After the Frozen Lake
Chapter 001
Chapter 001
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Life in the snowy spring of water
The snow became stronger, harsh throwing her body in deep freeze she cannot keep up with the cold condition. She might die in hypothermia at any moment, but she does not want to let go of Yuwen Yue. She wants to scream but she can’t, she is losing Yuwen Yue. It’s strange her body is cold, but the heat is spreading throughout her body. She feels it’s coming from her back, it is burning like hell.
The fire and cold are fighting in her body just like when she first encountered the snow jade dog, her spirit is strong, but her body is weak then suddenly a super-luminous and bright light radiated inside the icy lake and Yuwen Yue was immersed into it. Just like when she saved her master from the opposing power of the snow jade dog by that powerful vibration on air, it held Yuwen Yue from going down the deep icy lake.
Yuwen Yue in a dreamy state, between life and death… sees her entangled in a different realm. A realm where no one has ever been to, a realm that does not belong to Yanbei or Wei. He uttered her name: “Xinger…” but to no avail, she did not pay any attention to it. Then he felt strange upon seeing her face, her body still the same form except it has a slight trace of difference on her face. She is shining like a phoenix so bright and yet unblinding, she looks calm, but she is looking grand. Now he is not sure if she is the name of the person he called earlier.
A hallow yellow light came out so pure and bright, a small figure, in awe and wonderful suspended on air surrounded by white clouds spins slowly going up, eyes closed, in a Zen position at the middle spoke: “Go at peace and live well.”
After hearing the voice, the unblinding light became so overwhelming that Yuwen Yue put his fingers to protect its eyes when he was suddenly banished from its presence.
It has been three days after the tragedy at the ice lake. Yuwen Yue suddenly struggled to grasp some air only to find himself breaking the ice above him. He was floating at the surface waters of the ice lake but was still somewhat trapped inside the lagoon. And in his thoughts: If I use all my strength to move, I might lose all the power I have now. Instead, he let himself float and unspoiled under the icy lake ground as if he is meditating and limit all unnecessary movement, so he could gather the heat from his body and feels strange he does not know where it is coming from. He kept still and allowing his body to flow with the water. While at this state he also tried to enter to the state wherein his dreams he saw this yellow light and a form, the words he also heard he did not forget: “go at peace and live well.” Those words continued to echo in his senses and build an inner strength in him and while at this thought he began to utter: “Xinger, Xinger, Xinger!” On his third call, he suddenly opened his eyes.
Seemed short but counting it has been seven days since he floated freely in the icy lake. He gained so much strength, and he was able to move freely because the frozen lake is connected to an open spring body of water he found himself near its sideways and with some fresh air. The spring forest covered with snow but when the sun took its place some piles of snow melted showing the pine trees green leaves like it is marking the coming of spring but again the sun hides, and snow begins to fall. For the first time from the last, he was able to move his hands and feet, with this ability, he slowly helps himself get up from the spring and laid down its body from the snowy ground. Yuwen Yue shivered a little bit as the snowfield is colder than he uses to at the water. Rubbing his both hands to keep himself warm he suddenly sees a small panda playing on the other side from where he laid himself. Yuwen Yue thinks if there is a little panda then there is a bigger panda around. He then tried to stand although still shaky he was firm: “I have no time to check myself, for now, I must walk even if it’s just a few steps, so I can avoid any encounter of the bigger panda.”
Yuwen Yue finds a perfect spot to lay down his body. His clothes were worn out, but the blood stains were not there and thoroughly washed out in the water through some tiny spots of brown stains still visible especially on his chest, where his wounds are still fresh but were healing, turned to black and almost scarring. He checked his head, shoulders, waist, hands, and feet some of its wounds healed faster than the normal. After his physical check, he also remembers to heal his spirit by meditation. He squatted his body but leaned slightly under the Fir tree. He mainly chose this spot as he believes Fir trees represent hope, promise, and renewal. Amidst of its long dark wintry nights, the tree is also known to outlast many trees. Thus if he meditates and be in one in this spot, it may help him put his determination of will and endurance to refresh himself and finds his next steps.
Yuwen Yue soon finds himself refreshed, after an hour of meditation he feels hungry for the first time, and he knew it was time to hunt for food and to survive the night he must make the shelter for himself. He isn’t used to this kind of life, but he was trained when he was still young to survive in any given condition. Using only the available sources, Yuwen Yue was able to create tools for hunting and gathered pieces for firewood to warm himself at night. The small dagger left at his boots was very useful, out of the Fir tree driftwoods, he created seven spears of medium size. Yuwen Yue is content but still looked gloomy. He also cut some fabric from his clothes about 11 inches long and 1 inch wide. Yuwen Yue also took some material from his left boot made of bearskin and cut in circle shape inside and scrap it without tearing the outside of the boot. He put this bear skin circle material at the middle of the band to warm and protect its forehead and restore its “Qi” flow and prevent colds.
When everything was set, Yuwen Yue went hunting for food in the snowy forest with his seven spears he must supply what his body needs. He also started to check some herbs and plants, smell them and taste some then found edible mushrooms he saved it for dinner later. For his water supply, the spring is enough but must find a container to bring some on his hunting adventure, look for a bamboo tree, and spot a heart shape leaf, to use it as a funnel to filter the water. He is aiming to hunt an animal particularly a deer or a bird. If it’s a deer, the skin can be used for shelter and its lean meat rich of nutrients, and if it’s a bird, the meat can supply his protein needs, and he can use the feathers to assemble a bow and arrows.
Nothing is wasted. Everything must start this small for him to survive and all by himself he has to do it. It is a total 360-degree change of lifestyle, and thankfully he is skillful, from his nomadic ancestors he learned even before he got into this fate. Yuwen Yue thinks it’s time to test these skills for it has never been put into practice until now.
♥♥♥
Chapter 002
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Crepuscular light
Inside the frozen lake, Chu Qiao lost Yuwen Yue. Now she is slowly losing herself too. When she became weak, her master became strong. This made her gave up more of herself to save his master. At her back was inexplicable and indescribable heat, like pinching every inch of her skin down to her soul. There is no pain nor gain at the moment. The only thing she could do is to close her eyes and let the heat flow through her body suspended in a place called nowhere.
A trickling red fire is slowly burning her back disappearing and at the same time appearing as if her body was being recalled through an inscription of an ancient oracle script called: Feng Yun Faling (the Wind and Cloud decree). At first glance, it looks like a flower but inside were full of ancient inscriptions and texts. Her memories once again came back from who she is, what she must do and where she should go. The only thing she could pick up was her farewell to her little self where she heard: “Xinger, Xinger, Xinger!” at the last call, she opened her eyes, and it radiated so bright and arrived at an entirely different realm but after a moment in time, lapsed, in a split of second she went back to the frozen lake.
But it seems that the split of seconds was turned into days, weeks and months passed as Prince Yan Xun tried to search for her and gets back to the icy lake once in a while to offer some incense and burn paper snow. (a blank paper but sprinkled with disappearing powder and if sprayed with appearing powder the inscriptions of the author appears). He lost his best friend due to his cold and merciless heart betrayed the love of his life on the same day. In his strong desperation mixed with his madness, he made himself not worthy of any grief for the sake of serving his people and restore Yanbei from ashes back to its green pastures.
Somewhere in between the short and long span of time, he surrendered to his dark side. There were lots of fights and war after the tragedy, and he was all behind it. However, he never came face to face in any of its battles. He rode with his horses and ordered his armies killing with no mercy to whoever stands in his way. Yan Xun became strong, famous, powerful and fulfilling the prophecy of this name Xiaolong (means the son, the sleeping dragon) of the North and with this, he was able to put back half of Yanbei’s glorious past. But along it, was the price of every victory for his people was a price for his self-defeat he became self-serving, selfish and brutally cold.
Alone and naked inside on her gold fabric wrapped around her she succumbs into a fetal position surrounded with ice, and there was just silence. Not feeling cold as her body still dissipates heat that surrounded her, the snow melted and shrink to form an oval shape. It became her comfort zone as her body was coping from the unknown event that even herself was not able to control. The power was massive and magical. She just slept there like forever not knowing any sense of time. Like a sleeping beauty waiting for this prince to awaken her.
On her sleep, she dreamed of her journey, and she began to descend to the underworld, passed by endless desert like no hope with so much heat, but it is not scorching her skin. In her dreams, she is dressed in long, white, excellent, made of a satin material of the highest quality fabric.
As the wind blows, her dress is free-flowing and with half of her face covered by a cloak of beautiful beads on her forehead and super long but light shawl on her neck. Chu Qiao said: “Look at this endless desert, dunes and sand everywhere, is this all?”
She sat down in the middle of the desert, and she scooped the sand on her hands and opened her fingers like a child playing she dropped the sand like an hourglass. She repeated the same thing over and over until she remembers the name: “Xinger.”
Chu Qiao is trying to reminisce who is Xinger, the name is continuously echoing in her mind, who is Yuwen Yue, what happened in between, she honestly cannot remember. Just like when after her last battle with Yuwen Hao and Liang state spy where she fell from the cliff and dropped in the water, head slammed on the large stone underwater, she was floating for days in the Yellow River. Servants found and took her then locked her up in a cage. She cannot remember anything except for the name Chu Qiao.
Now, it is occurring but this time a little bit different. After long-span of time, a sudden sandstorm came. Chu Qiao used her long shawl to shield herself from the storm. For how long, not known, she cannot measure time, it seems she’s trapped. She closed her eyes until the sandstorm passed, not so long, time moved again, and when she opened her eyes, the sandstorm is gone, still, in her dreams, she came to another place.
“Where are the dunes and sand?”
Chu Qiao saw a swirling hollow like the tube with a glittering side of the spotlight on its sideways, full of moving colors, magnificent. One thing she knows, she must enter, and she is not frightened. Stepping in, her back dress was torn, and the flower tattoo became vivid, burning her skin in red flame and did not hurt. Every step she took, the flower tattoo on her back is imprinting like someone is adding a sketch on her back. After seven steps, she entered the tube and almost at once, swallowed her.
By this time, Chu Qiao woke up and startled. She examined herself and touched her back: “Where is my long white dress, and why I am here in this vast snow covering only with gold fabric.
Where is the endless desert, the sand and the dunes?” left unanswered.
She suddenly felt the coldness of snow around her, so she wrapped herself tightly and on her Jin Bu. Not far from her was a beautiful girl wearing a black tight-fitting costume, her chest was adorned with titanium light chains like a breastplate, red satin thin mask on her face, hair pony-tailed on one side, and a dark lip color like hell. But her face is like an angel, the waist was a very long whip, head wearing a large rattan-made weaved hat with an indigo scarf hanging above it.
Chu Qiao seemed familiar with her clothes, and her head suddenly felt a sharp pain, and she touched her temple looking agitated. The girl saw her, ran to see her but her palms show burned. The girl sat but cannot touch her. Chu Qiao is unaware that she is creating a steamy foam around and she is like a volcano about to erupt. The girl told her: “Mimi Gongzhu (secret princess), you should learn how to control your powers, I am the Viper, can you not remember?”
Chu Qiao again had a sharp pain in her head, every time she feels a sudden pain, a memory flashes back at her but almost like a blink of an eye. Viper said: “can you walk?
I have secured you in this place since I took you out from the frozen lake and it’s been many weeks since then.”
She feels estranged, but she feels she has known the girl for so long and has seen this scene before like serendipity.
“Mimi Gongzhu (Secret Princess), if you are alright, I will take you back to your rightful place and explain everything to you. We cannot stay longer here, some ravine animals are lurking during the night we should move forward”, viper said.
Chu Qiao said: Do you have safe clothes for me to wear?
Viper took her baggage at her back and gave her white expensive silk dress, weaved hat made of rattan and a thin indigo scarf with gold-embroidered plum blossoms beautifully inlaid. Viper helped her as Chu Qiao wrapped around the indigo scarf around her waist. Finally, to conceal her miss, they put on her the Jin Bu (gold fabric) that would serve as a covering of the miss delicate body exposing only her face. This is the first time, Chu Qiao to stand on her feet, beautiful, fresh and elegant.
Viper and Chu Qiao went on a long snowy journey to the eastward direction towards the Chu Jing palace. On their tour, Chu Qiao was quiet and do not want to ask questions until she sees the place where the viper is taking her. Viper from time to time look at her with pity she said: “She really lost her memories.”Sad too because Chu Qiao cannot even remember the times since their childhood. Viper grew up in the Chu palace as her father was an elite fighter of the Chu army. She was chosen by the King Chu Teng Gao himself to become her personal attendant and lady guard.
After the attack of Wei empire to the Chu Jing empire, she was taken somewhere as a remnant to search the secret princess in due time and restore back their lost empire. When Chu Qiao was about to be beheaded, one of her royal sisters sacrificed her life in exchange for her. They deceived the Wei executioners and told them she is not the real princess but was only dressed like one. Her sister was cunning, but not enough to fool the enemy to save Chu Qiao. On Chu Qiao’s surprise, the second sister told them she is the real princess and that they were holding the head of the wrong one. Chu Qiao bit the hand of the executioner while they were looking at her eldest sister and she ran and hid unknowingly what these strangers will do to her sister, Viper came to her hideout and put her hands on her mouth and “shak” a crisp sound was heard. Chu Qiao saw her sister’s head was cut with blood dripping on the floor she bit viper’s hand and cried soundlessly. It was her first witness of a dead family, and she was just a child.
