Blast from the Past
Chapter 011
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Flower of Paradise
Chu Qiao stayed in the Chu Jing Palace for almost a year, now and it is summer time. Zhong Yu on that night just disappeared like a blink of an eye. With the help of Viper, she was able to adjust herself to the old palace and help the people rebuild its ruins. The people of Chu come and go to the palace to offer some wine and other harvests of the land. The people of Chu cannot express their joy upon seeing the lost princess whom they taught were already dead, the daughter of the late king Chu who offered his head to save its people and its royal daughters and sons.
Unfortunately, she is the last seed sown by time to grow while the rest of the noble Chu and Jing families were all slain by the swords of the western empire at the time of the merciless Yuwen Hao the master of the eyes of God before Yuwen Yue his adopted son took over after his death. Yuwen Hao did not have an heir until a valiant baby Yuwen Yue came to Green Hills courtyard by a Lady who traveled far from Xie household to the Yuwen household, the niece of Tai Furen the mother of Yuwen Huai, the concubine of the third branch of the Yuwen household at Red Hills courtyard. It has been told that Tai Furen came from the gentle descent and the lady who visited her who wore the peony gown that was later found out at the Jile Pavilion was the mother of Yuwen Yue who was later discovered by Yuwen Yue suffered an unfortunate fate in the hands of Yuwen Xi. As Tai Furen said to Yuwen Yue on the day he crashed the gates of his own Yuwen household Red Hills courtyard, she said: “You have to listen to stories more and longer than this.”
The poor of the poorest who hid on the divine mountains of the East sea were the only ones who came back when they heard that the lost princess is alive and is set to revive the lost empire.
The lost empire does not only house the most powerful but also keeps the balance of dark powers of the underworld. The lost empire was the keeper of non-governmental elite spies whom they also call the underworld spies who do not work for money but for a mission and that is to rescue mankind from the brink of darkness and dangers. You may call them angels of grace where they show up in time either to punish or reward someone and they work as if they were not raised in the flesh in blood but by the afterlife powers bestowed and passed on upon them since birth.
The story has been told to Chu Qiao all year-long by the old woman who challenged her upon entering the Chu Jing inner courtyard palace for the first time from her last. She was still six years old when she move out of the palace for her protection her mother took her and once again her mother went back to her former ways of life before she became the queen of the empire she came back as Luo He the leader of wind and cloud decree, the most powerful underworld elite spy.
Chu Qiao was left to her closest kin family Jing Jia (Jing family) together with his half-brother and sisters Zhi Xiang (4th), Lingxi (5th), Chu Qiao but was renamed as Xiao Lui (6th) to hide her identity, Xiaoqi (7th), Xiaba (8th) who resides at Yanbei on the top of Longji mountains where Mr. Wu’s noble birthplace, a native of the small village and extreme fighters. Chu Qiao, as well as her brothers and sisters, were all princes and princess who were kept well in the palace but the fateful day to strike them, only the mother of Chu Qiao was able to save and protect them from the blades of the western empire. After the King’s head was slain, only Chu Qiao survived the bloodthirsty edges of the Wei empire.
Mr. Wu trained the young Chu Qiao for years but only does it at night. Thus, the young Chu Qiao was prepared to fight and is well versed in villain types of enemies where she was blindfolded and perform her Kata’s at the coldness and darkness of the night and compete with several spy elite fighters. At daytime, she is a normal kid, but ay nighttime Mr. Wu trained her with different kinds of arts such as wushu, gongfu, wuxia and other self-defense skills necessary to control her powers passed on since she was born. Mr. Wu also taught her how to perfect her meditation that would make her senses sharp and powerful and help her improve her flexibility, stamina and relentless spirit like her mother, Lou He. Mr. Wu and her mother are cousins, both are most powerful elite spies of the underworld, but Mr, Wu kept a low profile life and retreated to the mountains of Yanbei after the Chu empire was set on fire and where the remains of Datong Way seems to have been forgotten.
The face of Skyshadow gatekeeper should not be exposed and if it does curse will fall upon their eyes and shall go blind for an indefinite time or until Supermoon appears before its sight will be restored.
“Supermoon comes only once in a hundred years, so then how can it be cured? “Better not to see the face of this old woman!” Chu Qiao is looking so beautiful and pristine, wearing her princess dress with beautiful hems of plum blossoms and its branches as if going upward on her skirt, her indigo scarf serves as her veil as she grumbles herself to listen to the old woman.
“Another time?” Chu Qiao teased the old woman.
“No,” said the old woman.
“Okay here we go again, come on tell me more and then lets rest for the day,” Chu Qiao said in a dull tone.
The eyeshadow woman told Chu Qiao about the story of the Forgotten River that separates the underworld and the world of the living. With so many things in her head Chu Qiao cannot comprehend its meaning and repeated what she said: “when someone dies and if that someone is about to cross the river of forgotten, all of the memories of the dead’s past life would wane.”
The old woman cut her off and added: But before all things are said and done, on the last step to reach the other side of the forgotten river, a flower called Higanbana is thriving at its shores.
What’s the use of Higanbana? Is it different from Hing Ba Na? Chu Qiao is trying to squeeze more information about the difference between the two.
The old woman tells her: “Secret princess, please listen and put it in your heart, the legend claims that the fragrance of Higanbana would bring back all of the dead’s earthly memories one last time before they disappear before they reach the other side of the river. Also, it is said that once an unrequited lover dies from this earthly world, these flowers would bloom along the paths of the departed lovers and if they were once a companion, they are never destined to meet again. Last but not least, do not ever forget, these precious flowers represents the change of season from summer to fall. Oh, what a beautiful sight…”
The old woman stopped where Chu Qiao was left on the air, and she cannot seem to control her eyes is already welling in tears.
The old woman saw Chu Qiao’s face when she slightly tilted her head she saw her eyes welling on tears, but she is controlling her tears not to fall down, the old woman ignored her and continued to tell the story.
“A welcome sight if you just obey and don’t look at my face” then the old woman paused and look at Chu Qiao still teary eyes, she continued… “and go blind after too many long summer heat though, it’s not yet a sign of a cooler weather ahead but we can look forward to it. Such beauty at your back and you won’t have the chance to see it.” the old woman’s voice is mocking trying to catch her attention and ignore her emotions as apparently, she wasn’t listening to her again.
Chu Qiao suddenly wiped her eyes with her indigo scarf, and told the old woman, what is in my back? What is it called?
“I was waiting for you to ask and finally you did!” The old woman on her naturally dull voice seemed like she had waited like forever tone and Chu Qiao got irritated.
“The flower tattoo at your back is not just the ordinary tattoo. Your late mother Luo He, the late queen of the Chu Jing palace, passed it on to you when you were at the right age and can already control your powers do you still remember those times? It is called the Higanbana, the flower of the afterlife. Its power declines during summer as its leaves thrive and rises up during winter as its upward petals bloom on fall.”
The Hing Ba Na is a chant of the ancient inscription for Feng Yun Faling (the Wind and Cloud decree) to wish to accept a reward or consequence once you use its powers. On the white paper snow handed over to you by your mother Luo He inside the small bottle of Celadon. However, you cannot read what is in the paper snow if you do not use the pure and consecrated appearing and disappearing powder and . . .
“. . . so another time?” The old woman was sarcastic when she saw how Chu Qiao was already hooked up to their kingdom’s story and spoke back to Chu Qiao the very words she said earlier to cut her thrill of the moment.
And Chu Qiao as if just wanted to kick the old woman and so she did, but the old woman became like a ghost and shadowless but Chu Qiao already knows how to respond on this shadowless contender, and both of them danced on their martial arts.
Chu Qiao on her displeasure for putting her in the highest peak and then cutting her off at its height is rude she said: “I will see your face and slap you even if I go blind for all eternity! You come back here and finish the story!” she shouted but in a funny manner where she just found herself alone.
Chu Qiao found her window opened, indicating where the old woman escaped and she sighed and told herself: “another day! What a day to end it like this!? You old woman is so rude!” the old woman looked at her at the bottom and heard Chu Qiao, she saw her eyes but not the old woman entire face, and she became angry like a child whose toy was stolen by someone else.
Viper was having fun on this scene as she patrols closely to her diamond hall, she is just happy looking at the secret princess alive and though there are some minor memory lapses she is still Chu Qiao who can restore back their lost empire.
The next day Chu Qiao attended her usual training schedule and left the diamond hall to the training grounds of the Chu Palace. The people of Chu recognized her father’s noblest act which according to their stories the King choose to lay down his life to keep the land and people at peace. The Chu kingdom treasures and weaponries were kept hidden to the divine mountains of the East. These people are very loyal for they owe their lives to the Chu Teng Gao king that saved them through his blood. Through the passing of time, they made a covenant that all of these kingdom treasures left by the noble King will be preserved under the custody of the former underworld spies, and they would release to utilize it when the time is right upon the arrival of the secret princess. Their central belief was based on the prophecy passed on from generations to generations that one day it shall happen and come to pass. Not even single prediction was proved to be wrong as one by one it indeed happened, slowly in time fulfilling it.
Some of the villagers from Chu Kingdom who settled on the divine mountains found Ximeng continent where the Qinghai dynasty sits its throne. But these villagers cannot pass its Great walls to enter the land because they were told that the King forbade it. In fact, it wasn’t the King who forbid it, but its Queen so these Chu people were left to fed only themselves and some were sold as slaves to the other empires.
Chu Qiao now ready she rode on her black horse with an indigo scarf indicating the horse is owned by the royal Chu family. She is dressed in her white, yellow gold gown with embroidered phoenix in the middle of her chest, her hair was set and adorned with jade and other crystals and a pair of dew drop earrings. She looks pristine as clear as the water of springs of the Arcadian mountains of the Eastside with her gentle dark brown eyes that would make you want to touch her delicate face.
Chu Qiao was always dressed and set up for this hairstyle every day as Viper will look for ways to disrupt her figure and would always try to catch her head to mess up with her hair. Every morning they begin their training session of gongfu fight to refresh the secret princess of her lost skills that is just around the corner waiting for it to be unleashed. The flower tattoo on her back has not disappeared since the frozen lake incidence, and if Viper touches her body, she gets the same intensity of power that burned her palms when she took out Chu Qiao from the frozen lake. Viper almost lost her hands when her palms got burned, and it turned to a blue flame, she did not feel any pain or something.
Viper soaked both of her palms to the icy lake after she secured the secret princess to someplace safe, near but well hidden from the glacial lake. Viper only felt the pain when she took them out from the cold lake, and she cried bitterly in pain where the hotness and coldness meets a painful sensation of her palms burning its skin like hell. Viper never understood Chu Qiao power until that moment, the only thing was, she noticed, after few days of biting pain, her palms recovered and turned out red and slowly went back to its original state. Viper could only wear gloves to protect it from the harsh winter at that time.
The drummer servants were ready, and the drums were lined up surrounding the Chu palace training ground and started to play. The beats went from fast to monotone to slow beats. The bass drums are the scariest when it produces its sounds, so horrifying but Chu Qiao got used to it and the secret princess signals to start her training course. This is the Chu Jing’s royal training style. A lot of obstacles course was kept hidden and lying on the ground, but Chu Qiao was a fast learner. At first, she was being hit and had all kinds of minor wounds on her body. “This is not so much fun,” she told herself, and so she went day by day to master them even if meant she would bear more than what it takes to take herself back to who she used to be. The drums reach its peak of fast beats every time the secret princess finishes an obstacle course and starts the next one. This will continue until the secret princess completes the course and comes out of the gigantic red and gold door handle dragon where a huge basin full of incense ashes placed at the middle, is a giant stick of incense burning and almost spent.
Chu Qiao’s job was always to keep herself in this pristine look, her hair still well-kept except for a small jade crystal dropped from her hair to the ground. This means that she was almost hit on her head and it is not a good sign said Viper who is waiting outside the door. “Again! but it can wait until tomorrow” said Viper, she put on her indigo scarf as her veil to keep her face under the sun.
After all flying kicks, tumbling on the ground, grabbing some cold weapons such as crossbows, different kinds of arrows shooting on a long and average target range, the dagger’s made of cold iron, using beautiful shields, utilizing long weapons such as spears, staff, and finally…
Inside the obstacle course she entered an inner door, a never been this place part of the training ground, Chu Qiao found a prized sword. Chu Qiao holding her bow and arrows at her back suddenly dropped her bow and ran to see the glistening sword closely.
♥♥♥
Chapter 012
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
A Sword and Its Past (proofread done)
A flashback from the inner door, on her dark brown eyes, bedazzled and mesmerized with the double-edged sword she is looking at the moment. At the tip of the sword is a perfect silver finish and at the end of its gold-like grip handle are tiny silver bells. One thing she knows she is sure that she might have seen this sword somewhere. She touched the tiny silver bells and its crisp sound brought her ears some tingling sensation and suddenly her memories of the past became vivid.
The tiny silver bells sound continued to echo to her ears, and Chu Qiao remembers Xinger, although she wasn’t sure if Xinger and her was the same person as she can recognize Xinger in her memories. Chu Qiao recalled about Yuwen Yue held a contest to select her bedchamber maid.
Xinger won in the tea making ceremony and won in the writing contest and so forth. She saw Xinger’s first night with his master as her bedchamber maid, When Xinger’s was awarded the silver bell.
When Yuwen Yue trained her and commissioned her to become an official agent spy of the eyes of God, when Yuwen Yue gave her the Canhong Jian sword, when Yuwen Yue and Xinger fought won’t let go of her hand from the castle peak, Xinger was about to fall and Xinger let go of his hand, when Yuwen Yue came to Yuwen Huai’s dungeon and saved her by temporarily killing her with a needle, Yuwen Yue said: “A woman who cannot be controlled is worse than dead.” Chu Qiao also saw the grave of her siblings Ling Xi and Zhi Xiang, the tomb of Xinger where his master thought she was burned to death deceived by her two sisters, the ring her master gave her found by Yuwen Yue in ashes that left Yuwen Yue devastated for days…
It also flashed back on her memories when Yuwen Yue gave Xinger her first mission but then his master came to rescue her and then they were lock up in the cave with shop owner Zao Baocong, the old man revealed that the sword Yuwen Yue gave her was actually a lover’s sword together with Yuwen Yue’s Po Yue Jian sword, his master cannot hide the truth anymore.
“That’s it! I knew it! This is Po Yue Jian sword!” She looked at the sword once again and touched its blade, she closed her eyes all of a sudden like she was turning around it and its flashback of memories continues. She didn’t know she has this power until now.
After several minutes, she opened her eyes and her tears falling down, she saw in her flashback a part of Xinger’s memories and Yuwen Yue about this sword, but she chooses not to continue.
“Who are you, Yuwen Yue? Did you really love Xinger all this time? Why is this sword lock up in here?” Chu Qiao on pause before she let go of the sword.
Chu Qiao suddenly on the rush, she needs to get out of the obstacle course, or she will fail today with the tall incense waiting for her outside as her timekeeper, she cannot stay longer. She put a marker on its four sides so she can go back to this place and do not get lost when she comes back to take this sword in this maze-like obstacle course.
***
Mimi Gongzhu, did something happened inside? Viper is intrigued because Chu Qiao seems entirely quiet for hours and she feels something is bothering her.
Chu Qiao is browsing the ancient text where a hidden mini-library was located underground of her diamond hall. There are stratagems planted along the paths going to the secret library of the old palace walls were attached big mouths of lion heads that automatically lights its fire after you push a switch-like mechanism. The light travels and illuminate the pathway until you find a door made of iron and cold stones that resembles like ice. The library structure was formed of pure limestones and no exit door except for its Canhong (dark red color) entrance door. It was locked down after it detected fire from the outside palace hence the hidden library was preserved from destruction. Chu Qiao usually spends her time reading about the history of their kingdom like a hang-out space, she can come and go evading the obstacles planted inside.
Viper is busily preparing their tea for the afternoon, and she is still waiting for Chu Qiao to respond to her inquiry.
Chu Qiao looked at her and then looked back to the book she is reading. Seems Chu Qiao wanted to ask her something and Viper felt that long silence was something to do about an object she hid somewhere in the Chu palace training ground.
Viper is too impatient to wait, she asked: “Is it about the lost Po Yue Jian sword?”
And still, no answer as if Chu Qiao did not hear any of her questions.
Viper asked her again for the third time: “Did you find it?”
Chu Qiao looking harassed and seems like she is responsible for answering Viper questions, so she responded in question as well: Why, did you hid the sword?
Viper opened more can of worms than she could hide, she was caught on the air as if she’s like an open can to spill more beans at any moment.
“Is this sword belongs to you or someone else?” Viper replied
I believe it isn’t mine until I saw it earlier. Chu Qiao responded in a cold, sarcastic voice because there were no answers only questions going back and forth.
Viper feels Chu Qiao may have been upset with her: “I am sorry princess, I asked because the Po Yue Jian sword was the lost sword of the Qinghai King’s son. The sword was protected by our ancestors for many generations, and it was only taken out only after the Qinghai King presented it as a gift to his son whose name is engraved in the sword as Yue. The King regarded his son as his moon as the king is the sun. The son on its cradle rules at night while the sun sleeps and the father rules at the day as the moon sleeps.”
Chu Qiao stood up from her place of reading and came near towards Viper, and suddenly Viper does not want to get electrified, so she slightly avoided her and about to leave when Chu Qiao grabbed her arms. Seems Viper cannot avoid spilling more beans now.
Where can I find the Qinghai King? Is he still alive? Chu Qiao’s face close to Viper’s face and Viper saw her sleepy dazzling eyes full of sadness and coldness. Viper was not able to respond right away as she did not expect Chu Qiao will ask about the Qinghai King but instead should ask how or where is the son of the king.
“Qinghai King is still alive however he has cursed hence the decline of his empire.” Viper put the history in a one-liner statement then she looked down and continued to tell the secret princess: “as to his Highness whereabouts we do not know yet. He was taken somewhere, and until the curse is broken or his son gets back, the Qinghai King is locked up somewhere.”
Chu Qiao on her full attention and intense curiosity asked again: “Who cursed the Qinghai King?”
“It was his Queen.”
Chu Qiao thought: “She’s a witch.”
“Sort of” Viper replied as if she knows what in Chu Qiao’s thoughts.
