The mask

Neglecting a palace duty is a big responsibility.

Hui Jin was early awakened the next morning because of a problem occur in the borders. Together with the War General, Liu Zhen Ming, they need to follow their majesty's order to solve the crisis.

Yi Guan was awake not later than Hui Jin have set off on the way to the borders.

She was confuse when she feels no one was beside her but then she saw a letter under a pillow. It was written by Hui Jin.

'I think he will be back late tonight. I might as well head back to the mansion.' Yi Guan took a shower and then went outside the palace.

She first took a stroll on the city before she went home.

Several hours have past, Yi Guan remembers she had not eaten something since she woke up.

When she's on her way back to the mansion, she took an alley for shortcut. No one was there actually, so she decided to walk pass that alley.

But she was stopped by some men.

'This is bad. I thought no one was here.' Yi Guan wanted to go back to the main street but she was already surrounded over four men.

"Miss, give us your money!" One of them walk towards her and almost touch her hands but she avoided it quickly.

Yi Guan didn't notice a hand almost touching her back shoulder. But before that man touches her, a strong and firm hands were wrap against the man's hand and twisted it on his back. The man produces a painful groan.

"Hey! Who are you?!" One of them ask.

Yi Guan turned around and her eyes widen when she saw who it was.

"Your nightmare." The man let go of the drunk man's hand and grab Yi Guan to let her stay at his back.

"Hui Jin..." Yes, it's the Prince.

The men took a step forward to fight Hui Jin but the man who got his armed twisted stop them.

"Don't! We offended the wrong person." The rest of the men got confused.

"I heard her calling him 'Hui Jin'. He is the 2nd Prince!" Their eyes widen when they recognized the embroidered masks' Hui Jin was wearing.

"Oh no! We really did offended the wrong person." They all kneeled down.

"How dare you pick on my woman!" Hui Jin was really mad. Their eyes widen when they realize they were picking on the Prince's lady. They were trembling in fear.

"Your Highness! My Lady! Please spare us! Please spare us!" They plead and even got their heads hit the ground to let Hui Jin know they were sincere.

"Hui Jin, Let them go. Besides, they still didn't recognized me." Yi Guan tried to calm Hui Jin.

"Your Highness! My Lady! We just wanted some money! We don't mean to harm you, My Lady!" One of them said while crying.

"Why do you want money?" Yi Guan ask them still standing behind Hui Jin. The Prince was already calm yet his phoenix eyes are still gazing on the men.

"Our big brother need to be sent to the hospital but we don't have enough money for his medication." They said while they were still trembling in fear.

'So this is why they wanted my money.' Yi Guan thought of something to help them.

Yi Guan reached her pocket to get her money.

"Here, I'll give my money to you." Yi Guan let them stand up and hand the money to them.

"Thank you My Lady!" Their foreheads were bleeding from bowing.

Yi Guan think of something to help them.

"Do you have work?" Yi Guan ask them and they quickly responded,

"We don't have any work, My Lady. That's why every time people pass this alley, we want to get their money."

"How about working on my mansion." Hui Jin suddenly speak from behind.

Yi Guan's eyes shift to Hui Jin after she heard him say that.

"I was suppose to say that."

The four men were hesitating. They don't know how to work inside the mansion let alone they are going to serve the 2nd Prince and his Lady.

Yi Guan saw their hesitating eyes so she said,

"Don't worry. Once you work with us, we'll help your big brother in his medication."

The four men's eyes widen. They felt glad and also they wanted to cry.

Yi Guan eyed Hui Jin as he nodded in response.

"Alright! We will serve you in repay for your kindness. Your Highness, My Lady, thank you!" They finally got some help for their brother's medication.

"Fu Cheng!" Hui Jin called.

"Your Highness!" Fu Cheng appeared out of nowhere.

Yi Guan was startled in Fu Cheng's sudden appearance.

"You...where did you came from?" Yi Guan ask Fu Cheng with curiosity.

"My greetings, My Lady. I was actually following you from the palace to here."

'Did he asked him to watch over me?' Yi Guan eyed Hui Jin while he just standing there paying no attention.

