The First Meeting
As the week passed by, Hongmo had visited the couple everyday to ensure the healthy recovery of Lady Rose. Her side assignments with the Red Moon Organization happened the night before and she had collected her pay for the four kills. Mace had tried to detain her at the tea house with an invitation to drink tea with her, however she left right way after receiving new target files.
He had a hard time finding anything about her and her whereabouts until she told him that she just bought a new home and the location of the home. She didn't care if he sent his hidden guards to watch her. She just wanted him to know where he could contact her if he needed to reach her.
She was no longer poor, so she went shopping for her new home and had the items sent there. Hongmo had hired a family to do be her servants. The middle age couple, Billy and Natalie, had two children, Blair and Blake, ages 16 and 18. They also have Billy's father, Brandon, living with them as well. With the family working as her servants she didn't to hire anymore help. The men were to keep the courtyard clean and the outside of the house looking nice, while the women were in charge of the cleaning of the inside of the house and the house chores.
The moment Hongmo moved in with her new servants Lady Sara walked by with her friends to talk badly about Hongmo.
"See that girl? She's stole the purchase of the house right from me. I already had the deal agreed upon with Mister Petro and had sent my maid to get the money from my father, but with her lies, she convinced Mister Petro to sell his house to her instead." Sara said loudly so everyone can hear.
"Sore losers always have a lot to say." Hongmo said out loud. "The look of envy and jealousy suits you very well. Maybe now Prince Asano will take notice of you?"
Sara and her friends couldn't say anything back before Hongmo shut the door in their faces. They could hear Hongmo laugh loudly behind the gate at them.
"You don't have to cook for me." Hongmo tells her new servants. "I usually go out to eat, so you don't have to worry about my meals. Just maintain the household and stay loyal to me, that is all I ask. Should any word of my life get out to others, you and your whole family will be kicked out. So before anyone of you decide that money means more than the security of a home and the seriousness of my words. This will be my first and last warning to you. Serve me loyally, do your jobs well and I'll treat you well. Betray me and your whole family will lose the roof over their heads. There are no second chances or forgiveness."
"Yes, my lady." Billy agreed.
"I'm not a lady." Hongmo tells them. "Miss is just fine."
"Yes, Miss." They all said.
"Good. I invited a scholar to teach me how to read and write, should Blair and Blake like to join me, they are welcomed to join me in the receiving hall. The scholar will come three times a week in the afternoon. Please ensure there is tea freshly brewed for him and fresh seasonal fruit ready in case he's hungry. His first day starts tomorrow."
"Yes, Miss." Natalie said as her heart soared with happiness. Her children would have an opportunity to learn how to read and write. She would be forever grateful towards their Mistress.
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The next afternoon, Blake and Blair sat nervously at the table with Hongmo as the scholar walked in. The silence in the room was deafening. Blake and Blair fidgeted with their clothes and fingers, not knowing if they could talk or not. They didn't know what to do. They just met their Mistress yesterday and didn't know what kind of a person she was, so they weren't sure on how to act around her. So instead they sat in silence waiting for the scholar.
His large,lean, tall, and strong frame blocked the sunlight shining through the door when he entered. He had to bend down to enter the room. His physique was built like a strong bull, full of muscles. His dark midnight black hair matched his black eyes. It contrasted against his creamy white skin which made him look more handsome. His had high cheekbones that could cut glass and full lips that held a scowl on his face.
"He looks like a strict teacher." Blake leaned over to Blair and whispered to her.
"More like a martial fighter than a scholar." Blair whispered back.
"Good Afternoon, Scholar Saito. And welcome to my home." Hongmo said as she stood. "I have invited my servant's children to learn along with me. I would of course, compensate you for the trouble and thank you again for agreeing to teach me."
The man grimly looked at the young woman as his eyebrow ticked with annoyance. Hongmo had visited his teacher yesterday and asked for a teacher to teach her how to read and write. Never would he have thought that his teacher would volunteer him to do it. He was The Lone Wolf! He didn't like the company of others. Didn't like hearing them speak, let alone look at them. Asano couldn't say no, so he introduced himself using his middle name, Saito.
The young woman was beautiful in her own way. However she wore plain clothing and had a plain appearance. Which made her forgettable. Her blazing red hair and navy blue eyes were her only redeeming quality.
His Teacher had commanded him to teach her. He told Asano of the rumors that ran rampant about her. And the first hand experience Doctor Gu had with the mysterious woman. How she was able to diagnose and cure Lady Rose. His mission was to win her trust and learn anything he could about her. Her skills could benefit him and his future. So here he stood, in her small home, in the presence of the woman and her servants.
His opinion on her improved when he heard her say that she would let her servants learn how to read and write. Many people of the nobility would disagree with her and would never give their servants a chance to learn, but to hear her say that not only is she willing to let them learn, she'll pay for their lessons as well.
"Good Afternoon. It shouldn't be a problem to teach you guys together. Shall we begin?" Asano said as he began to teach them the alphabet.
After two hours, the lesson was over and the homework had been given. Hongmo learned quickly and had finished the homework within a few minutes. While Asano stayed behind to answer any questions that Blake and Blair had about the lesson.
"Miss." Natalie said as she entered the room with tea and grapes.
"You can set it here." Hongmo said as she waved her hand in front of the table. Natalie served tea for Hongmo and Asano then she placed the grapes in the center of the table.
"Please serve some to your children as well. They have sat here with me, learning the alphabet. I'm pretty sure that they're thirsty and hungry too. Please do not be on ceremony with me. I do not care for social standings and etiquette." Hongmo said as she sipped her tea. Although she wasn't hungry or thirsty, she had to keep up appearances for them.
Natalie bowed and thanked Hongmo before pouring her children a cup of tea.
"Thank you again, Scholar Saito, for accommodating my request. I appreciate your time and generosity in educating us." Hongmo tells them as she stands up. "I shall leave first, if you don't mind. I have plans that I must get to. Please stay and enjoy the tea and grapes. I'll see you in two days."
Blake and Blair stood up as well when Hongmo stood up to leave. They all watched her leave as her disappearing figure left the courtyard.
"Your Mistress is strange." Asano said as he looked at the siblings.
"How so Teacher Saito?" Blake asked.
"I'm not sure, but there's something about her that has a mysterious quality to her."
"Yes, well. We just met her yesterday. We're just thankful for her generosity towards our family." Natalie said as she glared at her children not to say anything. They met her eyes and looked away quickly, knowing what she wanted.
"If there are no more questions, I too shall take my leave." Asano said.
"Of course, do finish your drink and eat some grapes before you leave. It is a hot day, you must be tired." Natalie said.
"No need. I too have things to attend to."
Asano left without getting any information about the young woman. She kept to herself during the lesson he gave and didn't speak about herself as other women usually do. When any women saw him, they would swoon and talk to him to get his attention. There was no woman that could say no to him, should he say anything to them. They would listen attentively and go do his bidding without question. As long as he paid attention to them, they would do anything for him.
But now, this mysterious woman who could diagnose and cure poison, let alone buy a home in the nobility part of of the city, by herself, who doesn't know how to read or write. She didn't add up in his mind. She was a contradiction. Someone with the knowledge to cure poison should know how to read and write. Did her Master never teach her? And who is her Master? Who is Hongmo? Where did she come from and what does she want?
Question after question ran through his mind as he headed towards the Crimson Light Tea House to talk to Mace about the recent targets that were eliminated.
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