The Ming Storm by Yan Leisheng

Author:Yan Leisheng [Leisheng, Yan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Media Tie-In, Fantasy, Historical, Action & Adventure, Assassin's Creed, epic fantasy, action and adventure
ISBN: 9781839080890
Publisher: Aconyte
Published: 2021-05-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Xu Pengju visited Shao Jun every day during her convalescence. Each day, he spent fortunes having the best dishes in the region brought to the house by runners, but never bragged about it to his guest, even going as far as to pretend that the succulent exotic fruits came from his own gardens. Instead of speaking about the serious issues that preoccupied her, he spoke of lighter subjects, and seemed particularly interested in hearing of the young woman’s journey to Europe, questioning her about Western landscapes and customs. He dreamed of visiting Italy, but it was difficult for him to even visit the empire’s capital due to his considerable military and administrative responsibilities. Each discussion revealed a new facet of his personality.

Shao Jun also enjoyed the presence of Yanfei, who was unaware of the terrible business she was involved in and had shown no interest in knowing. The young slave nursed her with care, and after several days the ointments and infusions seemed to gain the upper hand over her wounds. When she removed the dressings to clean off the dried blood, the young girl was surprised by what she saw.

“Miss,” she marveled, “the wound is completely closed!”

“You’re right,” Shao Jun responded as she stretched her arm, “I seem to be healed. Thank you for looking after me so well.”

“It’s incredible! Last month the cook sliced off the end of his finger cutting vegetables, and it’s still not better. But it only took you several days to heal up!”

“But cutting off a finger is much more serious!”

“No… When you arrived, your wound was as wide as the mouth of a newborn crying for milk! It was awful… But now it’s healed, and in just a few days too!”

Yanfei emphatically waved two spread fingers under Shao Jun’s nose. This servant must be well treated indeed and unfearful of her master to be so open and talkative. The young woman wanted to know more.

“What does your master do, normally?” she asked.

“Umm… He seems bewitched by this Jouyi! Have you met her? She’s not really very pretty, she just knows how to use makeup. He spent three thousand two hundred taels to buy her, but I really don’t see what’s so special about her.”

The young slave’s jealousy reminded the former imperial favorite of her years in the harem. After she was noticed by the Emperor, many of the concubines who had previously been friendly to her had changed completely. And while during that period Shao Jun had experienced love and happiness for the first time, she also knew that in Zhengde’s eyes, she had never been more than simply one of the many in his entourage. She was his spy, and her usefulness was her value, and that was all. She had very rarely seen tenderness in her master’s eyes.

She let out a small, bitter laugh. Why was she suddenly thinking of her old life? She wasn’t the type to dwell on the past.

Xu Pengju called from the doorway.

“Yanfei, you impertinent little

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