They got on their way quickly. The empress led them the first half of the way until they got through the forest where her knowledge restricted her and she pulled the reins.

"Should I take over from here? your highness?" the girl smiled once again.

Yin Qi looked back at her.

"Your highness is not the correct term." She said harshly. "Its emperor or majesty."

The girl suddenly burst out in laughter. "OHHH" "HAHAHAAH OKAY HER MAJESTY"

The girl was laughing to the point of bending over her self, causing even her horse to worry.

"Cant I just call you Yin Qi?" she asked playfully, having seemed to calm herself down.

"I mean its your name isnt it?"

Yin Qi turned around hastily and quickly set off with her horse.

Hey wait! You dont even know the way!"

The girl managed to catch up after some time.

"Hey, I remembered I havent properly introduced myself really." She said with heavy breaths, swallowing before putting on a smile. "My name is Cheng ming"

... There was a quiet pause.

"I know." the emperor replied coldly.

"Really? she replied astonished. "I reckoned you didnt keep tabs on your maids”

...

There was no reply.

Chang Ming was just going to let another untasteful comment slip but quickly hindered herself. She figured it was probably best to try and keep some sense of courtesy. After all, she didnt know how long she would be stuck with this girl.

After a couple hours they could finally see the end of the forest, a narrow trail stretched before them, the same trail they had followed since they started their journey. It ended here, where the trees led way to a long hill sloping down towards the village houses below. Cheng Ming could see the people bustling the market squares and the children playing around in the streets.

As they descended the hill, her heart strings tightened. She hadnt been home for a while and the familiar sights tugged at her.

Yin Qi stopped to take something out of the inner pocket of her robes. She unfolded a beautiful light blue veil, embroidered with small crystals at the top seamed edge. She carefully tied it around her head, covering half of her lower face.

"You couldnt pick a disguise a little less luxurious?" Chang Ming said teasingly.

Yin Qi´s eyes expressed slight confusion but she quickly brushed it off and continued walking.

After entering the village, they took a walk through the market in hopes of meeting someone to help them on their way. (And also because Chang Ming wouldnt stop pestering Yin Qi about buying her tangyuan)

"Oo look they have mutton soup!" "I havent eaten it since I was a kid"

"It´s so cold, cant we buy some?" Cheng Ming said clenching her teeth and rubbing her hands together. Overdramatically.

"You´re gonna make me pay? Hff you really are shameless.." Yi Qi said quietly under her breath.

" I thought you wanted tangyuan?" She said switching her tone.

"Dessert?" Cheng Min said, puppy eyed.

Yin Qi sighed.

"Dont worry I think I can pay for this" The girl said reaching out for her money in her little pouch. You could hear a small clinging as she grabbed around in the pouch with her hand, but it didnt seem like there was much in there.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

She finally took out the money she had and reached out to give it to the wendor.

"This doesnt cover it" The woman behind the desk said.

"What" "I´m sorry" She blurted out anxiously.

"I should have some more on me uhhm" She hastily looked down and started going through all her bags and pockets but was interrupted.

"Thank you, dear miss" The wendor said to the woman leaving a small sum of money on the counter. Cheng Ming looked up at Yi Qi. "You didnt have to pay for that" she said scratching her neck in embarrassment.

"Its fine."

She handed her the warm soup and Cheng Ming´s face lit up in an instant. After warming her hands on the steaming pot, she quickly started heaving the food in her mouth like a starved animal.

Yin Qi seemed to think it was quite funny and couldnt refrain from letting a slight smile show before shaking her head.

After walking through the market for a while, Cheng Ming felt a weird sensation in the back of her neck, it felt as if someone was watching them. She turned around and locked eyes with a man standing amidst the masses of people roaming the street. The man quickly looked off and started walking the other way.

She turned towards her partner who was walking with fine calm steps in front of her.

"I think there´s someone watching us" she whispered, trying to be as subtle as possible.

Yin Qi´s eyes widened.

Just as she turned her head to look for potential stalkers- a shadow came over them. The man attacked promptly with his sword towards Yin Qi, catching her off guard and slashing a wound through her shoulder, leaving blood seeping through her blue cloths. Cheng Ming saw the scene unwrap infront of her, her jaw fell as her eyes sparred open from the sight. She quickly jumped forward, catching Yin Qi in her arms. She pushed the wounded girl behind her and after meeting swords with the man, she saw a swarm of similar clothed men were heading towards them. She peeled her eyes at the man before jumping forward in attack, the clashing sounds echoing over the hurried streets. She quickly tried to turn to the empress in hopes of protecting her from the other men but saw as the wounded girl were fighting for her life, countering every sword coming her way. If you didnt know about the injury, you wouldt think twice about the high level of fighting skills she had. She could see from the distance though that the girl was clenching her teeth in pain. Assuming she could handle the situation, Cheng Ming tried to fight the men off as fast as she could to get them both out of there.

She quickly looked down upon the blood filled streets of lying bodies before hurriying over and grabbing Yin Qi´s arm, placing it around her waist.

"What the hell are you doing?" Yin Qi asked uprumptly, furrowing her brows.

"I´m helping my wounded friend."

"Friend?" she huffed a laugh, which seemingly caused her some pain as she hovered down slightly. "Where´d you get that idea"

"And I´m fine, its just a scratch"

"Well you´re gonna have to let me take a look at it first." "Let´s go fast before any more of those guys catch up."

They quickly hurried from the now chaoes filled street into a dark and narrow alley, quiet from the masses.

As they were shoved together in the crowded thoroughfare, an old woman suddenly caught their attention. "Psst.. take cover in here" the woman gestured towards a door at the side of the threshold. They took a brief glance at eachother before quickly limping their way over to it. The aunty seemed nice and they didnt really have any other place to go.

She quickly shut the door behind them. Yin Qi was led to the table near the door, grunting in pain as she sat herself down. "Who are you" Cheng Ming asked frantic.

"Thats not important." "What is important is to help nurse the empress back to health."

"Wait you know who I am?" Yin Qi blurted out.

And shes not trying to kill her? Cheng Ming thought to herself.

"Well I figured." The ill-looking woman looked at the empress, as if she had the same thought as Cheng Ming had earlier when looking at her embellished veil.

She huffed before sighing. "With all these soldiers looking for you, I thought I might be able to help" "You´re looking for Hei Feng, true?"

The both of them got quiet before Cheng Ming spoke "H - How-"

The woman sighed in despair before looking down to the ground. "The Changyi people are not the only ones that have hatred for that man." "My son used to work for his army, you see." "I was so proud of him. It had always been his dream to work for chief of the valley, to make a difference in the city."

The woman continued.

"Hei feng was someone my son had admired since he was a child but then, something happened, something that made me forget all good that man might have ever done before."

She paused, catching her breath before continuing

"When Hei Feng went on that monstrous murder spree, he took my son down with the rest of them." "I cried for years to come, swearing that I would not let him get away.

There were pearly tears starting to form in the woman´s eyes.

"I still stand by that."

"I have one question" Yin Qi said in a serious tone

Cheng Ming looked over at her, furrowing her eyebrows at the insensitivity.

"Do you know why Hei Feng would want to kill one of his own people?"

Cheng Ming´s expression lightened. Thats actually a good question. She wanted answers as well.

"I have no idea." "My son was the nicest person youd meet." "He was loved by the entire village."

"He didnt deserve the fate that he received." She looked down to the floor again, a single teardrop flowing down her left cheek. She snuffled before continuing.

"I was hoping to find more answers if you can find his body." "I would say I have my way around the village so I think i know where they might have taken him"

"You do?" Cheng Ming said with wide eyes.

The woman nodded.