Asylum

Tian Empire

"Mother," Xi Huan entered a bare room. The Consort Ruang was lying on a bed with a quilt up to her neck, shivering and coughing intermittently, her face pale.

"Mother," Xi Huan went over quickly, "I'm here. Huan-er is here,"

"Huan?" Li Ruang opened her eyes with difficulty, "Huan-er? My Huan?"

"It's me, mother. How come you're like this!"

Li Ruang was trying to sit up. Xi Huan immediately helped her.

"Nanny Bai and Court Lady Chun took off with the little valuables we brought," Li Ruang seemed to have been energized upon seeing her daughter, "I came down with a fever soon after. Only Fei Nia remained loyal to me. When I saw that the fever wasn't breaking, I sent her to call you back," she coughed violently. Alarmed, Xi Huan patted her back.

Li Ruang waved her hand impatiently.

"All this does not matter. How is it at your end? Have you and Huazing been able to see Ru Ziyan?"

Xi Huan put on a defeated expression. She shook her head.

"No, mother. Ge-ge and I have camped outside the South Gate for over a week. I even showed the guards my betrothal token." She shook her head again, "if not for ge-ge, I don't know what they would have done to me,"

Li Ruang leaned back.

"Oh no. What are we supposed to do now? Ru Ziyan is our last hope. If he doesn't acknowledge you-- then what difference is left between us and mere commoners?"

Xi Huan twisted her hair in her hand. Her cheeks were slightly sunken, and her mother noticed.

"Oh, my Huan-er! It's mother's fault you're like this! Its all mother's fault! I should have let you get married earlier!"

Xi Huan sighed.

"That's all in the past. We have to make decisions now. But I'm certain of one thing. Ziyan ge-ge is not in Tian. I know him more than anyone else. He loves me. No matter what, he would see me at the very least,"

"So, what do we do now?" Li Ruang sighed.

"I'll go look for the empress,"

"What?" Li Ruang frowned, "hah," she scoffed, and it turned into a cough, "they don't even allow you to see Ru Ziyan; and you think they'll let you see her majesty?"

"No. I'm not going to sit in front of South Gate again. Back then, when I used to visit Tian, she used to bring me along to her favorite haunts. I'll go there one by one. I'll ask Fei Nia to call back ge-ge so he can stay and take care of you,"

"But you'll need to be protected if you're going to be tramping all around the capital!" Li Ruang escaped, "what if, heavens forbid, something happens and you're not able to get word to us?"

Xi Huan shook her head.

"It's not as if I'll be indefinitely going all over the capital. I'll go out in the morning and return in the evening,"

"Still--" Li Ruang sighed, "even if you see her-- you know how the world works. As it is now, you have no value you can bring to Ru Ziyan. That is how she will see it. What if she seizes the betrothal token from you and kicks you out?"

Xi Huan pursed her lips.

"Thinking about that is not going to help. Here you are, sick. We have no means of sustenance. I have to try my best at first; then come back to weigh the options we have left,"

She left not long after. Xi Huan stood on one side of the bustling road of the capital and tried to remember where the Sheng Opera House was located. When her memory failed her, she asked around and eventually, panting from the long walk, arrived in front of the gleaming entrance.

Timidly, she climbed up the steps leading up into the building, many people entering and exiting alongside her. A servant who was seeing a noble off noticed her.

"Hey," she stood in Xi Huan's way, "what do you want here?"

Xi Huan was unfazed.

"Sister," she reached out with a sweet smile and hooked the girl's hand, "can you help me ask if Madame Wu is visiting today?"

The girl yanked out her hand from Xi Huan's grip.

"What's up with you? Why are you asking that?"

Xi Huan smiled again.

"I promise," she held up three fingers, "if you're able to help me see Madame Wu, I'll give you a better life than this. Let me tel you a secret," and she leaned in and whispered some words into the girl's ear.

The girl's eyes widened, but then she frowned and sized Xi Huan up.

"Hmph. How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"You have nothing to lose if I'm lying. But think what you'll gain if I'm truly--" Xi Huan did not complete her sentence. The girl finally gave in.

"Alright. I'll go in and check,"

"Thank you!"

The girl turned around and entered the opera house while Xi Huan sat down on the steps. She tried to steady her breathing and decide what to tell the empress when...if, she was able to see her.

A few minutes passed. The sun was rising high in the sky. Xi Huan was getting restless. A few men had tried to harass her already. Eventually, the girl returned outside.

"Hey,"

Xi Huan rose at once. She scanned the girl's face.

"Your Madame Wu is inside, alright. The play she's watching is almost finished. You can't go in and disturb her; that's against our Sheng Opera House rules. You can only wait until she comes out,"

Xi Huan clenched her hands.

"How long until the play ends?"

"Umm," the girl shrugged, "a few minutes,"

Xi Huan sighed. She had no option.

"Thanks. What's your name?"

"Qin Jiajja," the girl pouted, "you mustn't forget your promise!"

"I won't," Xi Huan took Qin Jiajia's hands in hers, "I promise; if I'm able to succeed, you will become my principal maid,"

Qin Jiajia smiled satisfactorily. She pulled her hands back again.

"You look famished. I'll get you something to eat,"

"Thanks," Xi Huan smiled.

*

She almost missed her. She had been expecting at least a dozen people with her; her court ladies disguising as her friends. But Madame Wu was alone. She nimbly descended the steps and started walking away quite casually. Xi Huan had a fleeting sense of deja vu before she jumped up and ran after her.

"Madame!" She grabbed hold of the woman's sleeves. Madame Wu turned around, her eyebrows raised.

"Mo-- mother, it's me, Xi Huan!"

