16 16. Grab the opportunity

Lihua woke up early the next day. She wore the black dress robe she always wears when she is out in a mission with Chao Shen. She did not bother to come up with an excuse for the head butler about her being away because she knew she will not come back this time. She already sent the intelligence she collected to her master. With a final look around the small and simple bedchamber, she walked out of the room without looking back.

She never thought that her first mission as a holy mountain agent would last for five years. She heard from her older brothers in the Holy Mountain before that some agents were able to finish their missions in a couple of months. But for her, a person who is highly skilled in martial arts and deception took five years to complete a mission. It is true that true abilities can only be tested in real life.

Lihua silently walked towards the young master's study hall. It is a moonless night because of the clouds blocking the moon and the stars in the sky. The moment she reached the study hall, she saw Chao Shen and Hui quietly talking to each other. If not for the sharp ability of Chao Shen to detect presence near him, the two men would have not noticed her arrival.

"Lihua, you almost startled me," Hui said.

"It must mean that I improved a lot since you can no longer detect my presence," she said proudly.

"Oh, I still detected you. Don't be too proud of yourself," Chao Shen said haughtily.

"Haha! Don't worry, I will improve a lot to the point that you can no longer sense my presence," she said hinting on something else. She knew that the day she's saying will be the day they reached the Holy Mountain.

Chao Shen noticed something amiss about her words. He looked at her eyes intently, searching for the hidden message. But he only found himself looking at deep, empty eyes staring blankly at him. He looked the other way to keep himself focused. The mission today is too important to him The moment he had the blood princess, he can securely take the throne and be the Crown Prince. Though he is not quite sure yet how the blood princess can do it.

"Let's go out first. I will explain the plan in our secret place."

The three of them skillfully went out of the Prime Minister's manor with no one noticing them. They came to a stop outside a small house on top of the hillside situated at the east side of the Prime Minister's mansion. The house has long been abandoned. When Lihua and Chao Shen discovered this place, they made it their secret headquarters.

Lihua was startled the moment she saw the small house again. A lot of things happened here. Now that she is about to leave the life she gave this lowly servant Lihua, she can't help but feel nostalgic. She did not notice that the two men already went inside. She snapped back to reality when Hui reappeared and ask her to come inside.

The inside of the small house remained clean and organized even though the outside seemed to be deteriorating. Chao Shen always ordered his trusted servants to clean the place but ordered to retain the ugly and dirty look of the outside. It keeps other people from entering the abandoned house.

Lihua caught a box from Chao Shen the moment she entered the small house. She looked confused.

"Wear that first, then, I will explain the plan after," he said it while sipping his tea.

Lihua nodded. She is here to obey his orders. His last orders. She went inside the other room to change.

Chao Shen's plans do not include this part but there is something inside of him that wanted to see her in a beautiful dress. He never gave her a chance to wear them in the past because he never thought about it but right now he felt that its time to allow her to be a girl. Besides, she's becoming a lady now. Living as a slave all her life, he is sure that she also dreamed of wearing beautiful dresses like all the other ladies in the capital.

It took Lihua a good one hour to came out. The two men do not have any idea how much difficulty she had wearing that silk dress and arrange her hair. She is awkwardly walking when Chao Shen looked at her. His heart beats so fast. The young lady before him completely taken him by surprise. He never thought that she will look this stunning. Even Hui remained speechless by looking at her.

Chao Shen prided himself for picking the perfect dress for her. A light blue silk dress with an embroidered jasmine flower on her belt. It enhances her skin tone. Her hair is adorned with a plain jade hairpin but it gives her an appearance of a cute, harmless young lady. He regained his consciousness when Lihua repeatedly calling him.

"Yes?" he asked embarrassed.

"Why are you torturing me with this? My black dress robe is better than this one. How can I fight with this on?" she continuously complained.

"Can't you be grateful for once?" Chao Shen said darkly. He never expected that she will act like this. It is far from the one he imagined she will have.

"Ha? why?" she asked confused.

Chao Shen waved his hand indicating to ignore what he just said. He looked at Hui before speaking, "have you prepared everything?"

"Yes, young master,"

"Good," then he looked towards Lihua's direction.

"Here's the plan.."

Lihua wanted to object with Chao Shen's plan but then, she reminded herself that this would be the last time she will obey him as her master. She found herself sitting with him inside the large carriage moving towards the Holy Mountain. She is trying her best not to be too close to him but the rough and bumpy room made it difficult to do so. Chao Shen took a deep breath before looking at her sternly.

"We will never pass as husband and wife if you will not relax."

Lihua looked at him horrified. He said it as if it was nothing. He is almost 18 and she is just about 13 years old. No one on their right mind will believe that they are a couple. But then again, she promised herself to obey him since this will be the last time they will be together.

"Do you think this will work?" Lihua said nervously. She knew inside that this act will never pass on the Holy Mountain's disciples. They were trained to look behind every person's facade and this simple trick is far too obvious. But then again, Chao Shen formulated a sound plan on how to get the "blood princess" so, she agreed. Being this close with him gave her a nice feeling in her heart.

She never thought that she will be this lucky on the last time she will be with him.