Cai Yin raised her eyebrow as she expected something more important in her view.

“My well-being?”

“Indeed, in your current state it would be hardly any problem to make you collapse with just a stressful situation, and we need to remedy that”

Wu Long smiled without hiding an expression of goodwill he genuinely had.

“But…”

“Your Highness, please let us help you. We are the only ones who can. And… even though it is hard to trust anyone for you at the moment, we can only help if you put your trust in us”

Shen Min raised her voice with concern, looking at the feeble princess.

Cai Yin looked at them in silence for a few moments, and then taking a deep breath, exhaled with a determined look.

“I have once already entrusted the fate of my country to you, I suppose it is only fair to my citizens if I do so with my fate as well”

She stated, and Wu Long nodded with a smile while Shen Min breathed out a sigh of relief.

“First, as a fast and immediate measure, I will give you some pills which will help you, but these alone cannot solve the bigger issues…”

As he spoke he took out a few porcelain pill bottles, continuing their conversation as the princess listened with attention.

The audience lasted a few hours, and after that a knock resounded on the door.

“Your Highness…”

As Cai Yin let the person report he entered but hesitated speaking before she nodded.

“… the Imprial Ambassador is scheduled for visit to the Royal Palace in the capital early tomorrow morning. If we want to make it back to the Capital before nightfall…”

The man did not finish to not be rude to the guests but Wu Long only smiled.

“Perfect timing”

He chuckled, and Princess Cai Yin nodded in response.

“Then we shall go”

The four people sitting in the room rose, and at the moment Cai Yin slightly faltered, Wu Long gently but firmly held her arm by the elbow to help her steady herself. It happened so fast that she did not even realize how he appeared near her as her guards outside the door froze in tensed up poses.

“It’s fine, he can be trusted… thank you Mister Wu”

“Haha, I told you to call me Wu Long, Your Highness”

—

The next morning all of them were in the Royal palace of the Tingren Kingdom which did not change much from when Wu Long last visited it, and given the approximately same time of year even the outward view of the capital did not change at all, as if the year that went by was a dream and only yesterday he was walking these streets with Shen Min.

But, the atmosphere and feel of both the city and the palace were somehow imperceptibly different. There was a heavy, gloomy feeling in the air, as if every bit of this city was suddenly covered in an invisible but oppressing fog.

Wu Long could also see a few people in gray clothes with unremarkable appearances standing in less noticeable positions among the entourage of the royalty and near the king.

The ceremony of the ambassador visiting and officially reading the Imperial Edict was lengthy and rather boring, with formalities of presenting both sides of the royal family, the main one with the King as the head and Princess Cai Yin as now separately recognized political body with gifts.

Cai Yin’s gift was a pair of luxurious and easily recognizable unique earrings, which she wore on the spot as a recognition of being bestowed blessings of the Azure Eagle Empire. It was now a symbol of her protection and authority.

The latter part was as formal, culminating with the King begrudgingly stating that the Kingdom officially complied with the Imperial Edict.

After the ceremony was over, they returned to the inn where Zhao Biren has already arrived. There, Wu Long and his two companions have parted with the princess.

She was now shielded from political persecution by the authority of the Imperial Throne, so she could afford giving them help as she sent a dozen trusted skilled warriors and many attendants with numerous carriages and several squads of army troops, all arranged since the evening before.

She went out to bid them goodbye, as she would be staying in the capital instead of returning to the Royal Winter Villa.

“Then, we will be in touch, Your Highness. We will send the troops back after we arrive in Fantian Kingdom. And I will send back the warriors when they finish the training, expecting a new batch in return”

“I understand. I will send the warriors a week prior so that the time in between the batches is not wasted. Of course, I will contact you at all times. Safe travels, you all”

She spoke in a soft tone, still frail but in overall more healthy state.

The group armed with a convoy and escorts traveled to the settlement not that far from the capital, which consisted of only women.

As the women guards saw people nearing in a large group, they revealed sharp and cautious looks, but upon seeing one particular face of a handsome man, caution was changed to surprise and then look of gratitude and remembrance.

They were warmly welcomed in the settlement, where the convoy stayed for the night. Wu Long spent the evening in conversation with the woman who was in leadership position, and then with the community in a general gathering that kept on deep into the night.

“Min’er, remember what I told you about finding your own subordinates? This is your chance, as you should be able to see them”

At one point, Wu Long leaned to whisper into Shen Min’s ear, and she widened her eyes, giving him a glance. After receiving a light nod, she turned to look at the women, among the chaotic gathering as conversations were had all around. .

Her different-colored eyes attentively scanned the surroundings, until they stopped on a slightly younger than the average woman who sat in relative isolation, whose cautious eyes were only observing the surrounding people.

She moved toward her, and stopped in front, looking down at the sitting woman who in turn looked up at her.

Wu Long looked at that scene from afar, soon seeing Shen Min and the young woman exchanging a few words, and chuckled.

‘Haha, as I thought. She sees them’

He thought as he could see it too, a deep seated, dark and venomous rage, hidden deep inside the eyes, behind pain and caution, and an outward harmless appearance which was a mere deception.

—

The convoy moved out the day after, guarded by the escorting soldiers and now carrying the entire population of the settlement they visited, heading for Fantian Kingdom.

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