Hun Cuifen felt afraid of the Zhao Palace, but her young miss would be there all alone with no one by her side to help her and take care of her while everyone else made a plan to save her. "Yes!" Hun Cuifen knew a few tricks up her sleeve to avoid being discovered.

"I can help as well!" Chun Yunchen came forth after calming himself down from the fear lingering all over his body. "I know a few ways to hide how one looks."

Everyone stared at the young boy who they did not know if he would be able to help them or not. 'Ning brought him in. He is one of her people as well.' Cao Peizhi thought. "Very well. I will be setting up a carriage for you to make your way to the Zhao Palace once you finish up with your disguise." Cao Peizhi did not know how Qin Yun would feel about Hun Cuifen leaving, but it was her choice at this moment. He had sent Qin Yun on a different mission, so it was no surprise that he was not around to stop Hun Cuifen. Cao Peizhi had exited the tent, going outside to his horse, who lightly nudged him on the shoulder. He started to pay his dear friend's head, thinking that Lin Ning always knew how to read people by her 'sixth' sense. 'Ning, I'll come and save you and our child. Just wait for me.' Staring up at the night sky, he could see the full moon on this lonely night.

***

Lin Ning had been sitting in the carriage, but she was nauseous for the longest time. She had stopped them all every few minutes to barf on the side of the road. Most people were disgusted to see how often this woman threw up on a trip. 'I can't help it since I haven't felt too well throughout this trip.' Lin Ning had let out a breath, sitting in the carriage again while trying not to barf again. 'I am getting a bad headache because of this continuous trip and random nausea. This is the first time that I am feeling this sick.'

"Lin Ning, I don't have any kind of medicine to avoid feeling any more nauseous than you already are, but I have something that can help ease you a bit." Tai Yuqing had given Lin Ning something wrapped in another cloth with a soothing scent.

Lin Ning felt something in her hand, bringing it up close to catch the scent of something minty and herbally. 'This seems nice to smell. I would have never thought that Tai Yuqing would be this helpful and nice.' Lin Ning had hoped that the two of them could be friends in the future since there was no real connection between him and the second prince. Keeping the item close, she could finally feel a little more at ease during the trip, but a feeling of fear overcame her since she would have to deal with the Zhao Empress. 'The empress will not be pleased to see that someone like me will become one of her son's concubines. What makes it worse is that his princess consort will be there. It is likely that she will say that she won't mind when she does. She will try to plot against me or even do everything she can to hurt me.'

The second prince then went into the carriage, seeing how pale Lin Ning was from throwing up. "It seems as though you get nauseous from riding carriages. I would have never thought that you would be one for getting motion sickness." The second prince figured that he could get along with her since they never spoke in his second home.

"Hmph, trying to stir up a conversation with me will not make me come to love you." Lin Ning could sense the effort he was trying to get to know her and make them forget about their troubles when she could not. "Second Prince, no matter how many years pass and for however long I remain by your side, I can never love you." Lin Ning reminded him.

"Will you come to love me if I were to tell you that I could heal your eyes?"

Hearing that sudden question, Lin Ning knew that it was not possible to heal a hereditary trait in this time and era. 'My father had spoken to me about my eyes before. These eyes are passed off to the females of the family for many generations. My father was the only one born soon after, with no other daughters or sons to compete with him in gaining his title and wealth. Unfortunate that I was born the first child and as a daughter.' Keeping those words in her head, she turned to face the second prince. "Even if there is a cure or if you heal them, it does not change anything that happened between us in the past. What you've done has already been kept deep in my heart like a scar."

"Hm, you can continue to hate me, but eventually, you will grow to depend on me. The Zhao Palace will be full of schemes that you will easily come to find me for help. I will be the only one that can help you if you ever get into trouble."

Lin Ning felt a few strands of her hair grabbed, knowing that the second prince was holding it in his hand. 'Stubborn as his father and mother. Two rulers are the false Emperor and Empress, which results in a false heir. There is only one true heir, Yi Changpu. He is the only one who can claim the throne and fight against his father and brother.' Lin Ning knew that the war for the throne was bloody and dangerous, but it was unavoidable. "No matter how much I need help, I will never ask for your help." Lin Ning made it clear that she would not depend on someone who was not her people.

The second prince had held a few strands of her hair in his hand, catching the scent of her flowery aroma. 'It seems as though she will remain stubborn for a while. Let's see how long she can keep this tough attitude in the palace. She will come to ask for my help sooner or later.' The second prince had released her hair, getting out of the carriage and onto his mount.

Lin Ning didn't know what the second prince had in mind, but she had to keep her guard up once she entered the palace. Moving her hand around in her sleeve pockets, she pulled out a jade amulet given to her by Cao Peizhi. 'Peizhi, please be safe. I do not know what happened after we have separated. Continue to take care of yourself while we are apart.' Feeling the jade amulet in her hand, she tucked it away once they reached the Zhao Palace. Taking a step out of the carriage, she was greeted by the empress, who was indeed not thrilled.

"What do you think you are doing?! Bringing in this woman whose parents are criminals!" The empress shouted, staring at Lin Ning, who had arrived at the Zhao Palace within a week.

***