“The prodigal son has a lot of things to do on his empire and his unfinished business to save his enchanted father. How is he doing?” asked Chu Qiao, cold but more relax than earlier.
The Qinghai baby prince was believed to be abducted by his own maiden slave mother, and according to the underworld spies report, the maiden came from Xie household. She took her son and its sword away from the palace, and Qinghai King was furious when the spies came back and did not find the baby prince, he ordered to burn down Xie household.
Viper does not want to continue, but Chu Qiao is like a hungry tiger waiting for the meat and bones of the past to be served on her plate.
“Then it was later found out that the mother escaped and was tracked by the King’s guards all the way to the Wei empire. Wei Valve needs authority to pass before any King can send its palace guards to search for the baby prince. However, since the King cannot risk leaking the news that the Po Yue Jian sword and his crown prince is missing to the other empires as he will be regarded as incompetent and foolish King, he cannot withstand the shame. And so, he sent the underworld spies to hunt down the maiden slave, and even the smartest ones were not able to find the baby prince and its sword.”
What does it have to do with Chu Jing Kingdom? Chu Qiao after eating the meat and found its bones is now thirsty and wants to drink Chu Jing''s well of wine.
Your mother Luo He advised the King before he was cursed, it will need a long-term plan and cannot be addressed in a short-term one. If the King does not want to announce his son is missing and its sword he must trust the subtle long-term plan. Providing Mr. Wu’s argument to the King, the baby prince is not dead because there was no dead body found yet until today.
Your father Chu Teng Gao’s other main concern was the lost Po Yue Jian sword next to its inheritor, the blood of the Ximeng continent lies on it. If the Po Yue Jian Sword is lost, they believe there will be chaos, and so it happened. The other empires set its men on foot to find it and greedily possess it. Whoever owns the sword, will hold the world because the sword was forged in cold fire, fortified by the bloodline of King Yue of the ancient past, cast on the iron ice, all powers will drop any knee and surrender to its blade. So it was called the “The Gentleman of all weapons.”
“At that time they used the blackout news strategy as a band-aid approach to the alarming situation but unfortunately it did not last long, and the news broke out like a storm. The Qinghai Empire was attacked by Wei empire and were exposed to decline, but before it was completely done Chu Jing kingdom, the moon of Qinghai defended the Sun and blocked them from their own doom. Chu Jing always awake at night, looks after the underworld, the moon shining brightly at night, casting its beautiful shadow in Chisui lake or illuminating its light in the Chaosu lake came to its end. Thus the sun continued to shine its light while the moon waned and slept in the ashes of its darkness waiting for its waxing moment to rise and give light once again to this dark night.”
After eating the meat and drinking its wine, Chu Qiao suddenly wanted more like a drunken master listening to a barber told stories of Viper is really unbelievable for her.
Viper is that it? Is that where Qinghai lived, and the Chu Jing ended? The sun and the moon can never come out to shine again, its stars what about it, all scattered?
There were questions, but no answers as Viper nodded her head and ended by telling her about the prophecy.
“Secret princess, one thing more, I heard when I was still a child, it has been prophesied that the moon from Chu Jing kingdom will wax again but will have to fortify its terms with the ruler from Southern Liang and the ruler will abdicate its throne and Chu Jing will trove it away. The fierce Dragon from the north will tear it apart and will nip Chu Jing kingdom to its mouth. While the west Lion king is waiting for its child to be born who will snatch from the north Dragon’s mouth but unfateful awaits to its child and Qinghai the sun will cast its light and will redeem its moon. What is his, will be his for all time.”
♥♥♥
Chapter 013
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
The Little Moon of the Sun
“You cannot do this to my son, no!” said the maiden slave and she took out the sword from the sheath and pointed it to the palace guards.
Lady Yueshen, it is the Qinghai King’s order to take him and bring him to the Queen’s palace said the palace guards and they start to walk closer to the cradle where the baby little prince was lying.
Shua! Lady Yueshen strikes one of the palace guards about to snatch the baby prince on his cradle. The guard’s wrist was cut off blood started to spill on the ground and on a shock.
“You cannot come near!” she coldly said like hell and she showed them the Canhong Jian sword she is holding at the moment and the palace guards were astonished. This sword will haunt you to your graves until your fourth generation.” The lady reminded them and scared them, she is steady on her sword pointed at them and won’t think twice to kill while she took out the baby prince from the cradle to her arms and put the baby in her chest, wrapped in fine white silk like a criss-cross sash over her chest. At her back was also a fine sword, a gift from the King to her Son, as the next crown prince declared by the king three days ago.
The Qinghai palace guards dropped to their knees as they look at the Canhong Jian sword for the first time in their eyes. Lady Yueshen knows the palace guards would only respect what kind of sword you possess unlike in the Wei empire, a tiger tally made of pure jade and tassel is respected to execute its command, in Qinghai empire it does not count. The sword was known to haunt souls whose blood is enmity to its reflection. It will bring misfortunes not only to the slain blood of the enemy but will extend the fangs of its blade and haunt it up to its fourth generation. It will be more powerful if used under the waxing of the fourth quarter of the moon but on one condition, the one who beholds it must always have the main counterpart sword, the Po Yue Jian sword. The Qinghai King a lover and avid collector of swords and some were even-handed down to him by his ancestors and kept the treasures of his empire in the most secure place of the Qinghai Palace. Canhong Jian is the lesser equal of the Po Yue Jian. And their story ended tragically at the hands of its owners where thorns and thistles need to weed.
On his first day of the visit, the Qinghai King himself delighted when he met Lady Yueshen on one of his political bilateral seven-day visit with the Wei empire and Southern Liang. Back then, it was a time of peace for the three empires and share great interests in terms of its league of 12 elite spies, its military tough posts and imperialism form of government. Three coming from Yuwen household, headed by Yuwen Hao, Yuwen Xi and the black unknown spies of the Wei empire the shadow counterpart of the Yuwen household (some suspect this is the Bathuja family), two from Liang – the afterlife camp an independent body of spies headed by Zhan Ziyu and the high-ranking spies of Liang headed by the Princess Xiao Yu. The rest belonged to Qinghai ruler under the control of the Chu Jing the lesser moon king who does not really involve himself on imperial affairs as much as what the greater sun, king of Qinghai does. They were called the underworld elite spies whose origins came from teachings on the top of the mountains of Woolong and Longji of Yanbei.
The Qinghai king met Lady Yueshen as a young servant girl inside Wei’s imperial palace, a humble descent from Xie household but just like the King, she is a lover of swords. She is a beautiful lad whose heart is as sturdy and cold like iron melted in ice, a born fighter. “Under the waxing moon is a fine young lady, such a beauty like of that Canhong Jian sword the king told her.” The lady heard someone and she immediately stopped and pointed the sword towards the king who happened to pass by while it was too late as the king had already seen her perform at the back of the palace. From thereon, the king did not stop to woe her. He informed the Great Summer dynasty emperor that he will pay twice as much to buy her freedom from the Wei palace but the Great Summer emperor wants nothing except for the prized sword that the King of Liang was asking for as a gift to his crown prince Xiao Ce. Both empires were actually vying for the bladeless sword called Cheng Ying.* The bladeless sword is the symbol of civil power that any state can settle matters without using their swords that leads to bloodless fights. It is believed that whoever possesses the sword will always win from a bloodless fight, from dusk to dawn the sword can only cast a shadow making it invisible to the eyes of the enemy and difficult to predict. Its blade can only be seen if it’s pointed northward. Southern Liang King was after it as the sword is called the sword of delicate elegance, a Prince Xiao Ce taste and would definitely make his son’s happiest birthday.
And for now, you can guess where did the Qinghai king award it. The Qinghai king exchanged one of his most prized sword for the freedom of Tai Shen who was later given by the name of Lady Yue Shen (or the moon goddess) after its statement of freedom was bought by the King from the Shen Jin Emperor of Wei, disregarding the Liang king who requested it first to exchange the sword into the latest state of the art voyager ship. After the breaking news, the Liang king sowed seeds of bitterness to his relationship to Qinghai king and distanced itself from one of his strongest allies.
“You should house more beautiful virgin slaves as cold as the iron than building so many ships because someday just like a pearl you can open for negotiation and hand over one of your pearls in exchange for something like this.”
A..whoosh.. sound, as the emperor unsheathed the bladeless sword in front of the Liang king. The Shen Jin emperor bullying and adding more injury to the disgust feelings of the Liang king.
Liang king turned to him and said: “you only won because I am so graceful, overflowing with kindness and mercy to give way and allow this sword at the expense of your slave servant the daughter of the renowned blacksmith of your empire from the Household roots of Zhao, here comes the little Xie household whom you also gave its sister to the animal Yuwen Xi and force him to lie low on his ties with Liang.” Then gave him a sarcastic smile.
“No one beats a bladeless fight, my brother, learn from me.” replied by the Shen Jin emperor and a big grin on his face blushed from the cold weather of snow, so radiant, and overjoyed.
Meanwhile, it was deep of the night and a single mother and son on her bosom are running across the long winding road of the Great Wall of China and the lady is gasping more air to reach its outside gate.
The palace guards unable to pursue the lady because of the Canhong Jian sword she is carrying herself, and on her back the Po Yue Jian sword. The moon is at its waxing period which adds to their worry of haunting legends of the swords she possesses if they pursue her tonight their graves and families will be haunted for four generations. So they let her go but after a while, their leader told them their heads tomorrow morning will be publicly executed after the Queen receives the news they let the mother with her child go. So they again pursued the mother and child, the only thing the mother and child were already half of its journey to the Great wall of the Qinghai dynasty. It is still a long way ahead but the mother and child can now be safe than staying at the palace and be a victim of the Queen’s strong envy towards her son. The mother stops for a while and breastfeeds her hungry baby who is inside her bosom, thumb-sucking, she slightly took the little head of the baby prince and let her feed by the gift of nature.
The mother with such great fighting spirit was able to finish the great wall of China on seven days journey towards the Western territories and finds herself a refuge in its snowy forests. She is young and on her prime of life, she said: At home, at last, I have nothing to look back, there is nothing today that I won’t be able to survive, this is my land and your land, my state and your state. You are the next king to be of the most powerful dynasty in the world, you should grow up where you should be, you shall know my household and my ancestors land first before your father whom I loved all my heart, my flesh, and blood, my baby prince welcome to your mother’s land. And the lady put the baby prince in the ground and put down the Po Yue Jian sword on his right and Canhong Jian sword at his left side. As if it were truly a grown-up crown prince, she performed the kowtow bow and cried for a while facing the ground, she thanks the ever-living and watching Qian (heavens) who protected them and guided them in their risky journey and suddenly a lightning appeared and strike the Po Yue Jian and Canhong Jian swords, the lover’s sword, however no dreadful sounds of thunder heard.
After it, she slowly rises up and saw her baby touching the Po Yue Jian sword to his right and tears of joy welled in her eyes. She took her baby and both swords then headed to their humble Xie household. Lady Yueshen’s father was shocked to see her but happy to see his grandchild and same time angry for being a runaway mother who looks like she stole her own child and because of it, she might be haunted down by the king of Qinghai and put their household to slaughter. Her father is a renowned blacksmith and his brother who serves the noble Zhao household as guards were swordsmiths, had their eyes and were WOWed and were in-love at first sight with the lover’s sword her daughter their sister was carrying.
“Oh and this?” she looked at her shoulders and with pride, she touched both swords and told his father.
“The Canhong Jian sword was a gift from the King to his handmaiden whom he loves and would someday bear his child and it wasn’t awarded until he met your daughter whom just like he happens to appreciate swords and knows its power and how to use them.
His father hushed the Po Yue Jian and then the Canhong Jian sword his eyes full of joy that he was given a chance to meet these two not expecting his grandchild would someday rule using it, in his joy he thanked the Qians.
Being the father whose descent is from the ancient sword smiths and blacksmiths ancestors, he started to speak about secrets of the swords that were not really known even to the King himself or may have not known fully uncover its power if combined with the Canhong sword. In front of his sons, daughter and his little grandchild prince he began to introduce read the ancient Chinese text with a cold but calm voice : ” the sword of Po Yue Jian**, has 8 ancient Chinese inscriptions inlaid on front of its double-edged blade which means “the King of Yue” “may you live long and won victories before the use of this sword”. Its sheath was made of copper and in making it impossible for air to penetrate its blades thus made the first rustproof sword that would defy time. Our sword master ancestors and our own blacksmith forefathers, forged it on a cold fire 2000 years ago, journeying through the eight sacred mountains, tested its double-edged iron mixed with copper and its blade of tin fire repeatedly slashed on eight frozen lakes, adorned with eight micro indigo-blue stones that can only be seen by a wide-open eyes at night under the shining young moonlight, its grip handle made of soft gold with the design of crescent moon would make every knee bow. The sword won thousands of victories as well as defeated lots of armies of many battles before it was decommissioned.
His father was like in a time warp zone reminiscing the tales from his childhood days while his unbelievable unblinking eyes staring at the sword and then he bestowed a blessing to his grandchild and said: “May you rule well, this gentleman sword to save rather than kill, justice not only for the sake of some but for the sake of all.”
Lady Yueshen smiled and also asked his father what about the Canhong Jian sword?
“The Canhong Jian sword was created under dark red Supermoon summoning eight ancient enchanters, performing nonstop chants for 8 straight days and 8 straight nights until the perfect dark red supermoon reflected in its blade and the howling of the fox was believed to be engraved on its blades for eight days. If an enemy were to be slain using this sword, our old folks said, they will hear the howling of fox and will haunt them to their graves and spread on their families up to their fourth generation.” and his father just went too sad but won’t speak why.
Lady Yueshen confirmed what the king told her on their first night, he presented this as gift to her and the day their first night, the Qinghai king was standing and waiting for her to wake up and he is dressed like a warrior with his Po Yue Jian sword and look like he was picking a swordsmanship fight with her bedchamber maid. Just like Yuwen Yue and Xinger’s first day together, the King threw the Canhong Jian sword to Yueshen who woke up like an angel from the above and both lovers started to fight without hurting each other and went back to bed again and the rest is history. (lol, readers are free to add more details here, at this point the writer is ziplocked, where Yuwen Yue came from we all know now, how at least for this fanfic, it is what it is ♥)
Lady Yueshen was considered to be a fine girl on her cocoon waiting for the cracks of its shell and will eventually learn how to fly. But then she was transformed and morphed into an unexpected sophisticated butterfly when she stayed at Qinghai having access to all types of beauty treatments, state of the art makeups, high fashion and studying the Qinghai’s etiquette and fine manners fit for the king. She did all of this as she was in love at first sight with the king of Qinghai. She was highly praised by the King due to her skills of swordsmanship and deserved to own the title of being a sophisticated beauty. In the arms of the King, she blossomed completing a King’s wish and granted him a son. All citizens were astonished even the citizens from her homeland once in a while got news about her and her Cinderella story became a legend, her soft transformation making her the most sought-after lady in the King’s palace and all the other’s concubines and lovely ladies of the night regarded her as the “Moon Goddess” because when you see her face, its like the gods may have gone down to earth.
If Yueshen was struck to the King as her love at first sight, the King regarded Yueshen his first love. For the Qinghai king, he never felt such emotions until he saw Yueshen. The King of Qinghai is 6 years older than Yueshen by the time she met him he was already 30 years old making him the youngest King between the Shen Jin emperor on his 37th year and Liang King at his 40s.
The only thing that sent their love story to hell was the Queen who is older than the King and cannot bear a child after their first try, the Queen lost it. The Queen of Qinghai adopted sons and daughters but no one can curb her longing of her lost child and calling for his guards to throw these little innocents from the cliff and became distant abandoning her wifely duties to the King. The King in return comforted her and even tolerated her vile sins, understood where she is coming from but as if he was just also doing his duty to produce an offspring to the throne out of her Queen but nothing ever worked or nothing about what this thing called “love.”
Author’s Footnotes
*Cheng Ying sword – the sword of delicate elegance and invisibility. Owned by The Wei state ruler in the ancient Chinese Dynasty and was appreciated by a ruler named Lei Zi. In the original novel, the name of the Liang Prince is Li Ce which is Prince Xiao Ce in the drama series, borrowed it to enhance the story of Liang and Wei.
**Po Yue Jian – Searching about the stories behind Po Yue Jian sword, I came across its Chinese local name “Chun Jun sword”. It was discovered in 1965 at the province of Hubei China under a human skeleton on a tomb submerged into deep waters. Despite being deposited under water, when it was unsheathed, the double edge showed untarnished blade that defied time for more than 2000 years ago. Engrave on the front seat of the sword were eight ancient Chinese inscriptions and was deciphered to be: “The King of Yue, made this sword for his personal use” If there is King Arthur Excalibur sword of the west, on Chinese folklore their legendary sword is called Guojian the “Gentleman of all weapons” which I borrowed in this fanfic to enhance and keep the original source of the sword recognized as important part of China’s history and culture.
Source
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Chapter 014
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Master of the Eyes of God
Suddenly a group of ninja assassins came to Xie household and surrounded their house. Yueshen father already know this would happen so before it is too late, he already sent his daughter and grandson to the safest place where they could be protected without so many questions. His father sent them to his Sister Tai Furen who is currently the third concubine of the Yuwen household and weaning his son 3 years old son Yuwen Huai.
The mother and child went ahead to Yuwen household on her father’s horse as fast as they could and hid the baby well in her bosom. Lady Yueshen came in her Qinghai Palace dress with long hoddie fur coat but she left their household with her servant peony dress.
“Brother, please take care of him, and she handed him the Po Yue Jian sword.” Lady Yueshen kissed the baby prince forehead who is sweetly sleeping, put paper snow in his small lap and Yueshen cannot stop the tears in her eyes and handed the baby prince to his brother.
“I will meet you there as we part ways, you take the Juwei street I will take the Yuwen backdoor.” said her brother.
Yueshen nodded, and in a bitter voice she said: “If anything happens, do not hesitate.”
“I will for my nephew I am ready to fight,” and then her brother turns to the sleeping baby: “do not worry my little, your uncle is a sword master who dares to fight the mighty Xie household?”
And the two became thin on the deep snow until Yueshen cannot see them anymore.
Heee!
Her horse started to run from the opposite direction of her son.
