38 Unexpected

Hye woke up from the nightmare, opened his eyes and looked at the table, and saw Chinua who was still writing in her journal. He got up and went to the table.

Hye said, "You're still awake."

"I can't sleep," said Chinua, looking up at Hye. "You called Nabi again in your sleep."

Hye sat down and poured himself a cup of water. "I did, huh?" he said. "I don't know why, but I keep dreaming about her recently."

Chinua asked, "Who is she?"

Hye said, "Nabi… my cousin. We were born on the same day." He looked up at Chinua. "Chinua... what are your plans for the future? Will you find a good husband, marry, and have children like other women?"

Chinua looked at Hye, and she understood that Hye was having an in-depth conversation with her at this moment, and no matter what answer she chose next, it would determine whether Hye was willing to work for her. She closed her journal. "At home, I have three beautiful older sisters, and everyone praises them for being beautiful. Their skin is as soft as silk and white as the first snow. They call me ugly. Even the servants call me ugly. They say behind my back that people who look like me, if I was born as a commoner, I won't be able to find a husband." She smiled at Hye. "So, from that day on, I decided I would never like any man romantically."

Hye smiled and said, "Your sister really told you this kind of thing?"

Chinua nodded. "So, I reject any servants except Khunbish and Khenbish. I want the sisters who speak ill of me to see that though if there is no man out there willing to spend the rest of their life with me, but I have Khunbish and Khenbish."

Hye sighed, "No wonder you have a close relationship with those two people."

Chinua said, "We grew up together. We trained together and we had confidence in each other."

Hye asked, "What do you sisters say when you have Kunbish and Khenbish?"

"They're still talking bad about me," Chinua said, laughing. "One day my brother told me that when I grew up, I would be the rarest of all the women in Hmagol. There wouldn't be any woman like me in Hmagol. When men hear my name, fear will bring them to their knees."

Seeing Chinua's confident appearance, Hye's heart trembled. "Chinua…you…" His lips trembled as he spoke.

Chinua said, "My mother wants my brother to serve in the army, but my brother is disabled and can't walk, so I have to be his leg." She lamented take a breath. "That's why I begged my father to send me to the northern training camp."

Hye had seen women like Chinua before, the way they spoke with confidence, they were royalty in the court. Chinua is not just an ordinary rich Hmagol woman who decides to join the northern training camp just because of a word from her mother. Hye suddenly remembered the scene in the South Gate training camp when Chinua suddenly ordered Chuluun to keep an eye on Hye, and Mönkhbat asked Chuluun to follow Chinua's order without hesitation. Hye's hand shook violently, and the cup in his hand fell to the table, making a slight tingling sound.

Hye's lips trembled, and so was his voice, "Chinua must be of high statue if she could talk freely with the Great General of the South. Chinua must be a member of General Mönkhbat's family."

Chinua suddenly chuckled. "How did you guess?"

Hye said, "General Mönkhbat treated you very well. He treated you very well even in front of his wife, who was not jealous at all." He smiled. "I shouldn't have known at the family dinner that night... Uncle Zamir stood up and bowed to you. As an elder, he bowed to you because you were royalty." He looked at Chinua. "Chinua was not just a royal. Chinua was upset when other northern soldiers mentioned how General Mönkhbat was a better leader than the crowned prince. Chinua argues on his behalf." Hye stood up suddenly excitedly. He is pointing at Chinua with his shaking hand. "You and crowned prince are…"

Khawn sat on the bed and asked, "What is it?"

Hye turned around to find that Khawn, Jeet and Naksh had woken up. Jeet asked, "Why are you pointing your finger at Chinua like that?"

Naksh said, "Finish what you said."

Hye said, "If my guess is correct, Chinua is the fourth princess of Hmagol."

Naksh stood up and walked towards Chinua. "Are you a princess?" he asked in shock.

Chinua sighed, and said, "What if I am? What are you going to do? Are you going to go to the soldiers of Tanggolia to announce that the fourth princesses of Hmagol have stepped into their territory? Capturing me will bring you all the riches you want. Maybe you can be one of their ministers." Chinua stood up and looked at Hye fiercely. "What is your decision?" She slowly reached for the dagger at her waist.

Khawn rushed over quickly and stood in front of Chinua. He said, "Although I like you, if you want to attack Chinua, I will definitely protect her until my last breath."

