RIN

The palace gates opened. Troops from the army entered, the murmurs of citizens fading behind them. As the Bai army troops assembled in the open courtyard, they were not alone. Imperial guards, generals, and even servants watched from afar. Bright sunlight broke and poured over, royal blue lion banners billowing in the wind.

Making their way through the crowd, Rin lifted her head to peer through. When she made it to the front, the expression on her face shifted. Her grandfather and uncle, they were nowhere to be found.

Instead, a young woman, domed in golden armor, stood at the front of the army. She was beautiful, her skin, a deep brown, and her black hair tied in a high ponytail. Her nose was sharp like an eagle's beak, and her eyes glittered with a cold assertiveness. She was solid and broad across her chest, firmly planted in her feet.

A helmet rested on her right hip, her sharp eyes scanning the crowd, a few loose strands of hair caressed her cheeks. Flickering her gaze over the numerous faces, they finally landed on a pair of emerald eyes.

The woman stepped closer to the approaching figures. Rin and An Sun made their way to the woman and watched as she dropped on one knee and cupped her fists.

"Greetings, Young Master Bai." The woman's voice was strong and clear.

Gasps came from the crowd behind them. Hearing their murmurs, Rin inwardly sighed.

"General Jin Yue. There's no need for such formalities." She said to the woman helplessly.

Glancing up at her for a brief moment, Jin Yue eventually stood up. She was a tall woman, half an entire head of Rin when they stood beside each other. Looking past the tall woman, Rin scanned her gaze among the men behind her. When the faces she sought to see were nowhere to be found, Rin didn't bother to conceal her disappointment.

"Where's my grandfather and uncle?" She asked.

"Master Bai and the General are still handling matters in the North. They told me to come and help you until their arrival." Jin Yue responded.

Half of Rin was upset, but she knew it was needed for them to stay for the time being. Furthermore, Jin Yue was an honorable and recognizable female general in her grandfather's army. There was no one better to assist them.

"I see. Well, for now, we'll need to explain your arrival to Emperor Guan Hong." Rin gestured them forward.

Along the way, they passed the training grounds where Fan Mingli and the towering Yin Changpu happened to be. They found him lifting huge bags, lunging forward around the field. His muscles looked large as boulders.

Detecting a presence from the corner of his vision, the huge man turned. Yin Changpu's handsome and strong face lit up. With the large bags still on his shoulders, he ran toward them.

His eyes narrowed, and then stiff politeness took over.

"Ah, hello...I'm Yin Changpu," He said thickly. He put down his burden and offered a hand knobbed with calluses.

Jin Yue glanced down at his large hand and back to his face. She was silent and just tilted her head slightly in acknowledgment.

"Jin Yue," She said stoically.

"Jin Yue…" Yin Changpu repeated her name slowly.

On the side, Rin and An Sun watched with raised brows. After a moment of silence, An Sun cleared his throat.

"We need to see the emperor now." He said.

"Huh? Oh, right, yes, you all go, I'll just be here training! You know, I have to keep myself strong." Yin Changpu laughed, his sweaty chest stuck out broadly.

Without another word, the group left, feeling the eyes of Yin Changpu on a certain figure as they disappeared. There was silence for a moment, all except the light footsteps approaching the large man.

"Hey, what the hell are you staring off for?" Fan Mingli frowned and waved a hand in front of Yin Changpu's face.

Pulled from his thoughts, Yin Changpu suddenly broke out in a broad and charming grin. The very expression on his face gave Fan Mingli shivers. He turned to look at Fan Mingli and chuckled.

"Come on, let's keep training." He said and picked up the large bags before walking to the training grounds.

Confused, Fan Mingli stared at him then shifted his gaze to where the others left. Furrowing his brows, he gave up with a shrug.

…

When the sun hung low in the sky, Emperor Guan Hong called for a second council meeting. The room was filled with a few rows of chairs in a ragged semicircle.

At the front of the room sat the emperor and other higher figures, including General Donghai. The council members came in and took their seats one by one.

Once everyone was seated, they took notice of the tall woman standing behind the young strategist. She seemed to be a general. Looking to the emperor for answers, he gestured his eyes to Rin. It was under their stares that Rin finally explained herself. At the end, everyone froze with shock.

"You mean to tell us…you're the grandson of the Bai family?" A council member asked.

"Yes," Rin confirmed.

Murmurs broke, and numerous expressions changed, some filled with shock, awe, and others distrust.

