Ximeng Continent Chapter 021-030

Ximeng Continent

Chapter 021

♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥

Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography

It’s time to Act 

Given Qiao Qiao is still missing he spent all his efforts looking for her in secret ways. Xiao Ce dug out all the whereabouts and information of Jianghu spies or the underworld spies and their relationship with the afterlife campers. He also sends some spies to monitor Zhan Ziyu’s activities and report to him once in a while. He holds all this information and also still waiting for his Qiao Qiao missing pieces after the icy lake tragedy. Xiao Ce also holds Yue Qi, Yuwen Yue’s bodyguard who is currently residing at his secret mansion in Kong Sang mountain.

Xiao Ce brought all healers and royal doctors to revive him. Yue Qi died for a few minutes where the bodyguard of Xiao Ce took his body and brought it to the Black Papalquin. Xiao Ce sees he can be revived by a healer whom his father imprisoned before, but he set free to become his spy and, ran his business as a shopkeeper and sells all kinds of weapons and antiques. The Spiritual healer originated from Chu Jing Kingdom, But the Liang Prince in control on his business, Xiao Ce summoned him and showed the lifeless body of Yue Qi. The Spiritual healer refused at first, but Xiao Ce spoke his heroic story of how he tried to save Yuwen Yue and Chu Qiao. Unfortunately, he was killed. The spiritual healer suddenly agreed with Xiao Ce when he heard the name of Chu Qiao and Yuwen Yue, he remembered them when he met them in the cave when they were trapped.

Yue Qi was placed in a platform where the spiritual healer prepared a cup of water and a cup of tea. He performed some incantations and lay his hands on Yue Qi’s body. Yue Qi’s wounds were stopped by Xiao Ce when the royal doctor’s finished and had done everything to save his physical body, but Yue Qi was not able to hold the pain inside his body he breathes his last. So the spiritual healer recalled in his name and to come back to life and do not disintegrate with his body as he is not done yet with what he has to do. Yue Qi’s spirit suspended in time saw Chu Qiao, but in a different form, he also heard his master Yuwen Yue calling her name three times: Xinger, Xinger, Xinger. Chu Qiao touched Yue Qi, and Yue Qi was suddenly wrapped in light and banished from her sight.

At the third call, Yue Qi heard his name. The spiritual healer was right, Yue Qi’s spirit went to see his master in the forgotten river, and when Yue Qi is about to ride a boat to cross to the other side, the Spiritual healer touched his middle temple to have his eyes look at the Higanbana flowers and not to smell them. Yue Qi looked at the Higanbana where Chu Qiao was walking and suddenly remembers all his past life, and then the spiritual healer snapped Yue Qi back to his consciousness where he slowly opened his eyes.

Zao Baocung, the shopkeeper, should have been dead his enemy slit his neck because he won’t talk about the heir of Luo He, the leader of wind and cloud decree. But he survived, and no one knows this happened to him not even to the devious Liang Prince Xiao Ce. His animal hamster pets helped him at the moment of his death, but no one knows how it happened. Zao Baocung knows a lot of things including his past job as the most powerful spiritual healer in Chu Jing Kingdom but hides in the humble clothing of shopkeeper at present. Xiao Ce knows this well, and he thinks he is maybe one of the key persons to unlock the lost Chu Jing kingdom but was really hard to source information from him. Xiao Ce is patient and knows when to act and where to get it, and he is just brushing off Zao for now, but in the real sense, his steady plans are to pull him out at any moment of need as he does not want to expose him as well.

“Yue Qi, how are you?” The Liang Prince visited him, in his purple robe dress with flowers of autumn accents at its hem, his gorgeous smile, his eyes like there is no trace of sleepless nights for almost a year, his hopeless romantic heart stranded in time, here he is taking care of Yuwen Yue’s bodyguard.

Yue Qi’s face turned matured, he is disguised in a costly dress like a eunuch who serves the Prince of Liang but this is just a facade they put up a show to the public, to hide its identity until the right time comes or you can say until Yuwen Yue shows himself and recall his close-in bodyguard.

Yue Qi bowed to the Prince and said with a lively voice: “What brought the Prince Xiao Ce to visit a humble servant?” said Yue Qi.

