A/N: Hope you are all staying safe in these uncertain times. We can do this together. Been delayed with my graduate school stuff (almost done), but I will get back into a normal writing pace.

Benjen sat in the remains of a Jogos Nhai encampment, one of the many that he had come across as he searched for Jon before the provosts found him. This was the third camp that he had found abandoned, which confused him since the Jogos Nhai that he had fought at least put up a fight. Now, they were nowhere to be seen.

After a few days, they found a zorsemen who had been left behind by his brothers in the camp they were currently in. "Where are the others?" Benjen asked in guanhua. However, he didn't understand it, so he signaled one of his men, who knew the Jogos Nhai tongue, to interpret for him. "Ask him where his friends are."

The cavalryman, the captain in command of the squadron that Benjen took with him, pushed against the zorsemen while yelling in his tongue. "He said that they ran north, back to where they came from."

"Why?" Benjen became more perplexed, as an army of zorsemen wouldn't just disappear without good reason.

"He said that their leader, a jhat by the name of Detu, has been killed when two strangers came into his yurt and freed the Crown Prince," the squadron captain translated.

"Wait. The Crown Prince has been freed?" This changes things.

"Yes," the captain interpreted. "He said that the two strangers were outsiders who came in the middle of the night and killed Detu in his bed. One was a woman of the steppes, probably a Goi or a Chogo, and the other was a white devil."

Benjen blinked in surprise, knowing who exactly the zorseman was talking about from those descriptions alone. "What else?"

"He said that Detu's riders tried to pursue them, but the steppes woman and the white devil turned out to be better in combat than expected. What's more, the large wolf creature helped out considerably," but the captain stopped his translation, as the zorseman's next words seemed to trouble him.

"Well, captain. What did he say?" Benjen needed what came next.

"He said that a… red dragon came in from the sky and burned many of his brothers, forcing them to retreat and the two riders to disappear with their prize," the captain interpreted, causing murmurs among the cavalrymen that had accompanied Benjen.

A red dragon… Meleys? How did she fly there so fast and how did she know that Jon needed help? Then, he remembered that his nephew had a bond with a dragon that couldn't be explained to others and Meleys was growing to be a fast and cunning creature just like her namesake. Dragons are quite something. If only there were still around when I was born…

While he had seen Rhaegar and the other Targaryens at Harrenhal, it was something else entirely to see actual dragons fly through the sky for the first time in centuries. And several times Benjen lose track of Meleys whenever she soared through the air. Her speed might change as she gets bigger, but she'll still be fast.

Going back to the present moment, he questioned the zorsemen further. "Why were your people running north?"

"He said that Detu was the only one who kept the jhats together, since many of them were not sure if they could stand up to the might of the empire. But given their beliefs in the stormsingers, they didn't see a choice. And now that he's dead, they see no point in going further," the captain translated.

"Well, that ended pretty quickly," Benjen noted, but wasn't surprised. Most wildling incursions in the north were not overly impressive and usually crumbled under pressure from an organized force. "But the Chogo woman and the white devil, ask him which direction they went."

"He said the last time anyone saw them, they were heading west, possibly towards the Steel Road," the captain interepreted.

"All right, then," Benjen stood up. "And that's where we should go. Get the men on their horses. We're leaving as soon as possible."

"What about the zorsemen?" the captain asked Benjen.

As he was still a prisoner, he had to decide on his fate. "Ask him why he's still here and not with his brethren."

"He said that he was still sleeping when the others left. He doesn't know where they are now."

Benjen rubbed his chin in thought before reaching a decision. "Bind him and take him with us."

"Captain, are you sure we can spare the extra baggage? He might slow us down," the captain disputed.

"Not like he has anywhere to go. And since he's part of the renegades, he might have valuable information for the general. What harm can he do to us?"

Benjen mounted his horse, as did the captain and the others, while the zorsemen had his hands tied to the saddle and being surrounded by other cavalrymen. Good thing they're not Goi, or we'll have a problem on our hands.

They spent the next two days galloping westwards towards the Steel Road, stopping only to rest and water their horses. If I were Jon, I'd make my way to Trader Town. It's the only place where I can be safe under imperial troops, if they didn't get the orders to arrest Jon and Chanhee on sight.

As they were about to near the parts of the Steel Road closest to Trader Town, Benjen and the men came across an army courier. He could tell by the flag he tied to his back and the type of horse he rode, which was smaller than the regular type of horse but had sturdier legs to allow for longer distances.

"Soldier," Benjen called out to the courier.

