Foxes Among Wolves - Chapter 15 Death Devised

“What are you doing in here?” Cheng asked the ghost haunting him in daylight. The name of his wife burned his throat. It could not possibly be Juan.

The maid Fa Huian he recalled fell to her knees and bowed properly. There was a sort of grace and submissiveness about her and it reassured Cheng. The more unlike Bai Mingzhu she appeared, the more peaceful he felt.

“Master Zhao,” Huian greeted but her tone changed octaves when she noticed the other guests. “Imperial Madam. Crowned Prince.”

Huli was wandering around dressed in fine blue robes and was more attentive of Cheng’s odd possessions than the maid. Cheng collected items from his travels, from wooden statues to fine silks, and decorated the room with his findings. The trinkets were marvelous and Huli played with them as he pleased. Meanwhile, Qiaolian stood next to her brother, sharing similar features of thin, dark eyebrows and charcoal eyes. These dark irises weren’t uncommon in Shanhe, as most people had various shades of browns and greys. Hazel and sometimes, very rarely, green eyes were known to belong to people of Linlong.

The concubine wore stunning and bright pink robes, adorned with rose gold embroidery of flowers to match her extravagant jewellery. The leaf on her forehead was slightly different from usual, containing pink swirls and dots patterns along the top of her eyebrows to match the dress. In history, she would be known for her priority on appearances.

“I do not tolerate thievery from maids,” Qiaolian said calmly.

The maid kept her head low. “I dare not. I have been tasked to clean the courtyards of the palace and saw a water rat enter this building. I wish this would not affect the master so I sought to capture it.”

“A rodent?!” Cheng said skittishly, almost running outside. Huli looked at his uncle in disgust, embarrassed. “Did you get it?”

“I fear not. I suggest the master be wary while in his chambers or request his personal handmaids to tend to this problem,” Huian replied without skipping a beat.

Either she was telling the truth or an excellent liar. Mingzhu was terrible at lying, often stuttering or obviously avoiding eye contact. This maid couldn’t be Mingzhu.

“How do I know you aren’t lying?” Qiaolian asked.

“You can verify with other maids working nearby.”

This appeased Qiaolian for now, who did not want to remain near a servant any longer. “What are you still doing here? Leave! Go finish your duties! You are excused!”

Qiaolian sat down at the small tea table, her robes ballooning around her. A long decorative nail plated bronze wrapped around her finger scratched the wood, creating a horrid noise. Cheng immediately went to his sister but his eyes wouldn’t stop following the maid as she left.

“She looks familiar,” Qiaolian mused. “They have the same hair.”

“You think so as well? I wasn’t sure if it was my own imagination or”

“Who are you referring to?” Huli asked and joined the discussion at the table.

“Your uncle’s wife,” Qiaolian replied. “What ever happened to Bai Juan’s sister?”

“She was left in a village, Kongdi, as a farmhand.”

“You should’ve sold her to a dazzling dance house. One of those strict places that take slaves.”

There were several dance houses that hosted dancers for celebrations but if ever referred to as dazzling, the establishment offered intimate services. This involved women lovely faced and willing to do anything a man desired. Cheng visited such places as soon as he reached manhood.

“Bai Mingzhu is dead. I killed her.”

“Good,” Qiaolian replied. “You best be right about that. We don’t need any more mishaps because of that day. Just to be careful, I’ll keep a close eye on this maid. I don’t need any rumours that you have become infatuated with a servant.”

“What is the true reason you wish to speak to me today?” Cheng asked, wanting to be relieved of his sister’s company. “Especially with the Crowned Prince.”

“The empress’s child. I heard he’s alive,” Qiaolian said matter-of-factly.

Cheng almost fell over at the words. “H-h-how can that be? It isn’t possible.”

“It is. My handmaid overheard the empress confessing it to Wang Joaolong but only that wench knows the real identity of her son. I am predicting Wang Joaolong will hand over something to the real prince to confirm the bloodlines. The emperor must never find this out if Huli is to be throned.”

“What do you expect me to do?” Cheng asked fearfully.

“Think. What can we do?” Qiaolian replied. Desperation was swirling in her eyes and for once, her true vulnerability could be seen behind the fake faade. It was dangerous to show her true emotions, especially in front of her brother. “You are a master in murder.”

“My wife was an accident!”

“I wasn’t referring to her. I was talking about the last emperor’s advisor or do you need me to refresh your memory?”

“T-t-that…” Cheng stammered but couldn’t finish his sentence. He could still recall the frail old man in the woods, begging for life.

“But if you were a real master, the true prince of Shanhe would never have survived. I should not give you credit at all.”

Cheng sighed, suddenly indescribably tired. The feeling of powerlessness against his sister was overwhelming and the hatred he had for her reared its ugly head. She had always been the most conniving of the children while any acts by Cheng were weak in comparison. Soon it wouldn’t matter. If the emperor attacked Linlong, he could follow him and join the battle.

“The answer is simple,” Huli spoke, to everyone’s surprise. “If I have the token, nobody can deny my claim to the throne. Wang Joaolong won’t give the token over willingly and knows too much about the royal scandal. We kill him in the hunt.”

“nsh will protect him,” Cheng replied. “It is too risky. If our men attack and many die while he lives, it will be obvious that someone is assassinating him. Then the token will be found with the wrong person.”

“We kill only Joaolong,” Huli emphasised, unwilling to disclose specific details in the open. They needed a safe and secure location to speak of such acts.

Realisation dawned on Cheng as he watched Huli play with a rim of a cup. They exchanged a knowing glance and smiled. Poison was the answer.