Seeing that the housekeeper understood her meaning, Liu Tián Qǔ continued, "The Emperor is very unpredictable I wouldn't put it past him or Elder Wang to come take a look as well. If the Emperor comes to take a look, then give him the letter I left for him. He may send a Shadow Warrior instead. If he does, then give the letter to the Shadow Warrior or allow my new Shadow Guards to deal with the Emperor's Shadow Warrior." As Liu Tián Qǔ was speaking, several Shadows Warriors appeared in the room, almost giving Liu Tián Qǔ and Housekeeper Gao a heart attack.
"We have already arrived, Young Master," Xuè Yún, the Captain of her Shadow Guards, said in an expressionless flat tone of voice as they all bowed before her and awaited her command.
When Liu Tián Qǔ finally calmed down, she looked at the five men kneeling before her, "You may rise," As the men rose Liu Tián Qǔ asked, "How long have you been here?"
Captain Xuè, who announced their presence, was the one who answered, "We've been here for twenty-two minutes, Young Master." The Captain of the Shadow Warriors was once more dressed in black robes. They all were. They all had a blank, expressionless look on their faces and emotionless blank look in their eyes. Liu Tián Qǔ found it a bit eerie.
"Thank you, Captain Xuè. Since you've been here for over twenty minutes, then you've heard everything I was going to have Aunty Gao relay to you. Since you already heard what I wanted to convey to you, then there is no need for a repeat." There was a knock, and housekeeper Gao went over and answered the door. Seeing that is was Butler Zhou, she let him in as Liu Tián Qǔ talked to the Captain of her Shadow Warriors.
"I am pressed for time right now, so I will apologize in advance for being rude. I do not have time to meet everyone now. My time is up. There are several things I wish to convey before I allow you to be about your duties. The doctor will come running over later with his assistants and others. Only the doctors and his assistants are allowed to enter my courtyard, no one else. That includes the Eunuchs. If the Eunuch's run over with the crowd, they are not to be granted entry into my courtyard.
"I understand, Young Master," Xuè Yún said with a bow.
Liu Tián Qǔ looked at the Captain of her Shadow Warriors and informed him, "Deputy Commander Hēi Tài Yáng requested that I find accommodations for the shadow guards closer to my courtyard. Inbetween my courtyard and Wang Royal Manor Courtyard is an enormous, beautiful Pavillion surrounded by a beautiful garden. I left instructions for Construction Manager Kuo to design and convert the Pavillion into a courtyard big enough to house the shadow warriors. I've already run out of time, so I am unable to help design it, you will have to do that instead."
"When you get a free moment, go see Construction Manager Kuo and assist him in designing the Pavillion into accommodations that you find suitable for the shadow warriors. I've' seen the Pavillion before so I will give you my advice. To make more room try a design that would support a sublevel and a second floor."
When Captain Xuè voiced his understanding, Liu Tián Qǔ continued, "Afterward, go see Deputy Commander Hēi Tài Yáng and inform him of my decision. You and Deputy Commander Hēi Tài Yáng must come up with a plan to guard my courtyard and the courtyards of my guests in the inner courtyards while construction in the inner courtyards is being carried out. I will tolerate no mistakes in this matter. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Young Master, " Xuè Yún answered as he bowed.
"Good, Finally, I asked that if it's possible, then please do not get into conflict with Wang Fèn Yǒng's Shadow Warriors. They were watching over me for a while. If you do run into them, then please tell them I said thank you for watching over me and that they may go back now." Liu Tián Qǔ ordered.
Liu Tián Qǔ then dismissed her Shadow Warriors by saying, "Thank you, everyone, for coming early, your presence was needed. You may be about your duties now."
"Yes, Young Master," Xuè Yún said as he and the other four Shadow Warriors bowed and silently retreated from the study.
Liu Tián Qǔ looked at the butler and housekeeper as they came over to stand in front of her desk as the Shadow Warriors retreaded.
The butler and housekeeper looked at the young lady disguised as a young lord as she smiled tiredly at them. Liu Tián Qǔ seemed utterly exhausted. There were large bags under her eyes, her face looked pale, and she didn't look too good.
Liu Tián Qǔ looked at the butler and said, "How is your condition, uncle Gao?" Liu Tián Qǔ asked the butler.
"I'm okay. My health is good. My body is good, and I feel well." the butler responded.
"Good, the next task that I give you will be tiring. I need you to run screaming through the Residence to the Residence Hospital for the Doctor like a mad man. Take the longest route to attract more attention. You can even have some of the servants to assist you in screaming as you all run through the residence to summon the doctor to my courtyard. The story will be that 'Master Liu was found collapsed in his bathing pool." Liu Tián Qǔ smirked inwardly at the big slap she was sending to the Queen.
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"When you passed the sites of construction, make sure to scream extra loud. You have to pass near the outer receiving hall to get to the residence hospital. Make sure to also scream extra loudly as you pass the outer receiving hall. But like before, do not go in and to give the Eunuchs an explanation. Leave them waiting as long as you can. They may follow you back to my residence in all the excitement to summon the doctor. Do not obstruct them leave that to the Shadow Guards." She instructed the butler, who occasionally nodded with a heavy frown on his face as he listened to her instructions.
"Wait until Doctor Ru has examined me, then allow Doctor Ru to give them an explanation. After Doctor Ru has spoken to them, have Deputy Commander Hēi Tài Yán immediately escort them from my residence."
