The Dragon Heroes and the Princess

Recognized

Early in the morning, Lan Qi's body was gently shaken by Miss Jing who had gotten up from where she was. The air outside was still chilly to the point where Lan Qi found it hard to open her eyes. If in the palace, all the maids would have prepared toiletries, escorted her to the bathroom, prepared perfume, combed her hair, chose a dress for her, and put on beautiful earrings. 

But waking up twice in an unfamiliar place made Lan Qi realize that now, she was doing everything herself.

“Sorry, Lan Qi, are you still sleepy? It's fine if you want to catch up with me later."

Lan Qi pushed aside the covers as she shook her head and rubbed her eyes. “No problem, Miss Jing. I'm awake now."

Miss Jing smiled. It turned out that she had already prepared a bamboo basket box where the dumplings were. Lan Qi got up from the bed, then searched around for consciousness. 

How many days has she not showered? Geez, she didn't even remember because she was too depressed from yesterday's incident.

“Miss Jing… I just realized that I haven't taken a bath since yesterday—”

Miss Jing who was tidying up her luggage, was silent for a while and then laughed. “Oh my gosh, I just remembered. Sorry, the weather around the mountain is always this cold. I never take a regular bath except when I'm mixing the dough. Near here is a river. Let me take you. You can wash your face there.”

"Sorry to trouble you."

"Not at all."

At first, Lan Qi was confused about taking a shower but didn't use any tools. Miss Jing only gave her a few Peonies which she still had for perfumed baths. Lan Qi took the flowers with her bare hands and went out of the cold, dark hut.

Amidst the forest and their steps, Lan Qi whispered. “Miss Jing, at that time you said there could be a bear or a tiger. Is it safe now?”

Jing Hua walked beside her with a lantern. “My hut is near the border of the market. The bears and tigers were usually in the middle of the forest, almost to the middle of the mountain. So we are far away from its hunting grounds. You don't worry, as long as there's me, and this fire, we're all good.”

And Miss Jing was right. Arriving near a clear flowing stream, under the light of the lanterns, and the sky turning purplish, Lan Qi dipped her feet and washed her shoulders and feet with Miss Jing. Even though it felt cold as ice, but for a moment, bathing in the middle of a forest like that made the hardness of the wound that had settled in her chest melt away a little.

She had promised that today, she had to start a new day. She must carry out her new mission. 

After taking a shower, the sky turned lighter. The thin clouds scattered over the blue sky slightly parted the sunlight from behind the mountain. Making the morning light seep into the dry leaves lying on the ground. 

Returning to the hut and helping to carry some equipment, Lan Qi was lent another shirt by Miss Jing. Even though the clothes were slightly bigger, Miss Jing managed to outsmart them by folding them inside and tying them with a belt left behind by Lan Qi's only royal palace. They are ready to go down the mountain.

Miss Jing carried a large basket which she carried on one hand and her waist. Meanwhile, Lan Qi carried another basket of dough in her hand. They walked out of the dense trees, towards the lower plains. From a distance, Lan Qi could see the sloping roofs through the morning dew. She felt a little new sensation when she saw the houses. The atmosphere is similar to that around the palace.

But speaking of houses, exactly how far was she from the palace? The blue bowman who had taken her away didn't say where they were. But when Lan Qi arrived at the edge of the cliff, the vast city below, she found that it was quite a distance from Li Ming's tower—the sign of the palace area. 

The wind hit her face briefly. Realized her that the blue bowman was far enough away to take her away from the robbers. But why were the robbers still able to chase her?

“Lan Qi, come here.” 

Miss Jing was already standing on a lever with a rope wrapped around it. The rope is held by an iron that is stuck into the ground. Looks pretty strong. Like a lever for a well.

“Climb into this box. Then I'll take you down." 

Lan Qi looked at the one small box that would fit her body. Then on Jing Hua's signal, Lan Qi climbed onto the box and allowed herself to be carried down by the rope that Mss Jing was twisting from above.

The cliff is not that high. It was only a few feet because after reaching the bottom, she could still see Miss Jing who was in turn going down. 

"Isn't there even lower ground to get us to the market?"

Miss Jing kept the rope hidden between the rocky cliffs overgrown with vines. Slightly covering it from the view of people. But down here it was also full of trees and grassy ground. Slightly different from the forest which has tall trees and soars into the sky.

"There isn't any. Anyway, I have to turn again and further to the market. From here, we just need to pass through Huang Street and then get to the Huang market in the middle of town.”