"Uhm....His Highness ordered me to look after you from behind since he went to the borders." Fu Cheng explained what Hui Jin have ordered him to do.

"Oh." The only word came out from Yi Guan's mouth.

"Fu Cheng, take them to the mansion. Also, ask a doctor to give medication on their brother." Hui Jin finally spoke.

"Yes, Your Highness." Fu Cheng lead the four mean into the mansion.

Yi Guan wanted to thank Hui Jin for letting her help them. But a strange noise came from her stomach suddenly.

"You're hungry?" Hui Jin ask her as she nod in response.

"I remember I haven't eaten since I woke up. After taking a walk, I was suppose to head home to eat. But then, something came up." She was referring to what happen earlier.

"Let's go home. I'll ask some maids to cook for you." Hui Jin held her hand.

As they were walking back home, Yi Guan remembers something.

"Anyway, Hui Jin. Why are you back so soon? I thought you'll be home late tonight since the border is quite far from the palace."

"When we were half way to the borders, our men reported that it was a false crises that happened so we don't have to be there to investigate since the matter has been solve." Hui Jin glance at Yi Guan and then he continued speaking.

"So after we received the report, I quickly head back for you."

Yi Guan was fluttered on Hui Jin's last words. But then she said something that makes Hui Jin speechless.

"Is it? Or did you head back quickly to eat?" Yi Guan was laughing while saying those words.

"You..." Before Hui Jin got to finish his sentence, Yi Guan let go of his hand and run away from him still laughing like a kid.

Hui Jin saw this childish side of her for the first time yet he was melted inside when he saw her laugh and even joke around him.

Yi Guan had gotten away from him as he shake his head and said to his self, 'This woman is really different from the other ladies.' He then catch up to Yi Guan using his long legs.

When they reach their mansion, Hui Jin asked some maids to cook meals.

Yi Guan is in their room waiting for the food.

She then thought of something.

'How did the four brothers recognized Hui Jin as the 2nd Prince? No one from the city knows the name of the Prince and did not even saw his face either.'

Yi Guan with her curiosity, she wanted to ask about the mask Hui Jin keep wearing.

'Does they recognized him using the mask?' Yi Guan yet couldn't answer this questions by herself. So she decided to go out from the room and find Hui Jin to answer her questions.

But before she could even open the door, someone already opened it.

"Hui Jin, I wanted to ask something." Yi Guan couldn't stop her mouth from blabbering. She accidentally said that in a demand manner.

"I....I mean, I have questions to ask. I hope you could answer them honestly."

"About my mask, is it?" Hui Jin knows her well.

She just nod her head and avoid his eyes. Yi Guan had long wanted to know behind the mask.

"Alright. I think it's time to tell you about this." Hui Jin reach for his mask and handed it to Yi Guan.

"This mask....was given by my master. When I was 4, he was always been with me. He was the one taught me literature and martial arts." Yi Guan saw sadness on Hui Jin's eyes but she still remained silence as Hui Jin continue.

"He made this mask by himself as his gratitude on taking good care of me. I should be the one to give my gratitude to him since he does not only took me as his disciple, but he treat me as his own son."

Hui Jin lead Yi Guan to seat on the bed. Yi Guan was focused on listening to him as well.

"In fact, I am one of the son of the Emperor. So my master sometimes keeps his distance away from me. I told my father to let him the Deputy General since he knows how to handle law affairs. The time he was already instructed as the Deputy General of the city, I couldn't even talk to him for a long time since he's busy handling his business. And then a war against Chongqing occur. My master was promoted to be the War General of Nanjing so he was present during the battle. I was only 12 years old during the war."

A tear fell from Hui Jin's eyes. Yi Guan quickly wiped his tears away as he open his mouth to continue speaking.

"He was killed when he saved his men from the hands of his enemy."

Yi Guan didn't notice she was already crying hearing his master died.

"So this is the reason why you always wear this mask. Because it reminds you of your master." Yi Guan held on to the mask and then give it back to Hui Jin.

"My master have a son. And that son is the current War General of Nanjing, Liu Zhen Ming."