Yan Zi.
"Oh…yeah…" mumbled Yong Qi, before lying back down onto the bed for a few more minutes.
"WAKE UP YONG QI!" yelled Xiao Yan Zi loudly into Yong Qi's ear, causing him to jump straight out of bed and onto the floor.
"Ouch! Xiao Yan Zi! You weren't the one staying up late last night." He scolded, picking himself up off the floor.
"I haven't scolded you for that yet! Where were you last night?"
"I was only in Hui Bing Lou, with Xiao Jian," replied Yong Qi, thinking back to the previous night. They had decided it best to keep Xiao Yan Zi's identity a secret for now, whilst they still weren't sure of the whole story. They planned to investigate Zhang Da Ren as their next step.
"Should have taken me along too!" complained Xiao Yan Zi.
"You had been ordered by Huang Ah Ma to stay in bed!"
"Yeah…well…"
"What?"
"Nothing…I'm going outside!" said Xiao Yan Zi joyfully before skipping out of the room with her swallow kite.
Yong Qi had just finished breakfast when Zi Wei and Er Kang arrived.
"Zi Wei! Come and fly my kite with me! Look how pretty it is!" Xiao Yan Zi's voice was heard from the garden. In a short moment Er Kang's head popped into the room.
"Morning!" he greeted. "I see Xiao Yan Zi has once again defied bed-rest!"
"As usual," sighed Yong Qi.
Er Kang smiled knowingly. "Huang Shang wants to see us as soon as possible." He reported.
Yong Qi rose from his chair and walked out the door with Er Kang. The last thing he heard was Xiao Yan Zi's cheerful voice ringing in his ear.
"Bye-bye Yong Qi!" she called joyfully, not taking her eyes off the kite. "Look Zi Wei! There's a little bird next to my kite!"
All the two men could do was laugh.
"Zi Wei! Look! The bird is flying up right next to it! Maybe it thinks my kite is a real swallow!" shouted Xiao Yan Zi excitedly.
"So, how did your essay go? I heard Yong Qi say that you didn't manage to get three thousand words written down," inquired Zi Wei, beaming happily at Xiao Yan Zi's excitement.
"Huang Ah Ma let me pass the test. Look Zi Wei! Isn't it beautiful! Why don't you try holding the kite?" offered Xiao Yan Zi, pushing the wheel into Zi Wei's hands. "I'll see if I can reach it from that large tree!" she cried before jumping up onto the biggest tree in the garden and climbing slowly to the top.
"Be careful Xiao Yan Zi!" called Zi Wei from below, looking at her whilst trying to control the kite at the same time.
"Don't worry, I'm fine!" waved Xiao Yan Zi from the top of the tree, balancing dangerously on a branch. "Xiao Jian said my qi gong is almost as good as his!"
Suddenly Zi Wei felt a dizzy spell sweep upon her. She quickly lent against the tree to steady herself. She had been having quite a lot of these spells lately, but was reluctant to tell Er Kang. She knew that her own health had often worried her husband and she didn't want to cause him any more concern. This time however was different from the other times. Her vision didn't clear up as it previously used to, and she felt pain growing inside of her, from her stomach and agonizingly spreading around to her whole bottom half. Her legs felt weak and her arms trembled in the wind that had suddenly dropped to freezing point.
"Xiao…Yan Zi…" she called weakly, but was interrupted by a scream and the sound of snapping branches. Zi Wei made out a blur of red falling to the ground in front of her before everything turned black.
Xiao Yan Zi painfully picked herself up off the ground. She wasn't sure how far she had fallen, only recalling numerous branches that her body had flung into before reaching the cold hard floor. Her wrist throbbed with pain, and her back felt like it had been through a hurricane. Looking to her side she saw Zi Wei lying on the ground behind her. Horrifyingly, a sea of red surrounded her and trickled slowly towards Xiao Yan Zi. A deafening alarm rang in Xiao Yan Zi's head as her voice filled the surrounds.
