Chapter 26: Preparations
yay a long chapter today! Thanks for the 14k read muah<3. Word Counto; 1826 excluding ^
After staying in the capital for about a week, Jing Xuan and Gui Cang headed back to the army camp. Jing Xuan got up on the carriage, while Gui Cang rode on the horse, it wasnt okay for an unmarried girl to be seen together with a man alone.
"Lieutenant Gui" Jing Xuan called from inside the carriage.
"Yes?"
"Will it be alright if i take some time off from the army camp? I made a friend from Ville Morte and promised to help with something" she briefly explains without giving away too much.
"Sure." Jing Xuan smiled she liked how Lieutenant Gui is carefree and doesn't care much.
After their short conversation, they travelled in a comfortable silence and reached the army camp before midnight. Back in the capital, everybody knows that she is a female and that she was the vice captain leading the soldiers, she was famous.
By the speed of the news spreading, it wouldn't be surprised if the soldiers and the army camp had caught wind of it. Still, she wanted to play it safe so she dressed as Jun Xian when she returns back to the army camp.
She got off the carriage and they headed into the army camp returning back to their tent. Everybody should already be sleeping, or so she thought.
Jing Xuan was walking towards her tent when she saw a dark figure seating outside her tent. As it was dark she couldn't make out who it was, she squinted her eyes in hopes she could see better.
Upon hearing a light footstep towards the tent, Yu Heng who was seating there stood up and turned towards the noise. He saw Jun Xian or rather Jing Xuan standing there.
"Why are you here?" She asked.
"I- i wanted to apologise... for um stripping you..." he stutters, his cheek flushed red.
"I will take responsibility!" He said determined.
"Its okay, you don't have to. You only took off my outer layer its nothing." She made him forget about the incident and go back to his tent. She wanted him to forget about what happened but he couldn't stop thinking about her even until deep into the morning.
Jing Xuan headed into the tent as she started packing her stuff, for tomorrow when she leaves for Ville Morte to meet up with Zhi Hao. After which, she turned in for the night.
Jing Jie wasn't allowed to join Jing Xuan back to the capital by her as she did not want them to know just how much she've grown. Lest someone hired tougher and stronger assassins to get her.
The next morning, Jing Xuan was woken up by Jing Jie who was poking on her cheeks trying to subtly wake her up. She groggily sat up as she slowly adjusted to the sunlight, and saw a little Jing Jie seating on the side of her bed looking at her.
"Good morning to you." She said as she patted his head and got up changing into her Black Hanfu.
(A/n: wow Jing Xuan isn't wearing a Red Hanfu HAHA)
"Are you going away again?" Jing Jie asked as he looked at the packed bag on the side of Jing Xuan's bed.
"Yes, don't worry this time you're coming with me." Jing Xuan have this maternal instinct when it comes to Jing Jie, although he is a beast.
Jing Jie smiled at the fact the he will be coming along, they both headed out to the dining area to have their breakfast. She ate her breakfast together with the Jing Jie, Xu Kang, Yu Heng and Yi Luo.
Everyone in the group notices that Yu Heng would steal occasional glances at Jing Xuan, making those that doesn't know shes a girl to feel weird, and those that knows feel protective.
Ming De and his group seemed to have been forgotten... They sat on the table beside Jing Xuan's group and paid close attention to their miss who always secretly rans away. When everyone was started to disperse to get ready for their training, Ming De noticed that Jing Xuan is acting slightly weirdly.
Jing Xuan drank her soup slowly as she waited for the other soldiers to disperse, "You guys go train, i will keep an eye on Young Miss" Ming De said. The others nodded and left to get ready for their training. Ming De got up and pretended to head back to tent to get ready.
Jing Xuan who was still unaware of Ming De's attention towards her, headed into her tent and quickly grabbed her bag as she grabbed Xiao bai and stealthily headed out of the Camp. Ming De who was watching her moved can only shake his head at this Young Miss of his.
He hastily grabbed some stuff of his and immediately chased after Jing Xuan. Hiding in the shadows to protect her in case of any danger. He followed her into the forest and was curious to know where she was heading.
Ming De ended up seeing her entering Ville Morte into an Inn.
"Are you ready? I think its time to rescue some people" Jing Xuan said Zhi Hao opened the door.
Zhi Hao smiled at Jing Xuan before inviting her and Jing Jie into his room. Zhi Hao poured water into the cups as he passes them to Jing Xuan and Jing jie.
