"Grandpa!" An excited scream from an overjoyed, still growing girl who was quickly approaching towards her grandfather who just returned from outing around the land under his patronage was heard.
An old looking man in his late 60's, wearing a light leather armor, and his escort of trained soldiers turned their sights to the place they heard the voice coming from.
All of theirs eyes softened when seeing the young miss, the granddaughter of their master. She never acted like all the stuck up misses of rich and prominent families. She treated everyone in the manor seemingly like her equals. There was almost no distinction of status. The only reason she would still allow them to call her "young miss" and not break the boundaries as a master and servants, was her grandfather's teachings. AnXue also understood that it was a different time period and she shouldn't push her standards too far and was aware that you can't change things just like that.
Just before the blooming young lady was to arrive in front of her grandpa's horse, the man in question got off the mount and smiled gently at his granddaughter. She was the only reason he stayed sane, his most important treasure he loved beyond everything else.
The man was named Fang BoLin. He had an ugly scar running down his forehead across his eyelids and left cheek, which made him blind on one eye on the same side. AnXue's grandfather looked quite ferocious and intimidating, but his granddaughter never found him terrifying and wouldn't ever look at him as everyone else from beyond their lands did. Those fellows treated him on the same page as monsters or demons. The only reason he got some form of respect was because of how much he contributed to the country's growth and security over his long service to the empire. But truly, was it respect or fear..?
The old general never got a treatment for his scar as it reminded him of one of the 2 biggest losses and failures in his life. Even the emperor sent multiple imperial doctors to help his dear subject. Nonetheless it's futile after so many years of untreated wound.
Both the emperor and the old general had a really good relationship in the beginning, close enough to call them best friends. But as every emperor, this one also had this one fear, which started festering with passing years. That apprehension is coming from the possibility of crown's underlings having ideas about the throne. The anxiety of them growing powerful enough to start brewing ideas about rebelling and taking over as a new ruler. A constant wariness of everyone is taxing on the mind.
However when AnXue's father died in a battle, the emperor at least got a peace of mind regarding the ever growing in prestige Fang BoLin, as the man had only one son.
The old general only married his main wife and later a second wife, 2 years after his first wife gave birth to their son. The birth made her weaker and because of it, she wouldn't ever be able to birth more children. And so under the pressure of his parents, AnXue's grandfather married the second wife.
The news of her husband's second marriage broke his main wife's heart. Before she agreed to marry him after long period of courtship, the young Fang BoLin made her a promise - he would have only Bai Lian in his heart.
After the second wife entered the household, the weakening wife of the general grew indifferent to her husband. Despite that beyond the mask she put forth, the woman still loved him deeply and simply couldn't accept another woman. But grief and the few of betrayal only worsened her condition and not only that.
Turned out Fang BoLin was extremely cold to his new wife and except the first night, he never touched her again. The woman grew desperate to the point she started plotting against the main wife, since she thought that's the source of her miserable marriage life. Additionally Bai Lian had a son and she wanted a child of her own to stabilize her position in the family as the second wife. Furthermore the matriarch of the Fangs was putting more and more pressure on the her to get closer to.
All of this pushed her to do unthinkable. She found out that there's a plant that could lead to her "misfortune's" death. The plant wasn't dangerous to a healthy person. It was actually a cure. But in this particular case it was fatal.
When she got her hands on the undercover poison, she presented it to her husband and offered it as a remedy to his first wife's illness. The general was suspicious at first and checked with a few physicians to ask about the plant. Turned out it really was an extremely rare medicine that could help with many diseases according to the doctors. It wasn't exactly cleared what diseases exactly. Turned out it was a horrible mistake to administer it.
After the plant has been processed, made into a pill and given to his wife, in under a few minutes of swallowing it, his wife started coughing blood. Fang BoLin grew furious and called all the previously met physicians to the hall to face him. All begged for mercy and pardon, swearing the plant really is a miraculous medicine and it wouldn't poison his wife as it has no side effects.
They were banging their bloodied foreheads against the stone floor until the imperial doctor arrived. After checking the condition of the general's first wife and confirming the plant which was used in the production of the drug, he clarified that only for the disease Bai Lian faces, the medicine turns into a poison.
All the other physicians lost all color from their faces as general wouldn't spare any of them anymore. None of them knew there's such a case. The disease is so rare that not many had heard of it.
It then hit Fang BoLin - his second wife! He immediately called for her and made her talk with means that made the woman beg for death. When the truth was out and proofs collected, the second wife got an even worse punishment and died because of how inhumane it was.
Bai Lian was growing weaker and weaker with each passing day. Every minute felt like a torture. She begged her husband to help her die, but he simply couldn't do it. He loved her too much and blamed himself for everything that happened. He hated his parents, that woman that caused his wife's end to come so soon and the quacks who allowed it to happen. But most of all, he hated himself.
After a week of staying by his wife's side and loosing his mind, her soul left her body. She looked miserable on her deathbed and it broke the general's spirit. He became more ruthless and cold to everything. Fang father and mother never pursued for their son to marry more wives again, and their relationship grew further apart.
AnXue's father has been left in the care of his aunt, Fang BoLin's sister, and her husband. Both took pity on the 6 year old boy since his father left for wars and battles to quench his rage and thirst for blood.
The old general only returned after 10 years when his son was already a man. Fang BoWen could clearly remember what happened to his mother despite him being a small child at the time. He felt sad but he couldn't blame his father either. BoWen remembered seeing him before he left for 10 years. His father's sorrow was real. The boy forgave his father and actually decided to follow family traditions and become a general, fighting alongside his father.
•••
"Welcome home, grandpa. Your granddaughter missed you" AnXue's watery eyes couldn't hold a falling tear, making her grandfather grow distressed as he wasn't sure what happened.
"Child, have someone bullied you when I was out..?" Gang BoLin inquired.
"No grandfather, I just feel like I haven't seen you for ages" the twelve years old miss said choking back her tears. "Everything is well now since grandpa is back. I always feel more happy when grandpa accompanies me during mealtimes. It was a bit lonely for the last week" AnXue finally managed to calm herself down and genuinely smiled at the old general.
All the soldiers and servants felt like they're being blinded by how pure and sweet their young miss was. 'They say a daughter is a father's cotton jacket, but I guess it also applies to granddaughters and grandfathers" everyone sighed in their minds.
"My sweet child, let's go inside" Fang BoLin could help but smile as well after clearing the misconception. His granddaughter always warmed his damaged heart, making life a tad bit more bearable.
"Yes, grandpa. I asked the servants to prepare us some tea and snacks. I'm sure you must be hungry by now. It's a beautiful sunny weather today. Let us eat in the garden, grandfather, what do you say?" asked AnXue with expectation written on her face. Even her fists were clamped together in a begging way.
Fang BoLin laugh rung out. He put his hand on the small girl's head and ruffled her hair a bit. "How could I say no to my granddaughter's request..?" To which Fang AnXue's smile grew even bigger, tugging on her grandfather's heart. 'It's the only blessing my dear wife and son left me, I'll take care of her well' he thought.
The both headed to the outdoor dining area, enjoying each other's company.