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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Jul 3, 2004 15:01:06 GMT -5
she went into the room where her uncle and emperor were sitting laughing and chatting. she bowed to her uncle and then bowed deeper to the emperor. "Hwang sang bae ha, welcome to my uncle's home."
general du took the objects out of her hands and set them down. "yi jang goon, this is my niece."
the archfiend smiled at the girl. "you have a beautiful hostess, du deh jang goon." he chuckled when she blushed.
"hwang sang bae ha" she said in an embarrassed tone.
"and what is this lovely young lady's name?" ui min asked. chang bi cast a nervous look at her uncle.
du figured that there was no point in not telling the archfiend. "her name is chang bi, yi jang goon."
"chang bi? chang bi?" the archfiend repeated her name a few times. "why does that name sound familiar?"
chang bi looked at her uncle who nodded consent to the silent question she had asked him. "hwang sang bae ha, i painted your wife's portrait a little over four years ago the day she first discovered she was with child."
understanding spread over ui min's face. "that was you?" he asked incredulously. "my, you've grown up since then!" she smiled. "you did a wonderful likeness. why did you disappear?"
"i apologize for leaving without saying anything your majesty, but when the queen looked ill and left the room, i became frightened and just wanted to find my uncle." du patted her ink-stained hand.
the archfiend had another sip of wine. "you weren't the only one frightened that day he said."
she laughed out loud and then cut herself off, not wanting to appear rude. she liked this man. though he was the emperor, it felt like having another uncle in the house.
"du deh jang goon" ui min said rising, "thank for having me in your home once again, and i think we should be going now." he turned to chang bi who bowed. "you must do a portrait for my daughter as well" he said, "so that i can have a complete set."
"as you wish, bae ha" she said
the archfiend chuckled again to himself. "brue, choi jang goon." he gestured to the door. before he walked out, general choi turned to face chang bi and apologized again. when they had gone, du asked what he had apologized for. "he startled me, that's all uncle" she replied.
du looked at her closely. "do you know you have ink on your face?" he was surprised when she just laughed and hugged him.
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Jul 3, 2004 15:03:07 GMT -5
i am glad you like it so far. (i thought you might)
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Post by luvarchfiend on Jul 3, 2004 15:07:29 GMT -5
i am glad you like it so far. (i thought you might) well you were quite right, i like it very much indeed. it is making my day ;D
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Post by FrederickII on Jul 3, 2004 15:10:06 GMT -5
velvetinkbrush
Nice story developments, I’ll really enjoying this.
I was wondering, what is Choi's position in the military? Is he the highest ranked, or a mere general?
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Jul 3, 2004 15:28:53 GMT -5
the next day, chang bi went to call on the emperor, only this time, her uncle knew about the summons. part of du was glad that she was called to the palace. there were more people there. perhaps she would find friends or at least not feel so lonely.
when she was announced to the emperor, ji eun was already sitting on his lap. chang bi bowed.
"chang bi!' he said in a pleased voice. "this will be the subject of your painting today."
"you have a beautiful daughter your majesty" she said. and the girl was very pretty. she looked like her mother.
ji eun looked up at her father. "she said i was beautiful. i like her." the archfiend laughed heartily at her second statement.
"well, i'll leave you two to get better acquainted", he said, leading chang bi to his daughter's room.
when he had left, ji eun excitedly sat down in front of chang bi and said, "oh please, make me pretty in this picture!"
chang bi laughed. "but you ARE pretty, highness." ji eun giggled.
chang bi found the archfiend's daughter simply enchanting. when she had finished the girls portrait, ji eun snatched it out of her hand and ran to show her mother. her mother promptly brought her back. after chang bi bowed, bu yong apologized, "she didn't mean to be rude."
"no no, she's a delightful child" chang bi said. the empress smiled at her compliment.
ji eun was waving the paper at her trying to get her to look. "mother, mother!" she shouted, "look how pretty i am!" her mother laughed and agreed. ji eun suddenly noticed that chang bi was wearing all white. "why don't you wear colors?" she asked.
"i wear white to honor my mother, who died" she explained.
"your mother died?" ji eun said the words as if it was the worst possible thing that could happen to a person. when chang bi nodded quietly, she started to cry.
bu yong was surprised. "ji eun ah, why aer you crying?"
"because she has no mother" ji eun wailed.
"princess, it's alright. my mother watches me from heaven now" she said.
the little gongju sniffed. "but...don't you miss her?"
chang bi smiled. "yes, sometimes i do. but she is always with me." that looked as if it comforted the little girl. "empress, thank you for having me in the palace."