“Viper, are we there yet?” Chu Qiao said to break their silence.
“Almost Mimi Gongzhu (secret princess), please bear with me as we took the long but safest road for your safety.”
“Tell me, what is the meaning of the indigo scarf with plum blossoms? Why do you wear the plain one and I have the embroidered one?”
“I see, the Mimi Gongzhu (secret princess) is getting interested to know more about your empire.”
“Does it have to do my last name Chu empire?”
“To be honest Mimi Gongzhu (secret princess) the indigo scarf you are wearing is the only identification that you are descent from the Chu royal family aside from the Hing Ba Na (means happiness to wish and to accept).” The Hing Ba Na appears and disappears at a given time depending on your wish and if you accept the rewards and consequences at the same time.”
“What is Hing Ba Na?”
“The flower tattoo at your back, the most powerful key to unlock…” Viper stopped to answer her questions when she suddenly senses someone is following them but then left.
Viper saw a bluish feather which she already knows who the spy might have spotted them and left.
Viper told Chu Qiao: “Mimi Gongzhu it is not safe to talk about it in this place. I will explain it all when we get there. Please hurry, we’ve got company.”
Chu Qiao holding a bow on her head and they run fast as Viper is in the business of their trace of footsteps behind Chu Qiao after they reach their destination. Viper meditated, and she formed a Zen position and called the Dong Feng (east wind) to sweep off their footprints to conceal the Mimi Gongzhu’s coordinates.
A strong wind passed by and like a constant swirl, it came to blow their trail and change the direction of the path.
Chu Qiao was amazed.
♥♥♥
Chapter 003
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Ruins of the past came to life again
It was twilight when finally, the two reached their destination but Chu Qiao did not appreciate what she saw. They passed by a village whom people are sick and left no food to eat, no water and no shelter. The beggars came to her and touched her, but their hands were electrified suddenly felt the sharp pain. The beggar cried but Chu Qiao as if she did not care, the static coming from her Jin Bu, she gently touched the beggar and looked at her in her eyes. The beggar turned into an evil witch seems to disguise the face of an old woman in her dirty cloak. The old woman said: “She cannot enter unless she passes the test.” Viper took out her long whip and, on her position, to protect her Mimi Gongzhu. Chu Qiao suddenly thought they are ambushing her, she looked at Viper sharply got mad at Viper and asks her, who is this haggard old-looking woman who disguised herself as a beggar and came to attack her.
The old woman kicked Viper and became even stronger, displaying the strength of ten men. Viper got up and gave her fierce looks, she used her whip and showed her shadowless martial arts, but the old woman seems to know how to catch her even Viper is shadowless.
Chu Qiao looking confused took apart when Viper was about to be hit on her head, Chu Qiao blocked the old woman by holding her hand and looked at her straight on her eyes. The old woman suddenly felt like there was a fire burning her hands. She looked at it, and it became red while Chu Qiao is not letting go of her hand.
The old woman offered a key to Chu Qiao to deceive her, but Chu Qiao did not let go of her hands. The old woman begged, but Chu Qiao did not mind it then twisted her hand. Although the old woman has the strength of ten men, Chu Qiao seems to be stronger.
Viper shouted to the old woman: “enough!” she is the one, the Mimi Gongzhu. Do not provoke her or else if she cannot control her power, everyone will die within 3 meters.”
“Alright, you may pass,” said the old woman.
Chu Qiao let go of her arm. The old woman put back her cloak into her head and walked passed them as if nothing happened until she disappeared like there is no shadow can be found.
“Who the hell is she?” Chu Qiao asked.
“She is the Skyshadow Master gatekeeper of the Chu Jing Palace,” Viper replied.
Chu Qiao still locked on her brows, looks mad and impressed at the same time. Chu Qiao is getting more and more interested in this new world.
“Where is the Chu Jing palace?” Chu Qiao asked again.
“Mimi Gongzhu, do you have the key to unlock the secret door?” Viper asked.
“Okay. Can you just call me Chu Qiao?”
“Pardon me, your highness, I am your lady guard I can’t just call you on your last name or first name.” Viper replied.
“Call me Mimi then, just Mimi or else I am not anymore taking any steps further.” Chu Qiao is pressing her.
Viper slightly nodded her head, and Chu Qiao smiled.
“Great! Thanks”
“This way Mimi Go… ” when all of a sudden Chu Qiao cut her words and put her two fingers in Viper’s lips just like before they smiled at each other when they were still like children.
Where is the key Mimi? Viper asked.
“I don’t know. Where I am supposed to get the key? I am afraid she is testing me again, so I did not bother to get it from her.”
“Look at your wrist” Viper replied.
Chu Qiao somewhat stunned, she found the gold key in her wrist.
Here it is. Chu Qiao said, and she gave the key to Viper and used it to unlock the door, one in the upper, middle and lower. When the door opened, an uphill labyrinth of Green tea meets their eyes. It is the first time for Chu Qiao but not for Viper.
Chu Qiao had a flashback again, and her head gave a sharp pain. She leaned on the door for a moment then continued to walk. Viper used her whip to clear the way as the wild vines crawl to their hands and feet whenever they hold or stepped on them. As darkness swallows them, Viper’s whip glowed in the dark and gives light to their way. The labyrinth is full of an obstacle course, but Viper knows the secret pathway both of them eventually evade the stratagems planted around it. If not careful, it may kill them both.
“Do not touch anything unless I told you to do so.” Viper told Chu Qiao.
“I am not touching anything,” replied Chu Qiao.
After few hours of winding the treacherous paths, Chu Qiao put into her mind those secret paths Viper followed. Including the mounted traps of evading of arrows, finding the rope to swing to the other side, crawling on the ground and walking sideways to avoid the cliff like a bottomless pit.
“We are here.” Viper said. And they arrived at a stone-walled dungeon. However, the smell of the dungeon is very fragrant, but its ground is scorched. The earth is parched and on its cracks are the tiny purple flowers. Chu Qiao thinks these flowers emit the fragrance. However, she started to become dizzy, yawned and about to fall on the ground looks like the fragrant smell is poisoning her in killing me softly way, and Viper caught her.
“Mimi, use your scarf to defend yourself.” Viper doubled her mask using her indigo scarf underneath its thin red mask that covered her nose and mouth.
The embroidered plum blossoms in her scarf sprinkled with plum blossoms oil, and in times of being poisoned, a sniff will save her to death. She sniffed the plum blossoms in her veil, and it went to Chu Qiao’s nostril, Viper said: “The plum blossoms is a friend in winter and a gift by the Qian (heavens).”
Chu Qiao recovered, she stood up to walk. She is astonished of this entirely new world far different from Green Hills courtyard, Wei or Yanbei. She slowly remembers who is Xinger’s, her deadly and trickiest trip to Jile Pavilion where she killed Yuwen Xi, the stratagems at the secret repository of the Eyes of God at Green Hills courtyard. However, she cannot recall all, but if an object comes to life-related to the past, she remembers all of them.
By the time they reached the Chu Jing inner courtyard Palace through the secret door shortcut, it was already deep of the night where the moonlight is unusually vast and bright. Chu Qiao not able to contain what she sees now, all is new like it was her first time, but in reality, it is not. Mixed emotions creeping into her consciousness and Viper got her attention before she can even speak.
Viper coughs: “This is the ruins of Chu Jing palace, suit yourself, we still have many things to carry out for tomorrow. I will walk you to your room.”
Viper noticed some welling tears in the eyes of Chu Qiao, and she asked: “Mimi, is there anything that bothers you? Seems there is a lot of sadness in your heart.”
Chu Qiao said:” I don’t know I just feel a lot of things happened in this place.” Chu Qiao cannot keep herself any secrets from Viper, so she let go of her tears. She feels she owns this room and like sneaking in her own territory. Chu Qiao feels like a stranger in familiar surroundings and yet did not tell Viper that Chu Qiao slowly remembers the past because it is still disfigured. She remembers her mother Lou He is riding in a black horse which she is screaming her name “Mom, mom” but Luo He said: “Do not forget all of the things I told you” a sad smile and went on her way.
Viper is busy fixing the secret princess royal Chinese mattress to sleep when a sudden cold wind blew around them. She knew that there were only two people who can use this summons of weather in the form of martial arts. Either Viper or the fighter who chose to follow the prince of Yanbei, now the future King just waiting for few months before its crowning day. And before she could even turn around, Viper took her whip and slam it to the window.
Chu Qiao saw the one lurking around and called her name: “Zhong Yu!”
Zhong Yu did not let them see her face right away she hid her face with her light orange scarf, but then she walked towards them with bluish feather falling on the secret princess diamond hall.
The room of the secret princess called the diamond hall because it’s shaped like the diamond. The ceiling made of clear glass, cut and made of real rough diamond stones created by diamond smiths of their empire. At night, you can almost see the moon and the stars twinkling and 10x near, like an instant telescope. There are lots of secret passages in the secret princess room. Unfortunately, all of them somehow forgotten by its owner.
It seems Viper and Zhong Yu had some little issues in the past. Zhong Yu is looking fierce at Viper while Chu Qiao is just happy to see her but then she could not understand the friction between the two. Zhong Yu looked at Chu Qiao and said: “A’Chu, the prince of Yan searched you everywhere and failed to find you, still on his ashes until now. He said he won’t be declared as king of Yanbei until he finds you. If you are dead, then we show him your bones. Unfortunately, we cannot kill someone innocent to match your figure and present it to him. And one thing, the prince reached his age of golden wisdom but gave in to his dark side that no one could lie or cheat at him.”
Viper suddenly went in front of Zhong Yu and said: “You cannot take her, she is the Mimi Gongzhu that Wu Dao Ya guarded using his own life, he exchanged his position and was supposed to be Yan’s leader to govern its highest officials next to the Yan King.”
Zhong Yu is not ringing a bell and replied: “Viper I don’t trust you!”
“You must know and trust me this time!” Viper shouted.
“You never came back after the secret princess fall from the cliff, you did not report to Wu Dao Ya. Now you took A’Chu the general of Xiuli army. Prince Yan Xun is looking for her, we need to take her back to Yanbei,” cold and steady feminine voice Zhong Yu looks determined.
“I don’t have time to explain to you Zhong Yu, but if you dare to touch her, I am afraid I will have to cut off ties with you and will forget you as my eldest sister!”
Silence in the air… mysteries opened before Chu Qiao’s eyes.
♥♥♥
Chapter 004
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Towards the East winds (proofread done)
It was almost spring after the darkest winter in Yuwen Yue’s life, he is walking down the busy street when he bumped into a young man dressed in his casual peasant clothes, he looked at the young man, and it reminded him of someone in the past. In his earliest twenties, the young man looks handsome and gorgeous. He works as longshoremen at night but trains and stays in the Shaolin temple at daytime.
The young man looks immature but owns a golden attitude in the inside. Bullied from time to time, the young man got involved too many gangster fights in the city. Usually beaten by the gangsters in public but does not fight back to them. At the Shaolin temple, he is a simple monk at day and lives by the temple values, sworn an oath to use his skills in martial arts when the innocent is hurt or if he badly needs it for self-defense. Many times, he let’s go and do not fight at all, escaping his urge to hurt or kill, he closes his eyes then prays and hums in peace. A simple young man who works as a laborer at night, he loads and unloads cargoes into a ship to earn money and donate some of his earnings to the poor. He hides behind his conceited self, but he is an excellent young man with a good heart.
Zuo Zong left at the Shaolin temple at an early age when his father was killed in the ports of Shangxi. His father was a foreigner in the land who traveled to visit the Luoyang Shaolin temple with his two sons Zuo Shan and Zuo Zong his eldest brother. Unfortunately, their father was followed by his rival assassins and his eldest brother was taken captive by them. Zuo Zong’s father was one of the best mercenaries that served the warlords of feudal Japan who specialized in unorthodox war-related skills, well versed in espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination. They came to the temple to let them train, but their father’s life ended at the hand of the ruthless ninja assassins. These assassins thought Zuo Zong was dead for he fought to defend his father but who is he? A warrior inside a child’s body who is not capable of defending yet and watched his father die. The ninja assassin thought only of him as a child, so they didn’t bother and let him live when his eldest brother protected him and told them to take him instead. After the bloody scene, Zuo Shan on his tears was taken by the assassins but left his brother a jade stone, and he told him: “Do not be afraid, we shall meet again.”
The boy cried, but his brother faded like a mist in his sight. He was left holding the dead body of his father. The boy went blackout. The next thing he knew, he was back at the Shaolin temple. The monks pitied him and took him to their care. He is so little and does not have any defense for himself yet.
Later on, the monks trained him of Kungfu martial arts, and he became the youngest kungfu master. He is young, tight and accurate in his targets. Using his martial arts skills, Zuo Zong had already carried out many secret missions.
Since Yuwen Yue got out of the icy lake and survived the tragedy, he kept his identity to himself. His looks disguised himself and did not come back to Wei or to Green Hills courtyard. He went to several journeys, to the deserts and ravines to the East, keeping himself alive through quietly living one day at a time. He worked and talked like a servant. Everything about him turned upside down, introducing himself as ordinary to the people as no one. He never let people know about his superb Gongfu (a type of martial arts) or let people identify him as the missing master of the eyes of God.
