Chasing Sya

Flowing Wind Courtyard

Ju Long took Sya away from the Elders and walked outside with her still in his arms. Her body shook with mirth as her laughter caused Ju Long to laugh as well. His hearty laugh caused the servants to take quick glances at the loving couple. They silently smiled as they bowed when Ju Long and Sya pass them by.

"Wife, you were brilliant back there!" Ju Long said as he lead them towards their courtyard. "Even Grandpa belived you!"

Sya had to hold her stomach because it was hurting too much from laughing. It has been a while since she laughed so hard. It felt good.

"Whatever do you mean, Husband. This Wife said those words with sincerity!" Sya said as she looked up and smile brightly at Ju Long. "With Wife by your side, there will be no one who will slight you ever again."

Ju Long smiled back at her. His heart felt warm and full.

"Em, with Wife by my side. No one would dare to bully me!"

From behind, Ai followed them at a short distance. A wide smile could be seen as she watched the scene unfold before her. Her heart could finally settle down. For Princess Sya has Duke Ju Long to stand beside her and grow old with her. Her heart felt a sense of calm. Should something happen to her in the future, she could rest easy and know that Princess Sya has someone who will take care of her and love her the way she was meant to be loved and taken care of.

Ai owed everything that she has today to Princess Sya. If it wasn't for Princess Sya's descison and courage to leave that hell hole that they were born and raised into, more than one of them would of died already. If she could help Princess Sya find someone who will have the courage to travel the whole world to find her, someone who will do everything in their power rescue her, someone who would use all their strength to support her, than should anything happen to Ai, Ai would know with her last breath that Princess Sya would be fine and taken care of.

When Ju Long and Sya entered the front gates of their courtyard, Ju Long's steward, Hai, was in the middle of reprimanding two servants who was wearing different clothes. The two servants were already on their knees as Hai lashed at them with words that could almost rival Ai.

"How dare you barge your way through inside First Young Master's courtyard?" Hai lectured. "With your clothing, I can tell right off that you are Second Young Master's servants. Do they not teach you manners there? Or is it that you think that just because you're servants for Second Young Master, that rules don't apply to you?"

Sya smiled as she listened to Hai's tongue lashing out to teach the young servants a lesson.

"Have you forgotten where you are? You are inside of First Young Master's courtyard. This is not a place where one such as yourself can come and go as you wish. You both have broken the Wei rules! You will be punished for your transgressions." Hai said as he glared at them. "For pushing your way through the gates and injuring Little Fayi, you will be punished with 40 lashes each and your stations will be demoted once I let Head Steward Senyi know!"

The two servants shivered in fear. At the Second Young Master's courtyard, they were treated with respect and held a high station there. No one dared to speak to them this way, nor treat them this way.

Ai giggled when she saw the scene in front of her. She couldn't help herself and her wicked tongue. She just had to join in along with the fun that Hai was having. Ai walked around Ju Long and Sya and clicked her tongue several times at the kneeling servants.

"Who would have thought that while the Young Master and Lady Wei is away, that low lives such as yourself think you're the new Master of this courtyard?" Ai said as she smiled wickedly at them. "If not for Steward Hai stopping the both of you, there would have been an infestation of rats in this courtyard."

Ju Long laughed loudly at Ai's words. There were no one in the whole Meya Country who could rival her wicked tongue. She gave no face to whom ever she was attacking. No matter if they were the lowest of low to the highest of high. Ai would chop them down with her words, one by one, until there was nothing left. Not even the roots.

"Duke Ju Long, Duchess Sya. You have returned." Hai said as he bowed towards them. "It was due to this servant's carelessness that Little Fayi was injured. Please punish."

"These two servants rushed in here and hurt Little Fayi? What for?" Ai asked. She had only met Little Fayi once, but she like the first impression he made on her.  Besides, Duke Ju Long's people, became their people.  No one will slight them now that she is here. 

Everyone ignored Hai's words asking for punishment. Ai's words were Lady Wei's words. Everyone knew this, the moment Sya did not correct Ai.

"Please, forgive us intruding into your courtyard, Duke Ju Long. It was not our intentions to hurt Little Fayi and disrespect you and your people." One of the servant begged. "Second Young Master asked us to present this gift of blessing to you and Lady Wei."

The second servant pulled out a slender sandalwood box from under his sleeves. He presented it out towards Ju Long and Sya and bowed his head.

"Whatever your intentions are for coming here does not matter, what is true is that you broke the Wei rules of etiquette. You have injured Little Fayi for your mannerless behaviors and made Second Young Master lose face for not knowing how to teach you how to act accordingly to your station." Ai reminded them. "If that is not deserving of 40 lashes, what is? But if it was up to me, I would take your hand. Duchess Sya and I, we rather take hands rather than punish someone with lashes. It makes it more memorable to others. It reminds everyone to watch themselves around us."

The two servants looked at each other in dread. Their faces were completely white with fear. They were only servants, if they would have just done what they were asked to do and not slight any of Duke Ju Long's people, they wouldn't be in this position right now. But now they are here, all they can do now is pray that Ai and Lady Wei will show them mercy.

"Little Fayi, where is he?" Ai asked.

"Resting. He received a huge injury to his hand. The doctor is looking at him now." Hai told them.

"Oh? Is that so?" Sya said as she looked at the two kneeling servants.

Without even looking up, they knew the new Lady of Wei stared at them. From head to toe, they could feel a dense qi pressure overwhelm them and caused them to be stuck in their spot. They couldn't even swallow their own fear.

"I think a hand for a hand would be considered fair." Sya said to Ai. "Don't you agree?"

"As my Lady wishes." Ai said right before two right hands fell down from their owners. Before everyone's eyes, all they saw was Ai's image flash and the next moment, two right hands fell down to the ground along with Naoko's gift.  The two servants were too surprise to react in time, but they knew that their hand was cut off when their right arm felt lighter. A loud breaking sound could be heard as the black jade bracelets fell out of the sandalwood box and hit the walkway. 

"What clumsy servants!  To break Second Young Master's gift!" Ai said as she flicked the blade in her hand to clean off the blood on it.

Ai turned to them and crouched down to their eye level and smiled sweetly at them. 

"You scum think you're so tough, coming here and hurting Little Fayi, who is only 10 years old!  If you wanted to show everyone your might, you should mess with someone that can defend themselves. Since Ai has come here, you can show Ai all your strength! Show Ai what you're made of!" Ai taunted.

The two servants opened their mouths to scream out in pain, but they soon swallowed their outcry.  A blade was now next to their neck as Ai pressed in with one blade in each hand.

"Scream in pain and I'll gladly spray your blood in decoration all across my Lady's courtyard!"