Jeet stood next to Khawn and said, "Chinua saved us and we promise Khunbish and Khenbish that we will protect Chinua on their behalf until she returns safely back in Hmagol."

Naksh said, "Like Khawn said, if you want Chinua, you have to go through us first."

Hye looked at the three men standing in front of him with serious expressions. He shook his head, pushing Khawn aside. He sat back on the table and poured himself another cup of water to cool himself down. He was thinking while drinking, and when he looked up, he saw the other four people still standing.

Hye said, "Sit down. Is not like I can beat you three. As soon as I go for the door, you three must have broken my arms and legs already."

Chinua said, "So, knowing my identity, what are you going to do?"

"What do you want me to do with your identity?" Hye asked back.

Chinua said, "I'll leave it to you."

Hye said, "I know my position. I always tell you to leave other people's problems alone. You can choose to tell whoever you want who you are."

Chinua said, "You refused to serve under a Hmagol leader. What about me? Am I worthy to be your friend?"

Hye knew he would have to choose a side sooner or later. "Under one condition," he said.

Chinua asked, "What?"

Hye said, "If I work under you. You must guarantee that you will never harm civilians and soldiers who surrender. Never let your soldiers commit war crimes such as rape, theft and torture."

Chinua finally understood why Hye hated the northern soldiers, it must be because of the battle to retake Nui-Li City. Nui-Li City must be where Nabi was killed, which is probably why Hye has such a hatred for the soldiers of the northern camp.

Chinua approached Hye and said, "I, Chinua, promise that I will never allow my soldiers to commit war crimes such as rape, theft and torture of surrendering soldiers or civilians. I will not harm anyone who puts down his sword and surrenders to the Hmagol's army."

Hye looked at Chinua and said, "Remember your promise, if you break your promise once, I will no longer serve you."

In the trading market in the early morning, people's discussions were echoing nonstop. Chinua, Khawn, Naksh and Jeet only follow Hye as Hye walks from one vendor stall to the next in search of peanut seeds. When more business opens in the morning, there are more and more people moving around and it is difficult to walk from one vendor to another. Chinua found some seeds, she grabbed a handful and turned to ask Hye if the seeds she was holding were peanut seeds, but she found no one behind her. Chinua started to walk ahead as she spotted Hye's back a few yards away from her. She zigzags through the crowd quickly, trying to find Hye.

Naksh saw Chinua walking ahead quickly, so he grabbed Khawn's hand and said, "Come on, Chinua is over there."

Khawn yelled, "Chinua, wait."

The two hurried to follow, desperately trying to catch up with Chinua, but the peddler's voice made people push them aside.

"Opium! Selling opium! It's good for painkillers. Buy five get one free. Opium! Selling opium! It's good for painkillers. Buy five get one free."

When Naksh and Khawn broke free from the crowd, they lost sight of Chinua.

Hye, who remained behind after talking to the vendor, said, "I don't see any seeds. Let's go to the pier." He turned to find only Jeet following him. He quickly searched the area. "Where are Chinua and the others?"

Jeet, who was still eating loquats, held a branch full of loquats in his left hand and said, "They are right behind me." He turned around and found no one. "Oh...this is bad…" He looked at the hundreds of people in the market.

Hye said, "Let's find them while looking for peanut seeds."

Jeet asked, "Should we spread out?"

Hye said, "No, let's stick together. I'm sure they won't leave the market area without us."

While looking for the missing friends, the two looked for any merchants selling peanut seeds.

Chinua quickly catches up with what she thinks is Hye, but it turns out that person is not Hye. She turned around and found that there were too many people walking around, and it was too difficult to find the remaining men. Chinua decided to walk slowly in the market, hoping that the other party would come to her.

Chinua stopped in front of one of the vendors. "What are these instruments?"

The peddler picked up a flute and said, "This is a flute."

Chinua asked, "How to play?"

The peddler demonstrated it to Chinua. The bamboo flute played softly and sweetly, but Chinua knew that she was not a musician and would never learn to play this flute. She smiled at the peddler and put the flute back on the table.

Chinua saw a soft white hand pick up a flute. "I didn't know Chinua was interested in flute." A voice whispered beside Chinua. Chinua turned to her left and saw Ge Ming smiling handsomely at her.