My Soul Is In The Sky (Completed)✔️

16. Imperial University

I have been too scared to sleep at night.

I sit up all night long, with my crossbow in my hand and methanol jars next to me.

The very next day after Zhao Yan's night visit, I bought lots of bells and set up bell traps all over the trees with the fine silk thread. But the bells rang all night long, even with the gentlest wind blowing. Papa was outraged and took them all down.

So I moved all the bells in my room and again set up the bell trap inside. I could only doze off during the day in a chair in the courtyard, while my family busy working around me.

I thought about self-defense since I am not sure if Zhao Yan will stop himself next time. In my mind, I have gone through all the possible moves I have learned from my three-year after-school martial art program but I have come to two conclusions. He is much stronger than me and I would not do anything to hurt him. I am scared of his anger and his desire, but I don't hate him. I cannot stop thinking all the good times we have spent together.

He has asked Jinu to pass me a green jade hairpin as my birthday gift. I would have loved it if the other night did not exist.

What happened that night has also forced me to think about Zhao Yan's feeling towards me. I have to admit I knew all along that he treated me special but he is a mature man with twelve wives and has lived in a brothel as his home. I couldn't imagine such a guy would be interested in me, a then fourteen, now fifteen years old girl who hasn't even developed fully yet. Even such thought makes me quiver.

But more importantly, I have to sort out my own feeling towards him.

"You don't look so good. Are you nervous about going in there?" Huo Qubing asks me when he meets by the western door of Weiyang Palace. It is my first day going to Imperial University.

"A little." Actually, I'm not. I am too tired to be nervous.

"Don't worry." He smiles at me "Emperor Wu has expected some resistance. That's why I am here to escort you."

I don't know whether he is escorting me under the order of Emperor Wu or he is doing it on his own. He helps me get out the horse carriage. With my floor length formal dress and two huge long sleeves, I can only ride in the horse carriage.

Huo leads the way to Shiqu Pavilion, where the Imperial University is. The long walk gives me the opportunity to observe the most amazing palace in the world.

Weiyang Palace, the largest palace ever built on earth, is about seven times the size of the Forbidden City in Beijing, or eleven times the size of the Vatican City. With over forty buildings it occupies about 1200 acres of land.

"It should be called Weiyang City. " I say to Huo who slows down to accommodate my mince steps due to my clogs and narrow hem of my dress. "I thought Weiyang Palace means one palace and one building."

He laughs. "Weiyang Palace is just a name. It divides into three sections: south section, middle section and north section. South section is centered around Front Hall, where Emperor Wu meets with his officials every day. All the administration offices, like treasure departments, are all in the south section."

"The Imperial University, Central Library and Central Archiving take up the middle section. You will spend most of your time there." He continues.

"Are there more officials in the middle section?" I ask him.

"There will be some administrative officials. But mostly there are scholars, historians, and students from Imperial University. Without special order, they are not allowed to go to the south or north section. But Emperor Wu likes to ask for their opinions when he needs advice."