Truly he had been worried that his young brother had been taken in by a strange vixen whom had warped his mind into thinking something strange.  But these observations were similar to that of a refined girl of a well born family.  She could recite the virtues of women too even though she had come from the martial world.  Her tea was clean and elegant although she claimed that she hardly had the reason to serve anyone.  It must be she had a very good teacher who made sure that she passed through to join in his brother’s bed.  It was a sign of affection that the Duke of Jin was making such an effort.   This woman had helped his deaf nephew and was taking care of the women in the harem happily like a good example of feminine ideals.  How had someone whom had spent time in the martial world be a learned person whom understood the virtues of the inner court?  The

The person was walking upside down now and Yan Sha wondered how that could be.  Then she realized that the ground was by her face.  She struggled listlessly as the person dragged her away and out of sight.   The scene that she had left behind was strange as there was just cloth and bones that were swept away by the morning sweepers as they wondered why this area of town had gotten so dusty.  The local magistrates guessed all that ash had come from fires.  Not knowing the whole area was hallowed with human remains.   =\\=   Yan Sha spat up black phlegm again and she coughed to clear her throat.  No matter how much she coughed her throat continued to burn until she just gave up that she had gotten used to it that there was no point trying anymore. 

Yan Sha laughed as she heard this.  “Sister, I can’t believe that I hear you say this that you want to share me with others and even outsiders.  If the Duke would hear of this I’m sure he would be positively shocked.  He would say that someone has stolen away his beloved concubine sun and replaced her with a pious monk.  He would look all around the moon for you until he found you right at home where he left you.  But truthfully, sister, business is not for me.  I could never keep all of the older matrons happy with tinctures.  It would be a lot more talking than simply giving medicine.”   “Well then you can be in all of their good graces and then they will want to invite us to all of the good gatherings and food tastings.  Who is to know what nice things that they will share with us then?”   “

Yan Sha looked at Ning Zhuo with a sigh as she could feel the world around her come crashing down.  Her breath came in harsh strokes as she tried not to breathe at all, if this was a dream she had to fight hard to make sure that she didn’t wake up.     But reality was quick to set in.  The bath house behind them was abruptly searched.  They could hear the sounds of the maid explaining that there were people just here.   “Don’t you feel bad for them?”  Yan Sha said with a forlorn expression as she could see their panic and expressions.    “They work for me.  They are all paid well and even if they are taken into the Prefecture Penitentiary.  I will take care of their families and make sure that their descendants are well.”

Langhua, the queen of Jungpi, put her arms around Yan Sha tightly and started to cry as Yan Sha was too shell shocked to move or react.  “You’re healthy.  My daughter has finally returned to me the way that she does in my dreams.  To see such a beautiful sight is beyond what I have hoped for so many years.  I am so happy.  You’re healthy finally.  I have felt such guilt as your mother for sacrificing so much just to stabilize the reign of the incumbent.  I searched so hard for an answer to my question of how to stabilize what I had put up for slaughter.”   “Mother I—“  Yan Sha didn’t know what to say as she was so used to the brutality of the ruler.  To be even here to see the tears and true joy in her return to a better state of health made Yan Sha realize that her aunt really did love her even if she preferred her own daughter above Yan Sha.