Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei and his hunting party had chanced upon a direly injured Tang Lao Fang lying in the arms of an unknown disheveled girl who was tending to the boy; near them was none other than the jiangjun of the Hsein Hong Se unit named Han Li.

Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei could never forget that cowardly and contemptible face. He had tried to run after Jiangjun Han Li in the hopes of fulfilling the latter's subordinate, Duizhu Gang Bingwen, request but then he was unsuccessful. Jiangjun Han Li and his remaining troops managed to elude them like a bunch of pathetic cravens. There was obviously a broken gap between Han Li and Gang Bingwen but the reason behind it was something that Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei did not know nor had interest of knowing.

Upon seeing Lao Fang motionless, the beating of Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei's heart momentarily came to a halt. For the second time in his life, fear had invaded his entire being like an unwanted entity. Looking further, he noticed that the supine Han Li was still alive although the latter's breathing seemed weak. Unwillingly, an unruly raging fire began to overwhelm his senses - burning his soul, simmering his wrath, urging him to murder someone. He unceremoniously dropped his kill, unsheathed his sword to fulfill the wish of Gang Bingwen as well as avenge Tang Lao Fang but then the girl who held the boy in her arms stalled him.

"Please do not kill him, I want him castigated before my father. His soldiers are currently taking refuge in our village and they are plotting to kill my father."

The need to brutally murder someone was beyond tempting but then, with a willpower that he thought he did not possess in the moment of blind rage, he was able to restrain himself.

"Who are you?" Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei asked, a frown of confusion marred his normally aloof features. His hand shaking from unspent rage, the vein at the side of his temple was beating furiously.

"I am Chao Biming. Baron Chao Bo's daughter."

"She is the daughter of the man who refused to allow us refuge and killed a lot of our comrades!" One of the Lu Wang Wei's companions reacted with anger.

"Who knows if she is a mere decoy to lure us to our death!" another added with extreme indignation.

"Please don't think the worst of me. I swear I don't mean you any harm. Your companion saved my life from the despicable Jiangjun Han Li; I owe him my life."

Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei paused to weigh the disheveled girl's words. After a moment, he asked, "Why did your father attack my army when we only asked for temporary refuge and meant your village no harm?"

Lady Chao Biming looked at Lu Wang Wei with sadness and guilt; tears brimming in her eyes. "The Hsein army arrived in our village first to warn us of your impending arrival and plan to attack us. My father believed them. I never really trusted the Hsein army and even told my father about my thoughts about them but then the traitorous Jiangjun Han Li had easily convinced my father. It is only too late that I learn of his real intention."

"She could be lying, Jinzhou!" One of the soldiers said with resentment, he was holding tightly to the hilt of his sword. "Allow me to avenge my fellow comrades."

"No, I am not lying, please believe me. I swear I will talk my father to his senses and help your army."

Lu Wang Wei pondered seriously upon the words of Lady Chao Biming, still skeptical about her. Wordlessly, he walked towards the Lady Chao Biming, took Lao Fang who was cradled in her legs and arms, and then carefully carried the boy in his arms.

"If you are indeed indeed truthful and meant us no harm at all, then why did you stop me from taking the life of the man whom you called despicable?"

"Because he violated me!" Lady Chao Biming said with hurt and anger in her shaking voice. "I want to expose him to my father and punish him severely as he rightfully deserved."

"Jinzhou, you must not believe her!"

"She might be deceiving us!"

Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei raised one of his arms to silence his subordinates. He stared at Chao Biming with bone-chilling coldness which made the girl shudder with extreme fear. "I am giving you the benefit of a doubt because Lao Fang risked his own life to save yours. Should you do something adverse to us, then your life will be for naught."

"I swear I do not mean any harm." Lady Chao Biming stuttered in fright.

"Stand up and follow us. No one is going to harm you." Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei commanded her with authority. He then tended his aloof stare to his men and said, "Bind that man and drag him back to our camp."

Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei's men eyed Lady Chao Biming with extreme hostility but then they did not react any further and followed their superior's command.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

'Yan Mei Ling, help me!'

Yan Mei Ling could hear Li Lei Shuang's desperate cries for help. Her best friend was tied tightly against the rough tree trunk with a rope. Tears of trepidation flowed incessantly down her pale, beautiful cheeks.

'I am coming, Lei Shuang. I will save you.' Yan Mei Ling ran to the tree where Lei Shuang was tied to but then a faceless man blocked her.

'Get off my way or else you will suffer the consequences.'

The faceless man merely laughed at Yan Mei Ling. He then unsheathed his sword and began to attack her with it.

Yan Mei Ling quickly eluded the attack and tapped to her side, only to realize with extreme horror that she did not have any weapon.

