99 Troubled Mind
Qin Fuhua and Suyin paid their respects to the King and the Queen, in honor of their blessings and a time to select the date of their wedding. As they were leaving, Suyin noticed a painting of the previous kings, including the current one. She couldn't help but notice that the current king's features didn't match the person she knew as Qin Fuhua's father.
Qin Fuhua walked ahead, unaffected by the gazes and whispers from the servants and maidens that passed by the two. His eyes looked ahead, but from the corner of his eye, he could sense that Suyin was bothered by something.
As they walked out of the hall, Suyin followed closely behind Qin Fuhua, her eyes on the ground. She could sense that something was off, but couldn't bring herself to speak up until Qin Fuhua confronted her about it. Finally, Suyin mustered the courage to tell Qin Fuhua that she didn't believe the King was his biological father.
"What's wrong?" Suyin looked up to see his face.
His face was darkened with an unpleasant expression on him. He crossed his arms, tilting his head as he leaned in closer to Han Suyin.
"Since we left the halls to pay our respects, you've been acting off. What's wrong?" Qin Fuhua asked, looking at the flustered Suyin who was debating whether or not she could tell him what she found out.
"Fine." Suyin closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "I know you may not believe me I may sound crazy but--" Suyin had been debating since she saw the portrait of Qin Fuhua's father whether or not she should tell him. Finally, Suyin mustered the courage to tell Qin Fuhua what she wanted to say:
"I don't think the King is your real father."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[TEN DAYS LATER]
The halls were adorned with red, gold, and black decorations to celebrate the wedding between Qin Fuhua and Han Suyin. Red lanterns hanging at the side of the hallways down to commemorate the ceremony between Qin Fuhua and Han Suyin.
Most of the servants were carrying trays of food, in and out of the King's hallway, talking about the sudden wedding between the Prince of Qin and the mysterious woman whom some had seen. The King arranged Qin Fuhua and Suyin's wedding in the King's hall, in celebration of his son's new life with another woman.
This was the very least that the King could do for his son.
Meanwhile, Areum and Wu Fei anxiously waited outside Suyin's room in the Orange Blossom courtyard. Areum searched around, with both of her hands clasping together as she bit her lips.
"Do you think we'll get in trouble?" Wu Fei whispered, to Areum who shook her head.
"Shh. We should just hope she comes back soon."
Areum slowly slid the door of Han Suyin's room open to take a peek at the vacant room.
Suyin had promised that she would be back two hours ago, sneaking into a set of male clothes as she rushed off. Areum and Wu Fei didn't know exactly where she went, but they trusted that she wouldn't run away from her wedding day.
--------------------------------------------------------------
[HAN SUYIN - HEAVEN'S BLOSSOMING GATE ]
Qin Fuhua had been walking up the hills with Han Suyin following behind him. They had promised that they would meet up here since it was arranged that they needed to get some herbal medicine for Princess Chuhua.
The young Princess' health had been declining and she wasn't doing well in the current state of matter. Suyin was worried about it and had asked Qin Fuhua to take her before it got worse.
Of course, Suyin had to choose it on their wedding day. Qin Fuhua didn't want to go against her wish, with the promise that they would return right after, to make sure that the Princess had enough until they could get the 100-year-old Hong Teng.
This specific herb was hidden away back where Qin Fuhua had first lost Suyin when old man Wu went crazy and tried to kill her. Now that Qin Fuhua had the Key, it was another mission that was supposed to be given to Weizhe to retrieve the herb.
However, as they made their way up the hills, Suyin's attention was drawn to the plants and herbs around her, causing her to fall behind Qin Fuhua.
"If you don't hurry, you're going to miss the wedding." Qin Fuhua uttered, trying to figure out what she was looking for.
Suyin continued to pluck a bundle of herbs, holding it against her chest. "Just a few more and we can get back down," Suyin replied, her focus and determination were evident as she leaned down to pluck different herbs, one after the other.
Qin Fuhua watched her with a mix of admiration and frustration. He found Suyin's beauty and hardworking nature captivating, but he was also irritated by her lack of awareness at times. When she leaned down to gather the herbs, her robe loosened, revealing her skin. Qin Fuhua couldn't help but stare at her, but he quickly regained his composure and rushed towards her, pulling her up.
He held the herbs that Suyin was carrying on her left arm as he tied the robe tighter.
"You couldn't find a smaller robe to wear?" Qin Fuhua lectured, tying it as tight as he could so that Suyin wouldn't have that incident again.
"What do you mean tight? This was all I got." Suyin replied, looking down at Qin Fuhua who bent down to fix her robe. The men's robe that Suyin had worn was a bigger size, and it was the only one that she could find quickly. Maybe it was her fault that she didn't tie it well enough, but if you were to see the pair, it appeared to look like Qin Fuhua was the mother, lecturing the child about outfits.
"I mean, after all, I don't wear men's clothes as much as you do," Suyin uttered under her breath.
As they were about to continue their journey, the sound of approaching footsteps caught their attention. They saw a group of Qin soldiers marching towards them, armed to the teeth with various weapons. Qin Fuhua quickly grabbed Suyin's hand and led her up the hills, hiding behind a large tree to avoid detection.
Suyin and Qin Fuhua looked at each other at the sight of the soldiers.
"Let's hurry back." Qin Fuhua suggested. Suyin nodded her head in agreement.
--------------------------------------------------------
"Insolent!"
