What is this?

"Someone has betrayed me" the Emperor says to himself in a deadly voice.

The moonlight illuminated his hair that had long ago turned white. If one was to see him in such a state, he would look as if he was a saint reincarnated. The soft glow around him gave off an aura of an ancient kind ruler. However, his expression was anything but.

The smile on his face was from a man that had nothing else to lose. Whereas his eyes held a much deeper regression of madness. The robe that he had faithfully adorned all these years serving the country as best he could, was unkept.

Laughing lightly to himself before closing the latest report that informed him of nothing but hardships in the search of Han Bing. According to the report Han Bings trail had been lost.

"Trash" the Emperor muttered before ripping the offending documents into a pile on his desk "If they can't accomplishment this simple task looks like I have to."

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Han Bing searched the land that surrounded the small hunting cabin that they occupied for something that Mai could cook.

"I wonder what Mai would like to cook with" Han Bing thought to himself.

Looking over the rabbit trap that he had set not too long ago and sighing to himself. It was empty just like the surrounding wooded area. Although little critters would run around the treetops, they would barely be able to feed himself not to mention Mai. In addition, they were hard to catch as they scattered around at the first sound of him approaching.

Deeply sighing again before catching a large object move in the corner of his eye. Han Bing lept from the dead trees the littered the ground as he chased after blur in motion. Leaves scattered around him as he picked up speed. When Han Bing was almost on top of the deer, he lifted his palm about to strike the neck of the creature giving it a quick death. His palm was a few centimeters away before he heard the groaning of a man.

"Han Bing! Wait" the voice pleaded.

Instantly alarmed that not only had someone snuck up on him this closely but also knew his name Han Bing didn't even hesitated before hitting the man. Instead of a killing blow it was one that knocked the man unconscious. Using the spare parts of a rabbit trap, Han Bing took the rope and tied the man firmly before taking him back to the little cottage.

Concern covered Han Bings face as he retraced the steps that they had taken. He had done the best he could at covering their tracks, but it seemed to have been a futile struggle that Mai and he were in. The jaunt through the wooded area was done in silence as Han Bing worried about the future.

Walking through the small cottage door, Han Bing let the man fall off his shoulders with a loud thump onto the ground. Although he wanted information, Han Bing wasn't against making his unwelcomed guest feel even more uncomfortable.

"What kind of animal did you get?" Mai called out as she had been bent with her head in the stove trying to clear a path for the smoke to exit instead of filling up the room that they were in.

Even though the situation was bleak Han Bing couldn't help but smile at his wife when she faced him. Her face was covered with black soot marks that showed off her hard work. Mai's face lit up as soon as she saw Han Bing smiling at her and then blushed in embarrassment as she realized that she had to be incredibly dirty.

Mai's lips twitch as she was about to make a joke but looking toward the ground at Han Bings feet she started to frown.

"Don't frown my wife" Han Bing said towards her with as much comfort in his voice as he could muster "I double checked all of the ties on him before I brought him inside. We need to know how they found this place so fast."

Han Bing decided to not mention that the man knew who he was or that he seemed to not want to fight earlier. The best course of action was to keep Mai calm and figure out everything else after the man woke up.

Mai gave Han Bing a displeased look before commenting "you're the only husband in the world that would be sent out for food and bring back a captive instead." Shaking her head Mai went back to working on clearing out the stove.

"would it make my wife happier if there was a kiss involved?" Han Bing asked quietly acknowledging his failure to obtain food.

Leaning towards Mai he kissed each hand lightly and smeared more of the soot that was under her eyes. "I did happen to see a stream nearby. He should be unconscious for at least another hour; I can at least get us water." Han Bing said before taking a large pail with him to the stream.

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Mai mentally groaned on the inside "There isn't even great surveillance in this time period how could they have tracked us down?!? We looked like ever other group of peasants that had left the capital." She had to stop herself from stubbing her toe in frustration against the floor. "couldn't they have just a moment to enjoy themselves without wondering where the next threat was? Who would want to deal with all this animosity? Dad, Mom I miss you, I know we had some moments when I was growing up, but I swear if I every see you again ill treasure you with all of my heart."

Mai glanced towards the man the was lying tied up on the floor. He didn't even look like a threat. He had a similar demeaner as a middle age-old man. Deep winkles covered his faces that looked as thought he laughed when he was younger.

"how did he end up in this situation?" Mai thought to herself "Maybe he is someone that lives around here that isn't afraid of the demoness?"

While they were traveling through the woods the surrounding area had gotten incredibly foggy in the morning and around dusk.