Her horse started to run from the opposite direction of her son.
Yuwen Hao on his usual aristocratic stature and noble dress on dark blue silk with two Qui’s on both of his arms, both of his hands have a criss-cross tie and just came out of his evening practice. He was about to retire for the day when he heard a moan. He took his bow and arrow and went outside of his room. Yuwen Hao did not put his guard down even if he knows the perimeter is secured, he walked confidently as if he is hunting a deer in his own backyard.
Then not far from where he stood, Yuwen Hao saw a sleeping baby lying on the ground. Wrapped in canvas made material and nothing of his grandbaby princely dress, along with dark purple silk on his right side. Yuwen Hao’s senses suddenly awakened as he smelled a stink of blood, a sign that a person nearby who might have been wounded and caught by a one-way trip planted traps in and out the perimeter. The trace of blood dripped on the floor his eyes followed the trail. After a while, the man came out from hiding and suddenly ran. Unfortunately, his back was shot with two arrows and went on a shock. As if nothing happened, he ran as far as he could to leave the Green Hills courtyard.
“My little prince, I have done my part, your life is in your hands.” The man laid down his body on the snowy forest and closed his eyes and breathe his last.
Yuwen Hao did not pursue the man whose face was covered with a mask as the baby slightly woke up and moved to stretch his feet. Yuwen Hao somewhat near to the baby did not know what to do at first, but due to the child’s helpless scene and angelic aura, suddenly he felt his father instinct.
Yuwen Hao not on his usual behavior of welcoming a baby at night and the baby who was effective and like in complete control of disarming the Master of the eyes of God at the moment when suddenly whoosh an arrow was trailing them.
Yuwen Hao quickly jumped to snatch the baby when it is about to be aimed by arrows and did not know where it came from. He is sure the arrows were not part of the planted traps around, but he knows it came from outside of Yuwen household.
Yuwen Hao did not alert the entire household because if he will, the baby he is holding may not live for another day. It was too late for him to know that he was shot at his arm protecting the child while he also took the black silk at his side as he did not think twice to save the baby first before himself, a thing that he had never done before.
Yuwen Hao put down the baby at the grand sofa bed. He hid the black silk under the secret cabinet under the bed, closed the lid and put down the dark blue see-through curtain. Suddenly his servant came who was about to scream but Yuwen Hao put his hand on his mouth and said: “if you dare, I will kill you here.”
“Master, servants do not dare, please let me help you.” The servant is still shocked and was not used to seeing his master shot with an arrow. In fact, he didn’t remember that he handle any of this situation in the past. The servant is worried because he might get his head chop and might not live to see the sun tomorrow if his master does not get treated immediately his wounds are deep and needs to take out the stuck arrow in his right arm.
Yuwen Hao face shows he is in pain, so the servant sneaked out of his master’s hall walked to another hall, he showed his carved jade stone hanging in his belt to the guard and went inside the Yuwen’s Cǎoyào (herbal medicine) room. The servant read some labels in the medicine cabinet, opened one of the small cabinets, pick up the small tong took two tiny jade ceramic bowls then he went over to choose a variety of antiseptic herbs. Walked a few steps then went to another cabinet and grabbed a bottle of Celadon labeled as Kàngshēngsù (antibiotic). He also took gauze pads made of soft pure canvass, some cotton balls, and medium size glass bottle labeled as Lěngquán shuǐ (cold spring water or like alcohol). Finally, before he forgets, he picked up a rolled two inch wide bandage.
The servant slowly took out the arrows and a red dark blood spit more blood, then quickly the servant washed it with Lěngquán shuǐ (cold spring water or like alcohol) and wiped it with a clean white handkerchief with its household inscription 宇文浩 means Yuwen Hao. Yuwen Hao a little bit relieved searched in his eyes the baby underneath the see-through curtains and was worried about the baby than his injured arm.
“What happened master?” the servant is putting some antiseptic herbs, applying some balm-like antibiotic and let it penetrate his master’s skin for some time.
“I made a mistake with one of the traps and this is the result.” The short and bland response shows Yuwen Hao is lying to his servant and the servant knows his master is concealing some matters tonight that his master won’t like to make it a big deal. Yuwen Hao is a perfectionist and one thing he is mostly good at was.. he never missed, never injured himself inside the Eyes of God repository or traveling the Merlin stratagems not until today. All of the servants know the Master is master of traps who built the structures and well versed in and out. It is just surprising for the servant to hear his master’s anxious voice while explaining what happened where Yuwen Hao normally talks in a formal and low tone.
The servant raised his brow and seemed quiet and without a follow through questions, his master is relieved.
“Hang on master, almost done,” the servant finally said some words while wrapping up his arms with a bandage.
“You are not to tell anyone about what you saw and did to me this night,” said Yuwen Hao with a threatening cold and distant voice.
“Yes, Master Hao.”
“You may leave!” and the servant bowed his head. Yuwen Hao dismissed his servant looking like in a hurry he went to his bed. He looked at the baby and felt he has some kind of unknown overwhelming feeling of joy to himself that he is not able to express at the moment. But all he wants to do now was to keep this baby and he formed a plan in his head.
Although Yuwen Hao is in pain, he took his robe and covered his injured arm, walked towards the east corner and pulled a string.
Clang, Clang Clang.. and the bell sounded towards the youngster maidservants of Green Hills Courtyard and the head of the maidservants rushed to come to his Hall.
“Master, I rushed in because I heard the east corner bell three times consecutively.” The head of the maidservant is a fine maid and beautiful too, she walks tall and graceful and many noblemen once in a while comes to visit Yuwen Hao and ask about her. She is wearing only a thin night-gown and did not bother to change her clothes and on her small slipper exposing her feet. Yuwen Hao is known to be a fetish of woman’s feet and she is fully aware but due to the bell’s call, she just rushed and not bother to make herself more decent and presentable to meet her master. Three consecutive bell sounds would mean the master Yuwen Hao needs urgent attention and two means for the grandmaster Yuwen Gao but rarely use these SOS bells not until today.
Yuwen Hao on his back when the head of the maidservants came. Yuwen Hao back to his usual aristocratic but gentlemanly manners told the maidservant, “Come.”
“Master..” the young head of the maidservant is unable to speak and trembling on her knees she is stuck to her foot and Yuwen Hao eyes locked onto it.
Yuwen Hao looking somewhat pleased with those beautiful small feet with her pearly white skin he said in a pressing but in a polite voice: “I said, come here.”
Yuwen Hao looking at the direction of his eyes is leading towards his grand sofa bed with its curtains slightly opened. The Hall was a bit dimly lit and the aroma, good smell, inviting for a good sleep.
The head maidservant still stuck on her foot and hung her arms into her shoulders crisscrossed protecting her chest. Now she is feeling cold and nervous, she is a virgin and his master is calling her to come to his bed.
Yuwen Hao looking impatient went closer to her and pulled her thin night-gown dress and suddenly she was undressed and barely naked with only her inner wear left. Yuwen Hao’s eyes widely opened and with his limping arms, he stretches it out to reach the maidservant’s dress and covered her.
Yuwen Hao just realized what his maidservant might have been thinking when she looked at her and found her crying on the floor.
“Master, please spare me tonight and do not chop my head tomorrow. I am under the red moon.” Red moon means she just started her monthly menstrual period and cannot perform a dance and become his bedchamber tonight.
Yuwen Hao had selected finest maids to become his bedchamber maid of the Yuwen household but none of them was able to bear his child.
Yuwen Hao broadens his shoulders and acted to ride-on his maidservant’s drama.
“Do I like to look a vampire that would claim a blooming flower as fine as you under its red moon?” and on his manly grin with his droopy eyes, he became more tempting and looked like he wants to play some push and pull erotic moment. Yuwen Hao on his dark blue robes slightly opened at the middle exposed his sexy bare and broad chest.
The maidservant still not convinced with his foxy mind master, she took her night-gown and wrapped it to her body. She stood and tip-toed with her feet like a ballerina and just stood up there waiting for his master’s next moves.
Yuwen Hao is a bit awkward and cannot think very well because although this is not his first time he feels his manhood is waiting for it to become free looking at the Eve with her lips as red as the gala apple so tempting to bite on her indecent exposure he saw a moment ago. He looked at the bed curtain and suddenly two small feet stretched and a soft cry but short was heard.
The maidservant was surprised and with her tall neck she peeked at his master’s bed and she directed her to look at his master feeling confused.
Yuwen Hao was embarrassed on himself but gave a stern look at the maid. He composed himself and back to his aristocratic stature, he ordered the maid to pick up the baby and he will wait for her at his library room.
Yuwen Hao went to his library room he burned incense and lit a tea candle. He sat in a squat like manner thinking deeply and forgets about the steamy situation a moment ago.
The maidservant temporarily forgot about what happened earlier and went to his master’s bedchamber. Her eyes went big and wide open and a delightful look when she saw the sleeping baby. “He looks like a god” she cannot help herself to say something about the child’s appearance.
She left the child sleeping peacefully at the bed of his master and went to the library room and meet her master and his master like a low tide sea more calm aura than earlier.
“I want you to listen and take my instructions to do them exactly as I say.” Yuwen Hao in a formal serious voice.
“Yes master, please accept my apology, I was too narrow-minded earlier and ashamed of myself now.” The maidservant feeling full of herself is now humbly asking for his master to overlook her actions earlier and she bowed her head to the carpet.
Yuwen Hao after replied in an aristocratic voice: “If it was a test, you have already passed”
Yuwen Hao again not his usual talk, uttered appreciation in a sarcastic but positive word to their ears and the maidservant was pleased feeling relieved about what happened earlier she rose her head from the floor.
“The baby you saw earlier is my child. Tomorrow you leave at dawn and never to speak to anyone about it, when you pass by the Red hills courtyard do not say anything and find ways to dismiss their interrogation, then find me a smart maiden to take care of my child and I will issue an order to assign the inner temple, to the old shrine of the Yuwen household and let them stay, let the child grow until the child reaches its age where he will be taught on how to rule and become the future master of the eyes of God.”
The maidservant somehow surprised for the news but overjoyed that his master Yuwen Hao had a child outside who will inherit the Yuwen household and the eyes of God. And his mother who could she be? Questions in her head but going back to his master’s instructions she had no option but to say: “Yes master at your will, it shall be done.”
“Now, for the night I will let you sleep at my bedchamber and accompany my son until you leave at dawn.”
“You may leave.”
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Chapter 015
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Master Ice Cube
“Lady this way please,” the servants of Tai Furen let her pass through the secret passage going to Tai Furen’s courtyard. Furen is waiting for her.
“Tai Shen, after 3 years here is my niece. Look at you so lady-like. I received the little note you sent” Tai Furen is sitting gracefully on her hall dressed on her light purple dress with a peony flower hairpin clipped in her head.
On top of the table, a medium size white tea basin made of ceramic, full of green tea leaves. In the middle, decorated with a pink lotus flower. She picked up a tiny ceramic teacup and a small dragon designed tong made of silver. She transferred these green tea leaves to the teacup and then took a small wooden ladle.
Tai Furen scooped the green liquid from the beautiful white tea basin then poured it to the tiny teacup. She gracefully moved the tiny teacup in front of Tai Shen. After a while, Tai Furen showed her the paper snow and its blank.
“Aunt Furen, I came because of an important thing.” Tai Shen is looking at her Aunt to dismiss her servant.
Tai Furen gave a hand signal and the maidservant’s understood, they retreated and closed the door of the room.
“Then speak.” Tai Furen looking directly in her eyes with the perfect arched eyebrows.
“Tai Shan is currently trailing Green Hills courtyard.”
“It is impossible to breach Green Hills courtyard. If he does, we all know the trip is a one-way ticket,” Tai Furen said. She drank her teacup.
Yueshen unable to control herself, let go of her tears.
“What is the matter?” Tai Furen asked. She lowered her beautiful eyebrows, her eyes are full of compassion towards Tai Yue Shen.
“Tai Shan took my baby and will do all his best to deliver it to Master Yuwen Hao.”
Tai Furen’s eyes stared a little bit longer than usual to Tai YueShen suddenly asked: “Is it the Qinghai’s son?”
“Yes.” still crying but soundless, Tai Yue Shen’s skirt is somewhat wet.
Tai Shan one of the excellent sword master fighters offered a dangerous escape to save the life of Qinghai baby prince. Tai Furen was actually shocked. Suddenly stood up from her seat. She went furious and scolded her niece. Tai Yue Shen knows what her Aunt is impressing something to her. Maybe it’ll be the last time chance to see his brother Tai Shan.
“What have you done?!” Tai Furen raised her brow and her eyes are fierce towards her niece.
“Father advised me to do it as we were running out of time. Having no more options left,” said Tai Yue Shen who is very depressed at the moment.
“The moon (codename of the baby prince) will not last tonight if Yuwen Hao sees it.”
“Father hoped, the moon’s fate would be different, he is childless and is in a desperate condition of having an heir to the Eyes of God.”
Tai Furen walked a few steps to think what she can do on her little power as the latest Lady concubine of Yuwen Xi and said: “We have to get the moon and hide it away and that is if he is still alive tonight.”
Tai Yue Shen cannot help herself but let go of her cry while Tai Furen is shaking her knees.
“You cannot stay longer here. There are illegal channel walls here. The master of the Red Hills courtyard is an animal and hedonistic woman-eater. You may not live a day if I hide you here. I will send you to the far corners of the Red Hills courtyard. To a secluded place on the northwest.”
“What about you Aunt Furen?”
I will make a way to save you and your child and Tai Furen swiftly and gracefully moved to open the door in her hall. She found her servants and gave them instructions.
After a while, Tai Furen came back to her hall and went to her closet. She changed her clothes in her closet in a very quick manner then came back with her red cotton flowy dress. A black mask on her face with her hair pony-tailed at the highest middle.
“No, I cannot let you do this Aunt Furen.”
“And I cannot also sit here to kill time and let the Moon and his Star be a dead meat tonight,” said Tai Furen looking fierce on her assassin look escape for tonight.
“We must go now, we will pass the main inner gate at the middle of the Yuwen household. It is the fastest and shortcut way to the castle peak. There were few stratagems planted. But it is better than pass through other illegal channels. My servants will interrupt their Animal master for a while. Then we can sneak out of the Jile Pavilion . Our goal is to pass through the area of Yuwen Hao’s Hall.”
Tai Furen hushed and comforted her niece, she said: “I am the third concubine of the Yuwen Household. Yuwen Hao will recognize me like what you have done when you presented your jade stone to come directly at me. This is the same manner Yuwen Hao will recognize the concubine of the 3rd branch.”
Tai Yue Shen raised her hopes and a bit of fast thinking, suddenly, dried her tears and said: “I want you to have this.”
“Canhong sword” Tai Furen went astonished.
“Please Aunt, take it” then Tai Furen took it and Tai Yue Shen. Tai Yue Shen joined her Aunt and they started to sneak out of Jile Pavilion.
Master Yuwen Xi was having the usual nightclub held on his own Jile Pavilion. There were young girls running behind like crazy sheep. Some were exposed, bare naked bodies, some were drunk and just laid their bodies in the pool, some were dressed in a monster like costumes and smoky like make-ups. Already somewhat drugged with the steamy foam from the T-shape like pool, Yuwen Xi is seen sitting at the middle, licking the bosom of a beautiful almost half dead young girl. The girl is not moving and just stared at the pool.
Tai Furen saw it in the hiding and with disgust, in her eyes, she spits on the Jile Pavilion. Tai Yue Shen is not believing what she sees at the moment and smelled the steamy foam hovering around the Pavilion of death. She went dizzy and forced to close her eyes.
However, when she opened them, her eyes were already caught in a dreamy state. She tried to look at her surroundings it was like a trance of nightmare. She could not distinguish if it is real or not. She saw all the young girls dead-like bodies. Some were laughing to death, other’s were naked. Looking at the opposite direction, Tai Yue Shen saw Yuwen Xi like a monster licking the floating bodies found at the Jile Pavilion. Not so long, Tai Yue Shen cannot hold any longer, she went blackout.
Tai Furen was too late to know that her niece passed out. She looked at her back and finds her niece is not following her back. She tried to call her name: “Tai Yue Shen, where are you?” But no one responded and she became nervous.
Meanwhile, Tai Furen took off her mask. She tried to look for Tai Yue Shen at the Jile Pavilion. She stayed longer than she should have not. Now, even the Third concubine of the Yuwen household was already caught in the hellish night of Yuwen Xi’s Jile Pavilion.
The next day, Yuwen Hao’s maidservant was walking down the market street. She saw a middle-aged woman buying seven jade stones at the jewelry shop. Just enough distance to observe the woman, she thinks she is the perfect match for her Master’s request.
Judging from a distance she is cold but sturdy as an oak tree when she talked. She whispered to herself, said: “The woman is free-spirited.”
She stalked the woman until she saw her went to a nearby restaurant. She was astonished when she saw the six children are waiting for her. They were talking, but the maidservant if Yuwen Hao came in front of them and did not speak.
And the woman looked at her and started to ask: “What can we do for you?”
The maidservant showed her jade stone. A rare but familiar jade stone bearing the brocade of the Yuwen family. The woman understood and she asked: “What can I do to serve the master?”
“I am not allowed to speak but can you and your six sons come with me today into the Yuwen household? The reward will be very beneficial to all of your sons and yourself but if you do not like the terms you may leave with your heads still tied up to your necks,” said by the maidservant.
The woman thought a bit, then she asked: “How can I be assured that I will be safe and my sons in case we do not accept the job?”
After a few moments, the maidservant cannot think for an answer but thinks deeper, she handed them over her tassel. The tassel is like a collateral article which also means if anything goes wrong, all fingers to point at her selling her neck to the Palm ( the office of Yuwen Yue where all corporal punishments is held after fact is established and where justice is served for the victim and chopping off of head or hands for the criminal) of Green Hills courtyard.
The woman and six sons, together with the maidservant left and arrived at Yuwen household.
They arrived at Red Hills courtyard in the afternoon. It is almost twilight. Before anything they have to pass the guards interrogation before they can enter the Green Hills courtyard. The maidservant on her silver tongue explained by deceiving the guards. Well, the guards are not really listening to her but looking at her beautiful face. Eventually using her charms, they let her pass the safe way, without turning on the stratagems planted around them.