“I came for a chat, and a short cup of tea” at his back are Liang servants who are setting up the table for a tea ceremony.

“This way Prince,” said Yue Qi.

They both sat together on a lovely gazebo tea garden and stared at each other’s eyes, Yue Qi is silent, and then after few minutes, Xiao Ce broke the silence by inhaling profoundly and talked like a friend to his servant.

“Yue Qi, did you remember the time when you first met your master, Yuwen Yue?”

Yue Qi somewhat puzzled answered the prince: “I remember vividly.” Yue Qi drank his cup of tea.

Xiao Ce on his foxy eyes was estimating when he asked Yue Qi: “Will you believe if they tell he finally walked into the afterlife?”

Yue Qi sort of controlling his eyes as all of his emotions are swelling up there, he stood up and turned his back to Xiao Ce, inhaled deeply and thought for one second.

Xiao Ce waited for a moment of silence, a cold air passed by on their distance then Yue Qi turned around, returned to face the Liang Prince.

Xiao Ce looked up to him and still waiting, Yue Qi finally uttered: “If I am alive, then my master is alive too. I don’t know, but I really believe he is out there somehow looking for us to the way we have done for almost a year now.”

“Do you believe so?” Xiao Ce making sure as this is a crucial decision for him if the fact will be established on Yue Qi’s expression and belief.

“I only not believe but have faith on him. My master is cold but his heart is strong and warm, he cannot be defeated just like that, it is too easy.” Yue Qi said it with full conviction.

Xiao Ce exhaled and said to wrap up: “Well if you say so then I will believe as well.” And he drank his cup of tea and stood up gave him a foxy smile.

Yue Qi bowed to the Prince and said: “I will be waiting for the moment when we see each other like what happened to him and Xinger, we went to this same place.”

Xiao Ce felt the burden of proof that Yuwen Yue must be alive and he said: “Indeed, in a little time and patience it will soon happen.”

Yue Qi nodded and looked into his eyes until Xiao Ce turned his back and left him.

**

Xiao Ce together with his bodyguard disguised himself and went to the Xianyang business district to stroll around and meet Zao Baocung. Xiao Ce took off his weaved rattan made hat and meet the eyes of Zao. Zao Baocung on his airy posture went humble and bowed to the Prince. The Liang Prince nodded and said: “people will see what you are doing and they will suspect me get up on your knees!”

My Prince, long time no see, is there anyone dead again and you’re here to make it alive?

Xiao Ce laughed and said: Not at this time, but I need you for a particular purpose.

“Oh, I thought you already heard the news? And you wanted to bring a dead body and revive it again?” Zao Baocung still making some funny faces with the Prince.

Ha ha ha… the prince was entertained for a moment and said: I know what you are talking about but leave him dead for them. And Xiao Ce’s face became serious and whispered to his ears: “You know Yuwen Yue very well, and you will help me find him.”

On his usual alibis, Zao Baocung said: “Oh my prince, have pity with this old man, can’t you see I am retired?”

Xiao Ce laughed again and became serious: “I mean it, you will help me find him, and I need all information you know about him including trivial things like the story of the Poe Yue Jian sword, his typhoid fever, his real family, his Xinger, everything about him.”

Zao Baocung making the Prince beg a little bit more he said: “Prince, I am afraid you found a wrong person, I am not a sage old man, can’t you see I sell and profit that’s it.”

Xiao Ce’s patience is getting thin he showed Zao Baocung’s a map.

Zao Baocung went straight with his back and said to Xiao Ce: “What can I do for you Liang’s Crown Prince, son of King Tang?”

Xiao Ce smiled and said: “Now we are buddies I like you even more.”

The map is the old map of the Chu Jing palace. Zao asked Xiao Ce: “Where did you get this?”

Xiao Ce said: “I have my means, and when I want it I get it.”

Zao replied: “Even the dead are alive, it’s not a surprise” he mockingly said to the Prince and smiled as well.”

Xiao Ce said: “We have a deal then? This time not for a dead person but the alive one.”

“At your service,” Zao Baocung said to the Prince, and he tapped his left chest.

Xiao Ce put back his hat and slipped on their way unnoticed from the crowd.