"HELP! Er Kang! ER KANG! ANYONE…HELP!" she screamed, hot tears gushing rapidly down her face.
Er Kang returned to Jing Yang Gong by himself since Yong Qi was held back by Qian Long. Qian Long had wanted to plan another trip, this time travelling to Da Li as he had promised Xiao Yan Zi last year. Er Kang could hardly contain his excitement, riding in the giant clear fields, eating out on plains of fresh green grass…being out alone with Zi Wei…and they didn't even have to hide their romance this time! As he reached the door, a smile beaming upon his face, he was surprised to find Hu Tai Yi rushing out.
"Hu Tai Yi…what's happened?" he inquired, at once concerned about his dear wife.
"Fu Da Ye, Zi Wei Ge Ge has been in an accident, and has lost a lot of blood. She's very weak right now. I need to gather my toolbox. Jin Tai Yi and Deng Tai Yi are already inside…"
Er Kang didn't bother to hear the rest before bolting into the room. Pushing aside all the Tai Yi's surrounding his wife, a hot knife seared through his heart when he saw her pale face, her closed eyes and helplessness.
"Zi Wei…Zi Wei…can you hear me?" he beckoned, tears streaming down his cheeks. "What are you all standing there for! Save Her!" he yelled, pushing his fist into the hard wooden bedpost before collapsing into a heap on the floor.
"Fu Da Ye…Zi Wei Ge Ge is stabilized now, although weak…however…however…" stammered Jin Tai Yi.
Seeing Xiao Yan Zi huddled in a ball in the corner of the room, Er Kang pushed the Tai Yi away before he finished and grabbed Xiao Yan Zi by the shoulders.
"What happened? Tell me!" he demanded, shaking her hard with his hands.
Xiao Yan Zi's red and tear-stained face looked up at Er Kang, tears balancing precariously at the corner of her swollen eyes.
"Er…Er Kang…" she managed to stammer out from her trembling lips.
"WHAT HAPPENED?" he shouted, shaking her even harder.
"I…I…I was climbing…climbing the…tree…and I…I fell on…fell on Zi Wei," she stuttered. "And…and…Zi Wei…I…Tai Yi…I killed…Zi Wei lost…Tai Yi said…"
"What? Killed what? Zi Wei…what's wrong with Zi Wei? What did Tai Yi say?" interrogated Er Kang, now almost thumping Xiao Yan Zi against the wall like a rag doll.
"Fu Da Ye…please" started Jin Tai Yi, seeing that things were getting out of hand between the two.
"LET HER TALK!" shouted Er Kang angrily, clenching Xiao Yan Zi's slender frame tightly in his hands.
"ZI WEI'S BABY! I killed Zi Wei's baby…I…I…I am a murderer…" dazed Xiao Yan Zi, cuddling into a ball again as Er Kang slowly released his grip.
"IT'S NOT TRUE! No! You're lying! This is all a joke! Zi Wei…wake up! Enough…very funny…ENOUGH!" screamed Er Kang, pounding his fists against the wall. "Tai Yi…Tai Yi…tell me the truth…she doesn't know what she's talking about, Zi Wei wasn't even pregnant…she lying…tell me…" he cried, now grabbing Jin Tai Yi by the shoulders.
"Fu Da Ye…I'm afraid Zi Wei Ge Ge has suffered a miscarriage…" answered Jin Tai Yi solemnly.
Er Kang froze, his hands slowly sliding off Jin Tai Yi's shoulder. He felt his legs weaken, his entire body weakened, and slowly he dropped onto the ground in disbelief. The world was falling, melting away before his eyes…their child, their little innocent child…it was gone.
"How's Xiao Yan Zi doing?" asked Qian Long, making his way to Jing Yang Gong with Yong Qi.
