Awaken from the deep long sleep that he had deprived of, Xuan Di open his heavy lids and the sight of a flowery designed cushion came to vision. With his face planted on the pillow, he blinked a few times to shake off the drowsiness and use his muscular arms to push his body up.

As he forgot about the 3 arrows injuries, he winced in pain and his arms lost their energy, causing him to slam back down onto the bed. This situation somehow brought him back to the memories of him and Jae-in being trapped in the cave when she was injured.

He smile lightly as he recalled how she did the exact same thing as him, and he scolded her for moving recklessly. Now, he is doing the same thing.

Just when he wants to try again, the doors creak open and the appearance of a young handsome lad enters the room. He turns his face sideways and took in the image of a cross-dressed Jae-in, wearing the same royal blue outfit he saw in the book store that brings out the milky white skin that she possessed.

For a moment, her face shows a stunned expression then resumed back to the usual cold distant face. Watching her walking up to him, his eyes seems to be glued on her and refuse to look away.

"You are awake?"

Seeing how Xuan Di is looking at her with a blank face, Jae-in reaches out to the nearby basin of water and squeeze the clean cloth dry. Giving him a clean cloth to clean his face, however Xuan Di did not take them.

Frowning her eyebrows, she shake her hands several times to gesture him to take the cloth from her hand. Shaking out of the trance, Xuan Di finally reacted and accepted the cloth from her.

"Thanks."

The clean cloth still remain in his hands while Jae-in walk towards the nearest stool beside the bed. Crossing her arms and legs over one another, Jae-in look at Xuan Di.

"Since you are awake now, we will continue the journey in a few days time."

Xuan Di looks up abruptly to face Jae-in and look into her cold eyes with a shock expression.

"Y-you. You agreed?"

Jae-in continues to look at Xuan Di, who is trying to prop himself upwards while his body is facing flat on the bed, he is struggling to sit up to face her.

"En."

"Why?"

"What why?"

"Previously, it is obvious that you don't want me to join. Why only now you accept my request?"

"I am one who knows how to repay a favour to my saviour. Since you shouldered the attack on behalf of me, then it is common sense for me to repay you. Allowing you to join the group to Kai border shall pay off my debt. Once we reach the Kai border and cross over to Xuan border, we shall part our ways and never meet again."

Xuan Di looks at Jae-in, that beautiful face that he got so used to it, immune to her charms that was readily available in his hands in the old days, only now he come to realize how fortunate he was.

Ignoring the pain on his back, he sits upright and swing his legs to reach the floor. With his body facing towards Jae-in, he smiles cheekily.

"Ah I see, Huo Gong Zi seems to be one who knows the way of morality and virtuousness. Then, may I ask how many arrows did I shoulder for you?"

"3?"

"Then ... should I say that you have only repay one of the 3 'debts' that you owe me in this sense?"

"YOU!"

Jae-in glares at Xuan Di with an impatient anger and the exasperating feeling she has whenever she talks to him. Turning her head away to not let anger take over her mind, she then close her eyes to cool herself down.

"Fine. I shall grant you 3 favours. You are left with 2 more. However, I will only accept favours that does not involve any killing of any human, betrayal of moral values and take part of any political game."

"Deal."

"Then, you may rest well."

Leaving the room once her motive has been accomplished, Jae-in close the door and head back to Qi Yuan's room. Xuan Di look down to the clean cloth given to him and mouth a name.

"Wu 'Er."

In a split second, a black shadowy figure dress in full black outfit appeared instantly while kneeling down on the floor.

"Kill all those who we engaged for the attack. Leave no life behind."

"Yes master."

With Jae-in opening the doors of Qi Yuan's room, he looks up to acknowledge her presence.

"You are back!"

"En. He finally woke up and I told him our agreement to let him join us to Kai border."

"That's good."

"Any news from that beggar?"

"Nope, just when we want to question him to dig out the mastermind, he fed on the pre-prepared poison hidden at the back of his teeth." Qing Feng answered.

"Who do you think is it?"

"Most probably Qi Zheng, or maybe Wang Xuan? Don't you think that the appearance of Wang Xuan at the book store is such a coincidence? Just in time when you leave the store, the sudden attack happens, and he magically saved you from the attack?" Qi Yuan asked.

"I did suspected him but I don't think it's possible. Who will be that stupid to reveal their plan to their target and carry it out in front of them? It is too obvious and intentional, so I disagree that Wang Xuan is the one who carry out these attacks. Personally, I suspect Qi Zheng." Jae-in said.

"Hm... You are right, but let's be careful towards him during this trip."

"Okay. Oh right Qi Yuan, I recently bought a book 'Arts of medicine' to start the foundation of learning the medical herbs and grasses. Could you guide me through as I want to learn medicine."

"Of course! Gladly!"

.

.

.

During the waiting period for Xuan Di to recover his body strength to carry on the journey, Jae-in has been cramping herself in her room to learn about medicine. The continuous learning and guidance by Qi Yuan allow Jae-in to have a drastic growth in knowledge of medicine.

Qi Yuan will drop by everyday in her room to check up on her progress whenever he is done with the street survilience and visits of the magistrates to gather updates on the commoner's life.

Meanwhile Qing Feng has been busy trying to convince Yu-ji to follow him onto the streets of Ding City.

