The moment they arrived, Tao Hua slipped his hand out of the others, while Shan Si brought him into the gate's hall. Things were already laid out for them—an incense set up, a few lanterns just lit, and a few pairs of clothes set along the end tables against the wall.
"Not sure why he has them left here when he could have just given them to me yesterday." Picking up an outfit, Shan Si's face contorted. Although he was still on weak terms with his uncle, he still referred to him normally, so as to keep things status quo. "I'll never understand that old man."
But that was fine for Tao Hua. He could handle Wan Mie as long as Shan Si was around, even if it made his chest constrict with a small amount of fear.
Tao Hua also understood that Wan Mie was needed for the logistics of his missions.
If Shan Si wanted to navigate the relic situation, he needed his uncle, as there was no one else who was more talented in the art of being a tactician in all of the palace than Wan Mie. Where he got his intel…well, Tao Hua didn't know, and for some reason Shan Si couldn't answer.
Following being Shan Si, Tao Hua observed all the weapons hung up on the walls as the sound of clanging metal and fabric rustling bounced off the wood. These weapons were the same ones from when Tao Hua first arrived at Chuhen Palace, and he recalled Shan Si's promise to explain their origins.
Tao Hua had his lips parted, and he turned toward Shan Si, excitedly preparing himself to ask; however, he froze in place. Shan Si was in the middle of changing his outfit, bare from the chest down, tossing aside his typical black and gold outfit. He hadn't noticed Tao Hua's expression.
It was beet red, enough to feel a throbbing sensation in the healing scars on his lips. Desperately, Tao Hua tried to regulate his breathing, fumbling his thumbs and taking a step back.
And this is what he'd have to deal with for the next however many days? Tao Hua wasn't prepared.
However, that came to a crossroads shortly thereafter. The colour in his face immediately drained, and his twiddling thumbs suspended, coated in a cold sweat.
It wasn't long before Tao Hua swallowed down every fear-dressed-desire and ran to Shan Si's side.
Descending the stairs with slow steps, Wan Mie entered the gate hall. He held up an aged map in his hands, creased from the countless times it had been used, glossing it over.
"If this Master hadn't, Our Lord would have just passed through like the whisper of winds," he stated plainly. "You have an awful habit of running off without first discussing things with me, Little Sisi."
"Well, I'm still mad at you," Shan Si replied, throwing over what looked to be a plain, light brown robe. He motioned down at Tao Hua, his finger pointing to the side.
Tao Hua understood immediately and reached to tie it for Shan Si. However, his hands fumbled one over the other, and it took him longer than was especially acceptable.
He really had to focus on it if he wanted to succeed.
"Forgiveness takes time, I understand," Wan Mie said matter-of-factly, folding up the map and holding it out to Shan Si. "I've owned up to my mistake and readjusted my punishments. What else does Our Lord want from this old man? Let's just focus on what matters for now."
Loosening the ornaments in his hair, Shan Si tossed them into a bowl on the end table, allowing his hair to fall freely and drape over his shoulders. He then picked up the extra set of clothes, while Tao Hua FINALLY got his hanfu properly placed. Kind of.
Ignoring his uncle, Shan Si looked down at Tao Hua, placing the folded outfit on his head. "You'll have to do better than that if you want to play my wife."
Tao Hua's breath hitched, and he looked up past the bits of fabric at the small smile on Shan Si's lips.
A single look at one, and one could almost confuse Shan Si for a typical merchant. However, it was his face—most weren't nearly as strikingly handsome as him, and it made the plain wear look evermore extravagant.
Tao Hua had to press his lips into a straight line so as not to react, but just as he was about to reach in and redo the sash, Shan Si just turned toward him. He removed the bundle from Tao Hua's head and placed it in his arms.
He looked like he wanted to say something, even retort, but instead, his lashes fell, and ever-so-carefully, Shan Si removed the outer robe from Tao Hua's shoulders and started on the other parts of his blue robe.
All the while Tao Hua dipped his head, trying to hide his embarrassment.
Luckily, during this, Shan Si was busy discussing the operation with Wan Mie.
"Just remember, if you actually want a chance at succeeding this time, Shan Si, you need to remember Emperor Gaifu leaves the moment the sun begins to set. He'll leave for the first moon temple, and shouldn't return until the first sunrise after," Wan Mie said. "The emperor will have with him the best guards the Imperial Capital can muster—that's also an opportunity. Understood?"
"Yup. Got it," Shan Si simply replied, somewhat distracted. There was a look in his eye, one that was holding back many things all at once, just as he stared down at Tao Hua. He was left in simply his undergarments, which wasn't all too revealing, but that wasn't the point.
The point was what was under it.
Tao Hua's eyebrows indented uncomfortably, and to keep things less awkward, he started to separate the pieces of clothing in his set.
