Daughter of Heaven

Chapter 36 - A Dangerous Game

In the setting sun, Yu Zhu's scarves soaked the red gold rays, their pale shimmering colors reflecting and dancing in the dying light. Yu Zhu looked on impassively as the young man sighed, "Beautiful. Even better than the ones in the capitol" His expressive eyes seemed to probing her, " Your skills are astounding for one so young. Here is what I owe you for the wager." The crowd that had gathered to watch the young embroidery mistress handily beat the handsome young stranger in a wager, murmured their agreement

Yu Zhu plucked small bag of coins from the man's hand, "I accept your apology." Zhu Zhan Ye captured her hand, there was amusement in his eyes and a faint smile on his lips, "Perhaps it's not too late to be friends?" Yu Zhu was surprised but maintained her coolness, "Perhaps." And she tugged her hand away, her face felt a little hot but she was in control.

"I guess we can't steal from him. She doesn't seem to dislike him" Lin Yu looked disappointed as she and Zhuo Hao peered at the two in front of Yu Zhu's shop. They stood at the back of the crowd, she was happily eating candy that Zhuo Hao held out for her.

"Your sister is exceptional" Zhuo Hao remarked, "She's too wise to show her true emotions." He looked at Yu Zhu wistfully, "Too bad she wasn't born a man. Maybe if she was, she could have become a great warrior, even a legendary general."

"What about me?" Lin Yu wanted to know. Zhuo Hao smiled sheepishly, "You're all heart, you would probably make a terrible general."

Lin Yu shoved Zhuo Hao playfully, "I do what I feel is right."

"Like the time you threw me off a bridge because you thought I was a bandit?" It was the first time they had met.

"How was I suppose to know that the bandits were holding you hostage?" Lin Yu grumbled as Zhuo Hao broke sesame brittle into bits for her. He smiled as he handed it to her, "I was tied. I nearly drowned."

Lin Yu rolled her eyes at him. "You're still here aren't you?"

Zhuo Hao chuckled, "Yes. That is something." He mused softly, "Back when I had nothing."

Zhan Ye bowed to the beautiful shopkeeper and motioned for his guard to follow him. Yu Zhu watched them leave, Zhu Zhan Ye's hawkish eyes made her wary

Zhan Ye turned around towards Lin Yu and Zhuo Hao to leave,  Zhuo Hao turned away at the same moment, seemingly absorbed in the activities of the street, hiding his face from the other man. Lin Yu didn't notice.

Yu Zhu motioned for them to come into her shop, "It's almost time to close. Give me a moment and we'll walk back home."

"What did you think of that upstart rich boy?" Lin Yu wanted to know as they started down the road. Zhuo Hao took out some of the food Yu Zhu had ordered them to get and handed it to the girls.

"He's well-bred, too well-bred to be an ordinary magistrate's dog." Yu Zhu picked out a mantou bun as she walked, "From his clothes, it's clear that he's well-off. Everything was made to look ordinary, but he's got more knives hidden on him than you or I."  Yu Zhu rubbed her ear, "His accent and speech sounds too cultivated, more so than your average rich merchant. And his mannerisms."

Lin Yu tilted her head, "what about it?"

Yu Zhu seemed to not hear her, she was remembering all the lessons of the palace, all those long years ago. It seemed like her past encased in silk, waiting for her to unwrap it, to face it. She locked it away again. "He's good at hiding most of it, but it's clear he comes from a very privileged upbringing."

Lin Yu frowned, "So who is he?"

Yu Zhu shrugged, "A duke or an imperial captain, at least."

The road became slightly distorted she blinked back the un-shed tears, she could not shake the image of her home from her mind's eye, she sighed "Looks like we've caught the emperor's attention."  Zhuo Hao looked at the two girls carefully, normally, when an ordinary peasant discussed the Emperor, they would do so respectfully or fearfully but these girls showed no outward emotions of hysteria or panic at the thought of the most powerful man in the empire coming after them.