The next halt came at sunset. It was time to prepare for sleep. Yunsheng decided not to act directly, but simply to catch her eye more often for a start. Athit had always commanded attention with his inherent grace, but now, in this maiden's body, he seemed even more fragile and delicate. The long, elegant nails made her fingers appear even slenderer. The habits, the gestures, the glances—all betrayed Athit in her. His Athit. Yunsheng couldn't help but smile, stealing fleeting glances at the young lady while going about his duties.
Jihua and her maidservant hardly left their carriage.
When the camp plunged into slumber, Yunsheng took the second watch. The campfire was still burning, crackling softly in the night's silence. Suddenly, he heard a creak and the faint rustle of fabric. The man turned instantly, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword. A girl's silhouette appeared from the carriage. She carefully stepped down to the ground and froze, catching the commander's intense gaze. They looked at each other for a few seconds; then the man slowly approached her, bowing politely.
"Forgive me if I startled you," he said, straightening up. "Is something troubling you?"
"No. I just... I couldn't sleep. I wanted to get some fresh air."
"In that case, I advise you not to wander far from the camp; it might be unsafe."
"Is the detachment sleeping by the fire?" the girl asked, timidly peering over his shoulder.
Yunsheng turned, assessing the situation. The young lady was clearly uncomfortable being surrounded by sleeping men.
"If you wish, we can step away towards the stream. I will stand guard over you."
"Thank you." The girl smiled modestly and lowered her eyes.
By her relaxed shoulders, Yunsheng understood that she was glad for the permission. It seemed that during the day she had been slightly afraid of him, expecting harshness from the commander, but now she was convinced his intentions were kind.
Moonlight flooded the path with silver. The man walked two steps behind so the girl would remain in his line of sight. He couldn't help but admire her slender silhouette. That gait, the incredible grace in every step... Yunsheng felt he could have watched it for the rest of the night.
Approaching the stream, he noted that in the evening the current had seemed swifter and louder. Now the water ran steadily, shimmering in the cold lunar rays. Jihua sat on a flat stone near the bank and simply watched the water. It seemed as if the anxieties that had robbed her of sleep were gradually being carried away with the current. Yunsheng stood nearby like a shadow, ready to come to her aid at any moment. Both remained silent for a long time: the girl was lost in thought, her eyes fixed on the stream, while the man couldn't take his eyes off her.
"The Governor... what kind of man is he?" she asked quietly, breaking the silence. It was the thoughts of her betrothed that kept her awake.
"The Governor-General... is an influential man," Yunsheng began cautiously after a brief pause. "He is intelligent and experienced, he knows how to hold onto power..."
"I meant, as a person," the girl added, making it clear that memorized facts did not interest her.
Yunsheng looked at her more closely.
"Do you want a truthful answer... or a comforting one?"
"A truthful one," she said, turning to look him straight in the eyes.
The man hesitated for a moment.
"His reputation... is ambiguous."
The girl lowered her gaze again.
"So, the rumors do not lie," she said with quiet bitterness. "I have never seen him. Yet I already belong to him."
Yunsheng's fist clenched involuntarily behind his back.
"You are not an object, My Lady."
Jihua threw her head back, looking at the commander once more. In his tone, she caught the strange notes of a deep, and for some reason, painful emotion. Or was it just her imagination playing tricks in the dark?
"In any case, everything is already predetermined," she replied softly.
So many words spun on Yunsheng's tongue. He wanted so desperately to tell her that she had a choice. That she could refuse this cursed marriage. That he would undoubtedly protect her, hide her from the whole world, and prevent the unthinkable from happening, because he was here. But he couldn't. In his current position, he had no right to do so.
"Sometimes, if you desire it strongly enough and sincerely ask the gods for it, they come to your aid, and fate can change in the most incredible ways," was all he replied.
"Are you saying you were once helped?"
"Undoubtedly."
The girl sank into silence, pondering his words. This tiny spark of hope warmed her, and she smiled faintly at her own thoughts.
"Thank you for the advice."
Silence fell again, but now it was warm and trusting. After some time, Yunsheng gently reminded her that it was time to return. They walked quietly back to the camp, trying not to wake anyone. Jihua disappeared into the carriage, while Yunsheng stood by the fire for a long time, replaying every second of their night excursion in his mind.
The morning turned out to be chilly. A dove-gray fog still clung between the trees when the detachment began breaking camp. Horses snorted; soldiers conversed in hushed voices as they packed their gear. Jihua sat in the carriage, her slender silhouette barely decipherable behind the thick curtain. Yunsheng inadvertently cast a glance in that direction—and immediately forced himself to look away.
Houwei had been uncharacteristically silent since morning. He moved sharper than usual, angrily tightening the straps on his saddle, answering questions dryly and in monosyllables. Even when Yunsheng gave the order to depart, he merely gave a grim nod, avoiding the commander's eyes.
What is wrong with him? the thought flashed, but Yunsheng decided not to pry with questions just yet.
The journey resumed. During the midday halt, Yunsheng sat slightly apart, pretending to be deeply engrossed in the route map. In reality, his attention kept returning to the carriage. He allowed himself only fleeting glances—stealthily, afraid someone might notice his unhealthy interest in another man's bride. Occasionally he caught the flutter of fabric, noticed a light shadow behind the curtain—and his heart responded each time with a quiet warmth. He dared not approach.
When the halt was almost over, Yunsheng walked up to Houwei, who was adjusting the buckles on his horse. He wanted to speak, but the latter immediately led the horse away in silence, leaving the man alone. Yunsheng decided to give his friend some time to cool down. Clearly, he was not in the mood to talk right now.
The road dragged on lazily and monotonously. The wheels of the carriages creaked in time with the horses' steps; the wind rustled the dry grass along the roadside. Yunsheng rode at the head of the detachment, but his thoughts were far away.
He kept returning to the previous night: to the silvery moonlight, to the quiet voice, and to the person for whose sake he had entered this world. He remembered how she sat by the stream, looking into the water as if trying to wash away her anxieties, how she remained silent.
She doesn't even know what I am to her...
Yunsheng tightened his grip on the reins a little more. He caught himself wanting to hear her voice again, realizing he couldn't bear to lose her once more. His gaze involuntarily darted back to the carriage. He understood: yesterday night had been the beginning of something that could no longer be stopped. Even if they remained silent and kept their distance. Sometimes a single glance is enough to make fate irreversible, and ahead of them lay the Governor-General's residence. And Yunsheng suddenly felt it with painful clarity: the closer they got to their destination, the further he was from the possibility of being near her, and his heart clenched tighter and tighter because of it.