Someone knocked on the door, "Let me help you to sit," he gently helped her to sit on the bed. Before he could walk away, he heard her, "It was you that's why I risked my life," she was toward the opened window, the bright light was gleaming in her eyes, those were still wet with her tears.
He stood rooted after he listened to her reasoning, he did not ask why nor any question popped in his mind, he was blank, he knew that someone was most of the time keeping a stare on him but he thought that it was mere fancy phantasm or his over-cautious attitude.
Her sister and two maids entered the room with the second knock.
"Please, take care of yourself, Miss Jie Lan," he exited the room after saying what he thought was necessary.
Wei Lan looked at her sister playfully and in return, she received a scold.
Two maids dress up her wound anew and told her some precautions too that if she moved often her wound would not fix itself and she needed complete rest and should not take rest bath before her outer skin was cured.
...…
"She is just small girl and this was the second attempt that we lost," an advisor spoke up.
"This is because we did not take the matter seriously," another advisor berated the first advisor.
"Then how are we going to take the matter seriously, only a week is left in the Prince ceremony and we were supposed to silent this matter before the ceremony," the first one deduced his concern.
They were sitting in the secret pavilion court and waiting for the King for further orders.
"I think we don't need plan this time, we can directly assassin her and if anyone asked, we don't need to give an excuse for her assassin, we can blame some random burglars."
The third advisor proposed a face-on plan.
They heard and were about to review when the King entered the secret pavilion.
They stood up and bowed to the King, King was not in a good mood so they did not initiate conversation.
After a long time, someone cleared his throat and spoke, "We heard that two assassins that we sent were killed by the security in-charge of the mansion."
"There is no need to worry anymore; King paused for a long while.
They thought that King had abandoned the idea to get rid Henan Zhong daughter of General Zhong, they were thinking other possibilities too.
....
Wan Hu wanted to talk to his father regarding the safety of Henan Zhong and the matter of Pendant, today he finally decided to talk to his father.
He saw his father heading toward pavilion court so he thought to follow behind him.
He did not send a slave to inform the King that Prince wanted to seek him.
Just when he intended to enter the door, he heard the last words on an advisor.
He was clear that whenever his father was here in this pavilion, he would discuss serious issues. "I have prepared twenty over martial assassins to chase her away and if possible kill her," he was finally get frustrated over the matter to get rid her.
Prince heard his father and tinge of disgust in his voice, he could not digest what he heard, and he soundlessly left the pavilion court.
The martial assassins about whom his father was talking were ruthless assassins; his heart was not at ease.
He thought that his father cared for Henan Zhong being the daughter of General Zhong but he never thought that King wanted to get rid her.
If King wanted to get rid her, did it means that…
his wild ideas were wandering, he brought up the pendant of General Zhong, "Does it means King hates master? Then…" he ran to his room, preparing things for urgent.
...
A Day Before
Henan called for Lue Zhen and gave him new orders, she called for all maids and servants of the mansion and thanked them for their services and handed some gold coins to depart to their houses saying that she did not need their services anymore.
She suggested both sisters, Jie Lan, and Wei Lan that if she wanted, she could send them back to Palace but both were reluctant to leave her, she cleared her intentions to her guards and gave them choice, either they wanted to follow her since she was going to search her father or they simply choose to leave the mansion.
They chose to follow her no matter what kind of circumstances lay ahead.
She instructed Lye Zhen to shift both sisters to a safe and better place and after that, if he wanted to join her, he could, she told her rough estimates to where she was heading.
Before anyone in the Royal State could determine her intentions, she would disappear from their vision.
Anyone who was after her life should wait until she found her father.
Guards packed their weapons and luggage, Henan also packed her necessary things. Important and crucial things of the mansion were shifted its underground store, she locked that mansion and its keys dug deep in a soil flower pot.
They left mansion one by one.
Henan slightly changed her appearance with some black marks on her face, her ordinary clothing added to it.
She had gathered the information where her father lost against Huns last time and she was 90% sure that the King was behind all this.
She did not want to tell Wan Hu because it was sensitive for Wan Hu acceptance, how could he suspect his own father for the murder of his own master, also it would be considered inappropriate if all this Henan speak out in front of him.
Compared to Henan and her guards, Lue Zhen had to keep his journey slower because it was just three days ago that Jie Lan received sword cut on her back.
