Mid at night, Qiu walk cautiously hiding from one wall to another wall, he was following a maid from the general manor. He been told by his mother, since the general back to the manor, the maid has act suspiciously. One night she caught her left her room and sneak out secretly. It was mid of night but she not sleep yet, elder Jin decided following her and found her walk to the general hall. After heard his mother story, he decided to investigated the maid, and now there he is, walk secretly following the maid.

The maid walking cautiously avoid the main street in Jing Bei, she choose dark and small hallway till arrived in front of a tea house. A man with a mask has waiting her in a room, she walk inside bow to the man polite.

"

Did you find something?" Ask the man.

She come closer to the man and whispered in his ear. Qiu barely heard what the maid said, but he sure its must be related to his master. He try move closer in case can catch what they was saying about but make the man in black alert.

The man in black hit the table till make the chopstick jump from its place. With his fingger he flicker one of the chopstick aiming to Qiu. The chopstick move like an arrow almost slash Qiu throat, "It's Ren!" Secret technique that only of elite guard of the emperor had it.

Immediately Qiu jump from where he was to run away' while the man in black following him. Qiu not afraid of him, but get into a fight with him right now is not a good option. His master life was in danger, he must back to the manor as fast as he can to report to the general. He take out a little black thing in marbles size from his pocket and throw it to the ground near his casher.

The little black thing hit the ground and explode make a thick smoke. The man in black can see his enemy, Qiu take the chance to run away and back to the general manor.

--oOo--

Ling Hua walking to the general bed chamber with a bowl of medicine on the tray. The general has gain his consciousness and just wake up from his sleep. She walk closer and sit near him, after checking hia condition and make sure he was alright she give the bowl to him.

The general not spout a single word since the first time she come even when she change his bandage and help him use a clean clothes. He just look to her in silent and try look for the exact moment to speak.

"I'm sorry, last night i..." Li Wei try broke the silent between them, he know from her gesture she kind angry to him but couldn't protest, after all he do it for their shake. "If they know i was injured, let alone you, even i can't guarantee my own live." Li Wei lower his head try look to her face with hope to be forgiven.

"I know. I forgive you." She said dejected.

Li Wei smile see her peeved face. "So if you not mad anymore to me, help me sit on the pavilion." Ask the general that been turn down by her immediately. He just got injured, he must take a rest and not going around. "Do you think he will sit still and doing nothing?"

"Who, who you mean?" She asking with anger in her eyes. Who dare want to hurt the general anymore.

"If my guest was right. He will come a little while, you will know when the time come."

--oOo--

Li Huan, has receive the news about the general that been attack by assassin last night. This morning he decide to visit his manor. He was walking along the corridor to the general hall, the wide yard has been sweeping but the withered leaf has not been burned. A rare sigh caught his attention, he was sit in the pavilion with a maid talk and sip tea together. Looks like what eunuch Gong said was true, the two was master and maid, but there looks like no gap between the two.

Sweat fill the Butler Jiang face that walk before the emperor, he know that his master will be in trouble, since the emperor expression look to the two like interested. "Your Majesty, please." He said escort the emperor to the pavilion.

"Interesting, it's the first time i see a maid so close to his master." The emperor said approach the two on the pavilion.

The general immediately stand up and bow to the emperor, while she moved back and kneel on the ground. "General Li Wei, pay respect to Emperor." 

"It's alright, royal uncle, please sit." The emperor sit in the pavilion. "Royal uncle are you alright? I heard about the assassination, I'm really worried, i come after heard it from eunuch Gong." The emperor approach his uncle and embrace him, the two was uncle and nephew but in fact they was in the same age. The emperor tighten his hug like caring, the general has now it and prepared.

Ling Hua take a peek to the two, anger glimpse in her eyes, she aware enough the emperor deliberately hug the general to test his condition. Fortunately he has ask her to give him a strong medicine to hold his pain so he not feel the pain, at least for now.

"I'm alright your majesty, thank you for your concern." 

"It's relief me seeing you alright." He smile and sit on the pavilion. "Royal uncle, is this new kind of tea?" 

