“Hurry, Luli! I want to be there to greet Ying-tai when he returns!” Xiu Juan squealed excitedly. Luli was wrapping her red and gold embellished sash around her golden robe.

“Xiu Juan, I can’t—you’re moving too much! Ack!” Luli struggled. “There! You’re ready!”

“Okay now hurry!” Xiu Juan quickly turned around and grabbed Luli’s hand and ran out of her chamber.

Xiu Juan ran down the stairs toward the gate to greet the coming soldiers. When she finally saw Huian she waved excitedly.

“Welcome home, Huian,” Xiu Juan greeted warmly and bowed her head to him.

“Ah, yes. It’s good to be home, child,” he said as he stroked her head. “You’ve been well? You seem rather pale.”

“Yes! Well, I am now, Huian!” Xiu Juan beamed. Then she looked around and spotted Xia. He bowed to her and she acknowledged him with a smile and waved. Her smile weakened when she didn’t see Ying-tai.

“Huian, where’s Ying-tai?” Xiu Juan wondered.

“Is he okay?” Luli chimed in.

Huian smiled warmly to not worry Xiu Juan any more than she was already. “Ying-tai needs rest. He is very tired. He told me to tell you he will send for you when he’s ready to see you.”

Xiu Juan’s heart dropped, “Oh, Huian, is Ying-tai okay? Please, you must tell me. I’ll start imagining the worst!”

“Child, I promise you he is fine. This is Ying-tai we are talking about,” Huian assured Xiu Juan. “Now I will see you later, okay? We are going to meet with your father and brother. Go back inside. It’s freezing out here.” He turned to Luli, “Luli, take Princess Xiu Juan back inside and make yourselves some tea. You two look like ghosts.”

“Yes, Sir Huian,” Luli obliged. “Come on Princess Xiu Juan,” Luli grabbed Xiu Juan and she reluctantly walked away with Luli with a heavy heart.

“Was that Princess Xiu Juan?” Ying-tai, who was inside the tight carriage, asked Huian when they strode away from the ladies.

“Yes, my lord. She is very worried,” Huian replied.

Ying-tai sighed to himself. “I don’t want her to see me like this.”

“She understands, lord Ying-tai. We must hurry to The Emperor and get that over with. You mustn’t keep Grand Princess Xiu Juan waiting too long.”

“Yes,” Ying-tai agreed and helped himself up into an appropriate posture to meet The Emperor and Jiao Long.

At the doorway to the grand room, Ying-tai poised himself and walked side by side with Huian and Xia.

“Ying-tai, son!” The Emperor greeted him and then the others.

“Your majesty, I’ve returned,” Ying-tai bowed to him and then to Jiao Long.”

“I heard your fight against the Zhao was another success. I’m very happy to hear that.”

“Yes, your majesty. The only problem was that we met with an ambush with the Wei on our return.”

“The Wei?” Jiao Long questioned.

“Yes. But not to worry, we were able to fight them off.”

“Well that’s good news,” The Emperor said.

“Yes. Ying-tai was able to read two steps ahead of them, saving us from major casualties,” Xia informed.

The Emperor nodded his head, pleased.

“I do have urgent news though, your majesty,” Ying-tai began. “It appears Zhao has agreed alliance with Wei. This means we’ll have to advance in supplies and weapons for our soldiers. My men have been growing weary from battle after battle. I fear if we aren’t empowering our men enough they will lose the will to fight in this crucial time. Qin cannot afford to falter even a little bit right now.”

The Emperor agreed. “I will provide more funds and have it forwarded to the Qin army and its research team. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.”

Ying-tai, Huian, and Xia bowed to The Emperor and thanked him.

“Thank you, your majesty. I will like to be excused from your court now. My men and I are quite tired from the journey.”

“Of course, of course. Go on and rest.”

Before they could leave, Jiao Long called out to Ying-tai and walked down toward him from his seat. “Brother, you seem pale,” he tilted his head and observed him.

“Yes, Prince Jiao Long. I am quite tired,” Ying-tai replied.

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“Despite of the poise you display, you seem to be rather, mmm, breathless.”

“Crown Prince Jiao Long,” Huian began.

Jiao Long raised his hand to silent him. He walked nearer to Ying-tai and looked him in the eyes. “Or should we say you’re rather…dying of pain?” He slyly struck his hand deep into Ying-tai’s wound and reopened it, making Ying-tai whimper.

“Lord Ying-tai!” Huian and Xia cried out and grabbed a hold of him.

“Jiao Long!” The Emperor roared and shot up from his throne.

“I was just checking his wound, father,” Jiao Long shrugged.

“I have had enough of your intolerable acts in my presence. Leave!”

With that, Jiao Long scoffed and stormed out of the grand room with his guards.

“Ying-tai! What happened to you?” The Emperor trembled his way to Ying-tai and bent down next to him. “Let me see, son.” Huian removed Ying-tai’s hand for The Emperor to see. His eyes filled with fear when he saw the blood. “Get the imperial physician and botanist! Ying-tai needs to be treated right away! Go now!” The Emperor demanded and waved his hand. Everyone scurried away urgently.

“Why did you not let me know, Ying-tai?” The Emperor asked, his hands on Ying-tai’s shoulders. He glared at Huian and Xia, “Huian! Xia! How could you let this happen? And why did you hide it from me? You deserve to be punished!” He scolded.

“Your majesty!” They fell on their knees and bowed their heads. “We deserve to be beheaded for neglecting our duty to protect Lord Ying-tai!”

“No, don’t scold them, your majesty! It was I who told them to hide it from you. I did not want you to worry about something so minor,” Ying-tai breathed heavily.

