Dedicated to 

15-

Zhao Jiayi

I still had not chosen a name for that wolf pup I had adopted, watching in amusement as it paced back and forth around the porch where I sat with Zhen-Ting.

She, was still in shock. "You're telling me that Yuhuan is going to get married?"

I grinned and nodded. "Shi, to the eighteenth prince Li Mao. I still can't believe that little girl is about to get married now." Zhen-Ting chuckled. "The same way we couldn't believe that you would be getting married either."

"Or that you'll soon be doing the same."

Her chuckling stopped abruptly, and my smile faltered. "Are you sure you want to go through with this Ah-Zhen?"

My cousin sighed deeply before taking a sip from the cup of tea a maid had brought to us earlier. "Jiayi...you of all people should know that there's nothing at Qi Zhao Liang for me." I grimaced. "I know you never thought that you were a part of the family...but did you resent the Zhao that much?"

Zhen-TIng quickly shook her head, but it did nothing to settle the thoughts in my mind. "I never resented Uncle or any of my cousins...I'm a Tang Jiayi, not a Zhao...and I never wanted to be one."

"Do you resent Liangjie then for his decision?"

"Mei you." I pressed on further. "Then are you positive that you want to marry Wuji?" Zhen-Ting paused but said nothing.

"Should there be any doubt? I mean...she's an orphan, he's an orphan, they'll work perfectly together, won't they?"

It was Princess Dao.

Tang Zhen-Ting

How long had that woman been pestering Jiayi?

I forced myself not to glare as she walked up the porch to where we sat; looking to Jiayi as to whether or not I should get up and greet the woman.

She remained seated, her face tightened stoically to an expression I had only seen my brother use often.

Callous. "Dao gongzhu."

The princess ignored her greeting, her gaze falling on me as she squinted her eyes as if I were a fly she could not see clearly. "I already see that you've taught her your bad manners...we should fix that, shouldn't we?"

My jaw tightened but I continued to stay silent, Jiayi spoke up with her usual calm demeanor. "I taught her nothing, my cousin has a mind of her own gongzhu."

Dao scoffed at that. "Then is it that everyone in the Zhao household is a rude as you Jiayi?"

"I am not a Zhao."

She was caught off guard by my response, craning her head to stare at me as though her gaze would make me cower. "Excuse me?"

"I am not a Zhao; my name is Tang. And since when was being an orphan such a deciding factor on my fate? If I am not misinformed gongzhu, you just lost your mother a year ago...would that not make you one step away from being exactly like me?"

Her face reddened as she pointed a painted nail at my direction. "You...are exactly like that future husband of yours."

I smirked to myself. "I'll decide to take that as a compliment."

From beside me, Jiayi stifled a laugh, coughing silently as she grasped her cup of tea and took a quick sip. Princess Dao's expression was livid, the maids behind her kept their heads bent to the ground as she walked up the porch to where the two of us sat. Yet before she could say anything, another maid rushed into the scene. It was Jia-er, grasping her knees and attempting to catch her breath so that she could tell us the news.

"It....the...the Generals are here!"

-

Li Mei

"Ah-Yu!"

"Shi jie-jie?"

"If you don't give me back that paper right now...I will murder you."

I stared at fifth brother rather calmly and waited for him to react. He simply glanced at me with a sorry grin. "You mean this?" I frowned as he lifted the crumpled paper into view. "Yes, that one...now give it."

"Li Yu, stop provoking your elder sister. Li Mei, don't kill your brother." Li Xiang appeared from behind the porch pillars with his hands clasped behind his back, stalking over to where I stood with a sour expression. I raised a brow at this.

"Brother, what's wrong?"

He kicked at the ground before responding to my question. "We have an unwelcome visitor."

"Who is that?"

"Princess Dao."

I couldn't help but tighten my grip on the reed in my hand. "Why is she here...it's not as if Jin ge-ge or Xiao ge-ge are here for her to nag, or even Wuji for her to taunt. Has she found someone else for her to sink her claws into?"

There was no need for me to watch my mouth, not even the royal princes and children of the blessed Emperor our uncle paid her any respect. Had I any more of an obligation than they did? "Wuji's soon to be wife is here...and she is with Jiayi sao-zi."

I rose from my seat without another word and made my way to where I had last seen elder sister-in-law.

This was not about to happen again.

-

Li Wuji

I really wasn't prepared to see the first face that greeted me as Xiao and I entered the manor. I only grimaced as Princess Dao turned around to face us, but Li Xiao immediately stared at his wife.

The two of us bowed our heads slightly. "Dao gongzhu."

She seemingly had gained some composure, walking down to where we stood with an eerie smile on her painted face. "The two generals have returned from war; I must give you my congratulations." Li Xiao simply gave her a blank expression. "Xie xie."

I fought back a laugh at that. It didn't escape my attention that Zhen-Ting sat seething on the porch while glaring daggers at the princess. I waited for her glare to fall on me, watching as her stoic expression softened only slightly.

