Early in the morning, before the rooster's first crow, the heavy city gates of Haishi City groaned open. Fifty Hmagol imperial guards and three carriages began their slow departure, rumbling out of the city.
Standing silhouetted against the nascent dawn were Chinua, Khenbish, Geming, and Wang Yong. Geming, with a wistful smile, handed Chinua a small bag, likely filled with leftover desserts. "I'm sorry," he murmured, his voice laced with regret.
Chinua chuckled, a light, airy sound. "I can't accept your apology," she replied, her eyes twinkling.
Geming's smile faltered slightly. "Why not?" he asked, genuinely confused.
Chinua's smile softened. "Because it wasn't you who wronged me," she explained, her gaze warm and direct. She lightly patted Geming's left shoulder. "Although there are many differences, or you might call them misunderstandings, between our two kingdoms, I still consider you a good friend. If you visit me in Hmagol with good intentions, you will always be welcome."
Geming's face brightened. "I will visit you," he promised, a hopeful glint in his eyes. "Maybe sooner than you think."
Chinua laughed, a genuine, joyful sound. "I will welcome you with fermented milk," she declared, her spirit unburdened.
Khenbish approached, his voice a gentle nudge. "Chinua, it's time to go."
Chinua glanced up, realizing the last carriage was already some distance away. "Well, see you again," she called out, then swung herself onto her horse with effortless grace.
"I will definitely come to Hmagol to visit you!" Geming shouted after her, his voice echoing slightly in the quiet morning.
Chinua merely smiled and waved, her silhouette receding into the distance. "See you in Hmagol then!"
Geming watched Chinua and Khenbish disappear, leaving Haishi City behind as they followed the last horse carriage. The colossal gate of Haishi City swung shut with a resounding thud. Geming turned to Wang Yong, his expression hardening. "Let's go see Xin Jianping. He has some explaining to do."
A cacophony of voices shattered the early morning quiet within the west wings of The Xin Mansion, as the two Xin brothers' heated argument echoed through the halls
"Are you out of your dumb mind?!" Xiyan roared, his face contorted in a furious grimace, and slapped Zhiyuan hard on the head with his left hand. "I told you not to mess with the Magoli during this period!" He seized Zhiyuan's ears, his grip tight with rage. "Are you deaf? You will ruin everything for a prostitute!" He twisted Zhiyuan's ears painfully. "Have you ever thought that the person who rescued the prisoners was Suo Zhi?!"
"I'm sorry, brother," Zhiyuan grunted, wincing in pain. "When I saw Li's body dead on the bed, I thought it was her."
"Idiot!" Xiyan shouted, his voice vibrating with disbelief. "Even if she did it, do you have evidence or witnesses?!"
Zhiyuan shook his head slightly, the pain dulling his wits. "No, I don't," he admitted bitterly.
Jianping, observing the scene, stepped in. "Xiyan, the matter is now over. The Magoli people have left the city. Now is not the time to educate him, but to find excuses to reduce your brother's punishment."
Xiyan released Zhiyuan's ear, his eyes still blazing. "Instead of letting Geming take the lead, you!" He jabbed a furious finger at Zhiyuan. "Go and kneel down and beg Emperor Xin to forgive you, and admit your mistake. If you let Geming pass this news, Empress Yan will definitely punish you severely!"
Zhiyuan nodded frantically, his face pale.
Xiyan stared at Zhiyuan, who was still standing there, wide-eyed and bewildered. "What the hell are you still waiting for?!" Xiyan bellowed, his voice filled with exasperation. "Get out of my sight!"
Zhiyuan scrambled out of the room, fleeing towards Emperor Xin's sleeping chambers as fast as his legs could carry him.
Xiyan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "According to Zhiyuan, our prediction is correct. Empress Yan wants Geming to marry a Magoli princess. Only in this way can Geming's position as prince be well protected."
Jianping's lips curled into a dry smile. "She knows that once Geming becomes related to the Magoli royal family, we must win the battle with the Magoli army if we want to overthrow Geming."
"If that time comes," Xiyan mused, a confident gleam in his eyes, "I won't be so worried. Everyone knows that the party with the larger military personnel is us, not the emperor."
By the time Geming and Wang Yong had seen Chinua and her people away and returned to Jianping's Mansion, the sun had already risen high in the sky. Geming knew Emperor Xin would be awake by now, so he resolved to go see him. However, as he walked into Emperor Xin's courtyard, he was stopped by Mi, Empress Yan's personal maid. The maid whispered a few quick words to Geming, then departed as swiftly as she had appeared.