After four days long journey, they reached another state of Kingdom and the next day they were in a remote village where his parents were living with a different identity.
They warmly welcomed him; Lue Zhen talked to his father about the circumstances.
"If any villager asked us who were both girls?" his mother was little concerned.
Lue Zhen looked out where both sisters were sitting under the bamboo shade and after some thought, he slightly smiled, "Tell them that Jie Lan is the wife of your older son, Lue Zhen." Both parents looked at their son and he looked at them and lowered his eyes.
His mother and father smiled back assuring him, he thanked them and came out.
Wei Lan got away sensing Lue Zhen wanted to talk her sister.
They walked toward another end, slightly off the eyes of others, "I don't thrive to come, please marry someone else, I am going back to search and protect Miss Henan," she could understand his intentions but she did not want to lose him.
"Promise me, you will be back," he clutched his fists. "I can't promise, I have to trade my life to save Miss Henan Zhong," though he said softly Jie Lan could not stop her tears.
He took few steps ahead and heard, "I'll wait for you till the end," he stood rooted to his feet for few moments and rushed to her to catch her falling tears, two big drops of tears fell on his hands and he admonished her softly, "These are precious, please don't shed them again," saying this he wrapped her in his embrace and gently kissed her on her head, wiped her face with his hand and urged her to smile for him.
If he left her crying, he would be able to keep his journey suave, the woman who conquered his heart completely without wielding any weapon; instead, she chose to face the weapon which was aimed at him.
Why would not he love her? This was the highest peak of love to sacrifice precious life to secure someone.
...…..
Prince did not inform anyone and head toward the mansion but he got more panicked to see that mansion was deserted.
He cursed himself, Henan shared most of her concerns with him but he was such coward to share to the truth which revolved around her life.
He tried to recall her possible hints or intentions about her next step.
What would he do if he lost his father? He muddled in his mind with storming queries and rejoinders.
What if Martial Assassins were already sent by his father? Thunderstruck and he could not think any more then he voiced to himself, "No, King has prepared Martial Assassins, did not send yet," at this time he had lost his usual composure.
Thinking something, he stormed toward the direction where Henan left.
He was incomparably faster than fastest War Messenger.
It seemed his life race; the places he crossed were left in chaos only destiny in his mind was Henan Zhong…
.......
From the day Henan started her journey, she knew it was long journey and King might have sent Assassins after her. She never thought that Prince would search for her.
There were many small factions and states in their way, after whole day journey, Henan and her guards were dead tired and they needed to rest for next day long journey, they reached to a remote inn of a small village.
Henan checked for a few rooms and they got four rooms finally for their stay. Few customers were there in service expanse for dinner.
They also sat to order their dinner.
A petit attendant was serving the orders, she was Xue Ren, a sixteen years old girl but wearing male robs and serving as a male attendant.
Her stature was too willowy to be called by appearance.
She was serving this inn for two years because her family had no choice if they wanted to fill their bellies; their eldest daughter had to earn living for them, her mother and younger sister.
Henan and her guards occupied three tables and started waiting for the attendant to receive the order and Xue Ren was serving on another table, she put the tray filled with different pots of dishes. She moved to take orders from new customers nearing this table, the man grabbed her wrist and she hurriedly moved to see.
"Your wrist is too slender as a girl, you should work out and be manly," the man chuckled lightly and released her hand.
She felt pain on her wrist but moved to take orders from Henan and her guards.
They ordered porridge of meat and some rice.
"I bet she is a girl unlike her male robs," a man who was his friend said peering his eyes.
His eyes were moving with the movement of service attendant, he was critically keeping eyes on her. There were four people on that table; their physiques were well built.
One of them who talked with Xue Ren was wearing a handkerchief on his head covering it, another one was wearing metal ring in his ear, and the other two were as bizarre as them in appearance. The man who was keeping an eye on the attendant had a deep scar between his brows.
Henan and her guards heard his bet, and they shook their head thinking people had plenty of time to gossip about others.
Soon their dinner was served.
Hot discussion started on the other table, three men were shouting at each other, one of them said, "No, she is definitely a girl," other one refuted immediately, "He is a teenage boy that's why he is slender."
"Why both of you fucking each other, just pull that lean bastard and strip off his dress, then fuck yourself he or she," the third one was angered at their nonsense squabble, while the fourth one seemed that all their wrangle was none of his business.
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