Through most of the day, Rin spent her time reading the official reports of the soldiers and sending scouts from inside the fortified walls to carefully survey the area closely while also dispatching them outside of the city walls.
While doing so, she had also issued out orders to the Bai soldiers she brought with her to survey the area in secret.
For the next couple of days, Rin had stayed up late to plan out her next scheme, her eyes scanning various military books and reports.
During this time, Bai Han, back in the Northern Empire sitting in his study, had received Rin's letter. Upon reading it, he couldn't help but irritably twitch his brows.
That's all the brat had to say? She thanks him and tells him her stay in the North Border was extended?
Who did she take this old man for?! He was her grandfather for god's sake!
The man who had raised her through most of her childhood and all she could do was compose such a short letter in return.
Even if she was busy the least she could do was extend it by two pages at least!
With a bitter scowl, the soldiers surrounding the gloomy old Commander sighed helplessly.
Looks the young Miss once again sent the Commander a short letter…
Twitching his silver beard, Bai Han, about to wrinkle his granddaughter's letter, suddenly pauses upon looking keenly towards the bottom of the letter.
In light strokes, a separate sentence was written.
[Borrow one's hand to kill.]
With furrowed brows, the old man stares at the odd sentence, his head slightly tilting.
Hmm...borrow one's hand to kill eh?
Suddenly, with bright eyes, the old man laughs gleefully.
Haha! Seems like the foolish girl wasn't so foolish after all!
With a broad grin, Bai Han lifts himself from his desk chair.
"Gather five hundred of our men." Bai Han ordered a nearby soldier.
"Ah, Sir?" The soldier looked at the old Commander as if he were mad.
"Don't question my orders. Just do it!" Bai Han glared sharply.
"Yes, Commander!" The soldier bowed respectfully, before departing away to follow the old man's orders.
With silver flaming eyes, the old man chuckled darkly.
He will be sure not to disappoint his dear granddaughter!
…
"Achoo--!"
Back in the governor's estate, Rin who had to happen to be wandering around the grand residence sneezed abruptly.
Looks like winter was approaching sooner than she thought.
While walking down the lavish hallway, Rin suddenly walked by the estate's flowering garden - the place she had previously first met the governor and his family.
As Rin stared at the vibrant glowing natured scenery, Rin's observant eyes noticed a familiar sight - her steps abruptly halting.
Staring at the item within the garden, Rin's eyes flash with an unknown emotion.
Finally, after staring for so long, the girl takes calm, noiseless steps towards the estate's garden.
Soon, approaching a medium-sized tree covered in bright blooming flowers, Rin stops in place, her eyes landing on the lovely flower on the tree.
Chrysanthemums.
Staring at the flower with unfeeling eyes, Rin suddenly lifts her slender white fingertips toward the flower's soft petals.
Just as her fingers were about to touch the blooming flower in the tree, her movements paused.
"It's not polite to eavesdrop, young Miss Lixue." Rin calmly shifts her head behind her to stare at large stone beside the gardens crystal blue pond.
For a few seconds, the area remained still and silent, until only ten seconds later, a petite figure slowly pokes their head out from behind the broad stone.
"How did pretty big brother find out?" Lixue's delicate voice asked, her brows furrowed.
"Young Miss Lixue seems to have forgotten; I've been trained in the military. I'm quite sensitive to my surroundings." Rin lightly chuckled.
"Young Miss Lixue also shouldn't be wandering out without a guard."
The little girl pouted her small rosy lips, her plump hands tightly gripping onto her flowing silk pink dress. The visible expression shown on her rosy face was one of being wronged unjustly.
Rin stared at the girl's expression with steady eyes, a gentle sigh escaping her lips.
"Come over here, I want to show you something." Rin beckoned the little girl gently.
With sparkling bright eyes, Lixue smiles before quickly running toward Rin - her small plump feed stumbling slightly.
"Careful, don't run. You don't want to trip and fall do you?" Rin said soothingly as the little girl approached her.
Hearing Rin's seemingly kind words of concern, the little girl's luminous eyes brighten even further her rosy plump cheeks glowing as she looked up at Rin admirably.
In all honesty, Rin had noted those words in concern of the girl falling and injuring herself, which always resulted in crying when it came to children.
Another thing Rin was bad at - comforting children. Therefore, if Lixue cried she'd be uncertain on what to do or say.
And when a child cried, especially someone like Lixue who was the daughter of the governor in Guando, the governor would surely look to her.
She wasn't in the mood to be scolded by a little kids parents…
Sighing helplessly, Rin's impassive emerald eyes look up at the chrysanthemum tree.
"Does young Miss know what these flowers are called?"
Lixue shifts her glittering eyes toward the tree the young man stared at serenely.
Seeing the lovely snow-white flowers and the delicate ruffle of petals glow beneath the warming sun, Lixue's eyes widened.
So pretty! They were like white snowflakes!
"Lixue doesn't know." The little girl said innocently as she looked at the pretty young man with bright eyes.
"They're called chrysanthemums."
"Chrysanthemums?"
"En."
A gentle gust of wind breezes through the lush garden, fluttering the hair of both Rin and Lixue.
"Do you want to know its meaning?" Rin suddenly asked, her intent gaze continuing to stare at the delicate flowers.
"Uh-huh!" Lixue bobbed her plump head, her round milky cheeks jiggling.
A deep and unknown emotion fills in Rin's alluring eyes as she stares at the flowering tree.
"White chrysanthemums represent nobility, strength, and elegance. They are also thought to attract good luck to the home and represent a life of ease." Rin said gently.
"They're said to refuse to be polluted by society."
As the young man spoke soothingly, his elegant voice carried a tinge of loneliness, his bright emerald eyes dimly lit.