The following day was perhaps the most frustrating since Ming Yue had entered the palace. One of Luo Jian's most trusted guards had delivered a sealed message to the Li family so that they would not receive an almighty shock when a casket arrived at their home, and no doubt they would contact the two Jin soldiers disguised in the capital. Arrangements for her departure in hand, the only thing left to do was for the young woman to wait in her small room until the final part of the plan was put in motion.
When she took a moment to think about it, Ming Yue was almost amazed at the cards that life had dealt her over the course of the last year culminating in this, most unusual situation. Still, she supposed, given that she entered the Han palace without any thought as to how exactly she would depart, it was not as though the current situation was defying expectations. It was hard to do so when there were no expectations in the first place.
Nevertheless, she was currently extremely bored. This was not how she would have wanted to spend her last day in the Han palace. Of course, she knew that she would be returning before long, all being well, but at that time she would be restricted by the weight of etiquette on her to act like a princess and future wife of a king ought to. Thinking about it, it was ironic that she would most likely have less freedom in the palace using her true identity than she'd had while there as a spy. Still, Weisheng's parents seemed fairly forward-thinking. Fingers crossed she could win them over to her way of doing things, or at least behave herself enough so as to not shock them completely.
She sighed and used her teeth to pull a piece of candied hawthorn off the stick in her hand. Luo Jian had delivered it earlier from Lin Yang, together with a message of encouragement and also some news. It was a shame they would not have the chance to see each other again before she left, but it was simply too risky.
She read the letter again. The Lin siblings had taken on a new assistant just over a week ago, and he appeared to be settling in well. Lin Yang had taken pity on the man, who had newly arrived from the south, where he had been tragically caught up in the fighting between the king's army and the rebels, and had suffered terrible facial scars as a result. Lin Yang had offered to treat him and give him room and board until he was back on his feet. In return, he had insisted on offering his limited skills to help out around the clinic. Ming Yue smiled. It was just like her friend to take in a random stranger out of kindness.
Suddenly, there was a light tap on the door, and it opened slowly, revealing Xiao Yu's face as peered hesitantly inside. Ming Yue smiled and beckoned him in, and he closed the door quickly behind him.
Of course, the physician and the Lin siblings had been told of the plan to smuggle the patient out of the palace, but they had not been told the real reason why. All they knew was that Ming Yue's life would be in danger if she stayed, so it was safer for her to leave the palace until the mystery of the assassination attempt was solved. Weisheng knew that it was not the most convincing of explanations, but luckily, his friends had chosen to trust him, and now Xiao Yu was here to play his final part in the show.
Never one for small talk, he got straight to the point.
"I've brought you a drug that will render you unconscious for four hours. That should be long enough to get you out of the palace and back home. It will also slow your heart rate and breathing, just in case someone checks the casket, but there should be no long-term side effects. Luckily you're pale enough at the moment that you look half-dead anyway"
By now, Ming Yue was more than used to Xiao Yu's bluntness so, rather than answering back, she simply took the small bottle gratefully.
"Thank you, Doctor Xiao, for everything you have done. Having been strangled, stabbed and poisoned," she took a deep breath after rattling off the impressive list, "I would have died many times over if you hadn't been there."
Xiao Yu fidgeted uncomfortably. He hated expressions of sentiment.
"I was about to say it only remains for you to be shot with an arrow," he said, drily, "but then I remembered that it was Weisheng who had that particular honour."
Ming Yue laughed affectionately.
"Sometimes I wonder what you and Lin Xing Fu could possibly find to talk about in your clinic at all hours of the day. You are both so different."
If anything, the poor physician now looked even more embarrassed, so she decided to put him out of his misery.
"How long beforehand do I need to take it?" she looked down at the bottle in her hand.
Xiao Yu answered quickly, relieved to be back on familiar ground.
"Not long. Minutes, rather than hours. It's fast acting."
Three quick taps on the door drew their attention. It was the agreed signal from Luo Jian that the prince's study was clear of visitors and so the storage room could be exited safely.
Ming Yue gave the physician a final smile and then, with a parting nod, he was gone.
