Preparation

In every mission, there were three components someone must always prepare early. People, supports, and tactics.

"Young Chief! What, what happened to you?" Their young miss was the second most important person in Black Temple, looking at her disheveled appearance and pale face how could he not worry? Not only was it worrying, it was also very inappropriate.

"Don't make a fuss over nothing, Jo Kang." She threw her outer robe to one of the maids, "Send words to the commanders. Ask them to choose the top 10 of their recruits to compete for the guard position on my escort to Buckwheat Kingdom."

"Yes, Heiress."

Yifei was a creature of habit, she walked straight to the bathing room to soak. The only place no one would dare to disturb her was only her mind and bathing room. It was the perfect place to make a plan.

The scent of lavender oil and rose petals soothed her nerves, her pores opened by the steams. It was the only time she could relax ever since she was crowned as Young Chief.

Ever since Wu Yifan's disappearance two years ago, Yifei never renounced in carrying out her obligations. Whether chasing spies, killing enemies, or conducting reconnaissance on their opposition. She did it all with the utmost care just to make sure she wouldn't destroy the people's trust in her. Her position was shaky and the Councilmen would do anything to put Yuan Zian into power.

Her mission this time was to smuggle experts to help the Buckwheat Kingdom, it was easy yet very tricky. The other party already prepared their disguise by the birthday invitation, but a nation's envoy couldn't bring too many people.

The expert's identity must be hidden and to guarantee no leakage, she could only trust her people. But Black Temple had its own storm, her enemies would do anything to plant people beside her. She could only let fate decide whether her people could win the fight to be part of her escort team.

"(Wu Yifei, where are you?)"

"(Get lost, Huli!)"

"(Oh come on, I heard you just left Situation Hall. Tell me.)"

"(I'm not telling, stop pestering me.)"

"(I'm your head security details, Yifei. You must tell me.)"

Yifei groaned, she chose to set a mind link connection with Huli for convenience. She thought she was preventing a catastrophe, but it seemed like she was creating a nightmare for herself. "(Ji Huli, I beg you to leave me alone okay. I need to make a plan.)"

"(Enough with this, just tell me your plan. Beside the obvious of course.)"

"(I ask for 10 representatives from each regiments, the training probably similar with Red Batalyon. Then we will divide the evaluation into; individual and team. The individual test will measure their strength. Non weapon combat, weapons combat, and magick.)"

"(Then I will design the team battle.)"

"(No need, I have my own plan for it.)"

"(You basically put me jobless.)"

"(I've told you I don't need your help, Ji Huli.)"

"(Fart.. One person can only do so much, beside you will personally check the diplomatic information and gifts. You won't have enough time to oversee the competition process.)"

"(I will make time.)"

"(No, you leave the proceedings to me and Qilins. Just focus on the big picture. One mistake we might lose our head in foreign land.)"

"(Exactly, so stop being a nuisance and get the hell out of my head.)"

Her mind cleared once again, only night animals outside were heard.

Some people fell asleep at night but some work under the moonlight.

"You here."

"Chief." He made his salute fist in reverence. "Pardon my tardiness."

"Guarding Yifei home again?"

"It's been a habit, Chief."

Ji Hui slapped the back of his son's head, "You clearly like her yet you reject her proposal, you stupid brat!"

"You calm down, Xinlu had his own consideration."

"Wu Zilan! It was your daughter he rejected, how could you be this calm?"

"Exactly, it was my daughter. Why were you so mad?"

"I don't care anymore. You are really hard to fathom Zilan." General Ji Hui then pointed at his son, "Don't come back crying to me once YIfei changes her heart from you!"

General Ji Hui left the imperial study with stomped feet.

Zilan and Hui were childhood friends, they knew each other's temperament best, "How was the investigation going?"

"The Buckwheat Kingdom is indeed very cornered, Chief. The Iron Kingdom openly swallows their land. The Broen Dynasty stopped their machinery support and even the Phoenix Empire reduced their agriculture import."

"Azure Nation?"