"She declared that she has had enough bed rest this morning and went outside to fly a kite," replied Yong Qi, shaking his head in resignation. Qian Long simply laughed. He knew Xiao Yan Zi would have gotten out of bed rest sooner or later.
The father and son reached the door and were surprised by the tranquility. Usually Xiao Yan Zi's voice could be heard from miles away, especially if she was outside flying a kite.
"Huang Shang jia dao, Wu Ah Ge jia dao" announced the eunuch by their side.
"Xiao Yan Zi!" yelled Yong Qi as he walked in. "Where are you?"
"Xiao Yan Zi! What's this I hear about you not resting in bed?" scolded Qian Long playfully.
"Huang Shang ji xiang, Wu Ah Ge ji xiang" greeted the host of Tai Yi filing out the bedroom.
"What happened? Why are you all here?" questioned Qian Long.
"Hui Huang Shang…Zi Wei Ge Ge has suffered a miscarriage…" replied Hu Tai Yi.
"What! How can this be? Zi Wei wasn't even pregnant!"
"Hui Huang Shang, Zi Wei Ge Ge was actually two months pregnant."
"How…how did this happen?" asked Yong Qi.
"According to Huan Zhu Ge Ge, she was climbing a tree when she fell on Zi Wei Ge Ge…" reported the Tai Yi.
"Xiao Yan Zi…she…" stammered Yong Qi in confusion, before rushing into the bedroom with Qian Long at his heels.
Entering the room, they were greeted by a deafening silence. Zi Wei was lying lifelessly in bed, with an equally lifeless Er Kang sitting on the floor at her side. Xiao Yan Zi was huddled in a ball in the corner of the room, persistently rocking back and forth.
"Xiao Yan Zi…" called Yong Qi, rushing over to embrace her. However, she continued to rock, staring blanking at a small space on the ground, lost in her miserable stone-cold universe and unaware of her husband's lovingly presence. Yong Qi bit his lip to stop his own tears from falling.
"How is Zi Wei?" concerned Qian Long, looking over to where his beloved daughter lay.
Er Kang didn't answer, and continued to sit spiritless by her side.
"Er…Kang…" came Zi Wei's voice causing all of them to look up. "Er…Kang…" she cried softly, before drifting off once more.
"Zi Wei! Zi Wei…it's me…I'm here…right here!" reassured Er Kang, getting up to lean over Zi Wei protectively.
"Zi Wei," sobbed Xiao Yan Zi crawling towards the bed. "Zi Wei…I..I'm sorry…Zi Wei…get up…"
Before she managed to reach the bed, Er Kang had already turned instinctively and pushed her away. "Stay away from us! Stop hurting her…stop hurting her," he yelled, breaking down into sobs.
Xiao Yan Zi bit down on her lip tightly, stopping her tears from gushing out. "Er Kang…I'm" she started, but was interrupted when Er Kang's hand flew across her face. Xiao Yan Zi felt a sharp sting on her cheek and lip as she fell back onto the floor.
"Er Kang! How could you!" yelled Yong Qi, rushing to Xiao Yan Zi's side, who had started to sob uncontrollably.
"She murdered our child…she's a murderer. Stay away!" yelled Er Kang distressfully.
"Don't say that…it was an accident, you know it is not her fault!" argued back Yong Qi, tightly hugging Xiao Yan Zi and examining her lip which was bleeding from the force of the slap.
"No! I don't know…I don't know! Xiao Yan Zi fell on Zi Wei…it wasn't an accident. Why did she climb the tree? It's all her fault…"
"Don't say it Er Kang!" warned Yong Qi.
"She's a murderer, a murderer!"
Yong Qi lost his temper and rushed forward to fight with Er Kang. Both men locked arms and stared at each other with hatred.
"You two stop this nonsense!" ordered Qian Long to deaf ears.
"Yong Qi, let go! Er Kang is right, I'm a murderer, I don't deserve to live, I don't deserve Zi Wei as a sister, and I don't deserve you as a husband…you don't have to protect me…" cried Xiao Yan Zi pulling at Yong Qi's arm.
