After the soldiers took Mingzhu away, Lee went back to the house they rented and picked up his sword and shield. There was no was no way he wasn't going to fight for her and let the soldiers have their way with her.
In his mind he knew that the soldiers had a wrong girl and that Mingzhu wasn't the Queen of the warm land. She was the future Queen of Xinjiang and it was his duty to protect his Queen. He pulled off his robe and wore a black trouser with a grey long shirt which he tighten it up with a belt. And he wore a hat too to obscure his identity. He was ready to fight, ready to die for her.
Just when he was ready and he wanted to open the door, he stopped when he heard heavy thud hitting the ground. He stayed quiet and observe, paid attention to ever move and sound. He heard clip-clop and clippity-clop of horses hooves heading towards the town. And the way the horses neighed loudly even from far distance it warmed him something bad was approaching.
"We've come to you in the name of his majesty. Qianlong Emperor" said one of the men on a horseback. Lee peeped to have a look and he saw a small army of about twenty men in their blue robes uniform and a sigil attached to it. They wore armors and their hats made of steel. They looked like real soldiers and their swords were sharp.
Then the man who spoke earlier dismounted his horse. Lee knew he must've been the general for he looked like a leader of the army. He was furious and his face not pleasant at all. The locals of the town gathered around them and they looked scared. This mighty Qianlong must be really brutal for he managed to plant fear in all of the people.
"There are rumors that the crowned princess has returned. You all betrayed his majesty by welcoming her in his own land and collaborated with the rebeles" said the general and then he drew his sword. "This is treason"
The general snatched one of the young men from the crowd and then he punched him with his sword. The man fell down "I didn't betray his majesty. I didn't betray him. Please don't kill me. Don't kill me" The Young man begged by bowing continuously and begged for mercy. He was so scared of what the soldiers might do to him.
But the general's heart was cold as ice and he drew his sword and slit the young man's throat and blood spattered all over the place. The women cried and hid their faces in fear hanging on to their men who were also helpless in that situation.
"The rebels are hiding in the mountains" said an old man between the crowd.
"What?" The general asked him.
"They came and took her. She... She was inside that house" He finished and pointing at the house.
Lee crunched his jaw condemning the old man for spilling the secrets. "Search the house!" An order came from the general and the men dismounted their horses and barged inside the house. Lee fled using the back door and by the time the soldiers were inside their house he was five blocks away from them. Running with all his strength and speed, he wasn't looking forward to where he was going but as long as it was away from them.
When he realized he was a bit far and not recognizable. He turned back and that's when he saw the whole house in flames. The soldiers had burned it all down and that's when he knew they had a serious problem. "Mingzhu" He said and turned back. From there he kept running holding his sword tightly between his belt and when he was tired, he stopped to take a breather.
The town was like in a patrol and everywhere he passed there were soldiers on their horses looking around, searching for the princess. He didn't know where the flying tower was so he kept asking around for it. But he had to be careful because one more word to a wrong person then he could be in trouble. The flying tower was a sanctuary for the rebels and a hideout, anyone who was known to be a member of it was charged with treason to his majesty King Qianlong.
After the whole day of asking for it he finally found a person who told him a great deal about the place. His name was Yush Xi and he was a baker to a pastry restaurant.
"The flying tower goes up to the mountains. Take a horse and travel North, way up North until you see a gate to an abandoned palace. It may look dead outside but it's very much alive inside..." He said to Lee.
"You have been there?" Lee asked him.
"No young man. Look at me I'm getting old and the general only recruits younger men. Prepare them for the fight"
"What fight?"
"The fight for the throne. I am going to have to close my restaurant soon for the war is coming. You should join the winning team..." Yush Xi patted Lee's back and continued making his pastries.
Lee wasted no time and walked outside. He found a horse tied to a nearby tree and he took it. Mounted it and off it ran towards the North. "Hayy! Hayy!" He yelled pushing it to go faster.
The road to the North wasn't safe anymore after the news of the returned princess spread all over Tong'an empire. The soldiers came to the small town in numbers searching for Mingzhu and whoever was helping her. Along the way Lee met two soldiers in their blue robes and armors. They were guiding the route to the rebel sanctuary as per orders of his majesty Qianlong Emperor.
"Stop!" They yelled to Lee and raced their horses towards him. "You are trespassing through the rebel land. Are you a rebel?"
"No I'm not. I'm a loyal subject of his majesty"
One of the soldiers noticed Lee was carrying a sword. He shouted "He has a weapon" and both of them drew their swords.
"Aren't you aware of his Majesty's rule?"
"I am very much aware master" Lee replied quickly.
"Then you should know it's forbidden for citizens to carry a weapon. Only soldiers loyal to his majesty are permitted to. Get off your horse" He yelled at Lee.
But Lee still held onto his horse. It was like he was challenging them into seeing what they will do. "Are you deaf? I said..." Lee didn't let the soldier finish his sentence as he passed through them with his horse in its highest momentum.
"Yes! Yes go, go..." He said excited and laughing at the soldiers he left behind trying to keep up with him. The horse was faster than he expected and from time to time he had to hang to it even more tighter. The road was dusty and felt more like an unpaved road with harder surfaces made by the addition of material such as gravel and aggregate (stones). He bounced back to and from continuously and he yelled with every bounce and the rope was hanging on by a thread.
When he looked back the soldiers weren't that far from where he was and they were angry and shouting for him to stop. With threats like "His majesty will have your head. Traitor!" and many others didn't stop him from hanging on until the rope tied to the horse slipped off and he hit the ground hard.
He rolled over and over the rocky surface as the horse kept running and he was far away from the main road and hiding in the small bushes. The soldiers passed through him like devil possessed following the horse without knowing that Lee had fallen out of it.
When he was sure they were gone, he came out of the hiding and looked at his right side. And there just between the bushes, almost few meters away there was a door of what looked like an abandoned palace. "Flying tower? Weird, I was expecting a tall tower hanging in the sky" he said and started limping his way towards the palace to find Mingzhu. "Hang on Mingzhu, I'm coming for you"
But as Lee limped his way towards the palace with the intention of saving me. I wasn't in the need of being rescued, for I was home. Not exactly home but it felt like home. Ever since I entered inside the room and have all the memories concerning Yae Lin flooded inside my brain, I wasn't the same.
I felt her pain, her loss and her desire for vengeance and to reclaim her birthright to the throne. It was like I was reborn again into another world, with new roles and responsibilities awaiting me. I started remembering everything that happened the day Qianlong betrayed my father, and killed him alongside my mother.
I was helped to escape the palace by the general Chun and other remaining loyal soldiers to my father. We rode all night and all day to escape from being killed and Qianlong didn't stop as he hunted us down tirelessly hence we had to flee the kingdom and move very far away out of reach.
The memories came to a halt when the general and I were on an empty harbor and it was cold. I was trembling and scared, battered and bruised. Overly exhausted and lack of rest had me feeling all types of nauseous. There was only one boat and one sailor. He was a soldier too I recognized him from my father's army.
"Take this your highness" General Chun said and gave me his huge fur coat. "It'll keep you warm"
"Where are you taking me general?" I asked him.
"We can't risk losing you, your highness. Our army is weak and defeated, but we will find a way to avenge your father. I let his majesty down but I promise you Yae Lin, I will fight for your right in the throne. Till my last blood" He said softly to me and then he took two steps back and bowed before me.
His last words were "Travel safe your Majesty, for you will return to me" and from there the sailor took my hand and helped me inside the boat. I had no idea of where we were going but I trusted general Chun, as the boat sailed away. He waved at me and I waved back, but from there it was all blank.