Lan Qi nodded and then followed Miss Jing who led the way ahead. The forest around was not wide, in just a few steps Lan Qi had already arrived at the path that led to the center of the city. The cool morning atmosphere along with the activity in the market opened Lan Qi's mind for a moment.

She glanced around as she followed Miss Jing who was greeting several merchants at the small open stall. There were carpenters, clay pot sellers, a few pea sellers, and some iron makers. The shops had walls made of wood and their shops were side by side. There is also a small tent stall selling beautiful hairpins. Sandal sellers, women's shoe sellers, some tea vendors on the side of the road, and people busy buying and selling their goods.

Lan Qi rarely went to the mid-level market. She didn't know that the market in the city center was much busier than near the palace. In the palace, the market is very small and there are only a few souvenir stalls. There are no carpenters, blacksmiths, or even tea sellers on the roadside like this. Everything is in a restaurant and divided by a small river in the middle. It was very quiet and Lan Qi could see that in time, it could be called an official's only market. 

Perhaps that was also the reason why the Emperor never forbade her from going to the market outside the palace.

After crossing a bridge that was crowded with people passing by, Lan Qi arrived at an open stall by the river. The open stall is slightly up from the stalls next to it. The concrete floor is flat and there are only wooden pillars to protect Miss Jing's stall from the rain and sun. 

"Welcome to my little stall."

Above the entrance, there is a small sign with the words, “Jing Hua Beef Buns” carved in wood. In front of the stall, there was only a path that led stairs up to the mountain, there weren't many stalls next to it. There were only merchants taking cover near the tents. Meanwhile beside the river, then a small restaurant and a few stalls scattered again.

"What's wrong, Lan Qi?"

Lan Qi who had just finished turning around looked around with a small smile. “Your little stall is really nice. I like the atmosphere.”

In front of where Miss Jing was standing, there was a table and a hearth stove. There are also tables and chairs for diners to eat. Around the stall is fenced with low wood as a barrier to the stall. Lan Qi went to Miss Jing and started helping her—though she wasn't sure if it would be of any use.

“This is the only stall left by my aunt. When I was little, my aunt sold dumplings. And the recipe she passed down to me.

Lan Qi knew this sounded impolite, but she wanted to understand Miss Jing more. "Then where are your parents? Don't you live with them?”

Miss Jing tossed dumplings into a basket made of bamboo onto the hot stove. Still silently awaiting an answer, Lan Qi did not see the slightest change in her face.

“My parents used to be heroes. I'm not sure what heroes are, but they say, in the olden days parents always left their children to other people because they were afraid of what would happen to them. Heroes have many enemies, and they left me with my aunt. So until now, actually I am sometimes flattered by that story, but also not.”

Lan Qi had read stories about heroes living in the mountains. Meditate and deepen their martial arts. Heroes are people who have magical power from creatures. Their power is usually quite strong and even can bring balance to the world. Some greatest creatures she knows so far are just a Dragon and a Condor. Lan Qi didn't really understand it herself, but when she read the book about the Wind Mountain Heroes, she quite liked it. They were able to bring out a power that Lan Qi had never thought of.

"Then you can defend yourself?"

Miss Jing laughed softly. "Certainly not. I stay away from things like that. After all, in the world we live in now, Heroes are just like mages. They can be burned by the people if they are caught.”

Lan Qi's brow furrowed. "What's with the mages?"

"You did not know? Mage and heroes are the opposing ones from the palace. They think their power can imbalance the Emperor.”

Lan Qi honestly didn't know. She had never heard her father or mother mention mages or heroes. They even hid books and scrolls in a special library that until now— Lan Qi had never touched.

“I don't know…” Lan Qi replied unmoved.

“In that case, they are hiding something from you too. Just like the time my grandfather hid his case about the painting. Ah, there are so many things in the palace world that we don't know.”

Before Lan Qi was about to reply, someone was heard running across the rooftops. Barely taking Lan Qi by surprise, a youth with a dark blue shirt and long sleeves stepped down from the side of the stall and jumped nimbly on two legs. Landed smoothly in front of the stall.

Lan Qi blinked in surprise, but Miss Jing just clicked her tongue.

"What things we don't know about the palace?" said the boy tossing his hair a little.

“Xiao Zhun, you came too early. My dumplings are still not warm.”

The boy she was talking to fell silent as he looked at Lan Qi. Along with Lan Qi also looking at him. The clothes are quite neat and luxurious. He was wearing a belt with two small jades on the end of the rope. His hair was pinned up with a gleaming copper hairpin while behind him were two swords slung around his shoulders. 

"You…." The young man's lips opened, then before Lan Qi could guess what to say next, the young man continued, "Aren't you Princess Li Ming?"

***