Days In Quest Of Honor

Life with Royalty, End of Freedom (2)

It was early in the morning the next day. The diffused sunlight fell on Baizhao's face and added a different radiance to her beauty.

She rolled around in the quilt a few times before finally waking up. She looked around at her surroundings with blurry eyes only to find herself 'home'.

Home...this was the new home where she belonged with Minister Han and his wife as her new family. She was finally back with them after living at the resident of scholars for almost a year.

The students who enrolled for the examination for Imperial Scholars were bound to live away from their family and in the area under the Imperial Palace. This was something that most people dreamed of but only a few could attain.

Now that everything was finally over, she was back home for a week. She slowly rose up from the bed and went to meet her mother.

Her mother was sitting on the porch of their house and reading a book from the Peking Book House. The Peking Book House was a place where only those people who got qualified as authors from Peking, wrote books under different pseudonyms. And in truth even Han Baozhai was one of them who sometimes wrote for fun, adding the elements of her modern world to her books. This was something which interested the supervisors and got her qualified as an author.

She then came from behind and hugged her mother. She really missed the motherly love which she once received in the past.

" What are you reading? Hmm, wait a book on botany? That's great! May I read after you?"

Her mother looked back at her affectionately and nodded.
" Sure, but well I wonder what you write...You never told me your pseudonym, so I don't know and found this one interesting and got it home to read."

" Ehe! It's a secret, I am not supposed to reveal mine..."

" Sure sure...not even to your family..., well nevermind, Li Hua came to look for you in the morning. You were sleeping so I told her I will send you to her when you wake up. She said she will be there at the Imperial Swords Hall."

Han Baozhai sighed in a pitiful way,
" Swords Hall? Isn't it break for us now, why go back there again, ahhh"

Her mother just shook her head after seeing her whining. But she had always missed this feeling as she was always alone. Minister Han went to the court everyday and Han Baozhai stayed in the resident of the scholars. Her own son too was away for many years. 3 years to be precise.

Her son, Peizhi was the general of the Imperial army. So it was obvious that most of the time he was away guarding the fronts.

Han Baozhai finished eating her breakfast and was just about to leave when she heard her mother speak again.

" Peizhi will be back by tomorrow... He will remain here for a year this time."

Han Baozhai stayed silent for a moment and with a smile replied," Oh! That's great! I will finally get to meet my brother again!"

" You probably don't even remember him, right?"

Han Baozhai suddenly blushed at this remark and slightly nodded her head. She then bid her mother farewell and went to meet Li Hua.

And in fact it was true. She didn't even know how her brother even looked like. She was 13 when he returned last time. But that time she happened to be out on an excursion from the academy. All she knew was that even though he was 23 years old now, he became the general at the age of 18. Before that he was the personal body guard of Second Prince of the Emperor. He was also very handsome and many of the girls who studied with her continuously asked her to tell them more about her brother and also to tell good things about them to him. But only she knew the fact that they both had never even seen each other properly. Neither were they biological siblings in this world nor were they close.

While thinking about all these things, she had already reached her destination. She showed her token and entered the Imperial grounds. She then headed straight for the Swords Hall and to her surprise, there were already many students standing there.

As she entered Li Hua waved at her and called her to stand beside her.

" What's going on? Why is everyone here?"

" Shizun has something to tell us. It's about some tournament which suddenly got organized for tomorrow. I heard that the Crown Prince and his brother will be returning tomorrow. "

Han Baozhai "ohed" and then suddenly realized that it was true that both the Princes had gone to the frontiers.

Even Han Peizhi was supposed to return the next day. And whatever tournament was supposed to be there was probably to entertain the Princes.

Han Baozhai nodded and then replied to the one beside her.

" Yah, heard that brother Pei will also be coming back tomorrow. Makes sense..."

Abruptly, another girl interjected herself between them, brimming with enthusiasm.

" Brother Pei is coming back! Eeeek! I am so excited!! Can I meet him please!!"

Han Baozhai, " Ahh, stop shaking me, I understand your excitement but well he doesn't even know you right? So how can I suddenly tell him to see you-". She then mentally thought,
' When did my brother become her Brother Pei?!'

" Then tell him about me pleaseeeee"

" Ah, count me in! I aspire to meet the general, and the Prince will be accompanying him! Ah, I desire both of them!"

"I wonder when the Prince will select his consorts!"

"Indeed!"

Han Baozhai felt that the entire situation was too cringe and stared blankly. She then spoke again to Li Hua, " Hey, where is Shizun(1)? I am dying, why are these people so interested in my brother and the Princes. And seriously, consorts? Don't they have other work other than dreaming bout marriage?!"

Li Hua, " Haha, leave them be, it's only natural to be excited... I know your situation, you barely know Peizhi or even spoke to him."

"Mnnnn! "

Suddenly there was a bang and everyone became quiet once again. Their so called Shizun had finally arrived and it was him who banged the table to quieten everyone down.

...........

(1)Shizun: refers to respected teacher, often associated with martial arts