The maidservant and the woman together with her six sons met the Master of the Eyes of God. Yuwen Hao, we’re at his back when they arrived.
Still, on his back, Yuwen Hao dismissed her maidservant who bowed at his presence. Then Yuwen Hao turned to see the woman and her six sons.
The woman bowed in kowtow position and her six sons mimicked their mom. The woman is dressed in neat presentable earth tone color, canvass-made materials and its Chinese collared shirt with Chinese buttons, long and has slits at each side and light beige pants and black flat shoes. her six sons mimicked her too and were so cute to look at and Yuwen Hao though does not smile, and on his aristocratic face he beamed for the sake of the kids bowing in his front and even one of the little was having a hard time doing it.
Yuwen Hao was more pleased to even see more male kids coming into his Green hills courtyard. On his gentleman’s tone Yuwen Hao, said: “You may stand.” and all of them stood including their mother.
Yuwen Hao called in his kitchen servants by pulling a string and the bell ranged in the kitchen.
Time to serve the dishes and the kitchen staff of the Yuwen household serve the early dinner and the servants led their guests of the house into the dining area. The woman and her six sons ate and her sons cannot believe in front of the their eyes are wide variety of Chinese foods like: steamed herb chicken feet, braised beef, Cuapao ( small siopao’s), Wonton soup in canton noodles, some stir fry seafoods, steamed fish with herbs and spices, some black mushrooms, delectable sauces served in tiny plates, steamed Siomai served in a small round bamboo with round lid, Hainese rice, other pickled fruits like cucumber, pears, plum, and fresh fruits such as persimmon, passion fruits (like that of pomegranate), and star apples and fresh green tea after their meal.
After it they were ushered back to Yuwen Hao’s hall and only the woman came back leaving his six sons playing outside the courtyard. The woman saw Yuwen Hao playing with a baby.
“Master, thank you for the best meal me and my son had for our entire life.”
Yuwen Hao answered: “You will have more of it if you accept the task.”
What is the task Master? then after a pause, she said: “and if I choose not to accept it your maidservant gave this to me” Yuwen Hao already know the woman is smart.
Yuwen Hao looked back to the baby whom he regards as his son, told the woman: “My son is your task, do you wish to accept?”
“It such a great honor your Master said the woman but I am not fit to accept the task for your son like you are of noble blood and I am not.”
Yuwen Hao getting more impressed with this woman not only smart but is humble and knows her place. Yuwen Hao responded:” You won’t directly take care of my son you will become the servant of one of the Lady of the house at Green Hills courtyard that will balance her aristocratic side into your humble blood. Do you wish to accept?”
“What about my six sons master? What do you plan to do with them?” asked by the mother.
“They will grow and stay here to accompany my son. I will personally allow to train them and raise them up to become the servant of the next master and heir of the Eyes of God. Having said that, you could only expect a good future of your sons as they grew up educated and will serve the master of Green Hills courtyard for the rest of their life,” said Yuwen Hao in a gentle voice, slow manner enough for the mother to understand what is at stake.
“Master, the goodness in your heart is above the heavens. May the Qians (means heavens) bless you.”
We have nowhere to go. Our household was burned down and literally just surviving the streets by the little household chores we do for people. If we do not work as slaves of the slaves, my sons won’t even eat a dog meal.”
By saying this, the mother accepted the task. Yuwen Hao understood and taking the opportunity, made her sign a contract.
Do you understand what you and your sons will do from now on? Asked by Yuwen Hao, just to make sure, the mother understood its means.
“Yes my Lord.” And the mother performed kowtow.
“You may rise,” said by Yuwen Hao.
This means she will be serving the Green Hills courtyard for the rest of her life and her six sons.
Yuwen Hao arranged all things that night. He wrote to his Father Yuwen Gao and told him about what happened. The old Yuwen Master read the last lines: “Grant it, Father, consider it my last wish.”
Not known to anyone, if the Old Yuwen Master would not accept his wish, Yuwen Hao is ready to abandon his title, nobility and return the Eyes of God to his Father’s care. He is desperate of a son, and now that he has the baby, he will do everything to achieve his goals and redirect it all to the purpose of the heir of Eyes of God.
Yuwen Gao responded positively that same night. While the old Yuwen Master informed immediately the Lady who is living at the inner temple of the Yuwen ancient palace. She is the beautiful grandmother of Yuwen Hao and mother of Yuwen Gao.
At the deep of the night, Yuwen Hao remembered the black silk hidden in his secret repository. When Yuwen Hao took it, he touched and felt the grade of the fabric.
Yuwen Hao closed his eyes and tried to remember where this silk came from. Sad to know, he cannot remember the name. It is the most expensive silk in China and its quality is the best fabric of all. He untied the black silk and opened the sole belonging of the baby sleeping sweetly at his bedchamber.
A pair of lovely eyes was astonished, Yuwen Hao found a sword. He has never seen this sword before. Judging from its appearance, it is somewhat a belonging from a noble or from a royal family.
When he took out the sword, a snow paper fell on the floor. He took it but saw it blank.
Yuwen Hao knows that the baby might have not been dropped accidentally by the person who sneaked out from his house the other day. He took a powder from a small bottle of celadon and sprinkled it in the snow paper and it appeared:
上帝眼中的主人宇文豪
这是我的儿子，我正在照顾你，因为我相信你是一个配得上我儿子血的继承人，他的名字叫悦。 剑是他的，不应该出鞘，直到他的时间来统治你的家庭来。 这是我最后的愿望。
岳神夫人
Yuwen Hao was right this baby he is taking care off. is a son of the royal but he does not know who is Lady Yue Shen what is her background, from what empire did she came from. She is not so well-known.
Yuwen Hao also examined the sheath of the sword and cannot unsheathe, it has some mechanism sort of that unlocks and locks the sword itself. Not wanting to ruin the sword, he did not force to unsheathe it.
At the corner’s of his eyes, is a bright smile when he thought: I plan to give it on his 30th day stay at Yuwen household. His birthday would be the day the baby came to Yuwen household and their tradition was to officially ‘locked’ the child to the world where family and friends provide gifts of silver and money, meant to help with the child’s upbringing.
The Lady at the temple was quietly stunned upon seeing the baby boy, hungry for a grandchild she immediately took it from the arms of Yuwen Hao and played with him.
The Lady who is somewhat aristocratic but beautiful and gloomy changed her aura from chinky eyes to her sunny face that she did not even pay attention anymore to Yuwen Hao’s instructions and the servant mother he hired was just brushed off to the other side. The lady told him, we will call him master ice cube and she chuckled with the baby also beamed and their eyes locked.
***
Thirty days have passed, as what Yuwen Hao planned, he introduced the child to the Yuwen Family and fabricated a story of his own to conceal the child’s past and regarded him as his son from a mother who is not known to the Yuwen family. The Yuwen family did not even listen to Yuwen Hao’s introduction and all eyes and full attention to the child who is looking like a god. They are like magnetized on him and forgets about their family affairs for a little while. They rejoiced and showered him lots of silver wares and coins.
After the celebration has ended he bestowed the Po Yue Jian sword in secret then he said to the child: “You will be the master of snow, strong and cold, yet will be gentle in the inside. You will know the depths and layers of being the heir to master of the eyes of God, and this sword from your mother, I bestow it upon you to defend the master code of snow and expressions to be formed under your upbringing. Then Yuwen Hao hid the sword back on its black silk and put it a secret repository.”
♥♥♥
Chapter 016
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
The Budding Moon
After the bitter moon’s fate, poppy flowers fade, the holiday moon takes over, and plum blossoms is a friend of winter, when the budding moon shines and hails, the breath of spring promises peach blossoms, that brings joy and life’s bliss at the moment.
Yuwen Yue growing up on the lap of his great grandmother’s aristocratic nature, a fine-grained character balanced by his surrogate servant mother’s reverential but crafty attitude, he became one of the most desired children in the Yuwen household equal to Yuwen Huai. He also learned fast as his mother, not for only crafty but practiced Cloud hands (tai-chi) her own martial talent. It is the first fighting art that Yuwen Yue learned where he was able to master the body’s vital energy, harmonize it using the wind, listening to its passing presence is a conscious effort. Every day his surrogate mother and Yuwen Yue travels to the highest peak of Green Hills courtyard and practice in by the wind using his cloud hands perfecting his posture breathing and consciousness whether in motion or motionless situation.
“Yue’er, always remember, the five principles of cloud hands, sink in (means to relax), our bodies belong to earth (means body is upright), balance on your legs (means separate your weight), eyes nose and navel aligned (means flexible waist) and a beautiful woman’s hand (means wrist is the first of the “nine gates”).” said the woman who is facing the cloudy horizon at the top of the cliff, one leg standing and her hands at each side pointing downward fingers and her eyes closed and where wind is swaying her hair an exquisite view in Yuwen Yue’s eyes.
Yuwen Yue like a mirror did what the woman was asking her to do and had peace in the wind. They did this for an hour just standing there, and the woman changed her stance for another posture. Yuwen Yue never forget all these principles taught to him, not to mention the Yin-Yang the perfect balance where the woman always draws a circle and a perfect wavelike form at the middle and a small ring on both sides. She explained that it is an ancient symbol to the self, divided into light (Yang) and a dark portion it’s (Yin). The woman taught her about casting light and shadow. As one day it may help him trace back his past and his followers if he is to become a master of the Eyes of God in the future.
The woman is looking at the carved small jade stone pendant she bought at the jeweler the day they met the maidservant of Yuwen Hao, she was about to leave her six sons to the orphanage that day to look for their father when fate suddenly changed their life direction. Their father went abroad almost five years ago and hasn’t come back. She has seven sons, but his husband took her 2 years old the seventh son, still thinks about Zuo Shan often and included him when he bought the seven jade pendants. She also bought their father the same carved jade stone and gave it to him before he left her, a promise that they would come back and see each other.
While the six sons already mastered this Tai-chi art as their mother was teaching them every day before they entered in Yuwen household. The six sons were renamed by Yuwen Hao as follows: Yue Xian (1st Yue), Yue Di (2nd Yue), Yue Sa (3rd Yue), Yue Si (4th Yue), Yue Wu (5th Yue), Yue Lui (6th Yue) then deployed and trained to the Yuwen’s swordsmanship center which is a university like controlled by Yuwen Xi but it is Yuwen Gao who is currently the head sword master who oversees the empire’s greatest sword master training. Yuwen Gao is teaching the basic cuts and other related skills and refining them to master the ancient lineage and style of Chinese Jian swordsmanship.
For Yuwen Yue, his first taste of swordsmanship did not come until he was seven years of age, and his father Yuwen Hao crafted a wooden sword, a resemblance to the Po Yue Jian sword, fit for the Yuwen heir. Yuwen Hao became Yuwen Yue’s personal sword master, and the hardest part was the horseback riding, a riding scene with its sword master’s art, Yuwen Yue has always been delighted looking and observing his father. After precise and tactful training, Yuwen Hao decided its time.
“Yue’er, my son I know its been a while since I taught you about Jian swordsmanship and it’s about time to receive the blade that is always meant to be yours. Hand me over the wooden sword.”
“Here it is Father” and Yuwen Yue with his manners and courtesy, he knelt down on his one knee and his two hands on open palms he submitted the wooden sword to his father.
Yuwen Hao took the wooden sword and gave him the Po Yue Jian sword and about to become honest about where the sword came from. Yuwen Yue’s past was not hidden from his knowledge, but it was some distorted truth. Yuwen Hao had to put up the reputation of his son to make other Yuwen families, and household believes he is truly his son and was successful at making them think it is.
“This sword was never unsheathed, your mother gave it to me and asked me to give it to you when the time is right.”
Yuwen Yue looking so much surprised his heart is overjoyed. Still, on his knee, he cannot hide the gladness in his eyes and went speechless.
Yuwen Hao saw the child’s agility and talents in swordsmanship, when Yuwen Yue was ten years old he brought out the Po Yue Jian sword, and for the first time in Yuwen Yue’s life he had never been this happy and fulfilled with what his father has given him. Though Yuwen Hao is cold and distant to his son, he never fails to surprise him with things that he knows his son would appreciate. Yuwen Hao trimmed and groomed him to be a master who would be someday capable of handling the affairs as an heir to the Eyes of God, and he already set this as his destiny waiting to unfold.
Adding to Yuwen Yue’s capabilities was personal access to learn diverse types of martial arts like wushu, gongfu, not mention his one of his favorite subjects the Chi Kung. These became his lifetime combat skills with and without the use of weapons. Yuwen Hao holds all sorts of unimaginable armaments used in many of his assassins and demolition jobs stored in the weaponry of the Eyes of God, Yuwen Yue was able to study their uses and touched all of them and once in a while having a bonus chance to use them with his father as his master contender.
The massive collection of martial arts weapons includes the list of weapon inventories housed inside the Eyes of God as follows: Bo and staff (such as Straight Staffs, Tapered Staffs, Toothpick Bo, Long Poles, Three Section Staff, Two Section Staff) broad swords (such as Wushu Broadswords, Traditional Broadswords, Wood Broadswords, Combat Steel Broadswords, Double Broadswords, Double Butterfly Swords, Miao Dao, Tai Chi Broadswords), cases and racks (such as staff carriers, Tai chi swords), Wushu Weapons (such as Wushu Swords,Whip Chains, Wushu Staffs, Spears, Wushu Daggers, Lightweight Weapons) Custom Fitted Spears (such as Custom Fitted Spears, Long Spears, Combat Spea), Double Weapons (such as Double Weapons, Double Butterfly Swords, Double Broadswords, Deer Horn Knives, Double Daggers, Sun & Moon rings), Dragon Long Poles (such as Teak Long Poles), Escrima Sticks & Batons (such as Rattan Sticks, Waxwood Sticks, Graphite Sticks, Nightsticks, Police Batons, Hardwood Escrima Sticks, Oak Long Poles, Waxwood Long Poles), Fantasy Knives and Daggers (such as Replica Weapons, Master Cutlery Weapons), Flexible Weapons (such as Chain Whips, Sectional Staffs, Rope Darts, Meteor, Hammers, Nunchaku), Hidden Weapons (such as Telescopic Batons, Push Daggers, Telescopic Nunchaku, Hidden Knives) Other Martial Art Weapons (such as Kama, Sai, Tonfa, Ninjutsu Equipment, Japanese Swords), Kendo Weapons & Equipment (such as Shinai, Bokkan, Shoto, Tatami Mats), Long Weapons (such as Spears blade), Spears (such as Wushu Spears, Traditional Spears), Combat Steel Weapons (such as Combat Steel Swords, Combat Steel Long Weapons), Throwing Weapons (such as Shuriken, Ninja Stars, Throwing Knives, Steel Cards, Rope Darts), Traditional Weapons (such as Traditional Weapons, Traditional Swords, Traditional Long Weapons), Master Kits (such as Weapon Master Kits, Sword Kits, Spear Kits, Double Weapon Kits), Custom and Exotic Weapons (such as Damascus Swords, Customer Butterfly Swords, Cutting Sword, Cusom-made Swords), Weapon Accessories such as Weapon Flags, Rope Dart Flags, Broadsword Flags,Sword Tassels, Spear Tassels, Sword Cleaning Kits, Three section staff swivels), Kung Fu Fans (such as Tai Chi Fans, Steel Fans), Antique Weapons (such as Antique Swords, Antique Kwan Dao), Chin Na Training Tools (such as Chin Na Bags, Chin Na Training Stones, Dragon Claw Rings, Brass Forearm Rings, Chinese Exercise Baoding Balls solid steel, tai chi, and music, Etc) and some miscellaneous are wooden dummies (such as compact and space saving, wall mounted), sparring gears (such as arms and legs, head and chest, gloves and mitts), weapon apparels and accessories such as belts, shoes, head bands, gongfu patches, training pants and uniforms.
Suddenly, Yuwen Hao brought his son to a large storeroom and opened the firelights by a switch triggering mechanism. On the walls as high as the three-story floor, Yuwen Yue’s eyes suddenly widely opened and saw many range of cold weapons such as bow and arrows. Yuwen Hao is a lover of cold armaments where he earned the title of the Grand Master Archer of the Wei empire.
It is here where he treasured most of his classic Bows (such as Yuan Mongol bow, Qianlong Manchu Hunting bows, Qing Conquest bow, Ming Chinese bows, Scorpius Bamboo bows, LiaoQiangs spearman bows, Mariner bows, takedown bows, Ming Moonbows, Han Wing bows, Qing dragon bows,Cinnabar bows, and his father’s favorite the Kai Yuan bow Chinese: 开元弓), Cross Bows (such as Repeating crossbows, Hunting crossbows, Trigger crossbows, Artillery Crossbows), Arrows (such as fire, light arrows) and at the middle of the room is a block trapezoidal bar as tall as his waist and where a shiny rectangular wooden box engraved with 宇文浩 (Yuwen Hao) with an arrow called “bing arrow” (ice arrow) finally introduced to Yuwen Yue. This is the most powerful weapon in the entire empire, a cruel, cold weapon secret only a Master of the Eyes of God has the knowledge and authority to use.
“Yue’er this arrow is specially made to freeze the subject as it is infused with snow ice and its component is delicately processed. Within a year, we only produce three arrows during the winter months of the bitter moon, holiday moon and the budding moon. Yuwen Hao is opening the lid of the wooden box, and out of it is a half shaft arrow. Its shaft is made of clear-cut glass-like materials and its arrowhead literally made of snow ice.
“Three bing arrows per year? Father this is too little if you have hundreds of enemy,” said Yuwen Yue while touching the snow ice arrow.
“Yes, it is the coldest of all cold weapons as it can only be stored in winter’s month and loses its efficacy from summer to autumn months. These arrows can only be used in three types of aims because at a given point in time they only last on air with the certain condition to be met.”
