A/N: Hope you enjoy the chapter!
Early the next morning, Cao Pi and Zhen Ji headed towards his mother's chambers. Her maid, Shi Shi came out to greet them and the smirk she wore quickly faded the moment she saw Cao Pi. There was an unmistakable twinge of pain in her eyes, but she said nothing except for the customary greeting. When the husband and wife entered the room, Lady Bian had a brief moment of surprise seeing her son there as if she had been caught behaving poorly. Her attitude changed quickly and smiled back.
"My son, to what do I owe for this pleasure? I thought you had forgotten about your dear old mother, now that you have another woman in your life."
"Ji reminded me that I should always honour my mother." His response was an attempt to highlight Zhen Ji's virtues, but Lady Bian did not see it that way. Instead, she thought it was Zhen Ji's vile tactic to use her son against her.
"Well then, should I be thanking Zhen Ji for reminding my son of filial piety? Or should I be reprimanding my son for forgetting them?" She said with a harsh tone.
Normally, Zhen Ji would have spoken up to ease the tension, but she knew it would be useless in front of this woman who despised her so. Any words that came out of her mouth would only fuel Lady Bian's anger further. Better to say nothing at all.
"Mother is a most gracious and forgiving woman who would never hold a grudge." Cao Pi swept the front of his robe forward as he fell onto his knees before his mother, careful not to tug on his clothes. Zhen Ji took that as a cue and followed suit onto her knees, kneeling before Lady Bian.
Xiang brought the tea forward as both husband and wife reached over to grab a tea cup. Cao Pi held his in front of him as he offered it to his mother. "Good morning honoured mother, please drink this tea as a symbol of my filial piety."
Lady Bian was displeased slightly at the way Pi had dismissed her reprimand. Gracious and forgiving? She knew her son's hidden meaning was to forgive Zhen Ji's past mistakes. Never hold a grudge? Pi knew his mother had despised Zhen Ji since the first time her name was brought up in the Cao household many years ago. In his simple response, he was not asking his mother to let go of the past, he was telling her to. How insolent! His mother thought bitterly to herself. Just a few days with that witch and Pi has already turned against his own mother! But Pi left her little choice. Either she kick up a huge fuss and risk damaging her relationship with her dear son. Which would lead to Cao Cao catching wind of it, or simply drink the tea in the name of Forgiveness.
Lady Bian took the teacup into her hands. She loved her son and she could never break the bonds between mother and child. She sipped on the tea, acknowledging her son's demand. He grinned happily in response.
"Good morning honoured mother-in-law, please drink this tea as a symbol of my admiration of you as a dutiful daughter-in-law." Zhen held out the tea cup before her.
Lady Bian begrudgingly took the cup and placed her lips on the rim, pretending to take a sip of the tea. The matriarch knew that in front of her son she had to contain and hide her hatred for the witch. She also knew that Zhen Ji could not hide behind Pi forever. When that time happens, Zhen Ji would know her wrath.
… … … … …
After that tense morning in Lady Bian's rooms, Cao Pi took Zhen Ji for a stroll along the gardens of the Cao Household. Zhen Ji had been apprehensive all morning with their encounter with Lady Bian. It was dangerous as it caused her to have continuous doubts about her marriage to Pi. And this was only the second day they were married! Though Cao Pi had stirred some butterflies within her, she could not help but feel anxious about what was yet to come.
"Zhen Ji, my love?" Cao Pi stopped in his tracks when she hadn't responded to him. "My love?" He said again as he placed a hand on her arm when she continued to walk ahead, lost in her own thoughts.
Surprised, Zhen Ji stopped in her tracks. "Ah! I'm terribly sorry, my husband," She said raising the back of her hand to her forehead. "I must not be feeling well." She lied, realizing she had rudely stopped listening to him.
That look of concern crossed his face again. He touched her forehead with the palm of his hand. "Your temperature is normal." He frowned. "What troubles you my love?"
What troubled her was this entire marriage. But she couldn't possibly tell him the truth. "I am an ungrateful daughter."
