As they walked, taking time between each step. I noticed the princess was Qianlong daughter, princess Yan Er but she was young probably not more than twelve years old. I hid behind a tree and since it was dark no one saw me, the princess came out of the house and she was escorted by her servants to another house. I figured maybe she needed to see her mother, the Queen.
I made sure to hide myself as far as possible so as to avoid exposure whilst I was still on my early attempts in invading the palace. I surveyed the servants as they walked the princess away while I still on my horse, But suddenly I was overthrown down by a heavy punch to the horse. The horse neighed loudly and took off. I however was badly hurt, I grunted in pain as I was still down.
I looked up and saw a young man. He was looking down - on me. He was older than me, perhaps four or five years older and he wore an armour and he had a sigil on his robe. I took him for a soldier inside the palace, maybe. His hair was deep black and some had covered his forehead, his eyes were sharp and even though it was dark I could sense a sort of seriousness in them. He looked at me for a moment and I didn't hesitate to return the favor.
"Who are you?" He finally asked.
"You hit my horse..." I said still grunting in pain and stood up to face him "Who are you?"
"I asked you first"
"I don't have to tell you anything"
"Very well then, I should call the guards to arrest you for trespassing"
"I am not trespassing, I have this" I said and took off the golden fish sigil.
The young man took the golden fish and he looked at it one time, then he busted out laughing.
"Where'd you steal this?" He asked still giggling.
"I... I didn't steal it"
"You want to tell me you earned it?"
"What do you know about the sigil. Give it back" I said and took the golden fish from him.
Then I looked away from him and he said "You really don't know who I am, do you? And yet you claim to be in his Majesty's Manor"
"Is it necessary to know you?"
"I am Dao, the crown prince of Tong'an. The heir to my father's throne and future King of Tong'an Dynasty"
The words of the crowned prince came as a shock and my eyes widened with amazement after what he said. I quickly bowed down and did a kowtow before him. "I am sorry your highness. I deserve to die" I said still on my knees.
"Yes you do. Stand up and fight me coward"
"Your Highness! I..." I said because I didn't want to fight anyone, let alone the heir to the throne. But he pushed me to my limits when he drew his sword and nearly slit my throat but I was too quick to step back.
He was such a psycho because he laughed and said "Huh! I almost killed you" and continued laughing as he kept swinging his sword towards me and I drew mine. Then we had a little contest.
The prince had the best martial arts skills I had never encountered before. He overpowered me every time I tried to fight back, his face was serious and he really fought to kill. But I was as good as he was and we fought till the end when I punched him and he fell down heavy, then I took his sword.
When he laid down defenseless, I pointed the sword at him. We exchanged looks for about a second before he raised his arms forward.
"I yield!" He said.
I threw the sword at his face and walked away.
He quickly got up and called out "Who are you?" He asked.
"It doesn't matter prince, go get some rest"
"There's a war coming, I want you to be my advisor and my bodyguard"
I stopped walking just at the mention of the war. Then I turned back and walked to him.
"There's a war?" I asked him with curiosity of knowing it all.
"The rebels hiding up in the mountains, they'll attack soon"
"How do you know?"
"My father... He has a spy on the inside. He says the rebels will attack soon and we have to be ready to defend the city"
My heartbeat raced and pounded hard after what he said concerning a spy amongst the rebels.
"Will you fight alongside me?" He asked.
I slowly stepped back and bowed "As you wish, Your Highness" I said.
"What's your name?"
"Jang Li"
"Huh Jang Li. We will be partners, stand still"
I stood up but still I didn't remove the scarf on my face the whole time. I was told by Shu Yu people still remembered the princess's face hence I shouldn't expose myself and I intended to stay like that.
"Why do you cover your face?" asked Prince Dao.
"I have a scar, it's bad"
"May I see it?" He said trying to pull my scarf but I slapped him. "Ouch! Why did you do that?"
"I told you I have a scar. No one can see it, it's against my traditions"
I walked away not in the mood of further talking to the prince and somehow he found that odd. He asked me why was I being disrespectful to him considering he was the soul heir to the throne and a crowned prince. Just like his father I figured he wanted to be worshipped and somehow I wasn't into it.
As I walked away and still not answering to a single question he was asking me. He managed a simple "Go to sleep now Jang Li, we will train tomorrow. You are a weird man" and he walked to his chambers as I wondered around not knowing where I would stay.
But the palace was huge and I remembered there was a cook who was responsible for making all the dishes inside the palace. Her name was Yush Xi, she was a close friend with my mother. Or to say Yae Lin's mother. My soul kept drifting from my earlier life to my destined life and sometimes I barely knew where I was at the moment.
When I barged inside the house where the cook lived, I immediately shut the door close and took a breather. Outside there were soldiers patrolling with their swords intact and heads up high.
"Who are you?" asked Yush Xi and I turned back. She was holding a steer which pointed at me. "There's no food"
"I... I..."
"Get out!"
"It's me, wait" I said and took a step towards her. She was a bit scared I could tell but when I dropped the scarf and revealed my face.
Her jaw dropped and eyes widened with shock. "Yae Lin?" she asked, I nodded and dropped the steer, then she hugged me while crying. "Your Highness, you've come back" she wept holding me tight and then pulled me to her bed.
We sat across each other, our eyes making contact. Yush Xi was also a traditional healer, she knew medicines and also ghosts, supernatural stuffs. When Yae Lin was young she would gather up inside her house listening to Yush Xi stories about ghosts and witches even though she always said it was just a myth.
That moment when she looked at me, I felt safe. She placed her right arm on my cheek, and it was warm soft and tender. I took a deep breath in and out for a total of three times and I could feel my whole body calming down.
Her arm was still on my cheek as my lungs expanded and contracted slowly. "There it is... calm yourself down. Take a hold of your soul, it's right there inside. You just need to find it" she whispered while my eyes were still shut.
Then she stood up slowly, I didn't open my eyes although I could hear her movements as if she was searching for something. When she came to sit on the bed again, she was holding something which I didn't see it because my eyes were still shut. But I felt the smoke of that herb when it penetrated inside my nostrils, it was strong and pungent.
I opened my eyes to only see a smoke in front of me, while my head started getting dizzy and nauseated. Yush Xi was chanting words "Wake up! Wake up!" and I inhaled more of the smoke until I couldn't see anything anymore.
I couldn't control neither of my nerves as I felt like I was flying, far above the sky. But at the same moment dropping down the whole which was dark and scary, after than nothing. I blacked out completely surrendering every ounce of my body which fought to keep me awake