Zao Baocung left in his thoughts: “Chu Qiao I hope everything is doing well and you got all your powers back. The time I cured your Chibi was just a temporary fix, it was not completed. I cannot let them disturb you again like what Yuwen Yue did, I promised your father.”

Zao hid the map and put it in a hidden place underground the cave.

“Now this will take a lifetime before you can find it,” he said all by himself, and his pets came and saw where he put it.

Xiao Ce back to this palace met his father and told him that he will be going in the Woolong mountains to have a vacation from office, to pray and refresh himself a bit. It has been a while since his last visit and wants to ask some guidance from the temple masters, and some questions need to be answered. His father did not approve as it is too risky for him. Xiao Ce told his father he won’t blow up his disguise, but his father warned him: “My son, I have not told you, it is not safe because the Eyes of God is shut off.

“I just got a report yesterday from Xiao Yu’s spies that Wei state civil government is turned off for a while and do you know what this means?”

“Tell it to me father.” Xiao Ce is eager to know like a hungry child.

“It means chaos.” his father said in a bland, plain voice.

Xiao Ce replied back to his father: “There must be a reason for this.”

King Tang told him, “your sister Princess Xiao Yu is set to marry Yan Xun counting nine months time.”

“It’s not a surprise,” Xiao Ce said to his father.

“You know all of this?” his father surprised and looking at him like he must say yes.

Xiao Ce said: “I have been there when Yan Xun broke a rebellion on the day of his supposed to be the wedding with Wei’s Princess Chuner. And I thank him every day for doing it because I was saved by the day before the Wei Emperor can recall me. So now Yan Xun’s only choice is my wicked sister. They belong together.”

King Tang narrowed his eyes: “Which I am very much upset with the Wei Emperor, I should have a grandson by now.”

Father, when I marry, I hope it would be the one I really love. I don’t need another concubine or to add more girls to Liang’s harem.

King Tang looked at him and said: “Since when did you hated beautiful girls?”

“Since I met the punch girl” and Xiao Ce looked far away looking like a crazy fool in front of his father, imagining the face of the girl in front of the Liang King.

King Tang, waved his hands in front of Xiao Ce’s eyes and said: “You are in a dry spell you should water your gardens and who is this punch, girl? Is she a princess too?”

Xiao Ce was still left on his imagination and did not mind what his father is saying.

“Did you know father I became a punch prince when I met the punch girl and I think I left my heart at that moment in time.” Xiao Ce still reminiscing their times together.

King Tang was thrown to a frenzied moment with his son and laughed: “a punch prince met the punch, girl? That is insane” he said.

Xiao Ce heard his father’s tease, and he got irritated, so he said: “have you considered the repercussions when you said yes to Yan Xun and Xiao Yu’s marriage?” Xiao Ce is so concerned as it looks like there’s a switch of fate here.

“If the Wei Emperor won’t tie the knot with Liang, then I will tie the knot with Yanbei.” King Tang looking far and seems not happy.

Xiao Ce do not care about Xiao Yu as long as his frenemy is far he is safe but considering his sister is strategically expanding her influence, in the future, Xiao Ce might be overpowered and overthrown by his brother-in-law to be, and his half-sister Queen of Yanbei shall take over Liang. He needs to scale with them if the wedding is set to happen. Thus Xiao Ce’s sunny mood went formal. Xiao Ce felt his father was disappointed with him when he did not choose to marry the Princess of Wei to expand their influence. While Xiao Yu is looking at this point to score from his father by marrying the Prince of Yanbei. Yan Xun at this time managed to expand his power. Conquering more towns in Wei state borders including Chang’an at the expense of weakening Wei’s intelligence spy agency. With the absence of Yuwen Yue, the Eyes of God is down at the moment while Yuwen Huai was in floating status after the destruction of the secret repository in the Green Hills Courtyard.

Xiao Ce cannot go to Woolong mountains, and the Liang royal family is preparing for the marriage of his half-sister Xiao Yu and Prince of Yanbei though it is still nine months away, the family is looking for a grand banquet celebration, for their marriage is not only to celebrate the royal wedding but the union of two strong empire states Liang and Yanbei. Xiao Ce is immobilized to roam around and find Yuwen Yue to inform him what happened to the Eyes of God and how they assassinated his character that may be a suicide would just help to ease the pain of knowing his family disowned him. But Xiao Ce knows Yuwen Yue is a different character, he is the only one who can form a will and only him has the power to turn things around for him and his Qiao Qiao. He already tested his ability, and sure enough, he also learned his lesson well. He wants Yuwen Yue to become his ally and build him up again, take away the shame in his name after Yuwen household banned his name to be uttered. Yuwen Yue has nothing to go back to the Eyes of God and its perfect timing for the Liang Prince to let him join his envoy and a huge score to his Father scorecard.

