The next morning, Ying-tai rose from his bed and struggled his way to wash up. Shu, though, was already there with a hot pot of water and towel ready and his medicine laid out on the table.

“Ah, Ying-tai! I did not hear you get up!” Shu bowed to him.

“Shu, you did not have to go through all of this trouble for me,” he sighed.

“Nonsense,” Shu argued. “Look at you. You look like a ghost. Come, let me help you wash up.”

“Thank you, Shu. I’m sorry, you already have so much in your hands. You do everything inside this palace.”

“No, child. You are a son to me. Ever since you were small I would take care of you in ways where Huian was not able to. It’s hard to believe how much of a man you have become.”

She washed his hands. They were large compared to hers. Though she was a tiny old lady she came with large strength. She rolled up Ying-tai’s sleeve and commented on his health, “Aya, look at you! You lose weight every time I see you.”

“You say that all the time. I haven’t changed,” Ying-tai argued.

“Tsk. I hate what this war does to young men. You do not get rest well and fed well.” She shook her head. “Will there ever be a day where we stop fighting?”

“I promise there will be a day,” Ying-tai smiled at her remark. “A day where sons stop leaving home and only return home to their families with harvest in their hands instead of empty hearts and bloodied hands.”

Shu looked at Ying-tai and smiled warmly, “If you say that there will be such a day, then I believe you.” She patted his hands.

“Take your medicine. Don’t forget. Recover soon, okay?” Shu said and made her way to the door.

“Shu, how is Princess Xiu Juan?” Ying-tai asked before she made it out the door.

“Aye, she is restless and refuses to eat often,” Shu recollected. “You know, she waits for you everyday at the gate. If she’s not waiting for you there, she is at the temple praying. It wasn’t till yesterday I finally saw her smiling and laughing.”

Ying-tai, upset, bowed his head and furrowed his brows a little.

“If you can today go and see her, Ying-tai. Even if it’s just for a short while,” Shu encouraged and walked out.

Xia walked in shortly after.

“Good morning, my lord,” Xia bowed and greeted. “Are you feeling better today?”

“Yes, thank you for asking. What brings you here so early?”

“I came to tell you that The Emperor had given us the funds for the army. Also, while we were away on our journey, our researchers and strategists came up with new ideas they wanted you to come and validate. Also, new weapons have been made for us to test.”

“I will come as soon as I get dressed. Go and let them know I am on my way.”

At the headquarters, Ying-tai met with war strategist Xiaobo and weaponry researcher Wenyan. Huian and Xia were already there waiting.

“Congratulations on the victory at the front, Lord Ying-tai,” Xiaobo congratulated.

“Thank you.”

Xiaobo drew open a map showing Zhao, Wei, and Yan.

“Word has come to us that Zhao and Wei have joined forces,” Xiaobo explained. “Yan is in the middle of negotiating whether or not to join but I do not doubt they will refuse the offer of their alliance.”

Xiaobo bent down and pointed to the map, “Zhao and Wei may have doubled up on forces but it is nothing to fear. We can take advantage of their overconfidence which most likely will make them a little more careless. We will split and the other group of our men will start with Wei and attack where their blind spot will be which will be here. Because Zhao promised alliance with Wei, they will want to keep their reputation untainted in the early stages of their alliance and go aid them. When they fleet, we will attack where their vulnerable spot is, here.”

“The bigger group will go to Zhao as that will be our main focus. Wei will just be a distraction. Once the bigger group takes that front by Zhao, we can use it to our benefit,” Ying-tai added.

Xiaobo nodded in agreement and went on with the future plans. When Xiaobo finished, Wenyuan went ahead and showed them the new weapons they have wielded.

“With our discovery of steel, we have been using it with the iron in our weapons and armor. It’s lighter but more durable. Our men would be able to move faster and longer.”

“Thank you, Wenyuan.” Ying-tai said.

“What are these over here?” Huian asked looking ahead.

“New explosives.” Wenyuan smiled. He demonstrated them to Ying-tai and his men and they applauded at the sight.

After Ying-tai did his round, he tried to quickly excuse himself.

“Xia, if they have anything else they need to show, I trust you and Huian to validate it,” Ying-tai said. “I have an appointment elsewhere.” Xia gave a cheesy smile and assumed he was leaving to go see Xiu Juan. Ying-tai glared at him, “Don’t look at me like that. I will knock you upside the head.”

Xia lowered his head, trying to hold his smile, “Ah, sorry, my lord. You go ahead. We will take care of it from here.”

