THE CROSSED WORLDS - PART I

The incident that had occurred in front of the Sunri King's chambers leaked like a strong current into Minister Li's mansion. The gossip was so great that he could not fail to reach the minister's ears, that when he heard it, he was at his lunch table together with his wife and mother who was spending time in his mansion. Everything seemed to be going well, the minister was sure that his daughter would marry Yan Feng and soon Naran would fall from grace and his future son-in-law would be the owner of the world. If Sunri and Honga got together and took Naran, soon Yate and Kase would fall, too.

The minister could only dream of the promising future of his home, which would leave the borders of Honga and cross the seas abroad conquering all peoples.

He was about to eat another piece of the baked fish when he heard a faint smile from the back of the table. The minister put down his food and stared at the source of the smile. It was a servant served the tables.

- What is the reason for the laugh? - The servant felt her legs turn into a gelatinous cake until she fell to the floor. No one could bear Minister Li's threatening gaze.

- Forgive me, I was ... - the servant tried to speak, but the minister gestured for his guard to come over and take the servant from there. No one else dared to comment or breathe for the next few seconds. However, the minister was curious to know what caused the infamous laughter of the servant who dared to taboo during lunch.

"Answering Minister Li's question." His guard bowed his head in respect as he recounted the latest developments at his mansion. - A woman was found inside the rooms of the King of Sunri while he was in a meeting. Miss Jia-Li found the woman alone and decided to question her, but was prevented by the king himself, who threatened everyone who dared to touch the unknown woman.

Minister Li, who had a piece of fish in his mouth, felt the meat come down like fire. His wrath rose to the point of making his fists close and punching the table shaking all the dishes that were there.

- Who is the bitch who dares to come into my house and sleep with my daughter's fiancé? - The minister hurriedly got up forgetting everyone there and quickly went to his daughter Jia-Li's room. As soon as he entered, he saw that she was sitting in front of a mirror staring at her sad and teary-eyed figure, when the Minister saw his little jewel crying, his heart broke into thousands of pieces...

- My little flower of the field ... - The Minister hurried to be beside his daughter. Even with teary eyes, she looked like a charming fairy that her father exuded pride. The Minister sat next to Jia-Li while waiting for her to dry her tears and take a deep breath. He did not know details of what happened, but if it made his daughter cry, that person would pay dearly. - My daughter, tell your father the reason for your tears. He knew very well that he found a woman in her fiancé's room...

- Father! - Jia-Li made an expression that matched her angelic appearance. - I just tried to interrogate the woman; I did not want to hurt anyone ... But ... But...

- But, what, speak my daughter! - The minister said impatiently.

-He held that woman in his arms and took her back to her room accusing me of entering without being invited. - The minister held his fury and clenched his fists more tightly than before. Did that king think he could escape the marriage agreement by getting involved in a prostitute scandal? If that were his ridiculous plan, the minister would show that a marriage agreement with the Li family was more sacred than any scandal. He stood up holding his daughter's hands fondly. Nobody dared to hurt Jia-Li, not inside his house or while him was alive! She was his purest jewel and he certainly would not let her live miserably.

-I will go to that stupid King and put some judgment on his head! - The minister spoke calmly, but inside he was already preparing all kinds of possible threats to make Yan Feng de Sunri marry Jia-Li. He quickly went all the way to the guest's quarters, but when he arrived, he found no one, there was not a soul in the courtyard, and he quickly entered the room and searched the entire room and found no one. The damn king had run away.

Minister Li followed angrily to his men and ordered a hunt within all of Honga. The King of Sunri had to return, even if chains or ropes dragged him.

However, when Yan Feng left the Minister's house shortly after the incident, he did not know that it would cause such a commotion. He asked Zhao to bring Sunri's royal carriage outside the mansion to take Xiao Niao back to her house. The departure from the mansion was peaceful, since the gate, guards were still unaware of what had happened and of their lord's late orders to arrest Yan Feng inside the mansion. Then, the carriage headed out along the wide roads of Honga's streets with the mild climate. Inside the Chariot was only Xiao Niao, outside escorting was Yan Feng on his black horse and Zhao on the other guarding a young lady back home. It was just the two of them together who followed the path the young lady had indicated.

Xiao Niao did not want to be told that she resided in a brothel, let alone Yan Feng. In fact, she did not want him to know more about her. As much as her heart seemed troubled by abandoning him forever, her reason said that it was the right thing to do. As soon as they relaxed their vigil, she would flee far away where she would never again set foot outside the forest or the brothel. She soon missed Meng Hao, he would know what to do and he would calm down to his distressed heart. In addition, she did not know what she would find when she arrived at the brothel. How would Madame Ming react to her return? Had Lin Bo come out unscathed? From what she knew of Madame Ming, she would not let her disappearance go unnoticed. She would be interrogated, or even tortured for a few days of hunger and thirst. All this just for having disappeared for so long without giving an explanation. Madame Ming would not want to hear explanations from her and would imprison her like a dog. Nevertheless, she was ready to go through all this as long as she stayed away from the mansion...

She still had Yan Feng ... Why did she feel an immense pain in her heart for leaving him. When they were engaged in their teens, she could not stand his presence, but now she would like him to sit next to her and talk to her. Xiao Niao knew that it was inappropriate for them to communicate from then on, there was an immense risk that he would recognize her and hand her over to Naran, or worse ... In the general's hands.

Xiao Niao felt an icy wind hit the back of her neck when she remembered the general. She hated remembering him.

- Xiao'er, we have reached the forest. - Xiao Niao did not know exactly where she was. She knew that forest with the palm of her hand, but it was very vague to know its location.

- Where are we exactly? - She wanted to know to calculate an escape route.

- There is a big road, and that probably goes to some remote place. - Yan Feng remembered the road; it was exactly where he found it that cold night. Xiao Niao knew at once it was the straight road that reached the brothel; if she kept going, she would reach her destination. She just needed an excuse and get out quickly and after that she would run away as if there was no tomorrow.

- I ... I need to do some needs. - Xiao Niao spoke softly, but both Zhao and Yan Feng did not understand these needs.

- Sorry, miss, but I did not understand. What needs? - Yan Feng pulled the horse back until he stopped at the carriage window and saw only her silhouette inside. There was an unusual anxiety in her heart. He did not want to let her go that far, especially in such a large and dangerous forest.

"Physiological needs ..." she said with embarrassment until Yan Feng looked away from the carriage and cleared his throat without grace. He and Zhao got off the horse while helping Xiao Niao to get out of the carriage. She smiled, made a simple gesture of thanks. That gesture was more than a simple thanks, in her heart she was grateful that he helped her there, even though he was Sunri's Yan Feng, he helped her. If he recognized her and knew she was Mei Yang, would he have helped?

"I don't think he was a traitor in the past ..." She thought quickly. Xiao Niao wanted to see again and she wanted to look deep into Yan Feng's eyes. Be able to smile at him, she wanted to know how that boy was, what he looked like, for the first time she wanted to feel, her hair platinized, on her fingers and being able to see like a normal person, she wanted to feel him again close to her as before. However, she just sighed smilingly and walked away calmly. Her feet did not want to distance themselves from his presence; it seemed that something was holding them together as a string tied from side to side. However, as soon as she disappeared at the sight of them she ran. Xiao Niao ran down the trail that would go on the road much further ahead. The forest had been her home for seven years; it was like an extension of herself. Until she reached a point, where she could not return and just stopped pulling the air hard.

Tears streamed down her eyes as a deep sadness reached her heart.