'Forget something, little girl?' The faceless man mocked her and then took another swing at her.

Yan Mei Ling evaded the attack again and managed to do jump above the man. She delivered an axe kick which sent the sword flying off from the man's hand. She made a swift a run for it and managed to get the sword before the faceless man did. She then swung it to his stomach and delivered a death blow. The moment that she did, the man disappeared magically like a puff of smoke.

'Yan Mei Ling, help me. I am hurting. Please hurry!'

'Don't worry, I will be there!' Yan Mei Ling shouted back and resumed running to Li Lei Shuang's direction but another faceless man appeared.

The faceless man tried to hit her with a sword, however, Yan Mei Ling parried it with hers. They exchanged attacks. Both were breathless but none would give up. Yan Mei Ling somersaulted to the back of the enemy and then immediately stabbed at the back of the man. Just like her previous foe, he disappeared like a puff of smoke.

'I am near, Li Lei Shuang. I swear I will save you.' Yan Mei Ling said with assurance as she ran towards her best friend.

Yan Mei Ling finally reached Li Lei Shuang and hastily removed the ropes that bound her best friend. When her best friend was finally free, the latter immediately hugged her.

'I miss you, my sweet Yan Mei Ling,' Li Lei Shuang sobbed in relief as she held Yan Mei Ling tighter into her embrace.

'I miss you too, Li Lei Shuang. I thought I will never see you again.' Yan Mei Ling cried the unspent contents of her heart, pouring out her entire emotion in their reunion.

'I have wished to see you and long to hold you, my beloved friend. Please do not leave me again.'

'I swear, with all my heart, Li Lei Shuang, I will never leave you again. We will practice calligraphy, watch the birds and butterflies, and stroll the town as we always we do together.'

'Thank you, Yan Mei Ling.'

'Well, well, what a beautiful reunion.' a startlingly familiar voice said with devilish glee.

Both girls turned to the direction of the voice and saw the Devil's incarnate, Lord Hsien Mao Dong together with his army of faceless soldiers.

Yan Mei Ling shuddered with fear but then she did not want to part with her best friend. 'Hold my hand, Li Lei Shuang, let us run away from them.' She whispered with desperation to her best friend.

Li Lei Shuang nodded then held Yan Mei Ling's hand. The two began to flee from Lord Hsien Mao Dong and his men but then another army of faceless soldiers blocked their path.

'Do you think that you can run away from me?' Lord Hsein Mao Dong asked with wicked humor. 'The princess is going to be my wife and Chang'An will ultimately be mine!'

'Never!' Yan Mei Ling shouted with rage as she held Li Lei Shuang's at her back protectively. 'You need to kill me first before I allow you to lay as much as your filthy hand on my best friend!'

'How touching,' Lord Hsein Mao Dong remarked sarcastically. 'As much as I admire your spirit, little girl, it will bring you nowhere.' He then eyed Yan Mei Ling dangerously and ordered his men, 'Kill her and get the princess!'

The faceless armies from the front and back of Yan Mei Ling and Li Lei Shuang began to swarm around them. They initiated the attack and she tried to fight them with all of her might but she was unfortunately outnumbered. They were able to get Li Lei Shuang and held Yan Mei Ling by her hands.

'Yan Mei Ling!' LI Lei Shuang cried in panic as she was being dragged away.

Yan Mei Ling tried to go after Li Lei Shuang but she could barely escape the strong clutches of the faceless soldiers who held her. 'No! No! No!' She watched helplessly as her beloved best friend was handed to her arch nemesis, Lord Hsein Mao Dong.

'Yan Mei Ling, help me!' Lei Shuang shouted desperately as she tried to reach after Yan Mei Ling.

'Li Lei Shuang!'

'There is nothing you can do, little girl. The princess is mine! Hahahahaha!' Lord Hsein Mao Dong laughed hysterically in triumph.

The faceless men began to choke Yan Mei Ling, suffocating her. 'Release me! I need to go after Lei Shuang!'

"Li Lei Shuang!" Yan Mei Ling shouted, only to realize that everything was just a nightmare. She was inside her tent; her body seemed to be on fire due to the injuries that she sustained but someone already bandaged her. She was sweating heavily; her heart was beating loudly.

Someone hoisted the door of her tent, "Lao Fang, what happened?"

Yan Mei Ling exhaled sharply as she forced herself to sit. "Nothing, Lee Sui Song. I am just having a nightmare."

"Don't force yourself if you are hurting." Lee Sui Song said with concern as he watched Mei Ling grimaced from the pain of exertion.

"Seriously, I am fine. There is nothing serious about my injury. Anyway, how did I end here?"

"Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei and some of our comrades who went hunting for food saw you unconscious along with Baron Chao Bo's daughter near the river."

