"What? I was helping to distute the food and drinks for the whole night. Didn't you see me?" He smile then his evil look slips back to his face. "I saw what you did. I don't appreciate that. General Tang and i are really good friends and partner in the army. That's all. She is my brother in this life. Do you understand, my little wife?" I keep my silence. Not saying a word. While he continues with his whispering voice.
"Do you know why granny Li did not come to camp? That is because i have her punished. I saw that day of shopping in the market. She went off to the drug store and bought something that is despicable. I had her questioned before meeting you in the restaurant. She confessed to everything. "
"What kind of punishment have you ..."
"I have asked her to wash all the blankets, beds and mats in the mansion while we are gone. She is not to get any help from other people."
"That is cruel! She have a bad bad and knees! How can you get her to do those! Besides that she is listening to my orders!"
"So next time think before you do something stupid like this. Next time whoever does this, will be punished even more than this."
Suddenly he grab my shoulders and lock me on the bed. In my horror, he force a kiss upon me. I struggle and kick as hard as i can. Finally he let me go, i jump off the bed and run with my life. Outside the soldiers who are clearing the mess, looks at me. They bow to me as i run. holding my skirt i run to my carriage. "Driver! Driver! Driver!!!!" His head pop up behind the carriage. "Hurry up! We need to leave now!" With a puzzle look, He put down his cloth in this hand and hurry to get the small steps foe me to get on the carriage. As the carriage moves off, i see dingbat standing in the middle of the camp watching my carriage goes off. Watching him, i have mixed feeling. Why is every step i have taken is wrong? What should i do?
The moment the carriage arrive, i run to find granny LI. When i see her hanging out the blankets, i cry. She hug me like what she did when i an a young child. I am truly sorry she got punished foe my action.
In her room, i rub the ailment for her. She said her arm is not in pain But i know she is holding back. Her knees must be in pain too. She can't even get up from the stool that she is sitting on.
A few days have past and everything is peaceful in the mansion. Dingbat continue to stay in camp while i in the mansion. This is better for us. I don't want to see his face.
"Madame, there is a letter from the Su mansion." The servant place it down on the table and left. I look at it with the corner of my eye. Before i left there i already told them that i am not going back nor wanting to hear what is going on in that mansion. Granny Li appear with Xiao Tao with plates in their hands. I look at granny Li and signal her to take the letter. She nod her head and keep the letter in her sleeves.
Later that night, while having dinner, i look at granny Li who had a sad look on her face. I dismissed the rest of the maids and ask her what happen. She remove the letter in her sleeve and place on the table. "Little miss had passed away shortly after you return from camp. They are writing to let you know it's passed fifteen days now. " Is this why i feel that i am missing something these few days. I often look myself in the mirror and touch it. "Are we still in time for the funeral?"
"No. She is probably buried by now."
My appetite is gone with the sad news. I can't even say goodbye the one who looks like me. The girl who was trapped her wheelchair. The girl who never gets to run around. The girl who wants to live a life like me. I am now truly the only Su Shang Yu. "Let's go back to Su mansion tomorrow."
Going back and stepping in the Su mansion which i hated. Every foot step is heavy with anger. I am angry with my birth parents yet i can't stay away. I have the blood of Su in me. There is nothing i can do to erase that. I greet my birth parents in the main hall. Quietly they show me to the ancestor shrine. Her tablet is placed there. with bows and knee i feel like i am empty shell. "where is she been buried?"
"In our ancestor land. twenty li outside the north of the capital. The funeral is done as quiet as possible."
"what did she die off?"
"The physician who attended to her the last days said that it was cause by too much water in the lungs. When we had her moved to the small cottage in the outskirt, it did more harm to her health. The maids attending to her did not inform us. It was when it get out of hand. By the time we know it's too late."
"She was a sick child. We did our best, my wife. We give her the best we can."
"Shung Yun, you are now our only child. I know what we did is not right but it was the best thing to do at that time. I don't want to let anyone to take your life. So i choose to have you live a life away. Shung Yu is never an easy child to take care. She is constantly sick. When she is well enough i thought that she can be a heathy child but she have so many hidden problems."
A male servant hurry walk in and whisper to Duke Su. He look at his wife and step outside. While leaving me with my birth mother. She weep and stare at the tablet. While i try to understand why they choose to do that. Will i choose to do that in their shoes? We step out to the main hall. To my surprise i see Dingbat standing there with my birth father. They look like in a serious talk. To dingbat's left, general Tang stands there. She had an unhappy look on her face. She look at me with her hand holding hard with her sword. I don't think i will die today but it's uncomfortable right then.