Extra 2: Children

Previous | Table Of Contents | Next

Ru Hua Yi

Their first child had been a delicious girl, who was named Ru Hua Yi. After her birth, maybe because it was her first, Mu Rong An was bedridden for two weeks. Afterward, she felt sick and kept on laying on the bed. 

Following Ru Hua Yi's hundred’s days, people came to propose marriage and were swiftly refused. Later, Mu Rong An and Ru Shan Yong talked about it. For her children, she didn't want to settle an early engagement and he was alright with it, having actually, never thought of engaging their children to anyone before they understood the meaning of the word.

With Mu Rong An still not feeling too well, the one who spent the most time with the baby was the general in the end. When he wasn’t at the palace in the morning, then he would in the baby’s room in his free time. It was then, to no surprise that the baby grew more attached to him; sometimes when no one could make the baby stopped crying, he was the only one who could. Mu Rong An, as the mother, felt quite betrayed and cheated. Who was it who carried her and had to push her all day long to see the light of the world? What kind of thanks were these! But her child was cute and she couldn't rebuke that bundle of joy always making babies noise. What was not cute, however, was that Ru Shan Yong got too into it and before she knew it, her child learned to ride before walking first! Her first word had been “bak!”, a pitiful attempt to call to her side little black. She called the horse. The horse! Mu Rong An’s face was unsightly and she took her baby away from that terrible father’s clutches. Go back to whatever it was that you must do!

That first child, Ru Shan Yong indulged her very much and in the end, Ru Hua Yi followed more her father than she did her mother. Even when came time to learn. The child just had to complain a bit and Ru Shan Yong would follow in persuading her mother to stop today’s lesson. At that point, it was Mu Rong An’s smile that twitched more than once.

Mu Rong An looked at her daughter perched on her small poney, her mouth twitching, trying, really trying hard not to glare at the man who was clapping for the two years old child -two years and a half, the little girl insisted on it very much-, as he moved slowly at her pace, ready to catch her if any mishaps were to occur. However, Ru Hua Yi was tightly secured and was sitting on a custom made saddle, there wasn't much to worry about. 

Mu Rong An loudly clapped her hands twice to interrupt.

"That's enough for today, let's go back to your lessons."

The girl pouted and Mu Rong An saw that once again, Ru Shan Yong who was somehow weak to that gaze, was about to concede. That's enough already, she had already allowed for the child's schedule to be postponed, not canceled!   

For not liking horsing the heaven gave her a daughter who didn’t feel comfortable if she didn’t, at least once a day, spent a bit of her time next to a horse! Concerning Ru Hua Yi's love for horses, separating her from the animal was ridiculously difficult! One had to deceive, coax, shouting never worked. And this unreliable father of hers wasn't helping any little bit!

Sadly though, she had been heard and some months later, Ru Shan Yong was gone, following the newly crowned emperor’s wish and marching against Fen country. He missed Ru Hua Yi’s third anniversary and also missed his son’s birth.

Ru Heng Jing

Their second child was Ru Heng Jing. The birthing process had been easier than the first. During her pregnancy, Mu Rong An had a terrible craving for sugar and veggies. She could eat cakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner though she refrained from doing so as much as she could. Ru Hua Yi at the time was upset to not see her father and liked searching for him all over the manor and when days went and she had upturned every room, she started begging to search around the capital too. It didn't matter that she was told that he wouldn’t come back anytime soon. The little girl was afraid that her father got lost and couldn't find his way back home. She had to search for him and bring him back by herself she said. Mu Rong An could only relent, and, following her child with guards and some maids, she took the carriage and made some rounds around the capital. The three years old girl had cried very much when she couldn't find her father anywhere after a week and Mu Rong An could only console her that he would surely come back by himself. They just had to wait for a bit. Her mother distracted her by letting her meet some more with her friends and in no time, Ru Hua Yi was too busy to worry about her father -or maybe she was really waiting patiently?-... well, for a time before she talked about searching him again. Mu Rong An then tried to busy her with her brother. She had just seen the baby a couple of times never holding him in her own hands,

"Yi'er, come and take your brother in your arms."

"I can?"

"Yes, come sit here, open your arms, here... put your hand under his head."

"He is so tiny... All he knows about is to sleep."

"He's a baby, that's why. He will open his eyes later."

He is younger than you but he will protect you in the future"

"He is so small, what can he do?... But I can protect him. Master says my martial arts is good."

Mu Rong An's lips twitched but she didn't deny. After Ru Shan Yong went to war, Mu Rong An didn’t stop her daughter from learning how to ride. She may not like it herself but since her father permitted it, she saw nothing wrong with the daughter following his words. Usually, the one who spoiled her was Ru Shan Yong and the one who was always breathing down her neck and distributing punishments was her mother but since her father’s disappearance, her mother became indulgent and even permit her to learn martial arts that her father had promised her before.

