Chapter 5 — Phong Hau Chi Tomb

The moment the sun is about to disappear behind the mountain peak, it is brighter than noon. At that moment, I glanced at Thieu Dao Tich's shadow behind the pavilion. He stood there quietly listening to the Queen Mother's memories, just like me - not showing any emotion at all. A moment later, Tieu Luc quickly ran over, leaned in to say something to Thieu Dao Tich, and then they both left. When leaving, Tieu Luc turned around and looked at me deeply. It was getting dark, I said goodbye to the Queen Mother and returned to the palace alone to rest. Unexpectedly, Tieu Luc, who should have left early, ended up waiting under the flower trellis. The closer he got, the more obvious the scar on his eyebrow became. He looked at me for a moment, his face serious, and he bowed:

“Pipe.”

I didn't change my face and responded:

“Six brothers.”

Tieu Luc's expression changed slightly, then he smiled and walked closer to me.

"We're about to get married, the third brother is busy with a dark face, living alone in the palace must be very sad, right?"

He used to be an obedient young man, bowing his head to lead the horse for me. Now he stands straight, tall, speaks tentatively, and has an unfathomable depth of mind. I don't answer. He said:

“Let me tell you an interesting story.”

“Today, the Governor of Giang Nam sent an urgent letter, saying that Mai Chau was again being harassed by bandits, the trouble was unbearable, and asked His Majesty to order it to be cleaned up.”

He said it jokingly, tilting his head back and complaining.

"No one else, those bandits are the first queen's biological brothers - your majesty's great-uncle. Well, if a family is in such chaos, tell me, isn't it funny?"

I lowered my eyes and carefully replied:

“I don't understand big country matters.”

Tieu Luc laughed:

"State affairs are also family affairs. My sister-in-law is about to marry into the royal family, so it's okay to talk a little."

Seeing me still shaking my head, he didn't care and continued:

"I see that Your Majesty is suffering. The First Queen is a good, honest person. She hates the most to see the people suffering. That year, Jia Chung used the people of Long Tay and Giang Nam to threaten and force His Majesty to bring her into the palace. Even though she was heartbroken, she still patiently endured it, and even in death she did not leave a word of resentment. If she knew that her brother left the mandarin to become an enemy and fight against the court, when the two sides fought, suffering was still common sense... she would have been so angry that she would have come back to life!"

The spring sunshine fades on the royal garden, flowers fall sporadically. Tieu Luc took two steps forward, stepped on the flower petals, crushed them in the mud, his voice gradually lowered:

"If she comes back to life, it would be good. I can also advise my brother... The Kim family is a famous and noble family, it would be a pity to lose it."

My throat choked, I swallowed, unable to reply a word.

9

Tieu Luc doubted me. I don't know where he started to suspect, but this kind of suspicion made me impatient to leave the capital and go back to Mai Chau to find my brother. Older brother must have pain in his heart. He has been an official for many years, his heart is always focused on the people, he absolutely cannot do anything to harm the country and cause chaos. Fortunately, Thieu Son was a delicate person. When he saw me depressed in the palace, he thought it was because he was bound by protocol and authority. So he asked for guidance to speed up the date of marriage. At the end of this month, after performing the grand ceremony, I will be able to leave the capital.

“I don't like the capital either.” By the lake, Thieu Son broke off a willow branch and held it in his hand.

“Scheming for each other, being careful with each step, it's tiring.”

He smiled slightly, although his hands were those of martial arts practitioners, they were very skillful. In a moment, he finished weaving a delicate wreath and placed it on my head, gently. said:

“Just a peaceful place, a soulmate to spend half your life with, that's enough.”

I held the wreath and looked up at him, "You are so good, what you want... will definitely get." Even though the one who gets to the end... is not me. Thieu Son smiled and nodded. The day of marriage is near, I want to leave a letter for Luu Gian. Once out of the palace, communication will be easier. If he needs any help from me, I can help him. I stuffed the paper into a crack in the rock next to a well behind the temple. That was the secret place between me and him when we were in the palace. At that time, Jia Chung's eyes and ears were everywhere, only this place was deserted - because many palace men had jumped into the well, no one dared to come close. But Luu Gian still did not respond. Very quickly, the day of marriage came. The sky was clear, the clouds were gone, birds were chirping, the whole palace was filled with a spring breeze and the scent of incense. The wedding ceremony begins when the sun is about to set. I wore a cumbersome wedding dress and sat in the temple, my phoenix hat was heavy, causing my head to hurt and my eyes to twitch. All around are brilliant red colors - red clothes, sunset light, door bars, red candles... As if they were on fire. Fire... It's really fire! I jumped up. Outside the palace, there was the sound of swords clashing, smoke and fire billowing, "bang!" one hour. Luu Gian dragged the sword, hugged his chest and rushed into the temple, knocking over the screen and incense burner, and grabbed my hand. His hands were terrifyingly hot.

“What are you doing?” — I noticed that his expression was very unusual.

He frowned, his throat slid up and down, and it was difficult for him to squeeze out a word:

“Go.”

Outside is his secret guard. He led me along the small path in the palace and ran, panting. I didn't have a chance to ask him what happened. Before leaving the palace gate, both sides of the corridor were already waiting for the ban to be deployed. Thieu Son seemed to have predicted it and excitedly told Thieu Dao Tich:

"Your Majesty, I am certainly not mistaken. This guy truly has the ambition to rebel, hides his power in the palace, and even dares to blatantly steal my wife right in front of your majesty, looking at the sky. I beg your majesty to immediately order to be shot to death, as a deterrent to the world!"

Boom! Thunder rumbled, lightning tore the tip of the dragon's claw. Surrounded on all four sides, arrows are ready. Luu Gian pretended to strangle me, forcing me to lean against the wall. No pain. He just gently wrapped his arms around my neck. The sunset was so dark, his eyes almost melted into the darkness, deep and filled with thousands of unspoken words. But as soon as he opened his lips, black blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. I opened my mouth, but couldn't say anything.