His days were numbered. Joaolong purposely kept close to Linlong royalty or escaped to Yinying Yueguang in hopes of avoiding the order to leave the palace. He was not prepared yet. Too many things needed to be arranged. Hence, he spent yet another day in the town but unlike usual, without Disung.

Around him, the market awakened and awaited the prime selling hours which approached. Bright material covered stalls and flags waved at oncoming customers, beckoning them to venture closer. In an instant, bright jewellery blinded Joaolong and an earthy smell hit his nostrils, telling of the freshly farmed vegetables ready for sale further down the road.

“Master Wang, it is a pleasure to see you again!” A merchant said and beamed. He leaned against his temporary stall with enough weight to make it groan.

Joaolong returned his smile for the town’s renowned gossip. “The pleasure is mine. What are you selling today?”

“This month, I learnt from a friend’s cousin’s wife that everyone wants to buy valuable ornaments. See? Like this golden pig. It isn’t real gold but it is real in bringing luck to the house. Or this! It’s a wooden dragon who will scare away the Masked Masters!”

“I heard the leader of the Masked Masters is a dragon.”

The merchant paused and considered this. “That is why…hmm… it will stop Masked Master trespassers as they know you respect them! Ah-ha!”

“Very clever indeed.”

“Are you interested in anything from my shop?”

“Perhaps soon I will come again. I need some items to decorate my new home.”

The man’s eyes lit up. “Are you moving from the palace?”

“I am sure rumours have spread about my unwelcomed presence,” Joaolong said, knowing with certainty the merchant already was aware. “I decided to prepare to leave and live in the country for the remainder of my days. I am finalising property payment in a place far south near Pilador.”

“That is a long way to travel, sir. I have many suggestions of goods to make your journey easier. My friends sell a marvellous array of items from comfort to decorations.”

Joaolong smiled again; this worked far better than expected. If the merchant already involved others, then half the town would learn of this move by sundown. The gossip of his ‘new home’ would then misdirect anyone hunting him when he finally left the palace. This way, no one would suspect his intention to cross the Linlong border.

“I would appreciate that from the bottom of my heart. I promise to return in a week or two to purchase some items.”

With that, Joaolong left the market completely satisfied. He felt in control again, which he craved for the past few days. The execution, planned escape the same day, threat of leaving Lotus Palace and the emperor’s unpredictable nature made him suffer. He couldn’t handle any of it with the finesse he usually possessed. It infuriated him, as did Disung’s absent mind. He walked around like a dead person brought to life and Joaolong eventually relieved him from duties for a few days. A distracted guard held no value. Also, as a friend, he knew Disung needed space; hence he never hurriedly pressed for the true heir’s identity like they agreed upon.

This didn't resolve the mess though. Many things came to light from the execution, the first being the emperor was uncontrollable. He did not hesitate to spare a woman with child, who he likely knew was innocent. Next, Mingzhu was not the Fox but had a connection to him. Why else did he appear in daylight? Then, and most vexing of all, Cheng could not be blackmailed anymore; he locked himself up in mourning over his sister's death.

Qiaolian deserved to die. After all the terrible deeds she did, it seemed fitting to die suddenly and without a glimmer of hope. Joaolong should've been happy; Yenay was partially avenged. Yet, for some reason, he felt empty inside. Was it because the other killer, Xiaoli, had not suffered? Was it because he still had no reason why they murdered the empress? He wasn't sure.

“Master Wang, I wasn’t sure to enter without you first.”

Ahead, Ying bowed and awkwardly waited outside an old tavern. His fidgeting hands showed his nervousness. Good, Joaolong thought. Least I have the advantage to start with.

Inside the run-down building, the men chose a table near the loudest groups of drunk men. The wooden walls, covered in flaky yellow paint, struggled to contain the noise inside and the workers winced as they left the safety of the kitchen. However, many commoners favoured this tavern because of its history as the first built in the city. Thankfully, despite the withering appearance of the building, the service remained commendable and the men were greeted by freshly brewed tea within minutes.

“How is your family?” Joaolong asked.