The atmosphere in the room was tense. The King's face was red with anger, and he slammed his hands on the table, causing all of the soldiers in the room to immediately kneel. The commander of the army pleaded with the King for assistance, expressing the dire need for help.`
"We regret to tell you now, but we need assistance, now." the commander pleaded.
The King was not happy. "So you tell me that on a prosperous day, something like this happened? Are you not afraid of the consequences?" The King was shaken with anger, but there was nothing he could do.
However, despite his anger, the King knew that he had to act. The enunch interrupted the tense situation, announcing the arrival of Qin Fuhua, the Prince of Qin.
"The Prince of Qin has arrived!"
All of the soldiers kneeled in the presence of Qin Fuhua, who hurried in with Suyin by his side.
Suyin took a peek at the King's face again, bothered at the fact that she could see that he did not resemble Qin Fuhua, at all.
The King calmed down, moving back to sitting on his throne. He turned to Qin Fuhua, who bowed in arrival with Suyin.
"I heard a commotion and wondered what was happening. Can you enlighten me?" Qin Fuhua questioned, with some acknowledgment that the commander was requesting aid from the King.
"These soldiers have informed me of a sudden break-in at the village nearby here." The King's frustration and desperation were palpable. "It seems like they had joined hands before I could even take control of the situation," he lamented.
The King could only sigh in frustration and desperation. "It could only mean that they had joined hands before I could even take ahold of what was going on."
Suyin wondered if the King was actually on their side, or if he was against the Qin territory. She looked to Qin Fuhua, who hesitated before answering the King's question.
It was clear to both Qin Fuhua and Suyin that war was inevitable. Suyin placed a comforting hand on Qin Fuhua's shoulder, and he turned to look at her. She nodded in determination, and he smirked back at her.
"We must start the war," Qin Fuhua said. "If they come any closer to our territory, the Long clan will take over our home."
All of the soldiers in the room looked up at Qin Fuhua in awe. He was known as the God of Misfortune on the battlefield, and the commander could only hope that he would fight for them.
"Does that mean that you'll fight for us?" The commander uttered.
The King then turned to Qin Fuhua, "That means that today's wedding ceremony will be canceled. Are you sure about that, my son?"
Qin Fuhua turned to the King, nodding his head. Despite Suyin telling him that the King may not turn out to be his real father, this meant that after the war, the two would be able to investigate what was going on behind the curtains with the King and where his real father was.
"The wedding ceremony must be canceled to save the nation. Otherwise, what is there to celebrate in turn of losing our people?" Suyin spoke out.
The soldiers in the room roared with renewed morale, and Qin Fuhua turned to Suyin with a proud smile on his face.
The King sat on his throne, his face grave with concern as he considered the weighty decision he was about to make. "Then I must bring the Crown Prince to go to war with you. As this will help and aid the people in need," he finally uttered, his voice carrying a heavy note of resignation. He raised his hand, signaling for the eunuch to summon the Crown Prince to the room.
As the King waited for his son to arrive, his eyes flicked momentarily to Suyin, who stood quietly in the background. He was a bit bothered by the fact that she was a woman, but Qin Fuhua pushed her behind him, his eyes never leaving the King's eyes.
"This woman's words raised the soldiers' morales better than the wind in the sea, do you not think?" * Qin Fuhua said, referring to Suyin as a person of interest whom he wished to keep by his side.
(*Qin Fuhua is referring to that Suyin is a person of interest that he wishes for her to stay. Her words and determination had already won the hearts of the soldiers and people).
"Ah--Correct." The King nodded his head, trying to not be distracted by Suyin's presence as another announcement was made.
"The Crown Prince has arrived!"
With the doors opening slowly with a loud creaking sound from the wooden doors, a figure of a man with his right hand walked in confidently.
His eyes were light brown, and his hair was tied up with a red tie, decorated with a beautiful golden dragon around his hair tie to show wealth. His black fur coat covered his shoulders, with a long, dark blue robe pushing on with every footstep he made.
"You have summoned me, Father?" the Crown Prince asked, his voice carrying a note of arrogance and self-importance.
Suyin took another glance at the Crown Prince, trying to see who he was. As she looked at him with every detail on his face, she suddenly realized that he was the man who had pretended to be the Prince of Qin with the fake Jade of Dragon at the inn where she stayed! (Reference to chapter 45) Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the Crown Prince's presence, already noticing the amount of narcissistic behavior that he gave off.
"My child, you will be going to war with your younger brother." The King uttered, moving his hands to Qin Fuhua and Suyin.
"To war? Are you ridiculous? And if your dear son (speaking about himself) is dead?"
"Words such as that should not be spoken anywhere and anytime!" the King exclaimed, his voice firm and authoritative, cutting off the Crown Prince's words.
The Crown Prince couldn't fight against the King. Whatever his words were, meant that it would happen. He turned to Qin Fuhua and then to Han Suyin who noticed her from the previous incident. He then smirked at Suyin, who made Qin Fuhua furious at the Crown Prince's attention.
"Okay. Fine. There's no choice, as I see to it, anyway." The Crown Prince walked up to Qin Fuhua, patting his shoulders as he passed by Suyin.
"So it's no wonder you were acting like that. I still remember you."
Qin Fuhua heard what the Crown Prince had said as the Crown Prince walked off. "I'll see you off to practice tomorrow, little brother." The Crown Prince waved, leaving with no choice.
