"Two types of people tell you not to learn manipulation. Naive people, and manipulators.
- Lucio Buffalomano
It has been many days since the event with the doctor occurred. Xiaomao and Ren occasionally shared glances but none said a word.
On the other side, the doctor was on the ground holding his red face. Everyone stared in shock as they saw the emperor slap the doctor across the face.
"How many more people are you going to let die. Aren't you the royal doctor? You are a disgrace to the royal kingdom. Some doctor you are." The emperor said huffing, raging on the doctor.
Ever since the fire, the emperor became a unraved uncontrollable, immoral man. He ended anyone who despised him. Killed anyone that would oppose him.
The doctor stayed silent as the emperor threw more insults to him. Everyone around him stared as well. They were quite scared as well for the doctor.
"You have 5 days. You hear me? 5 days to get your act up. I assign you to fix Consort Nari. If you let her die, your future is over." The emperor said walking away.
The doctor stared as the emperor left.
He immediately bowed multiple times for thanks, he repeated his thanks multiple times, but there was no answer. He slowly dusted himself and stood up, and walked back to her office.
The awful truth began to dawn upon him now, he had to somehow save them. But he had no idea on how to.
He wasn't the top notch doctor people assumed he was, due to the fact that the Flower Kingdom didn't really have a stress over the amount of doctors they had. And even if they did have some they were not considered official.
Out of all the doctors they currently had, the doctor was considered one of the best. But even though he was considered the best, he barely went to school.
He never would have thought he would work at the palace and work to his demise. Sighing, he decided to think of a plan.
He sat on his chair thinking, spinning around it until it finally came to him.
The girl!
He reached unto his pocket and took out the paper the girl had given him with how to save these people.
He read the paper, it was in a old form of Chinese. But luckily he understood it, his old childhood hobby of learning random languages finally proved use.
The paper read this, "ephedra, apricot apricot kernel, licorice, and gypsum. Give one spoon of vanilla for taste. Feed with spoon slowly, don't let suffocate. Do not let patient intake smoke. Diagnosis: pneumonia."
Now the doctor was even more baffled. What was ...licorice?? How do you even make it. He had never heard of these ingredients. All he ever did was make home remedies for colds and pain relief.
Now he didn't want to go seek out the girl, especially on how she acted like. She acted just as cold as the emperor, was the thought at the moment. The doctor shuddered at the thought.
He decided to walk around the palace away from the emperors corridors, before he done anything further he eyed his good friend, Maximillius.
"Hey Maximillius, how've you been?" The doctor said a bit more relaxed than before.
"Hmm better than you. " Maximillius said chuckling a bit, it was quite usual for the doctor to get in trouble.
"This time it was the emperor himself... ughh what shall I do... if only a good friend of mine could do a favor for me." The doctor said innocently.
"What now, Naveen." Maximillius looked at him not impressed.
"Uhhh so a girl gave me a medicine that should help all the sick, but I don't understand her instructions. Could you bring her to me? She's scary..." Naveen said clasping his hands together and giving him a begging look.
Maximillius knowing he would get something out of this either way agreed, but he still had further questions.
"So uh what's her name?"
"Unfortunately I don't know, I wasn't able to ask her. I'm telling you Maximillius she is quite frightening." Naveen said shuddering at the thought of her.
Maximillius frowned, this wasn't going to be simple,"Well atleast what was she?"
"She was one of the Rose members and she was a student maid. Who knows maybe she might even have classes with your Ren. "
Maximillius nodded and patted Naveen on the back, "Don't worry buddy, I'll find her. You just gotta remember that you now owe me a favor. "
Naveen thanked the man greatly, he didn't truly care how Maximillius would do his task. All he knows is that he wants it done.
As Naveen walked back to is office, Maximillius walked to towards his home. Ren was sure to be home by now, it was late.
When Maximillius finally reached home, he saw Ren sitting on the balcony eating some cherries occasionally.
"Ren," he said addressing the boy and eyeing his strange behavior, "You have something to do."
The boy frowned as he heard this, "What now. You always make me do your dirty work. " He sighed as he waited for Maximillius reply.
"Think of it as you repaying the favour. And besides I do your work as cap-"
Ren interjected, "OK. OK. I get it. No need to bramble all my business again. I'll get it done," He shifted his position on the railing,"What do I do exactly?"
"Find the girl who made a medicine for Naveen. He says she's in your class. She's a Rose member. " Maximillius said stretching.
"Alright, when do I have to bring her?" The boy asked spinning around on the railing, cherry in mouth.