Ying-tai nodded and quickly left. On his way to Xiu Juan, he bumped into a group of young maids who giggled and wanted to flirt with him.

“Oh, Lord Ying-tai! What are you doing around this part of the palace?” One giggled.

“He must be lost!” The other playfully teased.

“Lord Ying-tai, you are so kind unlike Prince Jiao Long. And heroic. And very handsome. It’s impossible to think that you do not have a woman,” they all giggled.

“Tell us! Is there someone in your heart?”

Ying-tai smiled and avoided the question.

“Oh stop! You’re making him blush!” The other maids squealed.

“I’m sorry ladies, but I’m afraid I’ll have to excuse myself from you. I have somewhere I need to be,” he kindly informed. The maids swooned at his kind eyes and excused him, giggling from behind.

He turned past the tea house and spotted a couple of commanders.

They bowed and smiled to him, “Ah, Lord Ying-tai! Congratulations on your feat!”

Ying-tai waved, “Good afternoon Commander Biyu and Chen! I’m sorry I cannot stop and chat. I have somewhere I need to be!”

Behind him he heard them say, “Oh, okay! See you later then!”

Not too far ahead, he spied Jiao Long and royal advisor Shirong, both who looked as though they came back from an errand. Jiao Long spotted him and smiled. He approached Ying-tai.

“Good morning, brother,” He greeted. Shirong bowed lightly to Ying-tai.

“Crown Prince,” Ying-tai bowed then looked at Shirong who stood behind Jiao Long. “Shirong,” Ying-tai greeted.

“How are you holding up today?” Jiao Long asked.

“Better,” Ying-tai answered with light bitterness.

“Off to somewhere?” Shirong asked.

“I was just making my rounds with the men,” Ying-tai replied. “You look like you were headed somewhere.”

Shirong glared and Jiao Long just casually responded, “Yes. We were in fact. It was rather… Enlightening. Then we met with you.”

“Enlightening? Correct me, brother, but you never were interested in subjects that involved anything of that sort.” Ying-tai looked in Jiao Long’s eyes, “I’m amused. Please, care to share?” Ying-tai challengingly insisted.

“Come now, Prince. We do not want to keep Ying-tai from his duties.” Shirong nudged Jiao Long.

Jiao Long grinned, keeping his eyes on Ying-tai as he nodded at Shirong’s suggestion, “No. We really do not.” He strode off with Shirong, his black and gold robe flowing behind. Ying-tai watched till they made a turn then headed off his way hurriedly.

Ying-tai’s heart started to beat faster as he neared Xiu Juan’s side of the palace. Two guards saluted him and let him through the garden that led to her chamber. As he walked through the stone pathway, it started to snow lightly. He noticed Shu come out of Xiu Juan’s chamber and walked up to her.

“Oh! Hello, Ying-tai,” Shu greeted. “Xiu Juan is not in her chamber at the moment. You just missed her.”

“Where did she go?”Asked Ying-tai, who was breathing heavily due to his pain.

“She left to the greenhouse,” Shu told him. “She said she wanted to go tend something to keep her mind busy.”

“Thank you, Shu,” Ying-tai thanked and quickly spun around and ran.

“Ying-tai! You shouldn’t be moving like that!” Shu lectured after him while watching him scurry away.

In the warm greenhouse, Xiu Juan and Luli tended the medicinal herbs with the imperial botanist. She delicately weeded them and took notes of their health inside the greenhouse.

“Princess, you don’t have to do these kind of labors meant for commoners,” the botanist remarked.

“I do not mind it at all. In fact, it calms me. I was going to lose my mind just sitting inside four walls all day,” Xiu Juan responded, carrying a bucket of water in one hand while watering the plants with the other.

“She was! She folded so many paper flowers, they were driving me crazy! And she wouldn’t stop nagging me to play chess with her. I don’t even know how to play!” Luli whined.

“Oh, I wasn’t nagging! And playing chess with you was fun,” Xiu Juan laughed. “You lost every time.”

Luli pouted, “It’s not funny, princess! You are a master at it because Ying-tai taught you!”

“I would still be a master at chess without him,” Xiu Juan frowned.

“Princess Xiu Juan, here. I made you another vial of your perfume,” the botanist handed the vial to Xiu Juan. She took it from her hands, opened the cap and breathed in the scent. The rich fragrance of plum blossoms relaxed Xiu Juan.

“Oh you make the best,” she smiled.

“Of course,” the botanist teasingly replied to Xiu Juan’s comment.

“I don’t even think you need the perfume anymore. It seems as though you already naturally smell like plum blossoms,” Luli joked.

