Lady Wu Yǐn Rán's husband went on a rampage in his manor after messengers of the Emperor served him the decree. Ironically the edict arrived just as he was leaving. Lady Wu Yǐn Rán's husband was about to depart for the Imperial City to find Lady Wu Yǐn Rán. He wanted to convince her to return to the family. It grieved his heart when he comprehended the real power of the identity of Lady Wu Yǐn Rán's ancestor and the wealth that slipped through his fingers.
Lady Wu Yǐn Rán's husband had known that General Wu Jiàng Xióng was Lady Wu Yǐn Rán ancestor. After all, the reason he married her was to borrow the power of her family. However, when Wǔ Qiáng Jié denied him the use of the Wu family power, and the Imperial court didn't seem interested in General Wu Jiàng Xióng's descendants. Lady Wu Yǐn Rán became useless to him. He dared to abuse her and dispelled her from his family when Wǔ Yī Diǎn and Wǔ Qiáng Jié became tainted by the banner of treason.
Never would Lady Wu Yǐn Rán's husband have thought there was a series of circumstances behind the misfortune and happenings to the Wu family. And that there was a reason why the Imperial court seemed to ignore the descendants of General Wu Jiàng Xióng. Had he known things would play out as they did, never would he have allowed Lady Wu Yǐn Rán to escape his grasp. Therefore he was determined to hurry and quickly bring Lady Wu Yǐn Rán back, but sadly it was not to be.
When the Emperor's messengers left after serving him the decree, Lady Wu Yǐn Rán's husband went on a rampage in his manor, and none of his wives or children escaped his wrath. He knew that the decree was actually a warning from the Emperor. He dared not go find Lady Wu Yǐn Rán lest the wrath of the Emperor's fall on him.
Although Lady Wu Yǐn Rán regained her family's wealth and could leave Liu Residence, her children refused to leave. When Wu Dòu Zhì was not attending the Imperial Academy, she was being trained by Wán Zuò Jiǎ, and she wasn't the only one.
Wán Zuò Jiǎ was a talented martial artist who had experience in the Martial World on training children. Therefore Hēi Tài Yáng assigned him to train Wu Dòu Zhì. When Wēi Yǒng Měng and Wēi Wò Yàn heard of this, they went to observe Wán Zuò Jiǎ during one of the training sessions.
After carefully observing Wán Zuò Jiǎ, Wēi Yǒng Měng couldn't help but admire the skillful Wán Zuò Jiǎ. After which he sent a request to Jiang Tài Píng asking for permission for Wēi Wò Yàn also to be trained by Wán Zuò Jiǎ.
Months had passed since the return of the four martial families. Wēi Yǒng Měng knew it was time for Wēi Wò Yàn to begin his training as the Heir of the Wēi family. Wēi Yǒng Měng had already spoken to the Grand Prince regarding his son's education.
Since Wang Jǐng Jiè's tutor reported daily to Liu Residence to tutor Wang Jǐng Jiè, that meant that both daily training and tutoring sessions were being held in Liu Residence. Therefore there was no reason for Wēi Wò Yàn to continue to wander around aimlessly. Wēi Yǒng Měng was also exasperated with Wēi Wò Yàn constantly hovering over him like a mother hen. He felt that it was better for Wēi Wò Yàn to go begin learning instead.
Since Wang Jǐng Jiè had run away from home again, he had yet to begin his martial training. So, he requested permission from his parents to receive training from Wán Zuò Jiǎ. Wang Fèn Yǒng was tasked with observing Wán Zuò Jiǎ to see if he was a suitable trainer for Wang Jǐng Jiè. After secretly watching Wán Zuò Jiǎ's training class for several days and talking to his Imperial father and mother regarding the issue. Wang Jǐng Jiè was allowed to began martial arts training under the instructions of Wán Zuò Jiǎ.
That was how the Heir of Wēi family, the Second Young Master of Wang Royal Manor, and the future Imperial Commander of the East all ended up training under Wán Zuò Jiǎ. Oddly these three also became fast friends. Under the invitation of Wang Jǐng Jiè, Wu Dòu Zhì and her younger sister Wu Shān Huā also joined Wang Jǐng Jiè's tutoring sessions instead of going to the Imperial Academy.
The trio practically spent all day together every day. Each morning they were tutored under the tutelage of the tutor that was assigned to Wang Jǐng Jiè by the Emperor himself. And each afternoon, they received martial training under Wán Zuò Jiǎ.
