A Wuxia Tale: Blades and Flowers

Preparations

(DAYU)

"When did you receive this letter?" I asked Captain Wang while holding a letter from his sister in law. "I didn't know that the twins' mother has a twin as well."

"Yes, she's part of a set. The twin bloodline came from her side of the family." Captain Wang sat next to me. We are in the anteroom of our suite. Yesterday, Captain Wang and Hua came home together from the banquet where Hua and LiAn performed in front of the visiting governors. Captain Wang told me there was some minor scuffles that happened with a drunk governor but nothing too serious has happened.

But thats not the issue on my mind right now. I feel like someone is playing a joke on me. On top of Captain Wang's mother and oldest sister coming to visit us, someone else is expressing the desire to see the twins. And this time, it came from the twins' mother's side of the family.

"Do they want me to go back to the South Indes to fetch Wang Dao?" I asked Captain Wang.

"No. I already answered their letters and informed them that Dao is guarding Prince Jin in the Mughal Kingdom. Still, my mother and sister would want to see Hua." 

"And your twins' other aunt?" I cannot help but feel uneasy about all these people descending on us.

"She's one woman. Surely, you can deal with her." Captain Wang winced when I glare at him. "One woman can burn a kingdom, Captain. She was surely an enough reason to burn down a whole military base." I said in a cold tone.

Captain Wang winced as I subtly remind him that my mother, a woman, was the reason why I burned down the HanZong military base his own father helped to build.

My lover gave me a placating look. "All I am saying is that I don't have enough information about her to know her real agenda for coming here. She could be coming here to innocently look at the twins or..."

"Or she could be scheming to make my life difficult. Like your daughter frolicking on brothels or your son roaming in a nest filled with vipers are not enough for me to grow old with worry warts." I sneered.

Captain Wang caressed my cheek. "No amount of worry warts could mar your beauty, my heart. You...and always you...would be the most beautiful in my eyes..."

"Stop that," I pushed his hand away to stand up and turn my back on him. "Your sweet words won't do anything to change this situation. If your words could make these people change their minds on visiting us, then I might have some use for it."

I heard Captain Wang sighing behind me. "You have been preparing to receive my mother and sister since they sent a letter months ago expressing their desire to visit us. Now, you have two weeks to continue preparing as they visit my sister on ShanXi. Even though ShanXi is just a day ride away from us, I know my mother and oldest sister will stay with our youngest sibling to greet Ying's in laws. You have time, my heart. I suggest using it wisely to give everyone instruction to behave. Most especially me and Hua."

I whirled around to face him. "Do you have any idea what your mother and oldest sister are expecting on me? On us?"

"They will mostly express concern about the twins' lives." Captain Wang winced. "Which with that knowledge doesn't give us any comfort but what can we do?"

"Yes. How can it gives us comfort to know that they will inquire about the twins when one of them is not even present while the one with us is running around the Capital like a hellion? Oh pray tell, describe to me what else could go wrong in that scenario?" I had a sudden urge to close down the whole Wang Estate and place guards with weapons on each gate to threaten anyone who would demand an entrance to my home.