Jinshi x OC

The Spar

"Do you think we can still trust her?" Gaoshun asked his master while discussing the recent events in Jinshi's office. "Seems the list of secrets she holds only continues to grow."
Jinshi was slumped in his office chair, propping up his chin with his hand as he pondered Gaoshun's question. After Yueling was arrested and Lady Gyokuyou re-entered the parlour room, Mei managed to excuse herself from the pavilion and take the long walk back to Jinshi's residence, anything to avoid the scornful look he was giving her.
"She does possess certain skills which considered from one perspective could make her seem suspicious."
"Do you think it's possible she could be some type of spy?" Gaoshun asked "Its possible she may already know your true identity and all of this was a ruse to gain your trust, sir."
"I doubt she knows my identity, Gaoshun, after all, our meeting wasn't one that could have been schemed. And even if everything up until now was a ploy she concocted, then she wouldn't have shown her cards this early on in the game." Jinshi said with a mix of contemplation and amusement in his eyes. "I don't think she is a spy. She gives honest answers when questioned so it's not that she's holding any secrets with malicious intent but rather that we haven't been asking the right questions. If anything she's an enigma wrapped in mystery, and that intrigues me more than anything else." He leaned back in his chair, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "I think it may be time to-" Knock knock.
"Master Jinshi?" A voice from behind the door spoke. Jinshi straightened up in his chair, his expression quickly shifting from amusement to composed professionalism at the interruption. "Come in," he called out, his voice laced with authority. The door creaked open, revealing Mei-ling standing there with her usual cold expression on her face. Gaoshun shot her a wary look as she walked into the room, her steps deliberate and controlled. Jinshi observed her quietly, curious to see what she would say after her abrupt departure from the pavilion.
"Sorry for the interruption." Mei bowed raising her crossed arms to her face as she reached Jinshi's desk.
"Mei"
"I assume you would want an explanation?"
"It would be nice," Jinshi stated, the cold look he was giving her was sending a heavy feeling into the pit of her stomach. Mei hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickering between Jinshi's unreadable gaze and the floor. Finally, she straightened up, her jaw clenched in determination.

