Xinhua found herself pacing the library of Shizhe's home in the early hours of the morning. Shizhe had just fallen back asleep after waking from a nightmare, but Xinhua could not fall asleep again. Her mind was wandering so she started turning over some of her own notes she'd started keeping hidden away in a hidden compartment amidst the shelves that Shizhe had shared. Yuliang had expressed that not even her own office was secure so Xinhua wasn't really keeping much of her personal musings on the cases in the office she was lent there. Shizhe's home was much safer where it was in the center of the palace grounds. No one could easily come and go without notice, especially with Shizhe's exhausted state there was increased protection around. There was so much information in the library that even without the compartment she'd still likely hide her notes there.
She had wanted to speak with Hu Ning about any signs of the Eilians that vanished among the city. She'd been meaning to ask Jinse about the Meigui Trading Company's books he'd been reviewing. There were other leads she was going to look into while she was out that day as well but she would have to find another opportunity.
Xinhua did feel a sense of relief being able to watch over Shizhe. She could tell Shizhe found her presence comforting. Even Yazhu had mentioned that Shizhe seemed to be resting more with Xinhua nearby.
Shizhe had spent most of yesterday napping in Xinhua's lap. She would stir every once in a while but Xinhua started humming her mother's lullaby and stroking Shizhe's hair and Shizhe seemed to settle. It made Xinhua happy to know that her insistence on staying every night since it started was worthwhile for Shizhe.
Xinhua was considering going to check on Shizhe again until she heard a knock on the library door. She figured it was Yazhu since she was the only servant allowed in the house for the time being.
"Come in," Xinhua called out, not looking up from her notes, though she stilled her pacing.
"Still unable to properly rest, I see," A deep voice she wasn't expecting had startled her out of her thoughts. She looked up from her notes to see Yushi with an exasperated smile.
"Your Highness!" Xinhua started to bow but he put his hand up.
"No need for that when it's just us." Yushi then gestured to the small seating area. "Sit with me for a moment."
"Yes, of course," Xinhua sat across the long lounge chair from Yushi.
"Lady Meigui, were you aware of what today is?" Yushi asked gently, he figured there was a possibility that time had gotten away from her upon being so wrapped up in her work.
Xinhua mumbled the date in confusion. She was wondering what it was that she'd forgotten upon seeing the slight dismay in his eyes. Then it occurred to her, "Oh, the Brightness Festival is today isn't it? How could I have forgotten?" Xinhua sighed, disappointed in herself.
"Did you know that Xueye didn't want to be alone today? He had asked Jinse and myself to join him," Yushi mentioned.
"Did he?" Xinhua closed her eyes. She felt she should have picked up on that when they spoke about visiting their mother's grave. "He didn't seem at all bothered at the time. I should know better. He rarely tells me outright what's bothering him. I'm usually so good at seeing through him."
"Don't beat yourself up over it," Yushi smiled sympathetically. "He won't hold it against you. I'm guessing Shizhe foresaw this and that's why she sent me to see him yesterday."
"Not me?" Xinhua's face scrunched in confusion.
"She's quite exhausted, you can't blame her," Yushi chuckled softly. "She probably didn't want to worry you."
"Foolish woman," Xinhua shook her head with a smile.
"Did she manage to get a little more rest after I left her with you?" Yushi inquired.
"Yes," Xinhua nodded with a relieved smile. "Lady Li even said so. Even so, she stirred often. Whatever is haunting her dreams just won't leave her alone."
"She hasn't mentioned anything about what she sees yet?" Yushi found it troubling that it was consistent. He was still curious if it tied in with Xueye's strange dreams at all considering it sounded like it started at similar times.
"She still won't," Xinhua sighed. "It feels like anytime I ask about it she just looks like she's reliving it all over."
"I see," Yushi sighed. He would have to ask Shizhe later on if it was anything Xueye mentioned was familiar. "Well, you should join us later in the afternoon, even just for a short while. I think Xueye would appreciate it."
"I will," Xinhua nodded. "Thank you, for being there for him. He acts tough but he's very sensitive. Especially about our mom."
"He did tell me about it," Yushi sighed. "Even Vual. Your father is truly despicable."