His frown deepened. "Why would you say that, my love?"
"Customs dictate that on the third day of marriage, the new couple would return to the bride's family's home. It is true that Lord Cao Cao is my guardian and had graciously offered me a home right here in Yecheng, but had my birth parents not given life to me, I would not even be here. I have not even visited their graves since my father died years ago! They must have thought I had forgotten about them in the afterlife!"
Cao Pi laughed out loud as if it was a trivial matter. "Worry not, my love. We shall pay respects to my in-laws as custom dictates."
… … … … …
True to his word, Cao Pi arranged for them to travel back to Zhen Ji's home town in Zhongshan that very day. It would take a full day of travel to get there, but Cao Pi was determined to give his new wife whatever she wanted.
In truth, Zhen Ji wanted to escape the confines of the Cao Household, even if only for a few days. She did wish to pay respects to her parents and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. She would be able to escape Lady Bian for a few days and visit her parent's graves. Who knew when a chance like this would come again? It would give her some time to think of a way to deal with Lady Bian without the constant scrutiny.
Cao Pi had originally arranged a large travelling party with gifts of cloth, food, and wine including armed guards to protect them along the way, but Zhen Ji convinced him to scale it back. Her parents were long gone from this earth, so the gifts would be excessive. And besides, having a regiment of soldiers following them would defeat the purpose of leaving in the first place. Instead, Zhen Ji would only be traveling with Cao Pi, Xiang, and the carriage driver.
Consort Chen had initially insisted on keeping the guards with them, but Zhen Ji asserted that Cao Pi's skills were enough to protect them, should the unlikelihood of being attacked on the road happened. To which Cao Pi boasted about his swordsmanship and the matter was settled. Within hours, they were already on their way to Zhongshan.
It wasn't until they were outside the city walls did Zhen Ji realize how tense she had been. When the bustling noise of the city drifted further and further away, Zhen Ji could feel her whole body easing up. Had she been confined to her role for so long that she had forgotten what it felt like to relax? Though her body unwound, she felt uneasy about it. As if doing so would make her vulnerable. Her mind had been in such turmoil lately that when Cao Pi wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to him, she let out a slight gasp.
He seemed to be amused by her reaction and let out a small chuckle, but continued to hold her close to him. Though they were husband and wife, Zhen Ji was stiff and unsure of how to react. She remained like so for a moment as she sensed the rhythmic beating of his heart before she closed her eyes and let her body fall limp onto him. He gave another amused chuckle without saying a word.
With her eyes still closed, she reached up and placed her hand on his chest to feel steady beating of his heart. "Not now my love," He whispered to her. "they'll be able to hear us."
Zhen Ji immediately pulled away in embarrassment as her cheeks flushed red. She had no intention of being physical with him. All she wanted was to feel the light thudding of his chest. How could he possibly presume such licentious thoughts?
Cao Pi simply cupped his chin with his hand as he watched her intently with a smirk on his face. "You have such innocent reactions."
Zhen Ji could feel the tips of her ears burning now. How red had she turned? She looked down to avoid his gaze. The carriage was now stifling. She felt like she was burning everywhere; her face, her hands, her chest, her legs. Suddenly she looked back up at him. "You were making fun of me?" A new wave of humiliation rushed past her.
He just continued to smirk. In addition to embarrassment, she felt a little tinge of anger. It was all just a game to him! And she was foolish enough to fall for it too. She quickly quieted her whirling emotions before returning to her sitting position with a demure expression. Indeed, she had been foolish; foolish as to not being able to control her own emotions.
"Come now, my love. Don't be upset." Cao Pi cooed while wrapping an arm around her again. "I was only teasing you. Innocence is a fine quality in a woman."
"How could I be upset? My lord has provided so many things for me. I am thankful for your thoughtfulness, my husband." She responded, resting her head on him only because he held onto her.
