A Wuxia Tale: Blades and Flowers

Silent

(GENERAL WANG)

I came home in time for dinner after finishing some of my tasks so I can take several days off work. I intend to show my mother and sister around the capital, in part so they can shop in the market, as well as take them off Dayu's hands. I don't want my lover to play host to my mother and sister for the whole time they are visiting here. I will do that so my mother will focus her attention on me instead of on Dayu and Hua.

Its the least I can do since Dayu has been patient enough to welcome my family into our home.

But while having dinner my mother expressed her desire to talk to me once we are done eating. I glanced both at Dayu and our daughter but they avoided my gaze. I sighed, I guessed Dayu and Hua know what my mother want to discuss with me and I can tell it won't be pleasant.

I'm not worrying though. Its not like this will be the first time my mother and I will have something unpleasant to talk between us. Since my father's death, after knowing the atrocious things he decided to do to gain power and money in the military, I have gradually distance myself to my father's legacy and my mother's influence. And when I got Dayu back to my side, I more or less cut my mother's influence on my children as well. I was determined to let Dayu have a full reign in caring for our family. And I have never regretted that decision.

After a pleasant dinner and a more pleasant after meal drinks where we avoided talking about something else other than mundane topics about the differences in living in the Capital and in ShangHai, I escorted my mother in our library so we can have that private talk she wanted.

And I was not even half surprised when she told me that she intend to move and live in the Capital with us. Unbeknownst to Dayu, this is not the first time or even the second time my mother expressed her desire to live with me and the twins again. My answer then and the answer I gave to her this time is unchanging.

"No," I accompanied that reply with a firm shake of my head.

"Wang Qing," a hurt expression flashed in my mother's eyes but I was not swayed by it.

"You know this is the answer you will get and yet you tried again. My mind hasn't change on this matter, Mother. You are not needed here." I said.

Anger mixed with the hurt she is feeling. "Your words are hurtful, Wang Qing. I am your mother."

"And this is my family. Let me care for them..."

"How? You are busy with work."

"And thats why Dayu is here to look at things because I am busy." I said.

"He's not doing a good job. Wang Qing, surely it is proven now. Hua is running around with slaves and whores, almost without any direction in her life while Dao is out of the kingdom, probably in constant danger. This wouldn't happen if you are looking closely at your children's welfare instead of leaving it all to that man's care," she said snidingly.

"That man has a name," I said irritably. "And Dayu is doing an exceptional job at caring for our children. If Hua and Dao are doing things on their own discretion, its because they have grown up and already deciding for themselves."

"Dao and Hua are still young!" My mother argued back vehemently. "They still need looking after."

I smiled. "I don't know what you will feel if I tell you that in that opinion, you and Dayu are the same. Fine, once Dao come home and both my children are here in the kingdom, I will ask them to visit you in ShangHai and you can tell them, in their faces, that you think they are still young kids needing guidance. Goodluck talking to them..." I said with amusement. Already imagining how Dao and Hua will receive such opinion from their grandmother.