Better than nothing. Only sparing her a smile and a wink, I turned his attention back to the blasted Dao. "You've never done such an act before gongzhu, why do it now?"

Dao lifted her chin at me in contempt. "Act? Are you saying at me being here to congratulate you is simply an act?"

I scoffed, slowly approaching her with a sick smirk that the princess would know all too well. Bending slightly forward, I stared her in the eye while speaking in a tone low enough for only her to hear. "Gongzhu...you mean to tell me that with the full sincerity that is in your heart, you are here to congratulate the two men that every being in great T'ang knows you despise so much? If so, then as Li Xiao said, xie xie. But if not, I must inform you that the two women you see sitting up there are worse nightmares for you than I ever can...I suggest you keep that in mind."

She grinned darkly. "Then I'll just have to get rid of them...no? Wuji, you of all people should know how hard it is to live as an illegitimate Li. Do you honestly think that they'll survive here?"

"I think that they'll do well in this place, dear Zhao Jiayi has a tongue and Zhen-Ting has a sword, both of which are rather sharp...I hear that you're rather sensitive to things like that gongzhu, don't get hurt."

She glared at me. "Are you threatening me?" I simply shrugged before straightening I posture and bowing with a mocking composure. "I've done it before have I not? And now I'll take my leave...gongzhu."

And I brushed past her, walking towards where the two cousins sat.

Tang Zhen-Ting

"Stand still...stop moving or else the needle will end up in your rib instead of the dress...Zhen-Ting!"

I bit my lip in frustration, arms rapidly growing tired in their upright position. Too much red, so much red, and it was beginning to give me a headache.

Maybe I should not have accepted to get married. "When will this be over?" Cousin Roaxi huffed at my impatience, mirroring the seamstress' stern expression as she stood straight to glare at me. "When you learn to stand still. For a woman with so much self-discipline to fight, you fidget too much."

"I only stand still when at attention...this isn't attention." She rolled her eyes before stooping forward once more in level to my waist. "Well deal with it...Jiayi was more manageable than you are."

I inhaled deeply to hold back a retort, staring at my reflection in the full-length mirror and none too pleased with what I saw. I wasn't meant to be a bride...marriage was not my fate.

But neither was spending the rest of my life as a shadow to Zhao.

The door to the shop rattled as a fist banged against it and a muffled voice was heard. "Mei mei, Biao-jie...are you done yet? It's been an hour!"

Roaxi dropped the scissor in her hand fuming. "What person would doubt that you two are siblings when you both have the patience of a dog!" My lips tilted downwards. "Dogs are actually very patient."

"Be quiet!"

.

I brushed off myself while stepping out of the shop with Roaxi, just as Liangjie lifted himself from the post with a relieved sigh. "I would've broken in there if I had to wait another moment." Roaxi grimaced. "Why can't you at least smile Liangjie? Your sister is getting married, shouldn't that make you happy?"

Wordlessly I watched at Liangjie tensed up and looked down at Cousin. "I wasn't made aware that giving off your sister from one prison to another was cause for celebration."

It was the first time I had ever heard him call the Zhao residence a prison, my lips parted.

"So you feel that our home is a prison then? Well please forgive us for our hospitality to family...I never knew it was such a major sin."

Both Roaxi and Liangjie had the sharpest tempers, and an argument in the middle of the street would not go well. Quickly I reached out and grabbed Brother's arm before he could say more, warning him with my eyes before I spoke. "Let's return to the prison then shall we? Uncle Zhao and the others must be waiting."

Zhao Jiayi

The silence was daunting.

Li Xiao, my husband, stood near the bed without a word, setting his sword down before beginning to remove his uniform. My hands with tightened to fists from nervousness as I finally gathered the courage to do what I should...as a wife. "Let me do it."

He froze, not moving a muscle as I slowly approached until I stood before him, not brave enough to look him in the eye.

I began with his belt. "I heard that it was a great victory...even blessed Wansui sent his thanks." His eyes were burning through my scalp, I still refused to look up, setting his belt on the bed beside his sword and moving to the next article as he finally responded. "It was..."

I nodded gently, and another moment of silence passed. "Did any of your men die?"

"Nine." The number made me pause briefly. "Did they have family?"

"They always do."

I swallowed deeply before untying the knot at his waist. "I'm...not used to being a general's wife. I don't know any way of comfort to you."

He was still staring at me. "There is one."

The proximity between us seemed that much smaller, my chest tightening to force the air out so I couldn't breathe. Heat radiated from his body and envelope me in a veil, my body having a mind of its own as my head lifted to meet his gaze.

He held mine for a breath before his eyes drifted down my face, stopping at my lips before darting back upward. "There is one way..."

Li Xiao's chest brushed against mine as he stepped closer, breath fanning the side of my neck as he leaned down.

"Guniang...the water for the bath is ready!"

My heart nearly leapt out as I backed away quickly, breaking eye-contact again as I did so. His face fell as I looked around anxiously. "I...I'll go and get the bath ready."
"I guess you should."

And I left hurriedly.