Back to his desert days, when he was living in the harsh winds and had to calm his senses through a thousand sandstorms, his memories came to surface. But he also knew that one day, all roads will lead to Xinger. If she is alive, he promised himself that he will be looking forward to the day when he comes back again to face her, and the people who took them apart will have to pay it forward. Yuwen Yue still handsome despite this rugged appearance, his cold eyes even can drop any knees. In his princely stature shows its calm face like waters of spring. He makes sure he does not get any attention or any favors from people Yuwen Yue works and meets can protect himself. At the end of the day, Yuwen Yue always reminds himself to look at the bigger picture.
Yuwen Yue looked at the address to deliver the parcel, a square shaped wooden box picked and packed from a seafood restaurant where he works as a part-time peddler man. He lived differently than his former life, where he has servants before, now, he works for himself. The only thing he was not able to change was the fact that people seem attracted to him and these peddlers follow him and would always ask for his service to deliver important items to the rich lords of the East.
“I found the place.” Yuwen Yue looks at the address in his pocket.
He knocked on the door, but then he saw some women are looking at him and whispering among themselves. Yuwen Yue locked his brows and gave them a cold look. The rugged man on his age of forty years (in his 40s), robust and formal opened the door. Yuwen Yue came in to deliver the parcel.
The man took the parcel, but Yuwen Yue left waiting for the payment, but no one came. Yuwen Yue thinks this is rude, he twitched his palms wanting to teach him a lesson. When he was about to leave, the man came back, this time with another four men. They dragged him inside the lodge and put him to a cell. He did not have that quick reaction as Yuwen Yue is known to be a slow child. He just let them drag him like that. Suddenly finds himself locked up within a cell full of haggard looking men. Yuwen Yue looked at them as a sharp knife in his eyes, he closed his eyes to meditate at the moment. Any slight movements, he senses it, and he is thinking, and controlling his twitching palms. Either he is going to end up beaten, or these men will have a taste to make the most unforgettable event of their life.
Suddenly, loud noises outside the cell heard, drum rolls banging and issued dragging sounds. The door was left open near the cell, where Yuwen Yue was locked, he saw a crowd of people cheering from its first floor, and in the balcony where some money thrown in the ground. This place is like the cockpit area but no cockfighting. Instead, the people dressed in their fighting costumes, several warriors and fighters, which looks like foreigners to the land. He saw a man wearing a black mask concealing his face, dressed as a ninja warrior but there is no long sword on his waist. This fellow is currently making the crowd go crazy with loud noises and cheering people. The viewers also cast their bet on him, and some dirty looking male youngsters gathered them before the fight began. This is a man-to-man fight, no weapons allowed rules. Just pure martial arts. Yuwen Yue thought that he found a hidden cockpit where the warriors get a chance to earn from a paid fight.
Yuwen Yue composed himself and recalled his rules. Yuwen Yue is a master who plays by the rules. Back to his former days, as the Green Hills courtyard master of the eyes of God, he thought his slaves this rule “slave obeys,” if not obedient heads will roll. If there is a crime committed someone must pay to be justified.
Yuwen Yue thought he cannot fight, not this time, it is spring season. After his self-talk, a man came and dragged him. True to what he just saw, this is a hidden place of savage fighters. Yuwen Yue forced to watch the current match. For the first time, his blood rose up to this exciting match, his eyes brows locked and rarely in the past, even now that he is getting impressed on someone. Today, an impression came watching this near sight is such an amazing view. The man wearing the black mask on his ninja costume is currently executing his “Kata.” Yuwen Yue watched his moves, rewinding him back to his past. Though he cannot see the face of the male fighter, judging entirely from his movements, he remembered someone, he is close to, back at Yuwen household.
“The seventh Yue,” Yuwen Yue almost screamed, but no one heard as the crowd shouts heightened on excitement. Seems the masked black ninja have many fans while the contender looks like a big muscled man, a dangling on his nose, thick eyebrows, and some scars on his shoulders indicating this is not his first time to fight. The contender’s face turned horrible, then he runs to finish the black ninja. The masked black ninja’s crowd favorite, showed an exhibition move when suddenly he was at the back of his contender, he snapped its arms and grabbed its feet. The contender fell on his back. The black ninja came face to face with Yuwen Yue in front of the noisy crowd crying for more action. Both looked eye to eye while the black ninja looked startled meeting Yuwen Yue’s eyes. Yuwen Yue is busy looking at him, he thought of seventh Yue.
From his curious brow, is a man who seems somewhat confused and puzzled, the black ninja does not recognize him.
Yuwen Yue’s senses awakened and think he is ready to break his own rules.
♥♥♥
Chapter 005
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Ghost in the past
The fighting continues, and Yuwen Yue’s cold eyes following the black ninja’s moves. The black ninja is full of arrogance, and the crowd loves it like he already won even if the contender is not yet done. After some few breaking and banging of the contender to the ground, the big muscled man slept like a baby. They dragged his body outside and thrown him out of place.
The first fight in the stage is over, but the host of the game announces that the crowd shall watch the final event of the day. He opened the stage to drop their support and money is flying down to the ground. The black ninja back to his room still looks like nothing happened, no wounds or any broken bones, suddenly a short stature man came in and threw few monies in the floor and ask him to come back for the finale match.
Because of Yuwen Yue’s attracting personality, another man pushed him to the circle of fight where he became an instant fighter and contender. He does not have any idea who he will fight yet. He locked his brows when he thought about the black ninja earlier, looks like the crowd is shouting his name and he is into the next fight. Unexpected situation Yuwen Yue was forced to fit in, fate let him face it today. If the seventh Yue will not recognize him, he will have to defend himself but will not hurt his closest former bodyguard. Yuwen Yue is somewhat looking torn and his head down while the black ninja came out to fight him full of arrogance. An inexplicable attitude of revenge Yuwen Yue also felt around him, Yuwen Yue started to draw his inner strength to counter it. Inside the middle of the circle of fight with few dim lights, Yuwen Yue cast the perfect stature of his shadow, closed eyes looked down and not moving. The black ninja sensed his contender is not all like other fighters he met. He became wary narrowing his eyes and did not allow his curiosity to break its goal.
No one wants to start the first move, but the younger gets irritated with Yuwen Yue’s very calm stature. The black ninja began to test the calm water, and the ripples did not fight back. Yuwen Yue avoided the first strike that landed on his left shoulder.
And just like that, the crowd went gawky and in awe. After the first attack, the bets started to shuffle. More money thrown in the ground and crowd went twice crazier than the first match. The two fighters look eye to eye and Yuwen Yue’s tracing his former bodyguard whom he lost in the icy lake is like piercing his heart literally because his wounds were still there though it wasn’t knocked. The black ninja sensed his contender is protecting his left shoulder where he first attacked, but Yuwen Yue fend it off.
Yuwen Yue knows that this young boy is looking at his left shoulder and he must not get defensive or else, the black ninja will attack his still fresh wound. Yuwen Yue must change his calmness to an offensive one, so he did. For the first time after the frozen lake, Yuwen Yue used his Gongfu martial arts but did not show much effort. The black ninja was caught in a complete surprise when suddenly his nose is bleeding, he raised his brow and did not believe this is happening at the moment. He thinks the little blood might end up his career and lose this fight as immature as it seems.
Hoping something to happen to cut the fight and won’t have to fight longer, because like water trapped in a dam is hard to stop and this crowd might not be able to contain it. Yuwen Yue shifted his course when suddenly an attack was made again from the black ninja. Yuwen Yue controlled the fight from attack to counter-attack and putting himself in the gray area of this moment was like breaking his rules back to not breaking them. In almost in a blink of an eye, those movements made the black ninja scratch his head.
The crowd cried louder, burst out in laughter, cast more bets, and shifting their bets back and forth. As funny as it seems, Yuwen Yue remains formal and calm like water but not putting off into his mind his seventh Yue. “
But why is it like this, the black ninja does not recognize him at all,” Yuwen Yue said to himself.
While the black ninja had never been into this kind of fight where is being laughed out loud by the crowd and his ego is somewhat hurt, he became angry. Not so long, he touched Yuwen Yue’s arms without knowing why his contender allowed him to reach his body at a close distance. Yuwen Yue took off his black mask, and his face was exposed to the crowd. A moment paused, and all jaw dropped to the ground, the busy, noisy crowd became quiet.
Yuwen Yue thought for a while he is still young, but really, he had the resemblance of Yue Qi all over his face. Yuwen Yue is somewhat surprised he came face to face, eye to eye with him, but the black ninja put back his mask and jumped sideways using the wooden post. He reached as high as the balcony and went out of the window.
Yuwen Yue was left in the circle of fight, and the crowd threw out more money on the air and started to hail their new champion. Yuwen Yue did not mind, although he really needs the money to support his living, he just wanted only to get the service payment for his delivery and forget about the circle of fight today. Yuwen Yue in deep thoughts and having that face exposed he knew it was Yue Qi especially right now he broke the fight with him, he is safe to think Yue Qi might have recognized him and would the black ninja get back to him sooner or later but how?
The lodge-keeper was very happy as he profited from this finale game fight more than he earned for a year. Yuwen Yue was thrown out of the place as soon as the match was finished, then again, a man in small stature threw him some of his hard-earned money coming from the fight. Yuwen Yue does not have any other choice but to pick them one by one from the ground. It is not much, but it can buy him food for weeks. Apparently, he was only a winner by default, but the fight in a drawing status, when the crowd favorite suddenly disappeared after its mask was taken off.
It was never Yuwen Yue’s intention to expose him however he needed an action that would end the fight so as not to exhaust himself because too much publicity might put himself to danger. Yuwen Yue thinks it is necessary to divert the battle to this black ninja crowd favorite from himself thought: “Who is behind the mask?”
So as he wished, he took it off. The fight became like a child’s play, and the crowd enjoyed the show that even when Yuwen Yue was walking down the street, those who watched it still gossiping around and it spread like fire. Some of them was asking the name of the guy, and Yuwen Yue walk fast as he might be spotted and may attract more attention than what he can handle. He put on his hood and walked tall like of that Gregorian chant people.
Yuwen Yue was very tired by the time he arrived at his room. He kept the money he got from the fight to buy a weapon for his journey of nowhere, where he knows all roads will lead to Xinger. Yuwen Yue is able to live well and be at peace whenever he thinks about Xinger. He kept her alive in his thoughts and in his heart.
A familiar bird on rusty cage talked like a real person and said to his master: “Xinger, Xinger…” and then was cut off when Yuwen Yue’s brows wrinkled, and the bird stopped to ask. Yes, it is the Yuwen parrot.
Flashback to the time Yuwen Yue was on the forest hunting for food, he saw some hunters as well who took down a deer. He is definitely hungry, and almost five out of his seven spears were spent and nothing for him to eat. Looking at his fresh wound on his left, he is unable to properly hunt for a decent meal. A young boy wearing thick leather fur boots with his father were camping near where he is shooting, Yuwen Yue watched them close in the distance. He almost lost his consciousness due to starvation, and thankfully the two people came to help him. The father and son is a native from the East where Yuwen Yue silently let them take his body and went with them speaking nothing about his past. The father and son helped Yuwen Yue heal with his left shoulder wound and fed him for days. Yuwen Yue cannot talk and bedridden for weeks.
Until one day he got up and walked into the market. While walking, he passed by a bird cager vendor and saw they sell all kinds of bird. He was particularly drawn with one sound he heard when a bird called in the name: “Xinger” three times. Yuwen Yue was struck and came back to find where is the noise coming from and discovered his Yuwen parrot. He was happy seeing the bird that he forgot about the reseller, and they pushed him away because he does not have money at that moment to buy the bird. Yuwen Yue then realized he is not the master of the eyes of God or the fourth-generation master of Yuwen household that he can just demand or grab some things for his disposal. He realized in this place, nobody knows him and does not care about what he does.
Because of the bird, he decided to find work and earn some good cash. He came back every day to the bird vendor, and like a lay-away plan, he paid the vendor every week until fully settled. Yuwen Yue treated this bird-like gold and seemed that he didn’t fully understand its value. Not until this moment, where everything dear to him was lost including this only animal who gave him the strength to carry on, and where his memories of Xinger lingers, his heart only can rest a bit.
When he finally took the bird, he also examined it and found some wounds, evidence that the bird experiences some distress way back to his Yuwen household. Yuwen Yue knew that Yuwen household may have been in chaos after what happened to him and his only hint was this precious bird he is holding on, he held it in his arms, and although still cold as his nature is, the bird tells, he understood what his master is going through. The bird was quiet for a few days, and after Yuwen Yue’s caring hands, the bird’s health went back to normal, alive and kicking. The bird’s usual naive bullying tweets make Yuwen Yue irritable at times.
Yuwen Yue slept soundly because he is exhausted, and just like his former life only the bird serves as his alarm, guide, and signal. The bird really belongs to his master, it also twinkled its eyes and about to sleep when suddenly the bird “quacked!”
