Two Weeks Later

After two long, dreadful weeks traveling south day and night. Through long days of heat and long nights of coldness. Through dangerous storms to as little as pouring rain, we have finally reached the gates of Changqiu.

The most progressive city to have ever lived and the city close near the capital where the royal family and other well known nobles lived. The city where my sister also lives.

The gates were much taller and thicker than anything I have seen, even back home that one could instantly die if decided to jump. The closer we arrived at the gates, smothered between a wagon of dead fish, a family with stubborn children, and a son caring for his sick mother I was able to see the guards dressed in hard armor. They were checking through the belongings of travelers entering, asking questions to those who appeared suspicious and made sure no one was blocking the way for people to get in and out.

"Keep your head down and don't say a word," Commanded Zhao Ji. She walked on her feet, pulling the horse by its reins while I sat on the horse keeping myself covered but not suspiciously. "Don't even look anyone in the eyes."

"I won't."

I know what I must do to survive and was even reminded of my part during the last hour I had with Zian before our departure. He reminded a great list of rules and laws I was to obey, and I sat there in my feelings saying not one word to him of which I now regretted. My last words to him were nothing but a nod while inside I felt like a ball of air with a knife grazing its surface to pop.

This long trip has been nothing but exhausting. There was never a time wasted where Zhao Ji would fight with me or we would disagree on many things that I knew I was right about. And once out of anger she pushed me to the ground where I got back up to push her back. Many of our fights were verbal than physical but I can admit after these long weeks I've grown tolerable of her character and I understood to like her more. Though Zhao Ji's too prideful to admit it, I knew she was beginning to enjoy my presence as well.

"Hey you, stop!" Assuming the guard was speaking to us, we stopped. My heart beating out my chest, thinking we've been found and we were going to die. Zhao Ji had her hand on her bow ready to be picked and used. And as we waited, seeing the guard head in our direction, I lifted my head when he walked past us and to the man with the wagon of dead fish. "Where are these coming from?"

Zhao Ji drops her hand, and I could finally breathe again.

"From the green lake, Sir. I caught these myself all morning."

We ignored them and continued into the city.

The city was huge. The structure was the same as home but wildly different and new and much more detailed. The people here were a lot tanner than home, not as dark as me but a color similar to Zian's and darker though majority of the women were much paler in the face. And they dressed a lot different as well. The older women wore their hair in elaborate up-do styles to keep from sweating down their necks while the young women and children wore their hair styled down as their face would appear a lot slimmer and hide their skin from tanning though many still followed the updo trend depending on wealth, or simply wore an half updo style . Their hanfu's were exuberant and rich and stylish with thinner and slightly fitted sleeves than loosely and the makeup was a lot bright, a powered face with red-tinted lips and black eyeliner.

The men and boys wore their hair up in tight buns held with clips and bland ribbons or hanging down while their clothes were relatively the same as back home besides their sleeves being more fitted around the arms. And those with wealth wore their sleeves loose and their colors bright.

"Is this it?" We arrived at tall, brown gates surrounding the property still located in the city but much reserved near the acres of land in the woods. They were tall enough to not see over into the school and it was quiet. At least where I stood. "House of MeiHua?"

I get off the horse since we were no longer crowded in crowds of people and patrolled at every corner. Zhao Ji had just knocked on the gate's door, so I stood near the horse in case he tried to run off like last time.

"Can't you read the sign?"

I followed her gesture towards the sign on the door. It was written in difficult characters I couldn't read.

Lowering my head to not stress my brain enough and to hide my embarrassment, I bit my lip. "No, I don't know how to read." I told her.

She paused. It was clear she said something without thinking, and she understood since it was quite normal. "Well," She cleared her throat. "Lucky for you this happens to be one of the best places that will teach you well. Hopefully next time you won't ask me such obvious questions when you learn."

I was about to open my mouth and say something until the left gate opened. It creaked as it widens, the sound throwing me off which gave me little time to compose myself when Zhao Ji looked back to see what I did. She huffs.

"I'm here with a new student." Zhao Ji informed the person hiding behind the gate.