"Who are you?" the courier was surprised to see a white devil approach him.

"This is Brigade Captain Benjen Stark, commander of the flying column of the Northwest Army," he introduced himself.

"Captain Stark," the courier recognized that name. "I have a message that must reach headquarters. It concerns the exchange between a zorse jhat named Sela the Hyrkoon and General Kitara."

"An exchange?"

"I'm not authorized to tell you the details, as I don't have any orders besides the ones given to me from Trader Town," the courier said.

Benjen took a wild guess, as there was only instance where there would be any exchange between the army and the zorsemen despite the prime minister's orders. "Am I correct to believe that this exchange has something to do with the Crown Prince?"

The courier's eyes widened. "How… how did you know that?"

"Only General Kitara would engage in something like that, soldier. Now tell me, what exactly are the terms?"

The courier gulped, not expecting the white devil to have a keen mind. "Well, captain. The Crown Prince will be exchanged to Trader Town in exchange for thousands of silver taels and some food. Accompanying the Crown Prince is a Chogo woman and another white devil."

That's Jon and Chanhee! "And the exchange will take place at Trader Town?"

"Yes, Captain," the courier confirmed. "Now, please. I must make haste to headquarters."

"Good luck, soldier," Benjen bid him on before turning to the men. "All right. You heard him. We're going to Trader Town."

"But Captain Stark, why go there? Shouldn't it be safe for those involved in that exchange?" the squadron captain asked.

"It's my nephew, captain. Won't you do the same for yours?" The captain got the point. "Plus, it won't do any harm if there was a familiar wife and added security. I'm sure that General Kitara will understand."

"As you wish, Captain."

"Let's move!" Benjen galloped towards Trader Town and thus his nephew. I pray to the old gods that he'll be alive and unspoiled when I see him.


Jon and Chanhee rode alongside Sela and her band of Jogos Nhai as they journeyed on the Steel Road towards Trader Town. Sumeng was in the center, since his status as the heir to the Emperor of Yi-Ti called for the Jogos Nhai to protect him. One of the Goi had also accompanied them, with the other riding ahead to let Lord Joon and Trader Town know that they were coming.

Sumeng had become considerably gracious to his hosts after knowing that he will soon return home, although his air of superiority remained. For example, he ordered one of Sela's riders to give him some wine as they were resting, only for that rider to spit near him.

"You dare ignore me?" Sumeng cried out. "I am the Crown Prince of the Empire and I demand that you give me your wineskin."

"You don't demand anything of us, Your Highness," Sela shot back. "We're not your subjects and if you want the wine, you're going to have to pay for it."

"Oh, really?" Sumeng scoffed. "You're about to get paid seventeen thousand and five hundred silver taels as part of the price. Won't you people not have to worry about money for the rest of this season?"

"It's not about the money, Prince Sumeng. It's the attitude behind it. It's common courtesy to ask nicely for a drink, or if you must, pay for it. Not just in the plains, but to anyone you meet," Sela said. "Or is common courtesy too much to ask from us mere mortals?"

"Hey, woman," the Goi man called out to Sela. "Speak properly to Prince Sumeng. It's proper."

"I can take care of myself," Sumeng told the Goi, who quieted out of reverence.

"I don't know about that," Jon whispered to Chanhee, who giggled.

"I was raised in the palaces of the emperors, trained to become the eighteenth to sit on the throne. I have had servants to wait on me and make me aware of all that I had needed to know," Sumeng continued with haughtiness. "I am above the all of the rest because it is how things are."

"If that is how things are, then how about you explain to me how a slave, a captive from Kayakayanaya, was able to become a jhat?" Sela posed.

"You people are not civilized and therefore do not have what it takes to form a stable form of governance," Sumeng answered condescendingly. "It's only natural that your leaders come and go while the fireflies."

Sela rolled her eyes. "And you think your form of governance, the one that you so proudly will take over one day, is any better than ours?"

"We have trade, we have standardized forms of monies, we have armies, and we have roads because of how we rule ourselves," Sumeng defended. "What can you say for your people?"

"From how you described, all I hear are a massive set of rules that would all tie us down. We might not be as rich as you, but we're free," Sela bit back.

"You call this freedom? Having to live like commoners on the plains and having to fight for your next meal?" Sumeng waved his arms around. "Even the poorest harlot in the capital can expect to have meals every day."

"And you would know harlots?" Sela became very upset at what Sumeng was saying.

