73 The Beginning

Han Bing couldn't stop pacing around the room, his right hand continuedly tightened around the letter. On one side this could be the only item that his mother had ever left him in this life on the other hand it could all be a ploy from Fourteen and his coconspirators to achieve their goals. \

"What should I do?" Han Bing thought to himself. He looked over towards Mai who was sleeping on top of the bundle of blankets they had brought with them, unfortunately, although the house offered protect from the outside elements it had little to offer them in terms of necessities.

Han Bing gently rubbed his hand along Mai's head, his fingers intertwining in her hair. Han Bing let out a little sigh, being close to Mai helped him from over thinking and focusing on the important things. "I truly don't want the palace life to destroy you Mai, they would crush you" Han Bing whispered while planting a kiss on Mai's forehead. Han Bing closed his eyes and laid down beside Mai pulling her body towards his, stealing some of her warmth.

Han Bing tossed and turn throughout the night think about the conversation that Mai and he had before she went to sleep. "Do you really think that he would have lied about something like this?" Mai had asked him "certainly there probably could have been easier ways of turning you into a puppet. You said he knew where we were … He easily could have taken me from in here instead. So, I don't think he a completely terrible person but, at the same time I'm not sure what his full motive is. I think we should go with him for now, if anything they can get inside information from the Emperor so we are not guessing what his next move will be. It will be better then being on the run; I can't see the Emperor letting you live even if you leave this country."

Han Bing had tried to think of some place they could go and escape all of this, he only wanted to hold Mai close to him like this for the end of time. Grow old on a farm and eat the delicious food that his wife would make. Watch his children grow up with laughter in there home.

After some time, Han Bing drifted off into a restless sleep.

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Early in the morning Mai blinked her eyes a few times, Han Bings arms were wrapped around her body protecting her from the cold. Mai smiled when she glanced at Han Bings sleeping face, slightly brushing the side of his head with her hand.

"I am going to make you something tasty, love" Mai whispered.

Mai slipped out from under Han Bings arms and went towards the kitchen. Unfortunately, Han Bing hadn't caught food the day before, so she was going to have to find some. Mai sneaked past Fourteen who had somehow managed to fall asleep still tied up on the floor that they had left him on. Slipping her shoes on, Mai surveilled the surroundings around the house. It was a filled with small creatures going about there day and birds flying overhead.

Mai spotted a bird's nest on a low hanging branch and moved towards it. On closer inspection there were 2 spotted eggs that were nestled in. Mai looked around for the parent birds and found none, scooping the eggs into her hand Mai went back into the house.

Mai looked over the eggs and at the stove that was sitting over the fireplace that was Infront of her groaning Mai mumbled to herself "Of course this couldn't be easy! Of course, we don't have oil! We don't even have more firewood!" huffing Mai went back outside to collect some twigs to use in the fireplace.

When Mai returned with a pile of twigs in her arms, she had forgotten that Fourteen was in the other room, with a loud thud she dropped the twigs around the stove.

"Is tea on the menu this morning?" Fourteen asked quietly from the other room.

"Tea?" Mai asked slightly confused "Tea! Do you think you people gave us time to pack luxury items while we were fleeing you?" Mai gasped a little bit at how aggressive she was being, but this truly was all their fault, they were probably the people that Zheng Li had warned them about.

Fourteen looked a little embarrassed before mentioning that there were some tea leaves in his pocket.

Mai narrowed her eyes at Fourteen "What are you planning?"

Fourteen looked very confused and replied "Nothing? I simply wish for a hot cup of jasmine tea to start my morning, especially after sleeping on the floor in such a position."

"No" Mai replied "what are you planning on in general? What does the Emperor have to do with us? Also how well did you know Han Bings mother? If you had known about her before surely you could have sent word to Han Bing sooner? Why so much secrecy?"

Fourteen nodded his head "all excellent questions. I will answer them if you make me a hot cup of tea. I will even tell you the first one without the tea. I have no large plans or small plans I simply wish that my childhood will not happen to another child in the next rein and I have no doubt that Han Bing would willing subject others to such a fate."

"Fine" Mai said feeling a little defeated she moved closer to where Fourteen had told her the tea leaves were. After opening the package, a light jasmine fragrance filled the air making Mai's stomach growl.

Filling the fireplace with the twigs Mai lit them on fire and poured water into a small pot that hung over the fireplace. Mai glanced at the 2 eggs she had acquired earlier and added them to the pot of water.