Repairing the Past

Chapter 15

The next day, Lei Zuan was already standing in front of the inn. He smiled a big smile when he saw two people he had just met last night come out of the inn.

There is no formal attitude like before. The wave of his hand seemed to affirm the feeling of familiarity without any restrictions. The young man even shouted calling their names without shame.

Chu Yao and Mo Yan exchanged glances.

"It turns out we're not alone." Chu Yao muttered with a forced smile.

Chu Yao clasped Mo Yan's hand with full of gentleness. Like the initial mission, the charade still had to be played to the maximum. Besides having to meet Ah Zheng, they also had to find out Lei Zuan's intentions and goals.

Who is the real identity of that round-eyed man. Why its nature changes overnight. Their relationship was not close to the point of freely calling with nicknames as he had just done.

The eccentric man with the fan in his hand greeted them familiarly, "You guys finally came out too. I guess I'll wait a long time."

Chu Yao smiled, "why is young master Lei waiting for us? Remember, we don't have promises."

"Aahhhhhhhhhhhh... Just call me A-Zuan..." He replied with a crisp laugh, "We're one way, how good it would be for us to go together. In addition to minimizing unwanted distractions, I think the atmosphere of the trip will be more vibrant if with many people."

"But.. " Chu Yao wanted to subtly refuse but instead intercepted Lei Zuan with her hand.

"No need to be confused. I've prepared a new horse for you. Like our long lost horse stolen by the robbers last night."

It was seen that two of his comrades from a distance were carrying two pairs of horses that were quite large. Chu Yao again exchanged glances with Mo Yan.

It seems they can't refuse anymore. There is no good reason to dispute it.

With lithe Chu Yao landed right on the horse. Followed by Mo Yan's light movements behind him. They rode a horse together.

After they and the three men mounted their respective horses, Lei Zuan gestured and darted away from the place.

***

Somewhere...

A shadow warrior entered the tent with a lightning motion. He bowed respectfully and reported some important information to someone behind the thin curtain.

"Master, we've managed to kill Miss Rong. But..."

The shadow warrior's words came to a halt, there was little doubt not to say the next news.

"Say!" The man's orders. His baritone voice had confirmed the status he had. The intonation is flat but sounds intimidating.

"Chu's first lady seemed to have realized something. His people had saved Ah Zheng. And we lost track of them. " Obviously the shadow warrior with a respectful gesture.

"Hmmm.." With a calm voice, the figure rose and approached the extremely shadow warrior. The man looks good. He took a written message that the shadow soldier had brought and read without a sound.

"Leave it as the original plan. Keep track of their movements. Report immediately if anything suspicious." He said after burning the message.

"Good." The shadow warrior received the order and immediately withdrew. It disappeared in one movement.

Not long after a young man entered the tent. He was greeted warmly by the old man. They hugged each other and sat down to enjoy a glass of tea.

"Should you take such a steep path?" The young man started the conversation. There were various forms of feelings painted on his face. The mixed feeling was so violent that it made his jaw harden.

The old man called 'father' was sipping tea with complete calmness. He let out a long sigh and looked at his boy with tenderness and also resignation.

"Is there any other choice they give us?" Ask the old man to the young man.

They silently swallowed up all the speculations that had gathered like black clouds on their heads. They know there's no way to retreat.

"Should one be a victim? Even now 'he' has started to figure out the truth. I'm sure it's not just us who aren't safe, 'he' will be the next easy target."

"I understand your concern. Therefore I must put an end to all these long stories." The father closed his eyes and continued, "whatever happens next, never look back! You have to continue everything. For mother, sister, and yourself. "

"Then dad?" Sela the child, "... And Yao'er? Will he accept all the truth without leaving any trauma? After all you are my family. Should we be ruined like this because of people like them?"

The question was finally answered with silence. No one continues the conversation. All drowned with their own thoughts.

***

It had been a whole day that Chu Yao and the troupe had continued on their way. Sometimes they stop to fill the water and eat food as a temporary booster.

The sky began to look dark. Those who did not find a suitable village or place to stay were forced to rest in the shade of the moon.

The two Lei Zuan comrades were named Yun Yi and Lu Jin. They are so deftly looking for firewood and hunting animals in the middle of the forest. Mo Yan did not stay silent, he looked for some fish in the river.

Lei Zuan who had since just sat down to observe, slowly approached Chu Yao. Chu Yao's immediate alert mode activated when she saw the man's howling.

"You what?" Sentil Chu Yao as Lei Zuan sat next to him. His face was currently quite illustrative of his extreme annoyance to the man.

The man was singing his lips, "a very cold woman. I am one of the handsome men in the capital. You should be proud to be sitting next to me."

