Some time later, Fourth Prince Manor

A soft sigh escaped Yixing’s lips as he folded the letter in his hand and let it fall onto the slick wooden surface of his desk. Although he had mentally prepared himself for this, disappointment still clouded his heart as he thought back on what the letter from his private investigator had said.

"The girl you are searching for is not the one whose name you gave me."

Yixing sighed again and shoved the letter away from him. How had he been wrong again? This was already the sixth girl he had thought would match the one he was searching for. The young prince frowned as he fiddled aimlessly with the edge of one of his books.

“Teacher...I wish you could give me a sign about where your daughter is.” He murmured. Yixing closed his eyes, and thought back to that fateful day three years ago when everything had gone wrong.

___________________________________________________________________________

Three years ago, on the edge of Yecheng City

The sound of hoofbeats thundered through the air as a lone rider rode at breakneck pace through the capital city. The sounds of startled citizens and falling stands followed in his wake, but for once, Zhang Yixing couldn’t care less about what his reckless riding was causing. Only one thought echoed through his mind as he rode.

Lord Gongsun...Teacher...please be alright! Oh, please don’t let me be too late!

Yixing had refused to be the one to slaughter the entire Gongsun residence, certain that the charges laid against the loyal court official were completely made up. There was no way that Lord Gongsun would have supported Prince Gao Yan’s rebellion and attempt to seize the throne; he was known to avoid taking sides, and only gave neutral advice truly out of the goodness of his heart. But even though Yixing had refused and the king hadn’t pushed the issue further, a spy had sent a message that soldiers were seen headed for Gongsun Manor, and Yixing had known then that someone else had decided to take action even though he had not wanted to.

Gongsun Manor lay near the edge of the city, its elegant architecture sparkling in the afternoon sun. It was just the way the Gongsun family liked to be; content with their position in life, but preferring to stay away from the central hub of activity and chaos. As Yixing drew his horse up near the front entrance, his heart tightened in his chest as he noted something about the atmosphere.

It’s too quiet.

Normally, at least two servants stood at the front entrance waiting to greet visitors, but even they were nowhere to be seen. An eerie silence seemed to have descended on the entire Gongsun Manor, and Yixing steeled himself briefly before heading for the door. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the heavy front door and stopped short as he took in the sight in front of him. Horror filled the 18 year old prince’s chest as he froze in his place. He had spent many months on various battlefields, destroying enemy soldiers without batting an eyelash, but nothing could have prepared him for what he was seeing now. The bodies of members of the Gongsun household lay scattered all across the front yard, from the lowest servant to the butler of the house. It was clear that they had been caught unaware of their fate, killed with barely a chance to fight back. Yixing felt his body grow numb as he walked slowly through the yard to the main room, where his gaze fell on two familiar bodies.

“Teacher!” He cried out as he ran to his mentor’s side, terror rushing through his heart as he grasped the older man’s shoulders. Lord Gongsun coughed as he opened his eyes.

“Prince Yixing…” He whispered, his hand grasping the young prince’s wrist weakly, “You shouldn’t be here…” Yixing shook his head furiously.

“Teacher, come with me! I will find someone to save you and Madam!” He insisted, but the older man shook his head and tightened his grasp on the prince.

“Highness, you must...find my daughter…my Rong’er...” He whispered, “You know better than I do that I will not survive…She is all that is left of my family...” Yixing felt tears fill his eyes as his mentor looked at him earnestly.

“Please!” The dying man pleaded fervently. Yixing hated to admit it, but Lord Gongsun was right. The man’s entire body was riddled with deep wounds, and blood was continuously pooling onto the floor below him. Whoever had attacked had been sure to leave no chance of survival. Even though Yixing had no deep knowledge of medicine, that much was at least clear to him. He swallowed hard and took a shaking breath before nodding.

“I swear.” He said firmly, “I swear to find Miss Gongsun and protect her with my life!” Lord Gongsun smiled, seeming to finally be at peace.

“Thank you...Your Highness…” Light slipped away from the loyal court official’s eyes, and tears ran down Yixing’s face as his teacher died in his arms. He carefully laid the man down onto the ground, and then bowed three times to his dead mentor before rising to his feet.

“Teacher, I swear I will find your daughter.” He swore again, “And I swear I will get vengeance for you!”

Prince Yixing rose to his feet and left the manor with a new fire lit inside him, not noticing that his pendant had slipped from his waist into his mentor’s lap.

