"Princess, are you okay?"
The man's voice was heavy with worry.
Xiao Zhi blinked, coughing up water as she pushed wet hair from her face.
Her vision cleared, and there he was, a tall man with broad shoulders, clad in dark armor. His eyes, sharp like steel, studied her with a mixture of concern and restraint.
Her heart stopped. Wait… Who is this handsome fellow?
"I—I'm fine." She slid backward on the wet stone, her sleeves leaving little puddles behind. "I just… slipped. Totally normal drowning accident. Happens all the time. Don't worry."
The man frowned. "You're trembling, Princess. Are you sure?" He leaned slightly closer, ready to steady her if she collapsed again.
She squinted at him suspiciously. "Who are you?"
His expression stiffened. "You don't recognize me?" His hand hovered near her temple, checking it gently. "Did you hit your head in the water?"
"No, no," she waved her hands quickly. "Just… dizzy. The water got in my head and scrambled things. Let's just say I… temporarily forgot who you are."
He hesitated for a second. "I am Shen Han."
That name. She knew it. Childhood friend of Lian Zhi. General. Loyal protector... and lover.
He is the main lead!
"Oh! Right! Yes, Shen Han. Of course. My... boyfriend!"
Shen Han blinked. He was not familiar with the term. "Boyfriend?"
Xiao Zhi quickly realized that was not a common term in this era, or book, or wherever she was right now. "I—I mean, you are a boy, and my friend. Boyfriend, right?"
He studied her, clearly confused, but let it pass.
"Anyway!" She clapped her hands together, ignoring her soaked sleeves. "You have to help me. You can't let them marry me off. If I go, Mama will…" Her chest tightened. "She'll die."
Shen Han didn't understand half of what she was saying, but he could sense that her fear was real.
"Princess, what do you mean, 'die'? What danger are you speaking of?"
She groaned. "Ugh! You don't get it because you didn't read the—" She bit her tongue. She couldn't really explain what was going on, could she?
"Forget that. Listen! In three days, the envoy from Tughril will arrive. My father plans to send me away, and when that happens… Mama, I mean my mother, will try to stop it. She'll be killed. If we don't act now, I'll lose her forever."
Shen Han's eyes darkened. "Killed? Your mother?"
"Yes. She'll stand in front of the envoy, and he'll—he'll…" Her words tangled with memory. Blood. Screams. Her mother collapsing. She shook her head to erase the horrible images.
Shen Han grasped her shoulders firmly, steadying her. "Princess, I know about the marriage order. That is why I came tonight, to check on you. But what you are describing…" He paused. "How do you know this will happen? Is this some conspiracy from the Tughril court?"
She shook her head. "It's not a conspiracy. I just… know."
He was silent for a long moment, then he declared, "Even if I don't understand, I believe your fear is real. I swear, I won't let your mother die. Nor will I allow you to be forced into this marriage."
Xiao Zhi let out a relieved sigh. For the first time since she'd woken up here, someone was on her side.
"Good. Then we need a plan. Step by step. Strategically."
His brow quirked. "Step by step?"
"Yes!" She exclaimed. "We need a foolproof plan! One with layers, traps, and counter-traps."
Shen Han looked as though she were speaking another language, but he didn't interrupt. Instead, he helped her to her feet, steadying her as she shivered.
"First step," he said firmly, "is getting you out of these wet clothes. If you fall sick, there will be no planning at all."
Before she could protest, he guided her toward her chamber.
"Take the princess and bring her fresh garments," Shen Han ordered the maids in front of the chamber.
The maids obeyed quickly, bustling Xiao Zhi away.
When the door opened again, Xiao Zhi emerged in dry robes, hair still damp but neatly pinned. She spotted Shen Han pacing outside like a restless tiger.
"Shen Han!" She grabbed his sleeve and dragged him inside, waving the maids away. "We have to talk."
Shen Han blinked, clearly caught off guard.
"Three days," she blurted. "That's all we have."
Shen Han held up his hands. "Princess, calm down."
"I can't calm down! In three days, I'll be dragged off to some barbaric land, and my mother will—" She began panicking.
"Princess… I truly don't understand. But if what you say is true, tell me everything."
"Fine." She drew a shaky breath. "Before I'm sent off, my mother will confront the envoy. She'll beg him. She'll fight him. And he'll… he'll kill her."
Shen Han's eyes narrowed. "If what you say is true, then this envoy is dangerous. We must not let him come anywhere near your mother."
Relief flooded her chest. Finally, an ally.
"Good. Then step one is simple. We make sure the envoy never comes near Mother. We get rid of him first."
Shen Han stiffened with the words. "Get rid of? You mean kill an envoy?" Shen Han couldn't believe she would suggest that. "Princess, that is not simple. If Tughril learns that their envoy was slain here, they will declare war. Our people will pay with their blood."
Xiao Zhi winced at the thought. "Right. Okay, you're right. No open killing." She chewed her lip. "But then… what else can we do? I can't think of another way to stop the envoy."
Shen Han paused a bit, his eyes fixed on the table, lost in thought.
"Unless…" He finally looked up. "Unless he is not killed in Hua land. Unless his death looks like the work of… bandits. Robbers. An accident outside our borders."
Xiao Zhi's eyes widened. Her pulse spiked. "Oh. Oh! That's brilliant!"
For the first time that night, Shen Han almost smiled.
But in his heart, he felt uneasy. She was speaking of murder and fate as if they were already written. He didn't understand half her words, but he understood her desperation. And for her, he would walk into fire itself.
Xiao Zhi leaned forward, determination blazing in her eyes. "Then it's decided. We change the story. We kill the envoy before he ever steps into this palace."
The chamber fell quiet. Xiao Zhi and Shen Han looked at each other in determination.
"Now, how do we hire robbers?"