Wen Qing was going through some documents when her guard Miles came in. 

"Princess, here are more documents you had asked about the cult of Mithras."

He said and gave her some books and files. "This is all about the history of cults of Mithras and not... the information I need."

Miles sighed, "Princess, why do you believe that the cult of Mithras exists? Is it because of Lord Cheng? If so, then please stop, Princess. Lord Cheng has lost his mind and the duke of the north said it himself. Why would you want to look after something that does not exist because he said that?"

"Because I know that Lord Cheng wasn't lying."

"And how are you so sure?"

Wen Qing looked at Miles and spoke, "Miles as my royal guard your work is to be my eyes, my ears and be loyal to me you do what I tell you, you say what I say and you see what I see, that's it. Now go and do what I told you to do."

Miles bowed before her and left, "Yes, Your highness."

With a sigh, she leaned back on her chair as she drift into thoughts.

~~~~~

Wen Qing was pissed she was very, very pissed.

How can Cheng be such a coward that the bastard left the army abandoned his soldiers who looked up to who respected him?

And left his country to be invaded what's the use of all his talent and training.

He was an inspiration for so many, he motivated so many and out of those so many, she was one. Seeing Cheng on the battlefield was a sight to behold and seeing him laughing and dancing with his soldiers like they were his family gave everyone a warm feeling.

And now here he was throwing a tantrum because the people refused to live him because the people refused to believe him because he failed to provide evidence?

How dare? he disrespects such a scared group of people, he threw his life so causally not caring about his family or anyone has he lost his mind? Not caring about her?

"COMMANDER CHENG!" Her voice roared in Yanli's mansion and the guards that came to stop her backed away with her one glare, one glare from the royal princess. 

She walked inside the mansion, "Show me Cheng's room right now!" She yelled and the servants bowed and showed her the room that was locked she knocked on the door once, twice, and thrice but no one opened. 

"Princess let me get the key...ha!" the maid gasped when Wen Qing kicked the door once, twice thrice, and on the fourth try it finally opened and she walked in, only to see a mess, clothes scattered here and there, papers scattered here and there, and she also saw the splatter of blood her anger was accompanied by sorrow and her heart clenched when she saw Cheng on the balcony drinking another bottle of alcohol while near him were at least twenty empty alcohol bottles.

She turned around and closed the door and bow she was alone she walked towards the balcony opened the door and kicked the bottles that came her way, "Commander Cheng!" She said with a firm voice.

But Cheng only drank, like a dead lifeless body, Wen Qing gulped and clenched her fists when she saw the man that was smiling and was full of life and goofy even with a hard-headed princess like her looked so broken and destroyed.

She snatched the bottle from his hand and that finally made him look at her, "I am talking to you, Commander Cheng!"

Cheng looked at her with lifeless eyes and expressionless face, "I am not a commander anymore I am just Cheng."

"How much did you drink?"

Cheng looked at her and smirked as he looked at the bottles around him, and she closed her eyes and sighed, "What happened to you!" she grabbed his hand, "Commander Cheng what happened to you! why are you like this what made you like this?"

Cheng looked at her, "Why do you look so hurt?"

"Because you are hurting now answer me!"

Cheng saw the pain and sadness for himself, he saw the same thing in his sibling's eyes as well, "No one believed me, no one will believe."

"I will believe you. So tell me why, just why do you think that cult of Mithras real tell me!"

Cheng's eyes stung because of hot tears and finally, an expression of agony covered his expressionless face and tears came to his lifeless eyes.

"You will?"

"Yes, I will."

Cheng tried to get up but he fell on the floor and Wen Qing sat beside him, He grabbed her hand and connected it with his forehead before his shoulders shook and the voice of his silent cries filled the room, as he began to speak in his broken voice "I... I...

~~~~~

A shiver ran through her spine when she remembered the information that was dumped on her that day.

She wiped the tears from the side of her eyes and sat back to work, she was going to find that bloody cult of Mithras, and when she do she will make sure that Cheng gets the justice he deserves.