♥♥♥
Chapter 006
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Unexpected visitor
Yuwen Yue heard but pretended he is asleep so the bird can calm itself. Suddenly a group of black ninjas surrounded his room. Yuwen Yue sensed some danger when the bird quacked on its second, third, fourth and so on. Quietly he woke up, put the bird in a safety zone and closed his eyes to sharpen his senses, Yuwen Yue is unarmed. His sword lost during the icy lake tragedy managed to buy some small cold weapons like the classic dagger for a close fight. He grabbed the handmade bow and arrow he assembled by himself in case he switches his tactics to an offensive battle.
Since his last action at the frozen lake, Yuwen Yue did not practice his Gongfu martial arts but he is still confident, he has all these skills for a lifetime. With his sharp and keen ears, the footsteps reveal that these were assassins, though he did hear any clanging of swords and only heard footsteps running above the roof. He slowly put on his hood and waited for an attack.
Yuwen Yue also thought of the father and son living below, who happens to be a wealthy merchant that runs their own lodge. He made up his mind that if this night Yuwen Yue will encounter some unknown entity, he will not hesitate to protect the very people who helped him save his life and still helping him until now.
Suddenly, sounds of dismounting tiles from the roof heard. Yuwen Yue counted it five pairs of footsteps which means there are five men to take care of. Yuwen Yue blew the candles in his room.
The moment the black ninja reached Yuwen Yue’s room, he grabbed the neck and strangled with the rope, dragged, and banged the black ninja in the rustic wooden wall. Because it is dark, Yuwen Yue cannot clearly see his face. Yuwen Yue is still waiting for the rest to come down but no one came. Then the black ninja reversed the hand of Yuwen Yue. The two danced in the dark with their martial arts, and both have been very good at it. Eventually, Yuwen Yue quickly took out a matchstick in his pocket and played little fire using it. Neither both would want to give up the late fight, and they continued until the bird called again the name: “Xinger” three times, and both of them stopped at the moment. When the black ninja’s attention was diverted to the bird sound, Yuwen Yue took advantage of it. He captured the black ninja facing the floor while Yuwen Yue is tying his hands.
Yuwen Yue claps his hand like he was getting off some dirt. He learned these gestures outside Yuwen household, and it means, the job is done. As cold as he is, he didn’t bother to see the black ninja’s face especially at this time of the night, he dragged him on the veranda and about to push him to another roof, but the black ninja shouted at him.
“You cast a shadow!!!”
Huh!? Yuwen Yue looked at him in the eye.
“I said you cast a shadow!!!”
Yuwen Yue took off the black ninja’s mask and found the face of the young man he fought in the circle of fight arena earlier.
“I just realized you are not the seventh Yue! Now go, I made a mistake!”
Just like that Yuwen Yue dismissed him and he turned his back to his room when…
“Casting a shadow means you are a master, that can illuminate the lives of their followers or to cover them in darkness!!!”
Yuwen Yue was a bit startled, he didn’t expect the young man who looks like Yue Qi would define what he and his servant Yue code of expressions.
Yuwen Yue continued this code of expressions and said: “the master casts light when they do good to others but casts a shadow when they abuse their powers. The slaves obey, but the servant teaches the master when they abuse their powers but helps the master when they help others.”
The black ninja did not blink an eye to Yuwen Yue, but he still gave him a mocking look not wanting to drop on his knee. Judging from their looks, both know what that code of expression means. The black ninja told him: “I shall meet you again until then you have to wait for me!” and he again disappeared.
Yuwen Yue left alone again, and this black ninja just left him with another impression and deep thoughts. He never thought that another person other than his bodyguard knows and understands his code of expression Yuwen Yue expressed in the circle of fight. Not sure if he is under surveillance of the Yuwen household or might have been spying at him lately. Until now, not yet capable to face Yuwen household and have not gathered enough strength for the journey to go back, for his body is still under recovery. One thing, he has a lot of questions left unanswered yet, most especially about his mother and Xinger.
Looking back at his past, Yuwen Yue almost killed when he formed a gatecrash party at Yuwen Huai household. He quickly passes through the stratagems around and forced himself to talk to the third concubine of the Yuwen household. Where he thought the third concubine his Aunt was dead, he discovered that she is alive but disabled. Locked up for years and she told him she cannot do anything but to become a prisoner of the Yuwen’s vilest and dangerous stratagems ever made in the entire Jile Pavilion.
Back to the present, Yuwen Yue finally accepted the young boy cannot be Yue Qi but his doppelgänger. Having no news at his own, household and having been intentionally not to let his Yuwen bodyguards find him, he thinks the black ninja not connected to the Yuwen household. Yuwen Yue could only hope that Yue Qi survived after Yue Qi defended him from a thousand arrows and if not, maybe this is the reason why Yuwen Yue is still missing until today. Yuwen Yue wants to give in to this thinking, but he remained strong about his emotions and do not even want to start to walk in that path. He thinks the Yue Qi is alive, his bodyguards are looking for him and will find him soon but not today.
Zuo Zong the next day went to attend his usual Shaolin temple duties. He swept the floors, scrub the walls, cooks in the kitchen, and after all, chores are done, he went with his usual meditation and Kungfu practice. Zuo Zong was the only master permitted to grow his hair because Zuo Zong is not part of the chanting fighting monks but is in charge of some specific infiltration, espionage, and surveillance in times the temple needs its services. On his meditation, he saw Yuwen Yue in his vision and cannot focus anymore. The face of Yuwen Yue kept coming back to his senses, so he changed his thoughts and went back to his brother Zuo Shan. A fragmented part of himself flashed, then there is Yuwen Yue again. He stopped the meditation, as if, the wind is again calling him to see the master. Zuo Zong agreed and hummed in peace. He promised himself to see Yuwen Yue and to know more about him, about the secret code that no one else knows except his father and Zuo Shan.
Zuo Zong dressed in orange Shaolin monk outfit, long bead sash from his right shoulder, highly pony-tailed hair, he looks dashing and charming. Zuo, the only monk with long hair, unlike others. He was about to dismiss his thoughts and turned around and surprised to see a man sitting in a Buddha position in the middle of the temple. His hands were on top of each fist and closed eyes. Zuo Zong looking stuck, unable to move from his place when he saw the man at the middle and just can’t ignore him.
The man dressed in a neat, peasant powder blue fighting costume, wide pants, V-shape long sleeves with a tie on its left side, black belt on his waist with jade stone, black flat, clean shoes with brown laces perfectly crisscrossed up on his knee on top of his white socks. His hair tied just right at the middle not too high not too low just like when he met him first at the circle of fight arena. His aura radiates like the sun as the winds brush off several tea candles surrounding the temple smells savory and cleanses the mind. Zuo Zong eyes gleam on it as it took his breath away. Like a butterfly in his stomach when he saw the man, excitement flies. It seems his outfit did not match his god-looking face especially when his eyes closed: “did a god came down today” Zuo Zong said to himself.
After an extended meditation, he rose up and went to the Buddhist altar to offer the money he gained from his accidental, forceful fight. Yuwen Yue was looking for someone because he knows the black ninja was meditating in front of the temple a while ago. Yuwen Yue knows that he found the black ninja but: “where is he? gone again?” he thought of himself. Yuwen Yue is sure to follow the trail of the black ninja who accidentally left this wooden dark brown beaded bracelet last night. The beads in the wooden bracelet tell the level of martial arts mastery he finished and rewarded to the owner. Yuwen Yue kept it under his pocket. In case the owner turns up, he has a plan.
Yuwen Yue is the former master of eyes of God, and once he got interested in its subject, it is impossible not to catch him. Yuwen Yue bowed with his two hands tightly clasping in front of each of the monks as a sign of respect, he talked to the monks who are sweeping the ground with their long stick brooms outside the temple. Yuwen Yue politely asked who the owner of the beaded bracelet is. The monks bowed to him, and one monk with a little chinky eye asked: “What can we do for a stranger?” One of the monks looked at the bracelet on Yuwen Yue’s hands and thought: “This is the master Zuo’s bracelet how come he has it?”
Zuo Zong hid somewhere watching Yuwen Yue and these junior monks, suddenly recalled his bracelet was missing since last night. Zuo Zong shook his head and smiled a little and thinks someone as quick as like him were able to bypass him, and Yuwen Yue got it. For it is impossible to misplace the bracelet, it will reveal his identity, his whereabouts, if the one who finds it knows how to read the inscriptions.
By this time, Zuo knows that Yuwen Yue must be an elite master and hiding an ordinary person in public. The way he carried himself today at the temple speaks a lot of him, a dignified master with integrity and honor. Back to the bracelet, Zuo’s turns his concerns to the bracelet. Zuo must get it back before the temple master sifu (teacher) knows or he will face the punishment of journey to the far icy mountains of Woolong.
Meanwhile, Zuo Zong forced to jump from a nearby lion headstone figure where he is hiding and come out to interrupt them. This time, Zuo not on his open and arrogant attitude, he showed a low attitude stature. When the monks saw Zuo, they bowed at him and paid their utmost respects. Zuo Zong bowed his head to Yuwen Yue. Yuwen Yue nodded back at him and slightly bowed his head and looked at him, eyes were cold but calm. Yuwen Yue did not bow, but he knows his actions were intentional. Zuo Zong on his prayer beads, his eyes still closed, suddenly opened to meet Yuwen Yue’s cold eyes. Zuo Zong did not wait for Yuwen Yue to introduce himself. As part of being an intelligent spy in front of his subordinates, he must show there is nothing Zuo doesn’t know, especially this man in front of him looking like a god.
“I see why the stranger came.”
Zuo Zong on his stern eyes told the young monks: “Let me handle it.”
The monks bowed to him and left when they heard Zuo’s order and knew what it means. Only the two went on site, Yuwen Yue and Zuo Zong were left in one place, both looking cold and their eyes just got narrower. On his quick move, Zuo Zong started to pick a fight with Yuwen Yue. Zuo at once took the beaded bracelet from Yuwen Yue’s hand. Yuwen Yue is usually sharp after this meditation, he was able to quickly react to Zuo Zong’s surprise attack. Yuwen Yue throw the bracelet on air, but Zuo Zong easily catches it on air. Impressed by it, Yuwen Yue bats Zuo Zong’s right palm but Zuo Zong threw on air and passed it to his left hand to catch it. Yuwen Yue did not stop this going back and forth while Zuo Zong on his usual fighting stance the place turned so dusty as they jump, flying kicks on the air, mimicking each other. Until Zuo Zong could no longer hold his temper, he switched to his defensive attacks. Because of Zuo’s anger, Yuwen Yue did not give up playing his sacred bracelet.
The fight and their level of martial arts advanced, they moved from one place to another. Suddenly without any regard, Zuo Zong on his tip toe feet, at the edge of the cliff, he is standing only on his one foot and fell. Yuwen Yue on his closed eyes grabbed his left hand. Zuo Zong, in a dangerous and desperate situation, and yet Yuwen Yue not letting his guard off looking so calm but cannot hide in such distressful moment. Yuwen Yue knows his hands won’t be able to endure, he quickly untied the ties from his shoes and excellently tied to their hands. Yuwen Yue left with no choice, gave all his force and strength to save Zuo Zong from the cliff where Zuo Zong nearly gave up because if he will not, Yuwen Yue will fall off too. Yuwen Yue did not think twice to save him and was able to pull him using the knot tied on both of their left hands.
“Why did you save me?”
“Because you are in a cliff and about to die” just like that, bland and cold voice from Yuwen Yue while he was untying the rope he tied to their hands and tying it back to his shoes.
After Yuwen Yue is done tying his shoes, he gave the beaded bracelet to Zuo Zong, and the cold wind blew between them. Yuwen Yue did bother to see him eye to eye, while Zuo Zong is waiting for it. Yuwen Yue turned his back and started to walk away.
Zuo Zong to his surprise is about to call his name however he stopped himself. Zuo admits this time, he does not know any information about him. But whatever it is, it is rude not to pay respect to the person who saves your life in times of life and death situation. The random kindness that Yuwen Yue gave to him today by giving him back his bracelet tells, this is not just coincidence that happens every day.
“Master!” he shouted at Yuwen Yue.
Yuwen Yue turning a deaf ear is already far. Although he is still able to hear, he did not turn his back.
Zuo Zong bowed his head (but not kowtow position) up until his waist to express thankfulness that he owes him that much. His kindness cannot be repaid even if he offers his entire life to serve him. Then one full bow for his life that he owes to Yuwen Yue and one-half bow on his head for sending him back the beaded bracelet to the rightful temple master owner.
Suddenly a young monk who asked Yuwen Yue earlier is watching them closely in secret, but Yuwen Yue caught him.
“You are not going to tell what happened today.” Yuwen Yue warned him while he strangles the neck of the young monk.
“Yes, ma…mas…master.” The young monk is shaking in fear.
Yuwen Yue left but aware of what Zuo Zong did on his back but pretended he did not bother to turn around or acknowledge it.
♥♥♥
Chapter 007
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Report from the West
Meanwhile, Princess Chun’er slowly got up from her royal bathtub made of full square wooden tiles, the water is lukewarm, but there is steamy foam everywhere. The attendants came to her and gave her covering she looked around and slowly walked out to dress. All of her things were packed up and about to leave.