"She's right…she doesn't deserve Zi Wei for a sister…what did Zi Wei do to deserve this…what did we do to deserve this?" cried Er Kang, further angering Yong Qi.
"Don't you dare say one more word," warned Yong Qi, clenching Er Kang's arm tightly.
"You're a murderer Xiao Yan Zi…you killed our child, I hate you…Zi Wei hates you, our baby hates you!" taunted Er Kang, finding no other way to unleash his frustrations.
Yong Qi advance onto him, but Xiao Yan Zi held on and pulled him back despite her wrist. Without thinking, Yong Qi flung her off in the midst of his anger and heard a sickening thud behind him.
"Xiao Yan Zi…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to hurt you, I would never hurt you…" apologized Yong Qi at once, hurrying to her side. Xiao Yan Zi covered a part of her forehead with her hands, not allowing Yong Qi to see. All he could do was gather her up into his arms and hugged her as tightly as he could for fear of losing her.
Qian Long couldn't stand watching the scene unfold in front of him anymore. He felt pained over the lost of his grandchild, and he couldn't bear to see his daughter lying lifelessly and weak in bed. He hated the feeling of helplessness, but what could he do, he was merely an emperor, all-powerful, but powerless nonetheless.
"Yong Qi, maybe you should take Xiao Yan Zi to Shu Fang Zai. Er Kang, Zi Wei needs for you to be strong for her right now, you must stay by her side," offered Qian Long. "I'll send someone to inform you as soon as Zi Wei awakes," he reassured Xiao Yan Zi, lightly fingering her cheek before taking a seat beside Zi Wei's bed.
"I don't want to leave Zi Wei," cried Xiao Yan Zi as Yong Qi gently dragged her out.
"It's alright," chided Yong Qi, lifting her into his arms, "we'll come back as soon as she wakes up…it's alright…"
The two slowly disappeared out the door, and Er Kang once again reassumed his position on the floor beside the bed.
Yong Qi gently placed Xiao Yan Zi upon the bed in Shu Fang Zai. She had already given in to the fatigue, emotionally and physically. He painfully remembered her cheerful voice that had rang in his ear before his left this morning. It seemed so long ago, as if decades had passed in merely a few hours. Seeing the large gash on her forehead was forcing a knife into his heart. Why hadn't he been more aware instead of succumbing to anger and force? Gently, he wrung the cloth from the basin of clear water that Ming Yue had prepared for him, and lightly pressed it upon Xiao Yan Zi's wound. Feeling the pain, Xiao Yan Zi snapped opened her eyes, and looked around curiously for a few seconds before her memory reminded once again of her torturous burden. With her free hand, she pushed Yong Qi's love away and buried her head into her pillow to escape him.
"Xiao Yan Zi…please let me clean your wound," pleaded Yong Qi, mildly tugging on her shoulder to pull her around.
"Go away…I don't need you to help me…I…I don't deserve your love…I…I am a murderer…" she mumbled, pain filling her heart and feeling tears flow out her own eyes and soak into the pillow beneath her.
"You're not…don't ever say that…you're not, it was an accident Xiao Yan Zi, listen to me, just an accident."
"Zi…Wei…she…she hates me…she…Er Kang…hates...hates," she sobbed.
"Zi Wei needs you to be strong for her right now, she needs you, you're her sister."
"No I'm not! I don't deserve to be…"
"It doesn't matter, you are and that was decided when you swore to the heavens that you were. Be strong for her, let me look after you so you can look after Zi Wei when she wakes up okay? Please…" pleaded Yong Qi.
This time, Xiao Yan Zi allowed him to pull her around staring at him in the eye.
"I'll call a Tai Yi okay?" asked Yong Qi. Xiao Yan Zi slowly nodded her head and disappeared into her emotionless word of pain beyond. Yong Qi sighed and gently nursed as he would a baby, patting softly upon her heart and singing her to sleep.
