Bright and early the next morning Mai woke to the sound of knocking at her door."Come in" Mai said.
Zhi Yan walked inside looking dejected "are you really leaving?" She asked while glancing up at Mai.
Mai was surprised by the reaction. "Did Zheng Li not tell anyone about the plan?" Mai asked herself in thought. "Should I go along with it?"
"Yes, I will miss you Zhi Yan" Mai said calmly, trying to not show the emotions that consumed her on her face.
Zhi Yan let out a sob as she hugged Mai closely and then walked away. "I will pack your things for you. I hope that one day I will be able to see you again" Zhi Yan said. Mai was the closest thing she had to a friend in the manor that almost every person was placed in to spy on someone.
Collecting the small amount of her belongings Mai walked towards to front entrance of the manor in completely silence. Her face was blank as she tried to not give her intentions away.
In the distance she could see her father standing around a carriage. He looked absolutely furious that he was standing there. Mai knew that he had wanted to secretly take her away so that no watchful eyes could see and yet here they were putting on a grand performance. One that would determine the rest of her life.
She could see Zheng Li standing beside him while the two talked quietly to each other. The one person that she desperately wanted to see before she left was nowhere to be found.
She caught up to her father and Zheng Li at the very end of there conversation "do you really think this will work" her father asked Zheng Li in disappointment.
"It was her decision, honor it, protect her" Zheng Li grunted out in anger.
"Fine" Qin Junjie growled out. "Let"s go daughter, already to many eyes have scene us this morning."
The ride towards Qin Junjie manor was silent as the 2 riders thought about what the future would hold. Mai reevaluated the man in front of her. "Maybe he truly does care about his daughter" Mai thought.
"Are you sure?" Qin Junjie could no longer hold his silence as he looked towards her.
Mai knew that he was asking about returning to Han Bing even after seeing everything that had happened thus far. However, was that even a question at this point? What would she do without him.
"I love him father. I would rather live a short life spent enjoying my time with him than a long life spent always wondering what if. There will be no others that can have the pieces of my heart that he holds" Mai said with complete conviction.
"Zumi" her father said while staring at her. He wrapped his arms around her and held her. "Than I will do my best for you so that you can make it away. Zheng Li told me everything that they plan to do in the future. I only need to keep you safe for 7 days. Unfortunately the Emperor isn"t going to make those 7 days easy. I understand why they wanted to cause a scene but why would they use you as bait" Qin Junjie said with his face tight and unease showing through his eyes.
Mai had originally thought that this man was not going to hold up his end of the deal to release her in a week but was glad that he had caved into his protective urges to keep her under lock and guard.
"Thank you … father" Mai whispered out. She knew that this man would never replace her actual father but it was the least that she could do for him.
Qin Junjie smiled as he stared down at her, lost in thought about how the next 7 days will go.
"There is only one concern I have Zumi" Qin Junjie said while looking at her. "Do you really not remember the events leading up to you appearing outside of his manor?"
Mai shook her head "I really can"t remember" she whispered.
"Than no one in the manor can be trusted. I will put you in a different room, unfortunately you probably won"t be able to leave and see the people who are close to you. Also no servants" Qin Junjie rattled off as he thought off all the ways that he could keep his daughter safe.
Mai let out a light chuckle "father it is okay I can stay in a room, honestly I don"t remember anyone. Maybe I hit my head against something?" Mai said trying to lighten up the mood.
Qin Junjie let out a grunt at the thought of someone will Ill intent touches his daughter. Wrapping his arms around Mai tightly he let out a breath.
"We have to keep you hidden so that people don"t notice your absence for as long as possible. Try to bring as little attention to yourself as possible." Qin Junjie said while giving her a serious look. Mai felt the carriage stop as Qin Junjie said "Welcome back home Zumi."
——
"What that little chit at Han Bings that turned me down in the cooking tournament has left?" The Emperor said in thought. "Where did she leave too?" He asked the adviser who had gathered the information so early in the morning.
"Your majesty, she went to Qin Junjies" he said respectfully. The only thing that this man had wanted was to gather more power for himself, he didn"t care who he had to rip apart to achieve his desires.
"Qin Junjie you say" The Emperor said thinking about it deeply. "Why Qin Junjie ?"
"She is his daughter your majesty" the man said as a sly smile appeared on his mouth. It was hidden from the Emperor"s view by his bowing posture.
"Interesting. You are dismissed" the Emperor said.
The man was slightly in shock that he was given no follow up orders to go investigate the case but could do nothing as the Emperor looked lost in thought.
"Yes, your majesty" the adviser said bowing even lower.
"So Qin Junjie really did have a hidden gem tucked away in his manor all these years" the Emperor thought with gleaming eyes.