In Li Kang's eighteenth reign, a high born minister married a lady from the respected Baili family. She gave to a daughter Chu QingQing and at the same time a girl Chu Lanlan who was later delivered to the Chu's doorstep as Chu Haoli's illegitimate daughter was born.
Seventeen years went by in a blink of an eye, Chu Lanlan being treated as an ill fated girl since her origin was unknown while Chu QingQing was treated nicely.
Chu Lanlan was given small quarters without many maids to reside in. She had only one little maid Lian Xi. In the same year Chu Lanlan suddenly disappeared but the Chu household hid it from the public.
On the 78th birthday of the empress dowager, many people were present including the Chu household. It was a merry and festive event.
Everything was going as planned except in the kitchen where two maids were shivering behind the kitchen walls. They seemed to be talking to someone. A beautiful young maid saw them and approached them while tiptoeing. A deep voice said "Lord Nan has prepared everything, remember that lord Shuo's drink must be the one with the castor oil shrub." The male voice warned the maids.
The maid that was eavesdropping went back to the kitchen to prepare. Then she heard another maid's voice asking her in concern "Lan Chu, are you alright?"
"I'm fine." She responded and continued her work. She wondered whether to help the lord that was going to be poisoned or not but then she told herself not to get involved in royal affairs.
Lan Chu joined the maids that were going to serve wine in the imperial banquet where the banquet was taking place. On the long way up to the banquet Lan Chu asked a nearby maid something. "If you were to know of somebody's poisoning especially royalty would you try and help them?"
"Well I don't see why you ask but royalty is our master so we are lucky to have gotten the chance to serve them and show our gratitude."The maid answered looking Lan Chu strangely and went on with her work.
Lan Chu kept walking while thinking.
Gratitude?! It's them who ought to show the maids gratitude.
The maids arrived in the hall and started distributing wine. As they walked Lan Chu caught sight of of Chu household and immediately buried her head down.
Lan Chu looked at a man from afar and remembered a man who saved her 3 years ago from an assassination attempt. She had said she would save him if he was also in danger but he told her to save 3 people regardless of who they were. Then she realized it was him who was going to get poisoned.
Lan Chu brought her mind back to reality then she thought "I didn't ask him to save me though." Another voice inside her said "but he asked you to save 3 people regardless of who they are. She instinctively made up her mind to save him.
From the corner of her eye, Li Shuo was holding a jade cup and was about to put it on his lips when she managed to materialize a chess piece on time and sent it towards the cup and then knocking it out of his hands.
Late that night in the maids' quarters, Lan Chu could fall asleep. She went out to take some fresh air and ended up in a strange dark room. She went in, lit a candle.
As she went around she felt as if a hand grab her by the arm and pulled her somewhere. She felt as if she was actually in water and she actually was.
"It's you." She heard a deep male voice.
"Do I know you?" Lan Chu asked trying to move away from that pond like place. The man then said"you stopped me from getting poisoned earlier with your chess piece."
She couldn't believe her ears. "Li Shuo?" She asked bewildered, "I mean your highness, how did you know it was me in such a dark place? And how could you know you were being poisoned? If you did know, why didn't you stop it? Were you waiting for death or for a saviour?
"4 questions." Li said, his lips curving slightly. He then said "which one should I answer first? 1 I can't answer, 2 I am used to it, 3 I knew you would save me, 4 both."
The place became quiet and awkward.
Lan Chu asked in a low voice "Can I be honest your highness?"
Li Shuo answered "sure."
"Li Shuo to be honest 1 you are weird, 2 you're crazy, 3 you're insane, 4 you're strange." Lan Chu said and closed her eyes detecting her surroundings with waves.
Ten steps to the right is the edge of this pond and twenty steps straight.
As she walked around she saw a white messenger pigeon. She then took a paper that was on its left leg and opened it. Her eyes opened in disbelief
I know some information about your
mother. Meet me at clear lake
tomorrow morning before noon.
Lan lost strength but held herself in. She went to the maids'quarters and started to prepare some clothes, she also prepared a dagger and lay down to get some rest, waiting for the following day to come.