Desert • Flower | TaeJin || BOOK 3#

XXXII. One weight less

They have kept very calm around so as not to be taken by surprise again. Taehyung tries to be somewhat confident about it, important information and news usually take a while to arrive, just like the soldiers. They are barely two months in and considering that it takes two and a half to one and a half months to get here from the capital in large groups, it is complicated for them to learn that the mission failed.

That the land where blood was spilled is now deeper and not on the surface. Taehyung did not want anyone to dirty his hands with it. He buried it and they pretend they weren't there.

The issue with Yune remains the same, but seeing what has a little more color in her skin helps Jin stay positive about it. Enough to not cry when he sees her, to continue in peace his botany studies and try to mentalize that this can go well. That, for once in his life, it's not going to be ruined because it's already bad and it's room for good now.

"I need trade" Taehyung clicks his tongue, Jin pours tea into the cup. "Being stranded here with what to trade with doesn't work."

"We have what we need and plenty of savings, my lord." says Jin sitting down not far from him.

"It is not enough. I want to buy another piece of land and for that I must produce" He bites his thumb, "but I don't want to risk leaving the territory with the clear threat of death hanging over all of us. Not just me: you, Yune, my workers, the Japanese who keep coming" He rubs his face with both hands. "It's all so complicated." Taehyung picks up the cup of tea. Jin watches for a while as his hair darkens from 'getting wet'."

"Don't be distressed my lord. Maybe there is a route unknown to the troops and you can go that way" Jin proposes. "I can ask some servant to look for them".

"Yes, do that" he asks before drinking some of the tea. "Let them take a horse, supplies and look for the unmarked way to get to the neighboring village... Make it two. Preferably young men who know how to run in case of any eventuality."

Jin withdraws, Taehyung looks at the papers scattered on his table. Sure, he has a lot saved up, but he doesn't want to run out of anything and in this trading halt he manages to get a stockpile of merchandise. They are largely engaged in selling vegetables and products that come out of those vegetables. Waiting too long will cause them to rot or spoil.

They also have the cloth that alpacas produce, plus offspring from those animals. They are going to fill their hands without filling their pockets. What a burden.

~ * * * ~

"It's too long a road" Taehyung bites his lip, looking at the map his two workers made. It took them a whole month, but they made three routes that might work. The problem is that they are very hilly and carrying cargo would be dangerous. It could be damaged en route. "There must be another way" He clicks his tongue looking out the window for a moment. "I need you to-"

"SIR! A LETTER HAS ARRIVED FROM THE CAPITAL! I-IT'S VERY IMPORTANT!"

Jin raises an eyebrow and looks at Taehyung with the same confusion. Jin is the one who takes the letter and unrolls it. He recognizes the seal, but it struck him as odd that the color is green and in fact, it comes with a small clip holding it made of the same material Is it jade? He is not sure. He opens his eyes as he moves through the text.

"What's wrong?" asks Taehyung to Jin who turns to look at him, closing the paper in his hands a little.

"The... Emperor is dead and the crown prince took his place."

Taehyung jumps up from his place and hurries to take the paper in Jin's hands. Reading it for himself and he is not able to believe it because how could the emperor be killed? The worst part of the case is that the circular specifically clarifies that it was an assassination carried out by the now emperor Min Agust.