This is the Arrow of Bitter Moon – created in snow ice and infused under the bitter moonlight, made of cruel snow ice, it is used to freeze the enemy and kills slowly with the passing of time, gaining a reputation from its name, bitterness kills the soul slowly. The subject may survive, but its effect will be very vivid because of its sharp pain the victim will have a hard time to forget thus casting bitterness in his heart that was once shot with this arrow. Also, the victim is left unnoticed making it hard for its servants to trace its wounds as it creates an invisible scar when the arrow melts penetrating the skin. (it is believed that this is the type of arrow used to capture and freeze Yan Xun by the time he was escaping Changan city with Chu Qiao at his first attempt before his entire Yan family was executed. The servant of Yuwen Gao released it from its bolt as his old master is having doubts that Yuwen Yue will obey the chain of command to capture Yan Xun in favor of the Wei Empire’s Shen Jin Gong. Yuwen Gao had all the authority to use it and authorized it on his servant on behalf of a disabled Master. While Yuwen Yue at that time, is the interim master of the eyes of God, its full power was not ordered yet awaiting its seal from the Shen Jin Emperor. This is where Yan Xun started to sow seeds of bitterness to Yuwen Yue because he did not possibly think that Yuwen Yue would harm him. After it, Yan Xun had a hard time understanding people and succumb to its dark side of bitterness. Who revealed it to Yan Xun? Who else but the former spy of sacrifice – Xinger.
Another powerful cold weapon is the Arrows of Holiday Moon – created in snow ice and infused under the holiday moonlight, it is used to freeze an enemy and destroy the entire perimeter. Its power is unmatched as you release the shaft to an individual target the Hunting wind joins the arrow and once it melts the enemies perimeter is destroyed before they can even react. Gaining the reputation of its name, the enemy’s camp may need a holiday to build its field given this little arrow did a perfect demolition job using minimal resources.
And the last but not the least is the soft cold weapon is the Arrows of Budding Moon – created in snow ice and infused under the budding moonlight, it is used to aim at a certain target to forestall the enemies future. Among the three bing arrows, though this is the softest cold weapons, it is the coldest of them all. It shatters the dreams of the enemy and frustrates its plans. It is also the smallest snow ice arrow containing only the arrowhead and its almost invisible shaft, but the power is higher than destroying the whole camp of an army. (it is believed that this is the type of arrow which Yuwen Yue used to counter Yuwen Huai’s classic arrow and only its needle unnoticeably landed at Chu Qiao’s hair that forced to end of royal hunting of maids leaving only one maid alive, and that is Xinger)
“Never forget what I told you, in the future, you may need them to protect the Eyes of God and yourself if danger comes your way.”
“Father what happens to the enemy who is caught under the Arrows of Budding Moon?”
“It is said that they recover however it is difficult and because of it, they set up some things to fail in the future.” Yuwen Hao was somehow pleased with his son asking important questions as he expected the third arrow is the hardest of all to create as the perfect budding moon at winter is difficult to find.
Thank You father for such wisdom and Yuwen Yue bowed his head to his father and he is dismissed.
It is already nightfall, and Yuwen Yue is back to his Xuan hall. Yuwen Yue bowed as she sees the lady sat in his seat.
“Grandmom, you stayed and waited for me in my hall all day?” Yuwen Yue on his eyes about to drop and seems would like to sleep.
“No, I just came in and thought of waiting for you for a little while. I came to hand you over this book, it was the last copy, and I hope you will enjoy reading it.”
“Thank you, Grandmom, I will definitely read it.”
And the beautiful Lady put on her red silk hood and walked out gracefully meeting her servants outside the Xuan hall.
♥♥♥
Chapter 017
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Seventh Yue
The drums started to play and the whole stage is all set. The panel of judges are all seated in the east side row, all dressed in their neat robes starting at Yuwen Xi, Yuwen Gao, Yuwen Hao, third young master Yuwen Huai, and fourth young master Yuwen Yue. Prime minister Wei Guang and the Wei valve elders, Wei valve young master Wei Shu Ye, Young prince Wei Shu You, Young prince Wei Shu Hao, Young Prince Zhao Xi Feng. And at the back is another elevated platform looking like grand and magnificent is the Great Summer Emperor, Young Prince Yuan Song, Prince Yuan Che and the two imperial concubines of Wei State, the representative from north Yanbei young prince Yan Xun with his brothers, Yan Ting, Yan Shi.
The dazzling visitors from southern Liang, the Liang King, and young prince Xiao Ce. Young prince Xiao Ce is wearing his splendid garments of yellow gold robe embroidered with South Liang’s autumn leaves and flowers at its hem. A grand entrance drama was two young maids in front of him throwing autumn leaves of yellow-red flowers on his path and Xiao Ce never missed executing that extra graceful pose, that foxy smile in front of the Emperor and royals. The Wei Emperor was entertained a bit, and he smiled, it made all people looked and bow at him as well. While the other faces were just shocked, winking their eyes back and forth to the crown prince Xiao Ce.
Yuan Song started to kick his brother’s legs Yuan Che and said: “this is unbelievable sight.”
Yuan Che replied: “You bet, I am throwing a stone to make him stumble.”
Yuan Song and Yuan Che chuckled while they waved at the young prince of Liang parading itself with a grand entry in the crowd. Xiao Ce finally sat down on his seat and looked proud to crowd with his narrowed eyes and foxy handsome face. It is the first time for Xiao Ce visiting the Wei state and first time for the people to see the crown prince of Liang and Xiao Ce already created a grand impression to them.
At the center, a platform is an open square stage with hundreds of audience were standing from northward and south side while the junior players on their neat fighting costumes, stands at the west side. The Great Summer Dynasty yearly hosts its mid-autumn lantern festival, and this includes the Chinese Jian swordsmanship competition and is about to begin.
The junior match of fighters and players came from different parts of the empire as the competition is open for all. After the introduction the panel of judges and the short welcome speech of the Wei emperor, another commentator came forward to explain the mechanics of the competition of the amateur players which is the elimination round, semifinals, quarterfinals, a little exhibition of swordsmanship display from the Yuwen household and then finally, the championship round. The usual reward for the winners are the following 300 kilograms of gold, 150 for the second place and 75 for the third place but this year aside from gold. The Wei emperor announced earlier that He will also award a prized Jian sword for the worthy champion. The audience and players went crazy when they heard about the prized sword. The Imperial messenger waved it in front with these two hands raising the sword. Aside from it, the Emperor also added, whoever receives the sword will be assigned to the Yuwen household who will serve the fourth young master Yuwen Yue. As the Emperor acknowledges Yuwen Hao’s Son and welcomes Yuwen Yue for the first time as the future heir to the Eyes of God.
After the elimination round, 10 sword junior players won and advanced to the semi-finals and again was trimmed to 6, and then comes the quarterfinals 4 sword players left. Yuwen Gao and Yuwen Xi noticed a very young boy seven years old who went to the elimination round, semis and now in the quarterfinals.
“This boy is gifted,” said Yuwen Gao and he is referring the youngest player, a seven-year-old boy.
Yuwen Xi raised his brow at Yuwen Gao and said: “I will buy his freedom whether he wins in this tournament or not, I just let him join my envoy.”
And the two grandmasters started to bet about this seven-year-old boy.
In the quarterfinals, simultaneously the last two matches both on the action. The first match is the seven-year-old boy versus the twelve-year-old boy fighting to grab a champion play. While on the second match is a ten-year-old boy and a fourteen14-year-old boy gaining much attention too but not as much as the first match.
The Great Summer emperor clapped his hands when finally the seven-year-old boy snapped the twelve-year-old boy, and he dropped his sword on air, and the seven-year-old caught it, The emperor was delighted in this scene, and even the Wei Valve elders were gossiping with their peers and started to bet on their seven-year-old boy.
Yuwen Yue is also focused in his eyes with the seven-year-old boy and somehow at the back of his mind as he closed his eyes, he remembers the cloud hands and determining the boy’s martial arts blending on this sword action is somewhat familiar with him. When he opened his eyes, the match is already done, and the winner was previously announced to proceed to the championship round. The seven-year-old looking formal, he saw and locked his eyes to Yuwen Yue. Yuwen Yue did not avoid and raised his brows and gazed his eyes to the seven-year-old boy.
Then before the main event was an exhibition match from the Yuwen household, the host of the tournament. Yuwen Yue on his blue elegant Hanfu robes, his cold-blooded eyes, and calm posture, all eyes were glued to him. It is the first time for the noble and Wei crowd see him face to face. On stage as well, his famous cousin Yuwen Huai also standing confidently on his forest green Hanfu robes, his masculine body, fierce eyes, and protector aura magnets everyone’s eyes.
Yuwen Hao was very lively, and the Emperor of Summer of dynasty did not expect that the two youngsters are on stage to give them a moment of entertainment. The rest of the Royals also became very attentive, the prince from north Yanbei Yan Xun stared at Yuwen Yue and smirked, Xiao Ce raised his brows and displayed his foxy eyes on Yuwen Yue, and Yuwen Huai smirked at Yuwen Yue. Yuwen Xi is also a proud father for his son and this exhibition who knows the emperor may bestow a reward to both, his nephew and his son. This is the first time that Yuwen Yue was exposed to the public, and everyone turns an eye to him as Yuwen Huai was very well known and a crowd favorite.
The two bowed to each other then started their duel positions and Yuwen Huai pointed his sword with a smirking face, and narrow eyes, estimating his cousin Yuwen Yue’s first move but instead, Huai began to strike him. Yuwen Huai was taller than Yuwen Yue and older and Yuwen Yue locked his brows and putting a cold face failed to counter-attack.
Yuwen Huai became too confident of himself, he took his second strike to his cousin where Yuwen Yue almost dropped his sword. But still, the same looking cold-blooded face became aware of his cousin’s loud cheers versus his failed counterattacks that brought some people’s face into dismay. Yuwen Hao still amused by his son’s underdog strategy, his father still believes Yuwen Yue would be able to counter the attacks from by Yuwen Huai.
Upon the third attack, Yuwen Yue was able to counter-attack Yuwen Huai, and they did it back and forth. Yuwen Huai still dominating the game while Yuwen Yue maintained a stance of being the underdog in the entire competition.
The emperor is enjoying the moment and clapped his hands to Yuwen Huai while Yuwen Yue is not gaining much of the crowd’s loudest cheers because he is not letting himself make too much effort. Yuwen Yue is just making fun of his cousin Yuwen Huai while Yuwen Huai is giving all his best and madly serious with the exhibition game not until…
Yuwen Yue was put down to the ground, the blades almost cut his jade-like skin in his neck when Yuwen Huai made a mistake that almost killed Yuwen Yue. Looking for this small boy who saved Yuwen Yue’s neck from the dangerous blade, counter-attack it and defended him from its blade. Yuwen Yue, still calm and did not move, on his not so surprised eyes to see the boy in front of him while Yuwen Huai dropped his sword when he realized he almost killed Yuwen Yue.
Yuwen Hao stood up and saw Yuwen Yue is safe and the others were also surprised by the boy who intervened in between Yuwen Yue and Yuwen Huai not realizing what really happened. The Emperor was quiet watching who will proceed to the next move as the three kids just looking at each other and the seven-year-old boy looked at Yuwen Yue and said:
“Young master, please get up and finish the exhibition game” and his eyes are not blinking he just wanted to give an honest help to Yuwen Yue and the seven-year-old boy gave his hand to Yuwen Yue. Instead, Yuwen Yue did not accept due to his aristocratic nature, he stood up all by himself while his eyes are looking cold at him.
After seeing Yuwen Yue who stood up and was fine, Yuwen Huai bowed his head and said to the crowd: “this exhibition game is over,” and the crowd overjoyed with Yuwen Huai’s little triumph over the heir to the Eyes of God. Yuwen Yue bowed his head and became a sport and looking at his father Yuwen Hao who is very impressed for his successful underdog strategy, he knows his son is wise and can deceive many to conceal his strengths and use it for the right time and right place and even moved other people to intervene. This thing does not come easy, and it also exposed other people’s hearts because Yuwen Hao now knows that the seven-year-old boy will be the perfect close-in bodyguard for Yuwen Yue whether he wins or not he is already in Yuwen Hao’s list and he has a plan.
Meanwhile, the Emperor nodded to acknowledge Yuwen Huai and brushed off the near-death scene earlier so as not to create some panic to the crowd. The show must go on, so the host announced the final match which is the championship round, and the seven-year-old boy appeared again on the stage versus the ten-year-old boy. They bowed and started to execute their fighting positions. The seven-year-old boy is so fast that in flash of light the other side does not know a sword is already pointed on its neck and game over. The match did not take so long as the 10-year-old became no match to the seven-year-old boy. Yuwen Yue was impressed for the first time, and he knows the seven-year-old boy will be tied up to him until the day he will inherit the eyes of God.
Yuwen Gao was the first to give comment and said: ” you can’t buy the freedom seal from the emperor, the boy will be under the Green Hills courtyard starting now.”
Yuwen Xi smirked on Yuwen Gao and said: “did I say anything earlier? With his mocking voice he smiled at Yuwen Gao and both of them like a child who is contesting who owns the toy, now that the winner is declared and the Emperor’s decree will take effect, it will be given to Green Hills courtyard.
The Emperor declared the winner and took the time to acknowledge Yuwen Yue to become the seven-year-old master from today going forward. The seven-year-old accepted the sword from the Imperial messenger awarded to him and bowed in front of the Great Summer Emperor, bowed to Yuwen Yue and the boy Yuwen Yue nodded to this new champion. The Jian sword awarded to him was for an adult size, so Yuwen Yue asked his Yue Lui to help him carry the sword. While Yuwen Yue took his Po Yue Jian sword a little bit longer than him too but he managed to bring it without the crowd or other realizing what kind of sword it is.
Yuwen Yue did not use this sword in the exhibition game earlier because he did not intend to make an impression to the crowd. Yuwen Yue used the underdog strategy so as not to upset Yuwen Xi and all of the Red Hills courtyard elite family members. So as not to let any envy creep to Green Hills courtyard which his father Yuwen Hao knows this well.
The seven-year-old boy came forward to Yuwen Yue after the crowd is gone and the just the royals and other family elite members were left to attend the banquet prepared by the Red Hills courtyard and other important subjects however only the youngsters were left except for the crown prince of Liang Xiao Ce bid his goodbyes. He went to see Yuwen Yue and but did not say anything except for that foxy eyes he gave to Yuwen Yue and seems like he became fond of him.
Yuwen Yue of his polite gesture bowed at him, and Xiao Ce, fresh as ever left after he nodded to Yuwen Yue. As grand as his entrance, so is his exit. While the young crown prince of Yanbei came forward to congratulate Yuwen Yue who looks like he is the winner even if he is really not.
“In this match, you won! Thanks to this seven-year-old boy’s bravery and the underdog strategy of his young master.” Yan Xun playfully gave a light punch on Yuwen Yue’s shoulder although this is not their first time to see each other, Yan Xun occasionally visits the Green hills courtyard and once in a while have a tea ceremony with Yuwen Yue. Yuwen Yue thanked Yan Xun and bowed his head, Yan Xun’s sunny face on his sword brows and a cheery voice said to Feng Mian: “Come, let’s attend the banquet at Red hills courtyard and paint the town red afterward!”
At night time the seven-year-old boy statement of freedom was bought from the custody of his guardian who also hired him from the ninja assassins not knowing about his past about his father and his younger brother. The palace guards will usher him to his new household early tomorrow morning. The seven-year-old acted wisely and did not focus on his past, but he hoped that by cultivating a life of goodness one day he will find his brother he left at Shangxi port or at the last spot that his family was together is at the Luoyang Shaolin temple.
The next day, the palace guards on their horse they let him ride the carriage, and he is being transferred to the Yuwen household, he hopes for the best of his future and felt the positive energy on his new young master Yuwen Yue.
When they arrived at Yuwen household, he looked sleepy but then came out alive when he first stepped into the Yuwen household, the palace guards passed through the usual interrogation process and let them in at the Green Hills courtyard where Yuwen Hao’s servants greeted them. The young master Yuwen Yue did not show any excitement, but he promised himself to treat his new bodyguard differently than the others, the one who protected him during the exhibition game and now he is in the premises. He looked at himself and straightened his back as he is waiting for his arrival and he also even picked his name ” the seventh Yue or Yue Qi.”
Upon the seven-year-old arrival of the boy, he bowed to the master of the eyes of God Yuwen Hao and greeted him. Yuwen Hao nodded and instructed his servants to usher him to the inner temple where Yuwen Yue resides and is waiting for him.
Yuwen Yue knew the seven-year-old boy arrived and on his back, he said: “who told you to counter Yuwen Huai’s blade at my neck?”
“Fourth young master I had to do what I have to do.”
What made you do it? Asked again by Yuwen Yue.
“Because I knew that you may die by accident and if it happens, I would not be able to serve you and come to your courtyard today.” not a typical seven-year-old statement but Yuwen Yue was somewhat impressed with his determination to protect him at that time.
“And who told you I cannot defend myself and you have to intervene?”
“No one young master, like I said I just did what I have to do.”
“And will you keep doing it?”
“As long as I protect my young master, I will do it.”
“Even if it means your life’s end?” Yuwen Yue turned around to see the seven-year-old
“Yes, young master.” And the boy bowed his head.
You may look at me said Yuwen Yue and the seven-year-old boy looked at him and the boy’s eyes were like caught by the early morning light, and he has to clear his eyes with his fingers. Yuwen Yue is radiating so bright like a sun on his white robe with and highlights of dark blue quilt-like embroidered material.
Yuwen Yue saw his dress, and like a soft spot in his heart, he turned a mercy eyes on him but coldly said to him: “Your name shall be Yue Qi, you will bear the title of being the seventh Yue, and you will be guarding my day and night against this day forward.
“Understood young master.”
“Take him to his room and do not forget his uniform and Yue Qi must come here and stay by my side.” and Yuwen Yue dismissed his servants and the seven-year-old boy.
A woman saw the boy and observed his movements, she already knows how he came here and how old he is. Still, she can’t believe her eyes after seeing his seventh son, she thinks he is his lost seventh son. She wanted to cry and hugged her baby, but she realized it may put him in danger and she does not know what happened to him or to his father. The woman planned that she will slowly uncover their missing years, but she is unsure if he the lost son. She is tightly holding the jade stone in her chest with mixed emotions at the moment.
After Yue Qi changed his clothes, he came to his master and effective immediately, he became his guard on duty. The Jian sword awarded to him after the match is a little bit bigger to handle, so Yuwen Yue upon his return gave him another sword fit for his small yet sturdy hands.
Yue Qi kneeling on the ground accepted the new sword.