___________________________________________________________________________

Yixing groaned softly as he rested his head against his clasped hands. In three years of trying, he had on multiple occasions thought he had come close to achieving what he had promised, but every time it turned out that he was wrong.

Gongsun Rong’er, where are you? Are you even still alive?

“Highness?” A female voice drew Yixing from his thoughts, and he looked up to see Zhiruo looking curiously at him.

“Is something wrong?” She asked softly. Yixing gazed at her for a long moment, taking in the gentle concerned smile on her face before pressing a tiny smile onto his own lips. For some reason, just the sight of Shangguan Zhiruo in front of him was enough to ease a little of the growing knot in his heart. Over the past month, her presence had become increasingly a norm in his life, so much that it felt strange if Zhiruo was even a little late appearing in his library every morning to give him some new healthy soup.

“I’m fine.” He replied, “Why do you ask?” Zhiruo hesitated for a moment before reaching out and lightly pressing a finger against his forehead.

“Your brow is furrowed.” She answered, “And your eyes tell me you are troubled.” Yixing’s eyes widened slightly before he chuckled. He reached up and took her wrist to pulled Zhiruo’s hand away.

“Shangguan Zhiruo, you are getting increasingly daring.” He noted. Zhiruo’s cheeks flushed a light pink as she curtsied quickly.

“I am only concerned over my prince’s wellbeing.” She replied. A soft warmth filled Yixing’s chest as he looked at Zhiruo.

My prince…

It had a nice ring to it, especially coming from Zhiruo’s mouth. She reached behind her waistband and pulled a small packet from behind the band of cloth.

“Please eat this.” She said as she pulled a small yellow object from the packet and handed it to him. Yixing looked at the object curiously. It was a small hard sweet, made of something dried and sprinkled with sugar.

“What is this?” He asked. Zhiruo smiled.

“It is dried ginseng.” She replied, “Ginseng can help improve a person’s mood. Looking at Your Highness’s face, it seems that this is what you need most now.” Yixing peered at the small sweet in his hand with a soft chuckle.

“Have you had too much free time on your hands since we returned from Lanling City?” He asked, “You are so bored that you are experimenting with herbal candies?” Zhiruo pouted slightly and huffed.

“Your Highness, as your personal physician, all I do is for your benefit.” She replied, “I know you don’t like bitter things, so instead of making ginseng tea or ginseng soup, I made it into a candy for you. If even that is wrong, then there is nothing I can say.” Yixing grinned at the childish expression on her face.

How cute.

“I never said it was wrong.” He replied smoothly, slipping the sweet into his mouth. As Zhiruo had intended, the sweet sugar easily covered up the natural herbal bitterness, and Yixing felt his heart grow warm as he swallowed the small treat.

Zhiruo always knows what I need before I even ask.

She peeked up hesitantly at him as he sipped at his tea, then stepped forward and poked him lightly on the forehead.

“Your Highness is still frowning.” She noted, “If Your Highness does not mind, would you like to share your worries with me? That is the least that I, as your servant, can do.” Yixing looked up at her, a soft smile playing across his lips.

“Is that part of your duties as my physician as well?” He asked. Zhiruo smiled.

“If Your Highness would like to think of it that way.” She replied. Yixing hesitated for a moment, an impulsive thought entering his mind at Zhiruo’s offer.

Perhaps…

Before he could think too much about it, Yixing reached up, grasped Zhiruo’s hand, and pulled the young woman down onto the chair next to him. She yelped in surprise, the sudden loss of balance sending her tumbling against Yixing’s shoulder.

“Your Highness?” She gasped softly. Yixing gazed at her wide dark eyes for a moment, and before he could talk himself out of it, he reached out and pulled Zhiruo into a tight hug.

“Prince!” Zhiruo yelped in surprise, “This...this isn’t right, we’re both unmarried and…!”

“Shush.” Yixing murmured softly, resting his head against her shoulder, “Just stay here for a moment. This is my manor, and what I say goes.” Zhiruo’s heart hammered in her chest, sending a soft vibration through Yixing with every nervous beat. She swallowed hard, her body tense from the sudden embrace.

“Yes, Your Highness.” She whispered. After a few long moments, Yixing sighed softly.

I was right. 

Zhiruo's smaller frame was easy to hold in his grasp, and just the simple act of holding her was enough to soothe his heart a little bit.

