บท 31: The unexpected visitor
Both Chao-xing and Lihua were in a bad mood when they returned to the Hu Residence. Minister Hu was confused seeing both of her daughters are not talking to him. Chao-xing returned to her room, screaming and throwing everything while Lihua gets her sword and start training.
Minister Hu only approached his daughter after she is done training. He learned a few years ago that when she is upset or angry it is better to stay away from her. An attitude that she got from her mother.
Minister Hu coughed, to signal that he is there. Lihua looked at him startled. She did not notice that her father was there. Lihua bowed to show her respect for him.
"Father…"
"Hmmm?" he looked at his daughter with gentleness.
Seeing her father's expression, Lihua took a deep breath. She knew that today, she will meet up with Chao Shen and she is prepared for his reaction but she never imagined that she will still be affected by it.
"Did you meet him today?" Minister Hu asked as if reading his daughter's thoughts. He got his answer when she saw Lihua's reaction. He sighed.
"I know it will be hard but you said that you can handle it,"
"I can," Lihua said immediately.
Minister Hu just looked at her. He loves this daughter of him very much. He was not able to take care of her for the past 13 years of her life. He knew what kind of life she had at the Holy Mountain. He also knew that she lived at the Prime Minister's household as a servant and spy.
"I did not expect that the king and he are very close. I am afraid that the king will take their friendship more and disregard me."
Minister Hu stared at his daughter with fear. All this time, he thought that her difficulty will come from her feelings towards Chao Shen but she is more concerned about her mission. He wondered if her daughter is still a human being. He never thought that her training at the Holy Mountain will turn her like this.
"Don't worry father, I will succeed," Lihua reassured her father. His father nodded.
In that moment, a servant approached them.
"Minister Hu, there is a guest who wants to talk to you,"
"Who?"
"Imperial advisor Chao Shen,"
Minister Hu walked back to the receiving hall to meet up with Chao Shen. He knew that this will happen after the imperial advisor and his daughter meet. He calms himself. He did not like the man at all. After knowing that he and the Prime Minister is using his daughter, he wanted to kill them all. It is good that he was able to convince Master Guang to bring back her daughter five years ago.
"Greetings to Minister Hu," Chao Shen greeted the minister the moment he entered the receiving hall.
"Greetings to you too Imperial advisor Chao Shen," he greeted back. He motioned the young man to seat in front of him. A maidservant served them with tea.
"May I know the reason for my humble residence to receive the high imperial advisor?" Minister Hu asked smiling but his words have a touch of seriousness.
Chao Shen smiled. He put down his teacup before answering him.
"I am here to bring some good news. I hope you will not kick me out," though smiling, there is also an air of dangerousness on his voice. The two men looked at each other intently. After a few minutes, it is the minister who laughs lightly.
"Hahaha, I wonder what kind of good news that will make the Imperial advisor to come here and bring it in person?"
Chao Shen looked at the old man in front of him. Indeed, Minister Hu is getting old but he still possesses a strong and powerful aura. It is true that a man who lived in the army possess this kind of aura.
"Minister Hu, before I give you the good news, there are some details that I have to confirm first,"
"Oh?" Minister Hu pretended to be shocked.
Chao Shen got a glimpse of that. 'You knew I'll be coming. This will be interesting' he thought to himself.
"It is regarding your daughter."
"Oh, she can be a little excited sometimes, I hope she did not embarrass herself during the Imperial banquet." Minister Hu is talking about his daughter Chao-xing.
"Indeed, the first miss of the Hu residence can be very outstanding even though she lived in the countryside all this time."
"Oh, it is because of my second wife. She made sure that Chao-xing knows how to act like a noble lady."
Chao Shen brows furrowed.
"I am talking about Hu Huiyin,"
"Oh, I thought you are talking about Chao-xing," he sipped at his tea to hide his dark expression.
"Miss Chao-xing is okay but I here to talk about Miss Huiyin,"
The atmosphere in the receiving hall suddenly becomes tense. The two men are having a staring contest. Both are measuring the power of the other.
"Please tell me, Minister Hu, how did you find your lost daughter? What is the name she used before she moved into your household? Did she lose some of her memories? I need to know before I gave you the good news."
It took a few minutes before Minister Hu answered his questions.
"Young man, since you are not yet married and has no kids, you will not understand how an old man like me is feeling about your questions."
Chao Shen was taken aback by the minister's words. He did not think about it until the old man said them.
"I apologized if I offended you. This is just some official business I have to attend to," he explained. He will not leave this household until he gets his answers.
"It's okay. I can guess the good news you are referring to."
"It is indeed that you are the minister of war. I cannot hide anything from you."
"Oh? But I think there are still a lot of things I did not know," Minister Hu looked at the young man in front of him with malice on his eyes. If it will not affect their plans, he already punched him.
"I don't think so," Chao Shen said with hidden meaning.
Minister Hu sighed deeply. If I have to answer your questions before my daughter be admitted as one of the ten candidates, I have to accept that she cannot go to the palace. It's a very painful story to be told again and again"
Chao Shen saw the sadness and pain in the eyes of the minister. He is convinced that the old man is not lying to him. Besides, he thought that his first daughter died 13 years ago before reuniting with her again.
"I understand. I apologize for bringing this painful memory today. Maybe, I will just ask you some other time. The official invitation for your daughter to enter the palace will arrive in 10 days. Please prepare your daughter by then." After saying those words, he stood up and bowed to the minister before leaving. Minister Hu stared at the back of the young man leaving his receiving hall. He felt that Chao Shen still has a lot of questions to ask him but he is grateful that he did not ask them. He might lose control and reveal everything to him. After some time, he decided to stand up and went to Lihua's room to inform her of what happened there.
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