Sandara beamed proudly at Kwon Jiyong after finally getting some information from one of the remaining Jurchens. All the while, Kwon Jiyong was alert and watchful, already amazed by her courage but it seems she really had so many surprises up her sleeves. Who would even imagine seeing a lady smile beautifully inside a damp and cold torture cell? Kwon Jiyong shook his head and smiled back at her. Inside the darkness, Sandara's smile brightened up the gloom and horror of the room.

"It's the one from the left," Sandara whispered. "He tricked former Minister Sun by telling him he could find a place in Ming for Sun Hae to stay at and give her a new identity. He's the one who had been meeting with Sun Hae's father."

Kwon Jiyong nodded and immediately called for his men.

"Take them into separate cells and treat their injuries."

"Yes Your Highness!"

Kwon Jiyong led the way out of the prison but when he was nearing the front gates, he noticed Sandara had been stalling. Reaching out to her, he offered her his hand which she immediately grabbed and it all dawned upon him why. Her hands were ice cold and shaking, while she almost staggered when she finally reached his side.

As he watched her recover, Kwon Jiyong had nothing but respect for her. She endured it well and stayed by his side.

Smiling back at her, he took her to wash her hands from the filth of those Jurchen men. As they walked out together, they realized it was already almost sunrise outside.

"Time went by really fast," Sandara murmured, watching the morning start to break.

"Come," Kwon Jiyong clasped her hand in his and took her in front of his residence. Before Sandara could even guess what her husband was thinking, she felt being enveloped into his strong arms and as soon as he kicked the ground to leap up, the cold air brushed against his face that she had to bury her head in his chest. 

"Open your eyes," Kwon Jiyong said as he gently settled her down the rooftop. He sat beside her and pointed in front of them.

"We're just in time for the sunrise."

Sandara felt her heart swell. The scene before her, the man beside her, and the feeling that had always been making her heart thump since she met this man seemed to overwhelm her.

"It's beautiful." Sandara smiled widely until her eyes were almost gone. Kwon Jiyong chuckled at her and tapped the tip of her nose. Does she even know the sunrise couldn't even compare to her beauty? It even paled compared to how bright her smile was.

But Kwon Jiyong was someone who wasn't so vocal about such things so he only turned away and looked ahead.

"You've done a good job." Kwon Jiyong commended her instead. Still, despite the sudden, unexpected progress, Kwon Jiyong couldn't believe they easily captured one of the Jurchens involved in the case.

"I told you I can be of good help." Sandara crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a smug grin.

"Tell me, was there anything else that you saw?"

"Minister Sun wanted his daughter to live a new life. We all know, the moment Sun Hae committed that crime against the King, she was as good as dead. She would have to stay confined in the temple. She'll never be able to marry again because she belonged to the King. She'll never be able to go home anymore. She'd become a prisoner and a woman like her who was ambitious just like her father wasn't able to accept that. I don't know how her father knew this man but it seems the Jurchens were really cunning and sly. That man asked former Minister Sun if Sun Hae studied at the Cherry Blossoms House in one of their conversations. That's where their pact started…" Sandara felt goosebumps all over her skin as she suddenly remembered what Sun Hae told the Jurchen down the riverside. She denied it was her. She told the man she wasn't the one they've been looking for.

Meanwhile Kwon Jiyong had been thinking the same. He was someone who had always remained calm despite the threat but not when it concerns Sandara. As he pondered deeply about the possibilities, a sudden feeling of unease brewed in his chest. Unconsciously, he clasped her hands in his tightly.

"So... can we go home now?" Sandara asked, trying to break the silence and the chilling sense of foreboding that enveloped them.

Kwon Jiyong sighed. "You can go home now. I need to tighten the Northern boundaries' security and accompany Zhu Yunhe to Ming after. I need to make sure there would be no misunderstanding between Ming and Joseon."

Sandara rolled her eyes at him. "Such lousy excuses," she mumbled all to herself. She knew Kwon Jiyong still had so many things to do and it's not that she can always tag along. Despite this, she abhorred the idea of Zhu Yunhe and her husband spending time together.

"Don't keep wandering around Hanyang and be good. I'll be back in no time." Kwon Jiyong said.

"Tsch. There's no guarantee when you're coming back. It's always been like that. " Sandara mumbled again but to Kwon Jiyong's extra sensitive ears, it was all loud and clear.

"I'll be back before Chuseok. Let's visit your family. After that, we'll head to Busan."

Sandara was delighted by the idea but she was quick to regain composure and eyed him sideways. "You sure?"

"Since when did this Lord break his word?"

Sandara had to give him approval for that. Despite keeping so many things from her, Kwon Jiyong never breaks word. Straightening up, she raised her chin and smugly said, "Fine, if that's what you say."

As Sandara watched the sun rising from the east, Kwon Jiyong spent all the time watching it's reflection on her face. He had the best spot in the world and the fact that he'd be away from her again left a pang of loneliness inside of him.

By noon that day, Choi Seunghyun and Dong Youngbae arrived. Meeting Lee Donghae for the first time over a week ago, and being a higher dragon that he is, Dong Youngbae felt the unusual strong presence of the doctor despite his physical weakness. He was sure though that it was a benevolent energy that surrounds the doctor. Since then he had seen the imoogi in a positive light so he was naturally at ease with him. Besides, they share the same calmness and grace of a gentleman that Choi Seunghyun felt out of place as the two exchanged greetings and started conversing as if they were the only people in the room.

"I will meet with General So of the Northern battalion immediately. He must have received your letter by now." Choi Seunghyun broke his silence and spoke to Kwon Jiyong.

"Mhm. He is an old but loyal and valiant general who had been guarding the Northern boundaries even back when the late King was still alive." Kwon Jiyong answered. "Lady Sun bore wounds that were caused by an imoogi. Both elder and Doctor Lee confirmed. But the Jurchen who led former Minister Sun and Lady Sun to the North, the one we caught, had no idea who among his fellow tribesmen killed Lady Sun. He said he was only ordered to lure the father and daughter. The only fact we have is that the crime was the Jurchens doing. If there is an imoogi among them, then that's a huge problem."

"I know. It was already fortunate one of the Jurchen admitted to his crime. But if they really have been hiding an imoogi or imoogan in their tribe, they would be a formidable opponent. I'm not even done with my task in the South and yet here I am with another."

"Hyungnim, I'm counting on you on this."

"Well, I guess this is what I'm really meant to be. I've been a general in the past and become a general again this time. I feel like this is my real calling."

"Good for you," Dong Youngbae interrupted with his eyes almost closed while smiling. "You'll do well in driving the Jurchens out in this kingdom. You've always been good at scaring people."

"Was that suppose