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❤️❤️❤️ The Story of the Tea Maker ❤️❤️❤️

The house Lei got for them was nice, it was an old bungalow which belongs to Lei's late grandmother. He had given the house to Nianzhen to stay until he was stable once again.

"This house is nice," Huiyin said looking around the compound, a huge plum blossom tree was seen at the middle of the compound. Huiyin took in a deep breath and smiled, she loved the house immediately, she couldn't wait to climb the tree.

"Yes it is, we have a lot of cleaning to do," Nianzhen said.

"Don't worry about that dad, I will do the cleaning while you rest your old bones," Huiyin said going to clean a potion under the tree.

"Are you sure Huiyin?"

"Yes dad."

Nianzhen smile. "In that case, I will do as you said my dear," He said and went to sit under the clean tree. "Once you are through I will tell you a story as a reward." He added brightly.

Huiyin beamed with happiness, one of her weaknesses is storytelling.

Huiyin went into work immediately and started cleaning the whole house and compound. Nianzhen dose off and by the time he woke up at night, the old house was clean.

"You did a wonderful job Huiyin."

Huiyin smile and went to give him the half eaten buns they had both shared on the train.

Nianzhen ate small and gave the remaining one to his daughter. Huiyin collected the bun and ate it. This will hold their stomachs until the next day.

"Like I promised you, I will tell you a story my mother told me, it's a story of our ancestors and now I am telling the story to you."

"I am all ears dad," Huiyin said and folded her hands against her breasts and waited for the tale.

"Ages ago; the emperor had four handsome sons and the eldest son was to take over the throne when the time came. Knowing and accepting his fate, it was with deep regret that the Prince fell in love with a young Tea Lady outside the palace walls. She was the best Tea Maker in the whole kingdoms and a beautiful lady. Their love was strong and deep, and though the prince couldn't be with her, the young Tea Maker understood. He introduced his brothers to her and they took her as their sister.

When the Emperor died, the Prince inherited the Empire and with it a wife that would unite the neighboring kingdoms with his." Nianzhen paused.

Huiyin who was engrossed with the story asked "What happened after the new Emperor was married?"

"The new Empress arrived at the palace ready to love her new husband. But as time passed, she slowly came to realize that her husband's heart belonged to another and that he would never love her. She told her husband brothers who pretended to look into the matter. When no report was forthcoming from them, one night, she sent a spy to follow the Emperor when he went to visit the young tea maker. When she discovered who the Emperor loved, she got very angry and decided to punish her Emperor husband. She sought help from a wizard who was a Prince and was in love with the Tea maker and has his love rejected multiple times by her. She went to meet him and asked him to curse her husband soul. She asked that he should live forever in his eternal love in the form of a spirit."

Huiyin smiled and considered that for a moment. "Wouldn't that be a reward, dad? The Emperor would be with his lover for ages to come."

Nianzhen nodded his head "Yes it would seem so, and when the Emperor and his brothers heard the news of the curse, they smiled in joy thinking as you do. When the Emperor grew old, and his mortal body ceased to function, his spirit lived on alive but instead of the curse like he had expected his soul was cage. When his brothers tried to fight the wizard, they were caged too. The wizard went to meet the Tea Maker with his Warriors and told her about the death of her beloved and asked her to come with him or he would force her. The tea maker wasn't a warrior neither could she fight, so when she couldn't bulge to his threats, he killed her and before she died, she made a promise that she would be reborn and he told her he would be waiting for her."

"That's a tragic story, Dad." Huiyin sighed. "But how do you know about this story, what if it's not real."

"I asked the same question and I was told the Tea Maker has a younger sister who was a seer. She foresee that her sister will be reborn through her generations and told her children who in turn told their own children until your turn. This is the story of our ancestors Huiyin."

"Didn't the seer knows where the emperor and his brothers were caged?"

"No, the wizard was extremely powerful and was feared in his kingdom and the rest of the kingdoms. She couldn't see it. But she knows they will be released and the Lovers will unite."

"What about the wizard, was he reborn?"

"When he died, the seer bound his body and burnt it preventing him from coming back."

"Why?"

"Because if he is reborn then he will be far worse than the devil himself."

Huiyin huffed. "If i was the Tea Maker and he was reborn, I will beat out the whole devil in him."

Nianzhen laughed out at that. "I trust you on that one. But I hope you shouldn't be the reincarnation of the Tea lady," he said. "It wouldn't be that easy."

Huiyin only nodded her head and they fall into a deep comfortable silence, Huiyin sigh loudly after a while.

"What is it Huiyin?" Nianzhen asked his daughter with a concerned voice.

"Just thinking you know, if the tea maker is reborn won't the empress also be reborn? I mean considering the story. Won't everyone be reborn?" Huiyin asked.

"I haven't thought of that Huiyin, so I have no answer to that." Nianzhen replied truthfully. "Enough of the story of our ancestors, once it is morning, I will look around to see if I could find a fighting arena for you to join once I am back from my interview."

"Thank you father." Huiyin beamed with smile.

Nianzhen stood up stretching out his old body as his tried bones crack in their right places.

"Ehm Huiyin, how many rooms are in the house?"

"Just one father, but you can sleep in the room and I will sleep on the couch." Huiyin answered.

Nianzhen take a second good look at the bungalow in front of him. "But it look so big, I thought there will be up to 3 or 4 rooms," he said in surprise.

"I had thought so too until I swept the house. The kitchen, sitting room and dining area are as big as a room," Huiyin said.

Note: I'm not a Chinese so I'm sorry if you find errors in the book. Thank you.