"wu Jiang..." Yuxi looked flustered as she was reading the chit stating "Concubine Yuxi is virtuous and kind, but can wu Jiang have an audience with her...-wu Jiang" Yuxi read the chit with trembling hands, and looked up at the maid signaling her to let wu Jiang in.
wu jiang walks in with her disciple at the door waiting for her, and then greeted Yuxi"wu Jiang greets Concubine Yuxi..." her voice tender yet cold, she had for the first time worn a beautiful green hanfu. 'indeed, just like her mother', Yuxi thought, her face changing tones of pink to scarlet "may i now state the business?..." wu jiang still bowing had finally spoken from minutes of silence, "y-yes...please do" Yuxi remained calm although she saw Feng Yue in wu jiang, which made her heart flutter again.
"i suppose you know the rules of the royal palace..? there seems to be some misunderstanding, when mother becomes the regent, it is said that you will also become her concubine and not her wife... due to your past." and now wu jiang's face was in a shade of pink as she blushed and looked away, knowing what she heard the night before "i do know that, i have agreed to even become her pawn-ahem...yes her concubine" 'what did she understand?, WHAT THE HELL!! was she there last night...Feng Yue was referring to her. OH GOD!, i am so sorry wu jiang'.
Yuxi tried her best not to look embarrassed but still wasn't able to, she wasn't able to look at her and nor was wu jiang, it was just too awkward until Yuxi's eyes fell on the boy at the door waiting for wu jiang "you- the white haired boy, come near let me have a look at you.." Yuxi pointed at hwan "yes...your highness" hwan bowed to the concubine while she looked at him in confusion "is something wrong your highness?" hwan stared into the ground "why do you hide your face underneath that mask?" she signaled both of them to ease "its because... because his face is disfigured" wu jiang spoke coldly "ah- i see, i must have taken it too far" Yuxi calmed herself in a situation of crisis inside her.
"well then, we take our leave, your royal highness...you must take care of my mother." wu jiang spoke with her voice cold but it clearly was a tease which made Yuxi miserable to the point that she had to put ice on her face from boiling from embarrassment. while wu jiang left with a cocky smirk on her face.
When they both entered wu Jiang's room, "shifu...shifu" hwan spoke but it was more like a whimper from a crying pup stopping her on their way, as wu Jiang didn't know how to respond, she stared at him blankly.it was already night and it started to rain as well. while wu Jiang watched hwan go on his knees, trembling as he was, with tears following out of his eyes and then not seen because of his mask ,as she watched him. hwan trembled "shifu...shifu" his voice cracked as he spoke, he was already vulnerable, 'you've started to hate me now, i thought- i thought you liked me, i loved you...i loved you since we were young, even in your past, i loved you so much, but you hate me now. J-just because i look disfigured...you're too cruel wu jiang, too cruel' hwan cried, he couldnt stop crying, he thought she hated him, even though he knew that she's a emotionless war weapon "i don't understand the meaning of this" Wu Jiang stood there blank faced as could not think of any other thing to say, she was never comforted so how would she know how to do so to others. the only thing she knew was to endure, no matter how miserable you are you must endure the pain.it is a rule.
"if you think you're that hideous then cover that face of yours, the one's who do not cover their face is due to their identity that can not be seen by people...you once told me, your face is so disfigured that even heaven would pity you if you show your face, is it really the case?" wu Jiang's words hit where it would hurt the most, zhiyuan had a face prettier than of most women, he had never thought someone would say this to him, surely it was an act, an act to fool this woman into loving him and then leave her vulnerable as he was right now but at that moment he gulped down all the hatred that he had while that moment for Wu Jiang.
it was considered that the men or women, who would not show their face or rather cover their faces with masks or fabric, were considered exiled nobles who hid their faces to start a new life .
if not for that one reaction he was trying to get from Wu Jiang, he could proudly throw that mask off but just because of that, he couldn't. just then was the masked peeled off of hwan's face, it had left him in shock and Wu Jiang in surprise "huh?...you didn't mean, you're prettier than women instead" her voice and expression was emotionless "you made me scold you in vain..." she sighed "shifu...please don't look" he had already cried half of the Han River already and all that was heard were soft sniffles.
"hah- what did i even expect..." she laughed and threw the mask on the floor. 'you are the enemy, to whom i am not allowed to show affection because the outcome will remain the same even if i did try to. You are a maniac, Zhiyuan' she thought. "shifu...p-please" his cracking voice in between the little sobs could melt the heart of anyone into preceding to comfort him but not her. She neither showed any emotion but also tortured him and horrified him to the core. 'she has gone mad' those were the words he repeated in his mind.
"just scram."