As the group convened to plan their attack against the enemy, Suyin took charge and delegated tasks to each member. Zhaoyun and Weizhe spread out the map of the stronghold on the table as Suyin explained the plan of action. The group was divided into two teams - Suyin, Weizhe, and Zhaohui would be heading to the North side of the stronghold, while the medical scholars - Junli, Jiayi, and Shao Feng - would be attacking from the South.
Zhaohui had fewer soldiers on his side, and hence, the North wasn't as heavily guarded as the South. Therefore, their primary mission was to clear the grounds and the area before they could move on to the other side of the stronghold.
Suyin had been the mastermind behind the plan to rescue Qin Fuhua, and she had taken care to prepare sleeping powder in advance. She distributed it among her group before they parted ways, instructing them to use it only in case of necessity.
Suyin was understandably nervous as they approached their destination. She knew that the success of the mission rested on their ability to rescue Qin Fuhua without alerting the enemy. Zhaohui was by her side, watching her anxiety with concern. He reached out and patted her on the shoulder, offering words of reassurance.
"Don't worry," he said softly. "We will make sure everything runs smoothly."
Suyin's eyes were filled with worry, but with Zhaohui's support, she nodded her head in agreement. They continued on their journey, heading northwards. As they walked, the dense forest slowly gave way to open land.
When they finally reached their destination, Suyin and her group moved in quickly, determined to catch the enemy off guard. Before the soldiers could call for reinforcements, Suyin and her team launched a surprise attack from behind, overwhelming the enemy and securing their objective.
The group had been on a mission to clear out the North, a task that was taking longer than expected. The intense heat of the sun was beginning to wear down some of the soldiers, causing them to slow down in their movements. The smell of death and blood was overpowering, leaving a lasting impression on the dirt ground.
Amidst all the chaos, Suyin was doing her best to tend to the injured soldiers, providing them with the necessary care and attention. She knew that every second counted, and she was determined to make a difference. Meanwhile, the rest of the group was tirelessly working to wipe out the whole area in the North, determined to complete their mission.
It was now known that the Prince of Qin's reinforcements had been called, and the enemy soldiers were alerted, now. The camp in the north had been taken over, and bodies were beginning to pile up in the corner of the campsite.
Zhaohui and Weizhe had just come back from a gruesome battle, their clothes soaked in blood and sweat. They were panting heavily as they made their way toward the rest of the soldiers and Suyin, who was analyzing the situation in one of the campsites. Suyin was determined to find out who was behind the brutal ambush that they had just experienced.
Despite her best efforts, Suyin was unable to find any evidence that could help them identify the attackers. As Zhaohui and Weizhe stumbled into the tent, gasping for air, Suyin turned to them with a look of disappointment. She shook her head slowly, indicating that she hadn't found anything related to the attack.
Suyin was still searching through the enemy's belongings, which were filled with empty pots, pans, and boxes. Despite her urgency to reach Qin Fuhua quickly, she didn't want to push her companions too hard. "We should rest," she suggested, feeling the strain of the journey herself.
Weizhe nodded in agreement.
"Let's set up camp and continue tomorrow," he said. It was essential to take a break and recuperate before continuing on their mission.
Zhaohui watched Suyin closely, concerned about her well-being. He noticed that she seemed exhausted and worried. He raised his hands and stopped her from searching any further, his eyebrows furrowed with concern.
As he observed Suyin, he realized that she appeared to be completely worn out. The dark bags under her eyes were a clear indication that she hadn't had enough sleep. Despite being in his company, her attention seemed to be elsewhere. Zhaohui gently placed his hand on hers
"You should take a rest, also." He spoke, his voice softly barely audible to Suyin.
However, Suyin just smiled and shook her head, "I'm okay. I took a rest earlier already. You should go rest for tomorrow. There's still a lot that we need to do." Suyin looked at him straight in his eyes, "I'm fine. Really."