Xiao Ce said:” This is going to be grand.” I hope that Zao Baocung finds Yuwen Yue before the grand banquet celebration.”

♥♥♥

Chapter 022 

♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥

Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography

Band of Brothers

The East mountains where Ximeng continent resides is home to vast mountains, perfect sunsets, cruel snowy plains, dark forests, and harsh deserts. So is the people’s culture was divided into different kins and tribes forming factions, defectors, rebels, outliers, outlandish savage fighters, and barbaric warriors as the continent also houses the sagest tribal leaders, powerful spiritual healers, mystical underground forces such as the underworld league of spies.

The beauty lies in its imperfection, the unpredictability of its people in the absence of strong regime controlling its borders and its gateways to the outside world, the freedom to do all the things that you have not done made Yuwen Yue halt any step going back to his homeland and settled in just by living simply by himself. He never has this kind of freedom, never experience the true eyes of the ordinary people, learned to live within your means having nothing, learning to truly apply and test his principles, unlocked rejections on his new world and becoming a servant in the body of a master’s heart has truly reached his golden wisdom. His aristocratic nature was exposed to a fuller, wide and bigger world may have broken some of its codes of expressions, and yet Yuwen Yue’s character remained intact. Yuwen Yue, as it delves deeper to his new world is like an iron that sharpens its blade of knowledge and enriches his experience like a book worth reading.

Its been one year since the icy lake tragedy and a lot of changes have already taken place including his lifestyle, the people he works with but when it comes to his heart, it did not. Yuwen Yue never forgot about his Xinger. He is the master of the eyes of God and knows how to source information very well. Yuwen Yue is a master of all spies and disguised himself effectively that no one ever suspected he is the missing heir to the Eyes of God. He is full of wisdom and clear tested strategies, but he learned that kind of position and power were only going to work if you have the resources available ready for his disposal, the people to deploy and the power he inherited to use it anytime and anywhere he needs.

For now, Yuwen Yue knows how should a master act in times of limited resources, to blur some lines of defense, discover more cunning abilities to get people into believing he is able without having anything to show any rewards, to punish or to bother people to accomplish his tasks. What he knows by the book was now a deep well of experience and never choose any shortcuts neither cheats to avoid the steep road to walk, but he learned from it until he knows how to run.

He thought its time to go back and pick up the pieces he left at the frozen lake and build a solid foundation from there, it is autumn, and his journey is long and full of dangerous roads. Yuwen Yue loves to write letters and so his room is full of letters, not paper snow letters,. Just an ordinary piece of paper without the master’s seal of the eyes of God, just plain Thank You note and words of farewell statement to his wealthy landlord running his own lodge with his son. He owes them because they never let Yuwen Yue feel he is below their family nor treated him a slave.

Zuo Zong the temple Shaolin master who never lets a day pass by without seeing his so-called master. However, Yuwen Yue never acknowledge it. Sometimes it makes him mad but lonely too if Zuo Zong is absent. So at times, Yuwen Yue visits Zuo at the temple to check if he is still alive. Those wealthy Lords of the East and peddlers he met and work with, the beautiful peasant girls he met but none of them were able to replace Xinger in his heart.

He intends not to see these people anymore because he showed himself to them as a nobody and so quietly leaving the place to become somebody going back to where his family who were so easy to disown him. He is not sure what is the real situation yet when he goes back to Wei where one can only expect chaos, wars, famine, plunders of Yan Xun, weakened cities, fortified walls, given his condition he is ready with his body and mind all set, completely healed and healthy. So he chose to leave at night, but he has to deliver the letters this afternoon. He packed up only the things he needs, some cold weapons such as small daggers he bought. The unique bow he made out of driftwoods and arrows he recycled out of the bird’s feather from  Yuwen Parrot. He treasures it a lot. It comes only a handful, very colorful and not even a sword on his side to protect himself. The only thing, he has his night owl to guide him on his journey going back, the Yuwen parrot is also ready to go. Like a king with no crown, Yuwen Yue walked out of the lodge and started to walk to the streets. Almost done suddenly a man in his humble outfit came to him.

