Wang Fèn Yǒng had been closely watching Liu Tián Qǔ the whole time. He had sensed the turmoil taking place within her.
Wang Fèn Yǒng turned and walked over to the Grand Prince. Wang Fèn Yǒng pulled his Imperial father aside and had a brief conversation with him before coming back over.
Liu Tián Qǔ looked up at Wang Fèn Yǒng as he came back over. Wang Fèn Yǒng looked down at Liu Tián Qǔ and said, "Come."
Without question, Liu Tián Qǔ immediately turned and followed Wang Fèn Yǒng as he led her deeper into the Residence towards the inner courtyards. The inner courtyards were currently sealed off by the Shadow Warriors to prevent the Investigative Beau Guards, or the Patrol Guards from gaining entry. However, Liu Tián Qǔ and Wang Fèn Yǒng had no problem gaining entry.
As they walked through the inner courtyard to the Masters Courtyard, they passed several teams of special warriors who were filling special large sacks with Knell Stones.
Things grew a bit blurry as she walked to her courtyard. Liu Tián Qǔ never realized she was crying. For some odd reason, Liu Tián Qǔ kept seeing Big Madam Chen's treasure room in her mind. She kept wonder if those corpses were the lives of people that were extinguished to fill the treasure room with treasures.
They entered the chambers of Liu Tián Qǔ courtyard without even removing their boots. Without stopping, Liu Tián Qǔ continued following Wang Fèn Yǒng as he led her through the lounge. They passed through the opened bank of doors leading into Liu Tián Qǔ's inner courtyard. Wang Fèn Yǒng led Liu Tián Qǔ over to a bench on the left side of the courtyard. Together they approached a beautiful wooden bench near a group of peach blossom trees surrounding a large pond of water.
Wang Fèn Yǒng sat on the bench and pulled the trembling crying Liu Tián Qǔ onto his lap. Like a dam that burst Liu Tián Qǔ started crying in earnest. Wang Fèn Yǒng wrapped his arms around the young girl allowing her to rest her head on his chest. As she wept, he silently gently rocked her.
Liu Tián Qǔ never felt such utter security, comfort, and protection all at once in her life. Wang Fèn Yǒng never said a word or judged her for the murderous dark thoughts she was thinking. He just held her in his arms and silently gave her the approval to cry if she wanted to cry. He silently conveyed to her it was okay to feel whatever she was feeling. His silent support and approval meant more to her than any verbal spiel.
No one ever held her that way, or given her, that kind of support, attention, and care. It was something she had desperately sought from her ex-boyfriend in her past life, particularly when the burden of carrying her family grew very heavy.
In her previous Lu Tián Qǔ became responsible for her family at a young age. Her sister was already married and had responsibilities of her own. Her brother was a late child to her parents. He was too young to be of any help. That weight unexpectedly fell onto Lu Tián Qǔ's shoulders.
Although she never once complained and did what had to done to save her family. During that time, Lu Tián Qǔ was a college student who was discovering her wings and was learning how to fly. Then suddenly, one day, she went from a bright-eyed college student to a weary CEO of a major corporation.
There were days where she just wanted to rest her head on someone's shoulder for just a moment to recharge her batteries. There were days where she just wanted someone to hold her while she cried out her anger, frustration, or sadness. Lu Tián Qǔ's boyfriend was too busy sneaky behind her back with her friend to become that shoulder.
Lu Tián Qǔ had to die and be reincarnated in another place and time before she could find what she was looking for.
Liu Tián Qǔ wrapped her arms around Wang Fèn Yǒng's waist rested her head on his shoulder and cried. She knew then, that if she didn't already love Wang Fèn Yǒng, she would have fallen in love with him right then and there. He didn't question her or tell her what to feel or how to feel. He just quietly held her supported and comforted her as she cried out her emotions. That was the most beautiful gift he could have ever given her.
A very long time later a swollen red-eyed Liu Tián Qǔ lifted her head from Wang Fèn Yǒng's shoulder and looked up at him with eyes and a face that expressed gratefulness and sincerity, "Thank you, big brother, I really needed that."
Wang Fèn Yǒng met her gaze and said in a gentle voice, "No matter what it is you need, you can always come to me. I am here."
Liu Tián Qǔ looked deep into Wang Fèn Yǒng beautiful phoenix eyes that carried such warmth that it made her heart sing with a sweet happiness. Liu Tián Qǔ sadness and deep rage flew away under his gentle warmth, "That goes both ways, big brother. Anything you need my help with, I am also here, no matter what it is."
Wang Fèn Yǒng faintly smiled as he reached up and gently flicked her nose, "I know my little tigress.
"Tigress?" Liu Tián Qǔ questioned. An enormous smile quickly formed on her face. Her smile was so big, her eyes turned into crescents, and her lips almost touched her ears. "Tigress... Uhm," She nodded her approval of the pet name Wang Fèn Yǒng gave her.
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"I like it. I'm the tigress, and you will be my tiger. Very fitting," Liu Tián Qǔ said in a teasing slightly flirtatious manner as she smiled up at Wang Fèn Yǒng.
"Be good," Wang Fèn Yǒng said. It happened so fast that Liu Tián Qǔ wasn't sure, but she could have sworn she saw a faint smirk flash across Wang Fèn Yǒng lips.
Then in a more serious manner, he asked. "Are you feeling better?"
Liu Tián Qǔ's little head nodded up and down. "I'm fine now, big brother."
