The Illusion of a Choice

-To sum it up... You've known about the Prince's survival and my brother's help but kept silent for the "sake" of the throne, in a some kind of way... But recently XianLen has made an appearance with the "merchant" Wang ChiaHao as his backer and compromised your position. Since then they have been watching you closely and drove the Emperor to madness.

Now you feel like your position have been threaten as the Emperor is loosing his grip over the people while that merchant is earnings more and more support, so you are basically asking me to hold the Prince down in exchange of a less sever punishment toward myself?-

-That's correct- he agrees but I burst out laughing -And why would you expect me to work with you over this?! You're much more naive than it looks, all bark and no bite- -Miss Ying. I'm afraid you're not taking this seriously enough... That man is a problem to all of us. As long as that dumb boy is on the throne we can make this nation work by controlling him, but what about him? He might even try to push the 4th Prince on the throne, but given the situation someone will definitely kill him to secure their position-

-It's not like you've done a better job at handling the country anyway. You think I have no idea about how much of a mess it is between the Nobles? Let's not talk about the commoners...- -Miss Ying, I have the power to sentence you and your loved ones to death. You don't want to go against me- I clench my fists. As a last resort, he decided to openly blackmail me... I know what man Wang ChiaHao is and I understand why Ying SheGu is going to such extends, but I cannot simply agree to work with him and go against the other man.

Wouldn't I be gaining more if The Emperor died tho? No, maybe not... Living in a world dominated by that crazy merchant and his schemes would be even worst, seeing his obsession with pushing me to the limit I wouldn't want to know what worse he could do.

-I'll give you until tomorrow at sunset, Guan Gui will come to receive your answer- he says before breaking the connection, the woman in front of me nods and leaves too.

Answer... As if I had much of a choice.

Although I don't want to be tied down my emotional relationships, that doesn't mean I will just let someone to die it it can be avoided.

...

Coming back to the Camp, the atmosphere seems quite heavy. Qin Luo and the other Generals wait for me outside my tend and all the other people stare at them with dark expressions. I suppose they reached an agreement.

Zhou and Xu stand a few meters away, worried and scared as they look at me.

-Where have you been, Miss Ying?- asks General Wu -No- matter what I say, you will still use it against me so why should I reply?- he clicks his tongue at my words before moving his arm and making way inside the tend -We need to talk, Miss Ying- I don't say anything to that and simply follow them inside.

General Tian brushes against my shoulder and sighs -We did our best to find a compromise- he whispers.

-Well then, I suppose you know why we called you here Miss Ying- begins General Wu but General Cai stops him -Let's get to the point and forget this topic once for all, we reached an "agreement" regarding how to deal with you due to the recent events. General Wu decided to write a separate report about you, asking whether we should restrain you or send you back for a trial... While waiting for the reply we decided to ban you from joining us on the battlefield, for fear that you might "lead the men astray"- he says those words with disgust. It is clear how the other men threaten them into agreeing to this, he probably proposed a much ! more absurd punishment and the other 3 managed to compromise on this.

I let down my arms and sigh -Is that it? Then I'll take my leave now- -You're not taking this seriously enough, Miss Ying!- General Wu tries to argue but I already left the tend before he can talk further.

...

Steps approach me as I'm seated down, polishing my knives. A golden cup enters my field of vision, a dark liquor moves inside it -Drink- he says but I ignore him and keep working on the sharp blade of my weapons -I told you to drink- I throw an angry stare at that man who's hair drips in cold water and lower my head once again.

He seats down beside me -You haven't met me in a while now, you surely have a lot to tell me. Don't try to hide anything- his voice is demanding, I didn't specifically came here to meet him or seek his advise so I just take a deep breath and ignore him.

He doesn't like my attitude toward him apparently... One hand comes around my neck, half chocking me as he turns me around and then bites on my lips while pushing that liquor down my throat with his tongue. I rise my weapon to his neck from behind -Let go of me- with a wild gaze he release me -Why haven't you came to meet me?- -I was too busy- -You got yourself into a mess- it almost sounds as a mock

-Shut up- I murmur angry, throwing the knife in the sand and pushing him down with the other hand, I seat on top of him and kiss his lips breathlessly. I'm pissed off. By him, by General Wu, by myself, by everything honestly!

He smiles in the kiss and grabs my hair, pulling just enough to make my scalp tingle -What do you have in mind right now? I know you've talked with that snake- his hold on my waist becomes so tight that even I feel pain -The punishment they gave me isn't that severe and if I'm cautious enough I can still manage to do my part even from here... What worries me is what comes after, I will have to disobey if I'm called back but I don't know if I'm yet strong enough to fight alone so... I'm pondering that assassin's proposal-

His face turns serious -You can't trust him, he's a double faced man with no loyalty to tie him down... Not to mention that HE'S involved too- yes, Wang ChiaHao is a big problem in all this... A wild beast who follows no rationality at all and can't be predicted. But I understand the real purpose of Ying SheGu in telling me all this, he didn't try to give me a choice to begin with... He knew that by saying the merchant's name I would have been alerted and eventually end up investigating the matter. For the prince's sake and the desire to know what that wicked man is up to...

I fall silent, lost in thoughts as the man beneath me caresses my skin with his lips... Brushing against me like a feather. But there's no time to lose into such pleasures now -I need to talk with the Prince right now- I ask him.