After changing from their trip from the village, Xiu Juan stepped out in her ivory gown. She was about to head to the grand room till she spotted a messenger running through the gates and toward the grand entrance stairs frantically. Her presence stopped him and he bowed to her, out of breath.

“Messenger, what is your business here?” She asked.

“An urgent message for Lord Ying-tai!” He announced.

“Ying-tai is busy at the moment. I can take the message for him,” she offered.

The messenger fumbled through his garments and handed her the letter. She opened it and her eyes widened with dread.

“Thank you!” She said to the messenger and dismissed him. She immediately made her way to Ying-tai. She picked up her dress and ran all the way to the grand room. Soldiers looked at her as she passed by with her long hair flying behind her with the ivory silk on her back.

When she burst through the entrance that lead to the grand room, she saw Huian and Xia.

“Princess!” They bowed to her.

“What’s the matter?” Huian asked, seeing her distressed face.

“Where is Ying-tai?” Xiu Juan exasperated.

“With the Prince. No one is allowed to go in,” Xia said.

“I need to see him. It’s critical,” she informed.

Ying-tai walked up from behind. “What is it?” He asked, startling everyone.

“Ying-tai,” she said, handing him the letter. He took it from her and read it. His face, too, fell in distress.

“Ying-tai, what is it?” Huian asked, worried.

“Li Xin’s army has been annihilated,” he informed

“What!” Huian and Xia were in disbelief.

“A couple of our large camps have burned to the ground,” Ying-tai said as he turned away from them. “We will need to return to them soon.” He turned his eyes to Xiu Juan whose shoulders dropped.

“Of course,” was all she could say.

Ying-tai smiled warmly at her, “There’s no need to worry. I will bring forth triumph once again.”

Xiu Juan smiled faintly, “I know you will.”

“When do we leave?” Huian asked.

“Sometime after the crowning ceremony,” Ying-tai answered and walked forward as he looked into the distance afar from Qin.

“So Crown Prince Jiao Long will really become Emperor?” Xia asked.

“Yes, I figured it was the best for now.” Ying-tai replied.

“Why would you say that?” Xiu Juan questioned, her brows furrowed.

“Qin needs an Emperor,” Ying-tai explained.

“No one is more fit than you,” Xiu Juan argued.

“No, Qin needs me to fight. I can’t do that if I stay here.”

“He’s right,” Huian agreed. “Crown Prince Jiao Long is only playing the role of a scarecrow to keep the enemy at bay. Meanwhile, we will be outside fighting. Doing the real work.”

Xiu Juan didn’t argue with that. She turned to Ying-tai. “If this is what you think is best, so be it,” she poised herself but her eyes were still filled with deep worry. Ying-tai did not respond. His back was still turned to them.

The next day, the crowning ceremony took place. The palace was adorned in silk drapes, flowers, herbal scents, and many jeweled decorations. A feast was prepared for the banquet, and many noble people came from around Qin to join the ceremony of the new crowned Emperor. Many people were eager but Xiu Juan, Ying-tai, and their friends. They solemnly got ready for the banquet that morning.

Inside Xiu Juan’s dressing room, Luli and a few other maids helped her dress in her gown. Her blush-pink robe was decorated with herons embroidered in shining gold thread that matched her many sashes. Her white gown that dragged on the floor seemed to be kissed with water as the hems were blue—giving the illusion of walking on water. While Luli lightly applied red paint onto Xiu Juan’s lips, Xiu Juan looked at herself in the mirror and took off some ornaments from her head.

“But Grand Princess,” one of the maids insisted.

“I don’t need this much,” Xiu Juan said, fondly remembering Ying-tai taking off some ornaments from her hair that one day. Luli nodded her head to signal the maid to just do as Xiu Juan said. Xiu Juan then loosened the ribbon at the bottom half of her hair and let it fall long and carelessly behind her. “I don’t need to show this much interest on this day, do I?” Xiu Juan frowned.

“If you say so,” Luli said, taking out some ornaments from her hair too. “I just follow whatever you do,” she shrugged.

“Grand Princess Xiu Juan, someone is here to see you,” a maid announced to her.

“I’ll be right out, thank you,” Xiu Juan replied as she picked up her skirt and shuffled her way out.

When she stepped outside, she found Ying-tai standing outside. He was standing tall and poised. He was just in his regular attire, though. But even in his white robe wrapped with a black and golden sash, he was still head-turning handsome.

“Ying-tai?” She called out to him.

He turned around quickly and smiled at her warmly. He walked toward her.

“Good morning, Princess,” he bowed to her.