"What's the matter?" Wang Yong inquired, sensing Geming's sudden shift in demeanor.
Geming's lips twitched wryly. "It seems we are a little late." He turned to Wang Yong. "Let's go see what he said."
Geming and Wang Yong walked into Emperor Xin and Empress Yan's chamber, only to find Zhiyuan kneeling on the ground, sobbing dramatically before them. Standing stoically nearby was Xiyan.
"Good that you are here," Emperor Xin said, looking utterly perplexed. "I really don't understand what he's talking about. All I gather is that he offended your friends, which made you angry."
Geming stepped forward, his voice firm and respectful. "He didn't offend my friends, Father. He offended our guests."
"Which guests?" Empress Yan asked, her gaze sharp.
Geming didn't hesitate. "Cousin Zhiyuan accused Princess Chinua of Hmagol of murder without witnesses and evidence."
Emperor Xin surged to his feet, his face darkening with anger. He pointed a trembling finger at Zhiyuan. "You... accusing others without evidence is already unreasonable enough, but the princess of a kingdom... I want you to go apologize to Princess Chinua in person, now!"
"Father," Geming interjected quickly, "there's no need. The guests from Hmagol kingdom have already left the city. I just sent them out."
Empress Yan's eyes flashed with disappointment. "Geming, you should have tried your best to make them stay. Why did you send them out?" Her voice held a note of subtle accusation.
"Princess Chinua and the others refused to stay because her morals and dignity were trampled on," Geming explained, his voice resolute. "Princess Chinua is very reasonable, and she will not take this misunderstanding to her heart. She asked me to send her sincere apology to father." He skillfully spun the narrative to Chinua's favor.
Xiyan seized the opportunity. "Your Majesty, since Prince Geming has solved the misunderstanding between my stupid brother and all the guests, please show mercy."
Emperor Xin sighed, his anger deflating into weary resignation. "Forget it, I won't punish him anyway. You... you should learn more from your brother, Zhiyuan. Xiyan, you have to watch him and don't let this happen again."
"I understand," Xiyan said, bowing his head respectfully.
Emperor Xin turned to Geming, a smile slowly forming on his face. "You have done a good job. What reward do you want?"
Geming straightened, a confident glint in his eyes. "Father, as for my reward, I hope you will allow me to enter Hmagol and propose to Princess Chinua."
"You have chosen the Hmagol Princess as your bride?" Emperor Xin asked, a surprised but happy expression on his face.
"Yes, I have chosen Princess Chinua as my bride," Geming affirmed, his gaze unwavering.
"Why choose Princess Chinua specifically and not the other princess?" Emperor Xin pressed.
"She saved my life once," Geming replied simply.
"Alright," Emperor Xin declared, nodding approvingly. He then looked at the Xin brothers. "You two must also choose a bride. Strengthening our borders is what the royal family should do." He dismissed the three young men with a wave of his hand. "You can go."
After Geming and the two Xin brothers had departed, Empress Yan's pleasant demeanor vanished. "Your Majesty, although Geming specifically wants to marry Princess Chinua, it can be seen that the princess is not worthy of our son," she stated, her voice sharp with disapproval. "I heard that many ministers do not like her. Also, Prince Bastsaikhan has no supporters in the court. Geming is the Crown Prince; I want him to marry a princess who can help him."
"What suggestions do you have?" Emperor Xin asked, his expression thoughtful.
"In my opinion, Princess Ankhtsetseg is more suitable for Geming," Empress Yan proposed, her voice firm. "Princess Ankhtsetseg is elegant and personable, and her brother is the Northern General of Hmagol and has many supporters in the court."
"Will Geming agree?" Emperor Xin mused, a hint of doubt in his voice.
Empress Yan's lips curved into a thin smile. "This is also a test for Geming. He must understand that as the prince and the future emperor of Tanggolia, personal interests come second. There are some things that you do not agree with, but it must be done."
"This is a good practice for Geming," Emperor Xin conceded, nodding slowly.
"Your Highness, I have a headache, so I won't go to meet the guests with you," Empress Yan said, feigning weariness.
"You can rest," Emperor Xin replied, rising and leaving the chamber.
As soon as Emperor Xin had departed, Mi walked in and stood before Empress Yan. "Send the news to Lixin," Empress Yan commanded, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "The marriage has been decided."
"Yes, Your Highness," Mi said, bowing deeply before quickly exiting the bedroom chamber.
After three long, arduous days of travel, the Magolis finally approached Lao-Da Pass. Taban and his soldiers were waiting, a welcoming sight. Their agreement before entering Tanggolia stipulated that Chinua and her group would return within nine days.
