Blind Princess

第二十四章

Rong didn't have to ask for Xiuying to guard Dongmei's room. After a bowl of hot soup and sweetened medicine, Dongmei quickly fell asleep on her bed. After checking that she wasn't faking it, Xiuying left the room to the medical gardens, collecting herbs and flowers for Dongmei's next medicine. From the gardens, Xiuying could hear cheers and shouts of happiness.

"Xiuying!" Xiuying stood up, looking around as Daiyu flew into the gardens, her face lit up with a wide smile. "Xiuying! We won! The Siwang troops retreated with more than half of their forces missing." 

"That's wonderful. What's our casualties?" Xiuying picked up a bamboo basket, placing the picked herbs in there.

"Less than 20 men," Daiyu reported proudly. "The call to arms for the Lan Clan improved our defenses immensely." Xiuying nodded approvingly, letting the younger girl lead her back to the main plaza. Rong stood in the middle, villagers and Lan swordsmen congratulating and bowing respectfully to him. 

"Well done, General." Xiuying bowed to the young man, "My greatest thanks for your assistance. And you, Lan Cheung."

"Of course," Cheung responded, smiling.

"Aren't you supposed to be with Dongmei?" Rong eyed Xiuying warily.

"She's asleep. I had just gone out to collect her medicine herbs." Xiuying smiled, "Once again, thank you. I best return before she wakes and tries to run off." Rong chuckled softly, shaking his head, and bowed to her. Xiuying hurried away, returned to Dongmei's room, placed the bamboo basket on a low table, and worked on the medicine.

----------------------

"What's all the noise outside about?" Xiuying jumped, her head swiveling over to Dongmei's form. 

"Oh, you're awake." Xiuying handed Dongmei her medicine, sitting on the edge of her bed, "We won against the Siwang and the manor insisted on holding a banquet. Everyone's drunk except the Lan Clan, though, I'm pretty sure I saw them drink some liquor...."

"They can purify the alcohol that they drink so that they stay sober. Most of them at least." Dongmei explained, placing the empty medicine bowl on the table next to her bed. "And Rong?"

"I guess he can purify his alcohol too, but he seems slightly drunk." Xiuying smiled when Dongmei laughed softly. "He's a very powerful cultivator, so I think he's purposely letting the alcohol get to him."

"Probably." Dongmei agreed, hiding a laugh behind her hand.

Xiuying handed her a plate with nian gao, yuebing, and ludou gao, "I had a servant save some dessert for you." Dongmei's eyes lit up as she grabbed a yuebing, biting into it with satisfaction.  

She sighed as she took another bite, "Thank you." She continued eating until one more niangao was on the plate, "It's so good! It's been forever since I had so much dessert." she giggled, calming down quickly and sitting quietly next to her cousin. "Xiuying, if I ever die one day in battle or stupidly save someone, will you be my cousin or sister in my next life?"

"Of course, Dongmei." Xiuiying patted her cousin's head, marveling at her white hair.

"I couldn't think of ever losing you, despite how short of a time I've known you," Dongmei whispered. She suddenly hugged Xiuying, and when Xiuying looked down, Dongmei had fallen asleep, her hair falling softly around her soft face. Xiuying smiled sadly and tucked her cousin in, leaving the room to let her sleep.

--------------------------------

"Rong!" The young general turned to see a white hanfu girl run towards her, looking as she did the day he healed her. "We won!" she embraced him, surprising him with her sudden affection. He hesitantly put a hand on her back.

"It was all because of you're skill as a general." Dongmei said, smiling up at him, "And don't tell me no. Even if you were wounded halfway through, the soldier still knew what to do after you left. This shows how well you commanded you." Rong chuckled, smiling.

"Yes, yes. I suppose." he patted the top of her, "Do you mind letting go?"

Dongmei, as if suddenly noticing the distance between them, pulled back, flustered and stuttering. "S-sorry..." she said shyly. She cleared her throat, looking at the bridge boards, "Um...I just remembered something Xiuying asked me to do." with that, she hurried off, not looking back.

Lan Cheung walked over to Rong's side, arms crossed in a very un-Lan fashion, chuckling and shaking his head, "She likes you." Rong jumped, putting a hand to his heart to calm his sudden heart spike.

"What do you mean?" Rong blinked, returning his gaze to where Dongmei had turned the corner.

"You know what I mean. It's the same with you." Cheung uncrossed his arms, sighing, "You better start packing. The Emperor got a message that we were here and Clan Master Lan wants us back before the Emperor has the chance to see his daughter. Tell Dongmei, will you?" Cheung turned and left, leaving Rong to return to his room and pack.