Neither of them said anything more. Zhen Ji suspected Cao Pi did not get the response he was looking for. Perhaps he wanted her to initiate some playful flirting or seductive gestures. Both of which were not her qualities. In fact, she didn't even know how to flirt or seduce. She would not change who she was for the sake of a man.
… … … … …
The next day after resting at a quiet inn along the road built specifically for travelers, the driver and maid prepared their things to continue on with the journey. Cao Pi was displeased. He had agreed to go on this trip, yet his beautiful new wife did not seem thrilled. Sure, she was polite and gracious as she had always been, but he wanted to see that playful innocent side of her again: the unguarded one that he had stolen a glance of in the small garden . He had even agreed to her request to dismiss the guards and remove most items from their trip in hopes of pleasing her. Still, it was not enough. She was not willing to show him that peaceful carefree side of her. This annoyed him. Her shell was difficult to crack, but he was determined to get his way.
The horses neighed as if to rush the traveling company to get a move on when Cao Pi had a sudden idea. Just as Zhen Ji appeared from the inn ready to continue on their journey, Cao Pi grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the carriage. She gasped in surprise as she struggled to keep up with him. He unsheathed his sword with his free hand when he came upon the horses and cut the reins of one of the horses. In swift movements, he jumped onto the horse pulling Zhen Ji up behind him. She let out a small cry of surprise.
"Hyah!" He shouted, kicking the horse. Startled yet again, Zhen Ji let out a shriek as she instinctively wrapped her arms around his waist for fear of falling off. The horse bolted off as the driver and maid gave out a distant shout to them.
"My lord!" Zhen Ji cried as her grip tightened. Cao Pi found delight in her delicate state and urged the horse to go faster. She tightened her hold on him, pressing her whole body onto his back.
After a while of galloping down the road, Cao Pi eased the horse into a steady trot. With fear paralyzing her, Zhen Ji remained grasping onto him. This caused him to smile. He held the reins in one hand and placed his left hand on her arms wrapped around his waist. At that gesture, Zhen Ji realized they had slowed considerably and eased off of him. She still kept a firm grip on him in case he suddenly had a change in mind and wanted to gallop again.
"My lord, would it not be better to sit in the carriage?" She said with a shaky voice.
"Are you afraid my love?"
"Yes." She admitted.
"Come, sit in front of me then." He turned his body so he could wrap one strong arm around her. He nudged her to kick her leg over to one side before sweeping her over in front of him like a rag doll, side straddling the horse. Zhen Ji didn't even have time to register what was happening before she had been plopped in front of him.
He grabbed the reins with both hands to keep her between his arms. Admittedly, she preferred to sit like this rather than risk falling off behind him. "Look around you." He whispered into her ear.
She looked and saw an open field before her. There was a calmness in the field as the breeze teased the grass. The outline of the mountain could be seen in the distance and the blue skies brightened the scenery.
"I only want you to have good memories of riding a horse with your loving husband, not as your captive." He said to her, referring back to the first time they had met.
She was stunned by his considerate gesture. She hadn't even thought about it, but since he had pointed it out she couldn't help but feel the warmth of such thoughtfulness. She smiled slightly and she rested her head on his chest. It was picturesque, almost like a painting, but what she was most aware of was the sound of his heart beating steadily. Perhaps this marriage wasn't so bad after all.
… … … … …
The first thing Pi noticed when they arrived in Zhongshan was the sparkle in Zhen Ji's eyes. Her spirit seemed to lift the moment the town came into view. It looked like any simple town that Pi had traversed, but for whatever reason, his wife seemed to glow from the mere sight of it.
"I would like to visit my parents' grave first."
Pi nodded. Zhen Ji led them off the main road onto an obscure path in the trees. The path inclined before escaping the trees onto a small field overlooking the village. Two tombstones stood side by side near the edge of a field before dropping down into a ravine. The gravesites were neatly tended. No weeds grew around the area and the tombs were polished to a shine. Burned out incense sticks were shoved into the earth before the gravestones and a bouquet of withered flowers lay on the ground before them.