After her last battle with General Chu Qiao of Xiuli army, one of the bloodiest fightings between Wei and Yanbei armies in the city of Hong Chuan, she was sentenced by her own father to be exiled in a faraway mountain to become a sojourner. After it, she was reduced to a slave status because of the treason committed to Wei state, she tried to murder her own father when she temporarily lost her sanity after the imperial concubine’s Ning’ers death. She was laid once when she traveled to Yanbei. On her strange journey alone, she came to follow Yan Xun in her insane mind thinks she should come to his bridegroom that was never meant to be.
She also found her brother Prince Yuan Song who disguised himself to assassinate Yan Xun. Yuan Song blended with the Yan Army walked at the back of Yan Xun and stabbed him. Yan Xun seriously wounded still managed to turn his sword and decapitated the 13th Prince Yuan Song. That day, both of the Princes fell to the ground, and Chun’er was not away from where she is standing, runs to rally his brother. It was an unfateful day for both men he loved and doubled the agony of the Wei Princess as well.
She also lost the lives of her maidservants and Wei Shu Ye her closest ally died defending her when she was locked up in the secluded West temple about to be poisoned. Wei Shu Ye did not give any value to his life. At the end of his life, Wei Shu Ye admitted the secret love he hid for all these years, and he died in the arms of the Princess. From that moment, all good things were stripped out from Chun’er one by one and Chun’er cried to the heavens bitterly on heavy tears.
Royal Princesses cannot be executed especially if it is a direct descendant of the emperor and only be reduced to slave status. With her slave status, only the Emperor can recall her status by forgiveness and restored back to the royal palace. Another is, if she marries to another Prince of royal status then her status can be restored. Until then, she is not allowed to step in the Emperor’s palace ever again or until his father summons her.
“I have nothing to go back to this place,” Chun’er said.
She quietly left her room and went outside. Dressed in a casual light flowy dress, not in the usual princess dress adorned with heavy accessories and colors of the royals. Her pure jade hairpin that symbolizes her royalty taken off and her hair was merely perfectly straight down shining in its blackness. She became more beautiful and more matured looking at her face this time than when she was a princess, she seems naive, walks and talks like a child but more than enough to say she is different. She had hidden talents that were never brought out to light when she was still a princess. However right now when she rode the white horse courtesy of Shen Jin palace, she took it with strength and with full conviction. Assured of herself that she will be all right and what more evil can come her way when she already surpassed them all. The ex-princess can only expect more to go, but this time she is now an ironclad.
The ex-princess is excellent in throwing a spear and also has exceptional skills in archery, so she can only rely on this skill to defend herself. She also learned swordsmanship skills and very well-educated regarding political science. With all of these skills she had, the Princess wasn’t able to apply to it to the most crucial times of her life because she lacked experience and confined in the four corners of the palace.
As the horse marching away slowly from the palace, Chun’er recalled her childhood happy memories. While the Great Summer Emperor looking in the distance, his dark heart cries in despair. He is the Great Emperor, but he became powerless from the law he passed subjected his very daughter he cherished and loved, is the first to taste its fangs. He felt the law itself exiled his very blood as they took his daughter away from the Shen Jin Palace. The Emperor must serve its subjects and prove a stable government where the justice system is working, and its punishments will not exempt anyone, not even the Royals can break it. Also if it means, it is the end of his family affairs.
Chun’er is heading south of northwest Wei. She will travel a thousand miles and were given enough provision until she reaches the place to stay after ten years to serve her life sentence. If the Emperor, her father cannot forgive her still, her current slave status would become permanent. The verdict sealed and passed on by his father on this 28th day of Spring of the second month of the year. She will live in a very secluded place far from the palace with no servants. Now she is alone, all by herself.
Prince Yuan Song dressed in his usual prince’s fashion watched his big sister go. The Prince’s heart was broken for the second time, the first was when he had to painfully say goodbye to Xinger, and after it, he never saw her again and then came the news that she died together with Yuwen Yue at the frozen lake. When he thinks about it, it doubled his madness and promised himself that he will find Prince Yan Xun who killed them both in the lake.
All powers go to the Great Summer Emperor, Prince Yuan’s father and because of that, he was able to find the latest technology that replaced his decapitated arm. The empire spent some of its treasures for research that brought the empire various types of arm casts and artists who designed Yuan Song’s arm. He is the officially crowned prince of Wei that will inherit his father throne when the emperor passes to the next life. Prince Yuan Song also spent the entire winter season in bodybuilding and making himself buff and fit.
Prince Yuan Song pretended that he was at the palace watching her sister go, but after some time he sneaked outside together with one of his servants. A dark brown horse was waiting at the back door of his own palace, and he disguised himself wearing a black hood on his head, plain pants and shirt with his imperial jade hanging in his belt.
Yuan Song followed his sister Chun’er in secret. He also instructed some advance party servants to watch and guard over the princess traveling alone. Now that Yuan Song lost two of the most precious woman in his life, his mother and Xinger, he cannot afford to lose his only one sister. With the small power he holds in his hand at the moment, he is learning to use it to protect his sister. These are things that he was not able to do when his mother was still alive and Xinger too.
“Heee!” Yuan Song stopped the horse.
“Where did she go?”
She went this way Prince, said the palace guard.
Yuan Song followed her sister’s trail together with his personal bodyguard.
It is nightfall, Chun’er is trailing the road without anyone except herself. Her eyes were sad but not fearful. Sensing that someone is following her behind, she tightened her grip with her horse and stopped it. She loaded her bow with the arrow and ready to shoot when she saw a man in his hood head walking down in the dark forest.
“Show yourself!” Chun’er shouted and her horse a little bit anxious.
The man in the hood did not move. Chune’r not letting go of her arms and is ready to shoot. But the man raised his hand, but his head is down. Chuner’s eyes are fierce she let go of her arrows, but a pair of the dagger was released to counter it.
The man without inhibitions walked towards her. Chun’er loaded another arrow on her bow and pointed it to his forehead. The man stopped and Chun’er a bit startled when the man took off his hood. The ex-princess eyes got big, she thought she just saw a ghost.
The man had a long-wound stitch on his left neck. Not on his usual smirking face came forward and kneel down in front of her and said: “I beg you to come and stay with me, princess.” The man in his passive voice and looking like a fool making such an indecent proposal.
“Yuwen Huai!” The princess almost shouted, but the rejection is evident listening from her voice alone.
“Yes, it is I. Some said I am dead but today I came here to let you know I am alive and I have come to take you to a safe place. Wei Shu Ye asked me a favor before he went to the temple to secure you, but you never came to the boat he has prepared for you. I waited but no one came, and I am sad to hear the news he wasn’t able to survive.”
“I also hid your half-brother who is the son of Lan’er, my half-sister. Please come with me princess, I can take you to a safe place and be your refuge. Given your condition and your long journey ahead, I can foresee that any attack is going to happen, and you are left with no defense.” Yuwen Huai on his usual gambit tongue is persuading a hard-headed princess.
“Lan’er? My father’s latest concubine is your half-sister?”
“Yes, princess. She is my half-sister.”
Chun’er calmed herself, but her brows are tightly wrinkled. Yuwen Huai got up and put back his hood on his head. Yuwen Huai opened his palms as he waits for the princess response to come with him but Yuwen Huai is refused to see her eye to eye for he feels unworthy but Yuwen Huai is happy inside if she accepts. And if she will not, Yuwen Huai will let go of her princess but will continue to protect her in secret.
Before anyone, Yuwen Huai already knows the Emperor’s imperial decree to the princess. He facilitated it himself because he is the formerly in-charge of the royal court of the empire. After his battle with Chu Qiao, Yuwen Huai thought to be dead but rescued by Shi Da, the bodyguard of Princess Zama where they took him to the Batuha family’s mansion. From the cold northern grasslands of the Batu family, Yuwen Huai spent the rest of the winter season to heal.
Princess Zama had a deep admiration of Yuwen Huai ever since they were still kids. Yuwen Huai is way older than Princess Zama, and she used to visit their courtyard together with her father who is close to his father, Yuwen Xi. For Zama, this handsome dork Yuwen Huai is his ideal man. Although he is rough and tough in his terms, Yuwen Huai has a lonely side that only Zama knows.
Yuwen Huai is not letting his hands go, although he already feels rejected on air, he is still waiting for her to accept.
Chun’er was stubborn and in times like these where she really needs someone to lean on Yuwen Huai is the only option she has. He was not her enemy, but she does not trust him as well due to his ruffian nature and his brutality handling the court rulings on the empire’s political parties, Yuwen Huai did all of the sickening crimes to accomplish his father’s orders and to please his late father, Yuwen Xi. Yuwen Huai stayed low after his near-death encounter with Chu Qiao where he was gravely wounded. Without the Batuja family, Yuwen Huai would have been six-feet-under today.
Yuwen Huai infatuated with Princess Chun’er just like Wei Shu Ye, he loves Chun’er deeply more than anyone else. That is why when she saw Chun’er lying on the street on the day of her wedding, on her stunning bride dress, Yuwen Huai furious, gnashed his teeth with anger and gave his full force to punish Prince Yan Xun who declared rebellion, used his wedding day to get out of Chang’an. But then Yuwen Huai thought of himself: “Who is he that he should get on the way, he would prefer to act after the fact, and he is going to do it differently than what Wei Shu Ye did. Trapped with no way out, Yuwen Huai met his almost sad ending with Xinger. He already foresaw this before it even became a reality.
Back to the Yuwen household, where the master of the eyes of God is still missing and the master of the Red Hills courtyard gravely wounded, the eyes of God repository was self-destructed, there is nothing left to restore the information and supreme court center of the Western empire. Yuwen Gao Feng left standing after the raid of the Green Hills courtyard, had been busy looking for his adopted grandson Yuwen Yue. The third concubine Tai Furen of the Red Hills courtyard and the mother of Yuwen Huai was about to rise in power when Yuwen Gao suppressed it. There were lots of changes and change of command for the entire Yuwen household since both masters were missing in action where the emperor himself ordered to reconstruct the eyes of God and save what is left.
The Great Summer Emperor threatened Yuwen Household to be ousted, subjected Yuwen Yue for its destruction and Yuwen Huai held liable when the self-destruct button was pushed. Later Yuwen Huai pardoned through the help of Princess Zama father. Yuwen Huai not reinstated with his position and it became vacant for a long time. But his mother came into the picture which later Yuwen Gao controlled to prevent further damage. Hence, Yuwen Huai left floating in the Wei State empire and the interim master that took over all the duties and responsibilities put back to Yuwen Gao. Then Yuwen Gao exposed to be alive when he faked his death. The Emperor’s reaction was strange. Instead of getting angry at him, Emperor rejoiced and threw him a banquet to welcome him again and issued a decree to become the interim master to control the Eyes of God.
“Princess, will you come with me?” Yuwen Huai on his soft sweet voice and all honest gesture, it is not so natural for him. Now, seems, his heart is overflowing with anticipation to allow him to serve her now that he is not set for anything to do for the western empire.
Chun’er at ease to what Yuwen Huai is offering her. It looks tempting and seems this is for her advantage and nothing will benefit Yuwen Huai.
“On one condition,” she said. You are to let me live with my half-brother.”
Yuwen Huai to his joy he took the hand of the princess but not in an awkward manner where Chun’er allowed her too but still cautious. Yuwen Huai although he took time off from his office and in floating status, he is still an influential body whose followers are loyal to him. He called in his guards who are hiding in the trees and received instructions from their master. Yuwen Huai not the usual gentleman but in front of the princess Chun’er he was unconsciously one. Is this a change of heart?
Yuwen Huai gave his coat to warm the princess and one of his servants, as if planned and ready, put another poncho hoodie for his master Yuwen Huai. Chun’er and Yuwen Huai ‘s traveled back to the road going to the Yuwen current residence near the Red Hills courtyard.
♥♥♥
Chapter 008
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Learning the ropes
Yuan Song got the news that her sister was taken by a group of blackguards on the woods, but the witness told him they did not harm her and the princess voluntarily rode with them on her white horse.
“Did you see their faces?” Yuan Song tone is somewhat low and loud.
“I saw their leader’s side view face from a distance, he has a long scar on his left neck.” said the witness.
Yuan Song thought: who would have such boldness and courage to show interest with her sister? Suddenly he already has an inkling who the witness was describing, and he is sure on it.
“Let’s ride to the northwest we have to pass by Juwei Street!” Yuan Song started to whip his horse back to the road.
His personal bodyguard followed him, and the advance party went ahead of them to secure the prince and find the whereabouts of the princess.
Prince Yuan Song is unlike before who is very dependent on Yuwen Yue’s intelligence reports or strategies. He still feels some sort of softness and childishness every time he thinks of his favorite comrade and big brother Yuwen Yue and feels sad for he was not able to help him with the little power he holds at the moment. He also remembers his Xinger whom he fancies and dreams a lot in his future though Xinger is a slave status he cannot just propose to her and make her, his future crown princess that would rule Wei together with his destiny as the crowned prince and future king of Wei.
A prince can only choose to marry someone from their own equal status, and the slaves can just become one of the concubines of the palace not an equal to the prince status and so, for this reason, Yuan Song would rather endure his heart’s pain over his feelings to Xinger. He cannot bear to see Chu Qiao become only a concubine in his time, that would just stay up on to be his bedchamber at night and be dismissed early in the morning. Yuan Song can only hope for a miracle for his father to allow him to propose to Xinger and make her, his crown princess, unfortunately, Xinger was presumed to be dead, but nobody was found together with Yuwen Yue in the frozen lake.
