Chapter Twelve (1)

Although today seemed quiet outside the wind danced gently picking up the autumn leaves drifting through the air. The men, woman; servants and royals dressed in white funeral garbs slowly leaving the land owned by the Wang family, heading to the back of the mountain area where a graveyard for the Wang's; dedicated to their ancestors, family and household servants was.

This was one thing that showed the difference between the Wang's and other families. It isn't customary to add the dead bodies of servants and attendants to the family graves but the Wang's cherished every life, every soul.

Arriving at the gravesite, many grave-hills stood. On the far right stood a mountain of tree wood chopped from the trees in the Wang forestry. Rested, atop the mountain of wood laid five bodies covered with a white sheet.

The monk leading the funeral said words of encouragement, words of virtue, words of nature and words of life. Enunciating the life Wang Chushan lived and the hope that her soul would rest in peace, be reincarnated and return to her family to live once more.

Consort Wang, Wang Myung Hee, mother of the late Wang Chushan, continued the funeral by singing a song she wrote dedicated to her daughter. With tears in her eyes while red and a voice filled with sobs making the one who hears it – want to cry.

"The day I met you is the day I realized, that love came from all around.

The moment you opened your eyes, is the moment that I found myself crying from happiness.

The smell of your milkless breath, made my heart beat with the profoundness of life.

The moment you reached to touch me, I wished to kiss those hands of yours.

My dear, I wished the best for you, my wishes to you were yours to keep.

The blessing from above, the blessings they gave to me.

Now that my blessing has returned to the heavens, I pray that my blessings still reach you."

Lifting his foot to step out he was seized by Jia Cheng, stopping him. Turning to look at him Wuji tried pulling away but the force with which he was held down made the strength he had leave his body.

Wuji had a helpless look on his face with eyes as red as blood from crying through the night until now. "Let me go!" He demanded with a whisper. Puffing out a breath he looked at his master helpless. "I'm sorry but I cannot or else you will jump in the fire." "But I have to save her," he answered weakly. The Empress-Mother who stood behind him had tears in her eyes. Stepping forward she pulled her son into her embrace burying her head into his back and started crying. Her arms which held onto his waist tightened around him. The Emperor of Zhang Xie sighed resting his hand on his wife's back while he patted her gently.

The flames rose high with the wind encouraging its tyrannical rage, swallowing the five bodies. Looking at this scene crown prince Wuji couldn't accept it. His heart was raging and breaking into pieces. With his mother's grip and Jia Cheng's hand holding him down he couldn't fall to his knees and bang his head nor could he scream his lungs out – the voice that wished to speak out was drowned by all his tears.

Not too far from the Kim family stood the Qin royal family. Emperor Qin, his empress and six consorts stood expressionless looking at the flames that reached the sky. Qin Wu Yong looked at the flames that grew, closing his eyes thinking who knows what as his eyes filled with tears. He did not know what he was feeling, whether it was helplessness or guilt but there was this unwelcoming feeling of regret and dread – his child was gone and his wife. He looked forward to spending his days with them even though it would be in secret but now... 

The 'sisters' she had looked sad but who knew? Since there were no tears shed, who knew but those who were observing could see.

The emotions the Wang's felt need not be mentioned, they had been mourning the whole week and had no energy to continue. The emperor ordered Jia Cheng to stay by his masters' side and protect him during this period of mourning while he headed back to Zhang Xie. That night after his father left, Wuji drank a jug of rice wine drowning his sorrows.

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Closing his eyes Wu Yong fell asleep. Deep into the night, he woke up feeling sober. Looking through the five wine jugs that he emptied he cussed, "FUCK!" Dong Woo came running into the room, "What happened?"

Glaring at him Wu Yong demanded, "Get the horses, I want to drink!" About to speak up he stopped, acknowledged and stepped out. A few minutes later he returned informing Wu Yong that the horses were ready.

The two of them road into town. Reaching the main street they stopped. Dong Woo took the reins of Wu Yong's horse to a nearby inn renting a room just in case while leaving the horses, tied up in the stable. Wu Yong waited for him to return and the two went to an expensive restaurant that the nobles and royals frequented.

Ordering dishes and three jugs of their strongest wine he went HAM!!! Eating to his heart's content while drowning in the strong fermented taste of the restaurants best wine. When the dishes finished he ordered two more jugs downing both.

Lifting the jug to pour more into his mouth nothing came out. His vision blurry while he frowned at the empty wine jug. Yelling he ordered, "DONG WOO! TELL THE KITCHEN TO BRING MORE WINE!!"

"Yes!" he acknowledged with a bow. Leaving the room feeling that something was off – this was the first time that Wu Yong acted like this, was he really upset?

Wu Yong's drowsy eyes brightened. Rubbing his nose he stood up from the futon and walked to the window. The restaurant was a two-story building and was pretty high. Looking back at the beaded curtain that still swayed from Dong Woo's push, he looked back down and jumped out of the window.

Landing on the ground effortlessly elegant, the bystanders who were walking about stepped aside from fright looking at him with fear. Dusting himself off, he looked around then darted off into an ally – into the dark of the night.

Dong Woo returned to the room with a jug of wine in his hands. Looking to the left and right, he placed the jug of wine down tracing his steps back out. Passing the restaurant attendant who helped them. Placing a few silver ingots in her hand he walked away.

Standing in the middle of the street he looked up at the window that was left open. Seeing that someone was seated under the window he went over and shook him awake. "Waaad ya want!?!" the man groaned.

Looking up at Dong Woo who was barely visible he asked humbly, "H-how may I help you, sir?" Raising his brow he asked, "Where's the person who jumped out of that window?" The homeless man looked up and suddenly remembered, "A-ah I seem to have remembered but not properly."

Rolling his eyes Dong Woo threw a rope of bronze coins at the man. Sitting up he counted it then pointed, "That way." Before running off he turned to the man, "Don't sleep on the street, go work!"

Scoffing after Dong Woo left he grumbled, "Why would I work when begging makes more money than working? Stupid noble!"

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