"He was adopted by Shan Si's father, the late emperor. Apparently, he was gifted enough to be titled the Messenger of Heaven. He's…um." Suo Han frowned. "He's a difficult man. It's best to avoid him. He also hates Lord Shengkai, more than Consort Wu."
Lord Shengkai, from what Tao Hua quickly learnt, was the title used on Shan Si, though Suo Han wasn't sure of its purpose; it was just mandatory that servants used it.
And it seemed many people within the walls of Chuhen Palace hated this version of Shan Si. But the more Tao Hua thought about it, the more realistic it was that people dislike someone as brooding as Shan Si, rather than admire him.
So…why couldn't Tao Hua?
"Augh!! This is bad! Bad, bad, bad!!!" Suo Han whispered a cry, taking a step back and pressing his hands to his head. "Lord Shengkai is going to kill me if he catches us! That man is merciless! He's worse than Consort Wu! Why am I so unlucky lately?!"
The answer was simple, but neither dared admit it.
The issue with Suo Han also was that his anxiety could have been about anyone—Shan Si, Wan Mie, or even the little cat he'd been chasing off the deck most evenings.
Everyone to this fumbling small servant was a threat, all except for Tao Hua, apparently.
So, Tao Hua paid the rambling little mind. Instead, he continued trying to eavesdrop on the men's conversation. It was a risky decision, but when one has nothing to read and lacks entertainment, this was like finding gold within swampy waters.
He hugged the tree, maneuvering himself around it enough to lean sideways, just enough to peek discreetly past the trunk. But even with all this effort, he still couldn't hear a damn thing either men were saying!
All for naught, Tao Hua had his options. He strategically motioned his head closer, brushing his rosy cheek against the flaky, paper-like bark, and pointed his ear in their direction.
Nothing but mumbling—it was like listening to someone scream underwater. Tao Hua tapped his fingers against the tree before turning to Suo Han, who now had his palms covering his eyes, sounding like a witch muttering spells under his breath.
"Um…any idea what they might be talking about?"
"D-Does it matter?!" Suo Han grazed his hands to his temples, turning to look at Tao Hua. "I…um, I mean—I'm sorry—"
But he froze, the tips of his nearly frost-bitten fingers indenting his skin.
"I am so dead," he choked.
Tao Hua was confused, but before he could ask, two hands slapped onto his shoulder. Jolting, Tao Hua almost became as petrified as Suo Han.
Slowly, he turned his head to find another man's chin resting on his shoulders. His eyes were half-lidded, giving him a look of boredom, and the colour was akin to everyone else he'd met in the palace: white.
However, Tao Hua was already getting used to that revelation. What shocked him most wasn't the eye-colour, nor was it how comfortable this man acted around people he didn't know.
It was that he was horribly painted in many shades of makeup, all varying in type. Now, some men could absolutely pull off wearing a full face of makeup, better than some women! This one, however?
He couldn't. It looked horrendous on him.
Which meant only one thing: this person was none other than Li Zhou, but that was obvious from the shovel that soon fell to the ground.
"Why're dead?" he asked, staring at Suo Han who was just about ready to collapse. Li Zhou just continued without even a trace of emotion in his voice. "Playing hide n' seek or something? Can I join?"
Suo Han made a few inaudible noises, sounding like an instrument.
Looking off to the side, Tao Hua reached his hand up and swiped at Li Zhou's hand a few times. He wasn't sure how to respond—whether to lie, tell the truth, or what, and Suo Han's reaction wasn't telling at all, as he'd react this way with anyone.
So Tao Hua wasn't certain what side Li Zhou sat on.
"We're just going for a walk…stretching our legs."
"Oh." Li Zhou straightened up and stood there in the awkward silence before saying, "Walking's fine, I like it. Where are we walking to?"
Tao Hua inhaled. Was he messing with them? He had to be; most people here seemed to love doing that.
Grabbing Li Zhou's arm and tugging him behind the tree and away from the hawk's eye view of Wan Mie. Granted, Li Zhou was taller than Suo Han and Tao Hua, but only by a few inches; however, he was sturdier, making moving him rather difficult for Tao Hua.
