The princes noticed that Fang was watching them.
"Whoever wins this competition, he'll have to marry that despicable woman," Qing said as he sipped from his tea.
"Shouldn't we be welcoming them?" Yuhan asked as he clenched his glass. He couldn't stay still after he found out that Yue was alive and well and was coming home.
"Father Emperor and Mother Empress have moved from her and has proceeded to grant Lady Fang the title that Yue once held. If they know about her existence, heaven knows what they'll do to her," Xuiying said as he took a bite from his cake. "This is quite good. Can you send some to my mansion, brother Yuhan?"
Yuhan just nodded in response.
"There will be a time for us to visit them," Qing said. "Brother Xuiying is right. Yue's safety is our utmost priority. If the ministers find out about her again, they'll make another ruckus."
"Then... shall we slowly exterminate those who pose a threat to her?" Xuiying asked.
"I've already started, brother. Let us be patient," Qing said as he continued drinking his tea.
Li Jiahao, the 8th Imperial Prince of the Great Empire of Li.
...
Their carriage stopped for a while to take a break from the tiring journey.
Jiahao and Xuefeng quickly took Yue into the woods where no one could see her transform. Jiahao opened the cage and out came a beautiful woman.
"Are you tired?" he asked.
"No, your highness. Please, don't mind me but thank you for letting me out for a while," Yue smiled.
The two men looked at each other and sighed. She really hasn't changed at all. She'd still keep it in just so they wouldn't worry about her. They already informed the other princes and they trust that Yuhan, Xuiying, and Qing would keep Yue a secret from the Emperor and Empress. It would be dangerous for Yue's existence to be known since the Emperor already declared her sister as the crown princess.
And they couldn't even tell the General and his wife. They knew that the General would do the right thing and would prefer to serve the Imperial Family than betray them by keeping Yue a secret. They both decided that Yue would reside in the 8th prince's residence.
They went to a nearby spring and Yue took a sip from it while the prince and his loyal servant, her brother, stood guard.
Xuefeng looked at his sister who was peacefully resting by the grasses. He always wanted to ask what happened when she was gone and why wasn't she happy before. But he was afraid of the truth, he was afraid to know where her happiness lies down.
"We should get going," Jiahao said. "The generals and commanders would wonder where we are since we've gone for too long."
"Alright. I'll go first to scout the area if there are any who witnessed Yue's transformation," Xuefeng said as he mounted his horse.
As Xuefeng galloped away, Yue approached Jiahao.
"I know you have a lot of questions for me. And there will be a right time where I would answer all of them," she said as if she read their minds.
She transformed back into her bird form and entered her cage to which Jiahao carefully carried back to his horse. After getting back in his carriage, Xuefeng followed him inside.
"No one saw her," he reported to which Jiahao only nodded as he saw a general pass by their window.
"Tell them to travel faster," Jiahao ordered. He was afraid someone would find out about Yue. He glanced at Yue who was sleeping soundly inside her cage again.
He chuckled. She's still lethargic as ever.