*dies from exhaustion*
**
After what seems like an eternity of walking, we take one more step and suddenly, torches on the walls light up. Now, we can see everything. There is a clear pathway ahead that seems a bit off.
General Li suddenly halts and blocks me from proceeding ahead. She picks up a rock from the ground and throws it across the pathway in front of us.
Suddenly, arrows shoot out from several directions. Should there be anyone standing there, they would have immediately been shot down. The sound of levers being manipulated is heard.
Some floor pavements disappear and reappear. Sharp swords swiftly shoots out of the walls, then blends in with the walls again.
"Traps," General Li pats me on the shoulder, "Wait for me here." She picks up several rocks and runs towards the pathway. Upon arriving there, the arrows begin to shoot but she dodges everyone of them. With a quick movement, she propels the stones into the hole dispensing the arrows.
Identifying where the levels are, she spins and twirls around to avoid the swords poking out one by one. It almost looks as if she is dancing.
She sticks her sword into the iron lever, terminating its function. She is able to get to the other side safely. "Miss Yuan," she speaks across the other side, "Do what I tell you and just walk, alright?"
I nod, despite being hesitant to follow the instructions.
"Go straight."
I walk straight, noticing that the dispensers are moving and longing to force arrows out again.
"Left foot on the right stone." I do exactly what she says.
"Stop." The stones in front of me disappear; had I continue, I would've fallen down into the unknown ground.
"Proceed. Left foot on your top right stone. Right foot on the center."
After several minutes of following General Li's instructions, I arrive at the other side. I can hear my heart thumping in apprehension, "What do we do now, General?"
A quarter of a mile ahead, there is a firmly secured and dense stone door. No matter what we try, we cannot make it budge at all. There is something else that we noticed, however. Atop the door, there are two designs. One appears to be a white flower with a longer stem but the other is a shorter-stemmed red flower.
Beautiful, they are, but we cannot figure out what they mean. Beside the door is an intricately designed knob with numbers written around it in the form of a circle; the order is clockwise. We try random codes. Nothing budges.
In the end, we decide to return back and let everyone know about our discovery. Thanks to General Li, we return safely back. We gather everyone back at the log cabin again, informing them about what General Li and I have saw.
The conversation proceeds for quite some time. Since the sun is setting, we determine that we will stay in the Medicinal Valley tonight.
"Guests come over quite often, so we have enough rooms available. Since you guys are staying, I should prep the rooms and make a feast."
And she did. We all help her get ready, set up the wooden table under the peach blossom tree, and clean up the utensils. By the way that Wan'er commands me and stares at me, I have a feeling she doesn't seem to be fond of me.
Nonetheless, we have a wonderful dinner outside the log cabin, enjoying the platters of delicious food. Rong Yi babbles on about the imperial palace, Scholar Li with his new discoveries.
Sir Xu seems to be quiet, as always. It's good to see that Wan'er is caring for him, be it picking food into his bowl.
Now that I think about it.. He didn't say much after what happened during noon. It seems he has been ignoring me as well.
I nod. Maybe that's for the best. Once I get my herb, I will be returning home soon anyways. These emotions cannot carry on. Sir Xu and I don't have a beginning nor end. Unfortunately.
By midnight, Rong Yi and Scholar Li gets drunk and sings while General Li and Wu Lan Jun volunteers to assist Wan'er with cleaning up the space.
I can't help but spot Sir Xu sitting alone on a boulder under a peach blossom tree. Casual. Relaxed.
I approach him, hoping to apologize for what happened before. We exchange glances before I give rise to a faint smile and sit next to him. All sentiments are restrained.
The guilt is consuming me.
I say with clarity, "Sir. I am sorry I sided with the Tenth Prince today. I knew you two don't get along and yet I added fuel to the fire."
Hearing my apology, he turns his body to connote I have his attention.
"Zi Yan," His voice has lost its aridity and spirit, yet it is mellifluous. "You really have no clue, do you?"
I express a bewildered look, "What clue, Sir?"
He sighs in exhaustion, "..Never mind."
A momentary silence envelopes the area.
"I would rather argue with you than embrace someone else," he whispers softly.
With a grin widening across my face, I inquire, "And? Is that all?" I move a bit closer to him, anticipating for more comments.
"And?" He frowns, "That's all."
"Aren't you going to say more?"
He doesn't say anything.
He takes a sip out of his small bottle of wine in his right hand and reconsiders. After a short pause, he resumes the conversation by saying, "You are too precious to lose."
"W-What?" I lean my ear closer, pretending I cannot hear him, "I didn't hear you, Sir!"
He coughs, "What? Hear it right the first time."
He is facing forward, centering his attention at the full moon. He takes a final sip: "I favor you, most ardently."
I can feel the corners of my eyes crinkle. Sir Xu is somehow glowing under the moon, radiating calmness and fortitude.
"Sir, can I hear you say 'Te Amo, Zi Yan' please?"
"Te amo, Zi Yan?"
"Now say 'Mahal Kita, Aking Sinta,'" I suggest as I sneak in a laughter. He repeats after me.
"Saranghaeyo," I express, noticing his reluctance to repeat after me. "Last one, I promise."
"Sah Rang Hai Yo.. is it?"
I nod, smiling.
"What do they mean?"
Oh Ho Ho Ho.. You will never know, Sir.
"They are different ways to say my name. This means you can't say those phrases to anyone else other than me, promise?"
"Secretive." He arches his brows while locking his eyes with mine, "Promise."