Zhen Ji's eyes watered as she stared at the gravesite. It had been so long since she was last here and she felt a sense of shame for not being able to personally tend her parents tombs all these years away. She was grateful though, as it looked like the townspeople had kept the tombstones neat and tidy. Zhen Ji remained frozen, simply staring at the site even after Xiang had caught up to them and gone off to pick flowers.
Even while the maid cleared the old withered flowers to place the fresh ones in their stead, Zhen Ji remained there staring. Cao Pi touched her gently, stirring her from her frozen state. Zhen Ji let out a quiet sob as a tear fell from her eyes.
Zhen Ji approached and fell to her knees, letting her tears fall freely from her eyes. "Mother, father, your daughter Zhen Ji has finally returned home." She bowed to the graves with her forehead touching the ground. "Please forgive this child of yours for not visiting sooner. Had I been able to…" She trailed off as she continued to bow to the sites.
It was a traditional gesture to bow and beg for forgiveness from the deceased, but Pi felt his chest tighten as he watched her sorrowfully express her regret for not fulfilling her duties as their child. Pi had never seen Zhen Ji in such a fragile state. The tears falling from her eyes pained him greatly. He too, kneeled beside her. "Mother, father," He said to the tombstones. "I, Cao Pi, have taken your daughter Zhen Ji as my loving wife. I ask for your forgiveness for not getting permission first, but I swear to the heavens that I will love and cherish Zhen Ji. Worry not, mother, father, Zhen Ji is in good hands now."
... ... ... ... ...
When they reached into town, Cao Pi was surprised by how well received they were by the townspeople. Zhen Ji had mentioned before that she hadn't been back in years since her father's death, but every person that they passed seemed to recognize her. They told her stories of when they remembered her as a little child, or various things her mother and father did. Most of these stories gave Pi an insight of her family's humility. The rice spectacle he did for her paled in comparison to the sacrifices her parents had done for these people: they fed the homeless, the sheltered orphans, they clothed the poor. It was one generous act on top of another. Sure, his own family did the same thing from time to time, but they had the means to do so. Zhen Ji's family did it on an ongoing basis, even with what little silver they had. It wasn't just her parents that gave back so much, even as a child, Zhen Ji emulated her parents' sentiments.
He learned, from the townspeople's stories, that Zhen Ji was a great embroiderer. She would often help sew their clothes, but as an added touch, she would embroider a design on it, as if to make it into a completely new outfit. He already knew she was gifted with the flute, but her magical songs eased their tired souls, they would say. She even taught the children to read and write basic characters and their own names.
The people revered her like a goddess. Cao Pi felt proud to have such an admirable woman as his wife, yet he felt a twinge of jealousy in his heart. In part, he was never revered as such in his hometown. No, the people respected him out of fear, not admiration. His feelings for their veneration in Zhen Ji were conflicted. Would the people of his hometown one day come to respect her more than him? No, he tried to shake it off. Mercy and compassion were a woman's traits. Men are supposed to symbolize strength and power.
He also found himself jealous of these people. They seemed to know Zhen Ji much better than he did. There were only rare moments when he managed to steal a glimpse of her unguarded self, but here, in Zhongshan, it seemed like everyone saw her true self, without so much as lifting a finger. How much had he done to try and please her? The thought left a bitter taste and a scowl began to form.
The maid bounced to Zhen Ji's side and whispered something to her. Zhen Ji stole a glance at Cao Pi, giving him a coy smile before whispering back to the maid. The maid nodded in response before leaving them. That moment of bitterness passed as quickly as it came when Pi caught sight of her smile to him. What could that maid have possibly said to evoke such a reaction? He was curious now, but he refused to ask her about it. For no particular reason, he felt that if he asked her, he would be admitting defeat to her. It made no sense to him, but he did not want to lose to her.
They continued on their way towards the inn, stopping every now and then when another person came up to greet them. Zhen Ji would introduce him as her husband, except one man had the audacity to mistaken him for the gutless and cowardice Yuan Xi. "Heavens no!" Zhen Ji responded immediately. "Fortunately, the union with Yuan Xi was never acknowledged under the eyes of heaven. Fortune came my way, as I am now wife to the admirable Cao Pi."
