**CHAPTER 12**

Ming Yi drags Cao Cao to an empty room. Before she closes the door, she first looks if there's somebody that follows them. When the coast is clear she closes the door and said,

"I'm so sorry to drag you here Lord Cao Cao." she said as she pants her breath.

"What are you doing here your highness? Did you know that his majesty sent his men just to find you after you disappeared? He is worried about you!" Cao Cao said to her, from the tone of his voice you can feel that he is worried too.

"I'm sorry but I still don't want to go back to the Imperial Palace."

"What do you mean by that? Beside why are you wearing servant's clothes?" he asked one question after another.

Shurei has no other choice but tell Lord Cao Cao about her situation. After she finished explaining to him, he looks straight to her eyes and said,

"You need to go back now your highness."

I knew it, he wouldn't understand my situation.

"Why Lord Cao Cao? The truth is I really enjoy my stay here inside your palace."

"Your highness, it's not good for you to be here. What if someone from the other kingdoms learn that the 1st princess of his majesty is imposing as a servant here in my empire? They might kidnapped you so that they can manipulate his majesty and maybe take the throne." He reason out to her.

"Come on I will be careful besides I-"

"I think your forgetting something your highness. You don't have any guards to protect you in case of trouble, not like when you are inside the Imperial Palace. It's in my responsibility to take care of you especially if his majesty learns that after all this time you are missing you are just inside my kingdom, pretending to be a servant. And then if something bad happens to you, his majesty might even punish me if he learns that I didn't protect his daughter from harm while she's inside my empire!" he said to her. From the tone of his voice, he is very determine to send back Princess Shurei to the Imperial Palace.

"No." she reply to him stubbornly.

"Princess Shurei I-"

"I believe in you Lord Cao Cao that while I'm still here inside your kingdom, you will do anything by means of protecting me. I still don't want to go back to the Imperial Palace." She said to him, determine too not to leave.

"Sigh… Very well then your highness. But before that, let me call my servants so that they can help you change in much more appropriate clothes, rather than wearing servant clothes."

"Oh no, you don't need to Lord Cao Cao! My main reason for staying here is that to leave my glamorous life as a princess and become just an ordinary commoner working as a servant here." She smiles at him.

Cao Cao sigh heavily again. "She's got guts to do these kinds of things. Like father, like daughter eh…"

"Are you sure about this your highness? What if others might recognize you?"

"They will not recognize me. I never show my face when I'm outside the Imperial Palace. If there's someone who may recognize me, it's you and the two leaders of the other kingdoms."

"What about his majesty? Don't you want to inform him about your location?"

"I'm sure that father will surely send me back to the Imperial Palace when he learns about my location. So please don't tell him Lord Cao Cao. I know you are loyal to my father but please I always want to do this. When the time comes, I'm going back to the Imperial Palace."

"If that is you wanted, so be it. Don't worry Princess Shurei, I will make sure that there is no harm come to you while you're in my custody." He said while bowing at her.

"Thank you Lord Cao Cao, I really appreciate it" she smiles at him.

As they finish their conversation, Cao Cao bid farewell to Shurei. He immediately goes back to the celebration and look for Zhang Liao. When he sees that he is still outside drinking, he calls him immediately. Zhang Liao goes beside Cao Cao who is under a tree; he wonders why his master is there.

"Is there something wrong Lord Cao Cao?"He asks the prime minister.

"Zhang Liao, there's an important mission I want you to do for me. Are you certain that you can do this?"

"Of course Lord Cao Cao! There is nothing impossible for me to do"

"Good, I want you to guard a certain girl who is staying inside the palace. She is a very important person so be sure to get her away from any means of harm. I trust you in this mission Zhang Liao. I am not always here to protect her so I want someone to look for her."

"I see, have I met this girl you're talking about Lord Cao Cao?"

"Yes, you know the servant girl you were talking just now, she is the one whom I want you to protect."

Zhang Liao is surprise! "How come Lord Cao Cao wants to protect this mere servant?" He wants to ask him about that servant but he can't.

Cao Cao read what's on his mind and said, "She is not just a servant Zhang Liao. She is the 1st daughter of his majesty, Princess Han Shurei."

Now he is much more confused! "If she is a princess, how come she is in the Wei Empire and wearing servant clothes?"

Cao Cao sighs heavily for the third time. He really needs to explain it all to Zhang Liao about the request of the princess to him. "This is a very long night." He thought to himself.