Ying Yue wakes up to the sounds of people chattering around her. Quickly remembering that she fell through the portal, Ying Yue quickly sits up and looks around her, she notices that everyone nearby had black hair. Confirming her fears; she had really returned back to her world. Filled with worry, Ying Yue forces herself to stand up. Walking to nearby farmers, Ying Yue question them on where she was.
"Mister, where am I?"
"Hm? Inside the kingdom of Xin of course. You're in Uiju, we're a small town that is on the outskirts of the capital."
"Do you know how long it will take me to get to the capital?"
"Not long at all, it's only a good five-hour distance on a horse."
Ying Yue was now stuck, unsure of what to do and how to get back to Jianyu. One thing for sure was, she needed to find her way back to her mother now that she was back. Ying Yue glances at her surrounding and spots horses. Turning her gaze back to the old man Ying Yue offers to purchase his horse.
"Mister, sell me one of your horses!"
"What? What do you need it for? They aren't cheap either lady."
Quickly patting down her pockets and checking her sash Ying Yue realized she had no money on her. The farmer scoffs at the sight of Ying Yue digging for money. Ying Yue then remembers she still had jewelry on, quickly pulling out one of the jade hairpins she offers it to the old man.
"This is made from real jade and gold. It's worth over three horses. If you give me one, you can have this hairpin."
"Bah! How do I know it's even real?"
"Here, you can touch it if you'd like. Real gold and jade are heavy."
Ying Yue hands the jade hairpin to the old man. Quickly running his whole hand over and over the hairpin, he realized it was real. Breaking into a grin the old man, nods in agreement.
"How did you even get your hands on this? This would sell for a fortune at the market!"
"Are you taking the deal or not?"
"Of course! Here, I'll even give you my fastest horse!"
The old man drags over a black horse, judging from how it looked; Ying Yue knew it would be a fast horse and good for endurance riding. Thanking the old man, Ying Yue didn't waste a moment and took off. Riding towards the capital, Ying Yue knew she had to find her mother. Considering she's riding the fastest horse, Ying Yue arrived to the capital an hour earlier than she had anticipated. Realizing she couldn't walk around showing her face, Ying Yue finds an old merchant nearby. Removing her last hairpin out of her hair, Ying Yue plops it onto the merchants table.
"I'll like to sell this hairpin, give me your best price. And don't try to rip me off, I know it's worth."
"Well, would you look at this!"
The old man couldn't believe it. A jade hairpin with one hundred percent gold was definitely hard to find. Even the royal family would have a hard time trying to find something of that quality. The old man looks to Ying Yue and questions where she got it from.
"Where did you get your hands on such a thing?"
"Stop asking questions, do you want it or not? Otherwise I'll take it to other sellers."
"Oh, no no no I will take it. How does seventy-five gold coins sound?"
"Make it eighty and you have yourself a deal."
"You have yourself a deal, and while we are at it. Would you like to sell that bracelet you're wearing as well?"
"This one is not for sale; just give me my money and I'll be off."
Grabbing her bag of money, Ying Yue counts the coins to make sure he didn't try to rip her off. After thanking the old man, Ying Yue walks off with her horse to find a clothing store. Glancing around, Ying Yue finds a small shop that sold woman clothing. Tying her horse outside the shop, Ying Yue makes her way inside the shop. She quickly notices a young woman, about thirty years old sitting at the front of the shop. The shop owner notices Ying Yue and quickly runs to assist her.
"Hello miss, what can I help you find today?"
"I need something that will change my look, but also something not too crazy."
"You came to the right place then, right this way."
The woman gestures for Ying Yue to walk to the back of the shop. Taking out a beautiful pale pink dress, with white embroidery on it. The woman motions for Ying Yue to try it on. It was definitely a beautiful dress, and simple. Trying to not waste too much time, Ying Yue agrees to the dress and asks for a face veil.
"I will also need a face veil; do you sell them?"
"They don't sell much, but I do have some in stock. Let me grab you one to match your dress."
Nodding in agreement, Ying Yue stares back at her reflection in the mirror. Letting her hair down; Ying Yue ties a portion into a ponytail. The shop owner returned with a pale pink face veil and hands it to Ying Yue. Quickly covering half her face, Ying Yue's disguise was done.
"How much for everything?"
"Two hundred silver coins, miss."
Ying Yue reaches into her sash that had her money pouch. One gold coin equals thirty silver coins, so Ying Yue gave out seven gold coins. The store owner gladly took the money and was about to give change when Ying Yue stops her.
"It's alright, keep the change."
"Well I can't just do that. Here, take this silver hair pin. It's not worth much but it'll look great in your hair since it's embedded with a flower shape at the end, it's even pink at the end."
The woman hands Ying Yue a silver hair pin. Thanking the woman, Ying Yue walks back to the streets to get her horse when she realized how loud everyone was being. Unsure to what was happening, Ying Yue questions a man running in the direction of the excution grounds.
"Mister, what's with all the noises and celebration?"
"You don't know? You must be new in town then. Today is the execution day for the first wife of marquis Zi Wei Yang."
"What do you mean by that?!"
Ying Yue grabs the man by his collar and shakes him in disbelief. The man could barely understand how a woman was so strong. Finally breaking free, the man whispers to Ying Yue of the rumors.
"Cough Cough, apparently the madam tried killing her husband after the lost of general Ying Yue. Some says general Ying Yue left this world cursing it. Hence, why we are still suffering. We have yet to get any rain and our wells are drying up. The emperor believes this has something to do with the deceased general. We're going to offer the generals mom to appease the rage of the heavens."
"Bah! There's no such thing as appeasing a soul with another life! What happened to the marquis!?"
"I heard he lived, such a pity I must say. She did all that and in the end the man she wanted dead, survived somehow."
"Has the second daughter Jia Li given birth? Considering it's a royal child, news must've spread right?"
"Ah! You're right about that. Looks like she gave birth to a baby girl three days ago. Such a pity it wasn't a son. She could've easily become the future empress with that child. Now she's going to have to fight for that throne."
"What do you mean by that? The crown prince has no other concubines or consort, right?"
"Where have you been miss? Everyone knows how frivolous the crown prince has become. His once empty harem is filled with noble daughters now. I'd say he has about twenty concubines right now and about four consorts."
"........"
Unable to comprehend what was happening, Ying Yue glares at the strange man and thanks him for his time. Quickly hoping onto her horse with her sword tied to her waist, Ying Yue makes a run for it to the execution grounds.