The Fine Print✔️

Chapter 21

 [Third Person POV]

It is half-past twelve when YiJun's eyes flutter open. Feeling parched and finding the water sack empty, he grabs the cloak, wraps it around himself, and makes his way towards the kitchen.

Having had his fill, he is on his way back when he catches a movement from the corner of his eyes and decides to investigate. 'Who would be up and about at this time of night?' he wonders, walking closer.

He sees a man push at the sword in a painting of a knight on a horse, hung in the guest reception area of the mansion, making the wall sink in. What surprises YiJun more is that the man is none other than their master, Lung Chi.

Inquisitive, YiJun follows his housemaster as he enters the dark tunnel on the other side of the wall with a lit flame in his hand and takes a flight of stairs down to the underground.

Having the miraculous invisibility cloak helps YiJun go undetected, but the young man soon gets weary of keeping track of the turns the stout man takes. 'How many fucking tunnels are there in this kingdom!? Did father know about them?' He thinks woefully.

Already a directionally challenged youth, YiJun knows that if he loses track of Lung Chi now, he would never find his way back in this labyrinth of inter-connected tunnels.

After walking for a while, Lung Chi slows down. A moment later, he stops in front of a wall that looks similar to the one at his home.

*****

 As the night falls over Dezhutang, the queen, Wang Lai, instead of returning to her husband's bed, walks to her private chamber.

A message had arrived for her in the late afternoon, just as the council room had started to empty. Leaving a few noblemen and officials who were in discussion with the king, everyone had left. 

The queen did not know the serving boy personally. So when he had come to her and offered her the only remaining glass of wine, she had suspected nothing. She had picked up the glass and taken a sip before noticing a small folded parchment at the base of the glass. When she had looked at the server boy again, he had nodded. The queen had discreetly picked up the paper while returning the cup before dismissing the boy.

Wang Lai enters her chamber and locks it. She goes over to her cupboard and takes out a pot and a metal contraption. Then, emptying a sachet of herbs and black powder in the container, the queen places it on the metal equipment; rolling her sleeves, she points her finger at the hollow under the pot. A split second later, a small fire comes to life under the vessel.

She sighs softly and pours a pint and a half of water in it before pulling out a paper that had caused her great distress over the past few hours.

"Meet me in your chamber, same time." The cryptic message read. It had not surprised or upset the queen. Instead, it was the man who had sent her the message that worried her.

"Fucking Lung Chi!" The queen swears, pacing her room, worrying her bottom lip. "Who the hell gave him the right to tell me what to do!" She bites out, crumpling the parchment in her palm.

The wall behind her bedpost squeaks; it drags her attention to the secret tunnel.

A moment later, Lung Chi emerges from the other side and bows to Queen Lai. He doesn't notice the movement behind him as he closes the door. "My apologies for beseeching you like this, Your Majesty. But I had no choice. The king will send his men to my home tomorrow. I don't think I can hide the ingredients from them. Can you dissuade him?"

The queen beckons the stout man closer, and the two make themselves comfortable on the elegantly carved wooden chairs.

"I don't think I can do that. You better burn it all."