Fan Li's face became pale. He knew that he's being tricked by Goujian. He said 'Yue beauty', but he didn't say Xi Shi. Wasn't Ying also a Yue beauty?
"My king, you know for sure the woman that I want to marry is the Yue beauty Xi Shi. Not the Yue Beauty Ying! Why do you have to do this to us?" Fan Li choked, disbelieved that Goujian did not only tricked him but also tricked an innocent woman like Ying.
Fan Li spoke in a low voice, but the sound of his voice was louder than thunder for Ying. She couldn't think of anything. She was embarrassed, angry, rejected, all at once! She didn't hear the rest of the conversation, because she lost her consciousness.
When she regained her consciousness, she's already in her room with Zheng Dan and some palace maids accompanied her.
"Ying, are you alright?" Zheng Dan asked her.
Ying started to cry and asked, "Zheng Dan, what happened? Tell me what's happening?"
Zheng Dan could not help but cry. She told Ying about the news she heard about. That Xi Shi was drowned and died. Meanwhile, since Goujian had promised Fan Li to let Fan Li marry the Yue beauty, then he had to give Ying to Fan Li. With that, Goujian didn't break his promise. Since although everyone knew that Fan Li loved Xi Shi, but Goujian only promised to let him marry the beauty of Yue. And the beauty of Yue was not only Xi Shi but also Zheng Dan and Ying. Since Zheng Dan had two children, Goujian's wife then decided to bestow Ying who was never betrothed to anyone to Fan Li.
"If only I knew, then I would have refused when the queen told me about this marriage proposal! If only I knew, I wouldn't have to be humiliated like this," Ying cried. She's so angry, but she couldn't blame Fan Li. It was Goujian's wife who had tricked both of them.
"Ying, please don't cry! I'm sure that Mister Fan was only shocked for a moment! Look at you, such a beautiful woman like you! He's crazy if he refuses you! He will surely change his mind once he knows that Xi Shi had died!" Zheng Dan tried to comfort her. She's afraid that Ying might do something stupid.
"And why do I have to spend my life with someone who doesn't love me?" Ying asked. "Zheng Dan, don't worry! I will be fine! I won't do anything stupid!"
Zheng Dan hugged her and caressed Ying's hair. She felt sorry for her friend.
Ying only fell asleep at dawn. Just as she was dozing, her door was knocked. The maid opened up the door and found out that it was Fan Li who came to see her.
"Minister Fan," said the maid. "Miss Ying is sleeping! And even if she's not sleeping, do you still have the nerve to meet her?" The maid with tears in her eyes said. "She's a good woman, and if you didn't want to marry her, why didn't you tell her earlier? Why did you have to wait on the wedding day and humiliate her in front of a lot of people?"
Fan Li knew that he had hurt this innocent woman's feelings. He didn't mean it. He was just too impulsive yesterday. "I know, that's why I come here to apologize to her!"
"Ju-er, let him in!" said Ying who had already awaken. She looked a bit pale.
"Ying," Fan Li said. He was an eloquent talker, but in this kind of situation, he couldn't help but be nervous.
"Please sit down, Minister Fan!" said Ying. She felt a bit lightheaded because of lacking sleep. She had been crying the whole night and her eyes were still puffy from crying.
Fan Li kneeled on the rug in front of her and softly said, "Ying, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!"
"I know. I've heard everything. And I don't blame you!" Ying said plainly. "And I don't hate you. If that's all you want to say, then I accept your apology. You could leave now!"
"I still have another thing to say!" Fan Li said. "Please, leave Yue and go somewhere else. King Goujian is a good friend in hard times, a man who can share woe but not wealth! I just learned about Xi Shi! And if you stay here, then it's not impossible that you would end up like her too!"
"Thank you, Minister Fan! I know what to do!" Ying lowered her head, didn't want to see his face.
"Also, I want to let you know that I don't want to marry you, not because you're not good. You're still the most beautiful woman I've seen in my life. It's because you're too good to me that I don't deserve you!" Fan Li said. "Just like the sword that you intended to give me last time, you're too precious for me! Only a king or a great man deserves a woman like you!"
Ying didn't say anything and just lowered her head.
"Hopefully, we will meet again someday!" Fan Li said.
Ying bowed and sent him off. Although she didn't blame Fan Li, she didn't wish to see him again.
Fan Li secretly left Yue. Before he left, he also warned Wen Zhong to leave Yue as he predicted that King Goujian could no longer be trusted. Wen Zhong didn't listen to him.
When the news about Fan Li leaving Yue reached Zheng Dan, she rushed to see Ying.
"Ying, tomorrow I will take my daughters and live far away from this place," Zheng Dan said and she clutched Ying's hands. "What about you? Xi Shi has died, Fan Li is gone, the war is over! What will you do next?"
Ying felt a lump in her throat. Her teachers roamed all around the world. Where's she going to find them? And even if she could meet them again, she could not follow them forever. Mister Yao and Madame Ling had told Ying that Ying had her destiny and missions in life that she had to fulfill.
Ying had always thought that her mission in life was to help Goujian and Fan Li to wipe off Fuchai and Wu State. Liberate her friends - Xi Shi and Zheng Dan. She had completed them all. And what's next?
Ying smiled and shook her head said, "In this world full of chaos, I don't know where to go, or what to do!"
"Then..are you staying here?" Zheng Dan asked. "Minister Fan had asked me to persuade you to leave Yue as soon as possible!"
"I will go and roam all around the world!" Ying said.
Zheng Dan sighed and said, "You are my good friend. I don't know how's life going to treat you. That day, we thought that you died after the bandit kidnapped you. But not only you are alive, but you return to Yue as a winner! You've become a hero and a swordsman. That's your childhood dream! So I could only hope that in your later life, you will also succeed!"
"I will," Ying said. "Zheng Dan, you're a brave woman. I hope that someday we could meet again!"
Zheng Dan nodded. The two beauties of Yue bid their goodbyes.