Lovely Blossoms

"If we let her stay here and she is found there is no way that she would lie about the way her mother was treated," Lady Meirong snapped. They had been going on about this for half the night. Smoke and fire could be smelt all throughout the city. Changes were happening and they were happening quick. Even if Prince Jianyu decided to spare their family because of the love that Baek Zhiqiang had for Chunhua, that would vanish the moment they found out about her mistreated and forgotten daughter. The very fact that no one even knew about her existence as Chunhua's daughter could either be a blessing or a nightmare. A blessing if she was gone, a nightmare if she stayed.

"I already said I won't agree to killing her!" Elder Ruolan said angrily. She tried to stand up but the anger and stress of it all was too much and she fell back in her seat. Quan quickly began to fan her and wipe at the sweat on her four-head. "My son needs to be here for this kind of decision. We can't assume what he wants."

"Do you really think your son would choose her over the rest of his family? Over his other daughters, his wives, his own mother?" Lady Meirong said trying a new approach. She spoke gently this time trying her best to persuade her. The only way to avoid the blame of this decision was to make it together. If she went down they all would go with her.

"Of course he wouldn't" Hauling said disgusted by the very idea of it. She was still too young to understand how desperate the situation was, or perhaps too ignorant to care. In her mind everything was simple, hers or not hers. Baek Zhiqiang was her father. Fen Hua was just a bump in the road, nothing more then a nuisance.

Lady Meirong's words had the d.e.s.i.r.ed affect on Elder Ruolan. It was hard for her to admit, but if they chose came between Fen Hua and the rest of the family, her son, it would never be Fen Hua. She let out a tired sigh. Why had she lived long enough to see this happen to her family?

"What's the meaning of this?" Baek Zhiqiang demanded as he walked in. He was well aware of all the changes that had taken place. He knew that his family was at risk, but didn't like the idea of them all strategizing while he was away.

"My husband, I'm so glad you are home, please sit with us so that we can discuss what we should do," Lady Meirong used her sweetest most coquettish voice, a voice she had not used in many many years. The sound of it startled Baek Zhiqiang and confused him enough to forget his anger.

"What needs to be discussed?" He asked. "Kill her."

The room was silent. No one even daring to breath. Surly he would have put up more of a fight? Surly he would not be so willing to let his daughter die?

"You want us to kill that child Fen Hua?" Concubine Jiao asked not believing what she had heard. She had kept silent most of the night, feeling disgusted and angry at being part of this family. She had thought that at least her husband was not such a man. But now hearing his words so carelessly thrown out....

"It's the only way," he said flatly. In a better world he would have kept her around forever if he could. She reminded him of a love that he never felt towards anyone else, and even though he didn't like the pain that feeling brought, it was his, it belonged to him, she belonged to him. Now though, when he was faced with a choice between her and himself, there was no contest. He leaned against his seat. "Bring me some wine!" he called out. A cup was brought to him within minutes and he quickly drank it down. He followed this with several more glasses before he finally let up. His eyes were slightly glassed over. "Let her die and lets be done with it. She never existed after this moment." With that final statement he stood up and walked out of the room.

Lady Meirong allowed the corners of her lips to raise. She felt like she had just won a little victory even though she had not had to fight for it at all.

"Bring the glass," she called out to one of her maids. "Fill it with the medicine we asked for this morning." The maid lowered her head in fear. Petrified by what she was being asked to do.

"Yes First Lady," she said quietly. She shortly came back with the cup on a silver tray, her eyes sweeping across the room at all the women who stared at her expectantly. "You want me to take it to her now?" She asked swallowing the lump in her throat.

"If not now then when?" Hauling snapped.

The young maid walked slowly out of the room, begging internally that one of them would call her back and stop this. She didn't want any part of this. But much like the family in this household, she was not bold enough to put Fen Hua's life above her own. She looked up to the sky wondering if she was being watched, and hoped that she would be forgiven. With her eyes back on the path she headed to Fen Hua's quarters.