[Chiyun Hall]
Li Min was still up and was looking at the room.
She seemed lost in thought.
Her hand gently caressed the bedding and the memories from the previous day flowed through her mind.
[Flashback]
The night before was warmer.
Li Min gathered all she thought He Yan needed for the journey.
"The nights in the Northwest are cold. I've prepared these cloaks for you", she said as she folded the thick cloak and kept it on the table.
"Are you sure you don't want to go with me?" He Yan asked.
He was ready to take her along with him to the Northwest but she did not want to go.
"The Northwest is a place full of fights and bloodshed. Growing up in a noble household full of comfort, I can't cope with such an atmosphere", Li Min answered.
He Yan gently held her hand and helped her sit next to him on the bed.
"I will be gone for a long time and I don't even know when I will return. The Northwest is full of uncertainties and unforeseen circumstances", he said caressing her hand.
"No matter what you must take care of yourself and come back alive", Li Min said.
He Yan looked up at her and after a short pause, replied, "I will"
He raised his hand to touch her face, "but you must also promise me to take care of yourself"
She touched his hand on her face, "I will"
"When I'm gone, you'll have to manage Chiyun Hall on your own. Fuxia is still young. You both should spend some time together and take care of each other", he said.
Li Min nodded, "I also won't forget to take care of mother"
Now a concubine, Shen Ruihua was living in regular quarters and her provisions and allowances were also lowered to her current status.
He Yan leaned closer to her. Closing his eyes, he gave her a soft kiss.
The curtain was lowered and the light gradually dimmed as their kisses quietly faded into the moonlight
[End of Flashback]
The previous night had passed and she was now left alone in Chiyun Hall.
Even though she had lost her father and now He Yan had left, she did not feel diminished.
She was now the true and only master of Chiyun Hall, Consort Cheng.
It was only a matter of time to rise and live a peaceful life.
She was also not forgetting to pay Shen Ruihua back in her own coin.
The humiliation and pain she had endured, she was sure to give it back tenfold.
******
"Has everything been prepared?" He Xuan asked.
He was hiding by the corner of a house with his trusted subordinate, Wei An, standing straight behind him.
"Yes"
"Bend down", He Xuan instructed dragging him to join him in hiding, "what if you get caught?"
"Your highness is the one running away not me", Wei An responded refusing to budge.
He Xuan gave up and watched the patrol guards stationed at each corner.
"We've already escaped the palace. Why are there so many guards outside today?" he muttered.
"Consort Feng must have known you were planning to escape and made some preparations", Wei An answered.
"Do you think I don't know that?" He Xuan shifted backwards and hid as he saw a patrol guard walking in their direction.
"Do you have any idea what we should do?" he asked.
Wei An walked out of the hiding place.
"You.... What are you doing?" He Xuan tried to pull him back but could not reach him.
He could only wait behind while Wei An went to approach the patrol guards.
Not up to a minute later, he heard running footsteps that gradually faded in the distance.
He peeked and saw Wei An standing alone in the alley with no patrol guard present.
He slowly walked up to Wei An constantly looking at both sides in case there were any patrol guards left.
When he finally realized there was none present, he relaxed completely and turned to Wei An, "what did you tell them?" he asked.
"I told them that I saw a suspicious young man holding a folding fan running in the next street", Wei An answered.
He Xuan understood Wei An had described him to the patrol guards.
"Why did you say that? Now they all know I'm outside. If they can't find me, they'll search everywhere", He Xuan was more alarmed now.
"So if your highness wants to escape, you should leave immediately", Wei An said.
He Xuan nodded and began running. He turned back to see Wei An walking steadily and ran back, pulled him then, continued running with full speed.
They soon reached an inn.
The carriage was by the corner of the inn.
"Finally", He Xuan sighed, relieved.
He walked towards the carriage but Wei An stopped him halfway.
"What do you want?" He Xuan wanted to hurry and leave the capital for Nanning before anyone found out he had fled from the marriage.
"I think there is someone in the carriage", Wei An answered looking at the carriage.
He Xuan looked at the carriage too and noticed a faint shadow inside.
"Who is that?"
"Let me check", Wei An said and wanted to go check but He Xuan stopped him.
"In case they are from the palace, we should maintain a safe distance"
They stepped backwards and hid behind the bushes.
He Xuan opened his folding fan and threw it in the direction of the carriage.
The fan entered the carriage and a clash was heard. The fan flew back and almost hit Wei An's face. Luckily, He Xuan caught it in time.
A lady slowly alighted from the carriage.
"I never knew Prince Ning was so skilled at martial arts"
It was Sang Xue'er.
She turned in the direction they were hiding.
"Let's retreat", He Xuan whispered but Wei An was already standing.
"What are you doing?"
"She can already see us", Wei An responded.
He Xuan realized his hiding space was quite obvious. He stood up and cleared his throat as though trying to appear serious.
"Commandary Princess Anning, it's been a while", he said fanning himself with his fan slowly.
[Channing Palace]
"The token I gave Qin Yan is the Jiuyuan token. My princely title is Jiuyuan. It was granted to me by the late emperor when I was born", He Yu explained.
"When my father was young, there were many threats and attacks on our state. North Bei were constantly trying to invade our borders. As the crown prince, though young in age, my father was sent to the Northwest to defend the borders. However, the army was too small. It was hundreds of soldiers against tens of thousands of soldiers of North Bei. So my father came up with a strategy. He sold most valuables from his palace and used the money to recruit orphans and homeless people for war. Gradually, the Northwest became home to hundreds of thousands of soldiers guarding different locations and under different commands", He Yu explained.
Lingxi listened attentively to him.
"However, there was once a situation where false information was leaked about the war and four major troops were led to confront the North Bei soldiers who had joined hands with Le State. They were ambushed and barely survived. They then led an attack on the frontier. With four major troops absent, the battle was barely won by a tiny margin. So, everyone jointly decided to create the Jiuyuan token. Without the order of the Jiuyuan token, no more than two major troops can be released and every major decision must be approved by the token. It also has free access to review every soldier or troop", He Yu explained further.
Lingxi paused for a minute in thought, "so your father granted you the title Jiuyuan to signify your connection with the Northwest and also sent you there as a child to gain experience and hand you the Jiuyuan token"
He Yu nodded.
Lingxi let out a short laugh, "what a masterfully laid plan. Your father was a smart man. I always wondered how, despite being frail, you possessed such intelligence. Now that I see it, it's hereditary"
"I'll take your compliment", He Yu smiled back.
Lingxi cut out the thread from the handkerchief she was designing.
She opened it clearly to view the design, "is it pretty?" she asked He Yu.
He Yu took it and looked at it. His smile froze on his lips.