"Then you should take good care of each other in the future" 

The baby opened his eyes,

She liked her brother very much.

***

Contrary to his sister, Ru Heng Jing was a much calmer baby than had been the first born. He didn’t cry much but liked sticking to his mother. While Ru Hua Yi, influenced, by her father liked more swords and nonsense like these, Ru Heng Jing who stuck to his mother's side all day long, in the end, learned more of her habits and played instruments, learned to draw though that aside, Mu Rong An didn't forget to let him train in martial arts too. Anyway, with his sister so valiant, he had no choice but to follow her lead too.

***

If there was one thing Ru Hua Yi was most prideful about, it was her good memory. “Lying isn’t good. You mustn't lie.” Had once said her father when she and pretended it was the horse who did it. At five years old, the child was serious and set on following that advice and it was a matter which gave headaches to poor second madam.

The mother was distressed, how come left and right this daughter was provoking people. Wasn’t it the father’s fault, always stating her mind not caring about her surroundings how could it not be troublesome. Who asked her to lie, couldn’t she just shut up if she just had unpleasant things to say?

“That’s not lies, that’s being polite!”

But who asked her to have such an honest daughter going around denouncing people! And she even goes around tattling on the prince!

“Ru Hua Yi! Can’t you say a little less? And why must you be so straight forward? Where would he have the face to show himself in the future?”

“But that’s the truth!”

“I don’t want to hear it!”

Once she finished punishing her eldest, she turned to the now two years old Ru Heng Jing to instruct the necessity of moderate speech. Heavens knew if the boy understood.

Their father came back, four years after he went. Their third child was born a year after that, a girl again.

Ru Han Xi

Ru Han Xi grew up to be a little of both. It was a bit shameful to admit but both parents learned of their mistakes with the first two and tried to rectify them with this one. Ru Shan Yong tried to be less enthusiastic in teaching everything that passed through his mind and Mu Rong An, a bit less space invading. Well, that resolution didn't last long for the two of them but since both parents were healthy and in the capital, they were both presents this time around.

When preparing her children to enter the palace, Mu Rong AN couldn't resist saying once more to her children, she glared at her eldest and said,

“Everything you see is not how everything really is. Don’t necessarily meddle in other people's business. Don’t go shouting at people. Don’t go eating every delicacy you see and you, please, do speak a little more. Don’t you want some friend?”

The four years old boy was stubborn,

“So long as Mother is here, everything else doesn’t matter." He said clutching at her clothes like no tomorrow. Mu Rong An felt that she seriously failed as a mother.

///
//
/

Under construction

Contrary to bluntness in speech, Ru Heng Jing adopted more of his mother than

***

Ru Hua Yi and Ru Heng Jin trained together. Even until she was thirteen, she still was permitted to continue with her martial training.

When all was said and done, the difference in women’s strength and men’s strength wasn’t something easy to overturned but it was something her father was well aware of and had given her some tips to counterattack. Usually, she prevented direct contact.

So Ru Heng Jing is also serious in his courses. Secretly, Ru Heng Jing had a thorn on his side, a weigh on his mind. He was the man, why

Despite being them, he wasn’t manly at all, He looked at his older sister. He couldn’t compare.

“Take care of your brother.”

Wasn’t he the man? Wasn’t he the one supposing to take care of her? Why was mother reversing the roles? Even his friends felt like older brothers

He really wanted to win against her once. He was the man between them after all. But she never lost.

***

“What are you teaching him?”

“If you can teach how to ride and fight, why can’t I teach him how to titch?”

The little boy’s face was red, “do you like that?”

“It’s about coordination.”

The nonsense he was saying,

“fine.” He wasn’t bad with . Though he was concerned.

Ru Shan Yong went and searched for someone to teach him with the  spear.

***

In the forest

“I am still older than you, so obediently let me take care of you.” Ru Hua Yi sighed a little.

“Grow a little more okay, and let me take care of you for the time being.”

“The day you can win against me is the day I will let you take care of me…”

“…That… that’s not fair,” he said blushing, his confidence to win against her not so great.

Her brother would be great in the future, he just knew it!

***

“Are you crying?”

“No, I’m a man, men don’t cry.”

“Nonsense! What's so good about holding it in? You want to cry, then cry a river and when you cried to your heart content, then to sweep your eyes and try again. Never stop trying!”

And so, the strange sight of the general’s son with red eyes but holding his arm with determination.

***

Ru Hua Yi heard of that child and beat that person up. Hearing the rumors, Ru Shan Yong laughed and his wife pinched him, so his laugh curbed and turned into coughing, his voice that he wanted stern but still very much filled with mirth, tried to scold his eldest daughter, but really, it was more like he was laughing, so there was zero impact. Mu Rong An took matters into hand and was the one to deliver a satisfying punishment.