Yuwen Yue nodded, and Yue Qi stood up, he unsheathed the sword to check, its blade is clean and sharp. He put it back to its sheath then went back to thank his young master.
The next day, the woman, met them and to Yuwen Yue, she is a master to be respected, and so he greeted her, and Yue Qi mimicked Yuwen Yue.
“What brought you here servant mother?”
“You’re you have a new bodyguard. What is his name?”
“His name is Yue Qi.”
“What a wonderful name Yue’er. Like a seventh son.”
“Indeed’ Yuwen Yue replied.
Yue Qi is somewhat listening to both and felt the woman is looking at him with endearment. She went to him and said: “Yue Qi, you may call me mother the six bodyguards of the young master calls my mother.”
Not realizing what the woman meant, Yue Qi smiled and said back to her: “mother.”
And Yuwen Yue did not bother to look at them, and they continued to walk leaving the woman behind.
♥♥♥
Chapter 018
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
The Blackguards
One of the twelve original elite spies and assassins, the blackguards are living in the dark caves and underground rivers and lakes, a very laid back spy camp controlled by the Bathuja family and their last appearance of action was during the reign of the previous Wei Emperor, the father of Shen Jin Emperor of the present Great Summer Dynasty. They are the original dark assassins of the Western Empire whose task is to complete a mission bypassing the state’s court justice with no investigation needed.
Their purpose is to weed a state or suppress these powers dominating the Wei state using the power of shadow. It has been told that the blackguards overshadowed the Eyes of God that represents the torch of light for Wei empire. Legend claims that once the Shen Jin Emperor deploys a black seal, the Eyes of God – torch of light is shut off and where darkness overshadows the land. One of their accomplished mission was their successful complete long-term destruction of Yanbei. But it seems that Yanbei is not put into destruction and the sleeping dragon, a remnant is gaining more power than it has never seen before.
A blackguard servant received the paper snow containing the black seal attached to a black arrow made from a black feather of a raven bird. The servant is wearing a pitch black V-neck, sleeveless fighting costume, a belt made of black rope, with crisscross rope like ties on both of its hands and feet. Their head is covered with a black cloth and has a black mask on their face exposing only a little of their cheeks and dark eyes. Under their eyes are heavy pitch black eyeliners with streaks of bloody red double lines drawn on their cheeks.
“Princess Zama, we have tested its authenticity, and the seal contains the blood of the present Shen Jin Emperor in it.”
They test the authenticity by dipping the paper snow’s black seal in a gold liquid where the paper snow will separate the black ink, and the blood color is blue. The second test is to put the paper snow on fire, the paper snow that contains the authentic blue, royal blood does not burn. If the blood is not a pure descendant of the Emperor it will become brown in color and will be burned provided that it is already dipped in the gold liquid. Thus the black seal is a hoax.
In this case, Princess Zama knows it is authentic, the rest of paper snow was burned except for the part where the black seal is stamped when burned, it turns into blue as the blood of the Emperor mixed into it. Hence where the saying goes: Blueblood or royal blood, the blood of the nobles and heroes.
“Shida, bring me to the hall of doom,” said Zama while she is being prepared by her servants into her all pitch black dress to summon the servants of the Wei empire dark assassins.
The princess finally set, the last piece is putting her head-dress covering half of her face, her left eye down to her left cheeks. The headdress is made of black beautiful lace and makes her looks so fierce and horrifying on her pitch black tight-fitting dress, a light breastplate made of black iron, on her chest and tight-fitting pants and black boots about a knee-high. On her face was heavy eyeliners making her browse darker, bloody dark red lips, and her eyes a look like it has been to hell.
Her pitch black dress was not just a dress but a lethal spree weapon. Made of different hidden weapons inside loaded with different kinds of poison needles, fantasy star darts, tiny daggers, and other unimaginable sharp objects. All made of light weapon materials. Unlike the afterlife camp where they wear a wooden backpack that serves a like a Pandora’s box, activated anytime it is needed. The blackguards are a type of spies and can be converted to assassins as well that kills tens or fifties at a three-meter distance; they can do a lot to damage to the whole state using their different skills and weapons.
Princess Zama escorted by Shida into the hall of doom where the hall of doom is composed of underground rooms full of skillful spies with different specialties, different abilities that practice day and night under any circumstances these dark skills not seen in a long time, and now Zama will unearth some of it for a special task.
Princess Zama walked to one of the rooms, and she saw the cobra spy, the spy’s talent is in its cobra-like attitude and works along with alive cobra. She saw Zama, and in a flash, she is already in the door and front of Zama’s face. One bite from her will poison the entire village as the poison spreads on air. She looked at Zama’s eyes like a cobra and Zama looked at her eye to eye, the cobra spy nodded, and in a flash, she is already on her black hood and hissing sound like a cobra following Zama’s back.
Zama walked to another room and saw the flying spy, she has a flowy dress, long tails of clothes all over and flying on air. The flying spy specialty is the skills to strangle. Where she uses her cloth like tails to catch her opponent’s body to strangle them. She took Zama ‘s wrist, but Zama on her fast action grabbed them and cut them then the flying spy flew towards her and followed her back. One sweep from the flying spy will kill a dozen or two.
Zama continued to walk into another room and saw the blind spy. In the middle of the room is a chair and a dim light, a man is waiting at his back, very dusty clothes and dirty sandals look like he traveled to a thousand desserts, he works by deceiving the enemy through their weakness. Anyone disarmed if this fellow comes into your sight, he is blind and in a poor man’s clothes, but then after his enemy falls into his mercy trap, he sprinkles a blinding powder and can destroy a battalion of armies blinding them to death. He senses Zama is close so he immediately jumped and sprinkled fairy dust on air and there were sprinkles of dust is slowly falling but Zama on her hood she covered her eyes and so are the rest of the spies on her back used their hoods and covered their eyes. He came closer to whisper on Zama’s ears and said: “You are fortunate souls, for you see things when they are covered with darkness.” and he went to follow Zama’s back.
Another room, Zama went to put some earplugs on her ears, and the rest of the gang as well put their hands on their ears. Zama knocked on the door and told her to turn off the cicada’s to join them, the slumber spy will induce sleep through calling the hibernating sounds of cicada’s and the armies, or a village will slumber hence any other objectives can be achieved. The slumber spy hid all of her cicadae’s in a small wooden rectangular box on top of it is a gold figure of a cicada, she put them in her pocket sleeves and followed Zama.
The last but not the least is the room of the honey spy. She is the most beautiful maiden of all the blackguards, her room is full of scents and aroma but all over her beautiful naked body are deadly weapons, she specializes in honey traps to kill her subject. Once you touch her or kiss her, it is good as you are dead. The honey spy went to follow Zama after her call. (It is believed that Yuwen Huai used her once to lure Yuwen Yue so he could not attend at the royal hunting of maids. But Yuwen Yue is very keen and sharp, although it is his first time to experience such honey trap to assassinate him, Yuwen Yue knows the woman is unnatural when he looked at her eyes. Yuwen Yue came in just on time in the royal hunting ground but as cold and irritated as he is, he played hidden in the hills and used one of the bing arrows to stop Yuwen Huai and to announce to all that he is alive and Huai lost it again. And Yuwen Yue’s prize is to own the last standing maid who was Chu Qiao.)
Zama and her followers went to Hall of Doom. As scary as it is, it is a room full of candles a long table and a map. It is where the spies were given their briefing and tactical movements from the black seal instructions.
“We are here today because of a black seal.” Zama showed them the black seal and continued: “It is a short but difficult task, directed at a certain subject for a specific time, it aims to eradicate the union of two states.”
The spies nodded in unison.
“Shida, you must take this black paper snow along with the black seal to the Eyes of God,” Zama informed the Green Hills courtyard that the Eyes of God should be turned off for a while so the blackguards can move in the dark without any confusion coming from the Eyes of God. Because if Zama misses this step, the Eyes of God spies may target them and possible loss of spies on their end. It is an important step so they can move without any interference.
Shida on his horse run to the secret pathway along the foothills of northwest territories, when suddenly he encountered the 13th Prince of Wei. Yuan Song on his pure black silky hood and his brown horse with two of his men at his back came forward and unsheathed his sword. The sword he is holding is the Cheng Ying sword, and the Shida saw his face and recognized him, immediately he bowed his head.
Heey… Shida stopped his horse
“His Royal Highness 13th Prince of Wei, what can I do for you?”
“What can you do for me? That is a good question,” said Yuan Song.
Another person at the back of Shida came and took off its hood full black thick fur and eyes like hell asked: “What brought the Royal Highness in this time of the night walking on a deadly secret passage.”
Yuan Song has been patiently waiting for this moment as he has been lurking for a couple of hours and followed the trails of the imperial messenger to find out what was all about the black seal.
“Princess Zama, I believe what you have at the moment is the interest of my future.” Yuan Song immediately distinguished her voice because he won’t forget how she was humiliated in front of his father when she lost the challenged to Chu Qiao.
“The black seal is not the 13th Prince of Wei business,” said Zama in a cold and low voice.
“It isn’t my business until today, will you disobey me?” Yuan Song is pressing and became formal as he felt the rejection at the moment with his sword drawn to them.
Shida is about to run when suddenly a hidden archer shot an arrow close to the hoof of his horse, and the horse was frightened.
“You cannot run without handing me over the black seal,” said Yuan Song.
Shida is looking at Zama to intervene, Zama once again spoke and warned the Prince: “if this black seal will not be handed over to the Green Hills courtyard this night then the protocol is broken, and tomorrow our heads will be at Shen Jin Gong.”
“I will personally deliver said the 13th Prince, and you can go back to your palace and be at peace” Yuan Song’s voice is full of conviction.
“Your Highness, it is rude to ask, but I will try my best, what will be my proof?”
“Shida will accompany me as your witness. You may go now but Shida to stay” says Yuan Song.
So Shida went with Yuan Song while Princess Zama was left behind and she disappeared.
Meanwhile, at the Green Hills courtyard, Yuwen Gao received the black paper snow along with its black seal but with unexpected VIP visitor This time Shida is held like a prisoner of war. Upon their arrival, the 13th Prince of Wei smiled at Yuwen Gao and said: “It is I” and Yuan Song took off his hood but looks like Yuwen Gao saw a ghost.
Yuwen Gao not expecting the VIP guest bowed his head and gave a hand signal to the servant. They took Shida away and only two of them left at the hall.
“I have been receiving paper snows but do not know how to read. So this is the result.”
“His Highness, pardon me I did not know that you were not introduced by the palace on how to read paper snows,” said Yuwen Gao on his apologetic manner voice.”
“Not to mention this black seal my father gave to the blackguards? And it is governed by the Bathuja family?”
“Yes your highness, they are the shadow counterpart of the Eyes of God.”
“Then I have a lot of things to learn not only from the Eyes of God but also for the Blackguards eh? Like turning the lights on and off. Is this what this black seal all means?
“The blackguards' act as a shadow after a light has been shut. It will accomplish whatever is in the black seal of the Emperor.”
I must see for myself then said Yuan Song about to dismiss their private talk.
Effective today the Eyes of God is shut off, and the blackguard spies start to surround the entire Empire at the same time these spies will go to their target and accomplish the task.
And it means? Yuan Song still left clueless of what’s going to happen next.
“For the time being, civil justice is restricted. There will be no amnesty given until the purpose is fulfilled.”
Yuan Song felt goosebumps on his hands, and he somewhat understood what it meant based on what he read in their empire diaries.
“History repeats itself,” said Yuan Song he narrowed his eyes, then took his hood back to his head turned his back to Yuwen Gao then left.
*****
At the Old Batu mansion: “Princess Zama, you came back too soon,” and General Bali looked at her back and asked: “where is Shida?
“We were followed by the 13th Prince of Wei. Hence, Shida was taken by him, he will come back soon before dawn.”
“I see, I heard Yan Xun is advancing his armies near the Meilin border, and Yuan Che will counter using Xiaoqi Armies,” said General Bali.
Meilin border is a foothold of Wei and Western gate of Yanbei. It is where the 13th Prince of Wei Yuan Song by the help of Yuwen Yue together with the afterlife camp spies leader Meng Feng cooperated to frame Cheng Yuan, and Yuwen Yue let go of him for some reason. Princess Zama just went down from her horse and took off her gloves and went inside the palace. General Bali was left hanging and thought about the afterlife camp spies.
“What do you know about the alliance of afterlife camp and Eyes of God?”
“There is no inside information about it, but my guess, they were disowned by their Nirvana leader and followed Yuwen Yue after their encounter and became their master and now that their master is dead, we don’t know their whereabouts yet,” said Zama.
“So it means the ex-afterlife campers were not official spies of the Yuwen household?”
“Not at all. I guess they are employed by Yuwen Yue and endorsed them to 13th Prince of Wei as private guards when the Emperor declared Prince Yuan Song to become the Duke of Yanbei and they stayed at Meilin border.”
” I am concerned that these ex-afterlife camper spies are going to be used by Prince Yuan Song and the prince may have been secretly deploying them because he was able to follow our secret passages to the palace, only a spy can do that. If this is true, then we are exposed.”
“No need to worry Uncle General, we will cross the bridge when it is burned, for now, we have to stay put for the black seal task. Yanbei is what we are after for not the ex-afterlife campers.”
“Alright, I’ll see you in the morning and may Shida come back complete with his head still hanging on his neck.”
“I am sure he will,” said she and Zama smiled to General Bali.
♥♥♥
Chapter 019
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Lost and not yet found
After the icy lake tragedy, Meng Feng and her team went as far as the East to look for Yuwen Yue but some of her private followers stayed with Prince Yuan Song. Yuwen Yue’s grandfather won’t believe he is dead unless they bring him the body of his grandson. It has been a year since then, and no dead body found and no living proof as well.
The same thing happened to Yue Qi, Yuwen Yue’s close-in bodyguard, he has been missing since the icy lake tragedy, and no one knows where he is. Speculations coming from the Royal family that Yue Qi is wounded and may have been fallen from a cliff may have survived and hidden Yuwen Yue, or they may have been saved by other parties. This made Yuwen Gao very upset because every day the Emperor was asking updates and so is the 13th Prince Yuan Song and he cannot provide any substantial information which threatens his position as the Master of the Eyes of God.
“Master, the bird, came back and there is a message” said by one of Yuwen guards.
Yuwen Gao sprinkled appearing powder then read the message, and it came from Yue Liu it said:
“Master Yuwen Gao, there was no trace of Yuwen Yue or Yue Qi, and we have already reached one year from the date you set for our return. Should we continue to search?
Yuwen Gao immediately went to his table and draft a reply, sprinkled a disappearing powder and sent to his servant and the servant gave it to the Yuwen guard, and the guard attached it to the pigeon feet. The bird went flying.
***
“Yue Liu, a message from the pigeon.”
Meng Feng gave the paper snow to Yue Lui, sprinkled the appearing powder and read:
“I cannot withstand the shame of what my grandson brought about to the Yuwen family, and I have an Emperor to take care of, let us proceed to plan B.”
Yue Liu went sad and said: “Meng Feng, we have to go back to Red Plateau and declare them both dead to the empire. We will have to look for a dead body and bring it to them.”
“That is impossible!” said Meng Feng and with teary eyes, she turned her back at Yue Liu.
“Slaves obeys” we have to act quick. Yue Liu staring at the back of Meng Feng is also not feeling right about plan B, though he is already aware of it but did not expect it to happen. He is still longing for his master’s Yuwen Yue’s absence, and all of his brother’s died except for him. Their plan B was to declare Yuwen Yue dead by obtaining a body and also his brother Yue Qi, and this breaks his heart. Yuwen Gao already fabricated all the evidence to make the emperor believe and using the whitewash strategy he will close the tragic story of Yuwen Yue and Yue Qi.
***
At the Shen Jin Palace, the emperor’s health is quite feeling sick lately, then the news came from Yuwen household on paper snow it was written plainly, and it said:
Dearest Emperor:
I am deeply grieved, and I cannot even think and write clearly, we have found dead bodies both my grandson and his bodyguard. Its been a year, so we had to cremate their bodies but rest assured we did an autopsy and confirmed it is my grandson and his bodyguard dead.
Yuwen Gao, Master of the Eyes of God
The emperor suddenly cried, coughed and passed out. His servants called in for the royal doctor, and the doctor came right away. The doctor gave the Emperor acupuncture points and let him rest while Yuan Song already knows this information first-hand as Meng Feng’s follower went to him to inform him too. Yuan Song was seen gloomy, and he did not eat his royal meals for the entire day. He just went to his room and wrote some emotions and thoughts in his diary. The 13th Prince crossed a name in his journal and want’s also to cross out another prominent name in his diary but cannot do so. He thought of Chu Qiao and once again he wrote:
“As the autumn season is coming so is your master left the branch and leaves, another sure thing to look forward to and I hope it will be a short cold season and I won’t be going through an eternal winter. When I look back at our beautiful cherry blossoms secret garden, I dreamed that one day, you and I will sit together and watch the leaves fall, that you may cry on my shoulders when I tell you, your master left this earth and walked in the afterlife.”
Meanwhile, Yuan Che rushed to the palace and came to see the Emperor. He is dressed in a dark red military uniform with a large iron covering on his shoulders and breast-plate in his chest. The concubines saw him as they were all outside the Emperor’s hall and waiting for him to be awake. After Yuan Che saw his father and about to leave when suddenly the Emperor touched his hand and opened his eyes a bit but then he was back to sleep.
“Your father may need some time to recuperate his health.”
“Royal doctor, is there anything we have to worry about his health?” Yuan Che wants to know if he needs to prepare any unexpected things in the future.
“I did not see any major health issues, but we may have to watch out how he takes big news like this, may cause a sudden decline of his health and for all, we know it may take his life if he is not able to control his emotions. For now, what he needs is a long vacation for him to recover.”
In other words, the emperor is not getting any younger and is not going strong unlike before to handle such big blows that affects the entire empire. Yuan Che is some sort of thinking his ambition and how he can influence his father to leave the throne to him next to the 13th crown prince of Wei, Yuan Song.
Yuan Che nodded and said: “I will confer this to my brother Yuan Song,” then went out of the Emperor’s Hall.