Wan Mie blankly stared at them both for a short while before whacking the map upside Shan Si's head. "There shouldn't be any distractions either, got it?"
Annoyed, Shan Si sidestepped away from his uncle, sneering at him as he rubbed the side of head. But his uncle was utterly relentless!
Logistics, that's what mattered! Not whatever the fuck was going on here!
"I get it…I get it! Stop!" Shan Si snatched the map from Wan Mie. "What?! Do you really think I want to lose again? There're too many things I need to get from the palace, anyway."
"This old man wouldn't be surprised as of late," Wan Mie mocked, however. "Slacker!"
Waving him off, Shan Si turned back to Tao Hua, just as he got the first portion on, staring at it confused. His expression softened, and he leaned in to help once more, despite Tao Hua's hesitation.
"What about Lord Tao and the other nobles? Where should they be?" Shan Si asked.
Freezing once more, hands held out, Tao Hua's eyes jittered at the mention of his father.
Wan Mie's hand brushed over his mouth. "You raise a good point."
Feeling Shan Si's hands run along and tidy some sections of his hanfu up, Tao Hua found it in himself to take the initiative.
Shakingly, he said, "Father has always been present for the Mid-Autumn Festival…back home. It's been a custom even before my birth, so I think it'd be odd if he changed that. Right?"
Pausing, Shan Si simply looked at him before his lips curved into a smile, and it was one that made Tao Hua feel he'd done right.
"So wise!" Wan Mie praised. "Rabbit Foot has a point. Most chiefs and governors should be supporting their region of Zhonglai, so I really don't see why Lord Tao would leave. This old man thinks it should be fine!"
With another nod of approval, Wan Mie gave them the okay to leave, making his way back up to the dragon tower outpost, where he'd open the gate toward Jianlai. As Tao Hua watched him leave, he felt conflicted about Wan Mie, wondering if perhaps all he'd experienced was merely a fluke.
But he wasn't sure and still felt awry. However, there wasn't much time to spare on the what-ifs.
Just as Tao Hua and Shan Si waited, Tao Hua stared down at his clothes and feebly smiled. He asked, "How am I supposed to travel in this?"
It was the type of wear typically worn indoors. It was layered, and dragged on the ground, tied at the waist, with exceptionally big sleeves. The idea of getting caught on branches, or dragging dirt…no thanks!
Basically, this type of outfit was often worn by the madam of a household. Tao Hua was meant to play the wife of a merchant after all.
Shan Si sighed playfully. "You're right, Madam Hua—it'll catch the attention of too many men."
Brightly vibrant, Tao Hua's ears, cheeks, and even his fingers blushed a new shade of red. He tried to distract himself, just as Shan Si followed behind curiously.
This, however, was interrupted by a sudden outburst, and that outburst came from a shrill voice, and the owner was a woman dressed in plentiful colours, holding a bundle of red fabric, flying in every direction.
"WAIT! NO, OT YET! DON'T LEAVE!" Fang Jian screamed. "WAIT!"
As soon as she made it to Shan Si and Tao Hua, huffing, she shoved the fabric toward Shan Si. "This. Go—this! Now you can leave!"
Fang Jian looked as though she was going to die, so much so that Tao Hua hurriedly placed his hands on her shoulders, patting her back. He looked up at Shan Si, who was now holding out one of the pieces of clothing.
"Cloaks? Red cloaks? What fairytale do you think we're in, Fang Jian?"
"A good one! Yes!" Fang Jian shouted, straightening herself with a snap, every bit of her light brown hair flying askew. "I worked on it all night on these and I deserve more praise than that, Lord Shan Si! Look! See how it would make you both blend in as a newlywed couple! See! Look! Look! Look at this hard work!"
She made her way forward, stretching it out with sheer satisfaction. "Golden lace! That way, when you blend in with the crowd of festival-goers! Also! You also look like a newlywed wife and husband…so maybe Huahua can feel a bit safer. Look how useful I am!"
She smiled proudly, but the same couldn't be said for Tao Hua. He slapped both hands on his face, begging Fang Jian to let it go, all while Shan Si argued with her on how ineffective it was and that she had no experience with the outside world.
It went in one ear and out the other.
In the end, they took the cloaks; Shan Si draped it over Tao Hua's shoulder, tying the golden clasp. However, a complicated look crossed his face as his hands remained on that clasp, eyes dead set on Tao Hua.
And all Tao Hua could do was stare back, confused and nervous.
Then, another argument aimed at Fang Jian, starting with: "How is this supposed to make him blend in?!"
That went on for another short bit, and it was Tao Hua who separated the fight and finally got Fang Jian to leave. She was reluctant and threatened Shan SI many times to take care of him on her way out.
Once the two were freed of her, they made their way through the gates and into Jianlai, officially starting their journey south of Zhonglai and toward the Imperial Capital.
Chapter end.