North

After everyone finished congratulating Xuan, the emperor called the Tang pair again.

"Greeting to the Great Emperor of Qin, may you live for hundred of years."

"Stand."

Tang Xuan held her hand and helped her up. The festive at the banquet died down and was replaced with tensed atmosphere.

"For winning the war, I owe you one wish, Tang Xuan." The emperor said while laughing. His fierce face soften a little bit.

"Then... this subordinate wishes to go north." Tang Xuan put his hands together and bowed a little bit.

The crowd of nobles that have been watching since the emperor called started to whisper. In his glory after he just won a war, he decided to go to the north kingdom? The kingdom where snow falls every season?

"North? What matters do you have there?" The Emperor raised an eyebrow and held the sides of his huge chair.

"Now that the war is over, this servant would like to take a rest there. Please give your permission." Tang Xuan said. Eventhough his words were all respectful, his face didn't even look like he wanted to suck up to the emperor, it's like... he just wants this to be over quickly.

"Of course, north is a good place. Well I give the permission. However, you must return whenever this emperor orders you so. Do you understand?"

Tang Xuan simply kneeled down and saluted the emperor.

---

❄

"What do you think about north?"

Tang Xuan asked me. I heard from Han Jing and some others that the north was a place where snow falls all year round. However, the kingdom was prosperous and there weren't any starving children at the North Kingdom.

"I think it would be great. I heard that the Kingdom is a great one where there's no starving citizen and no jobless man." I said the words I've heard.

"Thats correct. However, no kingdom is perfect. Some flaws are just hidden perfectly."

Tang Xuan looked at me meaningfully.

"Are there any other reasons why you want to go to the north?" I asked

"Emperor's order. The wish just now was just a cover up, to make sure that no one suspected. But it seems like, some people are trying to find out."

He took out the dagger hiding in his inner clothes and slammed it to the tree. Then a shout was heard.

He brought my hand and leaded me to where the dagger was thrown.

"And this is why the Emperor wants me to go north." He said pulling his dagger from the man's chest and clean the blood with his handkerchief before throwing the handkerchief to the river.

"One can never be too suspicious. Let's go."

I looked at the man corpse in silent. Tang Xuan has hit his vital points and that brought him to his dead immediately.

"Wait." I held Tang Xuan's hand.

"He has poison with him."

I looked through his pockets and clothes.

'Found it!'

He has a small drawstring bag in his left side pocket. I sniffed it for a little bit before quickly closing the bag again.

"It's Rosary Pea, the seeds can cause organ failures and can eventually kill someone if eaten. But thankfully, it seems like he hasn't used it yet."

I confiscated the seeds from the dead man bodies, need to make sure that no one accidentally die or fall ill, after all these seeds can be poisonous when scratched, broken or chewed.

"Let's go." I wonder where this spy come from. The north? or is it someone inside this palace?