Yuan Che arrived at his own palace, let it out when as he already heard the news about Yuwen Yue, he was devastated because Yuan Che was not really trusting Yuwen Yue as his ally at first but it slowly developed over time especially when Yuwen Yue had to assume the duty to be his general under his command. He remembered all their good times and their danger zones in their military expeditions. Yuan Che recalled when he teased Yuwne Yue to become his brother-in-law for Princess Chuner but seems Yuwen Yue’s feelings are not mutual. The 7th Prince settled being his ally and trusted a friend. He has deep regrets because it was too late to know when Yuwen Yue went in the icy lake mountains of Yanbei with no armies or battalions and only a handful of Yuwen guards on his side.
Yuan Che also knows that Yuwen Yue did not come there as Wei General neither as a master of the Eyes of God, he knows Yuwen Yue came as a lover of Xinger to look at her for one last time before she finally chooses to settle and marry Yan Xun in Yanbei.
It was at this time Yuwen Yue took everything at face value what he and Chu Qiao talked about their government affairs and what is taking place in their personal lives. Yuwen Yue was repeatedly warned by Meng Feng and Yue Qi not to come to the temple near the Xuili mountain, but Yuwen Yue created reasons for him to attend and personally come to rescue Yue Jui one of Yuwen household spies who were in trouble as Yan Xun held its brothers and sisters.
Yuwen Yue sent an invitation to the Xuili General to meet him at the secluded temple, and Chu Qiao went to see him. When Chu Qiao came, Yuwen Yue dismissed his guards and ask for them to wait for him in the foothills of the mountain. Chu Qiao sat down and began to drink and Yuwen Yue was just looking at her just because at some point the last time he held her on his arms was when he saved her from the blades of Princess Chuner and she was unconscious who bravely fought for Hong Chuan and then left her as if nothing had happened. But it seems Chu Qiao may have known this well and started talking by thanking him for helping her many times, and Chu Qiao asked Yuwen Yue for a toast, and Yuwen Yue responded to her toast.
Until Yuwen Yue drank his wine then inhaled deeply to mention about their upcoming betrothal to Yan Xun, Yuwen Yue added: “Maybe the next time we see each other, should I correct myself and call you like the Duchess of Yanbei?”
It was a press release from Yan Xun camp with a vague plan hidden on it and was aimed to lure the shark to bite his favorite bait small fish Xinger.
Chu Qiao is unaware and did not think it was crucial for Yuwen Yue to know what is the truth behind it and she just naively responded: “When I meet you next time maybe you have your wife and kids as well.”
Back to the Yuwen household, Yuwen Gao settled the ashes in a temple urn and put Yuwen Yue’s tablet beside his son Yuwen Hao. Yuwen Gao got angry-looking at it, and he ordered his guards to take the urn and throw it to the desolate place where the vultures and raven shall feast on its ashes and ravish it on air. He thought the urn doesn’t deserve a place in the Yuwen ancestors temple and is not worthy to be placed beside his Son Yuwen Hao, after all, the body burned was not really his grandson Yuwen Yue. As for Yue Qi fake ashes was buried in the humble graveyard near the Yuwen ancestors temple.
With Yuwen Yue’s and Yue Qi’s death press release, Yuwen Gao gave unlikely remarks to the Yuwen household to ban any mourning rites for the former interim master of the Eyes of God. Everyone was not expecting this to happen and Yuwen Yue only to bear the shame of the family that served as their scapegoat and avoids the wrath of the Emperor who currently took a leave of absence in his office. Yuwen Gao also ordered the name of Yuwen Yue to be removed in the Yuwen families book of records and banned it from being uttered in the Green Hills courtyard since he brought more disgrace than an honor to his family. After all is said and done Yuwen Gao felt tired and said: “Yuwen Yue, if only you listened to me, this would not happen to you.”
Yuwen Gao is looking at himself as a failure and yet another failure for his grandson because of a maidservant, same story to tell. Both Yuwen’s weakness falls under the hands of their maidservants and the people cannot help themselves to form their opinions about what happened to Yuwen Yue and believed that he died in the icy lake because of his maid Xinger. The rumors spread like fire after Yan Xun got the news that Yuwen Gao announced Yuwen Yue’s death on official government publication. Yan Xun’s step was to purposely make the Eyes of God breakable and bring about their own image to downfall because Yan Xun knows, it cannot be brought down using military strategies but similar to that Helen of Troy who launched a thousand ships, a maidservant beauty will turn them into ashes.
***
Yan Xun was looking at the Canhong Jian sword displayed on his war room, and he looks at it with much pain in his eyes and heart. Seems every time he wins a battle to advance his troops and kingdom, his turns soul to a cold stone, numb and alone. As the eyes of God weakens, he is almost half of the job done in his ambitions of taking over the Wei state by his father’s blade and his ultimate goal to sit to the throne of Wei and rule over the entire land. In this case, the mighty blood of Yan might somehow be appeased but will never be equal and still feels its heavy weight of injustice and for the untimely deaths of his family members.
“The world, we have already spread the news to the entire empire, its cities, and far-flung areas.” a Yanbei messenger just came back from two weeks journey to inform everyone about the death of Yuwen Yue and his bodyguard.
“Did you make sure to let the damage unrepairable to the Eyes of God?”
“There is nothing for the poor dead master of the Eyes of God to go back after our press release today. The public temperament was totally disgusted about the news and turned against to the Eyes of God.”
“Good job, now I will see my next steps and expect to happen in a few months time. I just need to gather all my financial resources to build a palace for the Xuili General where this will be kept in memory of her.” Still, his eyes on the Canhong Jian sword and did not turn his back to face the messenger.
And the messenger nodded and said: “The world is there anything else I can serve you?” said the messenger who is looking at Yan Xun’s back.
“Call A’Jing, I have an important topic to discuss,” said Yan Xun.
“The world,” said A’Jing on his casual military dress uniform came in to respond to the call of the Prince.
“Have you gathered all the master builders?”
“Yes. I did, in fact, it will be here at any moment.”
“What about the taxes I imposed lately? Did anyone rebelled against it?”
“No one, except for some low slaves who are forced to work harder to pay for the double tax for this year.”
“Did you told them about the punishment if anyone will not follow?”
“Yes, I read it in front of the town people and everyone bowed their heads, and no one dared to speak against it.”
“Good, then I expect Mr. Lui Xiu to bring me twice as much.”
“Is there anything I can serve the world?”
“You are dismissed.”
Yan Xun left on war room, he opened a blueprint plan and laid it down on a long table made of shiny mahogany wood and look at it.
♥♥♥
Chapter 020
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
South winds of change
A little bit far and also close to the punch prince Xiao Ce’s courtyard on the east side is a small spring body of water, serene and pristine, small birds come and go creating that joyful chirping sound. A bit like the small natural forest on the east side of his courtyard and on the south side are gardens and vineyards where the Liang crown prince grows his own green tea leaves, grape vines, persimmon tree, and plum trees. Xiao Ce is holding the publication of Yuwen Yue’s official obituary, and he twitched his hands making the paper crumple.
Xiao Ce has never been in this state before where he has to make sometime alone and reflect on himself. The Liang prince has been busy looking at the forests and not the trees, and his absence from the icy lake tragedy was due to his digging the past of his subject of interest Chu Qiao.
Xiao Ce, a kind of ruler that loves to put on a mask. This means he never lets people see him the way he really is. He is easy to read judging and looking from the outside, but he is like a book full of secrets challenging to read on the inside. Like his father, he does not stay on one side but always looks at both sides. The Liang prince makes sure that he is still behind the main characters and never wants to play that part where he would become the main subject. On the contrary, he loves to steal the crowd and draw all attention to him whenever he had to be exposed, it should always be, good publicity. He somehow believes that to show his face to the people is to give them happiness and experience great beauty, he also believes in this saying: “The first impression lasts.”
At first, the prince agreed to become an expensive warm body messenger to Wei to look after King Tang his father’s political affairs and so he must come personally and show himself to the Great Summer Dynasty Emperor and make some fun with his two princes Yuan Che and Yuan Song. Not to mention, Xiao Ce’s visit was also Wei state’s chance to nominate a suitable mate for this ever single playboy prince. The Great Summer Emperor first choice was the Liang Prince to marry his beloved Princess Chun’er, as both of their fathers enjoys a good political company even if at times they rub each others nose to soreness and they still find good friendship at the end. The last visit he did was a few years ago when he was still a youngster, and now he is fully grown up and more mature in handling government affairs he decided to take the call. Xiao Ce hates traveling, but in this case, he has to see things for himself and for him this is suicide. A lot of parties are also interested in the crown in his head, and so if he is not careful, one State visit may end his life.
Apparently, the drudging background of his State visit to Wei had changed when he met Chu Qiao. To protect his life while he is still on the road, he re-invented himself and made it look like he is really riding that expensive royal Palaquin with a beautiful parade of Liang finest maidservants. Chu Qiao already has an idea of how playful this Liang Prince is and to experience it, is very different from what has been told. And the story is told, its playtime for the foxy Prince and its lunchtime for the Tiger general Chu Qiao. So how funny their scenes were is a lot of crying memories for the Liang Prince. The Liang Prince was struck on Chu Qiao the first time he met her. And ever since then, he never gave any chance for himself to become laid back on her and drive her crazy.
Every day the Liang prince and Chu Qiao never miss playing on their playground who never stopped to give him a wakeup-punch call. On his flowery dress and foxy smiles, Chu Qiao loathes the prince but on a funny sense of how the prince carries himself and how the prince publicly shows his affection towards her and it irritates her.
Hoping Xiao Ce would give up his playboy moves, it did not. Instead, Xiao Ce even doubled his efforts by bringing her gigantic flowers and chose his eye-catching and browse-raising fancy robes and went out to meet her every day of his stay in the Wei Palace. He also gave her a name Qiao Qiao, an endearment nickname that Xiao Ce, the sole prince that has the only rights to call her that name.
Xiao Ce at that time learned that although Chu Qiao came from a low status when she started as a maidservant of the Yuwen household before she was released to become Yan Xun’s maidservant and now absorbed by Wei state to assume the position of an archer coach. He specifically requested for her to become his lady bodyguard while he is in his State visit. The playboy prince thought it won’t be that easy to transfer her into his envoy because Chu Qiao’s previous and present masters hold the same equal power he has.
But nonetheless, the foxy prince made his State visit meaningful even if it’s just a short stay and never forgot his purpose to achieve them. Only thing, the sophisticated fragrance by this wildflower of Wei was difficult to ignore and takes his attention from time to time, who makes him surrender his playboy heart and ready to become loyal.
While on his state visit to Wei, the Xiao Ce also met princess Xiao Yu, her half-blood sister. They were born to be a competitor to their father’s throne. Xiao Yu is the leader of the elite spies of Liang using her royal powers and her skill as the sky shadow sleeves martial arts. Xiao Ce told his maidservants that he suspects Xiao Yu is not up to good and he should teach her a lesson. Xiao Yu is nice in the outside but dangerous in the inside. The Liang princess took it this far to steal a chance and influence her father to give the throne to his blood brother and dethrone or kill Xiao Ce.
With his royal title and crown on its head, Xiao Ce has never been surrounded with loyal and sincere people, not even his family he could trust because of his royal status and the ambitions all behind him are just waiting for the moment to chase it. Xiao Ce grew up on a bed of roses but around it are thistles and thorns.
When it comes to allies, Liang Princess Xiao Yu sent an anonymous letter to Yan Xun to expand her influence, and though this sweet temptation for Yan Xun to accept outside sources of help, Zhong Yu thinks otherwise and forewarns Yan Xun it is maybe a trap. But then Yan Xun went to see the Liang Princess, and the two agreed to cooperate on their plan. Xiao Yu to help Yan Xun escape Changan and Yan Xun will help her assassinate the crown prince of Liang Xiao Ce.
What’s more positive about this vibrant Liang Prince is an advocate of pro-life and against cruelty which is part of Wei’s cultural activities, the hunting of Wei’s people or maids like animals as their prey. He told Chu Qiao that he heard about this hunting of maids and it is inhumane, he is absolutely not in favor on it. He said it while they were walking around with their horses and out in the City of Chang’an for a tour.
The Liang Prince accompanied by Chu Qiao went out of Chang’an City, and after a while, they met a group of Xiao Yu’s assassins to ambush them. Chu Qiao is her call of duty in defending her VIP but was exhausted when they were followed behind by more assassins. Yan Xun was informed by one of the servants that Chu Qiao went out in the military garrison to accompany the prince. Yan Xun did not hesitate to think twice, he packed and rode his horse to rescue Chu Qiao. If the latter will happen, if crown prince Xiao Ce dies, the entire city of Chang’an will be in chaos, and it will be an excellent day to execute their escape plan. Yan Xun even thought that Chu Qiao may have killed the crown prince he thought: “The Qians (heaven) is helping me.”
Xiao Ce and Chu Qiao jumped to a lake where they swam together to stay away from their chasers, Chu Qiao passed out, and Xiao Ce helped her land in a dry ground. Again when everyone eyes are closed, Xiao Ce turns on his gentleman side, he took off his royal robe and hang it around to the sleeping beauty and said: “If I died, it would have been good for you.”
Then the prince triggered a mechanism like a flare to alert someone or maybe Liang’s spy camp, but not sure if it was. No one came to rescue him.
The Liang Prince waited for Chu Qiao to wake up. While Yuwen Yue decided to be the ground commander to search for Yan Xun because his guards monitored his courtyard and informed him that Yan Xun went out.
When Chu Qiao opened her eyes, Xiao Ce was anxious about her. Eventually switched to his playboy attitude, he told Chu Qiao about the simple scenario on what will happen if he dies in Chang’an. Xiao Ce also said that if Wei and Liang will be in war, Yan Xun’s spotlight will shift. Yan Xun will go unnoticed making his perfect escape out of Chang’an city, a success.
But when Xiao Ce took the risk to test Chu Qiao, he learned that instead of killing him he saved him and wounded herself. Like a child’s play, Xiao Ce hit the arrow, and Chu Qiao like a child told her VIP to shut his mouth. Chu Qiao went for another round of defense and even ordered her VIP to kill the assassin, but Xiao Ce pretended he does not know how to handle or draw the sword to his enemy and so Chu Qiao brandished a star dart to kill the assassin. They went to walk further, but Chu Qiao is deeply wounded. She even asked the VIP to look for antiseptic herbs and bring them to her.
After it, Xiao Ce bid his goodbye to the wounded lady guard. And though he left her alone to mislead the assassins in the forest. Xiao Ce sacrificed himself to save Chu Qiao by leading the assassins to chase him. Xiao Ce gave to Chu Qiao his only killer weapon his father gave him for his survival. When activated it, it will fly out a hundred needles to kill the enemies on a 180-degree stance. Chu Qiao used the weapon and killed many assassins approaching her.
After a while, Yuwen Yue found Chu Qiao dying. He quickly handed over a pouch of water. Chu Qiao refused. But Yuwen Yue carried her and told her: “You will owe me a lot and you can never repay.”
Suddenly Yuwen Yue carried Chu Qiao and ran together. He let her body rest in a safety zone where Chu Qiao can watch Yuwen Yue slaughter the assassins. Chu Qiao left under the bark of a tree was snatched by a black dressed masked man. They rode quickly with his running horse and the Prince of Yanbei, as usual, her knight and shining armor saved her again. Yuwen Yue noticed the man in the mask, but he just let it go for he knows it was Yan Xun.
Yuwen Yue continued to walk into the steppes and found the Liang Prince sitting in forest dirty and ugly.
Xiao Ce broke the silence and wanted to cover up, so he gave Yuwen Yue an address and a map. Yuwen Yue cold as ice took the address and reads the map. He apologized to the Prince for coming late but Xiao Ce did not bother to rant. The map is meant to divert Yuwen Yue and his guards to take them to a place where they could figure out what the address is all about. Later on, Yuwen Yue figured out that Xiao Ce wants to use them to catch the Prince enemies that already escaped.
But Yuwen Yue said: “We already know who they are and their whereabouts.”
Yuwen Yue is saying, they recovered Tao Ye, one of Princess Xiao Yu’s high-class, top Liang state spy, their secret repository. Yuwen Yue wants to clean it up, he ordered Yue Qi to perform an exorcism. As a result, they retrieved the names of Liang’s secret spies deployed in Chang’an city under Xiao Yu’s hands. Hence, exposing their spies cover-ups and hideouts. Yuwen Yue raided them all, and Xiao Yu’s response was to advise all spies to escape Chang’an.
Meanwhile, Xiao Ce visited Yan Xun and offered some honest help, but after the fact that Yan Xun gets out of Chang’an his outside forces would be able to help him back to Yanbei safely. Xiao Ce told Yan Xun: “I am in control now after all of their secret repositories were raided by Yuwen Yue when Tao Ye was caught.”
Yan Xun realized that Xiao Yu’s plans were blown up. Xiao Ce revealed that he knows their plot to assassinate him on the day he was with Chu Qiao who was severely wounded.
And Yan Xun gave him an angry, cold look and said: "If you let this happen again I will make you pay for it.”
And Xiao Ce on his cold and cunning attitude he smirked.
Xiao Ce left but felt empty, he was like talking to Tie Yuo seen floating on air spilling out his beans and revealed that Xiao Ce used everyone around him to work on his safety including the frame up plan to let Xiao Yu harm Chu Qiao, and so when Yan Xun finds out, his anger will be directed toward Xiao Yu and not to the Liang Prince. But Yuwen Yue came, it ruined it all, it turned out to be that Xiao Ce cannot cover up anymore and so Yuwen Yue said: “He wants to use me, but I will teach him a lesson.”
Xiao Ce is aware that Yan Xun would do everything to save Chu Qiao and all of his scenes seen earlier was acting, a mask put on to accomplish his goals while he is in Chang’an and then ended by saying: “I pity Qiao Qiao” with a sad face.
At this point, Xiao Ce somehow realized one thing, and instead of accomplishing more of his purpose using minimal resources, he exposed more of Liang sources than he could afford to take it back. Xiao Ce must have learned his lesson, and that is not to play with fire using Chu Qiao Qiao. From thereon, there was a change of wind. A strong wind of change meant for the Liang Prince heart.
When the Liang Prince is about to go, he said to Chu Qiao: “remember to see me when I leave.” Chu Qiao nodded and gave a pleasant smile to the Prince.