He knew her words were meant to stroke his ego, but its intended effect worked as the fire in his eyes died down. He would drop the matter, this time around. Cao Pi merely scoffed in response.
After they finally got to the inn and took a brief rest to drink tea and change out of their traveling clothes, the maid returned. Zhen Ji took it as a sign of something as she turned to Cao Pi and said, "My lord, are you rested?"
Cao Pi nodded his head, taking another chug at the tea.
"Would you like to come with me? I would like to show you something."
He looked at her curiously, wondering if this had anything to do with that smile she flashed him earlier. Wordlessly, he rose from his seat and followed Zhen Ji.
Zhen Ji led him just out of the town into a flower meadow. Set out on the grass under the shade of a tall oak tree between the colourful hues, was a cloth sheet. Various covered dishes sat upon the cloth, beckoning them to approach.
His wife turned to him and smiled softly. "I wanted to thank you, my lord. For bringing me back to my hometown. It brings back a lot of fond memories; memories that I want to share with you." She gestured to the flower meadow before them. "This is one of my fondest memories. Like the meadow by the Luo River where you go to practice your swordplay, this flower meadow is where I used to go to practice my flute or dancing. I want to share with you my secret refuge, as you did yours."
At that moment, Cao Pi did not care for the flowers or the memories. He just wanted to embrace her. She was finally opening up to him and he wanted nothing more than to capture her. It was a victory he had long awaited for. But just as he was about to reach for her, she turned and walked into the flower field. After several steps, she turned to face him and the corner of her mouth curved sheepishly. "I composed a song for you my lord, I hope you will enjoy it."
Zhen Ji pulled out a decorated flute. It gleamed in the sunlight, and the sight of it annoyed Pi. He approached her and pulled the flute from her hands before she could even start. In one swift motion, he tossed the flute far behind him, shocking Zhen Ji.
"If you wish to play me a song, play it on this." He reached into the sleeve of his robes and pulled out a lacquered wooden flute. Gold swirls decorated the instrument and a gold charm with Cao Pi's insignia dangled on the end. Though it looked a bit different, Zhen Ji knew what it was. Tears of joy welled up in her eyes.
"My mother's flute…" She whispered in awe as she gently touched it with her fingertips as if it were a fragile image that might suddenly shatter. She knew Cao Pi must have retrieved the broken flute and repaired it. She looked up at him with watery eyes. "I don't know how I can ever show my gratitude for this…"
Cao Pi smirked. "You can start with this." With one strong arm, he pulled her into his body and his face steadily closing into hers. He could sense her heart beat faster and see a slight tinge of pink flush her cheeks. Her reaction only fueled his hunger for her. He pressed his lips onto hers and felt a rush of triumphant warmth pass through him. With his lips on hers, she closed her eyes, parting her lips slightly with invitation. Without a second thought, Cao Pi slipped his tongue in and pulled her tighter into him until there was absolutely no space between their bodies. He could already feel the heat in his body. He wanted more.
He broke their kiss to take a breath of air before roughly kissing her again, this time without the finesse of a man wooing a woman but the hunger of an animal. Dropping the flute to the ground, he took both hands to lift her off the ground slightly in order to lay her on her back against the colourful shades of the flowers. With both hands on the ground to prop himself above her, he looked at her face with desire. They were both breathing heavily from their intense kiss and he could see the rise of her chest with each breath she took. He knew he could resist her no longer.
… … … … …
That evening as Xiang helped her mistress bathe; she could not help but silently curse at all the flower petals and grass that had somehow gotten into Zhen Ji's hair. She had prepared the picnic in the flower meadow as Zhen Ji instructed but when Xiang returned a few hours later, the food had been untouched and her mistress looked disheveled with her hair in disarray and her robes improperly tied. Xiang had an idea of what may have happened, but she didn't want to believe it. Zhen Ji was a proper lady and would never commit such an immodest act out in the open. Not a chance. Xiang kept repeating to herself. Nothing of that sort. Lady Zhen Ji must have fell. She tried to convince herself.