The butler looked at Liu Tián Qǔ dubiously and asked doubtfully, "It was already a stretch to pretend no one knew where you were. How could none of your servants know where their master is in his own residence? Who is now going to believe that you collapsed in your bathing pool? If you collapsed in your bath, wouldn't you have drowned? If you drowned, then should you be dead."
Liu Tián Qǔ chuckled darkly as she said, "Exactly, this is my punishment to the Queen. How dare she try to drag me into the Imperial Palace on a scheme with ill intent?"
A dark smile stretched across Liu Tián Qǔ's face as she thought of the fate of the Queen, "Scheme? If she wants to scheme, then scheme we will."
The butler gawked at Liu Tián Qǔ in shock for a moment before loudly calling, "You Master Liu!" the butler immediately began to admonish her while furtively looking about as though expecting the Imperial guards to pop up and drag his Young Master away. "Don't be so daring! It would only bring trouble."
The housekeeper didn't even flinch this time. She heard worse earlier.
"Okay, Uncle Zhou. Uncle Zhou, I ask that you and Aunty Zhou watch over the Residence while I am ill. I will depend on both of you and Commander Jiang to keep everything running. Big Brother Fèn Yǒng will also come over later to help." Liu Tián Qǔ said tiredly.
The butler and housekeeper looked at their young master with suspiciously bright eyes.
"There is a couple more thing I will say before I send you off Uncle Zhou. Both you and Aunty Gao have been training your assistants for several weeks now. Now is the time to put them to the test. Please do not wear yourselves out. Remember to take breaks, eat properly, and get rest, okay?
"Okay, Young Master, we will listen to you," The butler said with eyes full of tears. 'My Lady Lei Xiān Huā, your daughter, have grown into a wonderful young lady.' The butler thought to himself.
"If it should happen that you get discovered by the Liu Family while I am incapacitated, immediately go see Wang Fèn Yǒng. I left instructions for him on that matter." Liu Tián Qǔ instructed the butler.
The butler's head bobbed up and down, "Okay, Young Master, don't worry. I have been careful when going out. However, if the worse should happen, then I will immediately go see the Heir of Wang Royal Manor," he replied.
"Good, by the end of the day, make sure all the letters of instructions and packages I've written for everyone is handed out, that is very important. The Emperor's letter is not so important. If you are unable to get it to him, then there is no need to worry about it. Commander Jiang is at the Jiang Garrison. One of the Shadow Guards can deliver the letter to him. Whoever is sent to deliver the letter can go next door and retrieve one of my horses that are stabled at Wang Royal Manor."
"I will personally take care of delivering the letters, Young Master." The butler said. Liu Tián Qǔ was sure that her Shadow Guards who were watching and listening from the shadows had already received her message, so that was one weight off of her mind.
"Last but not least, send Zhou Yu back now. I have need of her." With all of the instructions given out and one final order for them not to tell anyone one of the potions. Liu Tián Qǔ quickly sent the butler off to summon the doctor. As soon as the doctor left, Liu Tián Qǔ looked over to the housekeeper and said, "Aunty Zhou, I am going to quickly change into bed clothes and take the potion. Will you please find me something to vomit into, I don't feel well. I feel like I am going to vomit."
"Okay young master, I am going to fetch a bucket quickly. I'll be right back." The moment the housekeeper hurried off. Liu Tián Qǔ quickly opened a drawer to her desk. She pushed down on a specific area, and a secret panel opened up. Liu Tián Qǔ promptly removed all of her transporters. She hid them in the secret panel and sealed the secret panel close once more. She then closed the drawer to the desk.
After doing so, Liu Tián Qǔ grabbed the potion from her desk and hurried to her bedchambers. Liu Tián Qǔ quickly stripped out of her clothes. She walked over to the basin of water that sat in a corner of her bedchambers, using the water in the basin. Liu Tián Qǔ quickly splashed water all over herself, making sure also to remove her hair from her top knot and wet her hair.
With her skin and hair still wet, Liu Tián Qǔ then hurried over to a cabinet that held her bedclothes and got dressed in the first thing her hands touched. Liu Tián Qǔ then grabbed the clothes she just stripped out of to dry up the spilled water on the floor. After drying up the water with the clothes, Liu Tián Qǔ kicked the clothes under the bed.
When Liu Tián Qǔ finally felt as if she was ready. She retrieved the potion, broken the seal to the potion, and quickly down the potion in one gulp. Liu Tián Qǔ's face automatically scrunched up as though she sucked on a lemon. The potion tasted absolutely horrid. Liu Tián Qǔ wondered if that's how ashes mixed with strong industrial cleaning chemicals would taste. It burned going all the way down her throat. Liu Tián Qǔ quickly walked over to a cabinet that held pill bottles and snuff bottles. Most of the bottles were empty, but that was okay. Liu Tián Qǔ sat the empty potion bottle amongst the pill and snuff bottles hiding it in plain sight.
As Liu Tián Qǔ turned and walked towards her bed, the potion, she consumed felt like a small ball of fire that was growing bigger and hotter in her stomach. Liu Tián Qǔ sat on the edge of the bed and secured her wet hair back into a top knot. By the time Liu Tián Qǔ had secured her hair into a top knot, she had broken out in sweat. She scooted up on the bed to lay down. She felt extremely dizzy like the room was spinning. The ball of fire in her stomach was burning hotter, and growing bigger. Sweat began pouring off of Liu Tián Qǔ's body.
The intensity of the ball of fire in her stomach seemed to increase. It was also starting to feel very painful. She felt like she was on fire.
Housekeeper Gao had found a basin and sent a message for Zhou Yu to report to the Masters Courtyard. She was swiftly making her way back to the Masters Courtyard.