“Master!”

Zuo Zong on his usual greetings saw Yuwen Yue to surprise him, but for Yuwen Yue its never a surprise.

Yuwen Yue on his usual indifferent attitude towards Zuo Zong did not mind him walking beside him.

Zuo Zong asked: “Master how’s the weather and that thing you are carrying?”

“I am not carrying anything, and Yuwen Yue hid something inside his clothes.”

“I see,”

Zuo Zong with some strange sadness he felt something is not quite right as he looked down and continued to walk with him so quiet.

Yuwen Yue felt the pressure on air as if he had to explain what is happening as Zuo Zong, not on his usual talking like his parrot he took out from his pocket and gave it to him: “Zuo Zong, I want you to have this.”

Yuwen Yue gave the only handkerchief he kept left from his pocket before the frozen lake incident. A memorabilia of his Xinger, a memory of his sentimental heart.

Zuo Zong never saw anything like it, a white thin soft and made with high-grade fabric, never worn out, looks expensive, he opened the handkerchief and embroidered in a gold thread are in Chinese characters revealed the true name of the owner. His eyes opened very wide like he saw a ghost or something and thought: “I was very right!”

Yuwen Yue looked at him he noticed that Zuo Zong did not have any sense of his distance anymore he is just staring at the handkerchief and was left behind his back.

Yuwen Yue expected this thing to happen. He gave the handkerchief to the temple master to reveal himself he has to go back to his duties as his vacation is an overstay. This is also to make Zuo understand where he is going. And it is going to happen after he is gone. Yuwen Yue planned to sneak out tonight to leave the short note to him. He is the last addressee to deliver when everyone is already in their dreams. He left him there like they always had been doing, no goodbyes just are gone.

At nightfall, Yuwen Yue is off to go to Shaolin temple to deliver that short note to his closest friend like a brother to him, but Zuo Zong cannot even feel if it really was. Yuwen Yue’s aristocratic manners still show in the outside, but in the inside, he maintains that soft spot.

About to trespass the premises of the Shaolin temple when suddenly someone planted some traps to its perimeters and Yuwen Yue on his casual neat powder blue peasant clothes started to dance with the traps revealing his superb martial arts and passed them all his head high and confident.  After few minutes of tumbling jumping and leaping the ground Yuwen Yue clapped his hands to dust himself off, and as if the job is done, he found a more playful master just waiting for him he went close to him to pick up something Yuwen Yue left on the ground and read quietly and said: Impressive! And Zuo Zong clapped his hands. Yuwen Yue locked his brows and looks very cold at him.

Zuo Zong looking angry he said: “Master, you can’t leave me here, and you cannot pass this road, its either you kill me or keep me.” Zuo Zong looks determined.

Zuo Zong on his usual fighting stance started to form his martial arts. Yuwen Yue does not have any plans to kill someone tonight, he just wants a peaceful escape but Zuo Zong pick a fight with him, and they started to fight. Yuwen Yue controlled the amateur fight, he has been practicing with Zuo Zong during their free time and seems Zuo Zong became even better. Suddenly Zuo Zong stopped the fight stepped back then did a kowtow and said: “Master, do you think I don’t deserve to become your follower?”

Yuwen Yue raised his brows, but in the inside, he feels mercy at his heart as Zuo Zong is making him remember his master-servant mindset but refuses to stick to the clothes of being aristocratic, Yuwen Yue suddenly falls on his knees to let him rise and halt the kowtow gesture. Zuo Zong is very young at his early twenties, and he is still immature, but his attitude can pass to become Yuwen Yue’s person. Yuwen Yue looked at him at his eyes and said: “I cannot guarantee any good life ahead, but you may go with me as you wish.”

It seems Zuo Zong hit that soft spot in Yuwen Yue’s heart, he is ready as his master was. And after that, Yuwen Yue this time was surprised. Each one of the savage fighters in the lodge that day he was forced to fight came out with their packed bags as well and said to him:

If Zuo Zong goes, so is the swift dagger warrior, from the tribes of the Far East and threw a twin dagger and cut the leaves from a nearby tree.

