After the newly crowned Emperor Jiao Long announced Ying-tai’s relegation, it caused an uproar by the commoners outside the gates of the palace.

“Lord Ying-tai is a good man!” Many protested.

“He does not deserve this kind of exploitation!” Others cried.

“The new Emperor must not be so impetuous!”

“He is Qin’s hero!” They roared.

Jiao Long, not wanting to hear the commoners praise Ying-tai, had his guards ruthlessly beat them down and shove them away from the gates. Bo saw this and made his way quickly to report it to Xiu Juan.

In her chamber, Xiu Juan was pinning her hair up when Bo knocked on her door.

“Princess Xiu Juan! It is Bo. I have urgent information!”

Xiu Juan turned from her seat, “Come in.”

Luli slid the door open for him and he made his way in.

“Princess, the emperor is abusing all of those who cry out for Lord Ying-tai. No one is stopping the guards and many innocent people are being stomped on.”

“Where?” Xiu Juan said as she got up from her seat, her eyes filled with anger.

“By the gates,” Bo informed.

Xiu Juan picked up her long white skirt and scurried her way out of the door. When she made it to the gates, she witnessed Jiao Long’s men abusing the people like they were mere insects. They were kicking the elders and yanking on their hair, dragging them across the dirt to shame them.

“Halt!” Xiu Juan shouted.

Immediately, they stopped and turned their heads to her. Her eyes were wide and piercing onto each of her brother’s men. They stopped what they were doing and bowed to her.

“Pick them up! All of them!” She commanded.

They did not move. The guards looked at each other. Then the one who was in charge stepped toward Xiu Juan.

“Grand Princess, you shouldn’t be here. You should not rest your eyes on things like this,” he said.

“Watch your place, commander. Do you not know who you are speaking to?” Xiu Juan retaliated. She looked at her people of Qin then glared back at the commander, “You should not rest your hands on any one of them.”

“I only do what the emperor requests,” he replied.

“His judgments are flawed,” Xiu Juan scorned.

“Grand Princess! You must be careful of what you say about his majesty,” the commander warned.

“These are his people. The root of his empire. You do not think it is wrong to tatter them up like this?”

“They intend to bring the emperor to shame,” the commander defended.

“But this is the wrong approach,” Xiu Juan glared at him as she picked up an elderly man who was weeping. “You are men equipped to fight against those equal or greater to your strength. Instead you turn on those who hold nothing but the silk on their back who feed and provide for this country?”

The commander did not respond. The other guards behind him only looked at each other.

“My apologies, Grand Princess,” he turned his back, “but the emperor’s orders come before anyone’s.” He raised his hands and they returned to what they were doing.

“They must be made examples of, Grand Princess. Sorry, but this is the cruel world you live in,” he said as he looked at her while the other men abused the people.

“No! Stop!” She hollered.

Bo jumped in front of the people and started fighting against the guards. The guards unsheathed their swords and went after him. Xiu Juan saw her people trying to cover Bo, making the guards angrier. As one raised their sword and readied themself to smite the old lady covering Bo, Xiu Juan jumped between them and stopped the blade from advancing with her bare hand. The blade glided across her hand then came to an abrupt stop.

The guard’s eyes filled with fear when he realized what he just did and loosened the grip of his sword and stood stiff. While still holding onto his weapon, Xiu Juan saw someone dressed in white step up before her and knock the guard who lunged his weapon at her off his feet. The man in white then advanced toward the others and whipped his sleeves at their faces, faltering them.

He swiped his legs across one man’s feet while knocking a sword off of another man’s hand and struck him in the face with the flat surface of the blade. With the sword still in his hand, he swung it around and pointed it at the neck of one guard who ran from behind. The guard stopped in his tracks and his eyes expressed surrender. The man in white lifted his leg and kicked him backwards, sending the guard flying several steps back. He continued onward quickly and swiftly, stopping each guard with what they were doing.

All of this lasted less than a few seconds and nobody was able to react fast enough. All of the guards who were already on the ground didn’t dare to stand back up. They seemed to realize who the man was and remained on their knees while whimpering in pain.

“Stop!” The commander of Jiao Long’s guards shouted at his men. When everyone realized who the man that attacked was, they bowed to him.

