Taking his only twelve year old male servant and a few belongings,Long Haoyue started his journey to Gloomhaven. On the way Long Haoyue was a crying mess. He was heartbroken because of how cruel the world was. He had cried and begged everyone claiming he was innocent but no one believed him. Even his father who had the final say failed to stand up for him. Was his father's love fake all along?
His servant Wei Lian tried his best to coax him. He was also heartbroken seeing the current state of his master. Wei Lian was already mature enough to understand how scheming people would be especially at the palace but he didn't expect Long Haoyue to be a victim. In the palace they isolated themselves from others and only interacted with them when necessary to minimize conflicts which would arise even from the most absurd reasons. How come then someone was targeting them?
"Your Highness I have a bad feeling,"Wei Lian spoke up his voice hinting a trace of fear and worry.
"What bad feeling?"Long Haoyue asked nonchalantly.
"I read in novels that when someone is framed and exiled, someone will try to get rid of them completely by sending an assassin to kill them,"Wei Lian whispered.
"Really?"
"Yes. "
"Stop the carriage we would like to relieve ourselves,"Long Haoyue commanded.
The coachman had been instructed not to let them alight till they reached their destination but Long Haoyue knew exactly how to intimidate him and manipulate him into letting them alight. Long Haoyue was always known to be honest and straightforward. With his innocent nature ,the coachman was sure the boy wouldn't play any tricks. When the coachman stopped the carriage ,the young Master and his servant alighted and walked to a nearby bush to relieve themselves.
Long Haoyue and Wei Lian had just stepped into the bush when they heard a commotion. Filled with curiosity,they found a perfect hiding and viewing spot to find out who exactly was causing a scene. It was exactly an ambush aimed to get rid of them.The carriage had been surrounded by masked men and the coachman was already lying on the ground with two around stuck to his vital organs.
"Sir,they are not in the carriage,"one of the men yelled.
"Ask the coachman!"Another man commanded.
The man moved swiftly to where the coachman was lying but he was too late because the coachman had already passed away. He stomped on the coachman's corpse in frustration and clicked his tongue.
"They couldn't have gone far. Let's check in the bush,"another man suggested and they all agreed to his suggestion.
Long Haoyue's heart almost skipped a beat when he saw the assassins coming towards their hiding spot. His limbs became feeble and he barely had the strength to move. Wei Lian being the brave and loyal servant,carried Long Haoyue on his back and escaped with him. Wei Lian's steps were quick and inaudible. Just like Long Haoyue used to describe him,he was like a hare. He would leap away without leaving any traces.
Behind them,they could hear the assassins' heavy steps which got louder with time as if they were almost catching up with them. Ahead of them was a small lake. The two boys took off their clothes and threw them on the lake shore creating a disguise that they were hiding underwater but they ran off to another side.
On reaching the lake ,the assassins spotted the clothes on the ground and recognized them at once.
"They can't stay underwater for too long so we'll just wait here and ambush them,"their leader instructed and they all sat at the lake shore.
Back at the Empress Xiang's residence, Princess Yuhua was lying unconsciously on the bed with several physicians tending to her. Her head suffered a heavy blow and she showed no signs of regaining consciousness soon.
"Physician Gu,when will she wake up?"Empress Xiang asked anxiously.
"I think she might wake up three days later,"Physician Gu replied trying to sound as certain as possible.
Also it seemed like before she fell she had inhaled some sort of strange stimulant that could make someone fall into a coma.Physician Gu speculated that but only in his thoughts. Having worked as an imperial physician for long he was already aware that if he dared speak his mind he would land in trouble especially with the person involved with the strange stimulant. It was shocking how someone would go to such lengths just to frame someone else.
The sun rose casting its rays on the Lakeshore. The masked men who had given up on waiting woke up one by one stretching out and yawning loudly.
"Sir,do you think the kids have already drowned?"
"I don't think so. This lake is shallow and if they drowned they should have already floated."
"A drowned person sinks first and floats after sometime. Should we wait a little longer?"
"Let's stain their clothes with blood and make her Majesty believe we've killed them. We have other missions to carry out,"the leader instructed and got up and everyone else heeded to his command and walked back into the bush.
Long Mingzhu was standing at the porch like some sort of zombie. He was worried about Princess Yuhua and felt a little guilty about Long Haoyue.
"Ming'er , what's on your mind?"Empress Bai asked endearingly while walking towards her son.
"Do you think Long Haoyue will survive?"
"Ming'er,you don't have to worry about him. People like him are the barriers to your ascension to the throne. It's better to get rid of them as soon as possible."