"Attack the General's household and bring back Jin Yuan to me, alive! For that bitch that was under their wing, kill her immediately!" The voice of a woman ordered harshly to the secret guards. When they left, Bai Zhishi moved the curtains aside and then walked inside the bed chamber and found out that The person who ordered the secret guards was the Third young princess.
'I shoot my heart so blindly towards Jin Yuan, even though I was still hesitant, even though my heart is still not ready, and yet you still failed me,'
'I would've loved you endlessly and faithfully, yet your eyes were always following other beauties.'
'You want to have the seat of a prince in my family and yet you cannot cut off your misgivings and your crude behavior! I had enough!'
Third Princess Huatian looked at the open windows of her bedroom with tears running down her cheeks. The moonlight illuminated her saddened and reddened eyes, as well as the desperation and fury, the frustration and the expression of giving up on her face.
Bai Zhishi felt his heartache for the third princess. He doesn't understand, how could there be such a careless and basically cheating man who could easily push this kind of simple and full of love type of woman to the brink of collapse.
Before he could move a step forward towards the Third Princess, the scenery suddenly changed again. Bai Zhishi put his focus on the dim throne room. He went to take a step forward only to bump his foot one something cold and wet. When he looked down, he realized that it was a corpse lying on the ground. Bai Zhishi could barely make out the silhouette on the ground when a torch was slowly being lit around the room.
Bai Zhishi was finally able to see the corpse before him and he could not help but take out a small gasp.
Before him was a bloody mess of the corpses of the Zen Royal family all littered on the smooth and cold tiled flooring. His gaze slowly went up and he noticed that there were two figures who were sitting down on the thrones. He started to move forward while his gaze was fixated on the two people who were right there.
As he slowly went up the stairs he found that the two people right in front of him were the bastard Jin Yuan and the First Princess of Zou Kingdom. Bai Zhishi stepped back and took a misstep, making him fall backward. Before he could fall to his back, he suddenly woke up with a start.
"W-What happened?" He looked around and was still in a confused state. Bai Zhishi held his head with his hands before he slowly stood up from the floor, almost tripping and getting bitten by the tiger that was lying down next to him.
With the loud rumbling from the tiger's throat, Bai Zhishi fell down on his butt with a thud and the pain made him more clear-headed. He made a quick apology to the tiger. His mind replays the nightmare that he just saw from his unconsciousness. The royal family of the Third Princess died on the steps of the throne, an unidentified person sitting on top of the throne of the emperor and it was... very gruesome.
While he was thinking of this, he noticed the red outer robe that was draped over him... Who owns this? Why is that here in his courtyard?
It had been a week and Bai Zhīshi was still perplexed at the Siberian Tiger who kept giving its paw to him whenever. Whether he just got home or when he was entering his garden. The big tiger would always do this. Don't know if it's the tiger's way to sell cuteness, or if he just wants a slice of extra meat each meal, but every time the tiger did this, he would receive it and would still increase the meat on its food nonetheless, like right now.
"Why do you keep on giving me your paws? Seriously, it's cute but irritating at the same time."- Bai Zhīshi told the tiger as they lazed in the pavilion overseeing a small man-made lake in his small courtyard.
The large tiger purred while he kneaded the paw pads of the tiger, feeling at ease and happy squeezing its toe beans.
"I don't speak tiger, do I have to know what you're trying to tell me?"- Bai Zhīshi asked the tiger as he fed it a piece of juicy pork steak.
Zhuazi once again tried to convey her name to Bai Zhishi by placing her paws on his lap. It was not helping at all and Bai Zhishi still had no clue about what the tiger wanted.
The tiger roared in irritation, its tail was whipping back and forth showing its feelings. Bai Zhishi however, still has no clue what it was trying to convey.
"What? Why are you angry?"- Bai Zhīshi asked the tiger, jumping away in fright.
While they were talking, the three servants were peeking from behind the pillars inside the room. Watching their master secretly.
"Young Master is talking to a tiger,"- The first servant boy gossiped while looking at the back of their master
"I think Young Master is broken,"- The second servant boy said to the others while they kept their eyes on their Master's back.
"Aiya you two! Don't spout nonsense about The Master,"- The cook scolded the two young servants and smacked them with the wooden spoon he uses to cook in the kitchen.