Tilting my head, I tried to peek around to see who stood behind before I was met with a lady dressed in a royal blue robe with her hair pulled back into a bun. When seeing me, she looked to Zhao Ji to confirm my attendance here and failed to hide her expression last minute.

She then opens the gate much wider. "Yes, come in."

The place was like a small city that was closed off to the world and only reserved for women which felt comforting and safe in its way. Scattered over the courtyard were many well-kept buildings with glass pane windows and red splashed around. Many of the buildings were labeled with small symbols while most had nothing to distinguish from another. In the center of the open courtyard lies a small lake with a small wooden bridge decorated in vines linking across. Blossom trees added the touch of the environment, giving the school a beautiful scenery.

Amazed by the residence beauty, Zhao Ji came back to snap me out of it and reminded me to follow along. And as I did, I couldn't help but notice the many eyes of women watching me, whispering to one another or loudly speaking without restraint.

From pretty to average and ugly. From skinny to curvy. From tall to short. Their thin peach color tunics cut down their shoulders with a red-brownish color filling the rest of their arms with fitted sleeves beneath the tunic and the same color for the skirt, tied with lighter colored ribbon which is the same color lining down the v-neck area. It all filled my view.

"Is that a new comer?"

"If it's a girl why is she in men's clothing? She must not want to get caught in the devil's den."

I tried to not look down at my clothes. I knew I looked dirty and more of a man than a woman, though my features were nowhere near Zhao Ji's to blend in. I stuck out easily.

"And why is she so dark? Hasn't her mother taught her to stay out the sun?"

"She must be poor. Look at her hair, it tells all."

A bunch of girls agreed with the statement. And more did as a group of three girls exit a building all at the same time in arms with a drunk man. One who played around with another, her dress hanging over while exposing her breast, being chased after a guard to get back for the words that were said, halted in their steps at the sight of me. They were all gawking at me.

I looked to Zhao Ji. Was this place not a school for women?

I wanted to lower my head and hide from their stares and words, but I was reminded of great advice which I needed now; It doesn't matter who you are, where you are from, or how you look; as long as you be the person people want you be then anyone will believe it. Lift your head and be whoever you want. Just don't show your true self and no one will ever know.

I have nothing to be afraid of if I solely stick to my story and be whoever they'll believe. And if I continue to walk with my head down then I will never see my opportunities and I will forever be a pushover to those who seek power within the weak and that's not what I want. This is a new city, a new part of the world I never knew that existed, and new faces. No one here knows me back home and no one knows my story or my reasoning for being here, and they never will.

From this day forward, I vowel treat this new start in life as a new chapter and perspective for me.

Ignoring the stares and the bluntly rude comments, Zhao Ji spoke first, "Is Madam Xuan present? She is who I need to see first for her and it's quite important."

My head perked at the name Madam Xuan. It was the same name Lienna was called when meeting her friends which was the first day I met Zhao Ji.

After answering Zhao Ji, the woman leads us into the head building of this residence. Before entering, she tells us to wait for a moment and enters inside to address our arrival before she comes back to lets us in.

My mouth hung open as we entered the spacious area decorated in fine furniture and beautiful paintings and decor. We pass the silk curtain where a tall, beautiful woman sat pouring herself tea. She was a much older woman though she aged quite slowly. Her brown hair swooped into a bun slightly to the side, decorated in gold pins with pink rubies filling in the flower shape. Her earrings hang low and dangle while the design of her dress is much different but a style I've seen quite popular in this city where their top is hugged by a shoulder-less dress held tight with a belt and worn with a loose sleeved shawl.

Noticing our presence, she waves us over. "Why are you standing there? Please sit." she talks as gracefully as Lienna, her tone soft and sweet but stern and confident. And I was confused as she wasn't Lienna though they both were called by the same name, and her character reminded me a lot of her.

I followed behind Zhao Ji and we took our seats in the red chairs across from Madam Xuan. I watch her hand covered in rings lift her teacup only to take a sip and let it rest on the plate. She finally sees who has entered her space and her expression doesn't change much but I'm sure her brain is filled with many thoughts and questions.