“Anger? Since when is it a valid reason to hurt people?”

“I wasn’t angry.”

“A gentleman uses his mouth not his fists” Then Mu Rong An herself saw the wrong thing in her words.

***

“Forget it. The person already left her sword at home. Let’s ask for one thing at a time”

***

“It’s not that mother is unwilling, but… to be married… isn’t it best to marry someone who will care for you in this lifetime, never parting? He doesn’t have to be outstanding or impressive, as long as he is caring enough, mother would be happy.”

“… That, mother you really misunderstood!”

“Is it?”

Maybe she didn’t have to worry about it for the time being.

***

It was her daughter’s life long event and Mu Rong An wanted a smooth sailing life for her baby. The man she was going to marry didn’t need to be excellent or a high official, he could be, and if possible then she rather someone who would think twice before offending Ru residence. If she could be the sole woman in the house it would be perfect.

Asking that question was not something considered normal.

Preferably somewhere not too far for

Not a small house who will only know how to take advantage of her

Ru Hua Yi had her share of arrogance and rebelliousness and hearing her mother’s words she rather not hear anything anymore.

Contrarily to her at this age, this daughter knew a bit more of the world, so she was not overly worried.

“Although that is my wish,” continued Mu Rong An, “no matter the person’s identity, as long as he knows how to treat you well and cherished you, mother will accept.”

Seeing that the subject was still ongoing, Ru Hua Yi finally said,

“He should be of peerless beauty and with martial arts not of this world, even higher than father’s, his house must be big and he can’t have anyone else in his yard other than me. He should know respect and …”

Seeing her mother so readily agreeing for once, Ru Hua Yi’s heart soured and her nose itched, her eyes went slightly red,

“Mother, I’m spouting nonsense,”

“It’s good that you know.”

“Wont’ you reprimand and punish me?”

“Why so?”

Her nose turned sour and her tears almost fell.

Ru Hua Yi buried her head in Mu Rong An’s embrace, “thank you”

“I… do you think she would beat that person up?”

“And hurt her small hands? Not allowed! She can come to me, this father will help beat him personally.”

“What nonsense are you spouting so energetically!”

She talked now, but if push came to shove, he knew the one who would want the other’s blood the most was still this seemingly gentlest person.

***

“Should I say it’s delicious?”

“Is there any other answer?”

“I hear she beat people up!”

“If it’s her, I don’t care to be beaten a bit.”

“Your tastes are heavy.”

***

“It’s not… I don’t want him to feel indebted to me or anything but I still want him to know it was me.”

“Oh, you want him to come and say thank you?”

For the first time, Ru Hua Yi blushed a deep red.

The little miss found a cat.

***

At the beginning of the afternoon, a bit after taking their meals the general residence was being lively. The sound coming from the guqing that the eldest of the house was playing, was quite... unique, threatening and wholly quite amazing to be able to come from this instrument.

How bad was it? The little cat found by the little miss was unwilling to stay in the same room. The little thing had mewled menacingly at the instrument before fleeing in the front of defeat. The little Ru Han Xin was fighting the urge to protect her fragile little ears while little master Ru Heng Jing was the calmest; what betrayed his expression where his clenches hands at his sides and his eyebrows twitching from time to time when high notes were played.

The calm one was still their mother, who, with a smile on her face, was observing her eldest child play on her newly bought guqin.

Suddenly, when the tempo rises, the little miss could take it no more,

“Don’t play anymore, don’t play anymore” she begged pitifully

The death song stopped. The whole house seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. The eldest miss smiled brilliantly and looked expectantly at her mother, seeing the other’s smile she asked in anticipation,

“How was it?” as though she didn’t hear her sister beg her to stop the torture.

Mu Rong An’s smiled brightened some more before opening her mouth, and her gentle face not betraying it, she said,

“Horrible,” said the mother mercilessly. “it was as though pigs and hens were being slaughtered and were begging for mercy.”

The little master laughed a bit

“Then why are you so happy?” asked Ry Hua Yi, her expression soured already.

“Because you’re willing to play. Younger, you wouldn’t even sit for me to teach you and with your father listening to your every whim it was impossible to force you and by the time he went, I couldn’t bear forcing you either now that you finally want to learn by yourself it’s good.”

***

“Look at me, I am so old now, my daughter is going to marry.”

“What are you saying.” Whispered her husband a long ago memory coming to mind, “Aren’t you still young and a forever one at that?”

***

Ru Hua Xi was distraught

“Nonsense, your father and I will always be here.”

“Your mother said so much already, is there anything to add? Listen to her words well, never doubted we will always be there for you, and if we aren’t anymore, you children should rely on each other against thin and thick.”

Previous | Table Of Contents | Next