"Your son." Reply Chu Yao with a sense of laziness.

" Yao yao... You're really married to her?" Lei Zuan asked slightly whispering as he pointed at the man who was grilling the fish in front of him.

Chu Yao raised her next to an eyebrow, "you think?"

Lei Zuan flicked his hair and fanned with elegance, "no, it's just that I think your relationship is like a servant and a master."

Chu Yao remained silent, even though this conversation sounded light but she knew the purpose Lei Zuan actually wanted to extract information from her.

" What do you mean? Shouldn't a husband be?" Chu Yao retorted nonchalantly.

Lei Zuan clucked. He shook his head with a fan in his hand, "you're the strangest couple I've ever met. Where a wife lets her husband do all things alone."

"Indeed! We are not the real couple. It's just acting. Fucking idiot!" Chu Yao. He did not comment on Lei Zuan's words and continued to see Mo Yan's activities burning fish not far from him.

"By the way, tomorrow we're in Nian. Where are you and Mo Yan going to live?" Lei Zuan asked casually as he braced himself near the bonfire that Yun Yi had already made.

Chu Yao paused for a moment and replied as she knew, "we're just on our honeymoon, anywhere is not a problem."

Lei Zuan closed his fan and changed his tone. He seemed serious in a few moments, "you should not wander around if there is no interest, the situation of Nian city is now under the supervision of Imperial soldiers. If your actions are suspicious, you will be arrested without respect. Even though you have a great background."

"... "

Lei Zuan grinned and brought his body closer, "you're surprised if I tell you I already know who you are?"

Chu Yao indifferently. His focus remained on the thing hanging on the man's sword. He smiled coldly. His eyes stared intently at Lei Zuan. In a small but stressed voice he said, "i'm just an ordinary person, to what surprise. If me and Mo Yan are dangerous people, there is no way the young master would dare to give advice or rather a warning..."

"You're so smart for an ordinary civilian." Lei Zuan's laughter broke. He even repeated the word 'common civilian' with a hint of ridicule.

" I consider this a compliment.. " Chu Yao remained calm, "... Maybe thank you is not enough. Is there anything that the young master or rather the 'prince' wants that should provoke me first?"

The look on Lei Zuan's face changed immediately. His hand suddenly clenched the fan tightly. His eyes no longer showed hospitality. Instantly, his position changed to alert mode. Yun yi and Lu Jin who were aware of the changing atmosphere advanced with attacking positions and protected Lei Zuan behind them.

No less nimble, Mo Yan moved as fast as lightning pulling Chu Yao in his arms. They jumped back, keeping their distance from the three people in front of them.

"When did you know I was a prince?!" Investigate Lei Zuan without changing the cold tone of his voice.

Chu Yao undaunted, she even retorted with a sharp gaze, "just guessing."

Lei Zuan followed the look in Chu Yao's eyes that led to an object. The white jade with the carving of a dragon that hugged the middle ball became the focus of the beautiful girl.

"Prince Long Ye Zuan." Chu Yao spelled carefully.

Long Ye Zuan was the eighth Prince who rarely appeared in public. In Chu Yao's previous life, although she had never met the prince in person, her name had been heard several times when she accidentally eavesdropped on her father's conversation.

It was Ye Zuan who helped his half-brother achieve a safe position among the Imperial officials.

If the scenario did not change, Chu Zhan would later marry Chang Le's daughter, Ye Zuan's older brother.

Ye Zuan's laughter this time was completely broken and crisp, "smart girl! Really smart!"

"Only with a jade can you guess correctly. I underestimated you too much."

"Honor's judgment is too excessive. I can't take it."

"Truly slippery tongue." Ye Zuan flicked his fan casually and sat down comfortably even though the two comrades who were his bodyguards were not.

He continued, "If you know, what I said was true. Some trained men from Alorra have infiltrated several cities including in the city of Nian.. "

"Prince!" Lu Jin cut the conversation.

Ye Zuan raised his hand as if giving a code not to interrupt the conversation. The bodyguard lowered his head back and stood where he was before without much refutation.

Alorra, the land that once fought against Airland some twenty years ago. Although the duration of the war only occurred for two years in a row, it had great consequences.

The death of several princes and important people in Alorra caused the collapse of the government system until there was a rebellion. Although the war ended in peace, the struggle to rebuild a country was not easy.

It took nearly a dozen years for Alorra to rise and become one of the most powerful military-based nations of the time.

"Why did Alorra's intruder get into Airland?" Asked Chu Yao who was already starting to get interested in the chatter at hand.

Ye Zuan glanced. The corner of his lips slightly raised with a curious face in front of him, "It seems like they are looking for the whereabouts of the lost youngest prince. "