Our Journey

"Good morning, Father," I said to him in a low voice. My father did not answer my greeting. He sighed.

"We will go to Zhiqiang w.a.n.gfu after breakfast," my father said and I nodded my head. I followed his steps towards the ground floor of the inn. The waiter serves a pretty fancy breakfast. However, me and my father, we both have no appet.i.te. We only eat a few bribes. I looked sadly at the food left on the table. However, I can"t force myself to eat right now.

"Are we leaving now?" My father asked me and I answered by nodding my head. My father walked in front of me. I followed his steps reluctantly.

I couldn"t sleep all night. Because it, I feel my body is not healthy. However, I want this problem to be finished soon. I hope Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye has the right way to make my father sure and he doesn"t force me to marry Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye.

We do not need a long time by walking to Zhiqiang w.a.n.gfu. Zhiqiang w.a.n.gfu is located not far from the inn where I stayed. In front of w.a.n.gfu, there were two guards standing idly. They lowered their heads to me a little. They recognize me.

"I want to meet Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye," my father said to one of the guards. The guard saluted by bowing with a hand folded in front.

"General Zhou, Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye is waiting for you," one of the guards replied. I saw the expression on my father"s face. He did not look happy with the answer given by the bodyguard.

"Don"t call me General. I"m not a general now. I"ve retired from the royal military for a long time ago, "my father said.

"Still, we must respect you. I will lead you to where w.a.n.gye is," he said again. My father nodded his head at a glance.

The guard walked in front of us. We walked far enough. The guard took us to the park. Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye has been waiting in a gazebo. He is not alone. Imperial Doctor Li Shu is in the gazebo too. I remember that I am and Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye met several times and talked in the park.

"Respect for w.a.n.gye," my father and I gave saluted to that arrogant prince by bowing with a hand folded in front. Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye replied by doing the same thing.

"Respect to General Zhou. I am the physician who cares for your daughter, "Imperial docter Li Shu gave bowing his head with a hand folded in front.

"I should pay my grat.i.tude to you, Doctor Li Shu. You have taken care of my daughter. If you don"t give good care, maybe I have lost my only daughter," my father said in a firm voice. I knew my father said earnestly. I feel like him. I am very indebted to him.

"Don"t say that, General Zhou. I am a physician. I really have to cure a person who is sick. I didn"t expect Miss Zhou to be your daughter. I am really happy because I can meet a legendary general like you," Doctor Liu spoke a lot. I looked at my father"s back. I did not know what my father had done in his past so Doctor Liu called him the legendary general. My heart felt sad because my father kept that big thing as a secret.

"Please sit down," Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye gave instructions. We all sit down. Some maid servants directly serve food and drinks for all of us. Green tea with a calm aroma. I know that tea is expensive premium tea. The snacks that are served look interesting to eat. However, I am not too tasteful to touch both of them.

"Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye has told me something that happened last night," Doctor Li Shu spoke carefully. My father nodded his head.

"I know that I have acted disrespectfully. I apologize for entering your house like a thief," my father said earnestly. I sighed. I felt a little relieved because my father admitted that he was guilty of breaking into w.a.n.gfu. However, Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye is a prince. What my dad did last night was a big mistake. He could have been accused of carrying out an attempted murder of Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye.

"I forgive you because I know that you do it without evil intentions," Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye spoke calmly. I wrinkled my forehead. He often spoke arrogantly to me. However, to my father he spoke very calmly. As if he is a wise person.

"Thank you, w.a.n.gye," my father answered.

"General Zhou, I want to explain the real problem," Physician Li Shu spoke again. My father nodded his head.

"Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye has never done anything bad to your daughter. He only gave his inner energy to speed up your daughter"s recovery," Doctor Li Shu tried to give an explanation.

"However, I heard rumors that make me coldn"t calm down. What I saw last night proved that rumor. A woman half-naked with a man. Everyone will a.s.sume that my daughter is a woman belonging to Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye," my father said in a firm voice. I could feel that my father was trying to hold back his anger.

"We cannot believe in rumors, General Zhou," Physician Li Shu tried to give advice.

"Right, father. It"s just a rumor," I tried to influence my father. However, my father glared at me as a sign that he wasn"t happy if I joined in talking. However, I did not care about his att.i.tude.

