"Being a teacher sure is hard," Tony breathes a sigh seeing the questioning expression on Zetian's face.
"Teacher?" asking in confusion.
"You can call me Master Zidu," Tony introduces himself in a formal way with a French bow, "I'm asked by Duke Wu to accompany Miss Wu in her learning."
"So you're a teacher," Zetian sums up what was said in disinterest, "here you can take this and just make an excuse for quitting when you see my father."
Perking an eyebrow at the weird gesture of his new student trying to bribe him with a pouch of coins. Her face was that of trying to shoo away a needy beggar in the streets bothering her for money.
'Looks like this job will be harder than it originally seems,' shaking his head in resignation inside. In a polite way he pushes away the pouch of coins, "Miss Wu I can't accept this."
She glances at Tony from the side with strangeness then nods her head in knowledge, "Oh I get."
She reached inside her clothing and took out an embroidered pouch in red flower patterns filled with even more coins inside. With a grin she tells Tony, "Master Zidu this should be enough 'fee' for you right?"
The original words in his mouth was choked in his throat, "Miss Wu I'm-"
Before he could finish his sentence she interrupted, "You don't have to be embarrassed. I'm a very generous person."
"So it seems you don't need a teacher, Miss Wu. Is that correct?" Tony asks, holding his calm.
"Of course I don't need a teacher! Father must have mistaken me for sister Qin," she tells Tony in a proud manner with her little head held high. But she was rubbing her fingers in anxiety covering Tony's sight from something on the black wooden table sitting in the middle of her bedroom.
"Is that so Miss Wu?" Tony asks politely while perking his head to the side where he notices the corner of a paper. Her body was blocking his whole view of the entire thing.
"Of course it is s-" her heart skipped a beat as she noticed the shadow of Tony's hand in a swift manner grabbed away the paper she tried to blind from his view. "Hey give that back!!"
Her reaching was in vain and couldn't touch upon the paper as Tony would only hold it even higher as he read out loud, "Wow! 14 points on the history test. You sure you don't need my help Miss Wu?"
She glares at Tony with a hateful stare as he teases her for her bad grades on the exam. Finally snapping the test result from the hands of the strange gentleman and hiding it behind her back.
The angry eyes and tightened lips soon subside to reveal a soft and vulnerable young girl looking in embarrassment to the ground. Her voice turned soft in a way that any listener would feel a sense of pity for the poor angel, "Please don't tell anyone about what you see today or else…"
With a stinging interest in what she would say Tony asks in a piqued curiosity, "Or else what?"
Her pitiful eyes glance up slowly to look into his as slight tears wet the edges. Even the generals of a 100 battles wouldn't be able to contain himself from holding into his embracing arms this poor little angel.
'No wonder they say beauty can topple empires,' even with his iron will he still felt a sting of sympathy for her act.
She says to Tony in a slow but audible manner for each word,"Or else I'm going to-" Not finishing her sentence she kicks Tony with her leg on his right shin.
"Haha you actually fell for my trick dumbo," there was a gleeful smile on her face as she ran to the door to avoid Tony grabbing onto her. It was a joyful kind of smile that belongs to children free of thoughts that occupies them. A truthful kind of smile that warms your heart.
Obviously with his speedy reflex Tony could easily sidestep to avoid that hit. Yet there's more happiness in life when he could see that she's forgotten her sadness. With a smile spread wide on her face forgetting the memories that chased after its owner.
'This time I had received the bad end of the deal,' he smiles to himself as he holds to his shin pretending in an act for her that it actually hurt him a bit.
"Stupid! Might as well let me be your teacher," Zetian was giggling to herself. Making a funny face like that of an immature young boy to tease Tony.
Her immaturity brings to Tony a serenity to life that he couldn't find when he was busy with the tasks at the kingdom.
"How dare a disciple tease her Master in such a way!" Tony smiles a sunny smile as he lets his heart be at peace. Standing up and starts chasing after her in a play of tag.
With his wives and concubines at the palace there was never such a worry free exchange. All the women were devoid of their true emotions in their hearts.
Yet even without demonstrating the hidden side Tony could feel a heavy atmosphere in their exchanges. Each woman with their own personal desire to gain from his power in the sexual exchange.
Just as there is love without marriage; there is marriage without love. But Tony couldn't ever be honest from his heart with these beautiful women when their eyes are filled with fear of the might over life and death he holds.
Zetian was laughing freely as she saw that Tony was chasing behind her as she descended the stairs at a quick pace. "What a slow poke. You can never catch me!" teasing in an artless and childlike way as Tony was only a meter away from touching her dress.
He wants to support her when she's battling her fears. He wants to embrace her when she's lonely in heartfelt pain. He wants to cherish her when she's alone, sad and desolate in sorrow.