You are reading on AllFreeNovel.com
Font Size:

Page 12 of While He Watches (Forbidden Fantasies 3)

Bao blinked down at the table, seemingly at a loss for words, but he was spared by the appearance of Minister Vu and Master Huynh. The men joined them at the table without breaking stride in their conversation and Lan poured them tea, thinking proudly how well dressed and distinguished her father looked compared to portly, weak-chinned Master Huynh.

“I do wonder how these explosives will change our military tactics,” the physician was saying. “It doesn’t seem fair to have a weapon that will blow a man up before he’s had a chance to fight back, does it? But perhaps I’m a bit old-fashioned in my views. Everyone else seems to wholeheartedly support Lord Nguyen and his ferocious new weapon.”

“When it comes to war, my friend, survival is more important than fairness,” Minister Vu returned. He accepted his teacup from Lan. “You may leave us if you wish, my dear. I want to catch up on the news with Master Huynh and Bao.”

“I’d like to stay, Ba,” Lan said eagerly. It was rare that she had an opportunity to listen in on her father’s discussions. Her mother hated anything to do withmen’s talkand had forbidden Lan to soil her gentle mind with war and politics... however much Lan longed to do so.

“Do as you like,” her father said indulgently.

“You mentioned Lord Nguyen,” Lan said, recognizing the name of the nobleman who had been one of her father’s closest friends at court. “Isn’t he getting married soon?”

Minister Vu nodded. “The lady’s family is of high rank and close to Empress Jade. They’re hoping that this union between a lady of the Great Forest and a nobleman of the Sacred Grasslands will further strengthen relations between our two kingdoms.”

“Lord Nguyen’s explosives finally work?” Bao asked.

“Yes. After years of developing and testing, he has made yet anothermodern military advancement,” Minister Vu said proudly. “My old friend is a credit to the Sacred Grasslands. In fact, he’s held in such high regard that the Gray City has made several overtures of friendship, all of which he has rejected. He’s too faithful to our king.”

Bao listened with rapt attention. “The Gray City wants him as an ally? Because they want his explosives to help fend off the coming war?”

“There’s a war coming?” Lan repeated, alarmed. She blushed when they all looked at her. All she knew of the Gray City was what she’d heard from snippets of her brothers’ conversation: that it was a walled stronghold at the southernmost edge of the Sacred Grasslands, that it was on the coast, and that they had family who didn’t live far from it. “Will our relatives there be safe?”

Minister Vu patted her hand. “Quite safe. Our king and Empress Jade take issue with the Gray City alone, not with ordinary, respectable citizens.”

Lan nodded, wishing she knew more about the conflict. She had fought tooth and nail to sit in on some of her brothers’ history and geography lessons, and her grandmother had supported her desire to learn. But as soon as Bà n?i had died last year, Lady Vu had put a stop to it. “Please forgive my ignorance,” she said, embarrassed, “but what has the Gray City done to offend?”

Master Huynh hid a smirk, but Bao leaned forward and spoke, to Lan’s surprise. “The Gray City is in the Unclaimed Lands, the territory between us and Dagovad,” he said. “We share ownership of it, but now the Gray City wants to become its own kingdom.”

“And our king doesn’t like this?” Lan guessed.

“Not one bit,” her father said. “The Gray City has been flouting His Majesty’s authority for years. They’re famous for making a drug called black spice, derived from the poppy flower. Our king and other rulers ofFeng Lu declared it illegal years ago and even burned the poppy fields outside the city, but somehow the Gray City has continued to produce and sell it.”

“They’re not afraid of anything,” Bao said, and Lan glanced at him, wondering if she was imagining the admiration in his voice. He turned to Master Huynh. “Sir, when Khoa died of the bloodpox, you said there was a possible treatment, one that is made from that same poppy plant.”

“Not that exact plant, but a derivative,” the physician said. “Rumor has it that before the poppy fields burned, the Gray City salvaged parts of the plant and cross-bred it with another flower, creating a new plant from which a powerful medicine might be extracted. It would be a fascinating area of study if it didn’t break the laws of four kingdoms of Feng Lu.”

“Illegal or not, could it have saved Khoa’s life?” Bao asked.

Master Huynh shrugged. “I don’t know enough to tell you. I’ve never seen such violent symptoms as the ones he had. Excessive bleeding from the nose, mouth, and ears.”

Lan leaned forward, horrified and intrigued, but Minister Vu gave her a swift glance and said, “This isn’t a fit conversation for young ladies’ ears, Huynh, and I fear what my wife would say if she knew Lan was listening. Perhaps it’s time my daughter went upstairs.”

Lan bit her lip, longing to argue that women saw more blood in their lifetimes than men ever would, but she knew it would be disrespectful to contradict her father. “All right, then,” she said reluctantly. “I’ll go and let you get back to your discussion.”

“My apologies for such an unpleasant topic, my dear,” Master Huynh said mildly. “We’ll let you get back to your sewing. And by the way, Tam hopes to call on you soon.”

“Does he?” she asked, trying not to sound too eager, but she knew she wasn’t fooling anyone from the significant look her father exchanged with Master Huynh.

“He’s been busy studying with his uncle and playing the flute and doing whatever it is that fills his hours, but you can expect a visit not long from now,” the physician promised.

“Thank you, sir,” Lan said gratefully, and got up to go with a much lighter heart.

Bao jumped to his feet as she passed him. The sudden movement startled them both, and she grabbed his shoulder for balance as he mumbled a clumsy apology. Beneath his tunic, his arm was solid and strong. She had never stood so close to him, not since they were little, and she realized now just how tall he was. She barely came up to his shoulder. “It was nice to see you again, Miss Vu,” he said, his fingers resuming their nervous tapping.

“Good day to you.” Lan let go of him hastily and hurried out of the room. Upstairs, she unfolded the message from Tam with hungry fingers, now feeling much more disposed to read it.

My dear Lan, he wrote,I write to let you and your parents know to expect a visit from my mother tomorrow. I regret that I will not be able to come with her due to business...

Lan’s stomach lurched despite Master Huynh’s reassurances. She skimmed the rest of the note, but there was no mention of when Tamwouldcome. She crumpled the message, hurt by its impersonal tone, as though addressing an acquaintance who did not matter much. But she told herself, desperately, that Tam might have written in such a guarded manner because he feared Bao would be nosy and read it before delivering it to her. Yes, that had to be it.


Articles you may like