As Zhen Ji hummed in bliss while playfully washing her arms, Xiang continued to pick the petals out of her hair. Not only was her mistress' attitude different, but on the way back from the flower field, Xiang had accidentally stepped on the ornate flute that Yue Jin had gifted her. Zhen Ji did not even seem to notice it was even missing. All the way back, Zhen Ji clung onto Cao Pi's arm as he whispered into her ear, causing her to giggle softly. This worried the maid. This behavior and attitude was very unlike her mistress. What was Cao Pi doing to her?
"My lady." Xiang finally spoke, hoping to bring up the flute to Zhen Ji.
"Oh!" Zhen Ji exclaimed suddenly. "Please take my flute out before you wash my clothes!" Zhen Ji said, pointing to her dress lying on one of the chairs.
Xiang breathed a silent sigh of relief. Lady Zhen Ji would come to her senses with the flute. "My lady." Xiang began, but Zhen Ji urged her toward the clothes again.
Defeated, the maid headed towards Zhen Ji's dress, just to show her there was nothing there as she had already found Yue Jin's flute in the meadow. To her surprise, there was something within the folds of her mistress' clothes. She pulled out the instrument and was surprised to see a lacquered wooden flute.
Zhen Ji beamed. "Isn't it beautiful?" She reached towards Xiang who passed her the wooden flute. "Pi had it repaired and lacquered. He said it would protect it from getting damaged again." She clutched it into her chest. "That's why you weren't able to find it. Pi found it before you."
Xiang couldn't believe it. This was not the Zhen Ji she knew. This was some love-struck girl who only looked like Zhen Ji. "My lady… you must really love Master Cao Pi." She said carefully.
Zhen Ji smiled fondly. "He is a good man." She leaned her head back on the wooden tub to let Xiang wash her hair.
Though Xiang could not understand this sudden change, she did not say anything further. She was only a simple maid and it was not her place to judge her mistress. It seemed that he made her happy, and wasn't that more important than a maid's silly thoughts?
… … … … …
The days they spent in Zhongshan was pure bliss for the newlyweds. Xiang could see that her mistress was caught up in a state of euphoria. She could barely recognize her mistress who seemed dew-eyed and lost in Cao Pi's affections. Had Xiang not witnessed his sword wielding demon personage when he threatened to behead Zhen Ji not too long ago, she too could easily believe his current act was one of true love. But no, Xiang would not believe that. She had seen Death with her own eyes and that was something she would never let herself forget.
Zhen Ji continued to maintain a placate and demure persona, but Xiang knew her better than anyone else did and she could easily spot the subtle and slight gestures that were so unlike her mistress: A slight brush of her fingertips on his arm, the lingering touch as he held her hand, the extra flutter of her eyelash when he gazed upon her, and even the slight added upward curve in her smiles at him. To anyone else, these trivial gestures would have gone unnoticed. Xiang could not fathom how Zhen Ji could possibly fall for his antics.
No, that was not true. Xiang was in denial. She knew exactly how Zhen Ji fell for him. He had given her the gift of her most precious possession in the world; her mother`s flute. Something that Zhen Ji had believed to have been lost forever. He had won her heart when he repaired her cherished wooden flute with delicate precision, even going so far as improving it with the gold design to skillfully hide where the flute had broken. This, in itself, was enough for Zhen Ji to forgive, perhaps even forget any past wrongdoings he might have done.
When Xiang finally accepted that her mistress was happy and in a good place, she began noticing the subtle changes in Lord Cao Pi as well. There was a touching look he gave Zhen Ji these days. A look that almost spoke as if there was nothing in the world except for the two of them. Despite his harsh exterior, he wore a most serene look whenever he listened to Zhen Ji playing the flute as if the music was cleansing his soul. There was a slight sparkle in his eyes whenever they were in deep discussions on various topics, like musical styles or literary poets. Her intellect on such varied topics seemed to challenge and delight him.