"My mother wasn't from this country, sir, she came from a small province in the East, that I do not know the name of. She passed away when I was young and do not hold much information about her or her heritage. The woman who raised me, Loushan, came to this country with my mother as her lady-in-waiting, when my mother married my father... From what she told me, the ladies-in-waiting from that province were more than just personal maids to a lady but also acted as guards, much like Gaoshun is to you, sir."
"You know Gaoshun is more than just an attendant?"
"Yes, wasn't difficult to determine to be honest. From how he scans a room when you walk into it to how he positions himself near you as if ready to jump in front of an oncoming attack. Frankly, it is blatantly obvious." She shrugged. Why a Eunuch has a guard is beyond me. He acts like I'm the suspicious one when he's the true enigma here.
"So your keen eye strikes again," Jinshi lightly chuckled, "but back to your explanation?"
"Yes, well Loushan was well versed in hand-to-hand combat, she was the one who taught me."
"You say it so plainly as if it is normal for a young woman like yourself to hold such unique skills," Jinshi raised a brow, "But what I cannot comprehend is to why you needed to learn them. You have limited knowledge of herbal remedies and emetic agents, which you say is because someone often tried to poison you, and now I discover you also know how to fight."
"You believe me to be a liar?"
"Not at all,"
Mei's eyes flashed with a hint of defiance at Jinshi's question. She stood her ground, the air in the room tense with unspoken words. "I have no reason to lie," she stated firmly, meeting Jinshi's gaze head-on. "I understand that my background may seem questionable, but I assure you, everything I've told you is the truth."
Jinshi leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful as he considered Mei's words. After a moment of silence, he spoke, his voice calm yet probing. "It's not that I doubt your words, Mei-ling. It's just that your past is filled with pieces that don't quite fit together neatly."
Mei's jaw clenched slightly at his observation, but she maintained her composure. "Not everything in life is neat and tidy, Master Jinshi," she replied evenly. "Sometimes, we are shaped by circumstances beyond our control."
"Then what was the true reasons Loushan felt the need to train you to fight?"
"To stop the men who came in the night..." Mei's voice trailed off, her eyes casting a shadow of old memories that lingered in the corners of her mind. Jinshi noticed the flicker of pain that crossed her face before she regained her composure. His eyes softened slightly as he stared towards her.
"Men who came in the night," Jinshi repeated, a gentle tone entering his voice. "And Loushan trained you to defend yourself against them."
Mei nodded, her gaze never leaving Jinshi's face. "Yes, we lived in a relativity secluded area on the edge of town, but was still within walking distance to the pleasure district, often men would leave drunk and unsatisfied, and when word travelled quickly that two young women were living alone in an annexe connected to my father's estate, we were practically sitting ducks."
Even in the red-light district, there were some who were starved for women. They mostly lacked money, were violent and were riddled with many sexually transmitted diseases, these type of men wouldn't hesitate to attack an unguarded woman.
Jinshi listened to this with astonishment and what seemed to be mounting horror "And were you ever...?"
Mei, taking in his meaning glared at him, "Many tried but none of them was successful in their endeavours"
"Did your father do nothing?"
"No." She scowled at him "Seeing as my father became a stranger to me after my mother's death, he did not care about my well-being." She shrugged, Mei's expression painted as one who was unbothered by the events of her past however, Jinshi could see the slight pain in her icy blue eyes. "I honestly would not have been surprised if it was my father all along who tried poisoning me, after all, until I was sold to the palace, I was nothing more than a financial burden to him." Mei once considered that her father sold her in hopes that she would catch His Majesty's Imperial eye with her somewhat exotic looks and then he may gain a more political footing in the palace or at least he would gain a portion of the resultant salary increase would go directly to him.
Jinshi put his head in his hands, "I'm sorry that you had to endure that." As he spoke, Mei noticed that he had lost his usual sparkle and a cloud was now looming over him.
"Why? It's not like you could have done anything to prevent any of it. There is no way in which to police things like that." Mei knew that unless her father appointed guards to her, then there was nothing else to do, she was just thankful that Loushan was a skilled fighter that passed on her knowledge to Mei.
"I see. You must pardon me." His voice was flat as he swiftly moved from his seat to standing directly in front of her. She looked up to his rose-pink eyes, an intense expression on his usually serene face. Mei felt a shiver run down her spine as she met his gaze, seeing a mixture of emotions she couldn't quite decipher. What is he doing? Jinshi reached out, his hand gently cupping her cheek as he tilted her chin up slightly to better look into her eyes. The touch of Jinshi's hand on her cheek sent a jolt through Mei. She instinctively tensed, her breath catching in her throat. His touch was surprisingly warm against her cool skin, and she couldn't help but feel a strange mix of vulnerability and curiosity stirring within her. Despite the many advances Jinshi had made towards her, this particular gesture felt different - it held a tenderness that she hadn't expected.
"I may not have been there to protect you in the past, Mei," Jinshi's voice was low and filled with an unusual vulnerability, "but I swear on my life that I will do everything in my power to ensure your safety from now on."
Mei felt a strange warmth blossoming in her chest at Jinshi's words, a feeling she couldn't quite comprehend, a feeling she felt the need to suppress as she swatted his hand from her cheek.
Jinshi's hand stilled in midair as Mei pushed it gently away from her face, a flicker of confusion passing through his pink eyes. He withdrew his hand slowly, the vulnerability in his expression now masked behind a carefully constructed facade of detachment.
Mei cleared her throat, the moment of intimacy between them dissipating like mist under the sun. "Thank you for your concern, Master Jinshi," she said evenly, taking a step back to put some distance between them. "But I am quite capable of looking after myself."
Jinshi's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he nodded, the usual playful glint returning to his eyes. "Forgive me, of course, in fact, I would enjoy watching you putting these skills to the test."
Mei watched him carefully, noting the shift in his demeanour with a raised eyebrow. "Test?"
Jinshi flashed his signature angelic smile, one that could charm even the most stoic of hearts. "Yes, a test," he replied with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "A friendly sparring match. I must admit, I am curious to see the extent of skills you possess in hand-to-hand combat." His tone was light and playful as his usual sparkle returned.
Mei arched an eyebrow at Jinshi's proposition, her expression unreadable. She had come to know Jinshi had a way of turning things into a game for his amusement, and she couldn't deny the flicker of interest his challenge sparked within her. She had seen him previously wield a sword in his training match with Gaoshun's son, Basen, so she was not at all surprised that he has some experience in hand-to-hand combat as well. After a moment of contemplation, she gave him a small nod. "Very well, sir" she said coolly, though her eyes gleamed with a competitive fire. "But who will I be sparring with?"
Jinshi chuckled softly at Mei's question, his eyes alight with excitement. "Me, of course," he replied with a wink, his tone light and teasing.
"Sir!" Gaoshun chimed in. Oh, I forgot he was here. "I do not think it is wise for you to spar with Miss Mei. You are far too important to risk injury." Gaoshun's tone was respectful but firm, a hint of concern lacing his words as he glanced between Jinshi and Mei.  Jinshi waved his hand dismissively, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Nonsense, Gaushun. A little friendly sparring never hurt anyone," he said.  Mei observed the interaction between Jinshi and Gaoshun with a raised eyebrow, her arms crossed over her chest. She had seen his surprisingly well-built physique beneath that angelic facade of a palace official. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Jinshi's proposal than just a simple sparring match.
"Very well," Mei said finally, her tone betraying none of the curiosity that brewed within her. "I accept your challenge, Master Jinshi."