As they approached, Xia Dongya ran forward hurriedly.

"You found her!"

"Yes, but she has a high fever. She needs medicine. Now."

"Follow me."

Xia Dongya led Liang Yingzhou over to the medical tent. Inside, he laid her down. After she had been fed a medicine pill, he unblocked her acupoints. Liang Yingzhou stayed with her for the rest of the night. Early the next morning, her fever finally broke.

When she woke up, Tang Daiyu squinted up at him. "Zhou-ge?"

With his help, she sat up and looked around. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Where are we?"

"The medical tent in the camp."

She tried to remember what had happened, but her memory escaped her.

"How did you find me?"

"I kept searching. Then, I came across the house. I found you inside."

"What happened? I don't remember anything."

"You were seriously ill and had started hallucinating." He looked at her sadly. "You thought Tang Bao was there."

"I did?"

"Yes. You said he was going to show you to your parents," he paused. "Ah Daiyu, you were almost to the brink of death. I think you saw Tang Bao because you were so ill."

"You mean it was like he was coaxing me to join them in the afterlife?"

Liang Yingzhou nodded. Tang Daiyu shivered from fright.

"Thank you, Zhou-ge."

"For what?"

"Saving me."

"Ah Daiyu, if you're ever in danger, I'll always save you."

She blushed red and looked down at her hands in her lap. He awkwardly cleared his throat. Her stomach rumbled loudly.

Latching onto the opportunity to change the subject, he asked, "When was the last time you've eaten?"

Tang Daiyu gave him a sheepish look and chuckled embarrassedly. "I haven't eaten for two nights and a day."

His eyes widened. Turning around, Liang Yingzhou crawled out of the tent. A few minutes later, he returned with a steaming hot bowl of plain congee. He spoon-fed her slowly, so as to make sure that she didn't vomit it right back out. At last, the bowl was emptied. Tang Daiyu rested her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you."

Silence. Finally, he inquired quietly, "Why did you leave?"

She bit her lip before answering, "I know I've made mistakes. But now, I fear the consequences of my actions are coming to a head. If Prince Yelang comes after me, I didn't want to drag you and the others into it. I started this. I'll end it."

"Ah Daiyu, you don't have to do everything alone."

She chuckled darkly. "Don’t worry, Zhou-ge. I've been alone in the recent years of my life. I've gotten used to it."

"But you're not alone anymore."

Pain filled her eyes as she looked at him. She let out a long, sad sigh. "But what happens if you get hurt because of me? I'd never be able to forgive myself."

"I have my qi back. Don't worry too much, Ah Daiyu."

Then, he asked, “Why did you need that paper so badly?”

She looked away. “It wasn’t to use, I swear. I wanted it out of Nanning Palace so that no one could find it, yes. But the main reason was so that I could destroy the evidence of it before you found out about it. Unfortunately, you found out anyways.”

“Why didn’t you want me to know about it?”

“Because I knew that you’d think I was planning to use it or something. You’d be disappointed in me again. I didn’t want that to happen.”

She sighed sadly. Then, a snippet of last night's events flashed through her mind and returned to her.

"Daiyu! Daiyu!"

She shifted to face Liang Yingzhou better.

"Zhou-ge?"

"Yes?"

"You called me Daiyu last night. Not Ah Daiyu. You never call me just by my birth name. It’s always Ah Daiyu."

He examined her. "Did your memories return?"

"A bit. I don't have images, but I can remember you calling my name."

"At least you're starting to remember."

"You've said Daiyu once before."

His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to remember. "When?"

She looked down, and smiled softly, remembering. "It was in that storage room in Chang'an. I woke up, and you were unconscious. But you murmured, 'Daiyu.' Not Ah Daiyu, just Daiyu. I was surprised. Even back when I was little, you always called me Ah Daiyu. So... when you said Daiyu, I- I didn't know what to do or what to think. I soon pushed the thought to the back of my mind. But you did it again last night, which reminded me."

He cleared his throat and explained, "When I heard you were gone, I grew worried. All I could think about was finding you. Propriety surrendered to panic."

"And the time before?"

"I don't remember that. But I suppose it was because I, subconsciously, hoped that the qi exchange was successful and you would be okay."

"Zhou-ge, what's going to happen?"

"What do you mean?"

"In the future. Prince Yelang still wants me dead. If we do manage to get Prince Shangwei to succeed the throne of Heping, do you think Prince Han will accept a peace negotiation? Will everything turn out alright?" she shrugged. "Or should I give up now and accept the consequences of my actions? My birth chart said that I was destined for greatness. But I don't want greatness, I just want to be happy. D- do you think I could ever be happy again, Zhou-ge?"

She looked up at him with big, round eyes, scared but also hopeful. His heart ached upon hearing her words. He wanted to pull her into his arms and comfort her. He wanted to make sure the rest of her life was peaceful.

But instead, Liang Yingzhou said, "You've come so far. I still don't agree with your revenge, but I will support you in whatever choice you make. As for the future, we'll just have to wait and see. It all depends on whether Official Kang can persuade Prince Shangwei."

She nodded, knowing his words made sense.

"I want you to be happy, Ah Daiyu. I really do. But the road getting there will be even more of a struggle."

"What do you mean?"

"Before I left for Nanchang, your father asked me to protect you in the future. You, of course, already know this. But he also told me something else."

"What?"

Liang Yingzhou hesitated before saying, "You have the destiny of a Phoenix. You'll go through countless hardships, getting stronger every time. If you can rise from the ashes of your pain, you will be guaranteed a happy ending."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she processed his words. "Why did Father never tell me about this before?"

"He probably didn't want to worry you. I didn't want to have to tell you, but since you kind of asked, I figured that it was time you knew the full truth of your birth chart."

"So I'll reach greatness?"

"Only if you can survive the burning flames now."

He gave her a soft smile and took her hands in his. Pure kindness and support burned in his eyes. She looked down, unable to meet his eye.

Can I though? she thought. Can I survive long enough?

"But don't worry. You won't be alone for the rest of your journey, Ah Daiyu. You have me by your side. I won't leave you again, I promise."

Everyone leaves me eventually. How can I trust you won't?