"Father."
"Yù Xuān… here you are."
He turned to his daughter.
"Father, I want to go to the river with Lián." She smiled.
"Okay." He saw the figure standing in the corridor.
She smiled, bowing.
"Thank you, Father." She turned, leaving.
"Your daughter is fine. Why then was I summoned?"
He turned back to his friend, holding his scarf firmly.
"I'm not sure she is," Chen replied, watching the girls leave through the vineyard.
"Take her with you…"
His gaze darted sharply.
"Why?" Chen asked, raising his brow.
"Yù Xuān's ordination is soon…" the man said happily.
They smiled at each other.
"I never knew our friendship would last this long." Chen smiled and walked toward the citrus tree.
"How is Rong?"
"Good, she told me to bring Lián with me." He laughed out, settling on the bench.
"When is the ordination?"
At the River
"Ahha… Lián…" Yù Xuān laughed out, tapping Mò Lián's shoulder.
She just finished bathing and was washing her dirty clothes.
"I'm serious. He is taller than you would imagine."
"When will he visit…"
"I don't know, even if he does, I'll be joining my father in the southern province." She smiled, raising the soaked gown.
"I would love to join you. I miss Aunt Rong." She pouted, clasping her palms.
"What of your service at the temple?"
"Hmmm," she sighed, helping her friend hang the clothes on the spreading robe.
"Will Aunt Rong come for the temple purification ritual?"
"I don't know," she noticed a gaze.
Mò Lián gave her friend a sign.
"Yes, she is the one I told you about."
A group of men passed, pointing fingers at a young girl playing at the shore.
"How could she kill her mother and still live!"
"Such children shouldn't be allowed in the temple."
Yù Xuān spun while watching the men.
"Let's return home…" Lián stopped herself from speaking back.
Yù Xuān's face turned disgusted as the men continued pointing.
She turned to her friend, who was already walking out.
"Lián…"
The men turned at once, recognising the tone.
"We are not done with the laundry." She held Lián's wrist.
She turned at once, and her gaze fell on Lián's teary eyes.
Yù Xuān turned to the men in anger.
"You bastard sons of a whore. How dare you!" She freed Lián's wrist, moving with full force.
They retreated.
"We are sorry… Please spare us." The men lowered their heads, placing their palms on their backs.
She paused, folding her arms across her chest.
"This is the last warning. If you don't listen, the law will deal with you."
"Thank you, my lady…" They hesitated before leaving her presence.
"Lián…" Yù Xuān approached her friend, who was already spreading the remaining clothes.
"Did you collect your father's cultivation?"
They laughed together.
"My ordination is not yet official."
The people on the shore started running away.
"A royal! A royal is here!" The children ran away.
The people moved far from the river.
A chill crept down their spines.
Mò Lián turned, looking around, her fingers tightening instinctively on the edge of her dress. Yù Xuān inhaled sharply.
Both looked up at the same time.
Nothing.
Whatever or whoever had been watching was gone now, retreating as silently as it had arrived.
Yù Xuān forced a laugh.
"Must be the wind," she said, though her eyes flicked back to the water once more.
Mò Lián nodded, but unease coiled tightly in her chest.
"It's sunny; let's take the clothes home."
"When will you be leaving?"
Lián turned to a friend who was carrying most of the clothes.
"Don't know either."
They walked home.
"Lián… My father just summoned me." She turned to Lián.
"I wish I had cultivation… " Lián pouted.
"Maybe you have another ability."
They crossed the vineyard to Lián's grandparents' house. The door was open.
They could hear voices increasing as they approached.
"The yearly ritual was conducted….. I don't perceive any roaming spirit!" Yù Xuān's father
Yù Xuān heard her father's voice; a chill crept down her spine. Her father rarely gets angry.
Lián noticed Yù Xuān's sudden reaction.
"Yù Xuān?"
They entered the open gate.
"If the dream continues, it's your fault… "He noticed his daughter's presence from behind.
"Lord Chen. Leave today if you want your child alive!"
He turned to leave.
"Thank you, your holiness." Lián's grandparents bowed.
"Father… You summoned me." She passed the clothes to Lián, who was looking at everybody, confused.
What happened? Why the silence?
Yù Xuān bowed slightly as her father approached them; she could perceive his released power.
They disappeared.
Lián adjusted, bowing slightly, and the hair on her skin prickled, and a cold breeze blew her hair sideways.
Lián tilted her head.
"Yù Xuān?" Her eyes shone in surprise.
She turned to her family, who were looking at her. Her gaze fell on her grandfather's angry face, then to her grandmother, who was looking pitiful, and finally to her father, who was looking worried and lost in thought.
"I'm hungry, mama." She walked to the lines, not minding the intense gaze of her grandfather.
"Lián… "
She spread her clothes as her grandmother held her arm.
"Lián… Remember to visit the temple anytime you have bad dreams…" Her grandmother sniffed, raising her palm to hold her face.
Mama?
"I know this is not right!"
Lián turned sharply to her grandfather, who walked to his room.
"Mama, what happened?" She asked, dropping the cloth on the line.
"His holiness said you have to join your father in his province." The granny muttered, holding her tears; she could see her daughter through Lián's face.
Lián looked at her grandmother with confusion and pity.
"Mama…why?"
"Yes, Lián." They hugged each other tightly.
Lián understood the deep affection her grandparents had for her.
"Mama, why do I have to leave?" Lián patted her grandmother's hair.
"Lián... Pack your clothes."
She heard her father's voice.
"Father?" she pulled from the embrace.
"Be good."