Cult of Mithras.

~~~~~

Yibo and His team had gone to rescue the bandits while Cheng and Haxuan had gone to rescue Jasper 

"He must be kept deep in the dungeons."

Cheng was awfully quiet while going down with Haoxuan. 

"Where do you think he must be kept?" Haoxuan asked.

When he heard no reply Haoxuan asked, "Lord Cheng?"

No reply.

"Lord Cheng?!"

No reply and Haoxuan finally turned back only to see Cheng covered with sweat, and his eyes were wide as if he has been a ghost he didn't look like he was here, "Lord Cheng?"

Hoaxuan stopped and shook him, "Lord Cheng?!"

Cheng finally came back to his senses and looked at Haoxuan, "Huh?"

Haoxuan raised a brow, "Huh? are you okay?"

Cheng gulped, "Yes, Yes I am ."

Haoxuan didn't ask after that but he can see that Cheng was anything but okay.

"I was asking do you have any idea where Jasper might be kept?"

Cheng coughed a little and nodded, "Uh... um... let's move forward," He said and walked ahead of Haoxuan, Haoxuan followed him a part of him thought that maybe Cheng knew where he was going.

It was a normal dungeon but Cheng didn't even look at any of the cells instead he went straight till he reached the end Haoxuan was worried now, "Lord Cheng what are we..."

He stopped when he saw Cheng touching the wall and then he pushed a brick back and the wall actually moved to reveal the staircase.

Haxuan was shocked, "what? how?"

But Cheng stepped aside he looked deathly pale now, "Are you lord Cheng are you feeling sick?"

Cheng leaned against the wall, "Go in, Japer must be there."

Haoxaun, "Asked you are not going to come?"

"I don't think you will need my help."

Haoxuan then went inside the passage and indeed he found Jasper chained to the wall in a very horrible state The door was locked and Haoxuan broke it  before he went in and somehow broke the chains as well and managed to get Jasper out of there."

"Who are you?"

"I am sent by the duke."

Jasper didn't ask anything else and Haoxuan carried him out. Where he found Cheng, who closed the door again and they went out.

~~~~~

Meanwhile, Yibo and Zhan along with their soldiers were already at the base.

Bruno had explained everything to the bandits who were scared and worried but Yibo comforted them, "It's alright, everyone"

Zhan spoke, "We will make sure that you all survive, and from our information, we already know that Dennis and Callum's men must be here any moment, hence we have to work fast but before that, I want to know whether you trust us it not."

The bandits looked at each other and Bruno was the first one to bow before them, "I Burno, surrender my soul to the duke of the north, I shall always follow him and listen to his command and when the time comes I am willing to give my life to him as well."

Seeing him little by little all the other bandits also swore their allegiance to him. 

Yibo and Zhan smiled before they nodded, "Now I will tell you the plan."

~~~

When the Callum's men arrived at the location of Bandit's base they saw all the bandits happily sitting and chatting.

The men followed their leader's lead and attacked the bandits they captured all of them and beat them up the gathered them all in one place.

"Let's finish the job fast." The leader said but before any bandits could be killed Yibo's soldier's attacked Calum's men.

And captured them Before Yibo came out of hiding, the leader of the men were shocked, "Dule of north why are you here?"

Zhan smirked, "well, well if this isn't Santos Ashford, Callum's heir son, this is just a jackpot isn't it, duke?"

Santos struggled, "What are you trying to do huh? do you have any idea how much trouble you are inviting by doing this?"

Yibo answered, "We are not inviting trouble we are ending the trouble."

Santos glared at him, "what are you planning to do?"

Yibo answered, "You will know soon," he then turned to Burno, "Carry out the tasks."

Bruno nodded and the bandits got to work they all killed Dennis and Callum's men and changed their uniforms, which is made the soldiers wear the uniform of the bandits, and only four men were left alive including Santos.

"You vile disgusting human," Santos spoke, "I will kill you and your son, I will make sure that I grab your son and give him a brutal death while you watch just you wait."

Zhan then moved forward and pried his mouth open, "Would you like to do the honor, Duke?"

Yibo whose face had no expression nodded and grabbed the knife before he came forward and grabbed Santos's tongue and pulled it out, "No one, absolutely no one gets to talk shit about my son in front of me and gets to live remember that."

With that, he cut off his tongue followed by the others.

Zhan then told the bandits to change their clothes as well and pretend to be a part of Yibo's army.

That they did.

~~~~
Zhan and Yibo smiled once they looked at each other.

Zhan spoke, "Tomorrow in the royal court Callum and Dennis will be dead."

Yibo sighed and looked at the sky, "Finally, tomorrow shall be the day of victory after nearly two years we are here."

Zhan smiled after he saw how relaxed and happy Yibo looked, after such a long time he looked so relaxed.

"What are you looking at."

Zhan leaned in and gave him a quick kiss, "You look good when you are relaxed like this."

Yibo smiled as well, "I am always relaxed when you are with me."

Zhan smiled as he slowly held Yibo's hand and Yibo gladly grabbed his before they walked out of the place.

 Author's note: Nobility is going down, royalty and Temple to go.