"I'm just saying that you people chose to live like savages, and this is where you end up. No wonder why we have so little regard for you," Sumeng stated dismissively.

"And no wonder why we don't like you southerners at all," Sela shook her head. "You think survival is something that only us have to live with? What about you? Is survival a consequence of when you are able to deal with the vultures at your court? We're all hungry, Prince Sumeng. We have to fight for food, but those men in your court fight for something else. And they will kill each other to get what they want. That doesn't make you lot better than us. We're the same."

"No, we're not," Sumeng denied.

"And where did your ancestors come from and how did they become emperors? Well, I'll tell you that they killed who they needed to kill in order to get the throne. Just like the previous emperors, you come from a line of murderers," Sela evaluated with honesty.

"Not true," Sumeng gasped. "My ancestor, Seongmin Bu, had to overthrow the previous dynasty after there was too much corruption in the court and when there were plans to invade Asshai, which would have bankrupted the empire. My ancestor saved our people."

"Oh, my gods. You really are a naïve fool, aren't you?" Sela derided. "Of course, your ancestor would emphasize the previous emperor's negative actions in order to make himself look better. But the fact remains that he got the throne through usurpation, meaning that anyone with the gall and power can become emperor if they chose to. Meaning that you will probably perish should that happen."

"You would speak of my death after all of the effort that you put in for the reward you'll get?"

"I didn't say anything about killing you, you idiot. Don't you ever pay attention whenever someone talks to you?" Sela wasn't finished, however. "You should know that there is no difference between us. You might live in a big palace, have servants attend to your every little need, fatten yourself with many meals, but make no mistake. If given the choice between life and death, you'll like the savages that you so look down upon."

"Never in my life will I have to resort to barbaric methods to ensure my survival," Sumeng declared.

"We'll see about that," Sela finished the conversation.

Jon listened on as Sela tore in Sumeng. While not as vicious as Joffrey from what he had seen, he was also very condescending to those he saw as beneath him and also not very wise when it came to his choice of words. Still, he at least was gracious to his hosts and to him and Chanhee for rescuing him. Let's just hope that he doesn't cause any more messes.

But Jon also had worries about them rescuing Sumeng. While he was no longer a prisoner, there was the risk of exposure to his true identity because of his actions. At the start, the only people who knew Jon's actual heritage was Lord Joon, his family, the household at Kushiro, and Lord Joon's teacher in the Mountains of the Morn. And now, his secret was slowly coming out into the open and thus more people knew about him being a prince of House Targaryen, which would include those that did not have Lord Joon's scruples. As the Lord of Kushiro said to Sam, "The more attention you have, the bigger target you paint on your back."

Sumeng promised to have Lord Joon revoke the warrant for Jon and Chanhee after killing the Goi that tried to kill them and also reward them, but that would also make more people aware of his existence. At the same time, Jon understood that besides Ghost, him being bonded with Meleys would not have been kept secret forever. His worries lay in whoever tried to manipulate him due to that one fact.

It also made Jon worry about what his aunt Daenerys must be going through. He knew that that she had no power at her disposal besides her dragons, and that they would be many others who would try to take advantage of her because of her dragons. But unlike him, she really didn't have anyone to truly protect her from those that would try to use her for their own ends and the dragons were still hatchlings, meaning that it would be years before they would be of any significant use to Daenerys, especially if she would become a rider.

Despite Jon's worries about his identity being revealed to more people in Yi-Ti, he also began to prepare himself in his mind of when people would approach him because of his lineage. Whether they had good intentions or nefarious designs on him, Sam, or Benjen was yet to be seen, but he had to stop acting like a bastard from the past and start thinking like how a prince would conduct himself. As Sumeng said, he needed to behave as befitting of his station, his true one. But I don't know how to act like a prince.

"More brooding, Jon?" Chanhee saw him as they rode on their zorses.

"Just worried about a lot of things," he answered.

"Like when we arrive at Trader Town," Chanhee caught on.

"Prince Sumeng said that he'll reward us greatly, but I'm not sure if the rewards will be good signs for us. People will know that I am a Targaryen prince, with an actual dragon and large direwolf with me," he pointed upwards to Meleys, who was flying in circles above them, and then to Ghost, who was trotting alongside the mounted group and making especially the Goi man very nervous. "It's possible that I, along with my Uncle Benjen and Sam, will be taken to the capital further south and my days of living quietly will be over. I've only heard what Lord Joon had to say about what goes on at court, but I am not sure if I can survive among those who will take advantage of me because of what I have."

"And?" Chanhee sensed that there were more.

