"Have you ever asked her about her opinion?" Yao Ling asked.

"No... However, she always put on a sad smile, so I'm sure that she also doesn't want this marriage to happen," Xiao Fang answered while remembering Han Xiang's lonely expression.

"Then how do you determine whether she really wants to or not? What you see is not always the truth!"

"Because... who... who wants to get married to such a bad guy?" Xiao Fang asked with uncertainty.

"Does Han Xiang know about it? That the Qin Emperor is a bad guy?" Yao Ling wanted to confirm about it.

Xiao Fang hesitantly said, "I don't know... probably... I got the news after her entourage has already gone."

Yao Ling nodded her head. "That's why we need to ask about her decision first. You have to let her know the news about the Qin Emperor. You can't decide her life for her," Yao Ling gave her a piece of advice.

Xiao Fang nodded in understanding. "I see what you mean, but I'm sure that I will be able to convince her."

Yao Ling only answered, "That's good then." After that, she didn't dwell on that matter anymore.

Somehow... Yao Ling felt that it wouldn't be that easy. If she really thought of Xiao Fang as good sisters, she didn't think that Han Xiang would want to put Xiao Fang into that fugitive life. At least, that's what she would do if she was Han Xiang. She wouldn't try to put her life in other people's palm, but she would try to find a way to survive on her own.

Yao Ling just hoped that Han Xiang was really worth it. She wasn't blinded by her own feelings just like Lin Jian who was already biased due to his own personal feeling regarding his mother.

The women decided to prepare their sleep arrangement in the middle of the circle. Yao Ling and Xiao Fang slept side by side after chatted for a little bit, while the men were guarding them and stayed awake in turn.

When the women sleep, Yao Ying and Lin Jian were talking in a low voice about Xiao Fang. They had their doubt toward the woman, but they had no choice but to make her as their own p.a.w.n. Fortunately, their goal was the same, so Xiao Fang probably wouldn't feel suspicious. Besides, the woman was quite dense, to begin with.

Yao Ying and Lin Jian didn't dare to talk too much because they believed the Jiang Hu guards would be able to hear them with their sensitive hearing.

Just like that one night had pa.s.sed peacefully. Fortunately, no one attacked them -- whether it was a.s.sa.s.sin or wolf. After pa.s.sing through Long'an, they would arrive at Lin Zhou by midnight -- if there was no complication on their journey, of course.

Luckily, they didn't meet any mishap and everything went smoothly.

They arrived at Lin Zhou by midnight. Some of Xiao Fang's guards separated themselves and searched for the inn that still had vacancy rooms, while the rest of them were waiting tiredly --- especially the women. They had never been a few days journey without rest so naturally, their body couldn't keep up with the men.

By giving one of the innkeepers a few taels of silver, they got the best room and even the horses got special treatment even though it was already midnight. Let the money do the talking! The innkeeper welcomed them warmly and he woke up several of his subordinates and efficiently prepare a few rooms for them.

Knowing that Lin Jian had woken up the innkeeper, he generously gave a bit more and asked the innkeeper to take care of them well because they were going to stay for a few days at Lin Zhou.

They separated themselves and went inside their own respective rooms, after that, they quickly fell asleep. After a few days sleeping on a hard surface, the comfortable bed made them feel heaven.

All of them had already made a consensus and decision that they would talk about their plan tomorrow. First thing first, they had to find out whether Han Xiang's entourage had arrived or not. Because of the loud proclamation of the wedding entourage, it means there were a lot of people who would attend to the princess.

Their pace naturally would be slower than them. They didn't even have the time to rest and kept pus.h.i.+ng their bodies to the limit so they could arrive before Han Xiang. They needed to prepare themselves beforehand and welcomed the princess with their plan to ruin the wedding.

After a night of comfortable rest, all of them woke up in a good mood and felt refreshed. They were able to think more clear-headed. Yao Ling offered herself to become the one who collected some gossips on the street. She felt confident due to her success in finding out the facts about Han Xiang even though it was actually by luck. She dragged Xiao Fang along with her, making the two men could only shake their head helplessly.

Yao Ying still remembered the last time a man coveted his wife, so he went along with them and dragged Lin Jian along. He had to guard her before something else happened. Xiu was also ordered to find out some clues and they would talk about the plan that evening. Xiao Fang asked her guards to disperse and became shadow guards as to not make them become the center of attention. She had four maidservants but only took Han Yi with her. The others would stay in the inn.

Xiao Yu also stayed at the inn because she was a bit feverish. A doctor had been called and it was only a mild cold and she only needed to rest for a few days. She willfully wanted to follow along but rejected by Yao Ling and she was told to get better first.

While buying foods and whatnot, they perked up their ears but there was no mention about Han Xiang's entourage. It seemed like they hadn't arrived yet. Yao Ling casually chose a piece of a lovely hairpin and asked the lady who sold it, "Auntie... I heard there will be a wedding entourage pa.s.s by here, but how come I don't a see a joyful atmosphere here?"

"Ah... Gu Niang... you mean about the wedding alliance?"

Yao Ling nodded.

"The wedding entourage hasn't pa.s.sed by here yet, but I heard it will be around two or three days. About the joyful atmosphere... that won't happen..." The street vendor said sadly.

"Why?" Yao Ling asked in surprise.

"We live in the border but we are not really that oblivious. If this marriage indeed happens, there will be war once again. Haiyah~ what's there to be celebrated about?"

Yao Ling looked at the street vendor in surprise. She didn't think that this was a simple matter of being oblivious or not, the citizens usually never cared about these kinds of things. If there was a merry event then they would follow along and enjoy the festivities. Someone born n.o.ble would certainly not understand this, but she used to be a peasant and she knew how simpleminded country folks and the citizens were. Was this because they live in the border? So they were more perspective about this event?

Not right.

Even if they thought that way, they would have a certain curiosity and expectation. However, she found nothing about it. Someone must have been deliberately trying to influence people's opinions... But who? And why? For what purpose?

Although she felt unsure, Yao Ling still smiled and bought a nice hairpin and then gave it to Xiao Fang. She chose a cute dangling hairpin with little birdies as an ornament. Each time the person moved, it would look like the birds were flying and she thought it was suitable with Xiao Fang's cute image.

Xiao Fang happily received her new hairpin and put it on, making Yao Ling feel satisfied when she proudly moved cutely to make the hairpin move along with her.

Yao Ling didn't discuss anything right away with the others, although she knew that the two men probably also heard about it too. She tried to visit one of the other street vendors and she got the same result. They all worried about the non-existent war.

Something was indeed not right.