To hide in plain sight came easier than anticipated. While the Foxes did their work riling up the village, Joaolong floated between the study, isolated palace pathways or his own chambers. He avoided guards' watchful eyes and hide from awkward conversations with remaining councilmen. To make matters better, the emperor returned to his residence in the afternoon and locked himself inside, which gave Joaolong freedom to watch his best friend’s wedding from afar without threat. When night fell, he then got the chance to disturb the ceremony.

He sat in the dark, crowded room with the other nine allies, and rubbed his freshly shaved face. The tension in the space felt so thick, a knife had to carve it. Death nipped at their heels, eager to find a slight mistake in their escape so he could feast. It was no wonder they uncomfortably shifted as Hanxiong redistributed their fox masks.

“Are we clear on our routes?” The Fox asked and everyone replied with a terse nod. “We had all day for goodbyes so now we must act. Remember, we fight for Shanhe’s future: Wang Yondan. It is time for a new dawn!”

“For the emperor of dawn, Wang Yondan!” They all cheered.

An indescribable weight fell on Joaolong's shoulders from their words. He always thought highly of himself, believing he had the capabilities to achieve great things, but never emperor. Yet, his true title had been declared and people were already putting all their faith in him. He struggled with it, to the point of confiding in his fears to Disung and Tai yesterday. Disung’s jokes — including a ridiculous and long title for him to use formally instead of a ‘bodyguard’ — helped ease the stress of his fate and Tai stroked his ego, reminding him of his accomplishments. However, he hated the guilt from his close friends willingly sacrificing their lives for him tonight. The pessimist in him knew it was impossible to all escape the Lotus Palace without harm and it made it harder to watch Linlong royalty and Disung leave the building.

“May you rule one day, Wang Yondan. It has been an honour serving you,” Tai said and bowed.

The fox mask hid his features and the style mimicked the real Fox behind him. They looked identical, from the hair — which Hanxiong wore a wig —to the uniform, and should confuse the increasing number of soldiers inside the palace. Still, a twang of regret pierced Joaolong, seeing Tai ready for danger. For years, he proved himself a good man, far more worthy and loyal than a eunuch should be, and tonight emphasised that. Although his bravery and righteousness was admirable, it didn’t make Joaolong’s sadness diminish. The truth of his devotion hit hard when Tai ran out the door, making a loud commotion.

“Be Shanhe’s finest emperor, young Wang Yondan.” The Fox grinned as he snuck outside. “And keep my son out of too much trouble.”

Silence settled in the room. Only two of them remained. With a loud sigh and a subtle wipe of her cheeks for tears, Mingzhu turned to Joaolong.

“You ready?”

They all agreed it best for Mingzhu and Joaolong to travel together; Huli would expect him to stick by Disung. Hence, splitting up would give them an easier escape and prevent identification. The downfall meant Joaolong had to share Mingzhu’s company for weeks, which he already saw many problems beginning to arise. He couldn’t handle her behaviour like Disung, especially without the rules and consequences of the palace to guide him.

“You best be able to live up to your boasts.”

Mingzhu furrowed her eyebrows. “Which ones?”

“Being a greater warrior than Disung.”

“You best not be a complete dead weight and be capable of basic survival then.”

For once, Joaolong smiled, pleasantly surprised to find he enjoyed her dark response. The fear of death made him tolerate her more. “Fair. Shall we jump out the window now?”

They didn’t exactly do what he stated. Instead, they eased out of the opening in the wall and into the cool night. Both wore thin, dark clothes to blend in the night and carry less weight. On the bank of the lake, inside a marked tree, warmer outfits awaited them. Despite just entering the breeze, Joaolong already became eager for their dangerous adventure to end.

Mingzhu signalled him to follow, satisfied no prying eyes lurked near and darkness blanketed them well enough to run. They moved quietly to the front gardens of the Lotus Palace, where their escape route waited. Joaolong’s heart pounded in his chest and his body shook in preparation to flee as they snaked around buildings. His senses sharpened; he listened to every small chirp from a grasshopper or his eyes darted towards the sudden flight of a bird.

“I need to prop up the ladder onto the border. Stay hidden,” Mingzhu instructed and disappeared around the tall shubbery. Judging by the soft thuds of tiles, she had swung herself onto a nearby rooftop.

“What is it?” He asked when she returned. Through the cracks in her mask, her eyes looked grave.

“Disung and Linlong royalty are in trouble. Soldiers are all heading to the front gate instead of the servant laundry.”

“There must be something we can do,” Joaolong blurted, a sudden determination and courage flowing through him. It overshadowed the dagger of panic stabbed deep in his chest.

Mingzhu blocked his path. “The priority is your safety. We need to use the back-up plan.”

“We can’t just let them die!” Joaolong shouted. Once the words left his mouth in a roar, he froze. Mingzhu glared but responded without hesitation by shoving him into the nearby building, away from any guards nearby.

