Nantong Village

[ Weicheng's POV ]

I have taken into account that this journey will lead me to traces of my agenda.

We rode our horses as we tried catching the sunset. The ride down to the North is quite feasible. Not until the night starts to fall. This secret passage is in no way easy. How did they manage to exit from here and find their way out?

It was all but wild forests and gigantic pine trees.

"Damn these mosquitoes" I heard the Princess shouted as I chuckled at her stance. She almost lost her balance when Tae Hua caught the rope and assisted her to before she could stumble.

What a romantic scene we have here.

"We have to settle first" Master Dan announced as they pulled off to the nearest stream. "We can settle for a few hours first and continue after."

He tied up the horses in the nearest trees and gathered some steamed buns he took before leaving the Kingdom. He distributed it to us; I saw Princess Xiao looked at me annoyed.

"I can't believe I'm with you here" she said annoyingly. I shrugged as I continued sipping my water.

I can't believe I am with a conceited Princess too. I just sighed.

I stood up and went to the stream; I put my cape around as the night wind sent shivers down my spine. I guess the winter is coming.

I hooked and tied my little jingle, which I named my horse, in a pine tree as I volunteered to gather a pile of firewoods. Eun Jo volunteered to join me. The moon illuminated the forest area as I asked Eun Jo where are we now.

"Oh, this is the Yulo riverside. This is a common resting place, I guess by the speed of our travel, we could arrive tomorrow afternoon," he said calculating the hours and the distance.

"How was it living at the Capital?" I asked in a curious and out-of-the-box manner.

He shrugged while taking the logs at his feet. "Well, the Capital of Arghon is filled with people and attractions" he started.

I took another log and put it behind me where tied a huge cloth over my body to gather it as a carrier.

"That's all?" I asked him "Aside from us, have you managed to gain other friends?"

He lifted his lips as if grinning "Of course"

"Well, who else?"

"Those three idiots were my friends," he said, pointing out the three friends. "But, especially Nu Lee" The second Prince.

"Then what happened?"

"My father as a Prime Minister has had a long grudge against their family, and of General Niu. He has been a loyal supporter of the Late Consort. And when she died, my father never allied himself with the empress. Our family only supports the Wang and never the Yuns."

"So you are a friend of Prince Nu Lee?" he just nodded

"That's why Tae Hua is being aloof to you" I concluded.

"Tae Hua just needed assurance. His brother always wants to fight with him. I was always their middle ground. I can't even choose between them, they're both like a brother to me."

We already gathered enough for the next few hours and decided to return to the riverside.

"Tae Hua, Ji Wok, and Qui Run are some of the most skillful, clever, and reliable out of all kids in our peers. People at the Capital and even the other Kingdoms have long been supporting them and believing that they can achieve so much."

I almost tripped myself when my foot entered a wild root. I balanced myself and heard him chuckled. "Why are you so trippy lately?"

"Someone must have been slandering me somewhere"

He just shook his head as he continued walking down the forest "The three were also famous with girls in our age"

I scoffed. "As I have heard"

He laughed "You must not believe it, but every last month of the year is like a festive"

Of course, I haven't been here during those months. I just faked a smile "Really? Why?"

As if I care enough.

"Tae Hua is born on the 30th day of the last month" he pulled the logs again as he continued "He has been receiving a lot of gifts from different parts of the state as to celebrate his day of birth"

"He's a Prince I know, but why so?"

"I don't know if you've heard the news when he was born?" he asked

I don't. I was two years younger than him.

"Uh no"

"His star shone the brightest amongst the other stars of previous emperors. He has been labeled as the Dragon son"

"Oh, so his fate is that bright?"

He just nodded "He must be the one who can carry the lineage up until the end of time. He's also the jade sword of the kingdom that will bring back its righteousness"

I just nodded whilst not even listening.

====

The long ride down the road is quite exhausting as we reached the village of Nantong. My eyes searched for the side of the road. People of Nantong survive by wild animals, you can find almost all of the meats here being butchered side by side.

The kids ran off the crowded streets and people are covered with tribal paintings all over their bodies, some have piercings. The people have dusky skin tones.

"We have to get over this street to reach for the Inn of Lady Suan Ming" Master Pu shouted.

The horses walked down the street as we followed him. Few of the villagers side-glanced our way; with a confused look.

"I haven't been in their town before," I said; Eun Jo smiled a little as he just nodded.

"We cannot enter the village inn from the entrance we entered before," he said as I looked at him, still holding the rope so the horse could not advance.

"The other way was attacked and the Inn was burned"

I was appalled by the information "What happened? What about Lady Suan Ming?"

Ji wok at the front turned his head towards me "The other entrance of the inn was burned by assassins. She was saved by the village people. And her inn's other entrance was at here at the downtown"

"So, we're going there?" I asked

Ku Ji chuckled as if trying to humor me "How are you even concerned about her? I thought you said she had a shabby place?"

They laughed while Tae Hua just secretly smiled at the joke. I just grimaced when Master Pu even laughed about it.

"How dare you say that?" I heard Princess Xiao asked as I just rolled my eyes at her.

"I apologized to her! ok?"

"Ok, ok" Master Pu turned to a much smaller street as his speed started decreasing. "We're here"

I looked around and found a huge brick wall covered with rustic-colored paint.

"This is a dead-end, Master" Tae Hua said as a matter of fact.

Master Pu went down and tied his horse at the stables beside. We looked at him as he took a step forward and passed by the huge walls.

"What was that?" Princess Xiao was horrified.

"Aside from butchering, the Nantong is known for illusions made by witches."

"Witches?" she asked again "I have heard this before, but never did I knew it was real"

I jumped off of my horse and tied it also to the stables.

"We need to hurry and meet Lady Suan Ming"

The wall illusions are really here, I just felt a little air in between them as I myself have entered the walls. I was so amazed when we heard a familiar voice.

"I have been expecting for your return"

Master Pu and my companions courtesy as I followed them bowing my head.

"We apologized for our sudden intrusion to your humble inn"

"As I have said, I am expecting you. Now, come in"

The illusion suddenly wore off and now we're in the lobby. It was different from her old lobby before. I was amazed by its lavishness.

"Did I manage to reach your expectations this time?" the question was directed to me as our eyes looked for the owner of the voice.

Lady Suan Ming appeared still having a beautiful grin on her face directly looking at me, my eyes lifted as I smiled at her and nodded.

"Welcome to Nantong Village"