Chapter 39: Plan

When Ji Yunhe arrived at Lin Haoqing's residence, a circle of elders was gathered outside. Their faces were sullen as they looked into the room, and a chain of questions sounded from inside.

"Why did you disregard our request and burn the Valley Master's body in private?"

"Is the young valley master trying to conceal something?"

Ji Yunhe raised her eyebrows. So these elders sent one group to convince her to become the Valley Master, while another group came here to find Lin Haoqing...?

She pushed through the crowd and walked inside. The interrogation stopped when they saw her.

Lin Haoqing turned his head to look at Ji Yunhe. He did not look good under the pressure from the elders. His hand was holding a pen with its tip resting motionlessly on the paper, making a huge ink stain. The way he looked at Ji Yunhe was as if he was saying -- so, you've also come to accuse me? Ji Yunhe looked back at him and clasped her hands into a bow, "Valley Master."

Lin Haoqing was taken by surprise. All the people around were taken by surprise.

Ji Yunhe greeted him as "Valley Master", not "young valley master".

She had clearly stated her attitude in front of everyone that she wanted to submit to Lin Haoqing.

Some elders immediately voiced out, "The inauguration ceremony of the Valley Master has not yet been completed, it is not appropriate to address him as such!"

"Then what is appropriate?" Ji Yunhe turned her head and stared straight at the elder who had asked the question.

"Would it be appropriate to address you as the Valley Master?" The elder's face changed slightly, Ji Yunhe then smiled and said, "When the Valley Master was seriously ill during Princess Shunde's visit, the young valley master led us on his behalf and handled everything accordingly. Now with the Valley Master passing away, his son should rightfully ascend to his father's position. What is wrong with me calling him the Valley Master?"

"But..." The elder had no words to say, so another one opened his mouth.

"We do not yet know the truth of the Valley Master's strange and sudden death, how can we hastily establish a new master?"

"Not knowing the truth yet is precisely why we must hurry and appoint a new master to investigate the matter thoroughly. With the Valley Master's sudden death, don't you think his own son feels it the most? He wants to know the truth more than anyone. You are purposely hindering him here, is it because you have other plans?" The elders paused to look at each other, but no one knew what to say.

With Ji Yunhe acting out in such a manner, they were at a loss for words. After a moment of silence, they all brushed their sleeves and left.

Shortly after, only Ji Yunhe and Lin Haoqing were left in the room. She closed the door, moved a stool over, and sat down opposite of him at his desk, smiling.

"This tongue has been trained well over the years. It can be of some use, yes?" Lin Haoqing looked at her. Her face right now reminded him of the young girl laughing in the middle of the sea of flowers.

She would be wearing the flower garland that he gave her and asked, "Brother Haoqing, do I look good?" Lin Haoqing thought about the past and his face softened a little.

"Yes, your tongue is very powerful. But..." he paused, "how come the Master Warden is so kind today?"

"No, I am not kind. I helped you because I want you to help me." She was very straight forward.

"Valley Master." Lin Haoqing put down the pen in his hand and crumpled the paper stained with ink.

"There is no way I will let the jiaoren go. You've seen the way Princess Shunde looks at him." Ji Yunhe's smile faded upon hearing that name.

"If he were to leave, the entire Demon Valley would be sent to the grave." Lin Haoqing looked up at Ji Yunhe.

"We might not be good people, but I don't want to die, and they shouldn't die like that either."

"I am not asking you to set him free," Ji Yunhe said.

"I just want you to do me a favor."

"What kind of a favor?"

"I want you to order me, as Valley Master, to deliver him to the capital." Lin Haoqing raised his eyebrows.

"What do you want to do?"

"The fish is very stubborn. He treats me as a friend, so he will not leave even if you let him."

"Oh?"

"You don't believe me? You've seen his power when he first came to the valley. Although his tail splitting must have been draining, do you really think he can't get away if he tries?" Lin Haoqing was silent. Ji Yunhe smiled helplessly and shook her head.

"This fish, isn't he stupid?"

"So, what stupid thing do you want to do for him again?"

"I want to trick him," Ji Yunhe said. "I'm going to lie to him and say, due to Princess Shunde's orders, I must take him to the capital. He won't refuse. I'm going to take him out of the Demon Valley."

"You want to take him out and then run away? This will still implicate everyone here."

"No. I want you to send a letter to the court and have them send someone to pick him up, and at the same time appoint me as the officer to escort him. The journey will take about a day and a half, so in the night, I will have him locked up in a tent alone. You will go to him at that time and tell him something."

"Tell him what?"

"Tell him that I, Ji Yunhe, have been tricking him ever since the moment I met him, and me being good to him was all a show. My sincerity was fake, and me standing up to Princess Shunde in the dungeon was also just an act. Tell him everything I've done was for him to willingly serve the princess. I want you to lie to him."

The more Ji Yunhe talked, the more relaxed she looked. She was very proud that she had finally thought of this perfect solution.

"This fish hates it when people lie to him. When the time is right, open the cage and let him go. When Princess Shunde reproaches and the court pursues the blame, you will give me up. I am the escort and the ones accompanying me are her men, so her anger may spill over into the valley, but I will be the only one to die." Ji Yunhe finished and made a smug smile.

"How about that?" Lin Haoqing's face was even more sullen than before.

"You don't care if you die?"

"Lin Haoqing, have you found the antidotes?" Ji Yunhe asked him rhetorically. Lin Haoqing did not speak.

"So my life will only last a month anyway." She leaned back in her chair, looking relaxed and a little lazy. Her attitude seemed to be saying: See, I'm about to be free forever.

"Instead of spending the rest of my days rotting in this Demon Valley, being an eyesore to you and to the elders, why not let me go outside and get a day of freedom? At least then my life will not have been a complete waste of time."

By then, Lin Haoqing would have what he wanted, and Changyi would have returned to the sea. And she... Finally, she could face her destiny head on.