Chapter 124 - Until We Meet Again (1)

It's been almost a year since Xiong Jingfei and Xu Song arrived. Unfortunately, they were never given permission from Xiong Guozhi to return home. They stayed at the front and assisted with anything they were asked to help with. 

Being that it has been almost a year, Xiong Jingfei actually became closer to one of the Yin disciples. He was the only person she will go to when wanting to find out anything about the Yin clan. He was kind enough to tell her stories about her mother in her younger days.

"I never met your mother… She was married before I was taken into the Yin's household. However, I heard she was a rebellious daughter. Very unladylike, loved to climb trees, and sneaks out of the palace too! Oh!" Kuan Guowei excitedly told her the stories he heard about Yin Yingtai. 

In a way, Yin Yingtai's rebellious side made Xiong Jingfei feel a lot closer to her mother. She wasn't that much different when it comes to the same nature. Behind everyone's back, of course. 

Kuan Guowei covered his mouth, almost forgetting who he was telling the story to. "I apologize for my wording, Miss." 

Xiong Jingfei was pleased to hear the truth from him, "Don't worry about it." 

Kuan Guowei was already twelve-year-old when the Yin clan had taken in. Making him the oldest person they had ever accepted. The new head of the Yin clan was fascinated by his skills, so they made a special exception for him. He considered that this was the only stroke of luck in his life by becoming part of the Yin clan. 

He was also the person who kept tripping over on people's tent rope. Also, he was assigned with the task of coming to call Xiong Jingfei whenever she was needed. One of the reasons how they became closer. 

Xiong Jingfei recently came to discover that he was forced to take the "calling" task. Unluckily for him, he happened to pick the shortest stick. She laughed at his awful luck and how afraid the Yin disciples were of her. To a point, they would actually play a game just to assign this unimportant task.

Though, that wasn't the truth.

They weren't afraid of Xiong Jingfei. As a matter of fact, they wanted to get close to her! It was the person backing her up in the shadows that caused them to distance themselves. He warned them one time only, but it was enough that they will probably remember it in their next lifetime. 

Xiong Jingfei is probably the only person in the entire world. Who doesn't realize her strong connections and the power she technically has. 

"Oh, I don't know if I should say this…" Kuan Guowei hesitated, nervously fumbling his fingers. If someone heard him, his head would be chopped off by the Imperial family or Xiong Guozhi. 

Xiong Jingfei frowned. He can't just say something like that and don't tell her! She moved in a little closer, "I won't tell anyone, so tell me!"

Kuan Guowei covered his mouth and whispered it, "I once heard… The Emperor once asked your mother for her hand in marriage. To become one of his concubines, but she refused and later married your father." 

"What nonsense are the two of you whispering about?" 

Xiong Jingfei and Kuan Guowei immediately parted. 

"L-leader!" Kuan Guowei shrieked first and bowed second. His instinct was telling him that he should use Xiong Jingfei as a shield. She wouldn't even get a scratch from Wu Yuan. 

Wu Yuan narrowed his eyes, "I said, what were the two of you whispering about?" 

"W-w-we were…" Kuan Guowei swallowed the dry air building up inside his mouth.  

"I was asking about my mother," Xiong Jingfei answered, moving herself to stand in front of Kuan Guowei. 

Wu Yuan backed away, but his eyes still on Kuan Guowei, "As long as he wasn't talking about something he shouldn't be." 

"A-ah! Please excuse me, I forgot there was something I was assigned to do!" Kuan Guowei excused himself and backed away from both of them. By not looking, he almost tripped over another tent rope. Luckily he was able to avoid it. His footwork has become better over time! 

"Yuan, stop scaring him." Xiong Jingfei said, shaking her head. Goodness, Kuan Guowei's legs were shaking! 

Over time, she became used to Wu Yuan's way too. He enjoyed "tormenting" the Yin disciples, and they knew it also. Although none of them ever showed their detest in his leadership. He was able to carry them through the good and bad times they spent together. 

Although he may be harsh or will "intentionally" scare them. He was actually very caring and watched out for them. Making sure everyone gets a break in-between and not overworked. He showed it through his actions instead of words. 

Whenever anyone of them has fallen ill, he was the first to volunteer himself to replace them. He threatened them that if they showed up. He would make sure they remain asleep for the rest of their life. 

Besides Wu Yuan's threat, Xiong Jingfei can see why he was chosen to be the leader. He was respected by the Yin disciples despite being terrified of him. 

During her time at the camp, she spent most of her time with the Yin disciples. Occasionally, she will meet her father and have dinner with him. They were in the same camp but were working in different fields. They didn't have any reason to keep running into each other. 

This was also applied to Feng Huan. She rarely gets a chance to even see him. The last time they talked was when she patched him up in his own tent. After that, Wu Yuan found out about Feng Huan's injuries. He refused to let Xiong Jingfei tend to him unless they didn't have enough people helping. 

Wu Yuan's exact words and reasons were, "It is inappropriate for a woman and man to be in the same room, alone." 

Xiong Jingfei didn't think he would actually care about those trivial things. Especially not after what happened down at the stream that day. They were alone too! Then again, he probably didn't see Xiong Jingfei anything more than family and Yin Yingtai's daughter. 

"Tsk, I didn't do anything to them." Wu Yuan denied his tyrant ways and looked up at the sky. "Today is a clear day. Do you want to return to the Capital?"

Xiong Jingfei wondered what caused Wu Yuan to ask her this. They spent almost an entire year together, and he never talks about the Yin clan or the Capital.              

"No…" Xiong Jingfei answered although it came out like she wasn't sure if it's a yes or no. She did and didn't want to return. 

Xiong Guozhi may be strict on her, but it turned out she had more freedom here than in the Capital. There, she needed to be careful of watchful eyes from all corners. She had to deal with her stepmother and half-sisters. Here, she only needed to watch out for a surprise attack. An attack that was not intentionally aiming for her life, only her country. 

"Don't you miss him?" Wu Yuan asked, looking at the butterfly hairpin in her hair. 

"Who?" Xiong Jingfei wasn't sure who Wu Yuan was referring to and didn't take notice of his line of eyesight. 

"The owner of that hairpin." 

Xiong Jingfei touched the silver butterfly hairpin. An entire winter passed, and she never once took out the hairpin. She finally wore it after receiving an unexpected letter about the hairpin one day.

Yang Zheyan and Xiong Jingfei have been exchanging letters with one another, secretly. There was someone in the camp area who worked for him. He was in charge of delivering their letters. The messenger lived in the shadow and showed up only when Xiong Jingfei was ready to send her reply. 

The letter that day sent by Yang Zheyan asked her why she wasn't wearing the hairpin gifted by him. Did she not like it? What did she want? He will get it for her! 

She wondered if someone was spying on her for him. How did he know she never wore the hairpin… 

"Yuan, aren't you asking too much of a personal question?" Xiong Jingfei didn't answer him, but she did miss Yang Zheyan. 

Just like he promised her, he gave her anything she wanted and asked for. The only thing he couldn't give her was his love. When she agreed to his request, she didn't expect to slowly fall in love with him, either. 

She only accepted it because it wasn't like they could break off the marriage arrangement. By wanting a peaceful life with her future husband, she felt like that was her only choice.

Every time she forced herself to give on obtaining a little of his love. A letter from him with a gift will arrive and reignite those feelings again. A small part of her wondered if he missed her as much as she was missing him?