47 Anxiety and Humiliation (1/2)

”What kind of medicine or herb are you looking for?” Suyin asked, looking around the cold, damp ground. Wansun was looking around the trees and dirt as well, moving his head left and right to make sure that he didn't miss anything.

”It's a flower called the Niaoshao flower.” Wansun took out his journal with some sketches of the flower. ”I heard that it stays up in the high mountains where the fog lies. Its color is bright pink in the morning, but as night comes in, the flower turns purple, hiding its beauty.” He pointed at the flower in the drawing, ”I haven't seen it before, but the others had talked about the features of this flower. It is hard to miss since it stands out so much in the fog.”

Suyin nodded her head, looking at the flower that Wansun had sketched. If it was something that stood out, then it wasn't going to be that hard. She continued to follow right behind him before the two heard a shriek, causing her to turn around to see nothing but dense fog.

”Wha. That scared me.” Suyin patted her chest, assuring herself before she turned around to follow Wansun again. There was nothing but fog in front of her.

”Wansun?” She called out. There was no answer called out from the fog. Suyin turned her head around and looked to see if she could see anyone or anything. The more steps she took in, the more she panicked.

”Wansun!” She yelled aloud.

”I'm over here!” Wansun called out again. Suyin turned her head to the East which was where the voice was called out. ”Come over here Suyin! Follow my voice!”

Suyin hurried to the voice of Wansun, reaching a rocky, cave.

”A-Are you in here?” She said a bit freaked out about where it was leading to. She wasn't sure if something was leading her there but Wansun was quiet again. Cautious, she slowly crept inside the cave to see Wansun inside with a girl laying down unconscious. Little candles were the light in the cave, so Suyin hurried to help Wansun at his side.

”There's no pulse,” Wansun said, shaking his head. Although the girl was dead, her body was still warm, an indication that she had barely died. Suyin looked at Wansun and then looked at the girl. She had looked familiar as if she had seen her before.

It was one of the ladies that Suyin had helped at the Xinyi Host Inn. Suyin then looked at the girl, recognizing that it the girl that begged to be saved! How did she end up here, though? Suyin couldn't tell Wansun what had happened, since she didn't want to drag him into this mess. All of a sudden, Suyin and Wansun heard some voices outside, one that sounded like someone she had known before.

”Did you finish the job?” someone spoke outside. Wansun looked at Suyin and pointed with his index finger to hush her. Suyin nodded her head, doing her best to breathe slowly.

”The job has finished. She said that she did not find the person who had freed her and the rest of the girls.” Another voice replied.

”Damn!”

If it was the girl who she had encountered at the host inn, the only person who would be behind this would be Hwang Liwei, the person who had captured the girls to be put into prison.

”My lord, shouldn't you be getting ready for the wedding with Princess Yanyu.” A different person spoke, with low confidence in his voice.

”Stupid! That useless Princess didn't even want to marry me! Having to be declined in front of the King and my father...” Liwei angrily spoke, ”She'll see what happens when she becomes my wife.”

”My lord! We have found something suspicious over here!”

After that, Suyin and Wansun could hear footsteps getting further and further away from them until silence filled the air.

Wansun took a deep long breath and sighed with relief. ”Thank goodness they didn't come in.” He said, looking at Suyin.

Suyin was frozen, thinking about what could happen to her dear friend. How in the world did the Princess become engaged with Liwei? Had this always been a thing and she didn't mention it to her? Suyin looked up at Wansun, her eyes unwavering.

”Wansun. I have to go back home.” Suyin couldn't think about what could happen to her friend if Liwei ends up marrying her. Whatever his status was to allow him to marry her in another country, Suyin knew that this wouldn't be good if he had control of her.

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