"Assuming you safe and sound, I believe you've return victorious" Jing Xuan only smiled as she nodded her head.
"Have you gotten in touch with the assassins to scope the area?" She asked.
Zhi Hao nodded his head as he headed to the drawer and grabbed a map out and laid it onto the table. Jing Jie who was on the bed casually listening to their conversation, suddenly stood up and put a finger up to his lip as he walked towards the door.
He quickly pushed the door opened, and Ming De who was outside leaning against the door trying to hear what is going on fell forward and landed on the floor. Ming De looked around embarrassingly as he quickly go up,
"Eldest Young Miss..." he called out softly.
She looked at his state and couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle, she had felt someone following her and guessed that it was Ming De. They let him in, and roughly told him about the situation.
"Young Miss! You cannot do this! Its too dangerous!" Ming De passionately protested.
"God! Uncle Ming De, I've done way more scary and dangerous things here when you were at the Army Camp. So don't worry." She said, which earned a nod from Jing Jie and Zhi Hao.
Ming De can only sigh and resign to his fate of having to keep an eye on his Young Miss. After that, Zhi Hao continued explaining the area around Fu Quan Mount. Surrounding the area where Zhi Hao's family members are at, is a waterfall. A secret entrance is located underground where it will lead to the inside of the waterfall.
The tunnel is narrow, without any guards however hidden guards are hiding on the trees and inside the water. The inside of the waterfall, where Zhi Hao's family are kept at have about 10 soldiers keeping guard.
"Like you had suggested, I've posted a rescue mission notice in the black market 2 days ago. However there still haven't been any news." Zhi Hao said.
"Mm, we can head to the black market tomorrow." Again, only Ming De have things to say.
"How did Young Miss know about the Black Market?!" Ming De asked.
"I heard it from someone in the army... I can protect myself..." she sighed.
"No! Its still too dangerous! If anything happens to you, i will be letting down Madam and Master"
"You don't have to worry, they are here anyways," she pointed to Zhi Hao and Jing Jie. "Zhi Hao is a Poison Master who is highly skilled in poison, and Jing Jie is my contracted Beast he is very strong." She added.
Ming De can only shut up, and silently worry about this troublesome Young Miss. After they decided that they will be heading to the Black Market tomorrow, Ming De stayed in the same room as Zhi Hao while Jing Xuan got another room for Jing Jie and her.
Waking up the next day, they ate the breakfast the Inn had provided before they mounted their horses and headed towards the Black Market.
Better disguise ourselves...
"Yu." She shouted and got off her horse, Ming De and Zhi Hao following suit.
"Why did you stop here?" Zhi Hao asked. Jing Xuan walked towards the Mask shop and picked up a half face mask that have a beautiful flower drawn over the right eye area. She waved the beautiful mask on her hands to show Zhi Hao.
He nodded his head and grabbed three other mask and paid for them. They then continued their ride towards Huo Hong district where the black market is located at. They stopped their horses near the entrance of the black market, before they got off and put on their mask.
They walked towards the entrance but was stopped by the two guards, "To enter you need to have a pass. Do you have one?" One of them asked.
"No. How can we get them?" Jing Xuan asked.
"One pass is 30 coins." Ming De took out enough coins for the four of them and handed them over to the guards. They collected the coins and handed them a Black Card, which is the NormAl card.
Jing Xuan was walking behind the group as she took in her surroundings, and looked at the stores and merchants around. When she was suddenly grabbed on the wrist and pulled away into a darker alley.
With her free hand, with a fist she punched out towards the person that had grabbed her but her hand was held in place.
"Don't be so fierce, it's me." As she heard a familiar voice, her hand slightly relaxed but her gaze still threatening. As the light from down the street, shined into the alley she could make out who it was.
"I actually never got your name." She said as she eyed him.
"You can call me, TingXiao" he said as he looked at her waiting-ly.
"Jing Xuan. Now will you let go of me." She said as she moved her wrist around his tightly gripped hand on her.
"Right, sorry. So why are you here?" TingXiao asked.
"You dragged me here to ask me that?" She asked.
"Mn" Jing Xuan rolled her eyes at TingXiao before she walked out of the dark alley with him following behind her. She could see Jing Jie and the rest looking around for her, she raised her hand to catch their attention.
They walked towards her with an relief expression, then an angry one.