Yi Qiao (Second Prince) did not know what had happened, but had woken up that day to see that he had finally slept with his princess consort. It had been three years since he had slept with his princess consort since their wedding. He had many other concubines, but he had never truly been that type of man to sleep around like his father. It had been odd, but he thought that his princess consort was Lin Ning throughout that entire time. ‘If only it were really Lin Ning.’ He thought to himself.

“Your highness!” His comrade had rushed to him as soon as he could once he had found out.

“Why do you sound so concerned? What happened?” Yi Qiao did not know what made his comrade so panicked.

“Something bad has happened to the Lin family!” He started to explain everything that he found out about Lin Ning.

“What!?” Yi Qiao did not think that such a thing could happen to the Lin family all in one day. “How could all of this happen so soon?!” Yi Qiao had to be honest, but his father had planned to try and take down the Lin family. He had found that the Lin family had sided with the Crown Prince, his older brother. There was a thought in mind, he wanted to be able to marry Lin Ning in order to save her but it seems as though it will get complicated now. “Tell me again what happened?” Yi Qiao needed to know the details.

“The Lin manor was found burnt to the ground. They found bodies which everyone believes to belong to the entire Lin family and their servants.” Telling Yi Qiao, he could see that there was distress in his face. “Your highness, please calm down. You best recover so that we can resolve this case.” He needed to convince his Yi Qiao to calm down before he stressed himself out.

***

Qian Qiang heard the entire thing, her heart raged with anger to know that he would still be thinking about her even in bed. Leaving to her room, she made sure that no servants or maids were around to listen. “Tell me how it went.” Keeping her back facing the doors, a few men dressed in black had appeared.

“The Lin family was burnt to death with their home. Not only that, but their daughter has fallen to her death.” Hearing all of that, it satisfied Qian Qiang to hear that Lin Ning lost everything and even her life.

“Make sure that you keep informing me about the Lin family. I do not want to miss a single nuisance.” Qian Qiang would rather take the annoying weed out now than later when it had the chance for itself. She was not going to allow any woman to take her position in the harem when she would finally be able to reach the highest that it could get her, the empress’s throne.

***

Cao Peizhi had been at the border with the Crown Prince, they had been trying to pursue the Ma people when he had seen one of them aim an arrow at the Crown Prince. He had taken the arrow, being shot in the chest which left him laying in bed. There was a physician that had been summoned by the Crown Prince, hoping that they would be able to save Cao Peizhi’s life. “Your highness, I do not believe that I can save his life.” The physician bowed in defeat, he believed that the arrow would not be removable from where it laid.

“If you do not save his life then I will take yours!” Yi Changpu (Crown Prince) held out his sword, he was not going to let his best friend die in front of him.

“Please have mercy on this old man! I do not believe that I can remove this arrow!” The old physician was begging for Yi Changpu to not take his life just because he could not save Cao Peizhi.

“I can remove the arrow.” Hearing another voice as a figure had entered into the tent with Qin Yun standing by as they all saw how their clothes looked dirty from dirt with some small holes. “Prepare all these things and I will get right to it.” Being a woman, she did not want to be looked down upon but she was doing it for her master who was nowhere to be found.

“Your highness, you cannot let a woman do this! This is agai-”

“Prepare her the stuff.” Yi Changpu was going to have hope for this woman. “Who brought you here?” He then asked as his men dragged the old physician out of the tent.

“I am simply here under the order of my Young miss, Lin Ning.” Hun Cuifen was not going to say anymore, for now she needed to focus on taking out the arrow that had been shot into Cao Peizhi’s chest.

“Your highness, I can only beg you to go and find Miss Lin and Miss Xia.” Qin Yun was simply begging for Yi Changpu to look for the missing women who had risked their lives to bring Hun Cuifen to save Cao Peizhi.

Yi Changpu did not think that the woman who wanted to save Cao Peizhi was none other than Lin Ning, seeing how this woman would risk even her life to personally come and save him. “Men!” Ordering his men to find Lin Ning, he knew that it was going to be no easy search for any of them. Listening to Qin Yun tell him everything that had happened as they were on the way to the border. Trying his best to include where they had separated. Yi Changpu rubbed his head, seeing how things took a turn so soon from saving ones life to losing another. If Cao Peizhi did not save him, then he would have lost his life and it would have fulfilled the empress’s deepest wish. He was simply not going to let the empress have it as she pleased, it would only make him seem like a weak man.

“I would have never thought that Miss Lin would do all of this to save this man.” Hearing Xu Meili, she entered into the tent and saw Yi Changpu who did not allow her to come to the border.

“It seems as though you also came to the border even though I warned you not too. What was your reason?” He asked, looking down to see that Xu Meili was dressed in more fitting attire to be able to move and run.

“Me?” Xu Meili gave a glance at him, then to the people inside of the tent as both left to talk more privately. “I simply have my own reasons.”

“Oh.” Going up to her, he grabbed a chunk of her hair as he kissed it. “Are you sure that you were not worried for me?” He decided to tease.

“You wish.” She replied.

“I’ll be hoping to hear more from you soon.” Leaving Xu Meili soon after, he wanted to be sure that Cao Peizhi would be alright after everything.

'Tsk, this prince.’ She sighed, seeing how he was very out of the ordinary.