"Have you found out already?"

"Yes master, they are leaving Capital of Kai in the next 3 days, heading to Kai border."

"Hm. Who is going?"

"Qi Yuan, the fourth prince of Kai, with his knight named Qing Feng. Empress Jae-in and her maid Yu-ji. Just the 4 of them."

"Good. You may leave now."

Though staying in a shabby inn that does not match his royal status, Xuan Di seems to pay no attention to this matter. Casually playing with a small white ceramic bottle in his hands, inside is filled with 4 black pills.

These 4 pills are specially created for this trip, so to not act rashly and alert the 'enemy', in this case it is Jae-in. Predicting her careful ways of handling matters, wearing a face mask will eventually reveal his actually identity.

By feeding on these pills, it will create a momentary change in his facial features however, it will only last for 1 month. To continue this effect, he will have to feed on a pill during the end of each month.

Looking around the shabby room, Xuan Di can't help but to laugh at himself.

'What am I even doing?' He questioned.

If he is being honest to himself, he too, is unaware why he chose to do this. Planning such elaborate scheme just to get Jae-in back into his Xuan palace, using all his energy and time to clean up his governing parties so to embark on this trip, and even carried out such ridiculous order to not having governing assembly for the next 2 months ... such strong headed and stubborn attitude of his puzzled him.

Why is he behaving this way? Going so far just to get back someone he hated and once despised her existence on this earth? After getting her back, what does he want from her?

These are the questions he often asked himself, yet he doesn't want to provide answers to them as if he feared that it might shake something within him, destroying a resolute faith that accompanied him throughout this marriage.

Probably he thought maybe he can get some answers from Jae-in herself, maybe the reason to her drastic change in attitude can give him some guidance in the future treatment he planned to give her, maybe there is something that he didn't know.

The hate for her was real, but it is slowly going away.

The distancing from her was intentional, but now it seems too far for his comfort.

Only by looking at her, staying close by his side, will then remind him of the reason for the hate, and fuel that anger towards her as the sole purpose of keeping her in the Empress position.

Now, just how is he going to sneak into the group and join them to Kai border?

.

.

.

"Missy Jae! I have finish packing the necessary items for the trip to Xuan border, excluding the clothings to be worn."

A usual morning sword practise in her garden, so to remind her the movements of the sword martial arts, made her body sweaty yet still having a smile on her face.

"En. That's great, soon we will be home." Jae-in smiles while keeping her sword behind her.

"Yu-ji, prepare male outfits for this journey, I do not want to attract unwanted attention."

"Of course! I shall prepare them accordingly."

Yu-ji scramble off to carry out her orders, not paying attention to that hidden male figure at the side, observing his lady in the shadows to protect her safety. Knowing the intention of Qing Feng, Jae-in chuckle silently while observing the cute actions of his, like a boy who first learn about love.

Shaking her head as she knows how tough the future road for him to obtain his love, she continues on with her sword practices.

Heading towards the kitchen to collect some snacks for her Missy, an unexpected male figure blocked her way.

"Yu' Er, do ... do you know that we will be travelling together to Kai border?" Qing Feng shyly asked.

Confused by his bashful behaviour, Yu-ji look at Qing Feng with a weird eye.

"Of course, I am not that dumb to not know that you will be part of this trip."

"T-Then ... Is this our first trip together as a couple?"

"H-huh?"

"I-I ... I have read up a lot on love ever since I promise to take responsibility. I even borrowed books and novels on male-female relationship. There, it states that one method to close up the distance between a male and female is to go on a trip together. It helps to create an opportunity to know one another, and they can create memories together."

"What ... Qing Feng Gong Zi ... what are you talking? We are on this trip as a group and not just the two of us."

"I have been reflecting a lot lately, the reason why you refuse to accept me is that you still don't know me, which is why you have such a deep misunderstanding towards me. So I decided to let you into my world. I want you to know me as much as I want to know you."

With that gentle and warm look in his eyes, Yu-ji stared at him with goose bump popping out of her skin.

"I shall take my leave now ..."

.

.

.

Today is a special day for Ai Le, the birth of her presence in this world.

