As Ying Yue planned her escape; Jianyu was still searching for any signs of Ying Yue. Jianyu had called back all his generals from the border to help him locate his empress. Unable to get any rest lately, Jianyu was now reaching his breaking point.
"Fu Jia, have you found out anything from working with Tao Chen?"
"No....nothing at all your majesty."
Jianyu ruffles his hair in frustration and paces back and forth, as the head priest walks into the throne room.
"Greetings, your majesty."
"Any news for me?"
"No, your majesty. But I wanted to see if you have tried locating her highness like how you did in the past?"
"I've already tried that numerous times! That damn Bai Chun must've casted a spell on her!"
"Hmmm.....Your majesty, I know you are worried about her highness, but you must get some rest. We will continue to search for her highness in the dragon kingdom. I have also sent out envoys via portals to neighboring kingdoms in search of her highness. Please rest assure we are doing our best."
Jianyu finally crumbles from exhaustion and dismisses everyone as he portals himself to Ying Yue's residence. Making his way into her bedroom he lays himself on her bed. Unable to keep his eyes opened anymore, Jianyu finally dozes off.
Meanwhile, a week had gone by since Ying Yue visited the library. Ying Yue had just woken up from her sleep. Barely awake, she slowly rubs her tired eyes open. Ying Yue had spent the whole week trying to re-drawing the map she saw in the royal library.
"Knock Knock."
"My lady, it's time for lunch."
"Come in."
Su Ru props Ying Yue's bedroom door open as she walked in with trays of food. Ying Yue finally walks out of bed and heads to the small brown table and seats herself in a chair.
"What's with all the food? This is enough to feed three people."
"I'm not sure my lady. The chef only told me it was the crown prince's order."
"Hm....well I am pregnant, maybe that's why. Come eat with me Su Ru, there's plenty of food for the both of us."
Ying Yue starts to eat the plates of rice, sweet pork, stir fried vegetables, and dumplings as Su Ru was debating if she had heard Ying Yue correctly.
"My lady.....are you really pregnant?"
"Yes, something wrong with that?"
"I mean....the crown prince hasn't even visited the rose palace once since you've been here. How can you be pregnant already?"
"Oh, that's cause it's not his child."
"What?! Who....who's is it then?!"
Ying Yue stops eating and motions for Su Ru to take a seat across from her. Slowly leaning in, Ying Yue whispers to Su Ru.
"Su Ru, who are you loyal to?"
"I serve you, my lady. We maids serve only our master until their last or our last dying breath. It's tradition in the kingdom of Xinjing."
"Well....good to know. I'm assuming you have no idea as to who I am or why you were stuck serving me, who had just entered the palace correct?"
"I was only informed that you were a new concubine of the crown prince, who had just entered into the harem."
"Hah, of course. Well to start off with, will you keep whatever I tell you a secret?"
"My lady, the day you gave me a name; I decided I was going to serve you for life and whatever decision you should make I would follow."
"Alright, then. To tell you the truth, I am not a concubine of the crown prince and I have no intentions to. I am the dragon empress from the dragon kingdom. Bai Chun brought me here against my will and now I'm being held up here in the palace. Your crown prince is planning to use me to fight against the dragon kingdom, hence why I am determined to find a way out of Xinjing before I give birth."
"My lady...are you serious?"
"Do I look like I would lie about this? Su Ru, the crown prince is trying to start a war. If I want to prevent that then I need to leave Xinjing."
"I see...I had no idea...Wait! If that's true then.... that means you're carrying a child of dragon royal blood! Have you told this to anyone else?"
"Of course not. No one would believe me anyways if i did."
"My lady, just know that there are some people who would pay a high amount to get their hands on your child if they were to find out."
"What? Is that only in the Xinjing kingdom?"
"No, you should be wary of other kingdoms as well. Don't trust just anyone, even telling me was a risk."
"Hmmm...I see, but you're not going to tell anyone; correct?"
"Of course not. I never go back on my words. Rest assure my lady; I will never speak to anyone else in regards to what we talked about today."
"Good, I'm trusting you Su Ru. While we're on the topic, is there a day and time where the crown prince is not in the palace?"
"Day and time? ...Hmmm....usually he always is. Ah! Hunting season is around the corner. A month from now, the crown prince and his majesty will go hunting. It's a family tradition to have all the royal men go hunting on mount Su to bring in meat for the moon festival."
"Moon festival? Mount Su? Where is that?"
"It's towards the western part of Xinjing. It's a three-day trip on horse and carriage. The moon festival is an old tradition the royal family follows. It's to receive blessings from the harvest goddess."
"Perfect! That will give me plenty of time then."
"What are you planning to do, my lady?"
"Su Ru, I'm leaving Xinjing and heading for Jianxiang. I would like for you to come with me if you'd like. I'm worried that you may be punished if I am missing."
