Chapter 5 The Recounting
I woke up again in a wood shed dripping with rain.
My arms and legs swelled abnormally with pain. Not only that my entire body felt burning hot.
I knew this was the result of not treating the wounds in time. I moved and found my whole body tied up unable to move at all.
Someone outside heard the noise and quickly opened the door and rushed in.
It was Madam a mute farm woman and Madam's close confidante.
When she saw me awake she picked up the medicine that had cooled on the table and poured it into my mouth.
I choked and my chest heaved. Her eyes turned red at the corners.
After setting down the bowl she gestured with her hands at me.
“Live… down… go.”
I forced my dry lips to nod hard at her.
Seeing my reaction she quickly wrapped me in a sack and carried me out.
In less than an incense time Madam set me down again and removed the hood on my head.
This place I knew very well was Xu Fengwan's boudoir.
As expected Xu Fengwan sat on the bed. Her calves and arms were tightly wrapped. Her face was even paler than usual.
I understood in my heart but was also amazed. She was ruthless to herself at times.
Xu Fengwan pulled out the soft whip from beside the bed and whipped it on my body again and again.
When she grew tired and even her arms and calves wrapped with blood seeping out she stopped and began questioning.
She simply wanted to know what I had been doing with the Crown Prince. She demanded I recount everything in detail.
As her shadow I could only obey and told her everything clearly. Even how one arrow had killed a full-grown buck and how the Crown Prince had praised my riding and archery skills she heard clearly.
Xu Fengwan trembled on the bed tightly gripping the soft whip she had just used to beat me.
I knew she was jealous. She was jealous to madness.
But Xu Fengwan you yourself had given me the chances again and again. How could you blame me?
Of course I had not told her the Crown Prince knew about the scar on my face.
After all such a small matter would the Crown Prince remember it?