Little Purple

"Are they gone yet?" Zhi Shao Yao asked. There was a space underneath the passenger seat's sitting pad inside the carriage, she had been hiding inside it since before the guards took the carriage from the storage room that was located beside the Hu family's stable.

After Hu Zi and Fa Sui git out of the carriage, the palace servant took the carriage from the guards while they follow their Mistress.

The palace servant put the carriage in a place they had prepared beforehand.

When she could no longer hear the servant's footsteps, she pushed the sitting pad up. "Xiao Yi, the coast is clear." She signaled.

Hu Xiang Yi came out of the passenger seat right in front of Zhi Shao Yao's.

He looked up to the girl who was stretching her hand in an attempt to help him up.

Hu Xiang Yi was still very small; so she didn't plan to let him follow her, but he spotted her when she sneaked into the carriage and followed her after.

When Hu Xiang Yi put his leg out of the box-like passenger seat, he almost stumbled and fall, his movement caused the carriage to shake. Zhi Shao Yao rushed and gently caught his fall.

"Don't make a sound." She put her index finger in front of her lips. She looked worried, wondering if her plan will go smoothly like this.

-----

The door was open and Hu Zi slowly walked inside.

Her gleaming purple eyes captivated the nobles that were chatting inside the grand hall. They stopped talking, the music stopped playing, and the whole hall fell into silence. Their eyes were on her.

"She is pretty…" Jin Lei who wore a yellow robe that night praised. "When she is not mad, her eyes shine and charm people away."

The green-robed crown prince, Jin Min, looked at the girl who was looking around, seemingly looking for someone. "Who is she looking for?" he frowned as he pinched his eyes. He was shocked when he saw Hu Zi walked toward the empress. "Royal Mother? What kind of business is she doing with Royal Mother?"

"I don't think her real goal is Royal Mother, Big Brother." Jin Lei patted his brother's shoulder. "Look, I think she just wanted to ask about something."

Hu Zi looked at the empress, signaling something, the empress shook her head, indicating that she didn't know the whereabouts of the man Hu Zi was looking for either.

-----

The moon was shining brightly on his grand blue clothes. The hems of his blue robe had golden patterns embroidered. On his head, there were beautiful decorations made of feathers which surprisingly he made himself.

His already pale complexion looked even paler, his body also felt very heavy.

He had been spending his time after he went home inside the imperial library, looking for a clue that could lead him to stop this endless torture, this endless thirst.

But he didn't find any.

Wondering if his thirst could even be sated before his body grew any weaker and finally died, he left his small courtyard, opening the door and walked on the road that would lead him to the main palace.

He touched his head, feeling a bit dizzy. He didn't want to go to the banquet. But he needed to, the empress especially told him to not miss this one event.

The event was held at the same time as the winter festival near the Dragon Lake, the same lake where Hu Zi and Shou met. The banquet invited many important people, just like that time years ago, the late great general would also need to attend if he was still alive and not on a mission.

He sighed heavily, he wanted to turn back and rest in his new small courtyard.

"Royal Cousin Lan!" Suddenly a voice was heard from behind, calling his name. He turned his back, looking at his younger cousin that had a happy looking face while waving at him.

"Ah, Tao?" Jin Lan's eyes began to lose its focus, he vaguely saw his cousin ran to his side. Besides his cousin was his personal servant, Lu Wei.

"Were you going to the grand hall?" Jin Tao asked, he cheerily told him. His expression was very different than his coward look when he faced Zhi Shao Yao. "Let's go together!"

Jin Lan tilted his head, sighed. "Sure."

"But, Your Highness." Lu Wei addressed Jin Tao. You need to go to the empress's palace first, don't you remember?" Lu Wei looked worriedly.

Even though Jin Lan's eyes could only vaguely saw his expression. He knew that Lu Wei was worried about something from his tone of voice. Jin Lan wondered if Lu Wei was worried that his master would familiarize himself with an outcast like him.

"Eh? I don't remember that I need to go to Royal Mother's palace…" Jin Tao frowned. "Who told you about that, Lu Wei? Royal Mother did?"

"That… That is…" Lu Wei felt cornered, Jin Tao was still young, he was around Zhi Shao Yao's age, but had a very good memory.

Jin Lan sighed. "Tao, you should go to the empress's palace, I can go to the grand hall alone. Don't worry, I live here times longer than you do I know my way just fine."

Jin Tao looked at his cousin, he looked very sick, the little prince was worried that his cousin would suddenly faint when no one was around.

But since his cousin said so…

"En, I will see you at the banquet, Royal Cousin!" Jin Tao said as he ran ahead of Jin Lan, hurriedly going to the phoenix palace with Lu Wei behind him.

Jin Lan waved back at Jin Tao, he then continued to peacefully walk the road to the grand hall.

The road was pretty dark, with his vague vision, it's hard for him to see the road ahead, but as he recalled, there was supposed to be a small lake near here.

He just needed to pass the lake and he would arrive at the grand courtyard where the grand hall was located.

But then, when he could already see the lights coming from the grand courtyard's garden, someone suddenly grabbed him from behind.

He was shocked, he could feel the killing intent coming from whoever that was.

He tried to get out of his grip, but he had grown too weak to resist, he even lost his qi. Jin Lan gritted his teeth when he felt that one of his wrists was chained.

He didn't give up, with his free hand, he tried to reach the place he thought would be a vital acupoint and pinched it.

He missed.

But he managed to hurt the suspect. The suspect grimaced, he was mad and was about to harm Jin Lan but was stopped by a sudden rustling voice from nearby bushes.

The suspect panicked, he chained Jin Lan's other wrist and pushed him to the lake before he ran away.