All this time, I had chosen to hide the real reason behind my knowledge of the poison. It seemed better that way, though mysterious. After all, what reason would a simple soldier from Bharat, known only for his sword skills, have to understand the effects of a venom?
Even Renshu didn't know the reason. I'd assumed it didn't matter. But now, surrounded by men waiting for an answer, that illusion had shattered.
I wanted to lie. Desperately. To twist the truth into something harmless. But lies had never come easily to me.
"It is the same poison my father used to kill his older brother," I finally said, the words falling like stones. "From a young age, he taught me about it. The Ku Tu poison—he said it was useful for disposing of people quietly, for all the reasons I mentioned before."
The table erupted into noise. Dozens of voices layered over one another—questions, disbelief, whispers of disgust. I straightened my posture, forcing my hands to stay still even as my heart raced. I knew this would happen.
"Silence, everyone," Renshu commanded, his tone cutting through the noise like a blade.
The room fell quiet. For a moment, his eyes locked onto mine—confused, almost sorrowful—before hardening back into their usual intensity.
"May I ask, Aryan," Wei Fang's voice rose, calm but probing, "why exactly did your father kill his brother?"
Of course it was him. Curious as always.
Renshu had told me once that the truth of my past would one day surface—not through him, but through my own mouth.
Looks like he was right.
I explained the matter of inheritance in Bharat—the bitter disputes, the blood that followed, the reason a brother would slay another. I changed a few details to maintain my disguise, a man trained by his father, later recruited by Renshu. A soldier with a dark past but no more than that.
Still, my heart pounded.
Should I have said this?
Was this the right choice?
My teeth began to chatter—whether from the cold air or the unease crawling up through me, I couldn't tell.
"Let us move on to the plan," Renshu said, rolling out a large map across the table. "According to Aryan's account, the province of southern China, Yunnan, has the largest concentration of the Nux Vomica plant. To reach it, we will need two weeks. Another week to harvest enough poison, and three more to travel from Yunnan to Shanxi and begin the poisoning."
He continued, methodical as ever.
"Six weeks of travel. The first two weeks of poisoning should slow the Mongol advance by at least a week, giving us more time to prepare our next phase. The attack will begin once they've entered the second village. Until then, our objective is to weaken their forces quietly."
He pointed toward marked locations, speaking of routes, water supplies, and the evacuation of northern villagers to safer grounds. The strategy was sound—perhaps even brilliant. If the villagers were moved early, we could buy more time to poison without drawing too much suspicion.
The discussion stretched into the evening. The air inside grew warmer, but I felt only colder. My mind had already drifted from tactics to something heavier—the unease of what he said next.
"We shall depart tomorrow," Renshu announced. "Zhou Fu, arrange the carriages. Each commander will send one colonel and one man. I shall go as well—alongside Aryan—to ensure everything is properly handled."
My blood ran cold.
Tomorrow? And with him?
Why would he—?
The murmurs began immediately. The others protested, suggesting he stay behind, that a colonel could oversee the mission instead. But of course, Renshu disagreed. He didn't need to convince them. He was the second-highest authority in the empire—his word was law.
When the meeting ended, I could barely contain myself.
"Why?" I snapped the moment the others were gone. "Why are you leaving tomorrow? Why are you coming with me? These people need you here to plan everything!"
He laughed softly, not mocking, but amused. "Do you think I'm acting without reason? My preparations for the rest are complete. Everyone knows what to do—I've been arranging it for weeks. Wei Fang will handle what remains."
Then his expression shifted, a quiet seriousness filling his eyes. "Is it true?"
I asked in confusion. "What is?"
"That your father truly killed his brother using that poison."
I tried to brush it off. "Yes. It's true. Nothing surprising."
He looked at me strangely, as if my indifference itself unsettled him. Then came that faint smile again, small, unreadable.
"I hope you understand," he said slowly, "that if I don't go with you, your disguise will fail. Someone will discover what you are. And even if they don't—you can barely walk properly yet. How do you plan to survive a six-week journey on your own?"
I clenched my jaw. I hated the concern in his voice. Hated how he spoke to me as though I were fragile, incapable.
"I would've managed," I said stiffly.
"You need to learn your own limits, Meilina," he sighed, the name slipping out softly but firmly.
I looked away, pretending not to hear it. The sound of my real name on his lips always made my chest tighten in ways I didn't like.
"Did anyone else know about this plan?" I asked, changing the subject. "They didn't seem too surprised by today's presentation."
For a moment, guilt flickered across his face—so quick I almost missed it.
"Well… perhaps I did mention a little to Wei Fang and Gao Ming," he admitted. "They wanted to know what to expect."
I didn't respond. I wasn't sure I could.
My gaze drifted upward. The crimson chandelier above us glowed softly against the red walls, painting the room in a muted warmth. Beautiful.
Today had been exhausting—hours of planning, questions, and revelations. My body was giving up. My legs trembled under me, even with the crutches. I'd been standing too long, and every step now felt like a punishment.
By the time Renshu finished his final notes and reread the plans, the night had fallen completely. The air outside was sharp, carrying the cold scent of roses and frost.
He glanced at me. "Are you sure you can mount that horse on your own?"
"I'll manage," I said.
"You're free to ride mine, you know. It's a long way back."
My breath caught. My eyes darted to the horses waiting in the distance. The realization hit me before I could stop it. My legs trembled again, weaker than I thought.
Oh no.
Not again.