Unfortunately, there was another person inside. A blade prodded Joalong's back. His breath hitched. Then, Mingzhu proved her skill. She yanked him back and flung herself forward instead, knocking into the guard. She jabbed his pressure points, watched him crumble to the floor like a clay doll before finishing her attack with a smash to his face. Satisfied by his limp body, she turned to Joaolong, a snarl expressing her fury hidden behind the fox mask.

“What is your great plan to rescue the others? Huh? Tell me that. Was it to be caught by shouting like a child? Get your head in the right place, true heir. Everything we do is for you so don’t waste it.”

As much as Joaolong wished to rebut her argument, she was right. Tonight, he had to be selfish and put himself first. Everyone accepted that before they ventured into the night wearing fox masks. If anyone died, they did for him to take the throne. However, a great emperor couldn’t put himself above his people. He wanted to be worthy and needed to prove it. So, he tried to find discuss it with Mingzhu.

“We should—”

Mingzhu whacked his head. “Any questions from me are rhetorical! We need to escape before worrying about everyone else. You are Shanhe’s future, don’t forget that. While the attention of others is diverted, we will dive from Lady Gaze instead. No arguments or I will kill you myself.”

Someone coughed, startling Joaolong and Mingzhu. They looked around the room, finally registering where they entered in desperation. The too familiar bamboo bars and hanging weapons sent a chill up Joaolong’s spine. In this place, he visited Jiang and Disung in their worst conditions; they wandered into the palace prison. In the cell, a weak figure crawled to the locked door, looking as wrecked as a poor farmer after a long harvest. A slither of light shone on a slender, feminine face and revealed Ju Xiaoli.

A red mist came over Joaolong. No guilt or pity came from looking at the beaten girl trapped in a cage. She deserved far worse. How many servants did she beat for fun? Did she hurt his mother before poisoning her? Was she the one to cut out Jiang’s tongue? His hand itched to act. The weapons called and charmed him. They looked so enticing. With a simple thrust of his hand, he could—

Mingzhu stood against the cell door. “Oh no you don’t. I know that look, Master Wang. She is not worth it. Let’s get out of here.”

“Is that you, Wang Joaolong?” Xioali whispered the name like a blessing. Her hand reached through the bars, desperate for help. “Did you come for me?”

“Even in your dreams, no one will come for you, Miss Ju, because you deserve every torment on this wretched earth and you know it. Get back into your prison," Mingzhu hissed.

“Let’s go,” Joaolong demanded, worried what he would do if he stayed in the same place as his mother’s murderer.

“No! Please! I beg of you!” Xiaoli howled. “It wasn’t my fault! Z-Zhao Cheng framed me! Please!”

Joaolong ignored the cries of distress and looked through the crack in the door. Armoured men continued to run to the Lotus Palace entrance. More torches burst into brilliant flames to illuminate the area. He swallowed. They will be okay, he tried to convince himself. Disung is Anshu. He cannot be killed. Yet, he fought with his mind to think about his own escape instead of saving his friends.

“The way we came will be—”

Keys jingled as they collided with each other and a click indicated the prisoner was free. Joaolong watched in horror as Xiaoli burst into the open. Her body shuddered from the strength of her sobs. It disgusted him.

“Bai Mingzhu, what in the world possessed you to cause trouble after lecturing me?!” He growled.

“A chance at redemption. Mercy is the secret weapon of a kind man,” Mingzhu mumbled. “We gave Meifan a chance.”

First, we are relying of Meifan’s betrayal to distract the soldiers from our real escape routes. Second, Xiaoli is a murderer and deserves far worse. “After all she has done?!”

“We use her for information. A great way to seek forgiveness is for her to tell us everything about Hong Huli and his plans.”

She made a good point. When war began, they needed any advantage they could get. Still… “She will slow us down.”

“We ditch her when it happens.”

“What if she tells someone about us and what we are doing?”

“We cut her tongue before we ditch her.”

Somehow, Joaolong knew he wasn’t going to win. The way Mingzhu acted screamed strange and emotionally complicated, which he couldn't act against without fearing her reaction. Instead, he locked his eyes with Xiaoli and ground his teeth. “This is your only chance to live. If you jeopardise us in any way, I will personally rip out your heart. Understand?”

Xiaoli nodded.

“Is it clear outside?” Mingzhu asked and yanked Xiaoli to her feet. Despite freeing her like a saint, she treated her as rough as a demon.

“Looks so. The guards are divided between the laundry and gate.”

“As well as the other Foxes,” Mingzhu added. “Excellent. We may be fortunate to leave the palace unscathed.”

Without a moment to waste, she jumped to the ground and dragged Xiaoli with her. Joaolong pursued. They moved back the way they came, less cautious of their surroundings now because of the distractions throughout the palace. Suddenly, a whistled tune pierced the air. It spread around them and Joaolong noticed Mingzhu falter in step at the song. For those unfamiliar listening in, it warned of a bloody night to come.