How To Melt An Ice Cube 32 Summoned

Han Bing asked the servants to gather all the ingredients that had been requested of Mai. There had been no doubt in his mind about how good this dessert would be. If one of the ingredients already tasted so good on their own he could only picture it with others. Han bing ran his tongue of his lips in the thought of cream and what it had tasted like on Mai.

Before he go think further into his fantasy he saw Zheng Li approaching. He had a face the spoke that trouble was on the horizon. Han Bing prayed that it had nothing to do with the Emperor. They were already so close to escaping under his thumb he just needed a little more time.

"Young master, your presence has been requested at the palace" Zheng Li said with a somber voice.

"Dammit" Han Bing thought to himself "why now of all times? He normally ignores me for awhile after he is done playing his little games."

Han Bing let out a sigh as he stared at his only friend. "Please protect Mai. I have bad feeling about this."

Zheng Li gave him a knowing nod as he perfectly understood how cruel the Emperor could be.

"If the house is complete before I get back make sure to take them there." Han Bing whispered into his ear.

Zheng Li gave another nod in complete agreement with Han Bing.

"I must go on my own so that you can watch over them" Han Bing said with his eyes closed. He could not picture a day where he would never be able to return to Mai.

Han Bing left with a downcast face as he slowly walked towards the palace. He knew that making the Emperor wait would only make the situation worse. He could only hope that she didn't miss him to much. He regretted not being there for the first dessert that she would make.

__________

"Young mistress" Zhi Ruo said as she walked into the kitchen "these are all the ingredients that you requested."

"Thank you Zhu Ruo" Mai replied. "Where is Han Bing?" She asked in confusion.

"He got summoned to the palace." Zhi Ruo said in a sad voice.

"Does it happen often?" Mai asked hoping that whatever that crazy Emperor wanted it would be over quickly.

"Often enough" Zhi Ruo said with a piercing sadness in her eyes.

Mai slumped against the table in disappointment.

"Please bring it back, I want to make it with him" Mai said with a single tear running down her face. "Would there life always be left to the decisions of such a man?" Mai asked herself.

"Is there anything else that I can get for you?" Zhi Ruo asked.

"No, that is all" Mai relied.

Zhi Ruo left the room with the ingredients in her arms to bring them back to the storage room that they were found in.

Mai got off the floor and walked outside. She took her shoes off as she stepped on the gra.s.s. The tiny p.r.i.c.kling sensation brought her back from her disappointing thoughts. Mulan who had taken over the garden area ran at her.

Remember Zheng Lin lying on the ground with the pigs surrounding her, gave Mai a little comfort as she did the same. She gave all her attention to Mulan who was acting cute beside her.

Lifting Mulan in her arms above her head, Mai copied the airplane move that parents do to their kids. Mulan let out a little squeal from excitement instead of fright as Mai was expecting. "Perhaps Zheng Lin does this to them as well?" Mai asked herself.

After playing with Mulan for a bit in the courtyard, Mai felt extremely lonely.

"There is no way that man does not love me, even if he won't say it" Mai thought to herself. "Just one look in his eyes and I already know that he would move mountains for me if I asked. He is so gentle too, I can't imagine what kind of childhood he had to deal with. Didn't he mention at what point in time that he was almost a.s.sa.s.sinated?" Mai's mind swirled with thoughts of Han Bing.

Mai's heart hurt at the idea of Han Bing going through so much in the small amount of time that he had been alive. "How is he still so gentle?" Mai thought "if that was me I'd probably lash out at everyone around me."

A light hand on her shoulder caused Mai to jump in fright. Looking around at who would be here, in her own little courtyard. She was surprised to find that it was Zheng Li, a questioning look appeared on her face to his presence.

"I am sure you know already, but Han Bing is with the Emperor. From the information I got from the guard it sounded like he will be there for awhile" Zheng Li said to Mai. "I know that this must be hard for you, but trust me when I say that it is a lot harder for him." He had said all of this in sadness as if imagining the pain that his friend had to go through just to survive.

Zheng Li continue in a whisper "there is a plan. It is almost complete." He looked up at the setting sun as he continued "we have been working on it for years. A way to live in peace without any one to bother us." Looking back down at Mai

"You give him a strength that I have never seen him possess before Mai. I just pray that you are not someone that is playing with his heart. Because if you are I will stop at nothing to destroy you." Zheng Li's eyes pierced into hers. "He has been through enough, but, I will trust his judgment for now, it has kept him alive this long." Zheng Li said as he got up.

Mai watched as he walked away just a silently as he arrived. "Was that a complement?" Mai asked herself. She ignored the threat at the end because she could understand that he only wanted the best for Han Bing.

Mai started to wonder what their plan was and how she could help. There was no part of her that wanted to be near the Emperor either.