RFF - Chapter Five (Part 2)
Tao Tu Yun cared about her imperfect fiance. Her hands naturally held his cheeks. She wished she had more time, but they weren't meant to be.
'Tu Yun...' Tao Fang Ao called.
Tao Tu Yun fainted in Tao Fang Ao's arms. He carried her to the bed, and ran outside to instruct a maid to call a physician.
A shichen hour later, the physician examined Tao Tu Yun.
'Second master Tao, lady Tao's heart is beating erratically,' the physician said. 'I'll give her an herbal remedy to reduce her heartbeat.'
'Are you certain Tu Yun will be alright?' Tao Fang Ao asked. 'Before she fainted in my arms, she had heart pain.'
The physician knew Tao Tu Yun was Tao Fang Ao's future wife so the physician wasn't surprised Tao Fang Ao was worried about Tao Tu Yun's health.
'Second master Tao, I'm certain lady Tao doesn't have a heart condition,' the physician said.
'Thank you,' Tao Fang Ao said. 'A maid will escort you outside.'
The physician left and Tao Fang Ao stood guard by Tao Tu Yun's bedside. Tao Fang Ao wanted to stay with Tao Tu Yun until she woke up, but elder Jiang ran into the bedchamber looking for Tao Tu Yun. Tao Fang Ao signalled elder Jiang to follow him into the courtyard so they wouldn't disturb Tao Tu Yun.
In the courtyard, elder Jiang recounted what happened at the markets to Tao Fang Ao.
'Elder Jiang, say it again but calmly,' Tao Fang Ao said.
'Second master Tao, before I left the Tao Manor, lady Tao knew I was going to the markets even though I didn't tell anyone,' elder Jiang said. 'Lady Tao warned me when I'm at the markets if someone calls my name then I shouldn't turn around and I should keep walking. At that time I didn't know what lady Tao meant, but she didn't look like she was jesting...'
Elder Jiang rubbed his pounding heart. He was grateful toward Tao Tu Yun for warning him otherwise he wouldn't be alive.
'I walked toward the markets,' elder Jiang said. 'I heard someone calling my name. I wanted to turn around, but I remembered lady Tao's warning so I walked faster. At a distance I heard someone screamed. I turned around, it was an innocent man lying dead on the ground. The dead man's head was bleeding. Above the dead man was a drunk man drinking on the balcony. The drunk man had dropped a wine jar on top of the innocent man's head and killed the innocent man.'
Elder Jiang understood if Tao Tu Yun didn't warn him then the innocent man who died would have been him.
'Elder Jiang, are you saying Tu Yun predicted the future?' Tao Fang Ao asked.
Tao Fang Ao remembered what happened on the first day he met Tao Tu Yun. He heard there were two young women who weren't locals had warn a cook about a fire. He suspected they were Tao Tu Yun and Su Wu. Did Tao Tu Yun suddenly fainting had a connection to her warning elder Jiang about the future?
'Yes,' elder Jiang said.
'Go bring Su Wu here,' Tao Fang Ao said.
Elder Jiang found Su Wu talking with Xiao Hong in the kitchen, because Su Wu had wanted to give Tao Fang Ao and Tao Tu Yun privacy.
'Second master Tao, where is mistress?' Su Wu asked. 'I thought you were with mistress.'
'Your mistress and I were talking then she suddenly fainted,' Tao Fang Ao said.
'What?' Su Wu asked. 'I knew it. But mistress wouldn't listen to me, and risked her life to save other people.'
'Explain what happened calmly,' Tao Fang Ao said.
'Mistress... she was born with a gift, she can see the future,' Su Wu said. 'At the age of sixteen, mistress met a master sage. The sage warned mistress that because she interfered in the fates of other people, she was going to pay with her life at a young age.'
Tao Fang Ao was scared of losing Tao Tu Yun. He knew Tao Tu Yun was a kind person, and would risk her life to save other people.
'Su Wu, promise me that you won't tell another person what you told me about Tu Yun otherwise you'll put her life in danger,' Tao Fang Ao warned. 'Elder Jiang, you can't tell anyone about Tu Yun's gift either.'
Tao Fang Ao didn't want anyone to take advantage of Tao Tu Yun's gift and he didn't want to lose her.
'Second master Tao, I understand,' Su Wu said. 'Can I go see mistress?'
'I'll take care of Tu Yun,' Tao Fang Ao said. 'Go and see if Tu Yun's herbal remedy is brewed yet.'
Tao Fang Ao walked back into Tao Tu Yun's bedchamber. He sat on her bed. He didn't expect someone who looked frail could predict the future, and didn't know whether she was kind hearted or foolish.
Tao Tu Yun opened her eyes, and felt disorientated.
'Tu Yun, are you in pain?' Tao Fang Ao asked.
'What happened?' Tao Tu Yun asked.
Tao Tu Yun turned her head to shake off Tao Fang Ao's hand on her forehead. She hoped he didn't see her feelings the moment before she fainted.
Tao Fang Ao remembered how fragile Tao Tu Yun felt in her arms.
'Tu Yun, is there something you want to tell me?' Tao Fang Ao asked.
'I...' Tao Tu Yun said.
Tao Fang Ao saw Tao Tu Yun avoid his eyes and he sighed.
'Su Wu explained to me about your gift,' Tao Fang Ao said. 'Tu Yun, don't you know it's dangerous to interfere with fate? You shouldn't risk your life.'
Tao Tu Yun was grateful Su Wu didn't tell Tao Fang Ao that she was going to die soon.
'I can't stand by and watch people suffer,' Tao Tu Yun said.
'How many people do you think you can save with your body?' Tao Fang Ao asked. 'Can't you see how weak your body is? You...'
Tao Fang Ao saw Tao Tu Yun lowered her head so he calmed himself down.
Tao Fang Ao hugged Tao Tu Yun and he signed.
'Tu Yun, tell me what I should do with you,' Tao Fang Ao whispered Tao Tu Yun's ear.
Tao Tu Yun's eyes stung. She believed Luo Bing Liang's words, Tao Fang Ao didn't care about arranged marriages because he would only marry for love.
Tao Tu Yun regretted she couldn't marry Tao Fang Ao because her life was ending soon.
***
End of Chapter Five (Part 2)