Ying nodded but then realised the action didn’t answer the question. A blush rose on his blemished cheeks and he rubbed his budding facial hair nervously. He didn’t appear as greasy as the first time they met, nor had gangly limbs and even looked a few inches taller as well. Joaolong wondered if manhood was near for the teenage boy.

“We are well, thanks to you. The rings you gave was generous and each night, we are sleeping with full bellies. I cannot express my gratitude enough.”

“You saved my life. Also my guard beat you. I would call it even indeed.”

“But I feel indebted—”

He is a kind soul, Joaolong deduced with a hint of admiration. It reminds me of Tai. “Ah, there is something you could help me with though…”

“What is it?”

“Bai Mingzhu.”

The name had an instant effect. Ying lost all nervousness and sat up straighter with a puffed chest. “What about her?”

“I need assurance she is someone I can trust. As you may have heard, the palace has become a bit unhinged and your friend is being pulled into the centre of it all. I need to know if she is worth protecting and whether I can trust in her.”

“Of course she is!” The boy yelled and then coiled, noticing a few glances his way. “Mingzhu is worth everything. What do you need to know?”

“Everything.”

Naivety shone through. Ying revealed his experience with complete trust, as if Joaolong were his closest friend. He explained how he and Mingzhu met, how she saved him and their life together afterwards. The way he talked about her seemed angelic and Joaolong struggled to share the same view. While by his side, he simply learnt she had a nasty tongue and temper. How was she protective? How was she kind? How did she have this boy hooked around her finger?

“Is there anything else you need to know?” Ying finally finished.

“No and I thank you for your kind words. Please be mindful who you speak to about this. Vow to keep this conversation and anything about Bai Mingzhu a secret.

“I promise,” Ying blurted with deep sincerity.

“Good. Then I must le—”

“Wait! I heard you are leaving the Lotus Palace.”

News spreads fast. “Who told you such things?”

“The emperor’s dislike of you is joked around the town. I even hear children make silly songs over it.”

“Disung would love that,” Joaolong muttered, imagining the guard singing the songs while skipping around the palace. “So? What is your point?”

“If you leave, make sure Mingzhu does too. Please. She doesn’t suit a life of a maid.”

Just like Tai: loyal to a fault. But… A plan formed in Joaolong’s mind. This teenager, although stupid, could be a valuable asset. If anything happened during the escape, no one in Yinying Yueguang would protect them. However, the boy adored Mingzhu and they could use that. Joaolong just needed to make sure of something.

“Do you like the emperor?”

Ying choked on his drink. “You dare speak of such things in public?!”

“I chose this seat for a reason. We are surrounded by noise and drunken rambling. No one will notice what we say and I suspect if they are farmers, would say much worse. Tell me, do you think the emperor is worthy of his title?”

“Er… N-no,” Ying whispered and shook his head slightly in case his words weren’t heard. “He has raised the taxes too much. I see dozens of children starve, mothers resort to prostitution and men die in the streets over crumbs. Without your rings, my family would have died while my father and older brothers serve in his army. An emperor should bring peace to the people, not calamity.”

“Would you risk rebelling?” Joaolong asked but didn’t wait for an answer. “It is true I intend to leave the palace but the emperor would prefer my head, as you seem to understand his greed for death. I plan to escape soon but cannot do so without help. Of course, if you did help, I could take Mingzhu with me and I would ensure the Linlong royalty know who protected their ally. Think about it. If you want to meet again, send a message to Lan May.”

“But I cannot write or read.”

He has already chosen to help, Joaolong noticed by his response. “Then send a pebble. I will know who it’s from and find you again. Take care, Han Ying.”

Joaolong left the boy in the tavern with his unfinished drink. Deciding his main errands were complete, he returned to the Lotus Palace by midday. The sun gazed down on him, trying to bring some final moments of warmth as autumn ended. It made Joaolong contemplate having tea in the garden but this idea ended when he saw inside his room.

A Fox token sat upright on his bed like an uncomfortable guest who waited for company. Unlike Joaolong’s carving attempts, the rich wood remained smooth and perfectly even. On the flat back, he read the message in caution.

I shall come in a week to talk about the Lost Prince. Be alone.