Water Mirrored Moon - 水鏡月

Part V - Mistress of Hidden Night City: 84. Banquet

The Seventh Prince thought he might go mad, as his little cat had somehow managed to be swallowed into the bowels of the palace.

Dammit!

If he found out that the empress had done something to her, he would cut that woman open and leave her for the dogs.

"Well, how is it?" he snapped to the air.

A shadow guard emerged out from behind a column and bowed.

"Not good, your Highness. She's been taken by the people from the East Palace."

"Laosan...what are you playing at?" he muttered, waving a hand at the guard who once again disappeared.

At that moment, the Ninth Prince, Zhao Ling Zhi trotted over to his older brother.

"Seventh Brother! Eh...? Where's Saosao*?" he asked, with a bright smile.

"Who's your Saosao?" the Seventh Prince snapped.

"Waaah, Seventh Brother! Being in such a bad temper is bad for your health you know," the young prince said, unconcerned. The boy then sighed: "Actually, a servant of the empress's palace wearing the face of someone from your Imperial Consort Mother's palace took her to one of the side gardens. Ashina Atil took her from there...though it's not clear why."

Dammit! Ashina Atil? What would he want with XiXi?

The Seventh Prince glanced sharply at his little brother who only gave him a small smile while he flapped his fan.

"You're growing up," Zhao Ling Xian suddenly grinned, pleased despite the situation and reached out to muss his younger brother's hair.

"Hai! Don't touch me!" the young man dodged expertly. "This praise of Seventh Brother's...I don't accept it...but if you need some guards to go retrieve her that can be arranged...unlike you I still live in the palace, and have my ways..."

"No need. This is enough. Good job, A'Zhi. I'll be going now," Zhao Ling Xian shook his head.

"Good luck, Brother. I'll go delay things on the other end," the younger prince tapped his older brother's shoulder with the fan as he swept by with teenage cockiness.

"Brat! I owe you this one..." Zhao Ling Xian nodded his thanks.

"Then bring me a Ferghana horse the next time you go to the breeding farm..." the laughing boy tossed over his shoulder.

Hah, dream on! Zhao Ling Xian snorted, but he mentally filed that away as he changed direction, striding in the direction of the main hall. Obviously, his youngest brother had not been idle in this vicious place though he still pretended to be a foolish, pleasure-loving child.

***

The main banqueting hall of the palace looked very different from what it had been at the emperor's birthday, but Cui Xi could not see it. Shut into the litter, she only knew that she had arrived when Ashina Atil began to speak.