Chapter (18): The mad minstrel 

The prince wished to be on the right track and the waiter came along with drinks. He went on.

"I only want to buy the fabrics with this mark. If someone finds it for me, I will give a gold coin." He told the captain.

The waiter was attracted by the offer, carefully putting the bottle down.

"What if we don't find them here? It is a waste of time; we can buy other fabrics and get back to Sheed."

The waiter was done, bowing for them he peeked at the sketched mark on the paper and then left.

The prince smirked, the man grabbed the bite and his face was saying that he recognized the emblem.

"Master, would this plan work?"

"Yes, I just need to find brokers, I won't get close to more than sufficient. I'm elusive of any tie with people of this land."

Chaoxiang poured Baijiu drink inside the white cup, taking up one shot he smiled, it was good as he heard before, but it was a bit out of luck because he wasn't in a situation to have more. He needed to be sober.

His head averted to the left side, looking down. A man with an Erhu instrument entered the guesthouse, having a bottle in his other hand. The man was beyond the world.

"Who is this man?" asked the prince.

"I can go and investigate."

The prince nodded and kept watching the drunk man. He went straight to a table where some people were playing a Go board game. It was the prince's favorite game after martial arts. Those black chains were the correct definition to describe him.

"Again, you are playing without me!" The man who just entered, burped, complaining.

"Huh, you pretend you are drunk but either time you absorb all our coins."

The man waved his hand in the air, "Ah, how stingy you are, it is all about strategy and fun, what is the point when you play a boring game and it lasts till eternity?" He mocked, their game was never-ending as they didn't want to put their hands in their purses.

The bar exploded in laughter; the sound of music suppressed for a moment.

"What a bright man!" the prince murmured and stood up, why not have fun until Chao was extracting words from people.

Calmly he moved out and descended the stairs, walking to them, the mad minstrel picked a cup and poured from his drink, turned back, tossed it up, stretched his left hand, and slapped the cup by the side, it flew to Wu Xiuying.

The prince drew out his hand fan, it expanded and he turned on his left heel and the cup rested on his hand fan, the liquid remained unmoved. Picking the cup, he chuckled, 'As I assumed, this man is interesting. This mad minstrel, huh!' People cheered his name, clapping for his entertaining move.

Accepting the present, the prince made it one sip, hmm, it was better than the cup he had up the stairs, couldn't even compare when his body heat up after the chilling news he received regarding the Queen's illness.

"You are my rival for tonight." The man stated, pointing out with his forefinger, his side-view was on the prince's side. His eyes averted on him, dazzlingly blazing.

The attention moved on to them, and the musicians began to play an epic song and provided an air of excitement.

Prince Wu Xiuying walked to the table where his withered rival led him. Having their seat, his eyes caught Fu Liu and the princess who was sitting quietly in a corner.

'You wicked princess, you are here too. Let's see how bright you are to catch the witch for me.'

The barman brought a board and a satchel of chains. Like always it was black chains that came to the prince.

"What does this game mean to this young man?"

Now that the prince was seeing the man from closer sight, he was more cheerful rather than drunk.

"An Arena! And I always win."

"Wooh, this pride and confidence are praising."

While adjusting the chains, the man trailed off, "Freedom comes from within, and then it will flourish around, when you move further, you can never come back as time goes by, things in the past will stay in the past, all that matters is present which gives rise to the future. This is how I see this game. Now show me how you rule in your arena."

The prince couldn't deny that what he said made his back sweat. But he kept his eyes down on the board, carefully watching how he rowed his chains.

…

Back to the castle an hour ago…

Fu Liu came inside the princess's residence, two masked people in black uniforms were there. Taking their masks off, they both shot him glares.

"Stop severing me with your eyes, it was your highness's decision."

One of them was a girl with black horse-tailed hair, and the other one was a young man, his face distant and his dark eyes sparkled.

"Calm down, don't pick a fight over me! If I had taken you to Xin province, I wouldn't have known where master Qin Jinhai is."

The girl knelt before the princess, "Yan Yuxi's swords swing only for your highness, please spare me for this rudeness but, the prince could have hurt you."

The princess sighed and pinched her nose bridge. Standing up, she held her arms and gently helped her to stand up.

"Without loyal people like you I wasn't breathing now." She bitterly smiled at her personal guards, the best captains she had ever had.

Turning to the man trailed off, "don't blame him, Zhu Gang, he did his best to protect me."

Zhu Gang nodded but not been convinced Fu's neglect could make her life run to the verge. Was it forgettable?

"As you wish your highness," he gazed yet displayed fierce expression.

"Now tell me, where is master Qin Jinhai? He was the only one who knew about the secret case my mother was working on."

Yan Yuxi took out a paper and handed the princess, "he has been farming out of the town with a new identity, people call him the mad minstrel. He gets drunk and plays an Erhu instrument."

"Alright, lead us there, I will see you near Tian Tavern, first we must see the tailor."

The princess didn't hesitate and covered her face, that former eunuch of her grandma knew too much about what she yearned, he had been running away but the time has arrived, she would earn her throne for her capability. Li Shu was right, living as a weakling would send her to the grave in the end. She must reverse the devil's will.