Hu Li return to her boudoir and demand food. She close the door and walk to her bed. She pick up the box under her bed.
"Master someone came in!"
"Who?"
"A man we did not see before. He is is carefully searching the room. He open the wardrobe then look through it. He even search through the books. He look at the desk and check every piece of paper."
"He even check this bed!"
"So did he take anything?"
"No he did not take anything. He left quite sometime now."
"He might return again."
That night Hu Li sit alone in the open boudoir and lay there to watch the flowers dance in the night. They move gently and gracefully. Some butterflies are moving around them. In a distance she see an owl approaching, he lands gently as he morph into the young boy she see the other day. She smile at him, his large eyes look at her with a smile he greet her.
"Master."
"What is happening in the Yamen now?"
"I saw in the early evening that before they leave the Yamen, they are talking about the letter and what they want to do."
"Whatelse?"
"They are thinking if they need to report to the Lord and the Prince because to do a check on all check points, they need the Lord's seal letter of approval to intervene the army."
"I see and anything else?"
"The Tian You envoy is approaching the city but they stop outside the forest. Haven't move for days now."
"Is anyone watching them?"
"My brothers are staying nearby to watch their movements. However master, we are owls, our eye sight is only good when the sun is setting."
"I understand. Thank you for your service."
The young boy bow and leap up into the air. He morph into a owl and fly away. Hu Li continue to sit there till Fei arrives.
"Hei is travelling back here. Maybe three days at most."
"It will be nice to see him."
"I don't like it..."
He sit on the couch that she is laying on. She sit up and put her arms around his shoulder.
"Why? Don't you miss your brother?"
"No. I don't. If i do, i just need to look at the mirror. We have the same face. There is nothing to miss."
"What is Hai doing now?"
"He is busy planning to move to another spot. They have lived too long in that village."
"Aren't you going to help them?"
"No, I can't. My fingers might be dirty in the process also i can't swim."
"Learn to swim, it's a god skill."
"Ever seen a bird swim? We get all wet and looking like we are going to die. Besides that my fire will die with all that water around me."
Hu Li giggle and pat his head gently and suddenly Fei lay down on her lap. She brush his hair with her long nails. The night become silence once more while she watch the butterflies dances with the moon in the background.
The next few days, she lazy around again. Sometimes she walks to the royal gardens to feed fishes in the giant pond. There is a pair of mandarin ducks in the pond. They will come to her and she deed them as well. As usual she remove her shoes and sit on the ground to feed the fishes and the ducks. While the butterflies and bees along with birds will come flying around her. The maids who follow her sigh as this become an everyday thing. No matter how much they chase away the birds, they keep coming back. Hu Li sits on the ground on her side and be amused at the fishes because sometimes they complain about the prince and princess who throw rocks into the pond and because the maids are around, Hu Li only can hear and cannot talk back to them. However she nod her head gently to show them, she is hearing their complains.
Wang Cao some times will walk pass the royal gardens. He see that his sister is siting on the ground. Her long hair is untied thus the wind is gently blowing and seems like her hair is dancing in the wind. Her snow white skin seems to glow in the bright light. Some times he feel that she is watching him where he is standing. There is a smirk of some kind when she look at his direction. He needs more clues to who she is. Seems like Yu Bing is hiding in the city and writing to the men in Yamen for investigation. So that means Yu Bing is not in disguise as his sister. So who is this person.
A month pass and the Tian You envoy is moving into the city. The carriages and belongings are search throughly. Nothing strange nor suspicious is found. The envoy pass the check points with ease. Yu Bing stands at the rooftop and watch the carriages roll in. The commander of the main gate spot Yu Bing standing with cross arms watching the group enter. He whistle loudly to catch Yu Bing's attention. When Yu Bing look at him, he wave to ask him come over. Yu Bing raise her eye brows and wonder what this man wants. She slowly walk on the rooftop to the nearest wall where he is standing. They look at each other while ordinary citizens are watching from below look at the both of them who is shouting across to each other.
"Are you that boy who managed to ask for special search warrant?!"
"Yes sir!"
"You make a mistake here!"
"No sir! I am sure they have something that we don't want in this city!"
"Well you are wrong, boy!"
"Wait till i find something sir! You will need to do your job properly!"
Hu Li turn around and run through the rooftops and leap around. The commander just watch his run off. His men report there is noting suspicious in the envoy group. He wonder what makes Yu Bing so sure there is something wrong with the Tian You envoy.
Three days after the Tian You envoy arrives, the emperor summon them to enter the palace. Meanwhile Hu Li is playing with the bird on her hand outside her courtyard. Inside the room, the rats are told to run twenty rounds before they can have the grapes and water. Hu Li see a eunuch walking to her courtyard, she hurry to walk up to him, .
"What is it?"
The eunuch bow and see there is a bird on the Princess's hand.
"The emperor is seeking your audience, your highness."
"Hmm, for what reason?"
"The envoy and Prince of Tian You is in the palace now. Thus the emperor want your present in the hall."
"Well they are here, what have it got to do with me?"
She continue to play with her new friend.
"The Prince of Tian You is your fiancé, Prince Ying Tian is here."
Hu Li after changing into a red and white outfit. With her half tie hairstyle, she follow the eunuch to the hall where the reception is at. Standing outside the hall, she whisper to her friends to wait outside the hall. They all dispersed and soon the eunuch comes out from the hall to invite her in. She slowly walk in with the fan in her hand. Everyone is staring at her as she walks in, even without the butterflies or birds around her, Her glowing white skin seems to be attractive to look at. She bow to her father. He smile as the envoy group of men is enchanted by his daughter.
"Prince Ying Tian, come meet Princess Wang Ching. You both haven't meet for a long time!"
A man stand up and walk to Hu Li. She hold her fan which still shield her face leaving her eyes exposed to look at the man. He is tall and have a presence of a commanding air. His long hair is half tie at the top with a jade piece. This prince is wearing on his left side a long chain and a pearl at the end. A head band with a jade piece is tied on his forehead. His large eyes are bright with long lashes that curls up. He smile with his cupid shape lips. He bow to her
"Greetings Princess Wang Ching. We finally meet."