3 3. First mission

Lihua never thought that her life will be filled with endless struggle, pain, and suffering. Even though she is known as a relative of Master Guang, she is not exempted in all the rigorous training of the Holy Mountain. The Holy Mountain is known as the secret protector of the Royal Family. Though some rumors say that they are monks who use black magic to do the dirty works for the Royal Family. No one really knows the truth because no one ever met them before.

Lihua started to learn martial arts at the age of four. And at the age of eight, she was given her first mission. To pretend as a slave at the Minister of Finance's house to get intelligence about the Minister's secret dealings with the Royal Family's enemies.

Five Years Ago.

Lihua, who just came from the kitchen holding a piece of red bean bun walked quietly at the back of the Minister of Finance study room. Stealing is easy for her. With the kind of martial acts she possesses, she can roam around the Minister of Finance's mansion without exerting too much effort. She leaned closer to the back wall of the study when she heard voices inside.

"We need to elect a new prince to support." Lihua cannot recognize his voice. He might be someone she hasn't met before.

"But Prime Minister, the king is very suspicious of me right now. After that incident in the royal banquet, I can sense that someone is constantly watching me." Lihua can sense the fear of the Minister of Finance's voice.

I never thought that he can sense me. Lihua thought to herself. She told herself to be extra careful next time. This is her first mission. She doesn't want to blow it.

"Minister Gao, I never thought that you are such a chicken." said the Prime Minister coldly.

"I am not a chicken. I am just afraid of my life. What if the king learned about..." he was immediately cut off Prime Minister Chao Longwei.

"Gao Fang!"

Lihua heard silence inside. After a few seconds, the prime minister spoke again.

"I will suggest my first son during our next meeting. All you have to do is to support it."

Then, a long silence fell again.

So, the Prime Minister is one of them. But I thought he is one of the king's loyal person? Lihua is now thinking fast. She needs to think of what to do next. She already gets all the information she needs from the Minister of Finance. Should she head back to the Holy Mountain now? Or she needs to follow the Prime Minister?

"But, will my safety be assured?" Lihua can tell that she did a good job scaring the Minister of Finance. She doesn't know what happened inside but after a few seconds, she heard Minister Gao said, "Yes, of course, I understand." She thought that maybe the Prime Minister send him a very frightening look. More frightening than what she did to him in the Royal Banquet a few weeks ago.

The moment Lihua heard the opening and the closing of the door inside, she already made up her mind. She will make her master proud of her. Looking at the red bean bun on her hand, she started to move again.

"Lihua"

Lihua who is absentmindedly looking at the peach tree in front of the first master's house looked at the direction of the person who called her name. From the distance, she saw a young man, around 16 years old, looking mischievously towards her. He is holding something behind him. Lihua immediately stood up. She will never let the 7th prince win a prank over her. They have been doing this, pranking each other, since the day they met. She never thought that she will be alive today. Offending a prince is a crime punishable by death but seems like the 7th prince found it amusing to finally have someone he can play around.

"Your Highness, what's that you are hiding?" Lihua fake a nervous tone. She saw the wide grin on the 7th prince face the moment he felt that she is afraid of him now.

"Oh, it is a secret gift from me. I hope you will like it." as he moved closer to him, Lihua can sense the excitement from the young prince. Lihua smirked. She was never surprised or affected by this young man's pranks. It was all amateur. Her older brothers from the Holy Mountain has been worst to her. They pranked her almost everyday for the span of eight years, and they are really good at it.

7th Prince Yuanjun made a wide smile when he saw Lihua shuddered. He thought it is because of him. He is holding a long, slithering thing in his hand. It took him a lot of efforts to attain this snake and he is sure that Lihua, who is still a girl, after all, will be afraid of snakes.

The moment he is few steps away from her, he throws the snake to her. Lihua screamed,"Aaahhh!!!!" Prince Yuanjun cannot contain his laughter. After a few seconds, he heard Lihua laughing as well. He looked at her with shock. She is holding the snake and looking at it in the eye lovingly as if it was her pet.

"You little snake. How cruel the 7th prince to you eh?"

"You!" Prince Yuanjun cannot believe it. "How can you..."

"Did you forget that Lihua is not actually a girl?" a man's voice from behind said laughingly. Both Lihua and the 7th Prince looked at him.

"First master"

"Cousin"

The first master of the house, Chao Shen, moved closer to them. Lihua let the snake down and see it slither away.

"Why did you let it go? I paid a lot of money for it!" Prince Yuanjun said pissed off.

"Eh! it belongs to nature. You should not use another life to threaten someone else again" Lihua said standing up. She looked at the 7th prince with a devil smile.

"You!!! How can you..."

"That's enough. Lihua, you don't have dinner tonight for pissing off the 7th prince." Chao Shen said looking at Lihua and then he blinked.

"That's good for you then, hmp!" he looked at Lihua acting like a child, then, he looked at Chao Shen. "Cousin, you should not keep such a person in your manor. You will be in trouble in the future."

Hahahaha only if Chao Shen that trouble has come to his manor since she set foot on his manor five years ago Prince Yuanjun should have been very worried indeed. Lihua thought to herself.

"Okay, okay. You can leave my manor now. It is getting late and I am sure your maids are going crazy looking for you again."

"They are boring" he complained slouching his shoulder and started to turn around to leave.

"They are boring that's why you are here," Lihua whispered. Chao Shen glared at her immediately.

Chao Shen sends out Prince Yuanjun. Lihua started to walk back to the manor when she caught a glimpse of someone from the rooftop. She and the man on top look at each other's eyes for a few seconds before the man started to jump out of the manor. Lihua immediately goes after him.