"They are busy with their annual celebration, but in my opinion without their help the Iron Kingdom won't freely move like this Chief."

"Then how about your brother? He still helps Yifei track Yifan down?"

"Yes, Chief. Huli haven't given up about Yifan. Just like Yifei."

"These troublemakers, really." Wu children not only shouldered the lives of the people but also the legacy of their nation. Yifan's disappearance made this burden transferred to Yifei, she destined to leave her ordinary lifestyle yet that girl still stupidly holds on into a bottomless abyss of hope. "I've warned her, once she comes back from this mission we will officially hold Yifan's funeral. His name will be engraved and after a month later I will grant you two a marriage."

"Chief, you don't have to-"

"Your father is right, Xinlu. What will you do if Yifei changes her mind? What if she finds someone else after this?"

The young man had nothing to refute. That year Yifei proposed to him seemed like a joke, she just confessed her admiration and asked him to be her husband. Randomly, unexpectedly.

Who would take a drunk girl's word seriously?

"I know I've meddled too much in your affairs, but early marriage is not bad. After all, I'm not getting younger and Yifan's whereabouts is still unknown. Yifei is my only hope to succeed me."

"I'll think about it, Chief." Xinlu handed out a scroll, "Chief, this is the information you ask. I record every myth and legend including the less popular one."

"Good job, Xinlu. You can proceed to the next plan."

"Understood, Chief."

The birds chirping as the sun shared its warmth with nature. Wu Yifei just finished her morning training when she found Jo Kang was serving Huli his breakfast. "Can you not come here unannounced in the morning? I'm so sick of seeing you."

"Yifei! Hurry up and sit, the chef made a roasted rabbit and seafood soup."

The way Jo Kang and the maids served Huli was very natural, as if he was one of the residents of this home. "Ji Huli, you do realize where are you?"

Huli drank the lukewarm soup in one go and asked for a refill, dismissing Yifei's disapproving gaze. "Of course I know, we are at your private residence. You hate the Wu Mansion so you always stay here, how could I not know? Don't ask a silly question in the morning. It's bad for your brain."

Yifei sipped her soymilk before anger took her over, "If I don't know any better I would say you always eat here for breakfast."

"Of course not! How could just breakfast do? Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even supper. You always go out on mission after being crowned anyway, I give your maids a job to do. You should be thanking me, Yifei."

Rumour and people could say anything about Yifei, but among those things there was one truth people might have forgotten. Wu Yifei was petty. Her brain circuit was burned up by strategizing a plan for this mission now HUli said he's been using her resources for nothing for so long.

"WU YIFEI!"

The porcelain glass was broken, Jo Kang hurriedly gave Huli another glass of milk but again was frozen by Yifei.

"Why are you so damn stinky, Yifei? It's just milk!"

It was Yifei's turn to dismiss Huli, "Jo Kang, serve the dishes."

Huli threw her a dirty look, internally cursing the girl with a high ponytail. "I'm here to give a report on your escort candidate, but you're like this. You ungrateful monkey."

Yifei nodded at Jo Kang while chewing her breakfast, indicating Huli could now resume his breakfast too. "Speak."

"Yeah, just like you instructed the regiments sent ten new recruits for the selection. We will meet them at the palace later."

"Jo Kang, prepare my carriage. Let's go to the palace."

Huli snatched the soup out of his mouth, once again blaspheming the girl who had been his friend for two decades. Regarding holding grudges and being stingy, there was no one compared with this girl.

"Yes, Young Chief."

"Can you at least let me finish this bowl?"

Getting up from her chair, Yifei smiled triumphantly towards the fence of her residence, "Don't let an unemployed person hang around my house."

"WU YIFEI!"

No matter how ridiculous and unreasonable the two while they were together, Wu Yifei and Ji Huli had a reputation of their own. Both were respected officials and aristocrats. Once they left the Wu Residence the aura around them turned serious. After all, they were set out to train the new recruits to be Young Chief's diplomatic bodyguard. Their country's reputation was at stake.