Lady Earthquake

Lady Earthquake Chapter 45

Ganxie sat in the warm kitchen, her lap covered with the folds of a robe she was making over for Ri-Chan. As she sewed, she hummed a tune popular in the North. Her stitches were like the footprints of an ant carrying food to the nest, tiny and straight. The flames of her working candles wavered in a draft as the back door opened. "You are late; there is food keeping warm on the fire."

Sergeant Yan poked his nose into the pot. "It smells good."

"It is good. Our Dongru is so talented."

He put his helmet on the table and stretched his back. "How are you?"

"Well. How is your arm?"

"Itchy. Where is Luyo?"

"Still looking for that old man." She looked up as he sat heavily on the bench across from her. "You are not eating?"

"Not now. I feel too full of words to be hungry."

Ganxie smiled to herself as she bit off the thread. "Our Ri-Chan will look very handsome in this, I think. The second-hand merchant I bought it from says that if I can do embroidery, there will be good payment for me."

"The prince does not pay you enough working here?"

"I have refused to take payment from his highness. I owe such a debt already. However, one always needs a little money in the city and I believe I may embroider very well indeed. Sewing...." She looked at her slim, strong hand. "Sewing seems to make my fingers very happy. I wonder why."

"You still do not remember anything from before we found you in the forest?"

"Eh? No. Nothing. My thoughts go back only to the moment when I looked up and saw Adjutant Shu. I feel that it is a great pity that so handsome a youth should prove to be nothing of the sort."

"You can have Luyo instead." His own hands were spread on his knees, griping tightly. "We talked and I heard that you like him."

"Luyo says that I must be his. I cannot seem to find a way to protest that."

"Yes, nobody is better with words, all that mushy talk girls like so much. I...I never know what to say. Even when my heart is full."

"I do not like him so much for his words; I think sometimes his talk is excessive. But I like him." She laughed warmly. "I am a shameless creature."

"It is nice. Too many girls play foolish games. I am jealous, you know that. But I want to say that...that it is all right. I will be your faithful Brother Yan. May I ask only that you do not close the door on me when I come by for an evening meal?"

"You will always be most welcome."

He rubbed his dampened eyes; Ganxie pretended not to notice. "Have you heard anything about Miss Dizhen?"

"I think they must have passed some time alone together. I never saw the prince like that before; all lit up like a floating lantern. Lucky man."

"Will the prince be coming home tonight? Dongru is worried about his state of health, I think."

"So am I. I would rather charge the whole Yiang army armed with nothing but an overcooked noodle than spend one night in the palace. What a nest of vipers! From the steps of the throne to the boy who empties the night-soil, everyone struggling against each other for position. Small wonder I prefer the army."

"I agree with you. I felt cold the whole time I was there. When that Third Prince looked at me, I felt as though I were sinking into a frozen river."

"You met that bastard?"

"Well, not to say 'met'. The Third Prince was speaking to Miss Dizhen and looked at me. Fish at the market have a livelier eye than that man. I hated to leave her side but I confess I was glad not to risk seeing that face again." She shivered again at the memory. "It was strange, though. When the Third Prince gazed at her, his eyes did not look so cold. I thought I saw...a spark."