Lady Wu Yǐn Rán's second daughter Wu Shān Huā declined martial arts lessons, after tutoring, she either spent time reading or following Jiang Mín Yuè around.
Wu Shān Huā wanted to become a scholar and later on an official of the Imperial court. Since Jiang Mín Yuè was also a scholar, she felt there was much she could learn from her.
After receiving permission from Wang Fèn Yǒng, Jiang Mín Yuè and her teacher Elder Lai immediately jumped right into beginning the groundwork for the transitioning period. When Wang Fèn Yǒng saw their devotion to the transitioning of slaves, he turned matters over to Elder Lai and Jiang Mín Yuè.
Wang Fèn Yǒng directed the financier for the University that the Emperor sent to both Elder Lai and Jiang Mín Yuè. With the funds to begin. Elder Lai wasted no time in beginning the building of the University in the Imperial City. Elder Lai and Jiang Mín Yuè began searching high and low for teachers for the Universities. Wu Shān Huā quickly became Jiang Mín Yuè's shadow and followed Jiang Mín Yuè and Elder Lai around everywhere they went.
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After receiving the packed that Liu Tián Qǔ left behind for him and finding four ancient sacred tea processing techniques in it. Doctor Ru quickly resigned from Wang Royal Manor and accepted Liu Tián Qǔ's offer to become Liu Residence tea master as well.
The ancient sacred tea processing techniques that Liu Tián Qǔ left for Doctor Ru was from her paternal grandmother tea collection she had inherited in her past life.
Doctor Ru family had praised him to the high heavens when he brought the tea processing techniques back to the Ru Family. The Ru family wanted to run over to meet Liu Tián Qǔ immediately. However, Liu Tián Qǔ was still unconscious, so Doctor Ru diligently began teaching four apprentices as agreed upon in exchange for the tea processing techniques.
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In the rear of the residence away from everything, Construction Manager Kuo had begun building a Research/Chemist Pavillion for Doctor Ru. After the completion of the training of all his apprentices, only then could Doctor Ru began the research of the Mythical Beast Medicinal Pills. Therefore Doctor Ru worked his apprentice very hard.
Liu Tián Qǔ had left behind the Mythical Beast Medicinal Pills to be given to the Doctor. When Wang Fèn Yǒng found out that Liu Tián Qǔ left Mythical Beast Medicinal Pills for Doctor Ru, he commandeered one of the pills and fed it to her. Sadly she still didn't wake.
Liu Tián Qǔ understood Wang Fèn Yǒng character very well. She knew that there was no way that he would allow Doctor Ru to carry away the Mythical Beast Medicinal Pill she promised him while Liu Tián Qǔ was sick. So instead of leaving behind one pill, Liu Tián Qǔ had left behind two.
For approximately one year, Doctor Ru split his time between the Tea Pavillion and The Residence hospital, diligently training his apprentices to the best of his ability. Due to the sincere gratitude, Doctor Ru felt towards Liu Tián Qǔ. Doctor Ru spared no effort in training all of his apprentices as promised. The only thing he held back was his family's secret tea processing and hand rolling techniques.
Doctor Ru pushed all of his apprentices very hard. After one year of training, Hòu Dao and Lì Qiáng passed the Imperial exam to become doctors with flying colors and became certified doctors. The four apprentices also passed the Imperial exam to become official Professional Artisan Tea Makers with flying colors. Doctor Ru immediately began grooming them to become Tea Masters.
As per the instructions left behind by Liu Tián Qǔ, after Hòu Dao and Lì Qiáng became doctors, they immediately began training two new people to become doctors in between caring for Liu Tián Qǔ as well as two new Assistant Doctors.
When news of the first slave doctor and Professional Artisan Tea Makers became known, it causes a massive uproar that shook the Imperial City, and news quickly spread throughout the Tolling Lands. Although for months, there were many talks concerning this matter. To actually see it come into fruition shook the hearts of the people.
It was at that very moment that it finally registered on the populace that change had come to the Tolling Lands. These two crafts were dominated by the upper-middle class. Very few doctors lower than the upper-middle class could be found in that profession. Not one person lower than the upper-middle class could be found in the Tea Profession. Even the upper-class and nobles were in the Tea Profession as Tea Masters.
The news of slaves becoming certified Professional Artisan Tea Makers bought hope to the commoners and worry to the upper-class. A multitude of people stood outside of the Imperial Exam Hall the day that the results of the Exams were released, both rich and poor, nobles and commoners alike. They all waited to hear the results of the six slaves of Liu Residence that took the Exams.