"Bullshit! If you were the grandson of the Bai family, why didn't you say so before? You tricked us!" A general slammed a fist against the table.

Leaning back casually in his seat, arms crossed over his broad chest, An Sun suddenly frowned.

"So what if he tricked you?" His voice was cold, his chin lifted in disdain. "No offense, but after everything he's done for all of you, do you have the right to question him?"

The general's face twisted in anger, and his lips pulled back from his teeth. He hissed. "Hah! You're one to talk! Especially since you have also lied about your identity! For all we know, you and the Bai family could be working together to overrun the Western Empire!"

At such an accusation, the men frowned in confusion, whispering to each other. The eyes of trust and admiration turned to weariness and narrowed glares. Jin Yue, who stood behind Rin narrowed her eyes in rage.

"This bastard..." An Sun growled in a low voice, his jaw tightened with displeasure. His hands were fisted at his sides; he hung on to his composure, barely.

Just before he spoke to silence the foolish men, another beat him to it.

"That's enough," Rin said, her words lashing like a whip.

Everyone's faces had broken into dark red blotches of shock. The silence was so profound they felt they could hear the faint sound of feet shift nervously beneath the table. Even the emperor himself, who had been silent from the beginning, was shocked. His left eyebrow raised curiously, but no anger was on his face.

"General Han, I would greatly appreciate it if you did not make such dangerous and outrageous allegations against my family and my companion." Rin's face was very still. The words were quiet but distinctly audible. "You must know treasonous words should not be thrown out so carelessly. Otherwise, punishment should be given to those who are in the wrong."

The general made an inarticulate noise, his face purple with rage. Rin held up a hand.

"However, under such circumstances, I will ignore your false accusations. This time. As for your claims of my dishonesty against the Western Empire, I admit, I lied about my identity. I hid it not to deceive, but to prevent dragging my family name into my own agenda, which is to help the Western Empire grow stronger and prosperous. Other than that, every word and promise I have spoken has been the truth." Rin's voice filled with authority, but not spite.

From the beginning, she knew her influence was only that on the surface. For the council's trust to shift so easily, it was clear it was weak from the start. If someone wanted to stain her image, they could do it without any effort.

This was why she needed to not only show off her authority but also that her trust would never shift.

Everyone was silent in response to Rin's words. Truth be told, they didn't know how to feel on the matter. Even the general, who spoke out before, couldn't refute. When the murmur had died, Emperor Guan Hong stood.

"Right now, our region is under attack by a strong enemy. Already they have swept half of our land with their men and continue to do so as we sit here and argue."

With unreadable eyes, he turned to Rin. "Advisor Bai, although you have lied about your identity…I believe you are true to your word. Through your risky actions and assistance, you have proven your worth. Bringing the Bai army to aid us in our fight further shows where your loyalty stands."

His eyes roamed around the men at the table, their heads lowered.

"General Han, since Advisor Bai has decided to let your accusations go, I will spare you punishment. However, from now on, please be careful with your words." He warned, the words snapping off like an owl biting through bone.

Lowering his head even further, the general agreed with a faint sound. With a grunt, the emperor dismissed everyone at the table.

After the meeting, Rin arranged with the emperor a place for the Bai soldiers and Jin Yue to rest among the other western troops. The sun was just setting as Rin and An Sun walked back to their quarters.

"Thank you for earlier," Rin said.

An Sun's voice was remote, almost careless. "Did you think I'd just let them speak badly about you in silence?"

Rin shook her head. "No, I just thought I would thank you."

"Well, don't." There was something in his voice, a strain. Rin turned to him only to see he had stopped as well.

He was now looking at her. His gray eyes studying her face.

"You're someone important to me. When you're in trouble, I'll be there. So you don't have to thank me."

They stood there a moment, in that strained and living silence. Rin raised her eyes slightly. An Sun was utterly motionless, that stillness that was his alone. She breathed and was aware of the bare stretch of a single step between them.

He leaned forward.

"Sun…" Rin's voice caught in her throat, eyes opening wide.

He looked down at her, and there was a bright pleasure in his eyes.

"Not yet," He said and pulled back, walking past her.

Stunned, Rin stared at his broad back. Her cheeks grew warm and flushed. Looking over his shoulder, An Sun chuckled.

"Coming?"

With a scowl, Rin huffed and walked past him, eyes averting his. One, because she didn't want to look at him out of irritation. And two, she was too ashamed to show him how red her face was.

She could only imagine how foolish she looked. The very thought brought her great annoyance...