The room I was in was fully decorated and fit for a Queen. I even sat on a throne as I waited for the night gathering that general Chun spoke about. I wanted to see him so bad because I had a lot of questions concerning that day, our last encounter and somehow I knew he had all the answers.
As I waited inside all alone without the servants, the sun had gone down already and it was dark. I stood up and peeped outside through the window. There were soldiers sitting outside and looking at what was in front of them, which there was nothing but just an empty chair. It didn't take much for me to realized that's where I would be sitting addressing them even though I had no idea what's to say.
Then there was a knock on the door. "Come in" I said and the door was opened. Entered a soldier, he stood firmly before me with his head down.
"It's time your Majesty" He said still with his head down and arms forward.
"The general sent you?"
"Yes"
"Okay let's go"
I led the way while he followed behind me. There was a small distance between my room and where the soldiers gathered, as I closed in on them each one of them stood up an bowed.
Unlike what I expected the rebel army was really huge and what I saw when I entered the place was just a taste of it. Over one thousand men aligned in uniform and all chanting "Long live the Queen! Long live the Queen!" as I passed through them.
The general was at the front standing still near the throne. When I reached him, as usual he took two steps back and bowed.
"Your Majesty..."
"General Chun, it's nice to see you again after our last meeting at the harbor" I said and when he brought his head up his face was lighted up with a beautiful smile.
"You remembered..."
"I remember everything now. And thank you for saving me after the demise of my parents. I can't thank you enough"
"It's my duty, my Queen"
I nodded slowly and then I sat on the throne, not typically the throne which I was intended to sit upon but I guess it was enough at that time since the real throne was in the hands of a brutal emperor. The place where the rebels hid was very far from the city and out of reach from Qianlong even though he knew about their existence. But as the general told me "He's just waiting for the perfect time to strike"
After I sat general Chun took a place in front to address the soldiers. But just at that moment I saw Lee, he was held up by two soldiers who were dragging him to me. "Let me go you barbarians" He shouted desperately trying to get out of their hold without any success. That was typical of him to just shout at people without a care in the world.
"Who is that?" General Chun asked.
"We found him outside our gates trying to get in. He must be a spy"
I quickly intervened "No he's not a spy. Let him go, he's my friend"
"Your friend?" General Chun asked me but then he realized he can't question a sovereign so he looked back at the soldiers and said "Let him go"
The soldiers dropped Lee to the ground, bowed two time before me and went back to stand in line with other soldiers. Lee walked towards me but before he could reach me general Chun blocked his way, protecting me.
"It's fine general, he'll never harm me" I said.
"You hear that big dude! I will never even place a finger on her, this is stupid" Lee shouted at the general and pushed him aside.
Then he took my hand and forced me to stand up "Let's go I've had enough with these shenanigans" and that's when General Chun drew his sword and placed it on his head. I gasped at just that encounter and I didn't know what to do.
"Guards take him away" General Chun ordered and the guards who I counted them to ten came rushing and picked Lee up.
I wanted to intervene and say something but I didn't. The general came to me and told me he'll take care of it and Lee needs to be taught a lesson. Somehow I went along with it and watched as my best friend was dragged to the dungeon. I felt more Yae Lin and less of Mingzhu, what was this place doing to me?
I panicked and grew anxious and scared. How can one body be inhabited by two souls, drifting apart and yet so close to one another. Was I Mingzhu or Yae Lin? I felt lost inside my own soul and I needed to find myself so I shut my eyes close and took a breather.
"Are you okay your Majesty?" General Chun asked me.
"I...I..." I tried to speak but somehow I couldn't fandom the proper words to say. "I must retire to my chambers now"
"But you haven't properly addressed the army. They have been waiting for you for five long years..."
Wait a minute, did he just say five long years. What five years was he talking about. I looked at him and then the army which occupied the whole place all ready to fight Qianlong Emperor and take back the throne.
"I'm sorry general, five years?" I asked him and he could sense my confusion which was all over my face.
"It's been five years since we departed at the harbor, your Majesty"
"And then, where did I go?"
"My Queen are you feeling alright?"
I shrugged it off quickly "Yes, yes general just...tired I guess. What can I say to the soldiers?"
"What they want to hear"
"And what's that?"
"War!" He said and then called out a soldier who brought a horse and they helped me mount it.
So the tradition was the emperor must go through his whole army while he's on a horse so that to see them clearly and get a closer look. And also to do so while motivating them, especially during that moment the soldiers needed more motivation than ever. Well tables turned and I was the true empress of Tong'an, the sole survivor of his Majesty King Shi Mi who was brutally murdered by his own general.
"My soldiers. I am Yae Lin, the daughter of his Majesty King Shi Mi who you all know was betrayed by his general and overthrown whilst still in power" I said while moving around their perfectly fine lines and I knew it would take me whole night to make it to the end but it was something I was supposed to do.
With every pause I made between my speech, they applaud me by kicking their spears on the shields hence making some noise. I didn't know where the words came from but I embodied that speech and left them hopeful for the future of the empire where I would lead them to battle. The battle against Qianlong who later I learned he has approximately had over one hundred thousand men at his disposal. All obeying his orders and feared him.
It felt like a suicide mission to me when the general laid out the details to me. Everything they planned to do in order to take back the throne. But we were still short of men.
"One hundred thousand men?" I was struck with amazement.
"But the numbers don't matter your Majesty?"
"They don't?"
"We have a loyal army. Of loyal men ready to fight beside you"
"But he has a large army of men obeying his orders... General this feels like a suicide mission"
"It isn't my Queen. We will wait until the words of your return has reached every household in Tong'an and then, we shall recruit a larger army. I believe your Majesty that people will fight for what's right. And you are the right heir to the throne" The general said to me and somehow it made me smile.
He took two steps back and bowed. "Goodnight your Majesty. Remember to get some rest"
"Thank you general Chun"
He placed his arms backwards and walked away. Gang Ho came to me and helped me to my room, from there she took off all the decorations which were on top of my hair, on my robe and almost everywhere inside my body and it's something which I never liked before. I never understood if it was more of Mingzhu or Yae Lin's character to dislike any lady like clothes. After she was done I stepped into my trousers, my comfortable peace of fabric and decided to get some rest just like how the general instructed.
Then I noticed both Gang Ho and Chang Chun were still standing on my doorway. "Is there something else?" I asked them.
"No your Majesty. Go to sleep"
"What about you? You don't sleep?"
"The servants don't sleep until her majesty has fallen asleep safe and sound. Don't worry about us, go to sleep"
Well that was weird and I tried to talk them out of that weird tradition but they didn't listen to me so I acted like I fell asleep so they can leave me alone. As soon as they left, I opened my eyes just to be sure I wasn't dreaming for all I know I could wake up in my freezing cave and wondering what had just happened.