“I too,” said the rapid blade warrior, from the tribes of Wu he bowed with his sword in front of Yuwen Yue.

“Me too,” said the flashing spear warrior, from the tribes of Shi he jumped to Yuwen Yue and stick his spear to the ground and bowed his head in front of Yuwen Yue.

Another one leaped from his back, a Shaolin junior monk and said: “you will need a staff warrior, at your service young master” and he bowed.

And more came to him and offered their service, it seems that if Yuwen Yue will make an enemy with them tonight, even if you are a former master of all spies you are likely to be reaped early on their sickle, it’s not nice and wise to refuse these warriors bowing in front of him. He only sowed one seed of kindness, and its fruit became a field of warriors waiting for the time of their life of adventure with Yuwen Yue to lead them to the good path.

Yuwen Yue seems did not have many options to choose, but one and that is to just accept this fate. With the right kind of leader, he knows these warriors will experience the best time of their lives. And on the other hand, Yuwen Yue does not know what lies ahead, so it is safe to take it with him a band of brothers full of talents. With Zuo Zong who is very good at espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination and not to mention a master of kungfu martial arts he can assume to be his person and can be trusted for his governmental or personal affairs.

Yuwen Yue kneel down to meet their bowed heads and put his right arm in his left chest and loudly said: “I cannot promise you a bed of roses what is ahead are thistles and thorns, but I am loyal to few and ruled by no one.”

The warriors suddenly went overjoyed and hugged each other, and they stood up as Yuwen Yue also stood up and encircled him. All the warriors tossed their hands in the air as if they have already won a battle, and that battle was to gain Yuwen Yue to become their leader. There were fifty or more men who went with Yuwen Yue’s journey back to his homeland that night and everyone followed him even if he had nothing.

These warriors follow a leader with no arms or horses, not even food to eat. On the treacherous and uncertain roads they walked together, they became closer, and you can say like they were all treated as brothers. Yuwen Yue an advance planner and thinker, he set up some ranks inside his so-called walking cavalry. Men with no horses, men with no honor, men with nothing but courage, talents to defend or offend, men who are ready to die at any moment. Yuwen Yue gathered all of their present arms and shared their own possessions. They call themselves a “band of brothers” and Yuwen Yue, their “Master brother.” Yuwen Yue formed their own banner creed and to every warrior has a handkerchief tied to their arms where they cut a small wound and scarred it to form the ancient Chinese inscription 越 which mean Yuè to exceed, to climb over, to surpass to accommodate more. While everyone else wound is at the right arm, Yuwen Yue’s difference being the Master brother or band of brothers leader, his wound was drawn in his left arm near to his scarred past chest wound. Some said he choose the left arm near his heart to remind him always of what he told that day to his brothers who joined him in his personal journey: “he is loyal only to the few and ruled by no one.  Yuwen Yue’s person Zuo Zong will have the same creed in his left arm to follow his Master brother.

Zuo Zong was in charge of tactical movements and was given five brothers to accompany him on his spying tasks. The swift dagger warrior also has five men under his accountability, the rapid blade warrior has ten men, the flashing spear warrior has ten men and the stick (or staff) warrior Shaolin junior monk was given five men. He is the Shaolin monk whom Yuwen Yue strangled before and warned not to speak anything about Zuo Zong and their fight at cloud mountain where Zuo almost fell. Yuwen Yue promoted him and even trained him who calls him the stick warrior as he needs to grow up and when he is mature Yuwen Yue said his name will be called the staff warrior. He is the youngest of all the ranking master junior brothers whom Zuo Zong is also close. The rests were assigned to become the cold warriors where Yuwen Yue did not assign any ranking brother to them yet. Yuwen Yue trained and converted some of their hands to hold the bow and arrows, they were not all skilled at this type of cold weapon, but he told them: “it cannot be learned, it can only be felt.”