Yuan Song arrived at Huang Chen City, passed by Juwei Street and its customary for servants to pay respects at the Carpe Myrtle Square and so Yuan Song’s bodyguard paid his respects while the prince continued to hit the road going to the Red Hills courtyard.
“Greetings to the 13th Prince of Wei Yuan Song. May we know how can we help the prince at this time of the night?”
The Green Hills courtyard quickly informed about the surprise guest of the Yuwen household. Yuwen Gao was a little bit nervous what could have been Prince Yuan Song business in visiting their premises at night-time, poses a lot of speculations on him.
“I need to see the master Yuwen Gao.”
Yuwen Gao was quickly transferred to the Red hills courtyard with his wheelchair and his servants.
While Yuan Song is waiting, Yuwen Gao called him and greeted him at his back.
“Our pleasure to serve you 13th Prince of Wei.”
Yuan Song turned his back and saw Yuwen Gao. Yuwen Gao on his usual casual look was a bit older than the last time he has seen him before.
“I come in secret, no one must know I came in today or else, heads will roll.”
Yuwen Gao gave a hand signal, and his servants went away.
“Yuwen Gao, do you know why I am here?”
“I can only guess at the moment my prince, but the information just came in, our spies saw Princess Chun’er heading towards the Yuwen Huai’s secluded residence in the Red Hills mountains where it is not under my jurisdiction so I can only speak of what we gathered.”
“You will take me there.”
Yuwen Gao looked at Yuan Song for it is forbidden and the policy is strict to be observed that while Yuwen Huai is in floating status, he will not be bothered to be visited by anyone from the palace except if an imperial decree was ordered by the emperor to summon Yuwen Huai.
“If this is the 13th prince only wish, I will be dead by tomorrow morning said the old man.”
Yuan Song whispered to him and said: “Then cooperate with me, assign someone who will do the surveillance for me and report to me the condition of my sister every day without the knowledge of the palace and I will surely restore you back to your former days and will reward you.”
Yuwen Gao thought for a moment, but it seems he already got what the prince means and who is his interest to protect. Yuwen Gao agreed and asked him for a secret piece of authority in exchange for their secret service for the princess reporting to back to the prince.
“You will report to me on a daily basis,” and Yuan Song left a piece of his jade royal sign to Yuwen Gao.
Yuwen Gao accepted it and assigned one servant to provide surveillance and report to the 13th Prince of Wei. Yuwen Gao somehow sees the 13th Prince Yuan Song in a different light, and he said: “the little prince is going to be a big king for Wei’s future.”
***
Chun’er and Yuwen Huai arrived at his residence deep of the night. Chun’er was very tired and have fallen asleep when she went down from her horse. Not used to this kind of lifestyle where she has no servants she sat on the wooden stairs. When Yuwen Huai was done putting the horse in the paddock, he found Chun’er sweetly sleeping on the wooden floor. Yuwen Huai smirked and smiled, his usual and not so usual behavior at the same time, he went closer to the princess and saw her angelic face. Yuwen Huai does not know what to do, but as if his actions were spontaneous, he held Chun’er on his arms like a baby and lifted her to carry her into her room.
The attendants were already sleeping by this time, and Yuwen Huai has never been this close to his Princess Chun’er before. Yuwen Huai occasionally held parties in the Red Hills courtyard to catch a glimpse of his princess, but there were only a few moments he remembers Chun’er attended them. Most of the time, Chun’er declines his invitations, and he is left to enjoy the party with his brother Yuan Song, Yan Xun, Wei Shu Ye, Wei Shu You, and the always latecomer in his nearby neighborhood cousin Yuwen Yue.
Yuwen Huai has never been this close to the woman he loves, and he is not afraid to find himself this way. What he is afraid of, is his status and the princess and if the emperor would allow him to propose to the princess and if the princess would again and again reject then they will never be together. His heart melts like soft cotton candy at the moment, he also felt sad because her princess was not the usual childish face he first loved. She became matured and bolder he thought, and she was able to defend herself, ready to kill anyone when he pointed the arrow to his forehead earlier. Yuwen Huai cannot help himself but to just cherish the moment. After quite some time, he took the quilt blanket and covered her body. The Princess still slept like a baby while the handsome dork is overjoyed and he just didn’t sleep until dawn came and just stayed by her side. Is this sweetness overload?
The next day Yuwen Huai went to sleep all day in his room. Chun’er woke up early and walked around. The maidservants were looking at her, and to their excitement, they greeted her and smiled at her.
“Where is your master?”
One of the maidservants answered: “Princess, I saw the master just came into his room and haven’t seen him go out until now.”
Chun’er was thinking about what happened last night after they arrived and all she can remember was that she sat on the stairs.
“I see, thank you for telling me.”
Another servant came to her and said: “before the master went to his room he told us to prepare you a hearty breakfast and to accompany you to your little brother.”
Chun’er was happy to know that Yuwen Huai is fulfilling her conditions on the first day of her stay at his residence.
“Oh good thing, let me eat breakfast with my little brother Hao’er.”
The servants prepared the breakfast, and then they took his little brother who happens to be the nephew of Yuwen Huai. Yuwen Huai hid the fact that this little prince is alive as he told his half-sister that his son is dead when he locked it up in the wooden box. He sent Laner’s servant an empty wooden box with the toy inside, but nobody found. Laner’s servant testified that he saw Hao’er was put inside the wooden box by Yuwen Huai and lock it up. Yuwen Huai did this to her sister because her sister forgot all about their deal with Yuwen Huai and insults him when in fact he was the one who put his sister in the palace that paid her way to become the emperor’s latest favorite concubine. Yuwen Huai did all of this to get the attention of Princess Chun’er and hoping her sister can help him build him up to the emperor but the opposite happened, her sister became indifferent to his needs and did not help his brother develop a good relationship to Princess Chun’er or to his father, the Great Summer Emperor.
Princess Chun’er had a great time with her little nephew whom she played all day and when the boy became tired she asked the servants to take him back to his room. Chun’er has not noticed that Yuwen Huai never came out of his room since this morning and it’s about nightfall where she saw the sunset in one of the windows of his residence. Chun’er went casual and had her dinner alone and did not care about Yuwen Huai and then when she was about to check-in to her room, she was astonished at what she saw.
In her closet were beautiful dresses, not the princess cut but she is just surprised how Yuwen Huai planned and prepared all of this. At one corner of her heartache a bit because she knows Yuwen Huai fancies her even before, but everyone knows including Yuwen Huai where her hearts really belongs. And as she continues to reminisce their childhood times together, her heart was slowly biting in pain as Yan Xun comes into the picture…she loves but is already mad of him enough to warrant her action to kill Prince Yan Xun.
“I don’t like to end up my perfect day with those haunting thoughts..”
Chun’er took one night-dress but stumbled a bit on the floor. She saw Yuwen Huai’s hoodie beside her wooden couch bed, and she thought for a while. She knew then that Yuwen Huai may have not slept and guarded her last night and that’s the reason why he hasn’t come out yet the whole day. She suddenly felt something on her heart, and she does not know what it is and is afraid of it, so she dismissed her thoughts about Yuwen Huai and kept a cold face. But she took the hoodie and hid it under her bed pretending she didn’t know what sweet thing Yuwen Huai did that makes her heart wander a bit.
Their rooms were just the opposite, Yuwen Huai intentionally did not go out the whole day out of his room because he might not be able to control himself given her Princess Chun’er is breathing the same air with him. There was also noticeable changes on Yuwen Huai’s behavior lately and not in his usual ruffian nature and is somewhat slowly showing goodness as the effect of wanting to protect his princess at all costs now that he has nothing to do except to make her happy on her stay in his residence. With their rooms opposite to each other, Yuwen Huai’s trying to listen to the other side of the wall while Chun’er was trying to shake off her thoughts of Yuwen Huai’s good character traits slowly unfolding to her sight. Seems they were facing each other but would never see each other the way they are feeling right now.
Yuwen Huai tried to sleep and but he just can’t.
“I am like a crazy fool,” he whispered to himself.
Yuwen Huai cannot even eat or drink because he cannot contain his happiness but he does not want to scare the princess. So in this dark, lonely room, he locks up himself to restrain himself for some time while he is composing himself and trying to be still, be a cool guy in front of his Chun’er. When it comes to Chun’er, Yuwen Huai cunning abilities is disarmed, and nobody understood until now. Yuwen Huai is an excellent events coordinator, a planner, a trendsetter, and most especially his ability to work with different political parties because of his charismatic diplomatic charm.
The only thing with Yuwen Huai, he lived under the shadow of his father Yuwen Xi where he cursed his role every day and that nobody noticed except his loyal followers and servants who appeased him on one rainy day Yuwen Huai let it out. He was so angry with his role that his father enforces him and that he wants to kill Zhu Shun on his bare hands at that time.
He must serve his grandmaster who happens to be his father, so he earned his title of being the vilest, ruffian, villain master of the Yuwen household. Everyone involved with him is either going to be locked up in a dungeon or thrown over to the Jile Pavilion. This former way of life had changed a little when he was in the brink of his death that paved his way to live in his own residence away from the empire and its political parties. Also thanks to another Princess Zama of the Batuja family who help him come to life again.
Ever since then, Yuwen Huai had no reason now to execute any harm to anyone except for Prince Yan Xun whom he hated the most because of what happened to Chun’er he believes justice should be given to the Princess. When he was granted a furlough in his supreme court justice office, he retreated in this secluded place of the empire, he took care of his nephew who happens to be the half-brother of Chun’er that still reminds him of the princess every day. Yuwen Huai is not a dreamer like Chun’er’s brother Yuan Song. Yuwen Huai is more on practical plans and real actions that made him the most fearsome master and enabled the emperor to trust him to hold the justice for the supreme parties and powers of the entire western empire. This time, being a laid back man without any duty to his country his goodness once in a while resurfaces and his cunning abilities was sleeping in this sweet moments with his Chun’er. Yuwen Huai believes that Chun’er will soon find him in a different light.
♥♥♥
Chapter 009
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Future King of the West
Yuan Song woke up early in his bed and his first concern for the day is expecting a report from the Yuwen household. While waiting Yuan Song was reading some of the interesting facts about ancient dynasties, browse through some Analects of their ancestors, laugh out loud and cried reading the classic Wei empire diaries and write about the things he would want to do when he becomes the future king.
This is his typical schedule of the day, and in the afternoon he is doing his routine of royal hunting twice a week, royal sparring for him to enhance his martial arts and exercise his arms, royal bodybuilding to prepare his physical body as Wei’s future king and royal wuxia swordsmanship. The Prince also adapted other types of arts like fencing and chess. In the absence of Yuwen Yue, Yuan Song went to study on how to handle the eyes of God and started to exercise his authority over it in a secret way using his important subject Princess Chun’er. He is learning at the same time using his father’s resources in secret as he can only learn to utilize them in this way. At night he also writes his diary containing what transpired as the day ends and his thoughts about Xinger, his dreams and plans for their future if ever she is alive as of today no dead body found yet on his Xinger.
“Yuan Song in his cold face called his servant: Any reports arrived from the vision lab yet?”
The Prince even created new code names known only for himself and his trusted servants for his father’s subjects and critical resources, the empire’s military camps and also some crucial personalities that he will be working in the future. The eyes of God codename on him was now the vision lab so he can work in his terms without so many things to explain to his father and protect his own interests.
In his little ways, he is slowly transitioning himself to become a very wise and intelligent ruler in the future that does not repeat the mistakes of his father. That is Yuan Songs chant every day. He will be more capable and hands-on to every decision he will make when his time comes but when it comes to Yanbei he is likely to become more cruel and brutal to them because of what happened to his sister, his decapitated arm and what Prince Yan Xun did to his Xinger and his big brother Yuwen Yue.
“Anything yet?” Yuan Song coldly said but this time with his stern face looking impatient.
Suddenly, an unexpected visitor came without notice.
“How is my little brother doing?”
Yuan Song with all of his stuff in his table was surprised and quickly removed them in front of his brother Yuan Che.
“Nothing, just doing the same stuff every day.” As bland and nothing to worry statement on his childish grin to his brother who traveled back to the palace out of the Xiaoqi camp.
“Looks like I disturb a busy prince or something?”
The 7th Prince Yuan Che rushed to the palace to inform the emperor to report breaking news from Yanbei and about Prince Yan Xun.
Yuan Song wanted to divert the attention to his brother: “And if I am busy here, what brings my gorgeous brother to the palace without prior notice?”
Again Yuan Song brings his signature smile and his two front teeth on his brother’s sight, and his brother’s heart melts.
“I came here to deliver important news.”
Yuan Song still on his childish grin, he asks: “What is more important than military strength for our empire my gorgeous brother?”
“I came to report to the Emperor about Prince Yan Xun and Princess of Liang state.”
Suddenly, Yuan Song’s bright face turned into a mad look.
He asks: “what is new about Yanbei of North and Liang State of South?”
“It is important that we discuss this over to the Emperor we shall meet you at the Glass hall.” Yuan Che is calling for an emergency royal conference.
“Sure, I will come over.”