"Baron Chao Bo's daughter..." Yan Mei Ling mumbled as if trying to remember. "Do you mean the girl who wears a ninja garb?"

"I think so." Lee Sui Song answered with uncertainty.

"Where is she?"

"She is outside your tent. I did not allow her to get inside as well as the others so that they will not discover that you are 'you know.' Oh, but she helped me concoct herbs to alleviate pain from your body. She is vastly knowledgeable with healing arts."

Yan Mei Ling sighed. "I guess we are even now. Anyway, thank you so much, Lee Sui Song. I owe a lot of things to you."

"Not a problem, Tang Lao Fang. I am your friend."

"Is she the only one outside?"

"I believe Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei, Lu Jinhai and several comrades of ours are waiting for my latest diagnosis of your condition."

"I am going outside and tell them that I am perfectly fine."

"Are you sure that you don't feel weak or any pain?" Lee Sui Song raised his brow in question.

"Yes, I am good. I guess the medicine you and the girl concocted works well."

Lee Sui Song blushed with elation at Yan Mei Ling's words. "Okay, I will accompany you now."

The moment they were out, Yan Mei Ling saw the girl that she saved. The girl sighed in relief while smiling genuinely at her. Lu Wang Wei looked indifferent but his eyes looked blissfully bright. A lot of her comrades who stood outside of her tent were also beaming with happiness.

"Tang Lao Fang!" Lu Jinhai immediately rushed to her. "Are you fine?"

"Of course, I am fine, Lu Jinhai." Yan Mei Ling answered happily.

Lu Jinhai exhaled as if a great weight of tension was just taken off his shoulders then he immediately embraced Yan Mei Ling. "I am grateful that you are fine." He released her and said, "You tend to get injured as of lately."

"Nah, it is nothing. I feel strong as an ox."

"If you say so," Lu Jinhai said mirthfully and rumpled her hair tenderly.

Yan Mei Ling then stared beyond the back of Lu Jinhai and spoke to the girl that she saved. "Lee Sui Song told me that you help him concoct the medicine that hasten my recovery. I would like to extend my supreme gratitude for your help."

The girl blushed profusely then she lowered her head demurely. "You are welcome. Besides, you have done me greatly by saving my life."

Yan Mei Ling walked to the girl. "It is nothing. Oh, I tend to forget, are you fine? Is there something in you that is injured?"

The girl looked at Yan Mei Ling swiftly through her lashes then her blush deepened. She timidly lowered down her gaze again. "I have a few injuries but nothing more."

Yan Mei Ling sighed in relief. "That is good to hear. I heard that you are Baron Chao Bo's daughter, is that true?"

"Yes, I am." The girl shyly said.

"I see." Yan Mei Ling merely commented then she became silent as if in deep contemplation.

"I am really sorry if my father's army had rained arrows upon your comrades. The Hsein army had tricked him into believing that you meant our village harm." The girl said, desperately trying to tell Yan Mei Ling that what happened to the latter's fellow imperial soldiers' was an honest mistake.

"I really don't know what to say about that." Yan Mei Ling said honestly but there was no feeling of acrimony within her; in fact, she believed that the girl's words were true. "Anyway, I remember you wearing a ninja garb, where is it?"

The girl began to feel conscious with the loosely fitted cotton shirt and trousers that she wore. "It was ruined." She answered sadly.

Yan Mei Ling flushed in crimson shame when she remembered the reason why the ninja garb was ruined. "I am sorry."

"It is fine. I think I should be the one to say sorry."

"No, there is no reason for you to apologize." Yan Mei Ling quickly shook her head. "Oh, where is the fiend who did you harm?"

"He is currently in our camp. I had him shackled hands and feet." Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei answered in an apathetic voice. His arms were crossed residing upon his strong chest; he was leaning lazily against the tree while observing Lao Fang intently. "Baron Chao Bo's daughter said she will cooperate with us and have the man castigated and punished by her father."

Yan Mei Ling smiled softly at what Lu Wang Wei said; a subtle touch of rose tinted her cheeks. The latter, however, remained apathetic but she could easily see right through his eyes an emotion he did not want everybody to witness. It was an emotion that he seemed to bare exclusively to her. She then turned her attention back to the girl. "Is that true?"

"Yes, that is true."

"That is great!" Yan Mei Ling exclaimed enthusiastically. "Before I forget, my name is Tang Lao Fang. What about yours?"

"Tang Lao Fang," the girl slowly repeated the name reverently. It took her a moment to give her name to Yan Mei Ling because she seemed to drift somewhere in the world of daze. "My name is Chao Biming."

"Chao Biming, thank you very much for everything." Yan Mei Ling told Chao Biming then she gratefully held the latter's hands with hers.

°°°°°°°°°°