Zhaohui knew that Suyin was a determined and stubborn person who would not stop until she achieved her goals. He sighed and nodded, conceding to her wishes.
Zhaowei turned to see Weizhe, who remained silent until now, and finally understood why Weizhe didn't oppose Suyin's decision.
Suyin's eyes were fixed on every corner of the large tent as she searched for any clues that could help her. The two people who had accompanied her were standing nearby, watching her every move.
Suyin's concentrated face betrayed her growing concern for Qin's safety. She knew that someone was intentionally trying to harm him, but she couldn't figure out who it could be.
As she continued to search, her mind wandered to the people she once knew in the Long Kingdom - her parents, the Princess and Prince. Could any of them be involved with the Tengzhi and be behind the attack on Qin? Suyin couldn't shake off the thought that those she knew could be the ones causing harm to the one person she cared about.
The candle in her tent flickered as the moon rose higher in the sky, casting eerie shadows around her. Suyin's search for evidence continued, but the answers seemed to elude her. She was determined to get to the bottom of this, no matter what it took.
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As the first rays of the morning sun began to peek over the horizon, Suyin fell asleep. Weizhe and Zhaohui had launched a surprise attack on their army's eastern flank, catching them completely off guard.
The air was filled with the sounds of clashing swords, shouting soldiers, and anguished cries of pain as the battle raged on.
Suyin had spent the entire night searching for evidence, so it wasn't surprising that she had fallen asleep on the desk. Her head was resting on the hard surface, while her hands were laid out in front of her, clutching onto a piece of cloth that had a golden lotus lace on it.
Completely oblivious to her surroundings, Suyin was in a deep slumber. However, her sleep was short-lived as she was abruptly awakened by the sound of footsteps approaching the tent. With only an hour or two of sleep, Suyin immediately stood up, rubbing her eyes, and trying to regain her composure.
She was disrupted by the sound of loud footsteps. Each step of the person seemed to crush the sand and rocks together, creating a loud noise that echoed in the silence. It was one of the enemy soldiers who had successfully infiltrated the campsite while the soldiers were busy attacking their base.
The soldier moved cautiously towards the largest tent, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of the enemy. Inside the tent, Suyin was hiding behind a commander's flag, praying that she would manage to escape unnoticed. She knew that one wrong move could cost her life.
As the soldier entered the tent, he searched every corner, his eyes sharp and attentive. Suyin tried to sneak past him, but her foot hit a small vase, causing it to fall and shatter. The loud noise caught the soldier's attention, and he swung around quickly to face the source of the sound. Spotting Suyin, he lunged towards her, ready to take her down.
Suyin was holding the dagger in her hands, afraid as the soldier began to smile with his eyes widened. "You are one of them, aren't you?!" The soldier cried out, holding Suyin's arms as she tried to resist him.
"Now, you're just a woman. Why don't I try to taste how women walking into danger like this tastes like!"
The soldier was a maniac. His eyes were bloodshot red as he stuck out his tongue, trying to lean forward to lick Suyin's neck as she screamed.
Suyin found herself in a precarious situation with a soldier trying to overpower her. She struggled with all her might, but the soldier was too strong for her. However, her quick thinking led her to notice that there were a few items on a shelf above her. With a sense of urgency, she began slamming her back against the tent's wall, hoping to dislodge the pots and vases from the shelf.
Despite her efforts, the first time she slammed the wall, nothing happened. The soldier kept advancing, his tongue almost touching her face. But Suyin did not give up. She gathered all her strength and slammed her back against the wall once again, this time with all her might. The pots and vases came tumbling down, hitting the soldier on the head and causing him to stumble backward in pain.
Suyin's actions were swift and decisive, driven by an instinct for self-preservation. The soldier's grip loosened as she broke free, her movements fueled by a surge of adrenaline as she reached for the dagger, her fingers closing around its hilt with a trembling grasp.