The general sat across his nephew, he take a new cup from the tray and want pour it to his majesty. "I just added honey, maybe it's taste sweet and not suit your taste."

"Ow, i like the sweet one, maybe it will taste good if the maid pour it for me." Li Huan gaze to Ling Hua that still kneel on the ground.

Li Wei ordered his maid to pour the tea for the emperor. She lift up her face stand up and come closer pouring the tea for the emperor.

The emperor look to the beauty, the maid indeed have lovely face, no wonder if his uncle fall for her. His uncle was his rival, before he was his big obstacle for him to ascend the throne, until now he still his biggest threat. So he will not let it happened, for his uncle to be happy even just for a while. The two royal look talked happily once in a while joking to each other, but other people in there know the reality, the two was mortal enemy.

The emperor hold Ling Hua hand stop her from move away, "Beauty who is your name?" 

"Ling Hua." She answer stutter.

"Royal uncle, you have a beautiful maid, why you hiding it from me." 

"Your Majesty she was a slave from Wei that i brought for my self."

"Royal uncle do you mind if i ask for this maid to become my concubine?"

Ling Hua shocked by the emperor word, she don't want it, to be the emperor concubine, she slowly shake her head, and begging to the general with her facial expression.

He see she shakes her head, apart from that how come he give her away to the bastard emperor. "Your Majesty, of course i don't mind it as long as you like it. But your majesty, the case is, i just sleep with her last night, she's not a virgin anymore. I know you not have any objection about that kind issue. But, i doubt what people think of you, a niece that take after his uncle concubine." For the first time since the earlier his word sound harsh, the emperor glare heard the General word.

"Impudent!" Eunuch Gong warning the General.

"Eunuch Gong, take it easy, what my uncle said was true, he really care for my image. I will reply his kindness by organize a wedding banquet for him as my approval, but before it i must test his bride." The emperor stand and move closer to Ling Hua. "You what's your motive for approached my uncle?"

What's wrong with this emperor, in second cold and hot after, his temper really bad. Ling Hua don't want to marry such temperamental man, how if he want killed her second after their wedding, after all she had swear don't want to fall in love and married again.

But she been cornered by the emperor question is she have another motive to the general. She have no way out, she kneel and say impulsively, "Your Majesty please approve us, i love the great general." Even she shocked by the word that come out from her own mouth.

"Hahaha, love him? do you know his biggest secret?" The emperor laugh sound mockingly.

"What secret?"

"The secret behind his mask. I approve you if you know about it."

"I know." She answered without doubt make the emperor full of anger.

He still not satisfied just by that, his purpose was to make the general take of his mask to see the truth about the rumor. "Alright, prove it to me, take off his mask."

She gasp she just realize what the emperor want from his master, he just want humiliating him from the start. What a childish and improper behavior of a ruler, she look to his master, his eyes fill of anger, but he try to hold it. He nodded to her permit her to do what the emperor ask her to do. She stand from her place, slowly approach the general.

This situation make her remember of her past, when she been bullied by his husband cousin, Princess Wen Jia Li. She remembered the shame, the sorrow, and the anger she feel that time and she kind know what the general was feel right now. Suddenly she feel anger to the emperor, she want protect her master from been humiliating by him. She stand before him and lift up her hand and stand tiptoe try reach his mask.

She take of the mask and trow it to the ground, she reach out her hand and caress his face and said without doubt, "My general, since this day on, never use this mask in front of me, don't try hide it from me, i'm not afraid of you."

General was deliberately follow the emperor quest, he already know he want to proof the rumor, so he had prepared for the worse and used lamb skin to make fake ruined face. But to his surprise the woman before him that not know the fact about his healed face look  mad by the emperor action. Her eyes and move was full of that emotion, he can feel it when she touched his burned face. It's his first time been defend by woman, his loves one. Without realize it he reach out his hand and embrace her. "I'll do like you want."

The emperor look indignant seeing the two, he has seen ruined face. He look to his eldest eunuch with fire in his eyes. "Like i said, i approve you." He said to her then turn his body and go away in anger back to his palace to make other plan to get rid his obstacle.

--oOo--