"Welcome to my humble home, my prince. My apologizes, my home is not up the standards of the imperial palace, but I will do everything in my power to make your stay here as comfortable as it can be." Jin-Fu-Gui said as he pushed open the gates, revealing the contents within.
The home was anything but humble. The governor palace stood at 3 stories tall, with Chinese style roofing, and red painted walls. Upon passing through the mansion gate, there was a small man-made pond, with a stone bridge leading all the way up to the main hall. The mansion's decorations weren't up to imperial palace standards, but it could already match the homes of some of the wealthiest lords.
"Very beautiful pond you have there, governor Jin." Wang-Yi stared at the lily pad, as a gold fish waded beneath it.
"It's nothing my prince. My pond has nothing to compare to the Xuan-Wu lake of the imperial palace."
"The Xuan-Wu lake is not my personal property, rather my father's private property." The prince began to move again.
"Yes, yes, yes my prince." Governor Jin nodded several times, before following in the prince's footsteps. "My prince, your companions must be hungry from all the travel. Which is why your humble servant has prepared a feast for you and your companions."
"I thank you on behalf of my companions." The prince said, as he stepped into the main hall. There in the main hall, a great dining table sat horizontally in the center, with a red cloth tarp covering its surface, and wooden chairs lining one side. The chairs were packed full with officials wearing silk robes. And at the very center of the table, was an empty golden gilded chair, not as grand as the emperor's chair, nor were there carvings of dragons.
"My prince, please take your seat." Governor Jin gestured to the seat in the middle. "The table to the left is reserved for your servants. And the table to the right is for other officials."
"Very well." The prince sat in the golden seat, with governor Jin seating himself at his right hand, and vice governor Li sitting at his left hand.
"Shi-Er-Wa!" Governor Jin called out. A moment later, a young girl wearing a white Chinese dress appeared.
Upon seeing the prince, the servant girl fell to her knees.
"What is your command my prince?" She continued to have her head bowed.
"You may rise." The prince said gently.
"Your servant is not worthy enough to stand before you. Allow your servant to continue to kneel." She said with a quivering voice.
"Are you deaf? Did you not hear your prince command you to stand? You dumb bitch!" Governor Jin raised his hand, but before his hand can drop, the prince spoke sharply:
"Stop."
"My prince," Disbelief was written all across Governor Jin's face. "I was about to punish this dumb bitch on your behalf-"
"The flower will bloom again, but youth can never return." The prince said calmly.
Governor Jin froze for a few seconds, and then quickly changed tactics:
"Our prince is a merciful prince!" he held his right hand forward in a fist, and placed his left hand over his fist in respect.
"Merciful prince!" All the other officials echoed.
"Rise." The prince bent over and lifted up the forearm of the young girl. There was nothing short of shock on her face.
"What's your name?"
"I don't have a name my prince…" her voice trembled. "I was the 12th child in my family, everyone in my family just calls me Shi-Er-Wa."
The prince paused for a moment, then spoke:
"We'll figure out the name part later." The prince looked to his companions at the other table. "My companions have come a long way; let us get started with the feast right away."
"Yes my prince!" Governor Jin then turned to Shi-Er-Wa and said: "Go tell the kitchens to bring the dishes at once!"
"Yes my lord." Shi-Er-Wa quickly took off from the scene, and disappeared behind a wooden antique screen.
A moment later, a dozen servants burst into the hall, each holding unique exquisite dish, that could make anyone drool like a waterfall, just from the mere scent.
"These are just the appetizers my prince, the main course is still coming!" Governor Jin smiled like a pig.
"Sounds nice." The prince looked away from the dish.
Seeing the prince's reaction, governor Jin quickly changed subject:
"What type of music do you listen to my prince?"
"Antique music."
"Of course my prince! In fact, we have the best antique band in all of Hu-Shang prepared for you." Governor Jin clapped his hands. "Bring in the band!"
A moment later, a group of servants began to quickly set up for the band at the center of the hall, once set up, a band of 4 emerged from behind the wooden antique screen.
One played the hand drum.
One played the Pi-Pa.
One played the long flute.
One played the Gu-Qin.
The moment they started playing, the whole room entered into a different world.
The hymns formed the high mountains; the melody formed the flowing rivers, the tune formed the chirping birds and the chorus formed the rising sun.
By the time music stopped, the prince found tears uncontrollably falling from him eyes.
"Beautiful." The prince began to clap, soon the whole room followed in his example. The band kneeled in response.
While clapping, the prince noticed something peculiar about the one who played the Gu-Qin.
She appeared to be in her teens, she had a tall slender build, twin blue ponytail falling down like twin waterfalls. She wore a red silk dress, and her eyes were hidden a blue veil of silk.
"What happened to her eyes?" The prince stopped clapping, and the whole room went silent again.
"My prince, lady Mo-Qin lost her sight when she was a child." Governor Jin explained. "But it was this loss, which gave her this exceptional talent."
"How unfortunate." The prince paused. "See that all of them will be rewarded for their performance today."
"Yes my prince." As governor Jin replied, a dozens of servants entered the scene again, each with a great dish in hand.
"My prince, it looks like the main course is here."