Yearning Of The Jade

Chapter 12: The Demise of Yan

Chapter 11

"Yes, they did. I understand why they did. The last thing the empress dowager ever drank was indeed my soup. From that point on, I knew that something was wrong. My soup had been tampered with."

"You were framed," I snapped. "Why didn't you fight back? Why did you leave instead of finding the truth?"

Instead of answering my question, godmother pulled me in for a warm hug. "Ling'er, my child. Sometimes the fight is not worth the cost. I just want to you tell that no matter what troubles you face in the future, believe in yourself and always do what your heart tells you."

I pulled back, looking at godmother straight in the eyes. "What are you saying?"

I feared her words as they suggested something that I feared to happen. I hated her words as they suggested that this horrible nightmare would continue on, never-ending.

A soldier, tall and wide, unlocked our cell and walked in. The all three of us became alarmed, linking our hands together.

In a lifeless and emotionless voice, the soldier pointed at godmother. "You. Stand on your feet, old lady."

My worst nightmare has begun.

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Chapter 12

"Second young mistress, where have they taken godmother?" Li Chen whimpered.

"I don't know."

I couldn't do anything when the soldier came to take godmother away. I couldn't anything, but to pray for her return.

But as each second passed, that dim of hope flickered into inexistence. Ever since the soldier abruptly took godmother away with no explanation, Li Chen and I were nothing but empty souls.

Li Chen's voice began to crack, "It's been a whole day since they took madam. Second young mistress, what if they did something bad to her?"

A day? How can it be a day already? Is my sense of time really been that far off?

"Li Chen," I said. 'We must be brave. No matter what happens, we only have ourselves to look after. Godmother will be alright."

"Second young mistress, I understand. But you don't have to pretend. I know you're saying that because you don't want me to worry. But in reality, I know it is you who is most afraid."

The irony. If I was my old self, I would probably be frantically trying to find an escape route. But here I am, sitting calmly in a cell filled with urine and rodents. I could die today or tomorrow. Have I truly gone insane?

But I have accepted my fate long ago. I already did ever since I survived the attack during the Peach Blossom Festival. I knew that I may never be able to return back to my home again, to Aunt Mei and Noah. I've truly become an ancient entity to this world.

Although my brain has accepted my fate, my heart didn't. No matter how hard I try to clog my tears, I could not destroy them. They were there and they were real as they overflowed my checks. And soon enough, I was filled with uncontrollable sobbing and grief.

Li Chen quickly pulled me in for a long hug and said, "Cry it out, young mistress. Cry it out and you'll feel better."

It felt good to cry because I longer felt choked. It felt like a balloon filled with water were gushing out onto the ground, finally being able to relax after holding all that tension.

As if we haven't gotten a break already, another soldier unlocked our cell and walked in. He raised his scabbard towards me, "Get up on your feet now."