They sat quietly for several heartbeats before Liu Tián Qǔ gave voice to the thought that flashed across her mind, "Big brother, what do you think of me starting a 'Freed Slaves Guild?' later. This would be a place that help freed slaves find jobs, teach them skills, trades, and things of that nature. I was thinking of something similar to a work placement center or a back to work center that would teach skills or trades to help the freed slaves function in society?"
Wang Fèn Yǒng didn't answer right away. He silent thought the idea over before saying, "Why make it only available to slaves? Believe it or not, many commoners live just as badly as slaves, if not worse."
Liu Tián Qǔ suddenly felt ashamed of herself. She got so focused on the slaves she forgot about the terrible condition of the hopeless looking commoners she saw in the slums when she went looking for Butler Zhao. Liu Tián Qǔ knew that she couldn't help every single person in need, but with the treasure of Big Madam Chen, there was much good that she could do for both slaves and commoners.
"Big brother is right," Liu Tián Qǔ said after several moments of thought. "I will have to think more on this matter. I will also need to find the right people to begin helping me manage and supervise everything."
Liu Tián Qǔ paused a brief moment before saying, "First, I need to finish getting my house in order. Once I settle my house, then I will open up a couple of soup kitchens for the needy in the Imperial City first. After that, I want to build a big 'Skill and Trade University' that assist commoners and former slaves who have the ambition to better themselves. I want it to be an affiliation of a guild. It should be no problem to hire craftsmen of all trades to teach commoners and former slaves who wish to learn."
Wang Fèn Yǒng looks down at the young girl sitting sideways on his lap. She looked to be lost in thought as dozens of ideas seem to fly through her mind at once. Her fox eyes seemed to twinkle with life, and a faint smile curled about her lips.
"Tell me of your plans for your residence," Wang Fèn Yǒng said. He watched as her sparkling eyes shone brighter. Liu Tián Qǔ began talking with great enthusiasm and excitement. Her hands waved about as she spoke out her plans for her slaves, Residence, the many things she sketched to be crafted, and the many things she had already set in motion.
For a long time, Wang Fèn Yǒng sat on the wooden bench. Liu Tián Qǔ sat across his lap. With great excitement, she told him of her plans for her Residence and the slaves of her Residence.
On the second day after all the dead bodies were taken away, the Grand Prince made a big production of bringing in an army of craftsmen to immediately began sealing up the prison and the tunnels that were discovered in Liu Residence. The construction carried into the third four, fifth, and sixth days. Many eyes of the Imperial City was focused on Liu Residence.
However, Liu Tián Qǔ disregarded the nobles and prominent families of High Society that deliberately focused the attention of the Imperial City on Liu Residence. She understood the game that they were playing, but she couldn't be bothered with them. She had problems of her own to attend to, Liu Tián Qǔ also ignored the scholars that seemed to have nothing better else to do with their time.
The commoners were extremely curious about the Lord of Liu Residence, who gave his slaves advantages that were unheard of for a slave or servant to receive. Their curiosity only increased with the nobles and prominent families of High Society, focusing everyone's attention on her Residence.
One thing that delighted Liu Tián Qǔ was to hear that many of the uneducated Noblewomen were flocking to the Imperial academy. Classes catering to the noblewomen were once more being held at the academy. Lady Wu Yǐn Rán had immediately enrolled her daughters in the academy to attend daily lessons.
With the ongoing construction, the special team of warriors had to halt the exporting of Knell Stones from Liu Residence.
The inner courtyards remained sealed off by the Shadow Warriors to prevent any of the many workers from trespassing into the inner courtyards while construction was being carried out. The special team was split in two, some of the special warriors focused on collecting and bagging the Knell Stones in the inner courtyards of Liu Residence. The sacks of Knell Stones would be carried out after the construction.
The rest of the special warriors had continued their search into the third, four, fifth, and sixth day sweeping threw the Residence repetitively to make sure they didn't miss anything. Other than finding the hidden enclosure and a disguise messenger bird post that was disguise in a weird-looking enclosed pavilion near the underground barracks, they didn't find anything else.
Once again, Liu Tián Qǔ's timeline was destroyed. This time it was due to the construction of sealing the tunnels and prison. The construction rolled into the next week, so when the servants returned. Liu Tián Qǔ gave them one gold and another week off.
On the ninth day, construction was finally completed. On the tenth and eleventh day, the special team of warriors once more became active. A massive amount of knell stones were moved from Liu Residence on those days. They were taken over to Wang Royal Manor to slowly be transferred into the palace when people no longer focused on Lu Residence.
When the watchers who were busy watching Liu Residence questioned what was being carried out of Liu Residence. The Commander of the special team informed them that a stockpile of illegal military armament was discovered in Liu Residence.
Liu Tián Qǔ had thought it would cause another uproar. Although it did draw interest, especially from the families of military background. Perversely, the citizen of the Imperial City didn't seem as interested in illegal military armaments that were claimed to be stockpiled in Liu Residence as they were in the decomposed corpses that were removed from Liu Residence.
Indeed the special team of warriors was very diligent. The aura and energy of knell stones lighten significantly after the special team departed on the eleventh day.
In the outer courts of Liu Residence, the aura and energy of the Knell Stones was very thin. In the inner courts, although the energy and aura of the knell stones couldn't be considered weak, the energy and aura were no longer dense. As agreed upon, the kneel stones in the enclosure and on the big hill remained untouched.