Our conversations were interrupted when we heard a horse's hooves pounding from a distance away. First of all we were all alarmed and every ounce inside our bodies sensed danger - and we did smell it coming and perhaps Qianlong men were after me and they had picked up a trail. I was so scared because I knew once I'm brought up before his Majesty, there was no escaping.
"Qianlong?" He asked me. I wasn't myself during that moment so I just nodded in fear of what to expect once I'm being caught up by them.
We both stood ready for any danger that was going to come for us - for there was no where to hide. Yakuza was such a dormant place where one would be found no matter where they hide so we didn't hide. Mi Jin somehow was scared more than I was, poor man was so inflicted by Qianlong Emperor terror that he was shaken even at the mention of him.
But after we waited for a minute or so, that's where I saw him. I saw my best friend - Lee Qiang a warrior from Xinjiang riding towards us as if it was the last thing he'd ever do. He was energetic, ambitious and as feisty as he always was. My heart which raced with fear finally was calmed, I wasn't scared anymore rather I was excited for him to arrive already and take me away from there.
"Listen Jang Li! Run..." said Mi Jin with fear in his voice "You are a war deserter Jang Li, they hang war deserters"
"It's okay Min Jin. I know him" I said smiling with my eyes glued at Lee who was close by to us.
Our friendship chemistry and all the moments we shared between us is what became the foundation of what our lives would be. How familiar we were with each other because even Lee was stopped by his tracks when he was sure that it was indeed me. He didn't care about falling, or losing the horse or anything and he just dismounted his horse in a hurry and came running to me.
I left my arms open and he threw his whole body onto mine - I held him close. Close to my heart and close to my soul, oh how I've missed him. How I've missed him whining and crying like a child, how he constantly talked about his strength and courage while he we both know he didn't have anything.
"You idiot!" He said observing my wounds which were clearly visible on my face "You went to war didn't you?" he asked.
I nodded with a smile and he laughed out loud and embraced me in a hug again. "I knew it, I knew you wouldn't want to miss all the danger that was right before you. What kind of a person are you, why does danger excite you?"
"Why doesn't it excite you?" I asked.
"Because I love to live, being alive and serving you all my life"
I broke the hug and grabbed my attention to Min Jin "Min Jin, this is Lee Qiang - a soldier and my best friend"
Min Jin stretched his hand out for a handshake "Hello Sir! I'm Min Jin" he said calmly.
Lee took his hand and replied "I'm Lee Qiang Sir. Thank you for looking out for --"
Before he could finish mentioning my name I intervened "For Jang Li" I said.
Lee was amazed by the name but he went along with it "For looking after my friend Jang Li"
"No worries Sir Jang Li is a hero! He found in the war, I'm sure sir you've fought in many wars huh?"
"Yes I have. I'm a soldier, war is my home" Lee replied with such confidence which made me chuckle.
There was no way he just came back from the war the way he looked - with not even a single scratch. His face was as smooth as a child's skin and I knew he opted out on the opportunity because he feared danger like he said while I walk right into it without any fear of anything.
"Mi Jin, I'm afraid this is where we have to part ways. I have to go with my friend" I said and bowed before the man for his kindness towards me.
"Huh Jang Li don't bow to me. I'm just a farmer and you -- you are a soldier Jang Li"
"That doesn't make you less of a man"
"Thank you Jang Li and thank you soldier Lee. I wish you all the best in your new journey after war" he said and walked inside.
He came back with a small basket which was filled with breads and some cookies. Also there was a roasted whole chicken inside and a canteen filled with water. We bade our fairwells to him and Lee helped me up his horse -- and we rode slowly towards a way North and away from South where Tong'an resided.
"Lee" I said sitting calmly behind him - holding him tight just in case I don't fall.
"Yes Mingzhu"
"Where are you taking us? This isn't a way to Tong'an"
"Because we are not going to Tong'an"
"We are not?"
"No we are not"
"Why?"
"Do you want to go back to Tong'an after all the war and horrors you saw?
"I belong to Tong'an, it's my birthright claim to it remember"
"Mingzhu you need to stop with this stupidity" he said clearly not liking the idea that I was actually reborn as a queen of a kingdom I never set foot on. Or knew it at all - Lee always thought that what was going on to me was just magic and something which wasn't real.
"She lives inside me Lee" I said trying to convince him.
"Who lives inside you?"
"Yae Lin and this woman back at the palace said I should just let her out and -"
Lee suddenly intervened me and asked "You were inside the palace Mingzhu?"
"Yes"
"How did you -- how did you get in Mingzhu. Did he see you?"
"Who?"
"Qianlong, did Qianlong Emperor see you or his men?"
"I fought beside him men in the war"
He suddenly stopped the horse and looked at me. "What!" He said while his eyes widened with amazement. "You did what?"
"I fought against the rebels during the war"
"You what -- Mingzhu if general Chun finds out about it..."
"He's never going to find out. After all the prince is dead. We don't have all day let's continue riding" I said and hushed the horse to continue with the journey.
"Mingzhu that was so irresponsible of you - and dangerous. You fought alongside the crowned prince?"
"I was his bodyguard and he did mention that I had to die before him, sadly I escaped the war when we were losing. I told him to surrender, I told him we still had time and perhaps we could've continued fighting in the morning but he didn't listen. He was a proud man"
"A stupid and a dead man. Mingzhu you cannot ever go back to Tong'an"
"But I --" I tried to convince Lee but he interrupted me as usual "No buts Mingzhu, I'm taking you far away from that place, if anyone sees you back in the city you are dead"
"I'm well aware of the situation Lee"
"Then that's settled then - we are going far away from all this Mingzhu. All we wanted was a warm land remember, and to see if it exists. We didn't sign up for wars or for you to be a queen of some people we've never met. You don't owe them a thing Mingzhu, but you do owe me your friendship"
"Wait, I owe you something?"
"You definitely do" he replied smiling.
"I can tell you are grinning from here, you are enjoying this aren't you? I asked and pinched his earlobe.
"Ouch!" He said blushing and probably enjoying it "Don't do that..."
"What I shouldn't do, this" I repeated pinching his earlobe again and he kept giggling as if I was tickling him.
He kept saying "Stop it tickles! Stop Mingzhu" but I didn't stop, and neither did he want me to so I kept doing it from time to time in our whole journey and it became the best moment for us we ever shared. All alone surrounded by just plains and farms on our way North as we passed through the farmers who waved to us, some gave us fruits and food to keep us going on. While we made a few stops one being at the river to feed the horse so as to keep it going, and the other when we found an abandoned cart along the war and decided to tie it on the horse.
It felt like the old times - those days we spent them sleeping under an open sky and adventure at the first light. Only this time it wasn't cold, we didn't a huge fire to keep us warm but just a small one to bring out the light.