Foxes Among Wolves - Chapter 17 Garden Message

Disung heard beauty could overwhelm someone enough to make them faint but he never considered it to be a reality. At least, that’s what he’d tell everyone. As soon as he waved at the young maid, delighted to meet her again, her eyes glazed over and she stumbled, needing to cling onto the porch stairs to remain upright.

“Are you okay?” He asked when he reached her, not bothering to disguise his panic.

“I am fine.”

It was an obvious lie. Unexplainably, he knew something was off. It felt like he had known her for a long time despite meeting her only a number of occasions. It was almost natural and easy to understand that the mannerisms of a crinkled brow, thinning of her lips into a flat line or viciousness in her voice were normal. Lately, he pondered over this feeling of familiarity. He knew her somehow. That much was sure.

“Go rest,” Disung advised, noticing the pale skin and sluggish behavior of the maid.

A snarl curled Huian’s top lip. “I have a duty to finish, boy. If I recall, it was at Master Wang’s request that I complete more work than others.”

The anger boiled in her voice and Disung ran a hand over his hair, exasperated. It would be a fight to get her to leave but if she were to stay, it would be worse. “Speaking to a master in such a manner is unwise. I guess it is better than being called a bastard.”

“I don’t see you as a master.” The reply was mumbled, said on the spur of the moment. Huian rubbed her temples unconsciously, the action drawing attention to the enormous dark circles that sank her eyes.

The fearlessness was refreshing and Disung was caught off-guard yet again by her. No one spoke like that to him. Everyone in the Lotus Palace was careful with words, especially towards higher ranks, and it made life dull. Disung found entertainment in pushing etiquette boundaries and it thrilled him to meet someone like him.

“What do you see me as instead?”

“A snotty boy.”

Tension hung high. As soon as the words slipped out, Huian froze in place, awaiting judgment and conscious of her mistake. Disung tried his best to remain serious but it was too hilarious. Laughter broke free and echoed around them. The maid was unpredictable; her eyes followed him daily but when they met, she had nothing but insults and remarks to spout. It was remarkably contradictory. Just like her yelps in the whipping display and complete silence during a general beating.

In that moment, the pair were joined by Joaolong and a eunuch, Wu Tai. Originally, Disung was sent to fetch a scroll from Joaolong’s chambers but when he did not return, the companions eagerly investigated.

“Has something happened to her?” Tai asked.

Tai was a pure-hearted man that remained content despite the world’s injustice. It wasn’t surprising that he worded the question to express concern about the maid’s wellbeing; the man never insinuated everything was a servant’s fault and expressed empathy towards other palace prisoners. He entered the Lotus Palace as a sold slave to serve punishment for thievery. Of course, the stolen goods were all foods to feed his poor family but nevertheless, stealing was a crime. Joaolong saw the kindness under exaggerated foul deeds and refused to blindly dismiss the slave, giving him the option as a personal attendant for him. This meant far more than a comfortable position, as Tai was given the opportunity to learn to read, write and educate himself for a silently agreed future of freedom.

“I was ordering this maid to rest or else the duties will be completed to an inadequate standard,” Disung replied.

Joaolong looked at Huian. “You seem familiar. Have we met?”

“My name is Fa Huian. We have acquainted in the garden a few days ago. It was your suggestion I pay the disrespect I showed others through more labour and restriction of food rations,” Huian replied after bowing deeply on her knees. Any bitterness about the act was smashed into a monotone response.

“Then why is my guard ordering you to rest?”

“I advised him against it.”

Joaolong looked at the mess around him and made a dissatisfied noise. The courtyard hedges were trimmed poorly and leaves splayed in patches. Dirt was dug up in random places in the garden and pebbles were tossed everywhere. It was disgraceful.

“Did you do this to my garden?”

“Joaolong” Disung interrupted, recognising the misplaced irritation.

“I was ordered to clean the mess by Miss Tang. I did not make the mess,” Huian snappily replied and it made Disung half-smile at her fearless attitude.

“You have done a poor job. Re-do it until I am satisfied,” Joaolong ordered.

“Joaolong, you can see she is unwell!” Disung argued.

The maid was equally unhappy with the answer. Her shoulders bunched up, ready to pounce and attack. Rigidly, she got to her feet but something in her manner faltered. Midway through the action, she paused and her body removed itself from control; it limply moved toward the ground. Disung reacted as fast as he could and caught the maid before she fell off the porch and injured herself on the hard ground below. She was lighter than expected and in his arms, she struggled to return to consciousness.

“You should have let her fall,” Joaolong said over Disung’s shoulder, suddenly beside him.

“You must be mad!”

“Sometimes your stupidity astounds me. Think about where we are and the expectation on treatment to servants. If you’re caught conversing flirtatiously with a maid, it will only bring trouble,” Joaolong replied and walked onto his porch to view the destruction.

“I was not flirting.”

“If I had arrived a second later, she would be wiping your drool off the ground,” Joaolong retorted.

“Joaolong, I respect you but I refuse to tolerate misdirected anger. Just because you are stressed about the empress’s wish does not give you the right to treat others unfairly.”

Joaolong ignored Disung, staring at the garden instead. “There is something far greater to discuss. Wu Tai! Take the maid back to her chambers and repeat my orders for her to rest to the head stewardess.”

Tai followed the instruction without complaint, Disung almost reluctant to let the woman go. Slowly, she was gaining life again shown through fluttering eyelids. Some part of him wanted her to see his face when she woke, not Tai. Alas, it was a foolish idea.

After they departed, Disung joined Joaolong on the porch. “What is so urgent?”

Clasped in Joaolong’s hand picked up from the table outside his chambers was a fox token.

“The Fox is hunting you,” Disung concluded darkly.

“Because of her,” Joaolong stated and revealed the inscription on the back of the wooden item. The name ‘Bai Juan’ was clearly seen, carved the deepest of all words. “Now look at the garden.”

“It is a mess.”

“Look,” Joaolong emphasised.

At first, Disung couldn’t see anything but the destruction and how it could be fixed. However, the longer he stared, he realised why Joaolong remained standing in that exact spot. After moving slightly, the choppy cutting of the hedges and ruined ground aligned to form words.

~Beware the Imperial Advisor~

“What does it all mean?” Disung asked, lost by how the ruined courtyard and fox token aligned.

“Not all is what is seems. The answer to the Fox’s visit remains with Bai Juan and Zhao Cheng. That means he has business with me too.”