At first light we were on the road, beneath the dense rainfall forest with tall trees and bushes. It was so silent and the only voices were just of us trying our best to escape the rebels, and the echo of our breathing's through out the whole place. I was on the horseback riding my horse faster as so was Lee who was beside me on his own horse, we had already passed the dry dirt road and we were very far from the rebels sanctuary which we fled together.
I wore a man's robe and a hat just in the process of disguising myself not to be noticed easily by anyone who might be looking for me, the me as her majesty Queen Yae Lin, the rightful heir to the Tong'an dynasty. My sword was on my back and the way I rode the horse no one could've think that I was a woman. But I loved it, I enjoyed every moment I spent without being told I was the weaker sex or couldn't do things men did.
Along the way we met a group of travelers in their carriage and we passed them like a wind with how fast we were riding the horses. We didn't take a rest at all, neither for water nor food because we knew better than to rest in places where we could easily be found by the rebels. I was sure that General Chun bad already sent men to look out for me and Lee. Hence we rode all day until we arrived at the city's gate, the gates which guided Tong'an dynasty.
There was a banner on top of the gate with Chinese words written "Tong'an" and I looked at Lee. We both nodded and continue forward to a queue of people and merchants trying to get inside the city. The guards wore the blue robes uniform with armor and I knew they were Qianlong Emperor men guiding the empire.
"You what are you carrying on the cart?" A guard asked some five men who were on the queue with three horses and five camels who carried large quantity of goods.
"It's just food and medicine" Replied one of them, he had long hair and wore a grey robe. I couldn't have mistaken him to be a warrior of some sort cause he had his sword tied on his back.
"What medicine?"
"Healing medicine and herbs Sir!"
The guard didn't take his words and circled him around with his fellow guards and looked all over the cart. They opened everything just to make sure no one was hiding inside those covers. Lee looked at me and I returned the favor, we both knew what they were looking for and it was the princess Yae Lin who they've heard rumors that she was back at the empire and seeks revenge for his father's throne and the man who killed him.
After they finished searching the merchants, they moved on to me and Lee as we were still on our horsebacks.
The suspicious guard looked at me "Who are you?" He asked.
"I am Hang Lo and this is my brother..." I replied and turned to Lee. Lee looked at the guard for sometime then he said "Shu Yu!"
"State your business, what brings you to Tong'an?"
"Why are you asking us so many questions. We are here to see our father he is sick!" Lee shouted at them.
"Hey watch it. We are his Majesty's guards. Show some respect"
"Alright, alright Sir. Let us pass"
Lee and the head guard exchanged some bitter views and then he let us in after a moment of silence. We strolled inside the city as our horse's hooves pounded and took us in.
What a relief it was and we didn't stop near the gates rather than we rode towards the streets of Tong'an and I was amazed by it's beauty. Tong'an was very beautiful and calm for a city which had just been in war recently. I turned my horse side to side just to see more of it as I was left breathless. People were out on the market streets with their baskets and women in beautiful dresses smiling and chattering in such harmonious way.
"Come on let's find an inn to stay" Lee said to me and I turned my horse back and we slowly rode around the streets hoping to find a place to stay.
"So this is Tong'an..." said Lee smiling at me and I was exhausted but I managed to smile back.
"What were you expecting?"
"I don't know but maybe a little bit dusty and..."
"What?"
"Ruined as per the rebels stated. Perhaps Qianlong is not a bad ruler at all"
"We shall see"
We continued riding in silence as the voices of street vendors took over. Most of them had their products with them calling out customers "Sachets, I have beautiful sachets for your children..." and the other would say "Come get your robes here. Beautiful sworn and I also have fresh forged iron swords!" and men would gather around him to purchase his product.
Tong'an didn't look like what General Chun had described it to me in our meetings. He said the people were unhappy and in bondage, but they were as free as birds. How does one convince a person who's happy at his home to fight and ruin the peace just so that the one could sit on a throne?
Well those were questions I knew I would never get an answer to. "There..." Lee pointed at an inn which was just beside the city and a little bit far from the houses. It was surrounded by small trees and there were horses tied outside I suspected they were of customers who were inside. The banner read "Qianshang Inn" on the outside.
We dismounted our horses and one of the inn's assistant helped us in tying the horses outside as we walked in.
"Sirs welcome, welcome" said the inn's servant, he was a male.
"Thank you, we need a room" Lee said to him.
"Right Sir, follow me"
"How much will it be?"
"Do you need the expensive one or the cheapest?"
Lee pulled him closer by his robe "Do we look cheap to you?" He threatened him and I just watched and smiled.
"No sirs, right away. Follow me..."
Lee let him go and we followed him upstairs where there were the finest rooms. He walked us inside a room which was huge and beautiful, the bed was properly made and there was some paintings on the wall. A few candles on the table and big windows for fresh air.
"We'll take it" Lee said to him and then he walked outside with him as I remained inside.
It was getting dark and the evening cold weather was nice and a little bit of wind blew up when I opened the window. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. My legs were hurting after riding the horse for the whole day, I was over exhausted. But as I peeped outside the window, I saw a man strolling down the streets. He was the same one from the city's gates who was a merchant passing through with his fellow merchants claiming they were carrying medicine and food.
But his face was familiar as so was his long hair. I tried to memorize the events which may have caused me to know him but none came up. "That's weird" I said to myself looking him dissapearing with his friends and get lost in the streets.
"Day dreaming?" I heard Lee's voice and I turned back to him.
I smiled and replied "Maybe. But just exhaustion"
"Well we better get some rest. It's been a long day"
"Yes it has"
He moved closer to me and said "Did I tell you how beautiful you look in male clothes?"
"Stop it..." I laughed and pushed him with my small fits.
"I couldn't have passed you for a woman not even a day. You would make a handsome groom"
"Oh you think?"
"Yes I do"
"You better hurry in finding me a bride then" I said and he smiled back at me.
Then he took two steps back and started to walk away. "Lee..." I called out to him.
"Your highness" He said.
"Aren't you... Sleeping here?"
"On the same room as you?"
"Yes"
"I... I just thought it wouldn't be appropriate for me to sleep here. You are a woman and I'm a man"
"But that didn't stop you from sleeping with me in the woods under a freezing sky! What stopped you now?"
He didn't say anything but just smiled and walked away. I understood his decisions to try and make a distance between us since I turned him down when he said he loved me. I didn't want him to distance himself from me, I still wanted our friendship but I guess things weren't never going back to the way they were between us again.