Xiu Juan furrowed her brows at Luli’s tease and put the vial away into her sleeve.

“We should leave before the snow picks up,” Xiu Juan warned Luli.

“Yes. Go, child. You didn’t even bring an umbrella.”

“Who uses umbrellas in the snow? It’s snow. Not rain.” Luli said, raising her eyebrow.

“You can get sick from all that snow falling and melting on your head out there in the cold, silly!” The botanist pointed out.

“Ohhh,” Luli realized.

“It’s okay. It’s snowing very lightly. We will be fine,” Xiu Juan commented. She unrolled her long red sleeves and patted the dirt off her gold skirt. Lulie helped her put on her long black coat and bowed to the botanist before leaving. As Xiu Juan turned around and walked out the door, the botanist bowed lowly after them

When they stepped out into the gently falling snow, Xiu Juan inhaled the cold air deeply. She smelled firewood burning in the air and smiled at the smell. There was just something about the winter scent that calmed her down. She looked down onto her coat sleeve that was catching snowflakes and lifted it up to observe them.

“Princess, look! Did you know that no two are the same?” Luli jumped in excitement.

“Yes,” Xiu Juan smiled at Luli. She heard footsteps and looked in front of her and stopped in her tracks. A tall, well poised man was standing there in his black cloak that dropped down from his strong shoulders, covering his rich ivory and blue silk attire underneath. Luli stopped too and her mouth dropped when she realized who it was in front of them. She quickly bowed lowly and greeted him.

“Lord Ying-tai!” She squealed.

Ying-tai kept his eyes on Xiu Juan, whose white skin seemed like a reflection of the snow and red lips that were more vibrant than the red silk she had on. He soaked in her presence.

“Princess Xiu Juan,” he bowed lowly to her. “I’m sorry my return to you was delayed.”

Xiu Juan glared at him and walked on. Luli scurried closely after, feeling Xiu Juan’s rage growing.

“Princess,” Ying-tai followed her.

“I’m tired. I’d like to head to my chamber now,” Xiu Juan said coldly.

“Don’t be like this. Please, wait,” Ying-tai pleaded.

Xiu Juan spun around and struck him with a piercing stare.

“No! I waited long enough!” She breathed in deeply, fighting back her tears. “I waited and kneeled in the temple everyday in fear for three years, eight months, two weeks, and four days. But when you returned home and didn’t even come greet me with a small hello, it made me feel so…insignificant.” She paused for Ying-tai’s response then she spoke again when she heard no reply, “My faith in your return was all I had to hold on to. It was all that I had. And you,” she put her palm to her forehead, “I don’t even know your thoughts during your long journey away. You never reply my letters. Does your heart wander to elsewhere?” She stopped and clutched her chest. “Does it even have a place in there for me?” Her eyes welled up with tears. “You make me feel silly, Ying-tai. You make me feel so silly and I hate that you make me feel like that.” She shook her head.

Ying-tai, hurt by her words, reached out to Xiu Juan, “Princess, don’t think of me this way.” He grabbed her arm gently and pleaded, “Please, listen to me.”

Not seeing Xiu Juan’s attack coming and not being able to shift away quick enough, she struck him right at his wound. Her strike was swift and surprisingly hard. He fell on one knee and grunted and placed his hand on his wounded side. This was the outcome of him teaching her how to fight.

Xiu Juan drew back in confusion. She didn’t think she struck that hard. Even if she did, Ying-tai would not be whimpering in pain like that. Then she noticed a blot of blood seeping through his silk garments.

“Princess! Blood!” Luli shrieked to Xiu Juan.

“Ying-tai!” She gasped and ran to him, sliding her arms under his to support him up. She moved Ying-tai’s hand away with her trembling hand. Her eyes widened at the sight. She looked at Ying-tai who was chuckling.

“You’re getting good at that.” He furrowed his brows, “Ah, it opened up a little again.”

“Ying-tai, why did you not tell me? Were you trying to hide this from me? How long did you think you would be able to keep this from me?” She scolded at him.

“I didn’t think it was important,” Ying-tai admitted.

“You are bleeding from your side and you don’t think it’s important to let someone like me know? Ying-tai, you are very smart but sometimes you could as stupid as you are smart!”

She motioned Luli to help her support Ying-tai up.

“Come, let me patch that back up for you.” She demanded.

“Is it necessary?” Ying-tai grumbled.

“If you keep resisting, I will hit you again and make it very necessary.” Xiu Juan threatened.

Ying-tai smirked and let Xiu Juan lead him without saying another word.