“I was thinking about my mentor.” He said quietly, “He was a court official, and a very prominent one at that. He was the one who taught me how to analyze the enemy, to play the right games in order to win. At the same time, he always reminded me that the way to survive in this world was to stick to my place, and never to do anything that will raise suspicions about your motives.” A soft hum vibrated against Zhiruo’s throat.

“He sounds like an intelligent man.” She commented. Yixing chuckled softly.

“Yes, he was.” He said, “But he was too kind for the power struggles in court, and ended up paying for that with his life.”

“What did he do?” Zhiruo asked. Yixing took a heavy breath.

“Nothing.” He replied, “He did absolutely nothing, but was framed for a crime he didn’t commit and had his entire family slaughtered.” He loosened one hand from around Zhiruo and looked down at his palm.

“I rushed to save him, but I was too late.” He said quietly, “With his dying breath, he begged me to find his sole daughter, the only one who could carry on his bloodline.” He sighed as he clenched his fist around empty air.

“I swore that I would find her, but to this day, I still haven’t any idea where she could have gone.” He said, “Isn’t it funny? I have won countless battles and kept my country safe from those who wish to invade it, but I cannot even find one girl.” Zhiruo took a deep breath, and Yixing’s eyes widened as she reached up and laid a hand gently on his arm.

“Your Highness, you are only human.” She said, “You are the god of war, but even the god of war has his limits in everyday life. I am sure your mentor is aware of that. And besides, Your Highness is a kind man who treats everyone well. I am certain the heavens will take note of that and help you reach your goal soon.” Yixing chuckled, his mood lightening slowly with every passing second.

“Empty flattering will bring you little benefit, Lady Shangguan.” He said.

“This servant only speaks the truth to Your Highness.” Zhiruo replied simply, but Yixing smiled from behind Zhiruo’s shoulder as he noted a slight huff to her voice.

Teasing her is so much fun.

“Highness?” He looked down as Zhiruo spoke again and saw a small smile play across her lips.

“I would like to learn archery.” She announced, “Will you teach me?” Yixing stared at her for a moment before laughing. While it was a rather abrupt change of topic, he could tell what Zhiruo was trying to do. His tone had been changing along with his improving mood, and so she was trying to take advantage of that to distract him further from having any other moody thoughts.

How can she see through me so easily?

“Very well.” He said, a small smirk turning up the corner of his lips, “I will teach you, Lady Shangguan.”

____________________________________________________________________________

A few minutes later, Zhiruo

Distracting the prince by suggesting archery had seemed like a good idea when the words had left Zhiruo’s mouth, but now that she was actually attempting to string the arrow into the bow, she was starting to have second thoughts.

Maybe I didn’t think this one through very well.

To be honest, Zhiruo knew next to nothing about how to shoot an arrow; her father had strictly forbidden her from doing anything even resembling physical sports when she was growing up. Of course, that was why the prince was supposed to teach her, but at the moment, all she was doing was making a fool of herself. She bit her lip and sighed as the arrow slipped off the taut bowstring for what felt like the umpteenth time. An amused chuckle sounded from behind her, and Zhiruo heard a soft rustle of movement as Prince Yixing rose from his seat behind her.

“You really know nothing about archery, do you?” He asked teasingly. Zhiruo’s cheeks flushed hot in embarrassment.

“I wouldn’t have asked Your Highness to teach me if I did, now would I?” She muttered, attempting to string the arrow again. The prince laughed again, and a moment later, Zhiruo felt him walk up behind her. Her breath caught in as Prince Yixing reached out and took each of her hands into his, and proceeded to carefully guide her fingers to slip the arrow into the bow.

“Excuse me.” He murmured softly. Zhiruo’s heart hammered in her chest as his breath tickled against her ear, the warmth of his hands spreading through her fingers and to her chest.

“O-of course.” She replied, unsure of how to respond. Indeed, the best way to teach archery was by physical guidance as opposed to purely speaking, but this...Zhiruo felt her cheeks flush hot again as her senses became extremely aware of the prince’s steady and firm grip on her hands, the soft rush of wind blowing behind her from his presence.

“You can’t shoot if you don’t focus, Shangguan Zhiruo.” The prince said, startling Zhiruo from her thoughts.

“I-I’m sorry.” Zhiruo stammered, embarrassed to have been caught with her mind wandering. Prince Yixing’s right hand left Zhiruo’s hand and rested lightly on her shoulder blades, pushing her body to stand more upright. Just that slight touch was enough to send a flutter down Zhiruo’s stomach.

