The letter arrived in the quiet of the night, brought by a trusted servant who slipped it into Li Mei's hand with a look of profound urgency. Her heart, which had been a storm of doubt and anxiety, now turned to ice. It was from Li Wan. The small, intricate crest on the wax seal was the one Li Mei had given her, the one she had given to her husband. This was not a message of sisterly affection; it was a warning.
Li Mei woke Prince Lin, her hands trembling. They sat in the soft glow of the lantern, the coded message a heavy weight between them. The words "treacherous route," "favorite falcon," and "sudden storm" danced before her eyes. They were not just phrases; they were pieces of a puzzle, a puzzle that screamed of a plot, a conspiracy, a trap. The "treacherous route" was an ambush. The "sudden storm" was a warning to take cover. And the "favorite falcon" was the name of the hunting party.
"It is a warning," Li Mei whispered, the words catching in her throat. "They mean to assassinate you on the royal hunting grounds. And Li Wan's husband... he has chosen us."
A wave of profound relief washed over her, but it was quickly replaced by a cold, searing fury. The audacity of it! They had planned to murder the Crown Prince of the kingdom without a single moment of hesitation. They believed they were above the law, above morality, and above the will of the people.
Prince Lin's face was a mask of cold fury. "They have gone too far," he said, his voice a low, dangerous growl. "They will not get away with this. Not this time."
Li Mei's mind, ever a fortress of strategy, began to work. "We will not cancel the hunt," she said, a new, cunning resolve hardening her voice. "We will go. We will walk directly into their trap. But this time, we will be waiting."
They immediately sent a letter to the King, not revealing the full plot, but hinting at a "credible threat to the Prince's safety." They requested that the King send his most loyal guard to accompany the hunting party, ostensibly to ensure their safety. The King, already overjoyed by the prosperity his son was bringing to the kingdom, agreed without a moment's hesitation.