“If you don’t mind, I want to know more about the Imperial Palace,” she said slowly, looking up at him. “That’s the where the Imperial family lives, right? Granny Qiu told me I’d be able to find my memories there somehow, but I don’t really see the connection.”

Wenyu met her gaze evenly. “To be honest, neither do I. I was in such a hurry to leave that I didn’t give it any thought. You look too foreign I doubt Father would let you into the inner palace to wait on the Empress, and to ‘enter the palace’[1] – I think you’re much too young but perhaps for…never mind.” He looked away and coughed lightly. “I do not understand. The capital perhaps, but the palace? There is no freedom in that place. Perhaps the information in the royal libraries can be of use to you...do you even know how to read?”

“I’m not exactly sure,” Hino said sheepishly. “I haven’t had a chance to try yet.”

He sighed. “I suppose I can let you live at my manor as a visitor from the jianghu. You do look the part. That way, you can move around freely throughout the Imperial residences as long as someone from my household is accompanying you. Furthermore, I do not keep any concubines, so people will have no reason to gossip.”

Many of his words sounded unfamiliar, but in the way that she understood what they meant from history textbooks. The more she learned about the kingdom, the further removed the society seemed from what she was used to. Concubines! How alarming.

The look on her face must have revealed her discomfort, because Wenyu gave an awkward laugh and said, “If you find that palace life does not suit you, I can find you modest living arrangements in the city, and you can figure out what you want to do from there.”

Hino nodded. “What is the palace like?”

“Stuffy,” Wenyu grunted. “Chief probably told you that I spend most of my time wandering around in the jianghu?”

She nodded again.

“I practically grew up in the Three Rivers Alliance; I used to spend more time training in martial arts than learning the ways of the royal court. When I was younger, I used to, with…my brother…” he trailed off, staring dully into the fire. “He’s the one who deals with the court politics now – it’s his duty as the Crown Prince, which leaves me a lot of freedom. Royal affairs just aren’t my thing. I’d probably have enlisted in the military but then I’d be under big bro Jiyun’s command and at that point, I’d rather run around in the jianghu.” He made a face.

“Oh, you have another older brother in the military?” Hino asked.

Wenyu stiffened. “Ah…no. I only have one brother. Jiyun is not my blood brother, he’s my senior and he trained us in martial arts when we were little. I’ll introduce you to him sometime. But it’s getting late now, please get some rest.”

He stood and offered Hino his hand.

“You can sleep in the shelter I set up over there,” he told her as she scrambled to her feet. “I will be out here if you need me.”

“Are you sure –”

“I am accustomed to sleeping outside,” he said patiently. “Please sleep well. We have a long day ahead of us.”

Hino nodded, grateful. “You too.”

She'd been listening intently to Wenyu talk that she hadn't realized just how tired she was. Her entire body ached, and even her thoughts were growing blurred. She stumbled into the tent, and curled up on the floor. Under heavy eyelids, she watched Wenyu extinguish the campfire, plunging the surroundings into darkness and she drifted to sleep.