"Yong gan de yan zi ya, ba wo de xin yuan gao su ta…" (Brave swallow, please tell her my wishes…*)
It was nightfall by the time Zi Wei woke up. The pain had gone now, but everything still seemed fuzzy. Slowly, she shook her head from side to side trying to clear the cloud that surrounded it. Finally she made out Er Kang's figure slumped besides her, staring blankly into space. Lifting her head ever so slightly, she could see Huang Ah Ma asleep in a chair at the foot of her bed.
"Zi Wei…I'm right here…how are you feeling?" a familiar voice erupted by her side.
"Er Kang…" she managed to croak out from her dry throat, "what happened?"
"Here, drink some water," offered Er Kang. "You were in a little accident, but you're alright now," he consoled her, not willing to tell her of their lost. He had decided that he would keep this a secret from her, not wanting her to feel even an ounce of pain.
"Zi Wei! You've woken! How are you?" the emperor's voice arose from the side.
"I feel fine, really," she reassured the both of them.
"You sure had us worried there! Someone summon Hu Tai Yi here!" Qian Long ordered, "and go and inform Xiao Yan Zi and Yong Qi too."
"Where are they?" asked Zi Wei, recalling the red figure that had dropped before her before she fainted.
"They're just in Shu Fang Zhai, Xiao Yan Zi needed a bed to rest upon," informed Qian Long.
Xiao Yan Zi stood nervously at the entrance of Jing Yang Gong, reluctant to walk in. Yong Qi took her hand into his own and gently squeezed it, comforting her.
"I'll be here, don't worry," he reassured.
"What if…what if Zi Wei doesn't want to see me?"
"If she didn't want to see you, then they wouldn't have summoned us would they? She needs you to be by her side Xiao Yan Zi, come on, it'll be alright…"
Slowly she allowed herself to be led through the door, only to be greeted by Er Kang's angry glare. Xiao Yan Zi shyly stepped behind Yong Qi, not wanting to further provoke him, but he continued to stare steely at them.
"Er Kang…why aren't you inside with Zi Wei?" asked Yong Qi, trying to break the ice.
"I've decided to keep the baby a secret from Zi Wei. If you feel that you have hurt her enough as it is, then I suggest that you also keep this a secret. Other than that, I would prefer that we stay away from each other as much as possible, unless Zi Wei asks for you, I suggest also, that you do not disturb us," stated Er Kang sternly and suddenly, before walking outside.
Xiao Yan Zi turned to leave as well, frightened by Er Kang's words, but Yong Qi held her back.
"Zi Wei will get suspicious if you don't go and see her," he reasoned, gently pulling her towards the bedroom.
Xiao Yan Zi nodded, and held tightly onto his hand before advancing into the room with him.
As soon as Zi Wei saw Xiao Yan Zi, she felt the corner of her lips turn up into a smile. She didn't know why, but Xiao Yan Zi's presence always had this effect on her, and was rather surprised when Xiao Yan Zi didn't return the smile with her usual grin.
"What happened to you? You fell off that tree didn't you?" asked Zi Wei, seeing the gash on Xiao Yan Zi's head and her wrist that Tai Yi had carefully bandaged.
Xiao Yan Zi's face turned into a sheet of white and she looked away, leaving Zi Wei in puzzlement.
"Yes…I don't know how many times I've told her to stay on the ground, but she never listens does she?" joked Yong Qi, forcing a smile. "What were you trying to do this time?" he asked Xiao Yan Zi, gently nudging her.
"She was trying to grab the kite from the tree!" answered Zi Wei for Xiao Yan Zi. "Are you alright? You look a bit pale."
Xiao Yan Zi continued to remain silent, staring at Zi Wei's face and trying to keep her own tears from falling.