"I'm sure that you'll be also be rewarded greatly, as you should. But I fear what will happen to you if we were to go to court. They'll only see you as a barbarian, even though you are more than that, and you'll face hardships when we do go there. From how Prince Sumeng acted, I fear of what the others at the court will think of you, especially if they have much more pompous attitudes towards other people," Jon laid out his worries.

Chanhee listened before hearing Jon finish. "I think… you are worrying too much about things that haven't happened yet."

Jon was surprised. "What do you mean?"

"It's possible that both of us will have to be present at the capital when this is all done, and yes, I might have deal with those who think themselves superior to others, which is something that I've grown used to over the years. But we're here and not there yet. You're thinking way too far in the future, Jon," Chanhee answered.

"But shouldn't we be worried about what the next weeks will have in store for us?" Jon had to worry about many things throughout his life, but here was a person who told him to not be agonize. How can I not have uneasiness?

"We should," Chanhee conceded. "But if it gets to the point where we begin to worry about every little thing and thus immobilizes us from actually doing the things that we should do, that's when the worrying becomes a problem."

"How would you know?"

"Well, I had to worry about staying alive and fighting off those that meant harm to me ever since I was a girl. My father and brother weren't around, so everything that I did so that I can wake up the next morning was because of my own efforts," she said. "I had no one to count on, so eventually, I didn't need anyone else to get to the next day."

"But?" Jon knew that there was more to Chanhee's words.

"One day, I was out hunting because I didn't eat for two days. I can't remember exactly how that happened, but on the plains, I saw a goat lying about. Because I was afraid of starving to death, I ignored all of the flies and the smells that came from the corpse. I merely thought, 'It's only venison. I just need to cook it up and I'll be fine.' But no. I threw up all of my insides and I passed out. Because I was already hungry and thirsty, I fainted not long after. It's only because of some relatives who found me was I able to live," Chanhee revealed.

"My gods," Jon uttered in shock.

"And that's when I realized that I shouldn't let my worries, especially those related to hunger, rule my every action. If you let your worries control you, then you will be nothing more than a slave rather than someone who can think and act on their own," she stated.

"So, what do you suggest?"

"Keep worrying, but at the same time, be focused in the moment. The next day is always filled with uncertainty, so why burden yourself more when you have enough right now?"

"That's an… interesting perspective," Jon frankly never thought about it that way. I've been worrying about me being a bastard for so long that I've always looked far into my future, where I could fight alongside Benjen at the Wall and not really dwell on the issues of the present.

Ned Stark was prone to bouts of brooding, which was part of the reason why many saw Jon as taking after his supposed father alongside Arya, but he worried about many things because of how others, mainly Catelyn, had treated him. But he had to concede that Chanhee had a point, since he let his worries dictate every single action that he had undertaken.

As much as he worried about Robb and his other siblings regarding their ability to handle themselves without Ned, they had an easier time living in Winterfell because they only had to worry about the moment and not really thinking about what was on the horizon. Well, that's questionable, since Sansa always worried about not being with someone that was worthy of her attention and wanted to please Lady Catelyn.

Jon sighed as he pondered more on Chanhee's words. Despite them being near the same age, she was infinitely wiser than he was, which was only natural given that she had to mature very quickly on the harsh settings of the plains. She might not have been well-read, but the things in her mind could rival all that Maester Luwin ever told him, if not more. So many things to learn and unlearn in these lands, he thought.

"And I am touched that you are worried about me, because you want to take me with you wherever you go, right?" Chanhee asked.

Jon quickly nodded. "Of course. We're together, so I should."

Chanhee nudged her zorse closer to his before reaching for him and kissing his cheek. "We'll manage. As long as we're together, everything will be fine."

Jon smiled. "Yes, it shall."

Then, Sumeng moved his zorse next to Jon, almost cramming him between the two riders. "Prince Daeron, I said that I would reward you. I think it's only fair that I reveal to you some of the things you should expect."

Jon internally groaned, not wanting his moment with Chanhee to be bothered. "And what would they be, Your Highness?"

"Well, first, I will talk to Lord Joon and have him rescind the warrants on both of you. Then, you shall be taken to Yin and be treated as a prince. I expect my father to grant you your own house and a handsome income so that you can maintain a proper dignity," Sumeng began.

"May I ask what my house will be like and the amount of my stipend? I won't complain, but I must prepare myself so that there will be no surprises," Jon inquired.

