Chapter Seven

Guest Star: Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen

The next morning, Ky Duyen heard a knock on the door of her guest room; she walked over to it, opened the door, and found herself facing Phi Nhung.
“I’m sorry for the disturbance, Miss Duyen, but Lord Tuan Ngoc has sent for you to join the family in the garden for some tea.
“Tell them I’ll be right there,” Ky Duyen said and closed the door.
It was a few minutes before she arrived to the garden, where she found her brother, her two nieces, and Luong Tung Quang having tea. She took a seat beside Tuan Ngoc and took a look at the table; there were five different varieties of tea to choose from, and a selection of delicious-looking pastry.
“May I?” Ky Duyen asked, pointing to the basket filled with croissants.
“Oh, yes, of course. Help yourself,” replied Tuan Ngoc.
Ky Duyen, Tuan Ngoc, and Luong Tung Quang looked over to Tu Quyen and Minh Tuyet, who were whispering to each other and quietly giggling in between.
“Girls, would you like to share with us what is so amusing?” Tuan Ngoc said.
Minh Tuyet held back a laugh and answered her father.
“We were just saying how stupid Quang looks with that piece of bread stuck to his upper lip,” and right after she finished her sentence, Minh Tuyet broke out laughing, while Tu Quyen was silently giggling beside her. Tu Quyen slapped Minh Tuyet on the arm which made her stop her laughing.
“Oops, I mean…how fine he looked,” Minh Tuyet said, hiding dozen of laughter behind her smile. Luong Tung Quang quickly brushed off his lips with his cheeks bright red from embarrassment.
“This is absolutely delicious!” Ky Duyen said, biting into her second croissant.
“It is, isn’t it? It was baked by our best cook,” Tuan Ngoc said in agreement.
“May I request for her? I want to give her my best compliments.”
“NO!” Minh Tuyet and Tu Quyen yelled in unison. Ky Duyen looked over at them with a confused look on her face.
“I mean, she must be very busy…we shouldn’t bother her,” Tu Quyen quickly said. Ky Duyen shook her head.
“No, we should give her our appreciation for these delicious pastries.”
“I agree with your aunt, girls,” Tuan Ngoc spoke up. He turned and beckoned a young guard standing by the small bridge to come over.
“Duong Trieu Vu, go get the cook.”
“Yes, sir!” Duong Trieu Vu said loudly. A few minutes later, a pretty young lady came to the garden; the sight of her made Minh Tuyet and Tu Quyen sighed and rolled their eyes. The girl quickly got to her knees. Ky Duyen stood and walked over to her; she bent down and lifted the girl’s chin up to get a better look at the face.
“What is your name, young lady?”
“Thuy Tien, ma’am,” she said with confidence.
“Stand up,” Ky Duyen said, standing up and taking her seat again. “Your pastry really satisfied my hunger. They’re very delicious!”
Thuy Tien bowed her head.
“Thank you, ma’am. But if they looked half as pretty as you, then it’ll be a meal fit for king.”
“Dear, you are so sweet,” Ky Duyen said shyly. Thuy Tien gave a smirk to Minh Tuyet who rolled her eyes.
“Now, tell me…what is the key ingredient to this great-tasting pastry?” Ky Duyen asked. Wanting to say ‘sugar powder’, Thuy Tien hesitated and said,
“Love.”
Ky Duyen opened her mouth in shock and tears ran down her eyes.
“You are the sweetest! Beautiful, too!”
“Thank you, madame,” Thuy Tien said sweetly, and smiled and Minh Tuyet and Tu Quyen.
“I don’t mean to be rude, but I must return to my duties,” Thuy Tien said.
“Yes, please return to your duties,” Tu Quyen said.
Thuy Tien left the garden leaving Minh Tuyet breathing in frustration and Ky Duyen still complimenting on the pastry. Luong Tung Quang decided to have a little fun; he stood up and walked over to the seat beside Minh Tuyet and sat down with his arms around her. Minh Tuyet immediately felt uncomfortable when she felt the warmth of his body next to hers. She squirmed around her seat trying to get Luong Tung Quang’s hands off her shoulders, but she failed. Minh Tuyet had to accept it for the entire teatime, which caused her to be very furious. Her face was red with anger but on it was always had a smile. Tu Quyen reached onto the table and gave the Minh Tuyet a glass of water, who gulped it down without thinking.
“Well, I must be on my way home now. I’ll visit some other time,” Ky Duyen said and stood up. The entire family followed Ky Duyen out to the main gates and said their farewells. As the sight of Ky Duyen’s carriage was no longer visible, Minh Tuyet violently shrugged Luong Tung Quang’s hands off her shoulders. Luong Tung Quang scratched his head and smiled as Tu Quyen pushed him through the gates back inside.