Leaving

Having to stay here for two months was really something, Zhao Xing thought about the Emperor's health, and had a discussion with Zhang Zhengyang.

The Town Leader's house was only so big, and didn't have many rooms, Zhao Xing met Zhang Zhengyang in the room that was prepared for him, in the evening.

"Didn't I tell you? You'll eventually have to leave to find the poison master." He said after Zhao Xing had told him. They both sat at a small table to talk.

Zhao Xing rolled her eyes, how was she supposed to know it'd take so long to deliver disaster relief? She had never been in such a situation before, alright? She didn't pay much attention to news either. So she wasn't sure about the actual time rescuers would spend during natural disasters. One would have to also consider the severity of the case. Now that she had seen with her own eyes how terrible it was, she knew it wouldn't be simple to handle. She looked at Zhang Zhengyang, this man had a lot on his plate.

'Isn't he working hard.'

"I think I should stay instead, let someone else handle the poison master, let me watch over you, that's more important." She said contemplatively.

Zhang Zhengyang chuckled. "I suddenly feel I've recently acquired a mother figure."

Zhao Xing glared at him. "Yes I'm your mother now, I have to look after you and protect you from bad people." She said raising her head haughtily.

The Crown Prince smiled at her, raised both hands and saluted her. "Ok Mother, then I will pray mother to tarry a bit longer, before you go see the poison master."

"I said I need to stay, if anything happens to you if I'm away, then what would happen to me? I'll probably never get my life back to normal." She said crossing her arms, showing her unwillingness to leave.

Zhang Zhengyang's smile froze a little when he heard the last sentence. But he quickly regained his composure. "You don't need to be worried about me. The enemy won't attack me here. Their best chance would be on our way back."

What he said made sense, the enemy's best chance was on their way home by that time their supplies would already run low, they would have already been worn out by the atmosphere here in the south. They wouldn't even need to do much. If they could just kill off everyone and injure the Crown Prince it would be enough. He'll probably just end up dying out in the wild. Zhao Xing was still unsure, she stared skeptically at him.

"Grand Tutor doesn't believe me? Just go, I won't leave until you come back, you can continue to watch over me when you return."

After much consideration, Zhao Xing finally agreed to go. "Why did you say I should stay a bit longer just now?" She asked.

"I've arranged someone to go with you, they'll be arriving soon. When they arrive we won't waste time, you will immediately leave with them."

"Zhang Zhengyang ah, Zhang Zhengyang, you really prepared for this." Zhao Xing said shaking her head in disbelief.

"Of course, one must always prepare ahead of time."

She pursed her lips looking at him with disdain, but her attention was shifted again. "Who is it?"

"Humm?" The prince said raising a brow, as if confused. Zhao Xing couldn't tell exactly if he was faking it or not, but she chose to believe the former.

"Don't hide it from me, I have to be mentally prepared."

"It's a surprise." He said and after that remained tight lipped, no matter how she asked. "Don't forget what I've said, we'll have to be discreet. Though they're not so many people paying attention to us here, we can't let anyone get suspicious."

"Alright." She said, with a nod.

She didn't bother with him anymore, and got up to leave. "I've said everything I need to say, I'll be leaving." 'You can keep your 'surprise' to yourself.'

"Ok." He said, then as if in passing he asked, "Been wondering why you haven't returned to your world yet."

Zhao Xing who had already reached the door turned to look at him, she thought for a while then shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe the Heavens are keeping me here so I can protect you."

Zhang Zhengyang smiled wryly. What a 'protector' the Heavens have sent him.

As Zhang Zhengyang had said, the person arrived three days later. That night, Zhao Xing snuck out along with two of the prince's guards dressed in normal commoner's clothes, they led her towards the woods where this person was waiting for her.

"What are you doing here?" Zhao Xing said in a hushed tone as she looked at the man wearing a black hood that almost covered half his face. If she didn't have his figure imbedded into her head, because of the number of times he had sneak in on her, and the guards that greeted him, she would have thought him to be a murderer in a horror movie.

The man removed the hood as the moonlight reflected on his well sculpted face. "If I didn't come to see you off, you won't come to tell me you're going?"

Zhao Xing really wanted to get a scalpel, and cut this man's head open to see if rocks hadn't been placed in there obstructing his thinking process.

"Who was it that sent Xiao Chen to tell me to get ready, and leave immediately with the guards they had prepared to escort me?" How would she know she was to meet him after such an order?

Zhang Zhengyang said nothing, and handed her a bag.

"What's this?" Just when she was to open it Zhang Zhengyang stopped her. "Open it when you arrive."

Zhao Xing was puzzled but listened anyway.

"You should be careful on the way, don't act foolishly, nor run around in your excitement, ok?" Zhang Zhengyang went on and on, till Zhao Xing could almost no longer take it.

"…If anything happens don't act on impulse, listen to what they tell you to do, put your safety above all else." He talked looking straight ahead as they walked, with a serious expression on his face, one would think he was talking about really important matters.

Zhao Xing glanced at him with an annoyed look, but she knew she wouldn't gain anything by engaging herself in an argument with him, especially since they were in such a situation.

When they arrived there was only one crude looking carriage waiting for them. Apart from the figure that sat at the head of the carriage, who had to be the horseman, a silhouette stood by it with his hands crossed.

"Ninth Prince?" as she approached she could finally make out some of the face structure, and was surprised at who she saw. But then again it should have been expected.

She heard a chuckle beside her.

"What?" She asked puzzled.

"That's not the ninth prince." Zhang Zhengyang said smilingly.

Zhao Xing looked again, she sped up so she could meet the person.

"Master." The person walked up to them and greeted the Crown Prince.

Zhao Xing saw that she was indeed mistaken, although this person did have similar features with the ninth prince although the voice wasn't the same. She wondered why there was such a person by Zhang Zhengyang. Was it because he loved his brother so much, he took in someone that resembled him?

"Zhao Xing, this is Xiao Qi."(Petty)

At the mention of his name, Zhao Xing took another look at the person. How could they name a person like that?

Zhang Zhengyang walked Zhao Xing to the carriage and personally helped her up. The expression on Xiao Qi's face showed some fluctuations as he saw his master's action. But he quickly composed himself.

When she climbed up the carriage, Zhao Xing turned to the Crown Prince. "Zhang Zhengyang, though I'll have to leave, you take care of yourself here, I'll be back before you know it, promise to wait for me before then." There was worry all over her face. She wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing by leaving him here. After saying this she sat inside.

Zhang Zhengyang just smiled, then walked to discuss with Xiao Qi, Zhao Xing didn't know what they were talking about as she watched them from inside the carriage. But when they were done, a scroll was handed over to the Crown Prince.

The night had only just began, it was quiet all around, many were asleep, some awake. But no one knew when a small carriage left the city.