With a force born of desperation, she shoved the blade against the soldier's chest, her heart pounding in her ears as she felt resistance give away beneath her. The shock in the soldier's eyes mirrored her disbelief, his expression morphing from aggression to stunned realization as blood began to seep from the wound.
As he collapsed to the ground, the weight of his body falling heavily against the earth, Suyin's hands trembled uncontrollably. The reality of what she had just done washed over her, sending a shiver of fear coursing through her veins.
She was not a killer; she was a Doctor, sworne to preserve life. But in that moment, faced with the choice between her survival and that of the soldier, there had been no other option.
Suyin's body shook uncontrollably, but she managed to take a deep breath to calm herself down. She knew she had to keep her wits about her, regardless of the gruesome scene before her.
With a shudder, she whispered to herself, "Han Suyin, calm down. You need to ensure the safety of everyone in the campsite and find Qin Fuhua. He needs you."
Suyin's mind raced as she tried to focus on the task at hand. Taking a deep breath, she stepped back from the dead body and gathered her courage.
With her heart pounding in her chest, Suyin stepped out of the campsite, her senses on high alert. She scanned her surroundings, trying to get a sense of what was going on.
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Suyin's senses were heightened as she cautiously scanned the campsite, her eyes darting from shadow to shadow in search of any signs of danger.
The air hung heavy with an oppressive silence, broken only by the distant echoes of soldiers' screams emanating from the East. She knew that Weizhe and Zhaohui had ventured in that direction with their troops, determined to clear the pathway and secure their position.
Clutched tightly in her trembling hand was a cloth adorned with a golden lotus, its intricate design catching the faint light filtering through the dense canopy above.
It was the only distinctive thing that she continued seeing, curious as to what it was. She decided that it was best to keep it for herself so that she could figure out who was behind all of this.
With a determined resolve, she tucked the cloth securely into the folds of her garment, determined to unravel its mysteries at a later time.
Suyin began to navigate her way through the camp, her movements purposeful yet cautious. The ground beneath her feet was littered with the fallen bodies of soldiers, their lifeless forms a grim testament to the brutality of war.
Despite the overwhelming despair that threatened to engulf her, Suyin pressed on, her determination unyielding. With each step, she drew closer to the heart of the conflict, her mind focused on the task at hand.
The stench of blood and dirt hung heavy in the air, threatening to overwhelm her senses with its sickening intensity.
As Suyin walked towards Zhaohui and Weizhe, she couldn't help but cover her nose with her handkerchief to avoid the putrid stench of death emanating from the dead soldiers lying around them. Zhaohui, who was holding onto his right biceps, was seen talking to Weizhe in the middle of the aftermath of a fierce battle.
Suyin hurried towards them, visibly worried about what had happened. Weizhe was surprised to see her there and questioned her presence.
"Suyin. What are you doing here?" He asked with a hint of concern.
"Zhaohui, you're hurt!" Suyin exclaimed as she noticed the injury on his arm. She turned towards Weizhe to make sure that he wasn't hurt either, but he shook his head with a smile on his face.
Zhaohui turned towards Suyin and gave her a reassuring smile. "It's not much," he said, still holding onto his injured biceps. "On the bright side, we were able to wipe out the men on this side."
Suyin breathed a sigh of relief at the news, but her concern for Zhaohui's well-being remained.
As soon as Suyin saw Zhaohui's injury, she rushed to his side, her heart pounding with fear and worry. The wound was deep and looked like it had been caused by a sharp weapon, possibly a spear or a sword. Suyin quickly scanned her surroundings for anything that could be used to stop the bleeding, but there was nothing she could use. She knew she had to act fast, or else Zhaohui could bleed out.
With no other option, Suyin made a quick decision and tore off her right sleeve to cover Zhaohui's wounds. Weizhe, who was watching from a distance, turned away as Suyin tore off her sleeve.
"Hey, stop it," Zhaohui said, trying to lighten up the mood and ease Suyin's serious demeanor as she slapped his left hand.