"She's fine…she's just a bit shocked that's all. We were all quite worried about you," said Yong Qi, now lightly pushing Xiao Yan Zi towards Zi Wei. Zi Wei held out her arm and grabbed Xiao Yan Zi's hand, pulling her towards the bed. As soon as Xiao Yan Zi felt Zi Wei's touch, tears started to roll down her cheeks.
"What's wrong? Why are you crying Xiao Yan Zi?" asked Zi Wei, concerned.
"I…I thought that I wouldn't have a sister anymore!" cried Xiao Yan Zi truthfully, before she started bawling.
"Why would you think that silly! My, I must have really scared you! Don't worry, Tai Yi says that I'm fine! It could've just been the sun or something I ate…" reassured Zi Wei, rubbing Xiao Yan Zi's back gently to comfort her.
"But…" whimpered Xiao Yan Zi, before remembering that she was supposed to keep the miscarriage a secret. 'Er Kang mustn't have told her that I fell on her then' she thought to herself, guilt once again suffocating her heart.
"Lao Fo Ye request to see Huan Zhu Ge Ge at once," reported a eunuch from the door.
"What for?" asked Zi Wei in concern, using her handkerchief to wipe the tears from Xiao Yan Zi's face.
"I don't want to see Lao Fo Ye," panicked Xiao Yan Zi.
"We can't disobey her requests Xiao Yan Zi, I'll come with you," said Yong Qi. "Zi Wei, do you want me to call Er Kang back in?"
"No, tell Er Kang to go with you also. If Lao Fo Ye wants to punish Xiao Yan Zi for anything, he can help," suggested Zi Wei.
"I'll see what he wants to do then, don't worry, I'll be there to protect Xiao Yan Zi at all cost. I won't allow them to harm her!" said Yong Qi before pulling the reluctant Xiao Yan Zi out of Jing Yang Gong. 'Er Kang probably wouldn't want to come with us anyway…' he thought solemnly to himself.
Xiao Yan Zi and Yong Qi entered Ci Ning Gong without Er Kang as predicted. As soon as they walked in, a great number of guards pushed them apart and held them down. Looking around, Yong Qi could see Qian Long looking solemnly at the ground, and Xiao Jian also held down in the corner.
"What's going on?" asked Xiao Yan Zi after coming to her senses.
"I should be the one asking that question! Do you admit to causing harm towards Ming Zhu Ge Ge?" interrogated Lao Fo Ye at once.
"Lao Fo Ye, that was an accident," argued Yong Qi at once.
"Er Niang, Xiao Yan Zi didn't intend to hurt Zi Wei, nor was she aware of the possible consequences of her actions," reasoned Qian Long to his mother.
"Silence! I'm asking Xiao Yan Zi," ordered Lao Fo Ye, glaring straight at Xiao Yan Zi.
"Yes, I did…I…didn't mean to…but I did," answered Xiao Yan Zi truthfully, guilt pricking her heart for the umpteenth time that day.
"Then I'm officially declaring Huan Zhu Ge Ge be beheaded, take her out!" ordered Lao Fo Ye at once.
"What? Why…what's the reason?" panicked Yong Qi as Xiao Yan Zi struggled with the guards.
"Er Niang, please reconsider," pleaded Qian Long, lifting his hands up in respect to Lao Fo Ye.
"Murder of a royal grandchild. That is the reason. There is no forgiveness," answered Lao Fo Ye.
"But…but it was an accident!" argued Yong Qi, wondering how word spread so quickly. However, Xiao Yan Zi stopped struggling, and allowed the guards to hold herself down. This was the punishment she deserved; she was the murderer of Zi Wei's child.
"The slaughter of a Manchurian by a Han, this act deserves the death sentence. Also I have reason to believe that Xiao Jian, the brother was also involved in this crime, revenge for his family. He must also be charged," declared Lao Fo Ye.
"Lao Fo Ye/Er Niang, you must reconsider," pleaded Qian Long and Yong Qi.