"You don't even know the half of it," Xinhua scowled bitterly at the notes in her hands. Dr. Jingji and Yuliang had warned her to not reveal too much about the potential poisoning. Even Shizhe had also agreed when Xinhua had brought it up to her. Fortunately it was not the details written on the current page she had been looking at.
"And that's what concerns me most," Yushi sighed, his brows knit in concern. "You've been investigating him since you joined the guard, right?"
"I have," Xinhua nodded with a grim expression. "At first I just wanted to expose how awful he was but when I started really looking and piercing things together, I realized it's so much worse. But he doesn't leave any trail or at least he knows where to hide any evidence. Starting to wonder if I should go home."
"Alone?" Yushi raised a brow in alarm. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Believe me, I'd rather not," Xinhua huffed. "Its the only place I haven't been investigating since I started properly looking into this. I just don't know how to make it work without him suspecting anything, especially with Qingkong now staying with Dr.Jingji right now."
"Well, unsettling him could result in him slipping up," Yushi considered it but with such an uneasy relationship between the two of them he was more worried about her safety. "I just don't think you should go alone. If he does discover why you are really there, you could be in danger."
"I can handle him," Xinhua smirked. "He hasn't trained in fighting for a moment in his life."
"Of that I have no doubt," Yushi chuckled. "Still, consider your role now. You aren't just a guard anymore."
"The moment that gets officially announced then he really won't let me anywhere near that house," Xinhua stated. "My position is fluid right now, thus why I'm investigating the cases I am. Before things truly settle, now would be the only time."
"We can keep your position a public secret for as long as we need to," Yushi sighed. "There is no need to rush this."
"The longer it takes the more likely he will find out. You were not his only informant," Xinhua sighed. "Also if I can help it, I don't want Qingkong to go back there. Not while our father is still there. So I have to find a good excuse to go home somehow."
"Absolutely not!" A high pitched voice yelled from the doorway. They both glanced over to see Shizhe with frazzled hair and looking furious upon overhearing Xinhua's words. "You cannot be serious about going back there!"
"Shizhe, you should still be resting," Xinhua looked at her with worry, but Shizhe's complexion already was looking so much better than earlier.
"I certainly can't after hearing you want to return there!" Shizhe moved over to Xinhua, placing her hands on either side of Xinhua's face. "Please tell me you aren't serious."
"I have to investigate the house somehow," Xinhua grabbed Shizhe's wrists and pulled them away, gently tugging Shizhe to sit next to her instead. "I'd rather wait until you are feeling better anyways. I won't be going there without a plan. It's just been on my mind."
"I don't think any of you should go back to that house until he's gone…" Shizhe pouted, leaning against Xinhua, who wrapped her arms around the smaller woman. "At the very least you shouldn't until I can see farther ahead."
"Shizhe? Is that normal when you get exhausted?" Yushi's brow furrowed. There was something bothering him the whole time Shizhe has been so deeply affected.
"I can't say I've been this exhausted since the war," Shizhe shook her head. "I don't recall being so limited then. I have no reference for how moon-touched abilities change with age, I could just be getting older," Shizhe shrugged with a joking smirk.
Yushi was hesitant to bring up what Xueye mentioned about his own dreams considering what Xinhua had mentioned about Shizhe's reactions but if whatever this was had started affecting Xueye as well then they needed to find a solution. Yushi took a deep breath and resolved to ask, "Shizhe, I know you can't confirm it aloud but these dreams you're having, I feel like I should still ask. Do they entail a sense of being watched under the water?"
The expression of pure panic said it all. Yushi had never seen her look terrified before. She's foreseen every assasination attempt, every disaster, every loss they've experienced. None of it has ever caused such an expression to befall her face.
"How-?" Shizhe looked on the verge of tears. "You're not-!"
"Not me," Yushi shook his head. A deep sense of foreboding sinking deep into his heart. "Xueye."
"No!" Shizhe buried her face in her hands. She didn't wish these nightmares even on their enemies. She was starting to wonder if she started seeing Xueye there because he too was experiencing them. Was it something akin to Jinse being in her visions?
"How can that be?" Xinhua's brow furrowed. "His blessing is comfort, isn't it?"