Every year on this day, Ai Le will capture the man, whom she loves, to celebrate her special day with her and this year will not be different.

"Have you send the message to Qi Yuan?" Ai Le asked.

"Yes Ai Le Jun Zhu, his fourth prince definitely receive them."

"Alright! Let's go and prepare!"

With an anticipating heart and an imaginative mind of what to come at night, Ai Le excitedly prepare herself to be dressed perfectly, aim to create an everlasting beautiful memory in Qi Yuan's head.

On the other hand, Qi Yuan who received the invitation from Ai Le's maid, remain unfazed by it and seems to brush it off like any other non-important matter. Actually, he knew today it is her birthday.

Like other years, she will find ways to get him to celebrate with her.

But this time, he is busy preparing the trip to Kai border with Jae-in, and he doesn't have any time to spend on her. Once the maid left his manor, he quickly arranged a dinner appointment with the respective merchants from the cities that he will be dropping by as a form of formality.

To ensure that their trip will be smooth, it is necessary to establish some connections.

Unaware of Qi Yuan's plan, Ai Le continues to assign her maids with the setup of the well-decorated boat near the lake, and countless folded lotus paper with a candle in the middle to be release onto the lake upon the arrival of Qi Yuan.

Soon the night sky fall and cover up the trails of the Sun, waiting patiently at the wooden platform in a pink dress that shows off her womanly figure, yet giving off a bit of shyness in her.

This year, it is her 18th birthday.

She decided to forgo the usual 2 buns hairstyle on the sides of her head, and let her hair go freely which land on her lower back. A simple flowery silver pin at the sides of her head, with a natural-looking beauty face makeup and a light pink lip stain.

Ai Le anxiously waited at the appointed meetup area with Qi Yuan, with a strong fast-paced heart beating at her chest.

Countless possible reaction from Qi Yuan is running wild inside Ai Le's head. Annoyed, frustrated, shocked, smiling, happy emotions that can happen made her smile.

It is as though she is celebrating the birthday of Qi Yuan and not hers, creating a surprise for him when this is supposed to be the other way round. Sadly, Ai Le is too in love to recognize this useless efforts of hers.

The longer she waits, the colder she gets. The cold wind hit her harshly while she blocks her face to avoid her long hair from irritating her vision. Rubbing the sides of her arm to give herself warmth, it seems like this does not matter to her.

The maids and servants, who have been hiding at the specific spot as ordered, one by one sneezing as the cold hits their body. All of them wonder when will this end as the cold is unbearable.

Observing the skies filled with stars now, Ai Le who is now squatting down, rested her head on her arms not wanting to let her tears fall. Ai Le's maid, Zhu Zhu, gather all her courage to approach her master.

"Ai Le Jun Zhu, we have been waiting for 3 hours and soon it will be 11pm. I think we should go home before it reach midnight as you will not be safe being out here."

3 hours ... Has she been waiting for 3 hours already?

Ai Le seems to be stuck onto the realization that she has been waiting for Qi Yuan for 3 hours.

This time round, she has to admit that she felt hurt ... really hurt ... to the point that she couldn't help to let a tear escape from her eyes despite her endurance. The effort put into this 18th birthday celebration with him seems like a joke to Qi Yuan.

Unlike the past few years of celebration, this year is quite different and it holds a special meaning to Ai Le.

18 ... The age of an adult and the transition from a kid to a woman. Wiping off the tears of vulnerability, she laughed at her weak self.

'You knew that Qi Yuan is always like this, trying to break you and make you cry and now you fell for his tricks.'

That's right, he has always been finding ways to make her give up on him and no way Ai Le is going to let it defeat her. She turned towards Zhu Zhu and asked for his whereabouts.

"Where is he?"

"He ... uh..." Zhu Zhu seems to be in a difficult position to answer her question.

"ANSWER ME."

With so many emotions running through her right now, she can't help but to raise her voice to show her irritation. While waiting patiently with her master, Zhu Zhu secretly dispatch one of the servant to locate the fourth prince's location in case her master wants to go after him.

"Yuan Ding Lou."

"Bring me there now."

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Ai Le's vision - 郭小天

*Apologise, I missed out this image*