“Unit Commander Ying-tai of Qin,” they saluted him.

Soon after, Huian and Xia reached the scene.

“Help the people,” Ying-tai ordered them. Huian and Xia quickly obeyed. Every guard, including the commander, was on their knees at this point.

“Who told you to do this?” Ying-tai glared.

“The emperor, Unit Commander Ying-tai!” The commander cried out, trying not to tremble.

Ying-tai approached him, “You, of all people, should know better than to treat the weaker ones with this kind of manner. Look at yourself. Look at them. You call yourselves defender of Qin when you harass those who reside in it?”

“We were only following orders!” They cried.

“Where is your good sense of judgment as a soldier? You serve what Qin holds dear! Your visions and duties for Qin should never falter no matter the many different people that will come and take the throne!” Ying-tai yelled.

Nobody responded, their heads still hanging low. Ying-tai looked at his people.

“If you lay a finger on any of the people of Qin again, I will have your heads and make an example of you wretched soldiers who lost sight of honor.”

“Yes, Unit Commander Ying-tai!” They swore.

Ying-tai turned from them and walked toward Xiu Juan. He knelt down in front of her and ripped a piece off of his white garment and wrapped it around Xiu Juan’s hand tightly to stop the bleeding.

“Wretched soldier! I shall have his head for this,” he cursed under his breath while wrapping the cloth around Xiu Juan’s hand.

Seeing how angry he was, Xiu Juan placed her other hand on top of his.

“Don’t,” she began softly, “this is nothing compared to what you suffer through for us.” She picked herself up and patted her long white and blue silk layers. Ying-tai got up too, but his gaze was lowered.

“We will leave for Chu soon,” he informed her.

Xiu Juan stopped what she was doing and held her breath for a moment. Her heart sank. Still keeping her eyes away from Ying-tai, she turned her chin toward him and opened her lips to speak.

“How soon?”

“By morning,” Ying-tai replied in a low voice.

“By morning,” Xiu Juan repeated. “When will you return?”

“I’m afraid I cannot say,” Ying-tai responded.

After a long pause, Xiu Juan lifted her chin up and took in a deep breath. She smiled faintly and turned her gentle eyes to Ying-tai.

“I came to see if I can bid you farewell,” he admitted.

“Even if you don’t come to me, I will make my way to you,” Xiu Juan replied.

She shuffled through her dress toward him, her long silk layers dragging from behind. With her uninjured hand, she lightly cupped his face and Ying-tai’s kind eyes intertwined with her gaze. Her wrist smelled of plum blossoms, making it harder for Ying-tai to depart.

“I will not see you tomorrow when I leave,” he notified her, sighing sadly ever so lightly.

Xiu Juan nodded, already knowing.

Ying-tai knelt down on one knee, and as he lowered his head to salute her, he noticed the charm he gave her under her outer robe that was wrapped tightly onto the sash by her waist.

Xiu Juan placed her hand on top of his head. “May the heavens forbid any harm from touching you on your conquest for Qin.”

Ying-tai nodded and got on his feet and departed, not giving Xiu Juan one last glance. Xiu Juan turned her eyes to Huian and Xia who also made their way to her to say goodbye.

“Huian. Xia. Please take care of Ying-tai. Look out for one another,” she softly ordered.

Huian, who was the closest thing to a father figure to her now, lifted his hand and caressed her head.

“Take care, child,” he said, “Don’t worry about Ying-tai. It’s not in his nature to falter.” He bowed to her and made his way after Ying-tai.

Xia copied the gesture, bowing to Xiu Juan lowly. “Until we meet again, Grand Princess,” he said and left with Ying-tai and Huian.

Xiu Juan watched them silently, clutching onto her injured hand.

“Princess, we should return and take care of that wound,” Luli urged in a small voice.

“Yes,” Xiu Juan replied in a monotone voice. For the first time, her heart felt uneasy about this departure. It seemed as though the wait would be much longer than intended.

“Princess,” Bo coaxed in a low voice, jolting Xiu Juan out of her thoughts.

Xiu Juan looked up into the sky and sighed, “Rain is upon us. We better go inside.”