It had seemed as if the whole city was holding its breath waiting to exhale. When the results were finally released, and it became know that the slaves score very high on the exams. The commoners took to the streets in celebrations. News of the construction of the Imperial Skills, Crafts, and Intellectual Attainment Universities had torn through the city when the construction began.
The commoners saw that if slaves could do it, then so could they. They were anxious to change their lives and fates. So when the commoners saw the results of the slaves, the whole city took on a festive aura as the commoners took to the streets to celebrate the change that had come to the Tolling Lands.
No one had been able to figure out what was wrong with Liu Tián Qǔ. Even after the high temperature of her body dissipated, she still never woke up. The Emperor had sent Imperial Physicians and several 'Godly Doctors' to take a look, but not even they could figure out what was wrong with her. So once or twice a day, Doctor Ru, Hòu Dao, and Lì Qiáng checked on her and closely monitored her health.
Housekeeper Gao, Zhou Yu, and Sōng Hé Píng diligently kept her fed and clean. After several weeks passed and Liu Tián Qǔ didn't wake. In an effort to prevent atrophy, Wang Fèn Yǒng created a regime consisting of specialized massage techniques, body movement, and stretching to be performed on Liu Tián Qǔ daily.
Eventually, Sōng Hé Píng found out about Liu Tián Qǔ's gender. Wang Fèn Yǒng sat the quiet little girl down and explained things to her. He then shamelessly and mercilessly threatened the life of her brother to buy her silence.
All Sōng Hé Píng had left in the world was her brother. Her brother Sōng Shǔ loved her so much; he sold himself into slavery to save her. Secretly in her heart Sōng Hé Píng vowed on pain of death, never would she reveal the Young Master's true gender, not even to her brother. She refused to take a chance with his life. Wang Fèn Yǒng was scary. Sōng Hé Píng knew that if she gave Wang Fèn Yǒng reason to suspect or become suspicious of her, he would immediately kill her with no hesitation or remorse. Therefore she became very careful of her actions.
When the wine season came, all the grapes were carefully stored in a designated Charmed Underground Storage. The tools, barrels, qvevri's, and implements for winemaking that Liu Tián Qǔ had ordered were carefully stored upon delivery. Liu Tián Qǔ was the only one who knew of grape winemaking in Liu Residence.
Being that Liu Tián Qǔ was indisposed. The only thing that could be done was to carefully store things away until Liu Tián Qǔ awakened.
Wang Fèn Yǒng carefully took care of all the matters of Liu Garden Residence and continued to oversee the carrying out of all the instructions Liu Tián Qǔ left behind as he waited for her to come back to him.
As he waited, time continued to march on. However, life for Liu Tián Qǔ had gotten very rough.
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Time seemed to fall away. All of the issues of yesterday, the year before, and the life before, all seemed to fade into the background. With every ounce of her being, Liu Tián Qǔ fought to stay in the void.
She felt the least distraction, or one split second of inattention she would get sucked out of her void. Liu Tián Qǔ no longer felt just tired; she was way beyond exhaustion or fatigue. Liu Tián Qǔ did think there was a word to describe how she felt.
That was why she fought to push Wang Fèn Yǒng out of mind, along with everything else. She was afraid that if she dwelled on her love for him, she would get distracted. But no matter how she tried, she couldn't get Wang Fèn Yǒng to fade into the background. She missed him and her family so much it became a physical ache.
Liu Tián Qǔ couldn't help but to think about Wang Fèn Yǒng; she longed to lay her head on his shoulder once more and rest. Liu Tián Qǔ ached for Wang Fèn Yǒng to wrap his arms around her and hold her once more.
Liu Tián Qǔ longed to feel Wang Fèn Yǒng's killing intent and the cold aura that constantly seem to emanate from him. She longed to smell his unique scent that she could never describe or put the finger on; it was unique and belonged only to him.
Intense loneliness encompassed Liu Tián Qǔ's heart and soul. Locked in her void as she was, Liu Tián Qǔ couldn't see anything outside of the void. The void was like an obscure warped oblique space separated from the world.
At times she screamed, yelled, shouted, cried, and went crazy, but alas, there was no one around to hear other than herself. Liu Tián Qǔ felt as if the loneliness of facing the infinity of time would drive her insane.
From the moment Liu Tián Qǔ arrived in the void, she was aware that time was distorted in the void. Time seemed to stretch into infinity, and Liu Tián Qǔ had lost all sense of time. It seemed like centuries since she been in the void. Even though Liu Tián Qǔ knew that it was impossible, that didn't stop her from feeling as if she was losing her grasp on reality.