The Dragon Heroes and the Princess

Recovery

A day after Lan Qi regained consciousness from her fever and sore throat, she barely touched food and was able to swallow the small dumplings made by the girl who had taken care of her for the past two days. 

“Miss Jing, your dumplings taste delicious.”

Jing Hua who was busy in front of the big stove with the fire she was constantly fanning to make it bigger turned her head and smiled. To Lan Qi, Jing Hua still looked young enough to be able to live alone. Even though Lan Qi had only slept and taken medicine since yesterday without swallowing any food—Jing Hua still boiled her soft raw vegetables and congee so Lan Qi could eat. On that one day, Lan Qi felt that Miss Jing's help was truly sincere. 

“You can eat as much as you want. I'm going to make another basket of dumplings today. Early tomorrow morning, I have to go down the mountain to go to the market.”

Ever since Lan Qi realized that she was no longer in the palace, she slowly began to accept that the tragedy of two days ago was still a mystery to her. She did have to return to the palace again, even though she didn't know how, but—living in this small hut wasn't too bad. At least she wasn't alone and someone was taking care of her.

"Market?"

Miss Jing stirred the wood in the stove to spread the fire. Heat the steamed buns made of bamboo to start steaming. There is a wide table attached to the wall of the hut. On the table spread the dumpling dough which is made in circles on a paper mat. Then on the side, there are slices of meat that have been cooked beforehand as the contents of the baozi. Lan Qi had been watching Miss Jing's dumplings-making process since yesterday, but she couldn't say anything because she was too weak.

Just today, when her body was feeling better she started chatting.

"Right. You want to come?"

Lan Qi was silent for a moment. Thinking of the market shape that Miss Jing and Lan Qi had imagined for themselves. In the palace, Lan Qi only went to one noble's market. The market is not far from the palace area. It was accessible by horse carriage and Lan Qi and her maids would take her to the candy and cake shop where Lan Qi usually bought. 

Normally Lan Qi would be happy to go buy it herself. Even though palace officials had prepared special pastries or snacks, Lan Qi still liked to shop alone, while going for a walk outside the palace. 

As an only child who had grown up in a large empire, Lan Qi had never felt any freedom other than playing in the library or music room. Sometimes the hall is just a place to look at the evening sky while reading a book. The rest, if other royal guests were visiting, she couldn't play or talk about each other's preferences. Lan Qi was forbidden to show expression and ask something personal to the royal guests.

Thus, when Lan Qi imagined the foreign market, she didn't know if there was such a big difference she would have to accept. 

As Lan Qi did not reply, Miss Jing turned her head in the middle of the fanning of the flames. "Why? You don't want to go?" 

Lan Qi came to her senses and went back to biting the dumplings in her hand. "No. I want to."

Miss Jing got up. Sweat filled her temples and forehead. Today she was wearing a simple dress that looked like just two layers of ordinary silk. With a black rope belt, and long hair pulled up in a ponytail, Miss Jing looked very plain and simple. 

"Do not push yourself. I know who you are."

For a moment, Lan Qi was speechless in her chewing. She didn't know how much people recognized her face as a princess of the palace, but as far as Lan Qi could remember, it was rare for commoners to recognize her that way right away. Not even all the people recognized the face of the Emperor—who had been killed.

“I…”

“Take it easy. I won't tell anyone. You said yesterday you got lost. I don't know what the problem is, and I don't know if you can tell me about it either. But as long as you're alone and you're too small to come out of the woods like this, then I'll help you. Just tell me where I can drop you off at your residence.”

Hearing this explanation, Lan Qi jumped for joy. “You can take me back to the palace?!”

Miss Jing turned around quickly before she returned to her work. Her narrowed eyes widened slightly. “Y-you… you're from—”

Lan Qi's eyes looked expectant and lit up. "I'm from the palace. But I—” before she continued, Lan Qi didn't know if she could continue to introduce herself. Since what happened to the palace, Emperor, and Empress, in fact, would she still count as Royal Princess Li Ming? The kingdom that all other kingdoms fear the most because it has the best rice fields and tea gardens?

Lan Qi didn't know. But Miss Jing came back and rubbed her shoulder gently.

"You must have been through something really hard. Want to tell me? It doesn't matter if you don't want to reveal your identity yet. I know, sometimes nobles like you must come from the higher-ups and important officials in the palace, right? And for people like you, identity is something that matters. True, or not?"

"You know quite a lot about the palace."

“I studied at the academy the basic rules of being a noble and how to behave. My grandfather used to be an official, but now he has died and I chose to exile myself from his residence.”

Lan Qi turned curious about Miss Jing's story. "Why did you choose to live alone? Isn't being alone bad?”

Jing Hua smiled gently. “No. But I don't like my grandfather's legacy from the kingdom.”

"You hate palaces?"

Jing Hua's hand shook quickly. "No. I am not. I really respect the Emperor and Empress. I obeyed every palace rule, but… My grandfather had a bit of a secret against officials. I don't know exactly what his secret is like but I think it has something to do with his death."

Lan Qi's brow furrowed slightly. "Was your grandfather killed too?" something Lan Qi was not familiar with lately. That her father, the Emperor, was also killed. And she knew what it felt like until now—when she still didn't know what was going on.

Miss Jing stared blankly ahead before she answered. It was as if she was imagining the memories that were crashing back into her mind. "I don't know. But… when I got the news that my grandfather died, it was when he was in the case of investigating a painting.”

"What painting?" Lan Qi asked increasingly confused.

"Ah, never mind. It would be too complicated to explain. I don't want you to think about that now. The most important thing is you have to rest first to go home to your place. But… is it alright if I drop you off in two more days? I had to sell dumplings to raise money so I could borrow a horse. We can leave in two days if that's all right."

Hearing that, naturally, Lan Qi felt grateful. She didn't know how to express her gratitude, but the even better news was that she was coming home.

Lan Qi smiled. "No problem. I am instead very grateful to you, Miss Jing.”

Jing Hua nodded. But before she returned to the furnace, she slightly pointed the ice blade behind the brown cloth on the table. “Actually… How could the person who saved you just leave? And… what happened to you to faint in the middle of the forest?”

***