A moment later, Chu Qiao greeted the Liang Prince on his fancy white horse named Mermaid was seen walking on the road along with the Liang palace guards going back to Jian Kang. He was a little bit gloomy, and Chu Qiao saw a different side of the Prince.
But when he saw Chu Qiao, the Prince turned his sad face into a curious one and said: “Qiao Qiao why don’t you come with me and let’s get to know more about each other along the way?”
Then Chu Qiao said: “Although I can’t read you, I know you are not as bad as you appear to be.”
The Liang Prince inhaled deeply, smiled and said: “I am a nobleman, well-educated how can I be read so easily? I am losing face here.”
Chu Qiao on her sly smile replied: “The Wei Emperor wants to make peace by marriage, did the Emperor agree to let you go?”
Xiao Ce said: “He wants me gone as soon as possible when I told him, he immediately sent me away as if I will bring some bad luck. Besides, I don’t like any of his daughters, they are ugly. I won’t marry any of them. In the City of Changan, you were the only one who caught my eye, but you choose the wrong person. You can risk your life for Yan Xun instead of enjoying wealth and happiness with me. You broke my heart.”
Chu Qiao with some stern eyes but blushed cheeks replied and asked the Prince: “If Wei will go to war with Yanbei, will you help the Wei state?”
Xiao Ce said: “No” to her question even if Chu Qiao reversed the question, he won’t help neither of the states and uttered it with confidence and Chu Qiao said they are considered to be friends going forward. Xiao Ce also invited Qiao Qiao to come to see him in Liang if he feels cold in Yanbei and Chu Qiao likewise told him to come to see Yan if he feels bored in Jian Kang, experience the grassland and look for the beauties of Yan.
Xiao Ce gave a flirty smile and said: “You know me really well. Occasionally we are both a puppet of destiny, there are times that you can see the beginning but cannot see the end, Xiao Ce in his sad face when he added: “Qiao Qiao I hope you can successfully escape. We’ll meet again if there is another chance.”
Hee. Xiao Ce led his horse to go. Chu Qiao nodded and seen him going far until he is gone.
****
Just when you thought that was the end of their story, the Liang Prince did not stop on getting information about the whereabouts of Chu Qiao. Though he showed a facade of goodbye face to his Qiao Qiao his heart did not. Xiao Ce has been open to Qiao Qiao about his feelings towards her. Unfortunately, Chu Qiao does not respond as Xiao Ce does. The Liang Prince met Zhan Ziyu, a wealthy businessman and a boat owner who accepts a private job from the nobles.
Zhan Ziyu drinks his cup and coldly looked at Xiao Ce and said: “Your Highness you ask me to come to see you just to drink or talk about women?”
Xiao Ce on his back turned around and looked at Zhan Ziyu and smirked then said: “You are a boring man, I won’t find you if I really want to drink” and Xiao Ce sat in the chair and got some paper drawing in his sleeves and showed it to Zhan Ziyu.
“Chu Qiao, she works for Yan Xun, and she is quite popular lately, the Wei emperor offers 100 taels of gold to kill her. Your Highness also knows her?”
Xiao Ce raised his hand like he is going to beat a song and said: “She is a beautiful woman whom I met in Changan City,” with Xiao Ce’s flirty smile and sweet eyes in display.
Zhan Ziyu smiled a bit and said: “Your Highness is really romantic. She must have offended you in some way. So you have made your mind to kill her.”
Xiao Ce still looking cool and said: “No.”
Looking at directly Zhan Ziyu’s eyes, he said: “On the contrary I want you to save her.”
Zhan Ziyu with curiosity in his face he smiled to Xiao Ce and said: “I, Zhan Ziyu just kill people. I have never done anything like to save people.”
Xiao Ce felt the rejection on air he smirked then replied: “I will not mistreat you and he paused then added: I have a message and this is important for you.”
Zhan Ziyu is listening very carefully.
You have been looking for a person named Xia Chong.
Zhan Ziyu suddenly with interest he asked: Your highness knows where she is?
Xiao Ce said: In the secret prison of Liang state.
Zhan Ziyu suddenly got the message, and his face looks interested and looks like Xiao Ce got the deal.
After quite some time, when the Liang Prince learned that Zhan Ziyu took care of Chu Qiao, the Prince planned his next moves. The Prince became a spy itself looking after Chu Qiao and decided to protect her. When Chu Qiao fell on a cliff and being chased by Wei Shu Ye, Xiao Ce did not hesitate to expose himself on his black Palaquin spy with no horseman in front, and he also opened fire in its window. The roof of the Palaquin was opened, and a man in black spy mask stood by to catch the body of Chu Qiao on air then went on a fast run. Suddenly Xiao Ce revealed his face when he took off his mask and saw his Qiao Qiao dying. The Liang Prince, disguised as a secret spy embraced her and about to cry.
Yuwen Yue was almost going crazy looking for her because she runs away from him and Yuwen Yue hastily interrogated Wei Shu Ye on his angry face he said that Chu Qiao was dead. Back to Yuwen Yue’s camp while they were discussing with Yue Qi, a letter arrow was shot at the post, and Yuwen Yue took it to read it.
Xiao Ce knows he needs outside help and can only ask for it with one thing in his mind, Yuwen Yue, he took care of Chu Qiao in his palace while he was waiting for Yuwen Yue to come. Meantime Chu Qiao slowly woke up and opened her half eyes a bit recognized Xiao Ce.
The Crown Prince being worried for the whole day can smile again and said: “Qiao Qiao you wake up, I told you I am the only one who can save you from the cliff and in cases of emergency” he gave a sweet smile to Chu Qiao. He even joked at her and asked: “How do you feel now? Can you move? Feel like marrying me now?” but Chu Qiao coughed a bit, and Xiao Ce worried on his face, ordered his servant to bring some water for Chu Qiao. Chu Qiao got somewhat stuck on her throat when he heard Xiao Ce’s feel like marrying me a joke she asked: “Where am I?”
But Xiao Ce did not bother to answer. Instead, he asked her: “What do you want to eat? You look so pale you need to absorb nutrition.”
Chu Qiao about to stand but Xiao Ce laid her down gently and hushed her: “Don’t worry you are safe now since you met me. Hard time is always followed by good luck. Do not worry, you have me by your side.”
Another servant came and informed the Prince: “Prince Yuwen Yue is here.”
Xiao Ce politely said to Chu Qiao: “I’ll be back soon” and Xiao Ce gave her a debonaire smile.
Xiao Ce said staring blankly: “So fast” and he walked on his courts to meet Yuwen Yue.
Xiao Ce said: “My letter has just been sent, you actually came in just a short while.”
Yuwen Yue went straight to the point and said: “where is Xinger?”
Xiao Ce did not respond to Yuwen Yue, but he gave a bored, cold look and asked: “Xinger?”
Yuwen Yue without blinking he said: “Qiao Qiao.”
And Xiao Ce quickly closed his eyes and opened it then said: “that sounds better.”
Yuwen Yue said: “Thanking you for helping her”
Xiao Ce said with some emphasis on his voice: “Why thank me on her name? Who are you? His old master or the general of Wei?”
Then both of their eyes became serious as Yuwen Yue did not bother to answer the Liang Prince question.
A long awkward pause and Xiao Ce said: “Follow me,” and his face became serious, they walked towards the Villa of Chu Qiao.
Chu Qiao spoke when she saw Yuwen Yue and asked: “How did you find me?”
Yuwen Yue said: “Isn’t that hard to find you?”
And Xiao Ce gave a face gesture, and Yuwen Yue went beside Xinger’s bed and poked her shoulders, and the two gave eye to eye. Yuwen Yue and Xiao Ce went outside, and the two talked to each other.
Xiao Ce asked: “Did you know if she is poisoned?”
Yuwen Yue replied and said of course he knows.
Xiao Ce said, “it is not the first time.”
Yuwen Yue told a story of their encounter of killers, and Xiao Ce said: “were there three of them?”
Yuwen Yue replied: “yes.”
Xiao said: “that would fit.”
Yuwen Yue asked again: “Do you know who they are?”
Xiao Ce asked him: “Have you heard of the afterlife camp?”
Yuwen Yue replied: “I have met them once or twice.”
Xiao Ce said: “Its mysterious assassins guild, I have heard that only three people can pass the Nirvana Kill one time and becomes an afterlife camper. They are incredibly skilled at poison, hard to find the cure. A few years ago, one of our ministers in the government was poisoned, and he has the same symptoms like Qiao Qiao. After the virulence ends, the patient will experience severe stomachache and even fall into a coma. Eventually, die in pain. Judging from her conditions now, I am afraid she won’t have much time left.
Yuwen Yue went into deep thinking and asked: Where is the Afterlife camp?
Xiao Ce replied: I don’t know.
Who is their leader?
Xiao Ce: I don’t know either
Then what do you know?
Xiao Ce exhaled and looked at Yuwen Yue: “I suspect that there is one leader that might have contacts with the camp. He is the biggest boss controlling the water transport in Xiangyang, Zhan Ziyu. Everything you asked him to do can be achieved.”
Yuwen Yue in the tone of warning the prince and said: “Okay, you can keep Xinger for now. After everything is done, I’ll come to pick up her. Remember, behave. Do not do anything that makes yourself ugly.”
Xiao Ce smirked and told Yuwen Yue: “What do you think I am?”
Yuwen Yue replied in a cold voice: “I say it exactly because I know what kind of person you are. You spent all your efforts to save Xinger and find me out. You want me to do it for you to rock the boat of the Afterlife camp. No matter what you intend to do, I’ll take care of all these things. And you, just mind your own business.”
Xiao Ce lowered down his eyes and enduring the painful words of Yuwen Yue for the sake of Chu Qiao. It seems that Yuwen Yue is not convinced that what he is doing was all for the sake of his Qiao Qiao. Yuwen Yue seemed to interpret that the Liang Prince was using Xinger to get Yuwen Yue to do something but the Liang Prince heart does not entirely agree.
Again, Xiao Ce, the master of masks, he would rather have Yuwen Yue think of this lousy interpretation rather than revealing his real face, so everyone won’t read what is his inside himself, but Chu Qiao sees her differently and understands what is going on with the Prince behind all his devious masquerade.
Yuwen Yue ends by bowing their heads to the Liang Prince, and he said with an impression in his heart: “What a good scene.” He thought that Yuwen Yue have really the most accurate intention towards his Qiao Qiao, and that is one thing he knows he cannot compete or make himself equal with the way Yuwen Yue does to his Xinger.
The crown prince took a step down from Liang throne to become Qiao Qiao’s savior, unfortunately, he realizes his limitation due to the crown in his head, he cannot just do things the way Yuwen Yue does for his Xinger. From thereon, Xiao Ce uncovered his true self in the face of Yuwen Yue and impressed with the master of the eyes of God and why he holds such unbeatable power in the Wei state that Liang princess Xiao Yu was still trying to break it, so is Yan Xun and they cannot.
Xiao Ce secretly started to admire Yuwen Yue from that point, but Xiao Ce’s desire for his Qiao Qiao is also growing strong. Now that Qiao Qiao is staying at his courtyard, he cannot bear to let somebody take her and especially not to Yuwen Yue. But when the Dengxian Pill antidote was retrieved by Yuwen Yue going inside the treacherous path of the Afterlife camp at Kong Sang mountain, Xiao Ce knows its time to let her go. It also means another broken heart for him as Xiao Ce hopes Chu Qiao is safe in his palace and can keep her as long as she wants to stay.
Yuwen Yue crashed the Liang Prince inner courtyard and Xiao Ce chasing after him they went to Qiao Qiao’s bedroom and Yuwen Yue did not find Xinger.
Xiao Ce trying to discourage Yuwen Yue said: “I told you she’s gone.”
“Where could she go? Where else could she go? Yuwen Yue walked to see all the corners of her room.”
“Of course to Yanbei, or should she go to Changan and have her head cut?” Xiao Ce still trying to make him believe so he could keep Chu Qiao. Unfortunately, Yuwen Yue is not buying it.
“Who told her to leave?” Yuwen Yue on his anxious voice.
“She can leave as she can wish. Who is able to stop her? She has eaten up the pill you sent, and she is healthy and lively. No reason for her to stay here of course.”
Yuwen Yue looked sad and his eyes down on the floor.
Xiao Ce still trying to falsely emphasize to Yuwen Yue said: “Okay do not be so sad, You two are not blessed to be together. Forcing yourselves will not bring a happy ending. I know you are a nice person. How about this I can try to introduce several girls for you? You can…”
And Xiao Ce is trying to sway Yuwen Yue and give up his Xinger, and Yuwen Yue left him but still respectful of the Prince as Yuwen Yue knows, Xiao Ce had affections for his Xinger.
Xiao Ce ran after him outside and said: “I am not finished yet where are you going?” “Listen to me…” in the child-like tone of voice.
Then Xinger called in his name in a soft voice: “Yuwen Yue.”
Yuwen Yue stopped and lifted his head and saw Xinger like he had not seen her for a decade and time stops.
Yuwen Yue’s formal face, still cold but he is looking like a god in front of her goddess. Everyone around them looked at them and just waiting for that thrill of the moment of what on earth is going to happen next.
Xinger smiled at him and went closer then stopped one step near Yuwen Yue. Yuwen Yue not minding anyone and where he is, he stepped closer and grabbed Xinger to hug her like he does not want to let go. Xiao Ce skipped a heartbeat for his Qiao Qiao but feels happy at the same time, everything is still new to him.
Suddenly Chu Qiao and Yuwen Yue talked inside her room, Xiao Ce did not bother them and let himself be a tool for their sweet reunion. After all, is said and done, the rest of the story went and ended with a kiss.. it is the only intentional kiss Yuwen Yue gave his Xinger and said: “I need you too. Can you feel it?”
And Yuwen Yue waiting for an answer, Chu Qiao did not respond. Yuwen Yue on his cold heart realized there’s the colder heart in front of him, so he stepped out and left Chu Qiao.
Yuwen Yue back to his tent camp, drink liquor to at least forget the moment earlier and Chu Qiao left lonely and sad in her room she did not bother to get out after her meeting with Yuwen Yue.
The Liang Prince back to his childish attitude he went to deliver his Qiao Qiao’s dinner but seems Chu Qiao was just staring at the wall, do not want to talk or Xiao Ce to see her private moments. Xiao Ce came in, insisted and said: “Have some food my dear General, about to set foot on a long journey, you can’t set off in hunger.”
Chu Qiao does not want to show his face and surrender to the sweet plea of the Liang Prince said: “I don’t feel like eating”
The Prince on sitting on his knees, the food tray on his lap felt the rejection on air, he blinked his eyes but still looking at Chu Qiao, Xiao Ce inhaled deeply and put away the tray of food in the table and like a man begging for her girl to look at him and talk to him, Xiao Ce started to talk to her: “I wanted to cheat, for him to leave, so you won’t feel bad if you hadn’t met him. Qiao Qiao, there are so many roads in your life, If you choose one of them you must give up the rest. You are a silly girl, you choose a rough and challenging one while the other one is safe, warm and straight, so when you are standing in a crossroad I am not surprised that you feel sad. You can’t do anything with it. Do you believe in yourself?”
Chu Qiao replied: “Of course I did.”
Xiao Ce asked again: “Do you believe in Yan Xun?”
Chu Qiao replied with a simple: “Yes.”
Xiao Ce replied: “Then make your rough road warm and shining, By then you will find everything you pay is worthy.”
Chu Qiao suddenly felt a lift of her feelings.
Xiao Ce sat by her side and said: “As for Yuwen Yue you have to wait till he works it out. Time is the best cure if the wound does not kill you, it will be healed. In this world, everyone can live with or without others. So smart as he is, he will figure it out.”
Chu Qiao looked at him eye to eye, and Xiao Ce said: “Do not worry.” Chu Qiao gave him a sweet smile.
Xiao Ce added: On the other hand Yuwen Yue was restricted too much before by his family, he hadn’t known many girls previously, and Chu Qiao suddenly brighten her face and the gloomy face is gone. Look at you familiar face, extremely thin, you are well-developed in two unimportant places on your cheeks, and Xiao Ce pointed at her cheeks.
Chu Qiao laughed and said: What are you saying? Am I that bad? And Chu Qiao put down Xiao Ce’s fingers.
I am not joking Xiao Ce said on his foxy smile to Chu Qiao. And Xiao Ce like wooing her beloved he said: “Okay. Finish that noodle. Early Sleep.” Then Xiao Ce said, and his face became formal: “I saw someone here watching outside the palace recently. I guess they must be men of Yan Xun. Leave with them tomorrow.”
Chu Qiao nodded, and Xiao Ce does not want Chu Qiao to see his almost sad eyes he stood and said with a cold voice: “By the way no need to say goodbye to me this time. I want a full night sleep.”
Xiao Ce smirked to Chu Qiao, and Chu Qiao smirked at him as well.
Xiao Ce on his back walked away from his Qiao Qiao and back to his room mending his sobbing heart for a while.
Chu Qiao was alone, and she said: “Xiao Ce, thank you.”
Xiao Ce was never this full of wisdom who gave it freely to someone he may have already not able to untie his heart. This is all new to him including being nice to Yuwen Yue for the sake of his Qiao Qiao. He had never seen himself in this light until today. He is such a tool, but that tool is the only way he can express how he loves his Qiao Qiao and giving her back to Yan Xun is piercing his heart..and now the Prince is back to his sleepless nights. What he said was just a cool breeze but inside him is like a fire he cannot hide anymore and Chu Qiao cannot reciprocate the Liang Prince feelings for her. Xiao Ce would like to keep her, nourish her, give her the good things in life but Chu Qiao seems not needing any of them, what can he offer to make her stay?
Though Chu Qiao left his palace, the Liang Prince was not easy to give up on her. On his sleepless night, he still thinks of Qiao Qiao from time to time and looks for ways on how to make her end up with him. It seems the Prince has wishful thinking looking at his competitors, they were all equally powerful and smart like him. He must do the good he said to himself.
Xiao Ce thinks this is the only way he can surpass Yuwen Yue, Yan Xun and not to mention Yuan Song. And now that Yuwen Yue is declared gone he is not feeling good about it and he is in-denial that Yuwen Yue is dead, Xiao Ce did not believe this story and decided its time.
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