Yuan Che left his room but noticed his brother’s drastic change when he heard about Prince Yan Xun. He also saw the sudden shift of his facial expression became serious and looks like would want to kill even just hearing about the name Yan Xun.
Yuan Song left on his room he tightly twitched his left hand and formed a clenched fist as if about to punch a wall, but he slammed his fists to his royal table. Yuan Song stood up and went to his secret room where you could see maps, hidden fortresses, the Wei valve, Shen Jin Gong rules, strategic locations like military camps, armories, the storage of supplies, the blueprints plans for the renovation of the eyes of God, Jile Pavilion, and other vital resources and battle points. He could only rely on himself in the absence of Yuwen Yue and his brother Yuan Che busy with Xiaoqi camp.
Yuan Song went furious, wants to break the head of Yanbei. Regarding the Liang state Prince, he may not be able to avoid to include him although they were useful allies at first, the crown prince of Liang was currently in treaty with Yanbei to help their economic growth and help rebuild the ruins that were suppressed by the Wei empire. The Liang state is always known as a strategic ally that loves to create itself like a body of support, if the terms are in their favor they would become an ally but it easily withdraws itself once they felt they were becoming the main character and then goes to the other side. Whoever gets a hand of their support will grow stronger economically but not military wise. Liang state never involves its military lineups to reinforce their allies. This is the reason why they withdraw their treaties if an ally would now specifically ask for their task forces and involve them in battlefields, you can only expect trades and other economic affairs from them other than that, they do not participate in choosing sides and exhausting their military personnel.
All heads bow as the Emperor walks toward the Glass Hall. The maidservant was lined up neatly dressed in their casual palace kitchen customers about to serve the palace once the emperor sits down on his throne-like seat in front of his royal sons 7th Wei prince Yuan Che and its 13th crown prince Yuan Song. Three of them were positioned like a triad forming a triangle, Yuan Song on the right and Yuan Che on the left.
Like business, as usual, Emperor started the royal conference: “Yuan Che, we can only utilize this time of the day, what news that brought your feet here.”
“I come to inform the Emperor that Liang and Yanbei will be fortifying their terms through a proposal of marriage between Prince Yan Xun and princess Xiao Yu.” said by Yuan Che in a low and formal tone.
Yuan Song locked his brows while the Great Summer Emperor raised his brow. The maidservants saw the Emperor’s facial expression, so they went to serve him his calming tea drink. They also served tea drinks to both royal sons who are waiting for a statement from the Emperor.
“I cannot be more than any happier than to wish them a happy life together after all Yan Xun is a low hanging fruit and about time to get married and stop his insane fantasies with his dead wild kitten.”
The emperor took a sip of his tea slowly and then stared blankly looking at the empty tea-cup made of pure white jade with its silver accents. The emperor downplayed the news and sounded like he joked when he responded to compose himself waiting for the next statement reaction from his two sons.
Yuan Song suddenly said: “this cannot happen if we allow it, these two, will crush Wei.”
Yuan Che looked at Yuan Song: “I can only presume that Yan Xun would want to be declared as king of Yanbei and putting the Liang state princess as his Queen would vastly influence Liang. Although he is the half-sister princess of Prince Xiao Ce, we all know Princess Xiao Yu is the head of Liang elite spies which can strategically provide intelligence to Prince Yan Xun.”
Yuan Song replied: I have a plan. Yuan Che, why don’t you interfere and scratch their proposals, after all, you have been the most sought eligible bachelor why don’t you send your interest with the Princess Xiao Yu and become the rival of Yan Xun? Woe her and make her believe about romance and love still exists and the rest we can take care of it.
The emperor suddenly clapped his hands and was somewhat laughing out loud instead of getting formal on his two sons looking like more of a father than their ruler from “easier said than done” plan of Yuan Song.
Yuan Che cannot help himself but laugh too and back to Yuan Song he said: Instead of nominating me why not choose yourself? Are you still writing your diaries about your ghost love?
Yuan Che chuckled until Yuan Song got irritated with him.
The emperor was somewhat surprised that Yuan Song got caught in the air by his brother teasing him about his ghost love and he thought:” Who could be that lucky girl in the diary and why would she be a ghost love. Did she died or what? The father was left clueless.
“Who told you she is a ghost? She is alive!” And back to being childish, Yuan Song sneered.
Yuan Che replied: “If she is alive then she should marry you!”
Again the seventh Prince laughs out loud if he sneaked into his diary and read all about what is written there.”
The emperor was just looking at his two sons, and suddenly he remembers his princess Chun’er, and it aches his heart a bit as he was missing his black sheep daughter.
“I would be happy to meet her and please do not love a ghost, she cannot bear a child for our Wei empire,” and the emperor burst into laughter.
Yuan Song replied: “She is not a ghost father!” Out of his irritation and childish anger he pouted in front of his father.
The three had fun, and the royal conference was turned to a father and sons conversations, a thing that happens only once in a blue moon.
The next morning, Yuan Che left the palace with his horse back to Xiaoqi camp, and he went a short note to Yuan Song saying,
Little brother, 13th Prince of Wei:
For me to approve your request here are the three conditions, I would like you to meet before we do everything else.
揭示你的幽灵之爱. 把她介绍给我. 在我面前向她求婚.
(translated) Reveal the name of your ghost love. Do not forget to introduce her to me so I would believe she is not a ghost (lol). You will propose to her in front of me.
Yuan Che was like a teenager when he wrote this and chuckled all morning by himself. His guards are looking at each other’s eyes and as if they were saying: What happened to your boss? Did an enemy died or something?
Yuan Song received the second report from Yuwen household through the paper snow. He is having difficulty because he received a blank paper and nothing written on it. He became furious and would want to do an ambush visit to the grandmaster of the eyes of God. But then again, Yuan Songs wants to figure out this challenge first how to read blank paper snow, a thing that he has no experience yet until now. He knows his father might know how and was receiving these types of reports from the Yuwen household.
Yuan Song sneaked into the emperor’s office then found the emperor’s seal with various stamps made of pure jade stones in different colors. The heaviest one was the stamp for what? Yuan Song saw a pitch black ink with a small blade and a mini bonsai tree garden beside it that contains a miniature spring of water. This creates a steamy foam of boiling water. He also sees little powder dust in a tiny container. Yuan Song has never been this far in finding the palace secrets and things that his father did not tell him.
He was about to touch the bonsai tree when suddenly his father’s footsteps were heard and he hid in the golden palace post, his father came and sat in his office and in his hands he saw a piece of document. The emperor took the small blade and dipped it in the steamy foam water of the miniature bonsai garden. After it, he prepared a very tiny bowl took some of the pitch black ink and used the blade to cut a small wound around its wrist. Then, when the wound shows the dark red color of blood, the emperor turned down his wrist to the tiny bowl and let it freely drip to the pitch black ink. Three droplets of blood are enough, and the emperor washed its wound in the steamy foam of water in the miniature garden, wiped his wrist with a clean cloth, opened a small Celadon canister and scooped a little from his index finger to anoint the wound area. Then the emperor stirred the pitch black ink a few strokes, took the most massive and heaviest jade seal dipped it to the pitch black ink. He used the ink to stamp it into the document.
Yuan Song got his eyes bigger, and he said to himself, the process is so delicate, but his father executed it in a finesse manner. He is left in awe and wonder of what might have been those seals mean and why would his father cut his own wrist and drop its blood to the ink then use it to seal a document.
Imperial messenger, deliver this imperial decree, let it be done according to the blood of my ancestors and for the sake of the future generations. The imperial messenger on his bowed head he accepted the decree and was astonished by the black seal. The black seal was rarely used, and he may not have been seen it since he was born so the last time who used it may have been to the previous emperors not until today.
Yuan Song thinks what could have been in the black seal means. Is this his father’s secret imperial decree after what he heard about the fortifying of Yanbei and Liang? Yuan Song was left to uncover the dark side of the Wei’s empire. There were no leads except for him to discover in secret. One thing is for sure, the crown prince knows it is something that would be related to Shen Jin Gong or the ashes of Cheng Guang temple.
The emperor left the imperial office, and as if nothing happened he put back everything into their proper places. Yuan Song sneaked out of the imperial office and went outside looking casual, but in his mind, he must find out what is that black seal means.
♥♥♥
Chapter 010
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Sleeping Dragon of the North
Yan Xun on his usual routine offering incense and burn paper snow to appease the dead he laid it down to the snowy lake where the ice and snow melted, it became a beautiful lake as the grassy land resurfaced. The lake was located at Yanbei winter snow mountains, and he has to journey a thousand miles every month and now celebrate the death anniversary of A’Chu and Yuwen Yue. Its almost summer as the spring was over.
Yan Xun looking more handsome, radiant and full of life, riding on his white horse alone to feel the summer breeze, he remembers the times when he was with A’Chu. Those times, when he used the day of his wedding to escape Chang’an, when he has learned to avenge his families death by using the Xuili Army who once betrayed Yanbei and hand them over to Wei that opened the door of slaughter. When he was reunited with his father’s very loyal generals such as Cheng Yuan who currently hold the remnant of Yanbei’s armies, General’s son A’Jing who survived the wars inside Yanbei and became an excellent chef that supplied Yan Xun with food. It made him stronger after being poisoned from Princess Chuner’s food basket since then he avoided any food coming from Wei royal kitchen. Zhong Yu told A’Chu to bring Chansu (a drug extracted from a hundred skins of frog) another poison who will suppress the poison inside Yan Xun’s body and make him better, Zhong Yu gave Yan Xun an acupuncture needle pressure on his wrist pulse to stop the poison spreading towards his heart. A’Chu came back on time, but she was severely beaten by the Oriole guards. She did not mind being hit as long as she can save Yanbei’s almost half dead prince, who has to survive hundreds of assassination attempts from Zhao and Wei household and other interested parties who would like him dead at Royal Oriole Courtyard. The emperor strategically placed him in Chang’an city and bought all the business surrounding it then made it look like a typical city. But in its most real sense, he sown lots of thistles and thorns around the courtyard with the hopes, that within 3 years facade of prison, Prince Yan Xun would die not in his own hands but by some coincidental mishap.
Zhong Yu and A’chu were the only trusted servants who protected him at that time. Zhong Yu’s talents were all around, it can detect food poisons, has a rich knowledge of medicine and healing, knows lots of types of weapons, she also has the gift of attracting animals for her own disposal, she has lots of connections and unknown followers that makes her hard to beat as an enemy. Not to mention she also possesses a powerful sky feather martial arts that can summon weather and can predict the stars. While A’chu, his left hand close to his heart, good at espionage, escape innovation, infiltration and sabotage became his lethal military strategist.
Prince Yan Xun on his way to the Xui Xui mountains and his long ride to Longji mountains to visit Wu Dao Ya for the first time after four years of overwhelming wars, tragedies and death of his entire family, his parents Yan Shicheng and Yan Bai Cheng his mother who committed suicide to save his crown prince Yan Xun. Ever since he arrived at Yanbei, Yan Xun wants to talk with is Wu Dao Ya. He often summons him, but then he usually gets an empty response. Wu Dao Ya was the soul of Yanbei without his father’s first counselor, Prince Yan Xun’s power in Yanbei is unlikely to flourish even if all Yanbei’s military troops came back in strength, the differences of their interests will be hard to unite without Wu Dao Ya.
Yan Xun stopped by at the old gate, a vacation spot they usually travel with his brothers and father when he was still young. The Yan family used to go camp here whenever the emperor allows the little crown prince to come and stay with his royal biological family and have fun together. It is the place where he learned the survival strategies, riding the prime warhorses, nights of bonfires, several stories from their ancestors and many other things his father Yan Shicheng taught him. Yan Xun remembers those days with comfort in his heart as he touches the old stuff inside the house as if the voices and sounds were real, a flashback from his happy and good memories of his childhood. He also remembers he and his father used to cross several bodies of water and travel some hills and black forests to reach Liang state where her mother often visits especially when it is a cold season, as Yanbei is covered with frosted during winter seasons.
After a short pitstop at Xui Xui mountain, he rode with his horse towards the Longji Mountains where Wu Dao Ya resides. He traveled one more day to reach his residence and met with the native Yanbei people. Prince Yan Xun was immediately identified by the indigenous people of Yanbei a small village of farmers and local fighters with extreme powers yet humble and always dressed with canvass mixed with sackcloth made materials. They always wear native hats made of dried grass leaves and long beards for their old man. Their young and woman have baskets at their backs where they pick wildflowers and sell it along the silk road.
“Yan Shi Zi” Wu Dao Ya greeted him from a distance and Yan Xun waved his hands, he parked his horse in the nearby paddock. He walked closer to Wu Dao Ya feeling homey, looking tall and handsome. Wu Dao Ya bowed to the prince his arms in front, and Yan Xun nodded and mimic the same thing as well. Wu Dao Ya showed a hand gesture to point where the prince would sit. Wu Dao Ya always knows even if Yan Xun ambushed him face to face, Wu Dao Ya is still ready at all times.
“What can I do to our Prince?” a sad smile he gave to Yan Xun.
“Mr. Wu, it has been a year since I ask for you to come and you did not come.” Yan Xun on his casual face looking at the table then drank the small wine prepared by Wu Dao Ya.
“It’s been a year, and you still burn paper snows offering incense to the dead.”
