"Mother, you heard me. How did it feel? Wasn't it thrilling? Why didn't you send her somewhere far, far away or strip her off her royal title?" Wang Jin sneered and laughed even more. The Empress asked as she moved backwards with shaky hands over her lips, "How do you know about that? No one's supposed to know that."
"Oh?" Wang Jin sat down again and picked up a brush to dip in ink. He continued, "Are you worried about how many people know about it? No, not at all. You should worry more about who knows too."
The Empress shook her head and muttered, "No, it can't be. I was more than careful that night. Nobody saw it.''
"Nobody? Mother, you make me laugh." Wang Jin said as his body trembled with laughter. He looked at what he inscribed on the paper and smiled to himself. Lighting it up with the lamp on the desk, he placed it in the ash bowl. The Empress asked, "What was that? Why are you burning it?"
Wang Jin turned to her and smiled, "It's nothing serious, just a cat." The Empress adjusted the dress on her chest and spoke, "It doesn't matter anymore. She's gone."
"Oh, it does. Like you said earlier, Wang Lei has returned and you know what that means." Wang Jin reminded with a dramatic sigh.
"He can't do anything, he has no evidence. What does he want to say? There's nothing for him to find." The Empress tried to reassure herself.
"Yet." Wang Jin answered and she looked at him. He continued, "Wang Lei is a clever person. Everyone with a functioning brain knows that much. If we want to live and get out of this mess, you must follow my order or we'll be executed when the time comes."
They behan talking in hushed times for several minutes. When they were done, the Empress walked out of the study with a proud smile on her face.
...
Zhang Li flinched a little as the powder was sprinkled on her open wound. Zhi Lan spoke with a clear frown, "You shouldn't have fought just now. Everyone knows how crazy Wan Rong is. How are you going to work effectively now that you're injured?"
"Stay still. It should be fine by tomorrow. Don't go around fighting, alright?" Lian Hua said as she put more powder. Fei Yan just stared at Zhang Li for a long while before asking, "Who are you? Back there, you looked like you could swing a sword as well. You don't look ordinary."
Lian Hua asked, "What are you saying now?"
Zhi Lan breathed out and said to Zhang Li, "Of course, you swing a sword. I saw one in your belongings."
Zhang Li's head snapped towards her and she asked, "You searched my belongings? Those are personal stuffs."
"I know but I was arranging our little room and just had to keep stuffs properly." Zhi Lan defended. Zhang Li just stared at her until she bowed her head to apologize, "I'm sorry."
Fei Yan spoke, "A martial arts expert? A cultivator? What are you even doing in such a place as this?"
Zhang Li tied her robe back as she spoke, "What? I got sent down as punishment and figured I might as well get free food and a shelter inside these walls."
"A cultivator?"
"What punishment? What sect?"
"Is a sword even allowed in here?"
"What if you get caught here?"
They asked lots and lots of questions but Zhang Li just sighed. When they had calmed down, she said "I can't tell you anything more. And Wan Rong doesn't seem ordinary either, eh?"
They all thought about it before giving a positive chorus answer. Lian Hua stood up and said, "She acts all proud and high even if she's just a slave girl. It's highly suspicious."
"She has to be working for someone inside. I'm sure of it, but who? There's no way she learnt those moves randomly." Fei Yan said and Zhi Lan nodded. They all say silently until a knock was heard on the door. Cai Wei walked in with a whip and high shoulders.
"What's going on here? Are you all idiots?"
The girls lowered their heads. Zhang Li scoffed and folded her arms, "What about you? Are you an idiot?"
At that, the girls turned to her in shock. Cai Wei reddened with anger, "What did you just say to me, you little wench?" She proceeded to whip her but Fei Yan knelt down to beg frantically, "Forgive her. Her injuries have greatly affected her head."
Zhang Li turned to her in disbelief. What? What does that mean? Cai Wei stepped on her and hit her but Fei Yan didn't let go. She continued pleading.
"Don't hit her like that. What did she do?"
"What did she do? Leave her alone"
The other girls intervened. Zhang Li thought fast, "This is bad." She shouted loud for them to hear. When everyone turned to her, she faced the head maid, "Aren't you ashamed of whatever you're doing? What are you, who do you think you are?"
"How dare you talk to me this way? You must be wishing for death." Cai Wei answered as she walked closer to her. By this time already, the other girls were crying. Without saying anything more, Cai Wei just huffed and walked out of the room. Zhang Li rushed to Fei Yan and hugged her as she cried more.
"Don't do that again. It could get you killed, you understand?" She said. Zhang Li just nodded. She gestured for Lian Hua and Zhi Lan to join the hug.
"As long as I'm here, no one will bully you. Not any longer." She promised, her fingers tightening into a fist and eyes blazing.
........
Just as Wang Jin was about to leave his study, he heard commotion outside the door. He froze to listen to the voices.
"No, you must let me in now. It's very important."
"Prince Wang Jin is busy. You can come back later."
"What's that? I just said it's important."
Wang Jin wondered, "What is she doing here?"
The doors suddenly opened and the lady rushed in with tear-striken face.
"Wan Rong?"