LEGEND OF THE CROWN PRINCESS

Episode 9 - The bandits

"I'm sorry for my unawareness, so many want to harm you."

"Hmm, it's okay. It shows a lot of women are interested in the commander."

Ryu and Hu Yazhu were on their way home to Asahi's grandfather's shop. As usual they pass through the green grass with moonlight. Riding the same horse, surrounded by fireflies makes the atmosphere very romantic. Ryu was so nervous answering Hu Yazhu's every question.

"That's not true! I never knew that anyone liked me all this time. They say, I'm cold, mean."

"You are insensitive! Even though you're so cold, I'm sure it's just your outer appearance!"

Ryu lowered his head, he remembered about the letter he had to deliver to his family. A dinner invitation letter from the government.

"Stop!" a group of people stopped the journey of Hu Yazhu and Ryu in the middle of the journey.

"Give me your possessions! Judging from his clothes, you guys are certainly not a random person!"

"Don't get in our way!" said Hu Yazhu.

"Suckers! Hey, hurry up and attack him!" said the bandit leader to his men.

A group of bandits then attacked ferociously. Hu Yazhu swiftly got off the horse and confronted the bandits. "Miss Ryu! Go first with that horse I'll catch up!"

"Ah this man! He was in danger of even telling me to leave with his horse, where could he defeat 8 drunk men armed like that!" muttered Ryu.

Ryu stood on Hu Yazhu's horse. "What's wrong with you Miss Ryu? Leave this place quickly! I'm still taking responsibility on Grandpa Asahi!" Hu Yazhu cast a sharp look and astonishment at Ryu. The man was still busy resisting the attacks from the bandits.

"Hey Miss! Didn't you hear what your boyfriend said? Get out of here, before I catch you and eat your beautiful body!"

"Silence you son of a bitch! I'm gonna kick your face and one more, she's not my boyfriend."

Brakkk

Ryu jumped up and aimed his kick at the man who teased him earlier. Hu Yazhu who saw that was so shocked but refocused on the bandits who were still swarming around. Ryu picked up the bandit sword that had been suffocated earlier, and began to attack the other bastards.

Sreet

The snake swerving technique was done by Ryu, his body bent down and directly stuck one sword stab at one of the bandits. Ryu joined Hu Yazhu and they now turned their backs on each other.

"I can't believe you're an expert at it!" hu Yazhu.

"You never asked, so I didn't tell you."

Brakkk

Ryu's kick sent one of the bandits crashing backwards. Only two more Ryu let Hu Yazhu clean it up. Both of their breaths rang after the night sport against the bandits. Hu Yazhu looked thirsty, but that did not diminish his strength in the least.

"I told you to go, don't you believe I can beat them all?" hu Yazhu asked with a rude snort, she looked so annoyed.

"Why are you upset? Shouldn't it be the thanks I get?"

"Miss Ryu, I will reveal my purpose in bringing you to the Palace, which is to foresee about our crown princess, Wen Yijin. Not to fight like this." Hu Yazhu waltzed away pulling the reins of his horse and the road first.

"Do I have to remain silent even if your life is threatened?"

"A snob!" muttered Ryu annoyed.

They continued the rest of the journey with each other silenced. The atmosphere that was initially so romantic turned into a hot air full of anger. He did not know, why Hu Yazhu was so angry at him. Arriving in front of Asahi's grandfather's shop, Hu Yazhu immediately bailed home by riding his horse. Ryu enters the store with his grandfather and Akira.

"Ryu Ito! The deceiver is back!" said a man from the door of the shop. As Ryu turned his head it was apparently his best friend, Huo Sijue.

"Shameless customers who do not pay for fortune-tellers have come?" Ryu walked over to Huo Sijue then hugged the man.

The look on Huo Sijue's face turned red. "You missing me?"

"Very well, I miss your stupidity Sijue!"

"Do you have time? Let's drink tea outside while looking at the moon!"

"All right, I'll change these clothes first. I'm not so comfortable using this hanfu."

Huo Sijue furrowed his brows. "I just realized, you're like a girl like this."

Ryu had already looked at Huo Sijue with a deadly gaze before the man finished his words. "I mean, you're beautiful."

"Well wait for me outside! I'll bring you some tea." Ryu walks into his room and opens a pink hanfu with a purple satin accent in his hand. He gave a rude snort, then recalled the events first.

Before she fell into the abyss, Ryu, who was still the little Crown Princess Wen Yijin, had once been at odds with Hu Yazhu. Back then, Hu Yazhu forced her to flee and leave as the rebels came and attacked the Palace however, she did not heed Hu Yazhu's remark and ended up falling into the abyss and disappeared until now.

"What's that because?" muttered Ryu, he fell silent then undid the rest of his clothes and changed with the others. He came out of the room and brought a cup and kettle filled with wine for himself and Huo Sijue.

The squeaking sound of the shop door disperse the daydream of Huo Sijue, the man turned his head and looked at Ryu with a smile. Ryu walked over and put his drink next to Sijue and sat down next to him. Now, the two of them were sitting in front of a tree that was directly illuminated by the beautiful crescent moonlight.

For a moment, the silence and peace of the night surrounded the two of them. No one started the conversation, not even the breaths of the two heard from each other mixed with the breezy breeze that passed through their cheeks.

"How about the Palace? Are you being treated well?"

"Of course!"

"I was worried about you, I was afraid you were being bullied by the ladies and they were messing with you. But grandpa said you didn't come as a waiter."

Ryu turned towards Sijue. "Grandfather was right, I came as the future wife of the warlord, Hu Yazhu."

"It doesn't make any sense, did he just agree to it? How come?" Sijue clucked and shook his head.

"You didn't see? I'm so pretty, of course she agrees! Which man wouldn't want to be my future husband!" Ryu glanced towards Sijue.

"You're right."

"No, I'm just kidding!" Ryu grinned. "We have a pact, he wants me to find the crown princess's whereabouts, dead or alive" Ryu continued.

"Crown Princess Wen Yijin? Hasn't this been the eighth year since the news of her loss? After all, wasn't the skeleton of the body found under the abyss?" Huo Sijue looked puzzled, he was waiting for a response from Ryu patiently.

Ryu poured out a cup of his drink and downed it like wine. "Ck, very good, I don't know yet."

Huo Sijue also poured his and downed the drink. "Ash shit, you said it was tea. This is wine!" huo Sijue growled while Ryu only chuckled at her.