Suyin remained focused on the task at hand. "This is all I can do," she said, her eyes fixed on the injury. "I can't go into battle, nor can I do anything else to help you guys." She began to tend Zhaohui's wound, knowing he'd done a lot for her.
"Let me tie it myself then." Zhaohui gently took Suyin's hand and stopped her from tying the injury herself. "If you keep at this, I won't be able to let you go to your man, happily." His voice was soft, yet firm yet there was a sense of bittersweet emotion in his tone.
As Zhaohui tied the cloth by himself, Suyin tried to make sense of his words. What did he mean by not being able to let her go to her man happily? Was he trying to tell her something? She looked at him, but he avoided her gaze and focused on the task at hand.
"Suyin..." Weizhe called Suyin. She looked up and noticed that the guards at the stronghold were all whispering to each other, casting furtive glances in their direction. One of the soldiers had left, and the others seemed to be discussing something important.
"Lower your gates!" Suyin's voice echoed through the gates as she desperately tried to convince the soldiers to lower them. Her hands were cupped around her mouth to amplify her voice.
"Can't you see that we have cleared the soldiers on this side already?!" She continued to yell at them.
Despite her pleas, the soldiers remained motionless, their eyes fixed on Suyin and Weizhe. They whispered among themselves, unsure whether to truth the two. Suyin could sense their hesitation.
She pointed at Weizhe, hoping to persuade the soldiers of his identity. "Don't you recognize him?!" She exclaimed. "He's the right-hand man of the Prince of Qin!"
But her words fell on deaf ears. Weizhe, trying to maintain composure, chimed in.
"My lady," Weizhe uttered, trying to stop her. "I have already told them who I am, but they are following orders from the Prince to keep the gates closed for precautions, no matter who it is."
"The King didn't bring any reinforcement, so it'll be impossible to allow them to just casually let us in," Zhaohui spoke, looking up at the soldiers. He chuckled at the thought of how close they had come to achieving their objective, just to be thwarted at the very end. "The longer we stay here if the enemy from the South comes here, we'll be closer to death."
If only Suyin had the Jade of the Dragon! They would have been able to identify that she was with Qin Fuhua!
She stopped for a second, thinking about the Jade of the Dragon. She thought of the Crown Prince, who had impersonated Qin Fuhua the first time she'd met with him. He was probably related to all of the incidents in the Tengzhi.
But for now, lowering the gates was their top priority. Suyin was about to shout at the soldiers once again when, to her surprise, the gates started to lower. The soldiers stepped aside, allowing Suyin, Weizhe, Zhaohui, and his army to enter the stronghold.
The sight of Han Suyin's hurried arrival left the soldiers in a state of confusion, their expressions reflecting a mix of surprise and shock.
Upon seeing Weizhe, the soldiers lowered their heads in shame, for not recognizing the right-handed man and being unable to lower the gates for him.
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[10 MINUTES AGO]
One of the soldiers reported to the Prince of Qin that they were listening to a strange woman at the gate. They noticed that the woman's right cloth was ripped from her forearm and she was shouting at the gatekeepers.
The soldiers were unsure of what to do in the situation, so they quickly went to Qin Fuhua to seek his guidance.
Qin Fuhua, upon hearing the situation at the gate, could only laugh deep down inside at what the soldier had said. He immediately guessed that the woman in question was none other than Han Suyin, who was known to be bold and not like any other female.
"Let them in."
Qin Fuhua coldly ordered the soldier. The soldier was surprised to hear the Prince of Qin's order and voiced his concern about the defense.
"B-But My Lord, what about our defense?"
"Have they not done their job in eliminating the soldiers in the East? And why are you not rushing to tell them to open the gates in the East to allow my people to enter?" Qin Fuhua's words were cold as ice, and they pierced through the soldier's skin, making him stand up straight and tall.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, the soldier quickly responded with a "Y-Yes, my Lord!" and rushed back to the gate to follow Qin Fuhua's orders.