***
Weisheng's last day with Ming Yue in the palace had been extremely exasperating. If he'd had his way, he would have spent every moment in her company, but it was not to be. He had passed the entirety of the morning with his father and Minister Shen going over the details of the assassination attempt in detail, at least, as much detail as he was willing to reveal.
Now, while Xiao Yu visited Ming Yue, he was walking in the garden with Lin Xing Fu, who had accompanied the physician to the prince's mansion and brought a message from his sister.
"Yang-er says she has consulted many books on the subject, but the combination of poisons used in the wine the other night is not described in any of them. Fortunately, my sister was skilled enough to identify them using her own talents. However, what she has been able to find out is that the shi gao herb in the poison, which had the extreme cooling effect on Ming Yue's body, is particular to the south western region of Han, and is not well-known at all outside of that area."
Weisheng turned suddenly and gripped the other man's arms.
"Xing Fu, this is more helpful than you know! Thanks to your sister, we are one step closer to identifying the assassins." He smiled gratefully at the young physician.
Both men turned when they heard the sound of a throat being cleared.
It was Xiao Yu, and for some reason, he looked even more unimpressed than usual. Acting on instinct, Weisheng quickly released his hold on the other man.
"Doctor Xiao. I take it all is well with the patient?" He watched as his friend quickly made his way forward to stand between the two of them.
"Everything is in order. Based on what Eunuch Wang has told me about the plan, she should drink the mixture in eighteen hours' time."
Weisheng didn't wait for Xiao Yu to say anything more. He dashed back up the pathway towards his study, waving a goodbye as he left. The man's words had brought home to him how little time he had left before Ming Yue was gone and, while they had planned for her return as his future wife, one thing he had learned over the last year was that nothing should be taken for granted.
As he walked, he thought to himself that it was a shame his parents would never get to hear of all that Ming Yue had sacrificed for him over the last year. They would never know of the multiple occasions on which she had saved his life, or the many instances where her quick thinking and wisdom had contributed to him making decisions which his father had acknowledged as being those befitting of a crown prince. Still, it could not be helped. His chosen wife would no doubt impress the king and queen in her own time.
When the prince entered the small room that had become her temporary home, Ming Yue could not help but smile broadly. Even though it was incredibly risky, and they were about to be separated for at least a month based on her mental calculations, this was the first time that she felt there was some hope for the two of them to build a real future together.
To her great relief, she saw the same emotions echoed in Weisheng's face.
"I'm amazed you're not scratching at the walls," he said, as he sat down beside her.
Ming Yue smiled ruefully.
"It hasn't been the most exciting of days," she admitted. "I feel like I'm losing brain cells with every minute that passes."
The prince smiled, his expression teasing.
"I could give you a riddle to solve?" he offered.
Ming Yue raised an eyebrow.
"I could think of better ways to spend the time."
Before she knew it, she was being crushed against a warm chest.
"It won't be for long," Weisheng murmured. "We have been through worse. This is just a minor inconvenience."
"True," she admitted. "But I hate to leave you when we haven't solved the problem of the traitors in the palace. Promise me you will be careful."
"Don't worry," he reassured her. "I have my own ideas, but I think Minister Shen and, if I were to hazard a guess, Eunuch Wang may surprise us with their progress in that respect." He thought about how he had hesitated to take either man into his complete confidence previously, and now realised he had perhaps been a little too cautious.
"I fear I have been too dismissive of some, and not trusting enough of others," he confessed, cryptically.
Seeing Ming Yue's inquisitive look, he sought to change the subject. He had no desire to discuss assassinations and palace intrigue during their last night together.
"Now, let's just talk together for as long as possible, until we fall asleep. We'll talk about everything and nothing. Luo Jian will fetch me if there's anything urgent." A sudden thought occurred to him. "Why don't you tell me about your other brother? The one I haven't met. I should probably know as much as possible about all of your family." He sat back, and Ming Yue rested her head on his shoulder as she began to speak.
Less than twenty-four hours later, a cart bearing a simple wooden box and accompanied by two guards and two servants, exited one of the side gates, moving slowly. Li Ming Yue, secretary to Crown Prince Weisheng, had left the Han palace for the final time.