"Sorry Big Brother, but Master's behavior already put me off my head," The first servant boy said while massaging the bump on the back of his head.
"Yes yes, I agree with him! How could one talk to an animal- ah! M-Master!"-The three saluted at him, with rigid and awkward expressions.
"... Please don't talk behind my back," Bai said awkwardly, especially since he could hear them.
"W-We're sorry Master." They all bowed down and apologized. Bai waved it off and let them go do their chores.
After two months, Bai Zhishi and Lan Guer finally started the plan to create a branch of the Zou Kingdom. Lan already went to the Zou Kingdom and did the necessary procedures to carry out business there.
Bai Zhishi was left in charge of the Teahouse and stocking up recipes for the new location. It took Lan a full month to get a business permit from the Zou Kingdom and the manpower, he started to build the Teahouse.
Two weeks after, Lan sent the letter from the Zou Kingdom, Lan Chensha came to visit him. Bai Zhishi was a bit bewildered at his visit but he still went to see him in one of the rooms on the third floor.
"What brings you here?"- Bai Zhishi asked as he sat on the opposite side of the table facing Lan Chensha who was busy savoring his jellies. Lan Chensha swallowed his dessert first before he spoke.
"Brother and I already talk, after the construction of the Teahouse, I will go there to the Zou Kingdom to build another site for my Flower Pavilion,"- Lan Chensha said and ate another spoonful of the jelly, a look of bliss evident on his face.
"If that's the case, then so be it, What do you think? Should I also ask Lan Guer to build a few more branches for the other nearby kingdoms? It'll be helpful, gathering information and ratting someone out,"- Bai Zhishi said his thoughts out loud, tapping his fingers on the table. Lan Chensha stopped eating and stared at the man before him. Lan Chensha knew he was older than Bai Zhishi... but why is his mind so crafty? Where did this little guy come from actually to have such thoughts? Is he a spy?!
Feeling the intense gaze from Lan Chensha didn't unfazed Bai Zhishi but he acted shuddering in disgust and looking at him in contempt.
"Yah! I thought you were a straight man, Lan Chensha. Why are you looking at me like that?"- He asked in disgust. Lan Chensha felt like vomiting blood. This guy- no, he'll never be a spy. Looking at this despicable face he had, he could only glare at the guy and eat his jellies.
"How dare you put words in my mouth, Bai Zhishi! Don't be so full of yourself, I have high standards too!" Lan Chensha said and frowned at him. Bai Zhishi only smirked at him before he relaxed his posture and took a piece of the jelly that was on Lan Chensha's plate.
"Hey! I paid for that," Lan Chensha said with a frown while he was looking at Bai Zhishi with an offended look.
"Yeah, I feel bad for you," Bai Zhishi said offhandedly. Lan Chensha looked at him with a frown and pulled his plate closer to him. He doesn't want to get snatched of his jelly by this clever and irritating Bai Zhishi.
They stayed there for a couple of minutes more before they parted ways. Lan Guer visited Bai Zhishi's bedroom after he talked with his twin. After he knocked on the door and opened it he was invited in by Bai Zhishi. Lan Guer went inside and saw that Bai Zhishi was still behind his desk while writing something in his book.
"Why are you still up this late? You have to rest to prepare for the transfer to Zou Kingdom, remember?" Lan Guer said while he walked towards his desk.
"I am well aware, Owner Lan, I'm just writing things for the future expansion of the Teahouse," Bai Zhishi said and Lan Guer looked at his focused expression before making a face.
"Hey, Bai Zhishi, Are you actually trying to do this for the future of the Teahouse... or do you actually want to create your own teahouse?" Lan Guer asked looking very serious. Bai Zhishi paused before he looked back to Owner Lan.
"I think I know what you are trying to speculate but I want to clarify things for you, Owner Lan," He said before putting down his brush before he put his focus on the Owner.
"Owner Lan, opening a branch for the Teahouse in Zou Kingdom indeed came from me, however, if I ever opened my own, it would be very troublesome and I do not want to have those troubles at all," Bai Zhishi said standing up to put his hands on Owner Lan's shoulders.
"You don't have to think of me as your enemy, Owner Lan, you should be focused on competing with your competitors instead," He said and told the owner a good night before telling him to go and get rest.