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Suyin was in a state of panic as she rushed down the path of soldiers that led to the main encampment. She couldn't help but worry about Qin Fuhua, and her instincts led her to see how he was doing.
Zhaohui and Weizhe were far behind Suyin, struggling to keep up with her pace.
As Suyin arrived at the main encampment, she spotted Qin Fuhua slowly coming out of the tent. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw him from afar.
Suyin ran faster toward him as she held back her emotions.
Qin Fuhua noticed Suyin as she approached him, and he couldn't help but feel relieved to see her. As she ran into him in an embrace, he opened his arms to hold onto her tightly. Suyin clung to him, feeling a sense of safety in his embrace as she held back her tears.
The soldiers watched in awe as the two of them hugged each other.
"Did you do this?" Qin Fuhua whispered in Suyin's ears, his breath hot against her skin as she nodded in response.
Suyin spoke in a low tone, almost inaudible to Qin Fuhua, "I had help from our friends in the past." She released her hold on him and scanned him from top to bottom, ensuring he was all right. Placing the back of her palm on his forehead, she was trying to make sure he wasn't feeling unwell.
"Are you okay, how are you feeling?"
Qin Fuhua lowered her hand, "I'm fine. I was down with a fever and infection. I sustained an injury in the battle as well, an arrow on my left arm, but it's already on the path to recovery"
As Weizhe and Zhaohui approached, Qin Fuhua nodded in greeting, and they kneeled a few feet away from him.
Suyin grew increasingly anxious and bombarded Qin Fuhua with questions, but he stopped her by holding onto her hands.
"I knew the soldiers back at the Palace lacked experience. I planned to fight the ambush once I had recuperated, but I never thought it would take me this long to recover." Qin Fuhua explained softly to Suyin, who avoided his gaze.
Qin Fuhua continued, "But for my woman to venture out and bring an entire army?" He lifted her chin gently, making her meet his eyes that had softened significantly on seeing her "The only woman capable of this is none other than, my Lady."
Suddenly, soldiers from the south gate ran towards them.
"We need to head to the West for reinforcements. Enemy soldiers are clearing up, but it seems like the battle is starting to wear down on our people on our side!" One of the soldiers announced.
Suyin turned to look at the soldier and then at Qin Fuhua, a worried expression etched on her face.
"It's Junli and the others.. Teacher Zhou Lin.." she said, turning to Weizhe and Zhohui. "I should go and help too," She said, trying to look up at Qin Fuhua.
However, everything around her began to blur out, and she felt like a heavy weight was crushing her. Suddenly, everything turned black and Suyin collapsed.
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Qin Fuhua and the rest of the soldiers had left for the West for reinforcements. Junli's group had taken over the South side of the enemy's encampment.
The real challenge lay in heading towards the West, where the majority of the soldiers were stationed with stronger weapons and defense. The situation was precarious and the outcome of the battle hung in the balance.
Suyin had been exhausted and had fainted, missing out on what was happening in the battle in the West. Qin Fuhua had carried her to his room and laid her down to rest.
Qin Fuhua reassured the soldiers that her reinforcement and extra backup had boosted the soldiers' morale.
It was nighttime, and Suyin awoke to the sound of laughter and the clinking of mugs. She wondered if they had won the battle. Her head was still throbbing.
"Don't get up, just yet." Qin Fuhua whispered. He was sitting at the edge of the bed, tending to her. Suyin was startled by his presence.
"Did we win?" Suyin questioned Qin Fuhua, trying to get a sense of the outcome of the battle.
He nodded at her question, assuring her that everything was fine now. "There's nothing to worry about." He said, reaching out to caress Suyin's cheeks. "I'll go grab food for you. Rest here for a while."
As Qin Fuhua got up and left the tent, Suyin felt something in her pockets. It was the cloth with the golden lotus sewn on it. She knew that it was possible Qin Fuhua was aware of the owner of that cloth, and she hoped that he could provide her with some answers.