And Yuwen Yue pointed at his pulse and closed his eyes, his ears picking up only the hunting wind, the cold wind, and then on a forward movement he set up his left arm straight. With a steady aim and forms his right arm an angle bend, a squeaky stretched sound is heard coming from the bowstring. Close to his face and the tip of the arrow in front is perfectly pointed at, ready for the aim. At the back arm, he pulled the heavy feather arrow to travel at a long distance. At the tick of his pulse, he released the arrow. He opened his eyes and saw everyone was frenzied at the moment. All eyes on his bull’s eye target, a thing they did not expect to see, was a huge kingbird on the ground.

The cold warriors went to see the eagle and assume it is dead, but to their surmise, the eagle was taken down but not wounded. And when they saw that part of arrow everyone was amazed. Earlier Yuwen Yue showed them a very deadly arrow on its pointed tip but when it hit the air, the pointed arrow was detached and no harm done to the kingbird.  The Yuwen Parrot in the cage tweeted it said: “Master brother, great, master brother, master brother.” No one knows how its done, only the Master brother has this advance skill and his own weapon to decide whether to hunt and kill or hunt to heal.

Yuwen Yue picked up the kingbird eagle and put it in his left arm, the bird attached its claws to its arms, it is heavy, its wingspan may have measured three meters long on both wings. Yuwen Yue knows where its hurt is coming from, he picked its left thigh, and the bird squawked a bit, then it can now move both of his feet suddenly testing its wings to fly.

The cold warriors said: “what a nice view,” Yuwen Yue wearing his powder blue fighting peasant clothes, sleeveless V-neck exposing some muscles in his arms and flat black leather shoes with leather strings crisscrossed on both of his feet. Hair tied not too high or too low, cold dark eyes, perfectly shaped brows, straight stature and god-like aura around him.

These cold warriors spent days and nights at Yuwen Yue’s cruelest coldest training ever, like when he was doing the training with Yue Qi his seventh Yue and his maidservant Xinger. He gave away some Yuwen household skill secrets: “The Pulse” and the “The Palm.”

Counting days and nights the band of brothers traveled far on the scorching heat of sand dunes and deserts. They put their own tents whenever twilight falls and pack up during the day and continue to move on their way to the western mountains.  They hunt food as a practice at daytime while others prepare it. There has never been a day that these warriors enjoyed their journey and though not seems everything was put on their table and have to pick up everything with the sweat of their foreheads however they slept with their heads full of knowledge and wisdom. The band of brothers came from different backgrounds of the Far East and western tribes composed of Manchu (Jin tribes) warriors, Han Chinese warriors, and Mongol warrior elements and without a leader who knows how to unite diverse cultures, it is impossible to utilize their talents.

Then after a few days and nights of the journey through the Great Wall of China, Yuwen Yue observed that it was built but seems not yet fortified and completed. Yuwen Yue marked one of its first time to pass an unfinished wall facing the sea. Located at the south of Yanbei mountains facing the north of Bohei Sea. The band of brothers made their pitstop for a few days and nights at its shores. They put up their mobile tents and started to create some bonfires and firepits around its shores. Yuwen Yue discovered that some of his Han warrior brothers are skillful at swimming and fishing and knows how to build their fishnets and baits they also taught Yuwen Yue how to survive at sea. The band of brothers has spent their time here longer than the other mountains and deserts they passed. The Mongol brother made some of the fresh catch dried in the sun for a few days, and they sprinkled with Himalayan salts. They taught their brothers how to make the fresh catch have a longer shelf life and their product: salty dried fishes and other seafood such as shrimps, octopus, seaweeds, and squid.

Master, seems you are busy? Zuo Zong came to Yuwen Yue’s tent, on his hands is a tray of food, grilled salmon fish, a fresh catch from the sea.

Yuwen Yue sitting in a carpet like a buddha position in front of the small table, looking cold as he was momentarily interrupted on his writing. Zuo Zong went straight to his master and put down the grilled fish. Yuwen Yue smelled the delicious grill aroma of the fish and started to become hungry, he put aside his writings. Zuo Zong sat in front of Yuwen Yue, and they faced each other. Zuo Zong saw what Yuwen Yue is writing and said: Master, did you notice the unfinished wall here?

Yuwen Yue suddenly started to talk about military principles and strategy to Zuo Zong, and he said: This is a good stronghold in the future and a foothold to behold where the East ends and stepping to the south of Yanbei mountains.

