“I want you to hold it for me until I return.” Hearing Cao Peizhi (Wei) tell her, she still did not understand his motive in all this.

“Brother Wei, you are also going?” Asking him, she had to be sure that she was still focusing on this identity of his.

“En, this is why I said that I do not know when I will be back, but hold onto this jade pendant for me till then. It will surely help you when you desperately need it.” Cao Peizhi was not going to be by her side to take care of her. She had been through a lot within the few weeks and now that they were going to be separated then he wanted to leave something behind for her. Not only that, but he still had his shadow guards who were watching her.

“Then, I will send letters. If you get any time, then be sure to send me some letters back when you get the time.” Lin Ning made a pouting face like a child, even though her eyes were not seen, but he chuckled slightly to see her cute face.

“En. I will.” He replied.

“Pinky promise?” Holding out her pinky again, she made sure that it was her left pinky so that he could use his right.

“Pinky promise.” Hooking their pinkies again, both held a smile to one another. ‘No one will be able to take you away with this jade pendant in your hands.’ The jade pendant held great importance that no other would be able to mess with her.

***

“Yi Changpu will go to the border to resolve the suspicious behavior that the Ma State has been doing around Zhao State. Yi Changpu accept the decree.” The eunuch said, looking to Yi Changpu (Crown Prince) who knelt down to take the decree. He had been sent to the border with the men who were given to him. The crown prince had been sent by his father to go to the border with his men. Not only that, but most had hoped that the crown prince would not be able to return and let something tragic happen to him.

“It seems as though the emperor wishes to get rid of this son of his.”

“He is the son born from the last empress who came from the Sun State. How can the emperor favor him?”

“The reason that he was the crown prince was due to the last empress and her state. They threatened the emperor.”

Hearing words spread around the capital, it was quite clear that no one liked the Sun State due to the fact that the Zhao State had lost. The Emperor of Zhao State had to agree to the terms of the Sun State or else he would have been the one who lost his life years back.

“Your highness, should I shut their mouths?” Cao Peizhi looked to Yi Changpu, not knowing if the crown prince wanted him to shut all the talk.

“No, this is normal that they would talk like this. It is after all true. My mother’s homeland is not well liked here.” Yi Changpu knew as well that his mother’s homeland was not very favored by any of the Zhao people. “You know it as well, Peizhi.” Yi Changpu looked at Cao Peizhi who kept his gaze down. Continuing on, they were going to the border to see what was going on with the Ma State.

***

Cao Peizhi had left three days after their last meet up, the matter involving the Ma State had been escalating that Lin Ning even knew that the situation had become more and more dire. The days went on as it had currently been a week since he had left the Zhao State. Facing the window, she did not know if he was still okay or not. She had continuously sent letters to Wei, but she understood that Cao Peizhi would know who it was going to. ‘The good thing is that I have not met the Second Prince after the death of the Fifth Princess.’ Lin Ning found that to be quite the best thing, but it was due to him being in sorrow at this moment. Not only that, but he was still recovering from his injuries which they soon found that he had some injuries at his legs that were not too severe. Though, he was not crippled since the physician concluded that he would not be crippled and would heal from the injuries. Holding a jade pendant in her hands, she thought again about why Cao Peizhi would give it to her. Hiding it into her sleeve pocket, she needed to be sure to not lose it so easily. Lin Ning had gone to bed that night, she had opened her eyes to see black all around her which was telling her death. Feeling anything below her, she felt her hands touch something as if it was some kind of water, but it wasn’t. She could catch a scent that did not indicate life in any way. Waking up in cold sweat and tears, Lin Ning did not know what she just felt, but her heart was pacing with fear. ‘Wait!’ Thinking back, she could not believe that she would forget about it. ‘We need to go there now!’ Lin Ning knew that she needed to go to the border and see Cao Peizhi. “Lian! Ling!” Calling out to them, they had both heard her desperate call which had them rushing in.

“Young miss?” Both did not know what their young miss was doing, but they could hear from her voice that it must be something serious.

“Get me a carriage to the border!” Lin Ning knew that they would be shocked, but it was a serious situation for her.

“Young miss??? What are you thinking?!” Xia Ling decided to ask since their young miss was acting strange at this moment.

“Lian, I’ll be needing your sister’s help.” Lin Ning did not want to waste any more time. Going out, it was still in the middle of the night, and she knew that her parents were going to be looking for her. “Lian. Fa. I need you both to stay here and protect my parents.” Lin Ning was making them all confused.

“Young miss, I can’t just leave you. You are like my very sister as well.” Hun Lian did not know why Lin Ning wanted her to stay, but Duan Fa did not understand either.

“I need you both to stay here and take care of them. Not only that, but they will need to be able to hear an explanation about me. Please take care of them for me.” Lin Ning knew that they both did not want her to leave, but she needed to. They reluctantly agreed, knowing that they were going to be parted from here.