Qiu run along the corridor, he just get back to the manor and heard that the general been attacked by assassin days ago. He burst in to his master room and suddenly kneel on his knees. He was neglected his duty as a guard and make his master injured. "Qiu has made mistake, i deserve to die."

"What commotion you make in this early, and what the punishment for, i know you, you must be doing something important when you not around. Stand up it's not the time to mourning." Said the general while pointing his finger to the painting near his room.

Qiu know what his master want, it's was his mother painting, but behind it is a secret drawer. Qiu pull the painting and found the secret drawer, an old painting was placed there, Qiu take it and give it to the general. The general ask him to opened the painting and place it near the general. The painting of the seventh prince of Tang, the man that resemble his master or his master that resemble him.

Li Wei take out the dragon jade pendant from his sleeve and bring it close to the painting. The jade glowed as it move closer to the painting and grow smaller then disappeared move to the painting. The tall handsome prince in the painting glowed as the jade move inside the painting. The golden light still glowed for a while before it slowly fade, the jade pendant change to a painting of jade pendant in the handsome prince belt.

"General, why you doing that?"

"It's was his since the beginning of time, i just give it back to it's owner. I store the pendant on this painting, so in the future he can take it back." Li Wei scroll back the painting and wrap it back with the shabby cloth. He gave it back to Qiu hand. "Brother, you must know it, for me you not just a mere aide. I'm really grateful to have you as my brother, you has accompany me through the most hardest day in my live, and stand still to protect me in the most dangerous time. For me you like an old brother and will always be. Now please help me for the last time, as i told you my doom day has come closer. Like you stand still protecting me, please stand still and protect her. Take her run away as far as you can from here, give this back to her it will protect her. For what you done to me, i will keep gratitude for my whole life."

"General, please don't do it." Qiu cried, keep wipe his mucus that start flowing from his nose. Like general said, for him the general also not just a master, a brother, a family that he must protect. But now he was knelling and begging for him to protect other instead of him, the only woman in the general heart. Even his mind understand the general thoughts but his heart not willing. How can he abandoned him and protect a girl that he barely know.

"No, i'll keep kneeling till you agreed."

"Al... alright i'll do like you said, now please stand up, i can't seeing you like this." Qiu said help his master to sit back in his bed.

--oOo--

Li Wei back and fort in front of Ling Hua room, he has searching for her for hours but she not there. Before Qiu has told him that he was gone for following a maid from his manor. After following her until the tea house and counter with the main in black, he running away and star to investigate the maid. She was indeed a spy that been placed by his majesty to supervise him. Qiu has followed her till the mid way to her family house, the man in black ask his subordinate to assassin her. Qiu manage to save her from them, but she was badly injured and died in the end. But before that he has gain important information from her.

"His, majesty has know they secret..." She said in her last breath.

Qiu faster his ride after buried her, his master and his maid was in danger, he must warn him before it's too late.

--oOo--

The general has searching for her in his hall and ask elder Jin and butler Jiang to search for her too. He really worried about her, his majesty peoples can come anytime to take her, the only option is to go away from the capital as far as possible.

She has prepared to run away, but live with them for months has made a bond in her heart, she reluctant to leave. Not the manor, not the luxury she had now, but the person she meet. Elder Jin, aide Qiu, and not last the general. They was the reason she reluctant to leave, the love and kindness she received from them all.

But she has no choice she must leave. The longer she stay the more she will fall for him, and the more she will hurt him in the end. She walk cautiously with a box of wood in her hand. It's was medicine that she prepared for them as the last gift.

She walk to the elder Jin room. A light blue bottle of deeper grass root. Elder Jin has a cold symptom almost a week every each month. The deeper grass root can help warmed her inner body and reduce her symptom.

For aide Qiu she made a tonic of sun glory flower. Aide Qiu was a busy guard and always caught in fight almost every time, he must stay strong and fit for whole time. Sun glory flower have many efficacy to maintain his health.

And the last for the general, she make a bottle of herb made of thousand ginseng. The general often get injured and been poisoned. The thousand ginseng help to restore his health.

Ling Hua walk to the general bed chamber cautiously. He was not there, she place the dark blue bottle in his desk. She walk outside to the garden, stand still in mused look to the surrounding.

She go same as she come, just with a dull and shabby clothes as a captive. The only different is she has lost the painting this time. Night has come, the surrounding covered in dark, some lamp has been turn on by the servant. She almost reach the back door when a hand grab her wrist.

"Thanks goodness, i found you." Said the man that is the general. Ling Hua have no time to speak because he suddenly pull her to follow him. His was look wary, he pull her and walk faster out from the manor and ask her to ride the carriage.

Qiu has sit on the rudder, without wasting time he ride the carriage away from the manor.

Inside the carriage Ling Hua sit beside the general, like before his face still full with worry. She sure something serious matter has happened in the manor. She want open her mouth to ask but hesitant and not speak a word in the end.

The carriage has ride for over fifty minutes and slowly stop. She try opened the window to see where they want to go, but general hand stop her and coding her to quiet with his index finger in front of his lips. He sense something went wrong. In term of the time they should have arrived at the city gates. The general residence's carriage must have been recognized by the gatekeepers. But why did they stop, had the emperor already know about his plan and order the guards keepers to stop them from leaving the capital.

"It's late already, city gate has closed come in the next morning!" Sound one of gate keeper outside the carriage.

"Didn't you notice whose carriage is this?" Qiu answer not less decisive than the guard while showing his token passage.

Suddenly ten guard keeper there unsheathed their sword. "Great general please forgive us, but his majesty has command us to close the gate and forbid everyone out from the capital especially you, your highness." Said the leader.

"Whose dare!" Shout Qiu draw his sword. "Your highness, it's looks like you must go first, i take over here." He said to the general and jump down attacked the guards keeper.

General move to the front and take over the reins. "Brother Qiu, be careful."

Qiu nodded and move forward attacked the guards that try block the carriage. "Your opponent is me."

--oOo--