"What do you want! I said I don't want to shop at the streets of Ding city!" Yu-ji complained.

"Come on, rather than squeezing inside the small room with Lady Jae-in and Master, isn't it better to take a breather in the streets? Look! You can even shop for beautiful hairpins! If you want anything, tell me and I will buy for you." Qing Feng said.

Yu-ji was forcefully dragged out of the room filled with intense learning and coaching of the 'Arts of Medicines' by Qing Feng. Refusing to let go of her hands, Yu-ji has no choice but to remain by his side.

"I don't need any pins, I am just a servant. Now let go of my hands. Men and women are not supposed to be too close."

"Hey isn't this pure jade hairpin nicely crafted? Look! It looks beautiful on you!"

Qing Feng skilfully change the topic and grab hold of the pin from the nearby accessories stall and put it close to her hair. His silly smile, filled with a genuine gentle look, was directed to her that made Yu-ji momentarily soften her stone-hard heart.

"I don't need this ..."

"No you need it! En. This shall be it then. Lady boss give me this pin."

Casually paying for the pin, Qing Feng release the hand that was holding onto Yu-ji, using his sleeve to clean the jade pin and blow a few times to make sure it's unstained, he carefully push the pin onto her hair.

Yu-ji quietly let him does what he wants as she knows how stubborn a guy he is, yet inside her heart is filled with honey-like sweetness that brighten up her mood. A small shy smile crept up along the sides of her mouth.

"You look pretty."

Qing Feng complimented her with the pin that he bought and noticed the small changes in Yu-ji. Grabbing onto the small delicate hands, he continues to walk down the streets while Yu-ji remain quiet.

'Step 1 is done. Step 2 is also achieved. That's right, the advice from the book of 'How to capture maiden's heart' is definitely working.'

As Qing Feng's mind is too clouded with the happiness of gaining the favour of Yu-ji, his attentiveness dropped drastically. Yu-ji too, was too absent-minded with the sweet feeling of a maiden being well-treated by a man, she did not notice a small little boy dressed in rags bang into her, skilfully grab hold of the money bag and ran into the crowds of people.

Being bump by a stranger, Yu-ji habitually apologize and only to realize it was a kid. Just as she wants to ask if he is okay, he dashed off into the crowd behind her. The weird action of his made her question and soon she realized the money bag hanged at her waist has been stolen.

Pulling Qing Feng to stop him from walking forward, she turns behind and shouted.

"Help! Catch the thief! You this little thief! Come back here!"

In the midst of drowning in happiness, Qing Feng couldn't react in time and Yu-ji shake off his grip on her hands. She chase after the small figure that manoeuvre skilfully away from the crowd and not forgetting to give a ghost face to annoy her.

"Stop right there! You this little thief!"

Pushing past strangers that block her way, she is shortening the distance between them. As this beggar has been an expert in stealing money bag, he underestimated Yu-ji and decided to slow down his speed to tease her.

But a black figure suddenly block his way, and he crash into his legs, causing him to bounce backwards and fell onto the ground. Using his hand to massage his forehead that is now red, he looks up to a massive figure of a man dressed in black.

"Y-you!"

Still remaining on the floor, Yu-ji finally catch up and was breathing heavily. The man dressed in black bend downwards and took away the pink money bag that is in the beggar's hand. Stood up and walk towards Yu-ji, he hands over her money bag.

"T-thank you! This hero! Thank you for your righteous act, may I know how do I address you?"

Qing Feng who arrived just in time using his qing gong, witness the scene of Yu-ji talking to an unknown man with a face filled with admiration. The distance between them is too close to his liking, especially the manly build that the man has gives an impression of a reliable man.

As Yu-ji is small in size, she looks like a maiden leaning well into his chest like a little bird.

Without any hesitation, he pull Yu-ji's arm backwards which make her bump into his chest and a protective arm wrap around her waist to show the unknown man his ownership.

"Who are you?" Qing Feng question the unknown man with an unfriendly tone.

Baffled by the reaction of Qing Feng, Yu-ji looks up to see Qing Feng face filled with coldness and a bit of anger mixed in it. Pushing his arms away but it seems to be firmly planted on her waist.

"Righteous hero! You have yet to tell me your name!"

"Why do you need to know his name?"

"He help me to get back my money bag, of course I need to repay him!"

"Then let me repay him the favor instead."

"Why should you be the one? Who are you to me?"

"I am your man!"

"You!"

As the couple continue to bicker on the streets and feed some dog food to the strangers surrounding them, the man in black walk towards the little thief and drop a silver tale in front of him.

The little thief looks up to the stunning back of the man who is leaving the street and picks up the silver tale given to him. A sour feeling grew within him and he tries to prevent tears from falling out, holding onto the silver tale, he escaped into the silent alley where his home is at.

Just as Yu-ji wants to look at the man in black, she then realised he left quietly without her knowing.

"It's all because of you!! It's your fault!"

"Why is it my fault!"

"If you didn't intervene, I could have known his name..."

"Why do you want to know his name so desperately? I said already, I will repay your favors to him so don't fret about it."

The two continue to bicker like a married couple and head back to the inn. Opening the doors of Qi Yuan's room, Yu-ji and Qing Feng quietly enter the room like any other well-behaved maid and servant.

___________________________________

Yu-ji ♥ Qing Feng