Xiu Juan bowed her head back. “You are not in your formal attire?” She asked him.

“I will not be needing it,” he replied with his kind eyes.

“Ying-tai, what do you mean you won’t be needing it? Can I undress and put on my comfy clothes too?” Xiu Juan suggested.

Ying-tai laughed, “No. What will the noble people and politicians say? You are no longer a little child.”

Xiu Juan furrowed her brows at the thought. Then she sighed. She looked at Ying-tai. “What brings you here?” She asked softly.

“I wanted to see you before the ceremony,” he began, “to tell you to not be worried for whatever happens.”

Xiu Juan tilted her head, not sure of what Ying-tai meant by that. Concerned of what it might mean, she walked closer to Ying-tai.

“Ying-tai, did you do something foolish to jeopardize yourself?” She questioned him, shaking her head as she cupped his face in her hand.

Ying-tai took a hold of her hand and gently lowered it. “Do not be bothered by the small things people will say about you in the court. You hold more power than you know. They will try to intimidate you and take away your voice, but you are more than them. You can sway an empire for you have the ability to hold the heart of the people in your hands,” he gripped her hands and looked into her eyes. He wanted to declare to her that she held his heart in the palm of her hands too, but he sealed his lips knowing well it would only bring her agony in the course of their departure. Holding his hands tightly, Xiu Juan hoped for Ying-tai to say more but there was only silence. Looking into his kind eyes that changed in expression, she began to feel worried.

“Why do your eyes speak of farewell?” She asked, looking upon his gaze that fell.

Ying-tai returned his eyes to meet hers and smiled gently, “Come, Princess. Take a walk with me while we make our way to the banquet.”

Xiu Juan gripped onto Ying-tai’s hand. She once again felt safe and secured holding his hand that interlocked perfectly into hers. She could tell if it was his hand from anywhere. His touch was that significant to her.

They walked past the tea room, the many verandas and gardens that they once played in when they were little, the spar room in which Ying-tai taught Xiu Juan many lessons with nobody’s notice, the library that Ying-tai often studied in and little Xiu Juan will wait for him till she fell asleep and The Emperor had to later carry her away, and finally they walked past the golden corridors.

“Ying-tai,” Xiu Juan called to him softly, “you’re awfully quiet.”

Ying-tai turned his head to the side and sighed. “A beautiful home this is,” he smiled, looking up.

Xiu Juan also observed the palace and agreed. It was indeed majestic.

The gong to start the ceremony then sounded, interrupting their quiet stroll.

“I don’t want to go,” Xiu Juan pulled back. “I don’t agree with this.”

“You have to,” Ying-tai consoled kindly, “they need you.”

“For face,” she replied grumpily.

“Come, we mustn’t be late,” Ying-tai tugged her lightly.

With a heavy heart, Xiu Juan reluctantly followed.

Inside the richly adorned grand room, Jiao Long sat in his seat with many other bureaucrats sitting close by. Ying-tai walked through the entrance, holding onto Xiu Juan’s hand. She was still gripping his hand tightly, not wanting to let go. The bureaucrats sent people to summon her over to her seat but she didn’t move a step toward their direction.

“Go,” Ying-tai urged, “it will be okay.”

Xiu Juan slowly let go of his hand and picked up her dress and walked up to sit in her seat. Sitting high next to The late Emperor’s throne in the dais, she spotted Luli and bo nearby, waving at her. Huian and Xia sat amidst the men of the regime. When Ying-tai approached them, the armored men nearby bowed lowly to him before he sat himself down by his two officers. She turned her eyes to Jiao Long who was dressed in gold and red.

Soon after the start of the banquet, the court announced Jiao Long as the new Emperor and recognized him so by moving him up to The late Emperor’s throne. As he sat himself down onto The Seat, everyone applauded but Xiu Juan, in which Ying-tai noticed. Her face was solemn.

“Xiu Juan,” Jiao Long called out to her, “why do you not commemorate with us in this joyous occasion of your own brother’s crowning?”

Xiu Juan looked at her brother and smiled faintly, “I am commemorating the best I can, dear brother.” She then turned her eyes away and spoke in a clear voice, “I can only commemorate to the extent of your deservingness.”

Jiao Long’s expression changed. He pulled away his stare and scoffed. Shirong stood by his side and glared at Xiu Juan.

“Princess,” he scowled, “you must show his majesty the respect required!”

Jiao Long got up from the throne and raised his hand and silenced the room. He walked to the edge of the dais and cleared his throat.

“I have a declaration to make,” he spoke loudly, “of relegation.” Jiao Long found Ying-tai among the many faces in the room and sneered.