"Jianxiang? My lady how will we even get there? Leaving the palace grounds requires a pass from the king. We don't even have that."
"Don't worry, I found a way out of the palace. Su Ru, how often do merchants come into the kingdom?"
"Oh! All the time, I don't think there's been a day where we don't have travelling merchants visit Xinjing."
"Perfect! We'll pay a travelling merchant to let us travel with them. We just need to find someone who is going to Jianxiang."
"Are you sure that will work, my lady? People aren't the nicest to just women travelling."
"Don't worry, we'll be fine! If we have money, that's all they care about. We'll need to find a merchant family with women, if you're worried."
Although reluctant, Su Ru nods her head and agrees to follow Ying Yue. Ying Yue couldn't help but feel hopeful that she was really getting out of Xinjing. After finishing her lunch; Ying Yue continues to look over the map she had drawn.
"Knock Knock."
"Who is it?"
"........."
Ying Yue waited for a response, but since no one responded she quickly hid her map under her pillow and went to peek out the door to see who it was. Slowly propping the door open, Ying Yue could see the crown prince standing at her doorway.
"What do you want?"
"Wow, that's no way to greet me."
"I told you to leave me alone."
"And I did! I left you alone for a whole week already!"
"Sigh.....I can't deal with you right now, please leave,"
All of a sudden, Ying Yue starts to feel nauseous. Thinking it could've been something she ate; she quickly tries to close the door; only to have the crown prince use his fan to prop it open.
"I don't feel good, so leave me alone."
"Ah Ah Ah, no can do. You're going to keep me company today."
Unable to hold it in anymore, Ying Yue leans over and pukes all over the crown prince's clothing.
"Bleghhhhh."
The crown prince stares in shock at Ying Yue who was trying to cover her mouth.
"What?! My clothes!"
Su Ru, who had just returned from the kitchen sees the crown prince drenched in puke from waist down; with Ying Yue crouched over.
"My lady! Ah, greetings crown prince."
"Ugh, tend to your lady. I need to go get changed. I'll have a doctor come and check on your lady."
Su Ru quickly nods and bids the crown prince farewell, before turning around and running to help Ying Yue up. Su Ru supports Ying Yue up using her arm, she then slowly lays Ying Yue in bed as she cleaned up the mess.
"My lady, are you feeling alright?"
"Ugh...bring me a pail just in case, Su Ru."
After lying in bed for thirty minutes, Ying Yue hears another knock on her bedroom door. In comes walking an old woman, looking to be in her forties with a bag of medicine.
"Greetings, lady Ying Yue. I am doctor Zhu Jing."
"A female doctor? That's rare."
"Heh Heh, indeed it is rare to see a woman in this profession. The crown prince has assigned me to be your doctor throughout your pregnancy."
"I see...."
"I'm going to ask you a few questions regarding how you're feeling, if that's alright with you."
The female doctor went on and on; asking Ying Yue about any craving she's having, or if she's puked in the morning or afternoon before.
"Alright my lady, you're not sick. You're just experiencing pregnancy symptoms since you're in the early stages. Your morning sickness should get better in a few more weeks, until then refrain from doing anything that may harm you. Please drink this medicine daily to help you with your morning sickness."
"Ah, alright. I'll keep that in mind."
"I will come visit you once a week. Please take care of yourself until then."
The doctor bids Ying Yue farewell and quickly exited the bedroom. Not long afterwards the crown prince came waltzing in after bathing and changing his clothes.
"So? What did the doctor say?"
Ying Yue rolls her eyes and turns to face the wall without answering the crown prince. Su Ru who was standing by Ying Yue's bedside; quickly answers the crown prince.
"Ah, the doctor said it was just morning sickness, crown prince."
"I knew it! My mother had the same thing when she had me and my younger brother! Must be rough being a woman. Seeing as your lady is tired today, I will leave her alone then."
Su Ru bids the crown prince farewell before closing the bedroom door. Once the crown prince was gone, Su Ru makes her way back to Ying Yue's bedside.
"Is he gone?"
"Yes, my lady."
"Sigh, good. I feel better after puking. Make sure to boil this and have me drink it every morning."
Ying Yue digs under her pillow and glances over the map again. This time, she had Su Ru who was standing by help her look over the map.
"Su Ru, which route is the quickest to Jianxiang?"
Su Ru leans over and points to a road that went around the mountains.
"This route is what most merchants take. It's a direct way to Jianxiang; that doesn't require people to go through the mountains. It's an extra five day, but it's safer."
"I see, we need to find someone who's going through the mountain route then."
"What? Why? Wouldn't it be easier to take the route that goes around the mountain?"
"I can't afford to take any risks. Should the crown prince realize we are gone, he'll most likely track us down using the easiest route first, don't you think so?"
"Hmmm...you have a point, my lady."