Royal Problems

Chapter 14- Wen Qing!

    Xue Yang arrived with Wen Qing and Xingchen at the big house and knocked on the door, "Boss it's me!"
    The door opened to an old man, "Xue Yang! My son how are you?" He embraced Xue Yang tightly and pat the young man's back. He let go and turned to Wen Qing, "My dear, Wen Qing! You're back!"
    "Yes and we had to bring someone with us I'm afraid," Wen Qing said, gesturing towards Xingchen.
    "And whose this?" The man asked looking Xingchen up and down.
    "This is my friend Chen, I met him on the way here and I was going to escort him home after I brought Wen Qing here," Xue Yang said.
    The man looked at Xingchen, "You look strangely familiar."
     "We may or may not have crossed paths before, unknowingly," Xingchen said.
     The man laughed, "He's a wise one! Please come inside I haven't seen you in a long time Xue Yang. Chen you can come in too," he opened the door widely and they walked in nervously.
    "Boss, do you have anything else for me to do?" Wen Qing asked.
     "Not now, but I do need to talk to Xue Yang," the old man said.
     "Sure," Xue Yang sat down on the couch and Xingchen sat next to him. Boss sat down across from them and picked up his cup of tea.
    "So I heard that Princess Mingmei is pregnant," he started, "what's going on with that? Didn't you kill the prince?"
    "Didn't you get my letter? I was made an assistant, so I couldn't really be alone with the prince. He was in meetings over and over again, and would often be with his other guard," Xue Yang said.
    "Hmm, maybe you could've gotten him outside," the man said sipping his tea.
    "Why didn't I think of that?" Xue Yang said.
    "Silly boy, you are still young I see. Well I think you should take Chen back, he looks a bit uncomfortable," Boss said chuckling.
    Xue Yang nodded with a smile, "Yeah, let's go Chen." He stood up and walked to the door when he was suddenly stoped.
    "Xue Yang, is it true that you became the prince's lover before he was engaged with Princess Mingmei?" Boss said causing the two men to freeze.
   "Where did you hear that?" Xue Yang asked.
    "I heard you asked someone to kill the baby and it occurred to me that you may have gotten attached," the old man said.
     "Well, I never said that so I hope you can handle whoever spread those rumors," Xue Yang said.
    "Fine, Wen Qing! Come here!" Boss yelled. The woman came over from the kitchen.
     "Yes boss?" She said.
     "Tell me the truth or your brother gets killed, did Xue Yang fall in love with the prince?" Boss asked.
    Wen Qing hesitated, "Sir, how does this concern my brother?"
     "Just answer the question damn it!" Boss said, he crushed the small cup in his hand causing Xingchen to flinch.
     "He-he didn't, I never heard of such a thing until now," she said.
     "Really? Then why did you order part of the gang to go kill the baby of Princess Mingmei?" The old man asked.
    "I never did that!" Wen Qing said, "It wasn't me it was somebody else, now please don't hurt my brother."
     "She's lying! I told her to kill the baby because I did fall for the prince!" Xue Yang yelled, "Don't punish her or her brother for something I did, punish me!"
     Boss laughed, "Oh you children are always blinded by love, but I'm afraid that since Wen Qing lied to me I'm going to have to punish her." He stood up and walked behind the woman who had barely visible tears in her eyes.
   "Please, just punish me!" Xue Yang said.
    Boss ignored him and said, "Do you remember the punishment of lying and turning your back on your leader?"
    "Death," Wen Qing said shakily.
    "That's right, so now darling I'm afraid you must die. You were a good member if the gang, loyal and smart, too bad you were blinded by your soft heart," Boss said and sliced the woman's neck spilling blood on the floor.
    Before closing her eyes Wen Qing mouthed, "I'm sorry," and fell to the ground with a thump.
    "Wen Qing! NO!" Xue Yang screamed. He glared at the old man and said, "You...you will pay for this."
    Boss chuckled, "That's what they all say, but you're just grieving."
    Xue Yang started towards the old man but was pulled back by Xingchen, "Xue Yang, let's go."
   The man turned around, "This is-this is your fault. You killed her! You killed the only person who was like my mother! The only person who loved and cared about me when nobody else did! The only person who kept me going!"
   Xingchen had tears in his eyes, "Xue Yang I'm sorry alright? But we need to go."
    "You can go leave like the coward you are!" Xue Yang yanked his arm from Xingchen's grip and took a step back, "I'm staying and beating this old man's ass."
    "Xue Yang...please," Xingchen whispered.
    The man glared at him with teary eyes, "Go! Leave then!" Xingchen gathered himself up turned around, he opened the door and ran away wiping the flowing tears.
     He ended up in the middle of the forest and looked around wildly, he didn't know where he was or how to get back home. If only he hadn't left the garden with Xue Yang. If only he hadn't begged to come with them to the house. If only.

    "You bastard!" Xue Yang yelled, "I'm going to kill you!" He took out his dagger and struck, he aimed at the man's throat but Boss dodged. The old man was more experienced and had fought many battles before, so he knew almost everyone's moves.
    "Oh calm down, she was only a pawn," Boss said. He took his own knife and slashed Xue Yang's arm, and thigh. Xue Yang grimaced and flipped the knife to stab it into the mans neck.
    Boss dodged again and stabbed his side, "I'm not fighting you Xue Yang, so go and rest."
    "Oh I'll rest, but not here," Xue Yang said. Covering his bloody wound on his side he limped out the door and ran into the woods.