"Every man and woman granted imperial privileges will have their own residence in the capital, which has its own courtyard, household, and bodyguard among other aspects. Since I am the Crown Prince, I have the largest residence, but it still pales when compared to the palace occupied by my father," Sumeng continued.

Of course.

"And as the Crown Prince, I am granted an income of one thousand golden yunbaos a year, which amounts to five hundred thousand silver taels in the common circulation."

Jon gulped, as he had difficulty wrapping his head around such numbers. The wealthiest house in the North were the Manderlys, but their yearly intake wouldn't have matched those further southwards and even those at King's Landing from what he had heard. And here was a man who made House Lannister's wealth seem insignificant.

"For you, Prince Daeron, I imagine that you'll be accorded an income of fifty thousand golden yunbaos, which equals two hundred and fifty thousand silver taels."

Jon almost coughed. That's five times more than what Lord Joon gets from his lands every year.

"I think that's quite enough, Prince Sumeng," Jon didn't want to know more, as he was already feeling overwhelmed by the potential rewards the Crown Prince spelled out.

"But that's not all," Prince Sumeng didn't listen. "You will be invited to court and given a position in the empire. You handle yourself very well with weapons, so I will petition my father to have you appointed to the imperial guard."

Now, that was unexpected for Jon. "The… imperial guard?"

"A select group of men who protect the emperor, just like your Kingsguard in Westeros if I remember correctly. But… there's a lot more freedom given to its members and every officer in the army and fleet have to answer to the officers in the imperial guard, since they do outrank everyone else besides the emperor and the captain of the guard, Chenyin Gao."

While Jon was struggling to wrap his head around all of the rewards that Sumeng was laying out for him, he did notice a certain faintness when he mentioned the captain's name.

"Is this… Chenyin Gao a friend of yours?" Jon asked.

Sumeng sighed. "Yes. We've known each other a long time. It'll be nice to have drinks with him when I do return home."

I can understand that, Jon thought with sympathy. While he was getting more used to Yi-Ti, he longed for the day that he would return home and spend some quality time with his family, the ones who were still alive. Don't forget aunt Daenerys, he reminded himself.

"What about Chanhee?" Jon pointed to her. "She helped rescue you. What does she get?"

"Yes," Sumeng stared at the Chogo woman, as if forgetting she was there. "Of course. I shall petition my father to grant you an income and good place to say in the capital. Perhaps… you'll do well among the women there, after some refining on your part."

"Refining?" Chanhee was taken aback.

"With respect, you're a woman of the steppes. If you appear in court like this, you'll be a figure of fun and people will laugh at you because of your uncivilized ways. You have to become presentable if you want to survive," Sumeng outlined.

"Not sure if I'll like your reward, then," Chanhee scratched her head uncomfortably.

"But… I have to reward you somehow. Debts have to be repaid."

Jon cringed at that, since it reminded him of the Lannisters' words on how they repay their debts.

"The only payment that will satisfy me is for the Goi to be punished. They've caused my people a lot of pain, so anything that hurts them will be enough," Chanhee announced loudly, so that the Goi man could turn around and glare at her. But he turned back around under Sumeng's scolding look.

"I will… take that into consideration," Sumeng offered. "After all, they are a loyal people to the empire and thus have to be treated carefully if we don't want to set a bad precedent."

"Fine," Chanhee groaned in annoyance.

"We'll soon be in the outskirts of Trader Town, all of you," Sela called out. "Be ready."

Jon, Chanhee, and Sumeng nodded, excited to return to familiar surroundings, but the former two were nervous at what lay next. They grabbed their hands, feeling their strength flow between them. No matter what happens, as long as she's with me, everything will be fine.


The Goi man galloped as hard as he could towards the outskirts of Trader Town. He had to leave his partner behind with the Crown Prince, the Chogo woman, and the white devil with the large wolf and fast dragon. While he took offense that a woman from his people's rivals was even allowed in Prince Sumeng's presence, the white devil took up a larger part of his anger. He couldn't believe that a foreigner was able to achieve such merit, and his actions would no doubt protect him from any retribution that would have come after killing his comrades. He will die before that happens.

Before leaving Trader Town with his partner in order to confirm that the Crown Prince was alive and thus allowing the exchange to go forward, he had received secret orders from Major-General Ikken Feng and the magistrate of Tiqui. They were both summoned to the general's personal quarters, where they met General Feng and the magistrate.

"I trust you know why you are here," General Feng started.

"Does it have anything to do with the white devil and the Chogo whore?" one of the Goi asked.

