Eternally Ambitious Wangfei

Chapter 9: Unexpected Encounter

Mingxia Jie drawled on in her rooms while her maids had prepared for the flower viewing banquet. She had prepared as well the gifts. Stepping out of the courtyard to reach the front entrance where the carriage was waiting. Mingxia Jie raised a brow to see that Lou Chang was standing outside her courtyard.

-"Lou Chang?"

-"Madam, I came to bid you farewell and to be careful."

Mingxia Jie smiled at him and passed in front of him. Her dress dragged along the floor as she walked. The hem of her dress was embroidered plum blossoms that seemed so real when the dress swayed. With Lan in tow she arrived at the carriage. Looking at the driver, Mingxia Jie's eyebrows creased lightly. In the drivers seat was Zhang Heng, the man she had blackmailed the night before.

-"What are you doing here?"

-"Listening to your terms."

-"Bengong never told you the terms. So who told you to be here?"

Zhang Heng gritted his teeth. He had once again underestimated this woman.

-"No one... I came here of my own free will."

-"Well go back, bengong would rather you not worsen your condition to prove yourself."

Zhang Heng was surprised. The wangfei's personality wasn't what he expected at all. He thought she would be cruel against him. Zhang Heng dazedly got off the carriage, as Mingxia Jie passed him a light floral scent wafted his nose and he thought to himself ' She really is a camellia'. A new driver appeared and the carriage took off leaving Zhang Heng to his thoughts with Lou Chang by his side.

When the duo arrived at the palace Lan had gotten off the carriage to help Mingxia Jie off. The maidservant appeared and Mingxia Jie had told Lan'er to follow the maidservant to drop off the gift and she would wait for the next maid to lead her. In that short amount of time Mingxia Jie was alone, she had smelled the sweet scent of wisteria flowers. When the new maid arrived, Mingxia Jie's shadow could not be seen.

Mingxia Jie followed the scent to a small courtyard a short distance away. When she peeked into the courtyard her eyes were dazzled with the sight. The whole courtyard had been dominated by wisteria flowers. The bright lavender of the flowers had formed a canopy overhead the small courtyard. At that moment she saw a man in the small courtyard with his back to her, but she did not put him in her eyes. She was in love with the weapon, a sword that was beautiful and strong with a hilt that was encrusted with the emblem of the military.

As she walked closer, she noticed many blades on top of a table. She smiled with nostalgia at the care and construction of the blades. Her slender jade finger swept over a thin dagger, feeling the cold steel against her hand. The man had realized there was someone behind him, and pointed his blade at her. Mingxia Jie looked up at him, her smile disappearing as she reached out and touched the tip of the blade to push it down. Mingxia Jie looked at the man, by the standards of beauty he was a giant amongst men. He had sharp masculine features with thin lips, sharp eyebrows and jade white skin. Mingxia Jie sized him up, seeing as he was a man of the military because of the high ranked uniform.

The wind blew shaking the wisteria flowers making it rain the blossoms and petals, in the center Mingxia Jie stared at the man and he stared back, finally breaking the silence:

-"Who are you?"

-"A woman has her dignity, but bengong will spare you the chivalry; I am Mingxia Jie."

-"Everyone calls me General."

-"Are you one?"

-"What?"

-"A General?"

The man named the General laughed boisterously and nodded his head. Both of them chatted for a long period of time before another man appeared and whispered in the General's ear. He sighed and explained he had to go to court, they said their farewells. The General looked back at Mingxia Jie who had the wind blow her hair as the wisteria petals fell around her. His eyes carried a tint of awe as he stared before turning around to leave. Mingxia Jie had walked out of the small courtyard realizing she didn't know where she was before seeing a low-class servant sweeping the wisteria petals.

As she walked up to him he bowed deeply without looking up, she liked his demeanour towards nobles, quiet, yet with subtle rebellion. She chuckled and the servant lifted his head out of awe.

-"What is your name?"

-"This lowly servant's name is Wang Hui."

-"Wang Hui; become one of my people and serve me. I can give you more than the imperial family will ever give you."

Wang Hui had lived in poverty all his life if this woman could help him he would surely accept. He would never be able to repay her but would serve her for the rest of his life. He nodded and bowed deeply to Mingxia Jie:

-"Madam."

Mingxia laughed and remembered her reason for going to the palace today.

-"Wang Hui could you take me to where the flower viewing banquet will be, I have seemed to have gotten lost."

Wang Hui nodded and silently led her to the banquet hall. Lan had been idle in waiting for her Miss. The banquet had already begun and she was late. As the doors opened for Mingxia Jie the women silently watched as she entered. Mingxia Jie had become the subject of the sea of sharp-tongued women. She lightly and elegant fanned herself with a smile on her face as she thought to herself ' This is the dragon's den? I haven't even touched them, and they already want to ruin me.'