Confused, Li Zhou looked around and asked, "This is where you're walking? It's not yet cleare—"
"P-Please don't tell Lord Shengkai! Please don't mention anything! I messed up!" Suo Han blurted, exasperatedly and desperately looking up at Li Zhou.
No reaction, just a deadpan stare.
"Why would I tell Boss?" he asked genuinely. Tao Hua hung his head, while Suo Han's lip quivered, and after another awkward silence, Li Zhou's mouth opened slowly. "Oooooooooooooh, I see. Okay."
"Fuck!" Suo Han cried, just as Tao Hua pressed his hand to his face.
"You're playing hide n' seek with Bossman Shengkai. Gotcha. I won't ruin your game." He leaned sideways, still looking at Tao Hua and Suo Han's disbelief while reaching for his shovel. "I was told he was sleeping, though. Doesn't that last a week or so?"
Both of them looked at each other before Tao Hua took the initiative and asked, "He's asleep?"
Suo Han shrugged. "I have no idea…nobody really tells me what's going on, and I've…I've been with you most of the time, Young Master."
Toward Tao Hua, Li Zhou's eyes fell, and it was the first time he'd shown even a sliver of interest on his expression. This was noticeable in how his eyebrows rose.
"He's usually asleep after long trips. Something, something, energy depleted, something, something, using more than he should have. Something."
So is that why he hasn't come around…? Tao Hua, brows knitted, looked down. Thinking back to Buzhi Forest, he was exhausted—was that because he spent more spiritual energy than typical?
How much was the typical for Shan Si?
A knot formed in Tao Hua's stomach, and it jumbled the more thought he put into it. During the entirety of his time held in The Palace of Great Benevolence, he assumed Shan Si wanted nothing to do with him. Which led him to wonder if Shan Si even meant a word of his "apology" back in the forest.
When the entire time it was his health that was the problem.
Is it my fault…?
During Tao Hua's overthinking spiral, Li Zhou took the shovel in his hand and gripped it tightly. Looking toward Wan Mie and the stranger, he took a step in their direction and said, "I'll ask General Old Man. Hold on—"
Immediately, Tao Hua snapped out of it and, with Suo Han, the two grabbed an arm and pulled Li Zhou back, yelling, "NO!"
He didn't really react and remained the same as always, the strands of his tied-up hair popping out at the speed of his tug.
"No?"
"Um!" Tao Hua inhaled, jumping back and away from Li Zhou, while Suo Han kept a firm grip on him. Shockingly, this small man was capable of keeping someone like Li Zhou in place.
It was astonishing!
"No," Tao Hua repeated. "He's busy right now."
Li Zhou slowly leaned sideways, catching a glimpse of Wan Mie. "Are you sure? He's looking straight at us. I don't think he's listening to a word the Daoist Bastard is saying."
Eyes narrowing, Tao Hua looked at Li Zhou, but nothing in his permanently deadpan face revealed any hint of a joke. Slowly turning around, Tao Hua's eyes met with Wan Mie's, and did he ever had the most amused smile on his face.
He was still listening to the Daoist Master speak, but now he had one hand propped against chin, his index finger grazing his bottom lip, and the other cradling his elbow in place.
With a jump, Tao Hua dove behind the tree, taking Suo Han with him, and just like tipping over dominoes, he took Li Zhou along with him.
Tao Hua's chest heaved, just as he pressed his back to the tree. Of course Wan Mie noticed them! Nothing about what they were doing was subtle, and adding in this questionably dressed man, they stuck out like a sore thumb!
Add in that Wan Mie was exceptionally proficient, enough to even beat Shan Si; why didn't Tao Hua realize he'd be privy to any mere movement or sound within the palace walls?!
So, what exception were three young men with the lurking skill of a peacock?
The back of his head gently banged against the tree, with Tao Hua apologetically looking up at Suo Han, but no amount of "sorry" would make up for the horrific look on his face.
Li Zhou, however, seemed fine. He dug his shovel into the snow and leaned on it, saying, "I see now."
Defeated, Tao Hua said, "Yup."
"You're also playing hide n' seek with General Wan. Got it."
Chapter end.
SKETCH OF LI ZHOU (Once I get it done, oops)