"you're not leaving are you?" ji eun asked, scurrying off her mother's lap.
"yes" chang bi nodded.
ji eun ran up to her and grabbed part of her skirt. "mother, i don't want her to go! tell her to stay a little longer!"
"ji eun ah!" the empress admonished, "if chang bi must go then she has to go."
"when will i see you again?" The archfiend's daughter asked the question as if it was only natural that she would see chang bi again. her mother made a clucking noise in warning.
chang bi knelt down so that she was looking into the girl's eyes. "if you are a good girl, little highness, i will ask your father's permission to visit you again."
her eyes widened. "do you promise?"
"yes, but only if your mother agrees that you have behaved." the little princess nodded enthusiastically. "then i will take my leave" chang bi said bowing.
"wait!" the little girl ran over to her tiny desk and wrote something hastily on a piece of rice paper. when she gave it to chang bi, she read the word "sister" in chinese characters. "do you like it?" ji eun asked shyly.
"i love it, your highness" she replied. the little girl practically glowed at her praise. "now be a good princess and listen to your mother." the girl nodded agreeably. she waved goodbye as chang bi left the palace.
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Jul 3, 2004 15:29:19 GMT -5
thank you frederick!
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Jul 3, 2004 15:30:09 GMT -5
oops. sorry frederick, didn't mean to avoid your question. he's the head of the military, so i guess that makes him sang jang goon
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Post by Chung Kyun on Jul 3, 2004 15:37:00 GMT -5
ui-min daughter is cute. hey is son2 still in house arrest? lmao!
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Jul 3, 2004 15:38:16 GMT -5
yes he is. since ji eun is a girl, she's no threat, except taht she's daddy's little girl. ji soon is once again the target of his malevolence. especially now that he is crown prince...
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Post by Chung Kyun on Jul 3, 2004 15:43:57 GMT -5
yes he is. since ji eun is a girl, she's no threat, except taht she's daddy's little girl. ji soon is once again the target of his malevolence. especially now that he is crown prince... lol maybe son2 could prove himself someday and be trusted.
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Jul 3, 2004 15:44:08 GMT -5
chang bi walked across the courtyard, smiling. it touched her to think that the archfiend's little daughter saw her as a sister. she looked at the little piece of paper.
"another portrait?"
she turned to see choi bu smiling at her. "no, a gift from the princess", she said showing it to him. he took the paper and stared at it. when he looked up, she was smiling with an amused glint in her eye. "and what is so funny?" he asked, not understanding why he felt embarrassed.
"the paper..." she said giggling. "it's...it's upside down."
for the first time in his entire life, choi bu felt extremely embarrassed. the fact that he was illiterate had never bothered him...until now.
chang bi stopped laughing. "i'm sorry, that was rude. i didn't mean to make it seem as if i was ridiculing you."
choi handed the paper back to her. "no. it's true, i can't read or write."
"well haven't you ever wanted to learn?"
learn? the idea never occurred to him. he was always to busy organizing troops , training or fighting.
"i suppose i haven't had the time."
she laughed out loud again. "HOW old are you?" then she realized how it sounded and then covered her mouth. "i did it again, didn't i?" she said through her fingers.
choi couldn't help but smile. but she was right. standing next to her, he felt old. and the fact that he couldn't read began to bother him. "teach me to read" he said suddenly. what are you doing, he thought to himself.
chang bi looked pleased with his interest. "You want to learn"
choi nodded. "i do."
"what about having no time?"
choi smiled again. "i suppose at MY AGE i really have no excuse!" did he just make a joke? a self-depricating one at that?
"very well general choi bu" she said. "if you are serious, then i will teach you." curtseying, she continued on her way.
choi thought about their conversations a great deal. and he was surprised to find that he was actually looking forward to learning to read.
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Jul 3, 2004 15:44:51 GMT -5
no way son 2 can be trusted. plus ja oonsun gonna fcuk with his head.
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Post by Chung Kyun on Jul 3, 2004 15:49:31 GMT -5
no way son 2 can be trusted. plus ja oonsun gonna fcuk with his head. i could take her out. ;D yeah she would and i bet she still is. he might even someday rebel, if he never comes out of that damn house lol.
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Jul 3, 2004 15:50:23 GMT -5
screw the house, if he can ever get his head out of that bottle
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Jul 3, 2004 15:50:56 GMT -5
hey ck, i'll be back in a bit. gotta go do some shiznits
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