When they reached Xiu Juan’s chamber, Luli helped Xiu Juan take off her coat to brush the snow off. Xiu Juan took off Ying-tai’s and gave it to Luli to do the same to it. Then Xiu Juan sat Ying-tai down and he watched her roll up her sleeves to go prepare water to boil. She stirred around the room quickly to gather fresh towels and herbs that would be crushed to make an ointment. When the water boiled and she poured it into the bowl by them, she sat the kettle down and looked at Ying-tai rather nervously.

“Umm, to do this I will need you to take off your…robe.” She stammered. “Not all of it! Just enough so I can dress the wound.”

“I know what you meant,” Ying-tai smirked at her flustered behavior. He peeled off his layers and exposed himself to her. Xiu Juan widened her eyes at the sight of Ying-tai’s strong back, broad shoulders and chest. She never saw the bare, well sculpted Ying-tai. She slowly approached him, trembling. With her delicate hands, she slowly undid the bandage around his waist and exposed the wound. Her heart dropped when she saw it. She quickly dabbed off the blood and dried the area. Then she patted the crushed herbs gently around the wound and lightly bind the bandage wrap back together.

“You didn’t use the entire wrap?” Ying-tai noticed.

“You don’t want to wrap it too thick. Your wound needs to breathe too. It’ll heal faster that way,” Xiu Juan explained.

“Huh,” Ying-tai marveled. “You’re very knowledgeable in this.”

Xiu Juan, flattered, smiled, “It’s one of the very few things I know. The extent of my knowledge is incomparable to yours.”

“That’s not true. There are many things you know so much more in depth of than me and that’s admirable to me. I’m only required to know a little bit of everything,” Ying-tai complimented as he fixed his attire. He turned to look at Xiu Juan who carried the bowl out onto her patio that led to her garden. It was still snowing softly. He watched as she whipped the water out of her bowl and placed it away.

He looked off into the snowy distance and spoke in a low, soft voice, “Three years, eight months, two weeks, four nights, one day, and nine hours.”

Xiu Juan stopped what she was doing and turned to Ying-tai. His kind eyes were laid on her and her chest heaved.

“That’s how long we’ve been apart,” Ying-tai corrected. He walked toward Xiu Juan, pulled the pure white paper with the pressed plum blossoms out from his garment and placed it in her hand, “Every night I laid restless. My heart fought and wandered every which way to seek for a way to return to you. Trust me when I say you were not the only one waiting, Princess Xiu Juan.”

Xiu Juan cupped her mouth and, being overwhelmed with joy, cried. Ying-tai placed his hand on her cheek and wiped away her tears. She lifted her hand and placed it on top of his and pulled him in and wrapped her arms around him. He embraced all of her intensely and drew in her scent of sweet plum blossoms. Then he pulled back and caressed her porcelain skin, taking a good long look at her. Unable to contain himself, he pulled her in and pressed his lips against hers. Xiu Juan, her heart leaping with joy, pushed herself upward to him, lifted her hands up, and combed her fingers through his long hair, making Ying-tai press his lips against hers harder.

After reconciling, Ying-tai gifted Xiu Juan his own charm he wore on his belt.

“I had it personally made when I got it,” Ying-tai said, holding it up in the sunlight in between them. It was a deep green jade skillfully carved like a phoenix. It was decorated with the most intricate gold illustrations. There were branches that draped around the phoenix, and the phoenix looked like it was embracing the blossoms, or rather protecting it from others from dwelling. In its beak, it held a carved gold plum blossom.

“I’ve never seen such a charm like this!” Xiu Juan gasped, cupping it in her hands. “Why are you giving it to me?”

“I already have this,” he said, holding up the pressed plum blossoms. “I keep it with me at all times. It’s all I really need.” He placed the charm in her hands and commented, “Besides, it’s a little too flashy when in the battlefield.”

Xiu Juan wrapped her arms around him tightly and smiled brightly, “Thank you! It’s beautiful. I’ll treasure it forever.”

The rest of the evening, Xiu Juan played her guzheng while singing the day away for Ying-tai, who was drinking tea and meditating:

The snow knocked on her window begging her to let it inside

Envious of the warmth in her porcelain tea cup

He danced away to sway her dear heart, but it did not abide

For little did he know she had long given it up

To a man of obligation who left on his neighing horse

‘Your cup shall never be empty for I shall return’

he promised her, but he forgot to prepare her for the worst

as he remained in the mountains and rivers of Chu

The snow neared in and took a second glance at her cup of tea

She said, I no longer drink but when I look inside

The cup will fill and never went emptied

No, the porcelain cup never emptied