"Daiyu, stay here and don't make a noise..." Li Zhong He's eyes hooded as his expression turned grave. He held the hilt of his sheathed sword hanging on his waist, and walked past the woman who could only cry in silence.
A few minutes before...
A servant was walking on large strides as he entered the courtyard of the general. "Master, please pardon my sudden intrusion, a lady outside was looking for you. She would not let us know her name so we could not tell whether she was someone you might know." The servant announced entering the general's study room, his head hanging low.
General Li Zhong He was about to conclude his study when the servant came abruptly to declare an unexpected arrival of an unknown visitor. "A lady?" He thought. What would make a lady rush into such place in the middle of the night? With that in mind, he quickly rose from his seat pulling along him a sheathed sword that was resting on the table and made his way towards the gate of the manor.
Outside the gate, a woman wearing a hood was sitting on top of a white horse. The moment she saw the man rushing to meet her, she lifted the light blue hood that concealed her beautiful countenance a moment ago.
The moonlight gleamed on her face, enhancing the latter's rather imposing features. Just by looking at the lady, one could say that she must be an important figure.
"General Li Zhong He," her soft voice echoed. She somewhat spoke in a tone that declared her familiarity towards the general.
His eyes widened upon seeing the mysterious lady in front of his property. Three years. It has been three years since he last saw this familiar face. He blinked his eyes in disbelief for a moment, and caught himself falling again.
"Lady Shan" he paused for a moment, worry suddenly filled his heart. "what are you doing here?" He hoped to hear her immediate answer.
She did not spoke, but he met her eyes full of emotions. Those eyes, how could he not remember it? It is those same pair of eyes that could tacitly communicate with him countless times before.
"Prepare the best meal for our visitor; Keep her horse in a separate stable and feed it." He commanded his servants as he let out his hand to help her down. She replied with a smile and reached for his helping hands.
Inside the residence...
Entering the general's study once again, Li Zhong He patiently escorted the lady to sit on a chair. She was wearing a gloomy expression totally conflicting to her lovely face.
Silence.
The general was looking at her intently.
"You are still beautiful..." his voice echoed on his head.
His face suddenly contracted a bit, "No. You cannot have her." he quickly reasoned out to himself and shrugged off his own thoughts. He knew he could never have her. Not at least in this lifetime.
The lady was dressed in a simple, yet elegant robe that suited her demeanor. Her face has been red due to her rushing on horseback, some strand of hair slightly pressed on her sweaty forehead. She has been exhausted from travelling thousands of li away from the capital Chang'An. She was yet to tell her real intention of leaving the capital.
Lady Shan sighed a heavy breath before opening her mouth to speak. But before she could utter a word, she saw the general swiftly raised a hand to halt her from speaking. He stood up and quietly dragged the lady on the corner without delay. He motioned her to stay still and not to make any noise and left her on the study.
____
He continued to walk on the moonlited hallway. Not long after walking a distance, the shadow casted on the floor suddenly moved, advancing on the man who raised the single-edged sword on time to counter the shadow's attack.
Li Zhong He could sense his enemies coming towards him. He moved quickly and started to fight the first assassin to make contact on him that was hidden on the shadows.
Metals clashing resounded on the hall.
As a known formidable and skilled fighter, nothing could go across this great general's assault without receiving a heavy physical damage.
"Do you dare challenge my authority?." He asked the person coldly. This man should be a top-class assassin, for even on the brink of death, he only winced in pain and showed no trace of fear.
He decided that he won't be receiving any answer, so he raised his sword to hack this man's belly. But just as he was about to terminate the assassin, another man in black started to head in his direction, leaping on hardly only to receive a detrimental slash from his sharp sword.
Blood gushed from the second assassin's left chest, the metal piece only an inch away from his vital organ. "I won't kill you all..." his eyes darted on a corner, "Tell him to never send anyone to disturb us anymore..." General Li Zhong He pulled his bloody sword back, "I will send his majesty my personal message regarding the matter."
With that, the shadows left the manor, leaving only the blood-stained floor and the general.
"Master, please allow us to assist you." Another man from the shadows appeared. "You may clean this up, Jao." He was the general's bodyguard.
Li Zhong He purposely fought with the enemy by himself to let them see his prowess and not take him lightly in the future. Surely, he was not the Great Defender-General of the South for nothing.
The remaining hours of the night went bitter cold, only the sound of the cicadas could be heard. "Daiyu, tell me what really happened? You are supposed to be in the palace. How could you leave without letting him know?" A man's inquiring voice broke the silence. Lady Shan Daiyu was sitting on a chair, her head slightly tilted down.
"Zhong He, I..." tears started to flow on her cheeks. "My time is getting near..." she continued, "I need you to take care of some things in my stead before I go."