"There has been something in the back of my mind saying that whatever is going on with Shihze hasn't been right," Yushi clenched his fists. The feeling of some invisible enemy he needed to fight was coming to the forefront of his mind. "At first, I simply thought it was the protective nature that comes from the dragon blood, thus I ordered such precautions the longer this went on. Whatever this is, it's affecting Xueye as well. When I heard that it started in a similar time frame, I couldn't ignore the feeling. Was this why you sent me?"
"The Brightness Festival is today," Shizhe evaded the true reason with what she figured they could best piece together.
"I suspected but I thought I would check," Yushi sighed.
"So either this danger the Moon Goddess is warning Shizhe of is so great she sought to also warn Xueye or this isn't a warning at all," Xinhua's expression darkened at the idea of someone coming after not only her beloved but her brother as well. "Is that what you are implying, Your Highness?"
"It's what my instincts are telling me but it's not as if we can trust that I'll be the most rational when it comes to this sort of thing. Especially when it comes to Xueye's safety." Yushi felt a growl wanting to tear its way through his throat, but he refrained. Giving credence to these thoughts he felt his mind starting to slip. He'd already intended to visit Dr.Jingji before heading over to Xueye's for a hangover remedy for the young man but now he needed one to abate the manic rise of the angry dragon.
"There's one way to know for certian…" Shizhe voiced quietly, fully expecting them both to deny her outright.
"Shizhe, you've been going through enough as it is!" Xinhua tightened her grip around Shizhe's shoulders. "If it's from the Goddess you are only going to hurt yourself."
"She's right," Yushi glared at her sternly. "You do not need to risk your health any further."
"Am I much help anyway?" Shizhe sighed and closed her eyes. In that brief moment an image of a golden flame in another room of her home came to mind. One more suitable for more guests. "Maybe there is more than one actually…"
"How could there be another?" Yushi tilted his head in confusion.
"A soft golden light… Dances among the flowers, so they bloom once more…" Shizhe voiced with a gentle smile, hoping that one of them had finally learned just who she meant by that.
"You can't be serious," Yushi narrowed his eyes skeptically. "This is a joke, right?"
"Do I look to be in a joking mood?" Shizhe sighed as she looked to Xinhua who seemed to be wrapping her head around the idea.
Xinhua had started picking up the correlation early on as Shizhe introduced Xinhua into some of her visions about the current state of things. Sure Jinse knew about some of the strangest things but something like this was the realm of gods and magic. She always suspected there was more to Jinse than what met the eye, especially when it seemed that Shizhe was convinced that Jinse was the solution to Yushi's dragon problems.
"Very well," Xinhua nodded. In the end she trusted Shizhe more than anything and Jinse would absolutely help if it involved Xueye as well. "Tonight?"
"Sooner the better," Shizhe pressed her forehead against Xinhua.
"Can you really trust him with this?" Yushi didn't like the idea of Jinse getting anywhere near Shizhe in her weakened state.
"Yes," Xinhua nodded, fully embracing Shizhe in both arms this time. "He's saved my brother more than once. If he can help them both sleep at night, then we owe it to them to hear what he might have to offer."
"He told you about Xueye's blessing, didn't he?" Yushi suspected since Jinse had ascertained his true nature. "You wouldn't have outright told us otherwise."
"I was wondering if you would notice," Shizhe giggled. "Give him a chance, Yushi."
"Tell that to the stupid dragon that wants to fight him," Yushi groaned in irritation. "Everytime I'm around him, I just want to punch that pretty face of his."
"That's new," Shizhe giggled. "Please be careful today," she said a little more seriously. "Try not to fight him just yet."
"I will refrain for your sake, and Xueye's," Yushi let out a heavy sigh.
"Being around Xueye should help you calm down," Shizhe said with a smile. "Don't keep him waiting, okay?"
"I wasn't planning on it," Yushi smiled softly. "Try and get a little more rest today, Shizhe." Yushi looked at Xinhua, "Do feel free to join us this afternoon. Xueye wants you there. I know he does."
"I'll be there," Xinhua nodded. "I should have planned to be in the first place."
"Then I will see you both later," Yushi rose from his seat and left.