Taban looked up, a broad smile spreading across his face. "Welcome back, Major Bair and Lieutenant Lut!" He spotted Chinua walking towards him and strode to meet her. "You came back intact, without Tanggolian soldiers chasing after you, so I assume your side mission was successful?" His eyes twinkled with knowing amusement.
Chinua smiled and gave Taban a firm nod. "How is the prisoner?" she asked, her gaze expectant.
Taban chuckled. "He's fine. He hasn't spoken a word yet. By the way, your other friend has returned, as he refused to wait with Lieutenant Lut."
Chinua let out a small laugh. "I heard. How is he?"
Taban grinned. "He's enjoying his sweet time sleeping and swimming." He swung himself onto his horse.
"Timicin, you take the others with Captain Taban to rest," Chinua instructed. "I want to take the Suo family to see Suo Zhi."
Timicin nodded. "See you at dinner," he replied.
"See you at dinner," Chinua echoed. She rode alongside the last carriage. After crossing Lao-Da Pass, Khenbish slowly drove the carriage to follow Chinua towards the prison cells.
Khenbish parked the carriage, jumped off the platform, and pulled the curtain aside. He looked inside at the occupants. "We're here," he announced softly.
Hye looked at the two children, a rare, gentle smile gracing his lips. "Let's go see your father," he encouraged.
The two children nodded eagerly at Hye, their eyes wide with anticipation.
As Khenbish and Hye helped the Suo family out of the carriage, the two elder Suo still clung to the children, their faces etched with lingering fear.
From the other side, Zhi slowly approached, his eyes fixed on the small group behind Chinua and Khunbish.
The moment the children caught sight of Zhi, they broke free from the elders' grip, their small legs pumping furiously as they sprinted towards him.
"Father!" the children shouted joyfully, their voices ringing with pure delight.
"Siqi! Yingzi!" Zhi cried, his voice thick with emotion. He ran forward, sweeping the two children into his arms, tears streaming down his face. He kissed their foreheads repeatedly, then took their hands and walked to the two elder Suo, kneeling before them. "Father... Mother... I'm sorry for making you suffer." His voice was choked with remorse.
The two elders sobbed, their own tears flowing freely. "Wan" (the mother) reached out, her hands trembling as she pulled Zhi into a tight embrace. "Son, you have suffered more than us," she whispered, her voice cracking. "How can we blame you? I'm so glad you're alive."
Hye walked up to Chinua, observing the deeply emotional family reunion. "Remember this feeling and never forget it," he said, his voice unusually soft. He turned to Chinua, his gaze serious. "There comes a time when you have to make a tough decision. If that moment comes, if you're not sure whether the decision you're about to make is right or wrong, you can revisit this feeling and the smile on their faces."
Chinua stared at Hye, her eyes widening with comprehension. She understood the profound lesson he was imparting. Watching the Suo family reunited, she grasped that all decisions a person makes will inevitably have both good and bad consequences. "Thank you," she said, a faint, thoughtful smile gracing her lips.
Hye gently patted Chinua on the shoulder. "Kid, you still have a long way to go," he murmured.
When Zhi had embraced his family to his heart's content, he finally stood, his eyes finding Chinua and Hye talking quietly not far away. He walked resolutely towards Chinua and immediately dropped to one knee before her.
"As we promised," Zhi stated, his voice firm with unwavering loyalty. "You saved my family; my life is yours."
"Get up," Chinua commanded softly, looking down at Zhi. "My men will not bow to me." She knelt down herself and gently helped Zhi to his feet, her gaze direct and unyielding.
Drystan stood by a tree not far away, a silent observer of the poignant reunion. He didn't dare approach Chinua and the others; his impulsive departure earlier still stung with embarrassment. He smiled wryly, a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks.
"That Magoli did keep her promise," he muttered to himself, a grudging respect in his voice.
Mönkhbat approached Drystan, Taban by his side, his voice low and challenging. "Is she worthy for you to bend your knee?"
Drystan turned to Mönkhbat, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Is she worthy? I don't know, but she does have the qualities of a leader like you."
"Well, now you only have three choices," Mönkhbat said, his eyes hard. "Serve me, serve her, or die."
Drystan looked at Mönkhbat, then a slow, knowing smile spread across his face. "If I really had to choose one," he mused, a defiant glint in his eyes, "I would rather serve under the Magoli woman. At least I don't have to kneel down every time I see her." He sneered, a spark of rebellion in his gaze.