4 "Rising Undercurrents"

As Lady Zhao cleared off my confusion and appeared to be my Ally, I was curious about why she had earlier given support to that Crown Prince, Afterall its not the normal day for me to get a frickin' nice woman helping me out suddenly after messing my stuff off.

I mean it has trust issues.

The trust, which I can't take hold of easily.

To me, I indeed sensed something brewing between and behind these scenes, but without knowing the background behind the situation and relationship between "me" and Lady Zhao, I was not interested in making any reckless decisions on her- which can make things worse for "me".

So, I decided to go with the flow of destiny for a time till at least I can speculate a way to make it flow as I wished it to.

"So! Lady Zhao, why did you want to meet me?"-I asked her with a damp curiousness radiating off my face.

"Lord Yun, you are recently transferred back to here, So it's okay that you don't know about what is happening in the Capital."

She continued- "Crown Prince has gained control over all of the southern and eastern provinces, and now because of he has forced you to come back to Caizhou, You should be alert as this is Crown Prince's turf."

"And he has his eyes and ears seemingly everywhere, you have to be careful in your way with everyone here," she said, with a serious look on her face.

Hearing this, my heart pounced on my mind which thought of that- 'this is unbelievable.

"Okay, I will take care."- I smiled a little, taking a sneak peek at her calm and soothing face which immediately flickered a smile as her eyes caught up with mine.

Nervous of the situation, I immediately changed the awkwardness- "Crown Prince is cunning and framing every time, He is just too much reckless to get onto his position as quickly as he can."-I added.

"Well, we all know being first to attack is better, But that definitely not the best."-She exclaimed.

"Look! what he has done to me with his cunning framings...He is just too reckless in his ways."-I exclaimed with a serious face.

"Yeah! It is true actually, He is making his closest allies succumb under his fury of keeping them under his feet and make them die out, and as it continues to happen, his brutality will cause his demise. But for now, Yun! Be alert and careful in the Capital, Because it nay seem calm from outside, but its a hell of chaos hidden inside it." -She exclaimed.

"Okay! As you say!", I exclaimed in a flirtatious way, "a question I wanted to ask you actually, Can I?"

"Yeah?"- she nodded.

"Why did you help Crown Prince earlier?"

I really endeavoured to say these words, but it caused me to be as uneasy as it could. (I am good at exaggerating :D)

"Well, I think I have told you yesterday, about what had happened between me and him earlier. So, I would better not repeat it, wasting your time."She replied with a sudden uneasiness in her calmness.

"Oh! I forgot..! Let it be what it is...take care then!"I exclaimed, noticing her reaction.

"You should go back now, My men will contact you in the Royal residence, otherwise you can rely on Chen Ming to contact me."- she said, with an ignorant and undefinable stance on her face.

As I tried to read the enigma spread over her face, she continued-"Go straight from this alley and find Lihua Inn, I have arranged a carriage there.", She said.

"I would get going then."

Saying so, I took leave from her carriage, pondering should I trust her or not-

Afterall-

Who knows what she has told "me" yesterday?

But I wondered, If she is really trying to keep her rebellion from Crown Prince, then why she helped Crown Prince in dismantling "my" power?

As I walked out of the alley thinking these, I didn't notice that I came across a busy and a partly crowded lane- which ran across the whole length of my way to the place where Zhao had told me to go.

I walked along the Street and turned back to see where I met Lady Zhao, I saw no sign of the Carriage behind already, feeling a bit scary I turned back and walked back to Main Street, which was now in its full accommodation- packed with citizens, traders. Streets flooded by carriages and trader carts, between all these, I managed to find the Lihua Inn, where I took a carriage and asked them to lead to the way to the Royal residence. Finally reaching there in the noon, I was totally exhausted by the strain and the Chaos of the City.

But after seeing the Royal residence I was able to take a moment of relief, which was more elegant than what I had expected it to be. I was still at its gates, but I can see it's towering high palace crest far away from the doorway, which was heavily guarded by crossbowmen, and soldiers clad in Excellent armour, whom I can tell by seeing to be of the Imperial Guards Squadron.

Still, this was only a view from the outside, what it is from inside who knows? who knows what dangers are being brewed inside these high palace walls to which it can seem impossible to climb.

I was only able to reach here after taking a really exhausting trip of the whole city, which was totally an unknown place for me, but still, I knew, this exhaustion is worth knowing about the City's streets and routes when you don't really have a phone with a google map with you.

"Your Excellency Yun! You came back!"Dai Fu came running out of nowhere, breaking my frozen glare on the palace, which made me realize I am still outside the palace, standing beside my horse.

"...I was out for a while, what happened Daifu?"I asked.

"Nothing great, but Crown prince has asked you to meet him tomorrow."

"Crown Prince..??..Tomorrow??..Okay, Let's go inside first, then let's see what is brewing inside the mind of that Crown Prince..."-I breathed out of exhaustion.

"...I am too exhausted. Let's go inside!"I exclaimed.

Daifu nodded, and we two entered into the Residence, and to my surprise, it was more magnificent than it seemed to be, from outside. For me, it is too difficult to explain the magnificent and superb architecture of the palace, which was shining red in the shine of the Sunset. In its centre, Their was the place where the Emperor resided, and its towering crest was piercing the skies, blocking the dying sun's shine beside it. I was too captivated by the surroundings that I didn't realize when I reached my room where I was to stay for the night.

As I got inside, it was already night, but the room was well lit with candles and lamps, so I can say the room was a bit small but more elegant than what I had seen in the morning.

Seeing the bed after the whole day's chaos, I pounced straight to it and fell asleep as I fell on it.