"Correct. They are safe and sound with our Crown Prince and a jhat called Sela the Hyrkoon. As you are aware, the magistrate here posted a bounty on the white devil's head and here is a great opportunity for you both to collect on it," Feng pointed out. "A bonus is the Chogo whore, who you can treat however you wish only after the white devil is dead and the Crown Prince safe within our hands."

"Wouldn't there be a risk that the Crown Prince might protect the white devil, considering that it was he who rescued him?" the Goi's partner asked the general.

"Let us worry about that little detail, cavalryman," the magistrate joined in. "We could twist it in a way that the white devil and the Chogo whore had reprehensible designs after breaking the Crown Prince out of captivity. They might have… wanted to keep him in captivity so that they can benefit from the ransom that Lord Joon will pay out when they could have turned southward back to this town."

"Do you know that for sure?" the Goi man asked with uncertainty.

"He is a white devil and the Chogo woman is a longstanding rival of the Goi, a loyal client people of the empire. No one will ask too many questions," the magistrate assured him.

"Then why would General Kitara go through the trouble of sheltering the white devil and the Chogo whore?" the Goi man's partner inquired.

"That'll be something that we'll pursue once we begin an investigation into the governor's conduct," the magistrate put his hands on the low table. "I will send a letter to the Inspector-General of the Army in Yin, who will send a representative to help oversee the investigation. Given the right motivation and amount of taels, we can steer the investigation towards a favorable outcome. I'm sure that the Inspector-General will have to remove Lord Joon from command of the army and thus send him to court to face another trial from the emperor. His imprisonment or execution for sheltering an enemy of the empire, who kidnapped the Crown Prince when he had the opportunity to return him immediately, are both acceptable. Perhaps, maybe his family will be forced from their home while Kushiro will be given to another lord, one who is more… agreeable to the conditions of this province."

The Goi man nodded. "You have all this all figured out, haven't you?"

"You have your orders," General Feng cut in. "The magistrate is willing to pay ten thousand taels, an increase from the previous bounty, and that is dead or alive. Naturally, since I facilitated this arrangement, I am entitled to… four taels to every ten."

"That would leave only three thousand for the both of us," the Goi's partner realized.

"Smart one, aren't you? But the remaining six thousand will have to be distributed among the men you will have accompany you. After all, you need at least twenty men to put off a successful ambush, given that the white devil and his whore were able to take on nine."

The Goi men shifted uncomfortably, not liking the terms. "What about the rumors that the white devil has a dragon?"

"Fantastical claims," the magistrate dismissed. "Just more words to put the fear of the gods into those that would try to oppose him. Make sure that the men you select are armed and ready to fight. And you shall get your just reward."

The Goi men let out a collective sigh before agreeing to the terms. If they protested, both of them would have found some others to do the deed for them.

Soon enough and back in the present, the Goi man came across his compatriots, thirty of them in total and all armed with a mixture of daos, lances, bows and arrows, and tanegashima. The latter came in either the longarm version or the shortarm version, with the shortarm allowing the user to use only one hand. But we haven't used them in anger yet.

To decrease detection from the rest of the army that had come with Lord Joon to Trader Town, they had taken great pains to hide their weapons underneath thick cloaks. More importantly, they discarded their uniforms and adopted garments worn by smallfolk in order to blend in with the general population. The risk with soldiers not wearing traditional army attire is that if they were caught, they could be tried as spies and thus executed immediately. Six thousand taels buys a lot of courage, though, the Goi man mused.

"All right. You all know what must be done?" the Goi man asked them all, to which they nodded. "Good. Kill the white devil and the Chogo whore will be easy to capture. And extra taels on whoever kills the wolf creature and brings me his skin. Don't waste your arrows or your shots."

Now, we just have to wait.

A/N: Hope that was sufficient for you all. We had to know what Benjen was up to and he's hauling ass to his nephew.

Jon is getting more pieces of wisdom from Chanhee, but also getting a taste of what will await him at Yin, the capital. If the rewards seem too much, Asian ruling dynasties experienced a level of opulence that the rest of the world couldn't match. But such comforts will be tempered by the dangers that are in the court, as the imperial officials are experienced players of the game just like in Westeros. And I would suggest that you all read up the Three Kingdoms Period of China and of Korea, the Sengoku Period of Japan, and the transition of the Ming to the Qing dynasty. Full of real-world game of thrones like the War of the Roses.

And now, we have the magistrate and the general attempting to sabotage the exchange by killing Jon and Chanhee. Fingers crossed on whether they can make it out alive.