There was tenderness in their romance. Zhen Ji continued to take Cao Pi to the flower meadow each sunny day. There, he would perform sword plays as Zhen Ji played her flute, or he would wrap his arms around her slender frame after she danced for him. They would sit in the grass as he recited flattering poetry of her, or they would share a meal together. He would pick her favourite dishes as she did for him.
When the weather disagreed one day and sent a downpour that lasted all day, Zhen Ji and Cao Pi spent the day indoors. They had requested for a large parchment, two brushes, and an ink pot. Xiang spent the day watching the happy couple as they each held a brush taking turns streaking the parchment with ink. They did not speak the entire time, simply marking the paper with delicate precision and gazing into one another's eyes every now and then. By the end of it, Xiang realized that they had composed a poem together. Though Xiang could not read it, she recognized a few words like 'heaven' and 'love'. She knew little of poetry, but by the way Cao Pi and Zhen Ji were looking at each other, it was as if they were both competing and admiring one another.
The more that Xiang observed them, the more she wanted to believe that good things were in their future. Cao Pi and Zhen Ji looked very much in love with one another.
On another day, as Zhen Ji watched her husband practice his sword play in the flower meadow, she said to Xiang, "I want to do something special for Pi. He's done so much for me already and all I've been able to do is bring him to some field to practice." Her eyes never once leaving Cao Pi's figure.
The maid bit her lower lip in disappointment. It wasn't just some field to her. It was almost as if her mistress had forgotten what this place was. This was her and Zhen Ji's secret place to hide away from the troubles of life. As dismayed as she was, Xiang kept it to herself. Instead, she watched Cao Pi from the distance as he swung his arms back and forth in quick, precise motions. She remembered the time that Cao Pi and Zhen Ji danced by the Luo River. "Since Master Cao Pi enjoys your dances so much, perhaps you can combine the two things that Master Cao Pi enjoys?"
"What is that?"
"A sword dance."
"Oh! That is a wonderful idea!" Zhen Ji clapped her hands together in excitement before letting out a quiet, disheartened sigh. "Except, I don't know how to even hold a sword, let alone perform a sword dance."
"Perhaps Master Cao Pi can teach you?"
Zhen Ji shook her head. "No, that wouldn't be a surprise anymore. Besides, he would never show me how to use a sword; it's not a woman's place."
... ... ... ... ...
Their bliss ended too quickly when a messenger appeared at the inn they stayed at one day.
"There is a messenger here to see you Master Cao Pi." Xiang announced at their door. The messenger bowed his head in greeting. Cao Pi simply nodded in response.
"I bring news from the Cao Household." The messenger said. "Lady Bian has fallen ill. She wishes you to return to her bedside in haste." He seemed monotonously as if he were simply delivering words with no emotions attached.
"What?!" Cao Pi asked in alarm. "Mother is ill?" A look of worry crossed his face. In that moment, Xiang knew their fairytale life had come to an end. The news brought a sinking feeling in her heart and she could not help but feel tremendous despair for her mistress. In those few simple words, Xiang felt as if the walls of their sanctity had suddenly crumbled. Though she could not explain it, she had a gnawing feeling that something worse was to happen.
The maid looked to her mistress and saw her eyes downcast. Xiang wondered if it was because Zhen Ji felt the same way she did or if she was truly saddened by her mother-in-law's ill health. "We must return immediately." Zhen Ji said to her husband.
Cao Pi nodded in agreement and handed the messenger a silver tael for his trouble. The messenger happily took the payment, knowing full well he had been greatly overpaid for the job. "Should I return with your response?" He asked, itching for another payment.
"Zhen Ji, pack our things immediately. I will go and get our horses prepared." Cao Pi said as he hurried off to the stables.
"Off with you." Xiang whispered harshly to the messenger who responded with a snide smirk before turning away. Zhen Ji had already begun methodically packing their things with an unreadable expression on her face.
