Liu Changsheng took concubine Li back to the port city with him leaving the imperial city without telling Ying Lianying. And naturally Ying Lianying was furious.
On the fifth day after leaving the imperial capital, a horse carriage carrying two exhausted passangers entered the port city of Dachen. The man had his face covered in a gauze characteristic to a concubine. His silky flow of black hair fell on his back tied messily with a blue hair ribbon. He looked the part of a concubine which was his disguise for now.
At a certain inn at the centre of the port city market the two took refuge.
Liu Changsheng arranged for everything for concubine Li to be comfortable. But the later still had a sliver of hostility in her heart. Being disguised as concubines from the emperor's court, it was natural for people to stay away from them. Which is also why Liu Changsheng chose this disguise.
After resting for the rest of the day, Liu Changsheng finally went to Fu Lian Canting, next door to the inn. He didn't know if Hua Feng will recognise him, or even listen to him. But he had to somehow make him listen. Concubine Li's safety was at stake here.
After his rebirth he made a good friendship with Hua Feng and they did everything to make sure Concubine Li didn't die. This time too he had to make sure his old friend is safe.
Liu Changsheng sat at the corner seat facing the same window with the view of the peony. His face not revealed to outsiders. He asked the bearer for the presence of the owner, handing him a piece of silver he sneakily got from Ying Lianying's pouch.
In this timeline, Hua Feng didn't have a bad relationship with Liu Changsheng, but also not a good enough relationship to expect the younger man's request. So when his employee came to seek him to inform that third young master Liu was asking for his presence he was a little startled.
Even then being the good host he went to the lone figure at the corner seat of the restaurant. He saw the figure of the young master sitting there, poised, with grace but yet so lonely. As if the worldly matters cannot affect him at all. The younger man looked like he had so much burden on his shoulder to carry and the world has given up on helping him.
Hua Feng has heard about the disasters on the Liu family. But the imperial capital was quite far off and the death of Liu Changsheng didn't reach his hometown. Or maybe even the news was suppressed. Not sure which one, but Hua Feng was wondering why a son would not come to see his father's corpse or a man won't come to help when his entire family was being slaughtered.
And what business could a man like him would have with Hua Feng that he would ask for a direct presence of the later.
"I was informed that young master Liu asked for my presence."
Young master Liu went out of character and removed the gauze that was covering his face. This surprised the older man. A whisper escaped the stunned restaurant owner's lips.
"Liu Xiong?"
Now it was Liu Changsheng's turn to be surprised.
"Hua Xiong!" But how? How can Hua Feng remember something that happened in a different timeline? But that's not the concern right now.
Liu Changsheng was going to start speaking about Concubine Li when Hua Feng stopped him. He pulled a passing waiter closer and ordered something. And not long after, Liu Changsheng was moved to a private room on the second floor with all his favourite food and a jar of bamboo wine.
The moment Liu Changsheng entered the private room the smell of food wafted his senses away making him hungry instantly. But he was not the sixteen years old anymore. He was a grown twenty six years old man, who knew to control his urges and look dignified in front of people.
The two sat down on opposite sides and Hua Feng poured two cups of bamboo wines offering one to Liu Changsheng.
"All your favourites." Hua lao bai gave a smile that only a few could see. After rebirth Liu Changsheng became one of them. Now in this life it seems so unreal and unbelievable.
"Hua Xiong, would you please hide Li meimei with you?"
"Li meimei? Our A-Xiang?"
Liu Changsheng just nods and tries to digest the liquor in empty stomach. He saved the money for emergencies and for concubine Li that he didn't have enough to feed himself. But he wouldn't complain. This body of his was used to all sorts of torture and going hungry has nothing on them.
"Tell me what is going on. I did everything to contact Xuan Lang. To protect A-Xiang. Just like you told me. But I don't quite seem to remember what happened."
Liu Changsheng was starting to understand some things. But it didn't clear anything up. Except it increased the number of questions in his heart.
"I heard you were missing for a week. Where were you? Are you okay?" Liu Changsheng diverted the topic. But the answer, he wasn't expecting at all.
"I was missing? For a week? Why don't I remember?"
Did trying to change fate and entangling Hua Feng with it messed Hua Feng's memory? This is what what Liu Changsheng was thinking. And he didn't know how to send everything back to normal. If everything ever could go back to normal. He interfered with the fate of concubine Li and entangled Hua Feng with it. And now Concubine Li didn't even know who she was and Hua Feng's memory is in jumbles.
Is it better to just succumb to fate then?
Liu Changsheng shakes his head shaking all those destroying thoughts away from his head. He stood up not touching any food on the table.
"Please come with me to the inn. And tell someone to pack all these foods."
The order was followed and after half a incense time they entered a certain room in the inn next door. A lost female figure sat on the study table looking outside through the window. Motionless, as if she's a statue.
The room was dark, the candle wasn't lighted.a faint light lingering inside through the opening from outside making it visible but hard to see.
Liu Changsheng puts the container full of food on the table a distance away from concubine Li and looking at the interaction of the two cousins.
Hua Feng got excited to see Li Xiang and exclaimed in joy. "A-Xiang!" But was met with a distant cold unrecognised gaze of the later.
"A-Xiang!"
"You don't recognise me."
Realisation hits Hua Feng hard in the guts so much so that he couldn't even double over in pain.
Liu Changsheng felt his struggle.
"She doesn't even recognise herself."
Okay guysss! Finally I'm back.... Though I'm not sure if the chapter I put up is satisfactory or not... Thoughts??
Something is happening.... I'm sure of it! Let's stay tuned and wait for the next chapter!
See you in the next chapter
Enjoy
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C 💕
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EMPRESS LIU
Historical FictionWhen Liu Changsheng came into the Emperor's household marrying the fourth Prince he had no ambition at all. He was just a fool in love. He was assaulted, betrayed, taken advantage of and then thrown to the side after used up. And died like a nobody...