"It's alright," spoke up Xiao Jian. "There is no point pleading mercy from the ignorant. I will say no more except that I will not care for bloodshed should any of you even dare lay one finger on Xiao Yan Zi. I swore to my master that I would never inflict injury upon others, but I do make exceptions for my sister."
With that, Xiao Jian pushed aside the guards and withdrew a sword from one of their sheaves, holding it up defensively. Somehow Lao Fo Ye had prepared a plan with one of the guards, and upon her approval, the guard withdrew his own sword and held it beside Xiao Yan Zi's neck.
"Move once more and your sister will no longer be alive," she threatened Xiao Jian, causing him to instantly drop the sword to the ground. The guards surrounded him again and this time, they pinned him to the ground.
"Er Niang, I would like to use my status to save both lives, please reconsider, for me," pleaded Qian Long once again.
"Sorry Huang Di, it won't work this time. She no longer has the gold amendment and when it comes to family, I am in charge. Trust me my son, this is for your own good. Guards, bring them out," she ordered once again.
"Wait!" shouted Yong Qi suddenly, "I remember…when I was young Yue Fei Niang Niang, she also caused a miscarriage, Bai Fei Niang Niang lost her baby when she drank the soup that Yue Fei Niang Niang had given her. However, because it was an accidental act, Yue Fei Niang Niang was not punished. This was also an accident, one that we all grief, especially Xiao Yan Zi. If Yue Fei Niang Niang could be forgiven murdering Huang Ah Ma's offspring, why doesn't Xiao Yan Zi get a chance?" Yong Qi always had suspicions that the case with Yue Fei Niang Niang wasn't even an accident, but he was only young back then, and couldn't do much about it.
"That was different, Yue Fei Niang Niang is a royal concubine, and had given birth to Liu Ge Ge, a royal offspring."
"Xiao Yan Zi is my wife, she also has the potential to give birth to a Manchurian child."
"Yue Fei Niang Niang was a Manchurian herself, and her father was not a rebellion leader, enough bickering to stall time, bring her out!" ordered Lao Fo Ye angrily.
"What if she was? What if Xiao Yan Zi was Manchurian? Would you drop the charges?" declared Yong Qi, causing Xiao Jian to immediately look alarmingly towards him.
Lao Fo Ye laughed at Yong Qi's desperateness. "Yong Qi my dear grandson, we can always find you another wife," she reassured him.
"I'm not your dear grandson, I don't want another wife, and answer my question!" shouted back Yong Qi.
"Okay…if Xiao Yan Zi does have Manchurian blood running through those insipid veins of hers, then the charges can be dropped. But you know and I know and everyone here knows who she is, so there is no point in arguing anymore. Bring them out!"
"Yong Qi…I deserve this, you don't have to argue for me. A life for a life…that's fair. I…I thank you for being my husband…" stammered Xiao Yan Zi suddenly.
"No, no, you don't deserve this, you don't. It was an accident, and you're wrong," said Yong Qi turning to face Lao Fo Ye. "You don't know who she is; even Xiao Yan Zi doesn't know her own background. I'll tell you now…"
"Yong Qi…" warned Xiao Jian.
"They want to kill her anyway," he answered back tearfully. "I'll tell you all now, you cannot kill Xiao Yan Zi, She is the daughter of a queen, and you've all known her since the day she was born. Her real name is Xue Zhen, or Xin Yan Ge Ge, daughter of Xiao Xien Huang Hou. There is a letter that the late Huang Hou wrote which can confirm this. It is presently in Hui Bing Lou. She's your Zhen Zhen Huang Ah Ma, Zhen Zhen is alive."
"I'm a Ge Ge?" asked Xiao Yan Zi, eyes wide with shock, "Xiao Jian isn't my real brother? But…but…you are?"
*Special Note: Yong Qi's lullaby is Zhen Xin Bu Jia originally sung by Zhao Wei. The tune was constantly played throughout HZGG 1 & 2, by the flute if anyone recalls!