Unfazed by his expression, Ying-tai sat poised and calm.

“My brother Ying-tai.” Jiao Long began his act, striking the first string of his marionette. Xiu Juan widened her eyes and shot her eyes toward her brother. “He may have come into the palace accepted as family by my father,” he continued, ignoring his sister’s stare. “But he has proven incompetence in serving The late Emperor in his last days as he was disregarded during his last breath. His presence was absent during my father’s ceremony and at the time he also neglected his duty and caused us to lose a vast number of our men and arms. Hear, Chu has advanced forward into Qin soil!”

The whole room gasped.

“This is desecration!” Xia bellowed loudly in disagreement, shooting up from his seat as he slammed his fist on the table.

The men of the regime followed Xia.

“He can’t do this!” Huian exclaimed. “Ying-tai, say something!”

Jiao Long lifted his chin up as he carried on, “Therefore, I will be stripping Ying-tai off from his name as nobility and announce him as a mere general that serves Qin.”

Xiu Juan sprung up from her seat. “This is blasphemy!” She scolded, “Father took him in and raised you both with his two bare hands. How could you just disown him like this? It’s wickedness. The late Emperor would never allow you to soil Ying-tai like this. He loved him. We loved him. Also, Ying-tai did not neglect his duty. The reason why we lost at the front by Chu was because—“

“Uh uh uh. The emperor has spoken,” Shirong sneered, interrupting Xiu Juan.

“Brother, you cannot allow this!” Xiu Juan pleaded angrily, looking at her brother.

Jiao Long derisively turned his eyes to her, “Dear sister, it has been done.” He then turned his eyes away and tilted his head toward Ying-tai who was still maintaining a calm composure.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Xiu Juan exasperated.

“He knew this would happen,” Jiao Long shrugged. “He agreed to it.” Jiao Long returned his focus to Ying-tai and waved his hand, “Take him away. He no longer has place in this house.”

The guards approached Ying-tai, but they did not want to lay a hand on him.

“Unit Commander,” one of the guards said as he motioned Ying-tai’s way out. He did not hold the name ‘Lord’ anymore, but he was still their Unit Commander of Qin.

Ying-tai bowed to Jiao Long and to the officials. Then he looked at Xiu Juan and bowed lowly to her for a longer moment.

“Ying-tai!” Xia urged, not understanding why Ying-tai didn’t fight back.

“Why are you allowing this?” Huian shook his head.

“Let’s leave,” was all Ying-tai said as he turned his back and walked out of the door while the whole room fell into silence.

Xiu Juan picked up her skirt and ran after Ying-tai. Everyone turned to look at her as her long dress swept down the stairs and rippled down like waterfall.

“Ying-tai!” She called for him. He spun around at her voice and watched her run toward him. She stretched her hand out to reach for him and right before her fingertips touched the silk of his robe, he stopped her.

“Grand Princess Xiu Juan,” he addressed.

Xiu Juan stopped in her stride. She clenched her fists. “No. I’m simply Xiu Juan,” she declared.

“No. A lowly person like myself has no right to address you in that manner. And a princess like yourself should not have her hands soiled by someone of lower status.”

His words stung her and brought tears to her eyes. “Ying-tai you are not a lowly person. I will never recognize you as such. You are my family. You are everything to me. Don’t go.”

Ying-tai smiled at her tenderly and bowed to her once more. “I will part from you now, Grand Princess Xiu Juan,” he said and turned to walk away without even glancing back at her. Huian and Xia bowed to her as well and followed Ying-tai.

“Ying-tai!” She cried after him, but he did not respond. Not being able to do anything, she dishearteningly obeyed his orders to remain strong and held in her weeping soul. She bit her lip and quickly wiped away the small tears that leaked out and watched him leave the palace till he could no longer be seen from where she was standing. That whole day and into the quiet night, she sat out by the stairs under the full moon and the bright stars that encased the sky while quietly singing.

Oh Moon, you mirror my soul perfectly

Scarred over and over from true despair

Erhu, you echoe my heart perfectly

Have emit a sound that no one will hear

River, you describe my love perfectly

Gone left me in pain that I cannot bear

But if I take all of thee to combine

and sing with the two strings of thy Erhu

by the River and under the Moon’s shine,

will this heart ever escape its dark hue?

Hear, hear this cry of thy Erhu and mine!

Until then I will bleed my fingers blue.

Flee, flee, this ever aching heart of mine!

Until then I will bleed my fingers blue.

Clear my eyes from dew to see the stars shine!

‘Til then, I will bleed my fingers for you.

Bo and Luli stood nearby, unable to say a word.