Chapter 198 - Disguise As Women
In the early morning, the Crown Prince along with the others left the rest-house. Ying Lili was on Kofeng while others were walking. The forest was dense. Even a single ray of light was not touching its ground region. It was good because it had saved them from the roasting heat.
As assured by the old man, they indeed reached the borders before evening. Sheng Li offered Chonglin a ransom amount, but he refused. "Your highness, it is my pleasure that I could prove important to you," Chonglin proclaimed.
Sheng Li looked at Ying Lili who stepped towards the old man. "Grandpa, take it for your family. The Crown Prince is overwhelmed by your service and he wants to reward you for that. You not only helped us to cross the borders but also saved our lives. Please take this," Ying Lili asserted as she took the pouch full of gold coins from Sheng Li and handed that to Chonglin.
The old man could not refuse them as it would disrespect the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. "There is a rest house a few meters away from here. General Xiao will drop you there. Thank you again for helping us. I will never forget your beneficence ever," Sheng Li pronounced.
"Long live, your highnesses!" Chonglin said delightedly. Xiao Zhan walked near and told the old man to come with him. Soon they had left their sight. Sheng Li looked at the sky. It was late evening. The sky had turned red, and the night was going to fall.
A river stream passed across the border, so they decided to stay there for a night. Wang Hao and Hu Jingguo were making the tent house for the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess.
Ying Lili had gone towards the stream to wash her face and hands. Sheng Li went near her and bent on his knees. "Don't use your right hand. I will help you," Sheng Li stated and took water in his palm. He then washed Ying Lili's face who had closed her eyes.
Hu Jingguo came there with a towel in his hand. Sheng Li took that and cleaned Ying Lili's face. Sheng Li then washed her left hand, followed by the right one. He told Hu Jingguo to dress that wound again after he would be done cleaning. Once he was done, he let go of Ying Lili's hand. By that time, the tent house was also ready.
"Go there," Sheng Li told both of them. They went to the tent house while Sheng Li and Wang Hao kept a check on their surroundings.
"Your highness, why did we not go to the rest-house?" Wang Hao asked.
"We might get noticed. This area is safer than that place as it is hardly used by any," Sheng Li answered and asked him to collect some firewood. Wang Hao bowed his head and walked away.
Inside the tent house, Hu Jingguo dressed the wound of Ying Lili and asked her why she was looking tense. "Jingguo, Sheng Li is anxious about us. After the attacks of those assassins, he is suspected that some of them might be waiting for us at the borders. Is there any way that we can escape them?" Ying Lili asked.
"The Crown Prince is absolutely right. The Crown Prince was lucky that the poisoned arrow did not hit him. There is one way to escape those assassins," Hu Jingguo stated.
"What way?"
"I am afraid if the Crown Prince will agree to this," Hu Jingguo asserted.
"He will agree to this. Tell me," Ying Lili said. Hu Jingguo nodded and told the way which he thought could save them from getting noticed. Ying Lili loved the plan and praised Hu Jingguo for his brilliant mind. Hu Jingguo thanked her and the two came out of the tent house.
Wang Hao had ignited the fire in the wood thus, illuminating their resting area. Oppositely, Sheng Li was checking the bow and arrow. Seeing Ying Lili out, he told her to go in.
"I'm getting bored inside. Shall I help you?" Ying Lili asked.
"No."
Ying Lili went towards General Wang who was feeding the horses. "Your highness, you shall take a rest," Wang Hao said.
"I have rested enough. General Wang, I need a favor from you," Ying Lili declared while caressing Kongqi's face.
"A favor?" General Wang drew his brows together.
"Yes. Tomorrow we will reach the borders of Luoyang. We do not intend to be attacked by the assassins again, so we need to disguise ourselves, but not as men," Ying Lili stated. Wang Hao confusedly looked at the Crown Princess.
"What is the Crown Princess trying to say?" Wang Hao asked.
"General Wang, you all need to disguise yourself as women," Ying Lili affirmed with sparkling eyes.
"But, your highness, the Crown Prince would never agree to this. Instead, he will get angry," Wang Hao veraciously replied.
"That's why I came to you. When I will tell this idea to Sheng Li, then General Wang has to agree with my plan. This time our safety is more important than anything else. You have seen earlier the Crown Prince might have gotten hurt, but we were lucky that time. It does not mean that we will be lucky at all times. It is said that Prevention is better than Cure so, we shall go with this plan," Ying Lili explained to General Wang who understood the Crown Princess.
"Your highness, I agree with you and will support you," General Wang assured Ying Lili who thanked General Wang.
"Kongqi, your master will look funny tomorrow, but don't laugh at him else he will get angry at us and will throw his tantrums like fireballs," Ying Lili stated. Kofeng neighed upon hearing Ying Lili who smiled.
"What are you two talking about there?" Both the Crown Princess and General Wang replied at the same time, "Nothing."
"Come here then," Sheng Li said. Xiao Zhan had arrived there, and they all sat around the bonfire. "We need a plan for tomorrow," Sheng Li stated, looking at his Generals.
"I have a plan," Ying Lili stated. Hu Jingguo smiled but quickly suppressed that before Sheng Li could notice that.
"What kind of plan, your highness?" General Wang asked.
"Just like I disguised myself in a man's attire, you three need to be disguised as women," Ying Lili pronounced. Sheng Li tilted his head and raised his brow.
"What are you saying?" Sheng Li sternly queried.
"What you heard," Ying Lili replied immediately. "If we will be disguised as women, then no one is going to be skeptical about us and we will safely enter the Capital," Ying Lili added.
Immediately Sheng Li refused that plan. Ying Lili glared at him. "This is the best plan. Okay, let's decide by vote. Who likes my plan, please raise your hand," Ying Lili stated.
Hu Jingguo immediately raised his hand, which was not unexpected for Sheng Li but when General Wang also raised his hand.
Sheng Li glared at General Wang. "Wang Hao, you too!" he astonishingly said. Xiao Zhan too raised his hand and agreed with the Crown Princess plan.
"I won't do this," Sheng Li stated. "I won't disguise myself as a woman," Sheng Li affirmed.
"Then, I have an idea for you. You don't need to disguise yourself as a woman, your highness. But promise me you will not refuse for that," Hu Jingguo pronounced and smiled.