Shock written on her face, Madame Wu; that is, Empress Zhen of Than Empire, pulled Xi Huan after her and soon they arrived where a carriage was parked waiting.

"Your majesty," the coachman bowed.

"Bring us back to the palace at once," after climbing in the empress ordered. She examined Xi Huan who sat opposite her with an expression of pity.

"I heard that the emperor of Phoenix died," she said at last, "I didn't expect that your mother couldn't establish her position to this extent, though,"

Xi Huan lowered her head.

"My half brother born of the empress became emperor. So that my brother wouldn't pose as a threat, the empress dowager wanted to kill him. We fled before that could happen. We've been in Tian for a while. I've been trying to see his highness, but the guards wouldn't believe me. My mother is ill too--"

"Enough," Zhen Yiwu raised a hand. Xi Huan gulped.

"Hah," the empress scoffed, "your mother was quite powerful in her better days. Why doesn't she have a single backer. What of her family?"

Xi Huan clenched her robe.

"That-- actually, my cousin turned out to be an unparalleled person. But-- but my mother and brother didn't listen to me and messed up instead. Now we have no choice but to plead your majesty's mercy,"

"Ziyan is not yet the emperor," Zhen Yiwu stated, "neither are you yet his wife. He needs all the support he can get. When you were the princess of Phoenix, at least you could support him a little. Your brother was also the fourth prince, and had some iota of claim to the throne per se. But now, you've been expelled from Phoenix, you're no longer a princess; both you and your brother have to rely on Ziyan, and, according to you, your maternal family has also turned their back on you! Do you really believe you can still be Ziyan's wife like this?"

Xi Huan's heart raced.

"Your majesty-- but-- his highness, he, he loves me--"

Zhen Yiwu scoffed.

"Love? That is of no consequence. Think, Xi Huan. Think of it. You are nothing now. Yet, your cousin, your cousin, Huan! Your cousin is the leader of the strongest organisation on the continent! But she won't acknowledge you! So what do you expect me to do?"

Xi Huan paled.

"Your majesty, I -- I believe all is not lost yet--"

"All is lost," Zhen Yiwu countered, "you're a banished princess-- you're not even a princess. You have no ties to your maternal family in the tiniest way; they despise you. All you have," she sighed, "is your beauty, and, yes, I admit, Ziyan's love. But those are fickle! There are so many beautiful girls in Tian and elsewhere. And, I'm afraid to say, if Ziyan has heard what happened to you, his affection for you will diminish,"

Xi Huan burst into tears.

"Well, alright. I accept my fate, your majesty," she wiped her eyes, "but, can't you help me-- my mother is ill. I need medicine for her,"

Zhen Yiwu was quite surprised. She sighed, looking away.

"I'm bringing you back to the palace; you haven't asked why. If I intend to abandon you, would I go to such extent?"

"Ahh?" Xi Huan immediately knelt on the floor of the carriage, "thank you, your majesty!"

"Sit down," Zhen Yiwu sighed, "I have a tricky assignment for you. I've been searching for a suitable person for ages; and you happen to be in a predicament,"

"I'll do whatever your majesty asks of me," Xi Huan said at once.

"Fine. Don't regret it later,"

The carriage pulled up in front of the West Gate. The sedan chair that would convey the empress back to her Kunning palace was waiting. All the attendants bowed as Zhen Yiwu descended from the carriage. She beckoned to one of them.

"Nanny Cai,"

The elderly nanny approached.

"Yes, your majesty?"

"Bring miss Xi to Princess Yu."

The nanny glanced sideways at Xi Huan. After obliging the empress, she gestured to Xi Huan to follow her. They took another way.

"Hello, nanny Cai," Xi Huan said as she started following the shuffling woman, "have you been well?"

"Yes, thank you, miss Xi," nanny Cai replied stiffly. Xi Huan pursed her lips.

"Well, who's this princess Yu that we're going to?" She asked. Xi Huan was aware that the emperor and empress of Tian had no female children.

"She's a lady that once saved the empress when she was travelling incognito. With approval from the emperor, the empress adopted her and she was conferred the title of princess,"

"Oh, really." Xi Huan was still confused. The empress had said she wanted her to do something tricky. What did that have to do with this princess Yu?

"Then-- what am I to do there?"

"Her majesty and princess Yu have discussed it beforehand, I suppose," nanny Cai said dismissively, "or else she wouldn't have just sent you over without saying anything,"

Sent you over? Xi Huan clenched her fists. Was she going to be-- a servant to this princess Yu?

Eventually they arrived at a little palace with the plaque overhead reading Eternal Sunshine. Xi Huan followed nanny Cai to a room within the main building. Nanny Cai bowed to a young girl sitting at a round table in the room. She was wearing a blue hanfu, her hair tied up in a masculine knot. Xi Huan was surprised. This was not the image of the princess she had in her mind!

"What is the matter?" Ru Yu raised her head.

"Her majesty asked me to bring this lady to you," nanny Cai said deferentialy.

Ru Yu glanced at Xi Huan.

"What's your name?"

"Xi Huan, your highness,"

"Xi Huan? Aren't you Brother Ziyan's fiancee?" Ru Yu frowned, "why are you here?"

"This servant will be taking her leave," nanny Cai interrupted. Ru Yu waved her hand. Nanny Cai bowed and left.

"You don't know why she sent you here, do you?" Ru Yu asked Xi Huan. The latter shook her head.

"I thought so. Well, I'll tell you," Ru Yu rose, and walked over to stand next to Xi Huan. She was several inches taller. Xi Huan looked up at her beautiful face.

"I. Need. Someone. To. Die. In. My. Place,"