The elders looked at each other in dismay, but they swallowed their thoughts. Should they disrespect their new Lady of Wei, does that mean she'll collect their hands in retribution?
Hideo and Ju Long had long fell on to the floor and were wrestling, but they suddenly stopped what they were doing for a moment to stare at Sya. This was the first time Hideo could properly praise Sya for being the reason why Prime Minister Note and a handful of his guards has a missing hand.
"Granddaughter." Hide said in awe. "You have out done yourself! Not only have you taken his hand, but you also made him lose so much face yesterday! Only you are capable of being our Lady of Wei!"
"Don't you look at my Wife while I'm standing right next to you!" Ju Long said as he covered Hideo's eyes. "My wife doesn't need your eyes on her!"
As the Grandson and Grandfather began to wrestle again, Xiu and Naoko walked inside of the common room and bowed towards the Elders.
"This Concubine Xiu and Second Young Master, greets the Elders of Wei." Xiu said softly.
Her face was pale, as if she did not sleep last night and the clothes she wore today was plain and white. Her hair was put up in a simple twist with a plain white jade hairpin. She wore no other jewelry. As if she was the one who was kneeling in front of the ancestral hall, atoning for her sins.
While Naoko too, wore all white, but his beauty was too stunning, so instead of looking as if he was reflecting on his father's mistakes, he looked ethereal.
Sya could feel Naoko's eyes on her as she sipped on her tea. She did not acknowledge the mother, son pair when they entered. She was now the Lady of Wei, they are suppose to bow to her, not the other way around. Besides, she was never one who would bow down so willingly.
Naoko fell in love with Lady Ruby at first sight. But in front of his brother's wife, he finally knew what those words truly meant. With Lady Ruby, he wanted to own her beauty so when they stand side by side, they would be the perfect couple that no one could match.
But with the new Lady of Wei's beauty, his whole world shifted. All of the beauty before her could not compare to her and all beauty after her would fail to live up to her. She was the only beauty in his eyes that could stand next to him and be as beautiful and heavenly as him.
Just like him, her beauty could not be contained. Just like him, her beauty could not be defined. Just like him, her beauty could not be labeled. Just like him, her beauty was meant to be worshipped. Meant to be loved. Meant to be appreciated.
His bow to the Elders had stopped halfway when his eyes landed on Sya. Xiu had to push his head down to help him bow properly, but the Elder's had already been slighted by his actions, or lack thereof.
When Naoko came back up from his forced bow, he had to swallow his anger and put on a repenting face. However his eyes kept going towards the beauty sitting in the middle of the Elders. His eyes watched as she drank her tea with so much grace and so much beauty that he knew, if he was not so beautiful himself, he would have been a slave for the woman.
When Naoko's attention came to, Xiu was already kneeling to Hideo as she begged him to give her permission to see his father, Ken.
"This Concubine only wants to see Master Ken." Xiu cried pitifully. "Please, Father."
"You dare call me your Father!" Hideo shouted as Ju Long pushed him off of Ju Long like a piece of lint. Their horsing around was finished the moment the mother, son pair entered the room. "You have never given me so much face before. Even at my own birthday celebration, you didn't even say a single word in well wishes to me and now you call me 'Father'? Are you now only showing me this respect because you no longer have my son's protection next to you? Do you now realize how little power you hold in my Wei Clan? Or how little and how small your influence of your scheming can lead you?"
Xiu could only hold her anger in and keep her head down. Naoko stared hatefully at Hideo as Hideo spoke to his mother as if she was nothing but a laundry maid. In his heart, he could imagine killing Hideo with 1000 cuts, or tying him up, letting him starve in the middle of the Wei properties to let other's throw rocks at him. Naoko killed Hideo in more than one way in his mind, as he held on to his pitiful mask.
"Please, Grandfather!" Naoko said as he cried out pitifully as well. If Hideo wouldn't answer his mother's cries, then Hideo will answer to his. Being that he has the blood of Wei inside of him. "We just want to check on Father to make sure he is well. This Grandson will not ask anything in the future."
"Even the position of the Head of Wei?" Ju Long asked as he came to stand behind Sya. "If Grandfather lets you see Father, neither you or Second Wife, Xiu will ask for the position of the Head of Wei ever again?"
Naoko ground his teeth as he tightened his hand into fists by his side. Both of them refused to answer.
"You two, mother, son pair begs Grandfather to see Father-in-law to ensure that he is alive." Sya began to say as she set her teacup down slowly. She stared at the two bowing figures and snickered at them. Such a small thing, to send someone to the ancestral hall to atone for one's sin, and yet they want to make it into a big deal? Ha! Fine! Then she'll make it a bigger deal and make them realize that they cannot easily mess with the Head of Wei! "Are you saying that Grandfather would let his own son die and not give aid to Father-in-law? Are you accusing Grandfather of being an inhumane leader and a neglectful Father?"
With her words, she made Xiu and Naoko unfilial towards Hideo. It made them petty, small minded and small hearted. It made them the outsiders to the Wei Clan, for they did not respect Hideo's words and suggested that they did not believe him.
Naoko's heart stopped. With such simple words, she shifted the whole situation on to them. If he could have such a woman by his side, he would never be slighted by anyone. Naoko became determined. Lady Ruby will be his concubine and his new Sister-in-law will be his wife and keep the high position of Lady of Wei. For she is worthy of the title, just like he is worthy of the title as the Head of Wei.