Wuxia Tale: Hua in Bloom

Paths

(DAYU)  

I will kill this man. I will kill this Emperor.

What? He wants my son on the bargaining table? My son? Wang Dao?

"Your Majesty," Captain Wang finally moved to stand beside my chair so we can face the Emperor as a solid unit. "Our son..."

"Is being trained to be a general like you one day. Am I right, General Wang?" The Emperor interrupted Captain Wang's words.

"Yes," Captain Wang frowned. "I think I never made it a secret that my son likes to follow my footsteps."

"Then let's make him enter the Palace Military Base," the Emperor said.

I don't like that. "Wang Dao is still too young for that. He needs one more year of studying in the Lecture Halls before he can enter the Military Academy..."

"I don't need Wang Dao in the Military Academy. I want him trained in the Palace Military Base. Do you both understand?" The Emperor said while looking at me.

My hands fisted. What the Emperor wants is for Wang Dao to enter the Palace. For my son to reside there and leave Wang Estate.

He is taking my son from me.

"No," I made that decision in a heartbeat. Wang Dao is not just my son but my student. Dao wants to learn sword handling from me. If Wang Dao will enter the Palace, his training hours with me will slowly dwindle down.

The Emperor stood up, "Then I think we have nothing to talk about..."

"Wait," Captain Wang stopped the Emperor. My lover looked at me. "Dayu ah, our Hua..."

I remained stoic in my seat. My emotions bubbling inside me. I am making efforts to keep them in control. Mei knew, that's why he put a hand on top of mine.

The Emperor is making me choose. Let my son go or watch my daughter suffer heartbreak. Either way, I will not win.

I look up at the Emperor who remained standing. "Fine. Dao will enter the Palace. But he will enter the day after his sister marry Prince Jin." That will afford me time. Two years to be exact. Dao will be well trained by then.

But the Emperor shook his head.

"He will enter the moment Prince Han married Jiang ShuYin." The Emperor amended my condition. "On the day Jiang ShuYin married my heir, I will sign and stamp an Imperial order to marry Prince Jin to your daughter." The Emperor transfer his eyes on Mei, "I am relenting on your desire to let your daughter stay with you until she is ready to do her duty to Han. Nine more years, you said? I will give it to you. Jiang ShuYin will remain at the Jiang Estate for nine more years. But on the day that she married Prince Han, Wang Dao will enter my Palace and pledge his allegiance to me and to his Crown Prince."

"And when will Jiang Shuyin marry our Prince Han?" Head Council Tan asked the Emperor.

"On the Feast of the Gods." The Emperor smiled while answering. "It's an auspicious day and everyone agrees that no day can be luckier than the day for the Feast of the Gods. Don't you agree..."

Yes, that day has always been lucky. But Mei and I grew more concern. The Feast of the Gods will happen four months from now. We will only have four months to ready ShuYin and Dao if they will both entangle themselves to the Imperial Family.

At least Mei will still have ShuYin in his home. Dao will be taken from me.

I don't think I am ready yet to be parted with my twins.