"If you believes in rumors. You certainly heard rumors that Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye was not interested in women. So you have to believed that too. I cant marry him because of that rumors," I spoke without thinking. However, I immediately regretted it. My words gave a bad impression to Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye. I bit my own tongue then saw the face of Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye. He looked at me with glaring eyes then his face was a little red. He must be angry because of my words earlier.

Doctor Li Shu closed his own mouth with his own hands. I can hear that Doctor Liu is laughing. He tried to stop his laughter.

"Miss Zhou misp.r.o.nounced, General Zhou. I am not what he said. I am attracted to women," Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye spoke and I sighed because I knew the answer my father would give.

"If you said, so the rumor about your relationship is true. Many say that Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye is not attracted to gentle women. Therefore, after knowing that Liu Fang was a woman, w.a.n.gye fell in love with her because she is a valiant girl," my father said. His words were as I thought. I patted my forehead and then sighed. Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye certainly didn"t hear a complete rumor about himself. Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye should not clarify my father"s words about him.

"I"m not interested in women who behave like men," Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye said again. This time his words made me angry. I don"t know why I feel annoyed to hear those words. I saw Doctor Li Shu face who again covered his own mouth with his hand. I know that he is laughing at me at this moment.

"I hate that stupid prince," I spoke in my hearth.

"If you like gentle women, this capital city has many women who are gentle and graceful. Why aren"t you married? Why don"t you have a concubine?" my father asked him.

"I"m not interested in them,"

"It means that you are not interested in women. If you don"t like brave women like my daughter, you would have taken a concubine for bed"s matter. I say that because I remember your age at this time," my father tried to provoke Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye. I wrinkled my forehead to hear my father"s answer.

"Do I have to have a concubine to look normal?" Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye said again. I really want to hit his head. Why can"t he focus on our problems? He doesn"t need to clarify if he is normal or not. He only needed to explain to my father that he was not interested in me and never slept with me. He is considered normal or abnormal by my father is a matter that is not important.

"So I still conclude that you like my daughter and have slept with her, but you don"t want to be responsible," my father concluded according to his own wishes.

"Father, I begged you to not force your thoughts on Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye," I pointed out my protest.

"We both didn"t do bad things. He tried to treat my illness, "I spoke firmly. However, my father shook his head.

"Everyone says the same thing. They all think you are a woman belonging to Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye," my father rejected my words.

"Father, I don"t like men like him. I do not want to marry him. He is not normal in my view," I said, pointing towards Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye.

"You can"t say that. He is a prince," my father said after hitting the table hard.

"Father started first by saying that he is not normal," I denied my father"s words. I became very upset. I do not know what to say.

"I think our words have no direction," Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye spoke. He looked at me with a sharp look. As if he wants to kill me.

"Stop discussing my personal life. Normal or abnormal? Have all those who are here forgotten that I am a prince?" Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye said again. I lowered my face. I feel sorry for saying bad about him. However, I really did not want to marry him.

"General Zhou, I know that you have difficulty believing in me because of rumors circulating. I apologize for ruining your good name, "Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye spoke while bow his head and fold his hand in front.

"I have explained the real situation, but you chose not to believe my words. Even though I"m angry with your att.i.tude, I can understand your situation. Your daughter"s name has been tainted because of me. If I hadn"t hurt your daughter, this matter would never have happened," Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye said in his thoughts. I sighed. At least, he admit his mistake to me in front of my father.

"So what did you decide, w.a.n.gye? You still don"t want to be responsible? If that is your choice. I will address this matter to the Emperor. If he also did not want to help, I took Liu Fang to the monastery and forced her to stay there forever. Because I can no longer hope that there is a man who wants to marry her after her reputation is destroyed like now," my father said and I knew that he was trying to suppress his anger.

I looked at Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye. Living in a monastery is not a bad thing. It"s better than staying in w.a.n.gfu. I"m sorry for Zhiqiang w.a.n.gye because of his past. However, I do not like his nature.

"I also thought of Ms. Zhou"s good name. Therefore, I decided to bring Miss Zhou to w.a.n.gfu. Even though I don"t love her, she will become my concubine," Zhiqiang spoke and I was surprised to hear those words.

"w.a.n.gye, are you crazy?" I cursed him in my heart.