Queen got alarmed about the safety of Henan.Prince ordered his men to behead all the maids and servants, hearing this, a newly recruited maid fell on her knees and begged for mercy, "I was blind by the enticement."
Prince did not want to hear her wailing he ordered Incharge Chen to investigate from her and then behead her.
Queen insisted her accompany them to Palace and live there but Henan was reluctant to leave the mansion.
She promised that she would be careful in the future and after much pieces of advice Queen went forward to her carriage, Henan was always reserved as well as agreeable.
"Henan next time we meet, I have something to discuss with you but until now promise me that you will look after yourself very well," he did not want to give her that pendant because he did not want to shatter her hope and now that he had seen his master, things got more complicated.
"I will," with her a.s.surance he left the mansion.
Next day, a young man knocked on the mansion door, if one carefully paid attention, one would recognize him.
He was Lue Zhen, her elder cousin; he introduced himself to the door guard that he was acquainted with Miss Henan and that he wished to seek her audience.
Door guard reported back to Henan and Henan personally came to receive him, after all, he was her cousin brother.
They exchanged greetings, "Tell me about your family, did you find them?" what was Henan concerned, about their safety.
He nodded and replied, "They were moved to another state and they have changed their bearings so as to hide their true ident.i.ty and they sent me back to protect you from any danger, I wish to be accepted as a guard of Miss Henan Zhong," he respectfully bowed to her.
Henan heaved a sigh of relief to hear that they were safe, she accepted Lue Zhen as her guard.
King was in infuriated that Henan was still alive and their plan did not work well, he ordered and called his advisors to another meeting.
Lue Zhen became Incharge of other loyal guards.
Henan was in her target practice ring and Jie Lan was standing behind her.
Today she wanted to practice variable angles and her ability to mark at right point at the right time. Jie Lan was lost in her thoughts.
She was not as lively as before.
She listened to instructions of Henan and went to bring a guard who could help Miss Henan in her target practice.
Lue Zhen was coming to tell Henan that he gathered some news about who bribed her maid to poison her food.
He was in a hurry, Jie Lan was walking in her lost thoughts that she fumbled.
Her feet moved and struggled to stand her stature on the ground, someone came hurried to support her and her hand supported on his chest.
He casually said, "Carefully Miss," and delicately supported her shoulders to keep her stand straight. She did not look upward at his face, instead dug deep her head down, "I am sorry, I was careless," he was not holding her firmly so she moved freely.
She went on her own as before.
Lue Zhen shook his head and also moved forward.
She brought a guard but there was already someone who would throw light stones randomly and Henan would take its target, soon Henan took an interest because it was really related to fast flexible movements.
Though she did not budge many on them she understood her movement and flaws.
Now she understood why King venture in the forest for hunting.
It would greatly add to their target practice to other than some self-odds.
Though Jie Lan had interest she stood there and when she saw who the man was helping Henan in her target practice, she forgot to take a breath for some time, he was the young soldier who met her in the herb garden when she was picking some herbs.
Her dim sick eyes got lit and lively to see him.
She looked with interest than before, love did not fear impending calamity, as the saying goes. After much practice, Henan went back in her room, Jie Lan followed her but her heart was left there staring the young man non-stop whom she did not even know his name.
She did trivial odds and peeked at the outer ground, he was practicing sword art with another guard, his wet face looks more handsome to her, much time her eyes search his stature but to no avail.
He rounded three times whole mansion to check the guards whether they were alert on their duty.
After few days Lue Zhen could feel that someone was keeping eyes on him, he got more alert, and who could it be? He would rest a few hours in the day and keep guard whole night.