*Honghui's POV
Three months had gone by in an instant. Chu Fengwu had attended the wedding. Our plan has now been set in motion. We had to win the people over. Han had also signed a peace treaty with Chu State. Danji had also been managing the harem well.
They say a woman's battlefield was the harem itself. Danji had shown strong leadership skills. She deserved to rule Chu state. I had always believed a woman shouldn't be tied down because of her gender. Just like my mother and grand mother who had shown strong leadership abilities when my father died.
But Tianfei had told me that Genji missed home. She wanted to go back. Well I couldn't blame her. After the stone had disappeared, I had searched everywhere. Everywhere except the duke's manor. I had spies in Chaoxing's manor but all of them had said they couldn't find anything. Although I didn't know why he would be with the stone, my instincts told me he must be with the stone.
A prophecy had come that whoever married Li Juan would be able to stabilize the nation. Because of this, mother and the ministers had never stopped pestering me about this. I know I could do this. I can rule the nation and bring peace to the people without Li Juan. I just had to convince the ministers.
Even if Chaoxing had married Genji, it still didn't change a thing. In time, I was going to take my revenge on Chaoxing for what he had done. It was already night time, I had to personally sneak into the duke's manor. And even if my heart didn't want to admit it, I also wanted to see Genji. I wondered how she was coping all alone in the duke's manor.
When I see the coast is clear, I jump down from the wall. My spies had told me the guards changed shifts around this time. I walk slowly from the place I recognize as the garden. I then locate her room and enter. When I turn, I see that she isn't asleep.
"Ass...assin! Assassin!" She screams.
I immediately cover her mouth and remove my mask.
"Genji, its me. Don't shout." I said
"What are you doing here? Why are you in my room? Am not properly dressed." She said turning her back to fix her gown.
"Am sorry. I know Tianfei has told you about the time stone." I said.
"Is that why you are here? You think Chaoxing has the stone?" She asked.
"There is one thing I forgot to tell you. Its important in your identity as Li juan. Something that only I, Lijuan and Chaoxing knows about. Lijuan was raped by Chaoxing. Lijuan, she cried for so long. That bastard, he tried to hide the truth. He tried multiple times to have her killed. People say that the reason I decreed a marriage between the two of them is because I abandoned Lijuan in her most difficult times. They don't know that Lijuan is dead." I said with tears in my eyes when I remembered everything.
That bastard still roams around holding his title. Justice had never been served. Lijuan must have died with regrets. I still could not find anything on Chaoxing. He was a very cautious man.
"So, what you are saying is that Chaoxing could have killed Lijuan? You suspect him of tempering with the time stone, don't you?" She asked.
"I do. But up to now, I was still unable to get anything that can implicate him." I said.
"I can't believe this. He has not even me any reason to think of him as evil. Are you sure?" She asked.
"I came here to check for the stone. I don't have time. Think of places you have seen him go. Somewhere you think he might be hiding something." I said.
"His study. We can check there" she said.
"Okay, you stay here and keep an eye on him." I said.
"No way. I am coming along with you." She said.
"You can't. You are not skilled enough. And he may be looking for you. He will get suspicious if he doesn't see you. Where is he now?" I asked.
"In his study."
"Lure him out and keep him here. Genji, you must not fail me" I said.
I leave the rooms and head towards his study