“You are more than a minor significant,” The Emperor declared. “How many times must I remind you that you are a son to me. That makes you a Prince of Qin!” The Emperor stood up and ordered his servants, “Take him to his chamber and have him treated.” He turned to Huian and Xia, “Huian. Xia. You are to inform me what his current condition is after the physician looks at him.”

“Yes, your majesty!” They promised.

Jiao Long stormed into his chamber infuriated by his father and the attention Ying-tai stole.

“That bastard thinks he’s just so capable!” He shouted as he swept the porcelain dishes off his table. He plopped onto his seat and panted.

The royal advisor, Shirong, strutted his way to Jiao Long to calm him down. “Right now is not the time to be causing scenes to stress The Emperor. You keep this up, he will have second thoughts on giving you the throne.”

“That man sees Ying-tai as his son. He never gazed at me in that way. What am I to do if father decides to make him crown prince?” He slammed his fist onto the table, “The thought makes my blood boil! I could be like him. I could go into battle but father won’t let me. I am capable!” He stood up and turned to Shirong. “I want to go into battle and prove father wrong.”

Shirong thought for a moment. “No, it is smart of The Emperor to have you stay here instead of that bastard child,” he smirked. “Because if Ying-tai dies in battle you won’t have to worry about him anymore.”

Jiao Long, his interest peaked, stared at Shirong.

Shirong lowered head and whispered to Jiao Long, “You could work with Zhao, the strongest state next to Qin. If you, Crown Prince, form an alliance with them, you could work hand in hand in killing off Ying-tai and then you can take the throne.”

Jiao Long grinned at the thought, “Yes. This works perfectly. Ying-tai will not be able to leave soon due to his wound. This buys us time.”

Shirong nodded, “We will make them a deal they can’t refuse.”

They looked at each other, pleased with their devious plan, and chuckled to themselves.

Later that evening, the imperial physician and botanist tended Ying-tai.

“You were lucky, Lord Ying-tai,” the physician was marveled. “Just a few more centimeters to the right and your major organs would’ve been hit. It’s god’s miracle it missed by that little.”

Ying-tai grunted as he stitched the wound closed. “Now just make sure you don’t do any heavy work for a long while.” He cleaned up the blood and stepped aside for the botanist to apply the ointment.

“This is a mixture of red root, calamus, and white willow. It will ease the pain and clean any toxins in your blood,” she explained. Then she handed him a cup of brewed tea. “To gain your strength back I’ve prescribed you ginseng, schisandra, and reisha. You must drink at least 5 cups a day. You should recover within the next couple months.”

Ying-tai sighed as he sipped his medicine.

“Ying-tai, we will leave you alone to rest now,” Huian said. “We will let The Emperor know you are holding up fine.”

Ying-tai nodded and turned to Xia, “Xia, please send word to Princess Xiu Juan I will not be able to meet her today. Perhaps tomorrow will be a better time.”

“She’ll be disappointed, sir,” Xia reminded Ying-tai, though he understood him fully.

“After almost four years, I don’t want her to see me like this for the first time since,” Ying-tai reasoned.

Xia nodded and bowed to him before leaving his chamber.

Ying-tai lied down and noticed the familiar, comforting scent by his bed. It was his small flower and herb arrangements from Xiu Juan. She placed it there for his return. He closed his eyes and drew Xiu Juan’s face into his mind. I’m sorry, Xiu Juan, Ying-tai wept in his heart, longing for her.

In Xiu Juan’s chamber, she waited eagerly and impatiently. She picked on the strings of her guzheng while staring at the embroidery Luli was making.

“I wonder what’s taking him so long,” Xiu Juan whined.

“Maybe your father is still talking to him. You know how he likes to go on and on,” Luli guessed.

Xiu Juan huffed and buried her face into her gold dress.

“Lieutenant Xia has come!” The doorman announced.

Xiu Juan shot up and brushed herself and fixed her hair while Luli quickly threw her embroidery out of sight and knelt by Xiu Juan.

Xia entered through the door and bowed to Xiu Juan. When the doors shut behind him, she told him to rise.

“Princess Xiu Juan, Lord Ying-tai wanted me to let you know he will not be able to see you tonight,” Xia announced to Xiu Juan. The light in her eyes fainted.

“Oh,” was all Xiu Juan managed to say.

“Trust me when I say he is very sorry,” Xia apologized on Ying-tai’s behalf and bowed down to Xiu Juan.

Xiu Juan smiled kindly and stopped Xia. “Thank you for making your way all the way here to let me know, Lieutenant Xia. I appreciate it. You may leave and rest. It has been a long day for you guys.”

Xia said his goodnights and made his way through the door.

Xiu Juan sat in silence for a long time. She gazed off into the distance just thinking of reasons why Ying-tai couldn’t or wouldn’t make it tonight. Luli sadly looked at her and didn’t dare say a word even when it came time to get ready for bed.

Brushing Xiu Juan’s long silky hair, Luli spoke softly, “Xiu Juan, don’t be sad. I don’t know what to say when you’re like this. It upsets me.”

Xiu Juan inhaled deeply and sighed, “I’m sorry Luli. I’m just very frustrated. I was hoping for a lot today. Little did I know I was hoping for too much.” Then she chuckled to herself, “It’s my fault. I should know better by now.”

“Don’t say that,” Luli shook her head.

No more words were spoken after that. That night, both Ying-tai and Xiu Juan laid in bed wide awake thinking about one another. Both disappointed about the fact that they were so close to each other but were unable to get the reunion they waited for that day.