"Anytime today. You got a plan?" Maximillius asked taking a cherry from Ren.
"Plan B. Be there soon." Ren said eating the last cherry and spitting the seed out behind him. He soon walked out of the man's sight.
Maximillius grin was greater than his face itself. It was magnificent whenever he made his son do his work, the final act was always something lived to watch. One might say per chance that their relationship was of a muse teaching it's creation to shine at their greatest.
Like the crows of thunder sewing together the loom of the night. Ren walked over to the academy. The professor wasn't here yet, as usual he was late.
Students however, conversed with each other waiting for the academy doors to unlock.
Ren watched the students and found Xiaomao. His lips cocked up to the side of his face. He noticed Xiaomao inch away even futhure from his uncanny grin.
He chuckled, and clapped his hands to grab everyone's attention.
"Hey everyone, class meeting time!" He said gathering everyone in the center.
When has he ever done a class meeting? Do they even exist? Xiaomao thought to herself, the situation peculiar to her likings. She decided to wait out and watch what will happen.
Ren brought everyone inside and closed the door. "Sooooo how has everyone been?" He said with his charismatic smile. Screams filled the room as females and even males fawned over that smile.
It was actually quite annoying, but Ren loved the attention. His egocentric self grew everytime a compliment shot towards him. He stared at the gasping crowd staring at the odd one out.
This girl... does she ever loosen her cold face? Ren frowned to himself as Xiaomao yet again didn't fawn and gasp for his smile.
It irritated him whenever someone didn't bow down to his smile. It worked on everyone. Even the emperor, but that shouldn't count due to his weird habits.
The boy scribbled on a piece of paper. It was foreign to most of the students, since none of them should even know this knowledge.
Jiaguwen. One of the oldest form of Chinese writing man kind can trace back. It was so old that only some villages have knowledge to what it means. Though by regulations and new rules the past emperors had made, it was mandatory to be fluent in most forms of Chinese.
Xiaomao stopped her usual expression for a split second when she read what the paper wrote, "Told you I'd win." The girl gritted her teeth, frowning. One might even say it was the third expression that had the most emotion. It was her annoyed face. She never expected this guy to know Jiaguwen as well.
The slight scrunched up eyebrows, her clenched jaw and fists. The fast and faint eye roll. But after a second, her face went to the normal calm rested self.
Ren let out a shiver as he watched the girl change from one face to another.
On the other hand, the students all quiet whispered to each other wondering what the words meant.
"Ah sorry sorry, for wasting your time. You all can go now." He said flashing his smile again as most of them left.
Xiaomao began to leave as well, acting nonchalant about the whole thing she read on the paper. As she began to leave, a large hand blocked her from leaving the academy.
"Uh excuse me. Could you let me through?" Xiaomao told the man.
"No can do little lady. This is her Ren?"
"Yeah. Told you I had a plan." Ren said watching the man's figure come to light. It was Maximillius.
Xiaomao was now trapped in between the space from Maximillius hand and Ren's hand from behind. The girl sighed audibly, staring them down.
"What do you want. " Xiaomao spit out, breaking the grins off the two men.
"Ah so quick to start, how usual." Ren sighed shaking his head. He pointed at Maximillius with his cocky grin.
"Tell her Father." He said leaning to the side. Maximillus ran his fingers over his hair.
"So this is what's going on," Maximillius spoke giving Xiaomao a bit more space. "The doctor doesn't know how to make your medicine. He's a bit of a idiot and he doesn't understand any of the words you've written down. "
"Can't you help him out. Seemed like you knew Jiaguwen quite well. " She said huffing, rolling her eyes.
"No can do. That's medical business I don't meddle in that section. " Maximillius said with Ren agreeing with him.
Xiaomao audibly groaned and facepalmed herself. Ren grinned and grabbed her hand and dragged her. Maximillius gave a thumbs up as Ren took Xiaomao to Naveen.
"You realize that I can walk too, right. " Xiaomao sighed, eyeing the boy.
Ren chuckled, still holding on to her hand, "How am I supposed to know that you won't leave?"
"Whatever." She said letting Ren drag her to Naveen's office.
"Finally. We're here. I get to see the Xiaomao do her magic. "
The girl gave the boy a dumbfounded look, and said nothing. She then walked towards the guards and then eyed Ren, for she had no pass to be here.
"Naveen sent us. Official business alright?" Ren said giving a fist bump to one of the guards. The two guards nodded in unison and let the two of them in.
The tired and not caring Xiaomao said nothing but followed Ren inside Naveen's office.