What’s wrong with me?

“In archery, one must have the proper posture in order to hit the target.” He instructed, “Stand with your legs slightly parted, your back straight, and your eyes focused only on the target.” His hand returned to Zhiruo’s as she followed his instructions, and slowly, he carefully pulled on her hand to help her draw the arrow back.

“And…” Prince Yixing pulled Zhiruo’s hands away from the arrow feathers as the bowstring grew tight, “Shoot!” The arrow sprang free from the bow, and soared in a clean straight line before burying itself deep into the middle of the straw target. Zhiruo laughed in delight at the sight.

“That was perfect!” She cried happily, “Your Highness, that was-!” She turned to look at the prince, momentarily forgetting that he had been standing behind her. Her voice cut off as she suddenly became very, very aware of just how close they were. The prince’s face was perhaps a mere two inches from hers, so close that she could see her own wide eyed reflection in his dark brown eyes. Zhiruo felt blood roar in her ears as her heart began to pound again, her breath catching her . Both froze in that position for a few long seconds before Zhiruo cleared and took a few steps back.

“I apologize for losing decorum.” She mumbled. Prince Yixing blinked as if to clear his mind from the strange atmosphere that had descended for a few seconds, then smiled slightly.

“Not at all.” He replied, “It is natural to react that way.” The prince extended a hand towards her.

“Would you like to try again?” He asked. Zhiruo hesitated for a moment, then smiled and took his offered hand.

“Gladly.” She replied.

________________________________________________________________________

Zhiruo’s spirits were high as she retired to her rooms that night. Although it had been a few hours since archery practice had finished, the warmth of Prince Yixing’s touch still lingered there, and just the thought of his careful guidance was enough to warm Zhiruo’s heart. There were so many sides to the prince; he was the warrior god, a fierce essentially unbeatable general on the battlefield. But at the same time, he was kind to his people, intent on keeping them safe, and never gave off airs like many other members of the royal family did. He gave respect where it was due, and never looked down on Zhiruo just because she was a woman. Zhiruo sighed as she sank onto one of the stools near the table in the center of her chambers. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel the soft tickle of Prince Yixing’s breath against her ear as he spoke, as well as the strange way just his presence behind her alone was enough to make her feel safe. Zhiruo shook herself out of her memories as she felt her cheeks grow hot from her thoughts. 

Stop that, Shangguan Zhiruo! He is the prince, and you are only a temporary personal royal physician. Your relationship will likely never go beyond that!

Still, her mind wandered back curiously to what he had told her inside his study. Prince Yixing had once had a mentor, one who had been very dear to him. And now, that mentor was dead, and the prince often felt guilty at being unable to save him in time.

“Just who is this man?” Zhiruo wondered to no one in particular. It hadn’t seemed right to ask at that time, but the more Zhiruo thought about it, the more curious she was becoming. A soft pout rose on her lips as she remembered the other part of what the prince had said. He was searching for the man’s daughter, no doubt to protect her to make up for what he couldn’t do for her father. And when that happened...Zhiruo wouldn’t be surprised if Prince Yixing decided to marry her, and make that daughter his princess. Zhiruo’s frown deepened at that thought, a slight ache rising in her chest.

The prince is a kind, caring, and powerful man. Anyone who marries him will surely live happily. Sure, he can be very stubborn sometimes, and only seems to think about military matters most of his waking hours, but that is one of the things that makes him such a strong fighter. In the end, he still does everything for the good of his people, and…

Zhiruo slapped at her cheeks as she caught her mind wandering off again.

What am I doing, listing off the prince’s good qualities like it has anything to do with me? I’m not the one who is going to marry him.

Shaking her head, Zhiruo rose to her feet and walked over to the large closet in the corner of the room. She pulled out a small wooden box, unlocked it, and lifted a small seal from inside. The seal was simple, a gray block decorated with a roaring lion on top. Zhiruo sighed softly as she turned the seal over and traced a finger over the intricately carved words on the bottom.

Gongsun.

The name that Zhiruo had been forced to abandon in order to survive, to pretend like it had nothing to do with her. But even though she had abandoned it, Zhiruo hadn’t forgotten what she belonged to.

Father, Mother, don’t worry. It is comfortable to be living here, but I haven’t forgotten what I came here to do. I swear, before I leave this manor, I will certainly make progress on finding the answers I seek.