"So great to see you've returned home Zhao Ji," Her jaw slightly tightens when my gaze shifted to hers. I didn't know she was a student here and she never spoke of it, but it does explain her reaction. "And I see you've brought me a guest — " shifting her gaze from Zhao Ji to me, she keeps a small smile. Her eyes wander down but stay the same. " — which means you're not here to agree on the terms we talked about before you left. So what can I do for you now?"

"This is Jiang Peizhi, wife of Xiaomeng Zian."

She knew who Zian was. The way her thin brows lifted at his name, lowering the cup with interest and she even straightens her posture to the point her back could break if pressured a bit more. Zhao Ji failing to inform Madame Xuan the story we went over gave it away, emphasizing his name as if she were sending a message to Madam Xuan of which she received. Zian was sure quite sociable with more women than men I've seen in a day and I didn't like it. It left a weird taste in my mouth especially when all of them were beautiful.

Still with her brows rose. "Oh? Wife?" she questions as if it's impossible to be married to Zian or impossible for Zian to be married already. "Since when?"

"For some months now," I answered feeling myself get defensive.

"I see." Sensing this she decides to back down from interrogating my relationship with Zian with a nod. "And what can I do for him?"

"We need a place to lay low for a bit. As you've probably heard from your sources, she has a bounty on her head as well as Zian's. And so Peizhi here is to attend under your wing as a proper worker of Meihua and she'll learn all that you have to offer during her stay here."

"My house is quite tight here and there are ears all over." She paused, thinking of her next choice of wording. "And well, she is not exactly inextricable, so if that trouble comes here — "

"Then it should be a price you're willing to pay as your loyalty is to the crown and you know where that crown lands."

Tension between the two grew hot and uncomfortable. It was as if I had just walked in on a private conversation I wasn't invited to and it was clear the two had some unfinished business with one another. Besides fiddling with my fingers, there wasn't much for me to do besides sit there and stay quiet until this was over and I could sleep somewhere proper.

And when I thought the two would argue a bit longer, Madam Xuan's light laughter takes me off guard, covering her mouth with manners. "You are the same as you left and while your loyalty is comforting, that same loyalty will be the thing that kills you first. Tea?" In her hand, she held out to me a warm cup of tea she poured while speaking.

I wasn't thirsty since I drunk a lot of water while in the main city of Changqiu, but since it was already poured it would be rude of me to not accept it, so I accepted her offer. "Thank you." I take a warm sip.

Madam Xuan stood from her seat. "I know where my loyalty resides so I don't need your test. However, my loyalty is to this house which has its laws to follow that you are under as well. And so we might not see eye-to-eye on many topics as that is normal, but you will not forget who I am and who you are so when you're in my house, in my presence, act appropriately or you can see yourself out." Zhao ji says nothing. "My duty is to keep every woman behind these walls safe and protected and bringing you in will only dismantle that. But since I see a friend is in need, I will extend my arm but under one condition."

"And that is?"

"Accept my offer," She continues. "I'm in dire need of — " She looks to me and back. "some help for a certain mission I won't be able to succeed without your skills."

"I have orders of my own. Accepting your offer means I won't be present to fulfill them."

"Where does your loyalty began?" Visually irritated, Madam Xuan asked calmly. "With the crown or with the House of MeiHua? We are a sworn sisterhood who will never leave you stranded as following the crown with no sworn-ship connection would. The only way to ensure Peizhi's safety begins the moment you say yes."

Zhao Ji says nothing. She looked to be in a difficult position when glancing at her in deep thought. And though she doesn't give Madam Xuan a clear answer, Zhao Ji's long silence gives it to her. Madam Xuan found herself smirking in the situation. And I was left confused of the mentioning of the crown and what it had to do with everyone here, but I will find out — as I will find out many things here — since it has caused such a stir.

"Lady Ting Yu," Madam Xuan calls out to the woman who guided us here, greeting her as she entered.

"Yes, Madam Xuan?"

"Show our new comer here where she will be sleeping. Be sure to guide her well and inform her of the house rules. We are not too kind on rules being broken. Also, she will be a proper worker so give her something suitable to do."

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