“For the peace of my family, the Xuili general and her armies and the latter Yuwen Yue.” Yan Xun his sad eyes and slow voice.
If she is alive, what would you do? Wu Dao Ya began to fine tune his flute.
“I have searched for her, and still nobody found. I still believe she is still alive but might have not come back to me because of my greedy heart, I was too consumed with my anger and gave in to my dark side.”
“If she came back to you as a different person would you recognized her?”
“I guess, I will always recognize A’Chu, we have been very close for the past three years until she died at the lake..” Yan Xun staring far and his eyes on the Longji mountains
And Yan Xun continued: “I always have thought we have mutual feelings, I have always thought we have shared a different kind of friendship more than I can ever say I felt her loyalty and dedication to me but I messed it all up.”
Yan Xun feeling regretful, that if he can only turn back the time and would know that she will die early, he would have done things a little bit different.
Wu DaoYastarted to play his flute, he played a sad song, and Yan Xun looked at it and closed his eyes and just listened to the musical harmony of the flute and nature.
After few minutes, Wu Dao Ya gradually finished an unknown piece and opened his eyes, and Yan Xun turned to him and opened his eyes. Wu Dao Ya told Yan Xun, if you see her, you may not come near her like the way it used to be.
Yan Xun’s eyes became curious as for if Wu Dao Ya knows about A’Chu and he said: “Do you know anything about A’Chu?”
Wu Dao Ya inhaled and slowly exhaled and said to Yan Xun: Before Yan was Chu Jing.
You mean Chu Jing of the Eastern territories? Yan Xun raised his brows.
I was the former General of Chu Jing before I came down to serve Yanbei as your counselor, Wu Dao Ya confessed only the tip of the iceberg.
Yan Xun cannot believe he is talking to a legend of the Eastern empire, the lost Chu Kingdom after its cruel execution from the Western Empire. The legend kingdom was declared as if they were extinct and lost all its power through the brutal Shen Jin Emperor, the Big Summer dynasty whom his father Yan Shicheng served and been loyal for the last four generations.
Tell me Mr. Wu, is my Yan family, and A’Chu has something to do with this lost empires? Yan Xun digging in some more stories and his voice is as deep as the lakes at Longji mountains from its unseen bottom, a hazy, foggy, cold view of his eyes on Wu Dao Ya.
Wu Dao Ya replied: Yan Xun, we can never go back in time, but if A’Chu is alive then you would know.
Yan Xun can never understand what Mr. Wu is confessing him, he then told him.: “If I am not entitled to know what happened in the past, and I cannot go back to change it, whatever is it, if I come to see her again, I would not let her go like what happened to the icy lake and would want to change the course of the present time.”
“I am sure you did, if only,” Wu Dao Ya’s short reply.
“Mr. Wu, can you help me then know more about the lost Kingdom of Chu?” Yan Xun drank his wine and looked at him.
Wu Dao Ya replied: “You will soon come to know everything, patience is a virtue.”
Yan Xun nodded and just like his father, he listened to Wu Dao Ya’s advise to wait for the right time.
“Well, I have to ride back to the plains of Yanbei the day after tomorrow, the world (Yan Shi Zi’s military codename) will change the world, and I hope when I come back, it will be the right time to tell me more.” Yan Xun turning back on his horse bid his goodbye to Wu Dao Ya.
Wu Dap Ya waved his hands and bowed his head to the ever handsome prince of Yanbei.
A little girl about eight years old came out of Wu Dao Ya’s small cottage house and asked: “Mr. Wu, who was that handsome man?”
“You will meet him very soon, but for now, lets practice again your wushu.”
Yan Xun rode down from the mountains, and he is riding alone, he passed by springs of water, black forests and several misty plains. He was like a King without an army traveling with a heart of hope and lots of thoughts about the lost Chu Kingdom. He was right about his hunch when they were captured and detained at the royal garrison in Wei he came to ask how is she related to the exterminated noble families of the east where Chu Qiao finally reveals her name, and he gave her a nickname of A’Chu.
After two days of travel, Yan Xun arrived at the city of Yanbei at nightfall, his servants greeted him, and he acknowledges then he went straight to his royal tent quarters. A’Jing although one of the Yanbei’s general now, he still cooks unique dishes for the prince and brought him food and drink to eat, the Prince was just too tired to do anything, so he rested.
The next day, after a year of restrained grief, Yan Xun woke up with a bright face for the first time in four years. Back to his casual princely duties, he went straight to his repository tent, a library like structure inside, where most of the salvaged documents and records left from the ashes of Yanbei were kept. A’Jing arrived at the shelter and greeted his master.
A’Jing was a little bit surprised when he saw the scrolls were rolled down and scattered on the carpet. “The world, let me help you. Are you looking for something in particular?” A’Jing dressed in his casual Yanbei uniform looking mature in years and in his low voice.
I am looking for the secret accounts we retrieved years back from Xian Yang business group that Mr. Wu formed after my father was executed. I need the summary of the events and its details so I can review and streamline a strong financial capacity of Yanbei.
A’Jing recited the summary to Yan Xun as he knows this well as his life was also put into danger just to save these accounts but was later accomplished by Chu Qiao. While Yan Xun is busy picking up his messy table and on the carpet. A’Jing was the only sole survivor who could tell him accurate information from start to its sad ending of Bei Shou citizens. The most northern part of Yanbei was put to an open attack by the Shen Jin Emperor of Wei with no mercy and its citizens mostly when the world came back to Yanbei he had not seen them anymore. Some of the citizens left died in famine and plague where Lui Xi happened to pass by their humble village and learned his parents already died. Lui Xi also learned about the cruelty of the emperor to the city and saw the famine in the land, and he predicts the everyone will die if no one will aid this city given the absence of Yanbei’s leaders and its government official like him set themselves to become a refugee and migrated to Liang state. Some fled even to their enemies land close to the border of Changan. A’Jing feelings taking him back to the dark times of Yanbei he stopped somewhere in the middle where Yan Xun picked it up also to continue the story.
Lui Xi went back to Liang state, and he sold some of its fine properties and send provision to Bei Shuo city to supply its food and medicine, enough to support every one of the dying citizens in Yanbei. It was distributed to the poor. And some of the provisions even reached the world (Yan Shi Zi) at the time the world was in Oriole Courtyard surviving hundred attempts?
Mr. Wu was informed of his voluntary good heart gaining nothing in return, while you were held by the Emperor in the Oriole courtyard, Mr. Wu took care of Yanbei in order to save what was left, he met with him in secret and then organized the Xian Yang business group and later established Lui Xi as the leader. He carefully planned and ordered them to go back and prosper in Liang state using Mr. Wu’s strategies and the group flourished in the land. It became number one regarding its business trades and commerce. Xian Yang is a city sitting at the trade and commerce between Western Wei and Southern Liang it is an excellent strategic location for buying stocks and reselling goods and services to both states eliminating any suspicion that its owners came from Yanbei, A’Jing finished the story by adding more about Feng Mian. Yan Xun sunny face earlier turned gloomy he just kept quiet while listening to A’Jing.
Feng Mian was Yan Xun most trusted loyal servant, where he and Yan Xun grew up together. Feng Mian was younger than Yan Xun, and he considers him more of his small brother rather than his servant. Feng Mian secretly collaborated with Lui Xi to support Yan Xun while the prince was detained in Oriole courtyard.
It was later discovered by Wei Shu Ye however it was not exposed due to his participation in the businesses of Xian Yang City where the Wei family fortune is at stake, their companies and its chamber of commerce is involved. Being the number one in the trade industry and the wealthiest man in the city, even the Wei Guang family cannot win given his brilliant strategies arranged by Mr. Wu. Lord Feng can come and go out of the town without fear for his life but what Lord Feng fears the most is who is inside Yanbei, the Yan Prince who bought his freedom by spilling blood in Changan city. Back to Feng Mian, he died at the fortified walls of Hongchuan saving Chu Qiao together with Xuili army when she was about to enter the gate but Cheng Yuan, one of Yanbei’s generals intended for an ambush.
Feng Mian shouted at the top of its wall to warn Chu Qiao and then fell. Chu Qiao cried but cannot come near Feng Mian because the archers are ready to aim at her. The teenager was killed by a spear by one of Cheng Yuan’s lieutenant. At that time, Yan Xun cannot reinforce Chu Qiao because they were tricked by Wei Shu Ye leaving Yanbei for an open attack and Hong Chuan at the same time. Zhong Yu advised Yan Xun to come back at Yanbei, but Yan Xun refused and willing to sacrifice Hong Chuan City as Wei’s distraction in exchange of conquering Changan. Whatever side Yan Xun decides to follow, he will lose either one of his precious comrades and loyal servants, another price he has to pay in advancing his troops and expanding the borders of Yanbei in establishing his power as a ruler. Feng Mian his guard left his side and was a valuable player when Yan Xun held in three years captivity because they secretly worked in progress to supply whatever material things the prince needed when his family was annihilated, Feng Mian’s revenge was he expanded their wealth. Until Yan Xun came back to Yanbei, Feng Mian did not respond to their invitation to come over and show his face to Yan Xun to protect the prince and their businesses at that time. Yan Xun had to go over and see him, and so Feng Mian bowed to him and reported him the chronology of events. Feng Mian even said to A’Jing who called him Mr. Feng Si and commented about his fashion: “I fear that you will accuse me of being extravagant, but I put on such thing with a purpose, if I have known that the Prince would be coming along, I would have borrowed the garments of a servant.”
A throwback from the past, after few surprise visits to some of Yanbei notable families, Yan Xun woke up his father’s sleeping allies, anyone who joined him he gives them position but anyone who does not, meets their end through the hands of his General Cheng Yuan.
Upon the unveiling of its new signage The Palace of Master Yan, Yan Xun gave him a gift a cold dagger called the Dragon Bird once owned by Bai Qi, a cruel general from the warring period of Yanbei. Cheng Yuan fed it with blood as advised by Yan Xun whoever owns it and uses it will release the hidden demon on it.
The battle at Hong Chuan City where the deputy general He Xiao fought for his own city where his family resides and suffered loses, the rest of his cavalry died. Some were injured and retired, others went on furlough and Chu Qiao their general was severely injured was one of the major loses Yanbei has to suffer next to Bei Shou City. The aftermath of the battle took many lives of the poor, trusted servants and the Western royals and nobles. Stealing the seal from the Wei emperor to use its armies was known to be capital punishment. Where Princess Yuan Chun was sentenced to death by drinking the poisoned wine, and the Wei Shu Ye who conspired with her was also discharged from his position as Wei Valve master. It also cost the death of Wei’s emperor’s beloved imperial concubine Ninger who inflicted her death in front of the emperor, the mother of Yuan Song and Chuner to stop the princess death and execution. After its demise, it also forced the Wei Emperor to send an imperial decree declaring his beloved crown prince son Yuan Song to take over the Duke title of Yanbei and station himself to fight Yan Xun while Yuan Chuner to be locked up in the secluded West temple. The battle also made a startling gap between Chu Qiao and Yan Xun where Chu Qiao started to become a little bit independent from Yan Xun’s commands and began to protect the Xuili army from becoming the collateral damage of Yan Xun to pay for their betrayal in opening the slaughter of Yanbei people. The battle evened the score and settled it with their blood, hence, Xuili army no longer owes Yan Xun and free to choose who will be their next leader and general. They all voted for Chu Qiao.
The Xuili Army sworn an oath to follow, obey and protect General Chu Qiao before and after the battle in Hong Chuan city. But for now, seems after the icy lake tragedy where they fought with other Yanbei soldiers, they lost their general again. On her last battle, she was rescued and saved by both Yuwen Yue and Yan Xun. Yuwen Yue on his black mask used the crossbow to counter Chuner’s sword about to chop Chu Qiao’s head and pushed her. After it Yuwen Yue’s tearless eyes, feeling as if his heart was stabbed by a hundred knives, he looked at Xinger. He embraced her and carried her out from the middle of the battlefield. He put her outside the battlefield, where Yan Xun came in almost late to reinforce Hong Chuan. Yan Xun saw his General and cried at the middle, he carried her back to Yanbei’s headquarters and took care of her. Yuwen Yue saw how Yan Xun moved her in his arms and he was just there unable to say or do a thing or else he would blow up his undercover as he came in on his double interests, his personal and his military interest. Yan Xun at that time came from seven days travel and siege in Changan and was just on time to scare Wei Shu Ye and Princess Chun’er, and they retreated.
Everyone was downcast as if the last hope of getting things right was again taken away from Xuili. It is much painful this time than the first time they allowed the Wei soldiers to open the gates of Hong Chuan because from the ice lake they fought with their own uniform of Yanbei soldiers than those of Wei soldiers who tricked Xuili army. Ever since then, the renowned firefox watchdog of Yanbei became a disgrace and betrayer of Yanbei people and still carries its history of reputation until now even if they have already paid it all in full measure. Since there is nobody found, He Xiao continuously searches for the lost general Chu and have never replaced her since then.
Wonderfully written
ReplyDeleteWhere can I read next chapters???
Please, anyone notify me
Very nice,, wonderfully written ❣️
ReplyDeleteWhere can I read the next chapter,, please 🙏
Go to the top and go back and search 'princess agents chapter 011' . You can copy and paste. Scroll down.
Delete