Zuo Zong does not have any idea what Yuwen Yue went through the Yanbei mountains yet, it remains untold on what happened in the frozen lake. From where they stay is somewhat near and far to its distance. Zuo Zong is an intelligent spy sooner or later even without Yuwen Yue telling him his tragic story, Zuo will soon find out who is Xinger, the very reason why his master came to the icy lake and was circulated in the news he went missing and suddenly his body is found and announced to be dead. Zuo knows this is fake news and he knows Yuwen Yue knows about it by now and this is why he is going back to his Yuwen household.

Yuwen Yue cut that moment and said: “What a good smell” looking at the fish Yuwen Yue started to pick up his chopsticks, his eyes looking hungry. Zuo Zong got the look and said: “Ciao” and smiles at Yuwen Yue.

A beautiful afternoon, the skies are clear, and at the break of the day is majestic sunset and hues of golden clouds of yellow-orange and red twilight in the sea, a breathtaking view.

♥♥♥

Chapter 023

♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥

Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography

Mountain Pass 

Still far, but the band of brothers spies sees a mounted thousand troops of armies, flags are raised up, and horses hooves were marching and approaching toward the south of Yanbei mountains entering what they shouted the “First Mountain Pass” under the heavens or the gateway to the Eastern empire. The spy whistled a unique hustle that informs Zuo Zong an impending danger is coming. It was their first alarm, and Yuwen Yue knows and expected it at any moment this shall happen.

“Master brother, troops are coming. The band of brothers are aware, and we are ready to attack or disengage,” said Zuo Zong who is gasping some air when he runs towards Yuwen Yue who turned off a tea candle and about to go. It is dawn, and their walking cavalry has always been ready and alert, already set and packed up their tents, and his tent was the last to go. Yuwen Yue helped his brothers dismantled his tent while Zuo Zong is just standing there waiting for his instructions. Yuwen Yue already educated his brothers about the rules of engagement and set their expectation like his, he also introduced about the subject of truce and other military terms and anytime they would encounter it in the future everyone is calibrated and knows what to do. While Zuo Zong’s training lies on tactical movements that include what type of offense or defense their band of brothers will want to use in the face of war or ambush. Yuwen Yue obtained all of this principles when he was assigned to Xiaoqi camp for three years under the command of the Wei’s Royal 7th Prince Yuan Che. Their military expedition gave him enough experience being one of the most esteemed Generals of Wei, Yuwen Yue is the golden egg and the secret to  Prince’s Yuan Che success.

With Yuwen Yue’s fifty or more brothers, their chances of survival will be very slim facing a thousand troops, they will be like ants biting the giant’s feet. Yuwen Yue asked Zuo Zong: “how many?”

We are uncertain for the exact numbers, but we have estimated to be a thousand troops Zuo Zong seems not worried with the numbers.

“Since when,” said Yuwen Yue.

“Our spies have blended in their troops two nights ago and came back this dawn and informed us they had been moving towards here and confirmed to pass where our grid coordinates lie.” Zuo Zong replied.

Yuwen Yue wearing his dark blue peasant faded fighting clothes with a foxy fur obtained from their adventures hunt with his brothers on training, cold eyes, straight stature,  already deployed men to study and search the terrains of the mountains and as far as the sea when they first arrived in the unfinished wall. He developed some maps and possible hideouts if any encounter happens and Yuwen Yue looked at a rolled map and calculated the distances, looked at the Bohei mountains and closed his eyes. It’s almost winter as the autumn season near its ends.

Zuo divided the spies and the band of brothers, informed the rapid blades, flying daggers, flashing spears ranking brothers to move to the mountains. Zuo also assigned also one spy to go with them as their pulse and guide to their meeting point after the event is done. They took their assigned hideout posts while the rest of the stick warriors, Zuo Zong, and two more spies to go with them.

The cold warriors together with Yuwen Yue is ready to apply a tactical movement called smoke screening. But this time, instead of creating clouds of smoke to conceal their band, they will create smoke to lure their enemies.  If this becomes a success, the enemies will lose their sight. Then the advance party won’t suspect someone camped at the shore of the unfinished walls.

It was so clean that no one would ever think a cavalry stayed there for days and nights. One thing, since they are not heavily armed nor have any horses, their advantage was it was easy to flee and follow instructions in a fast manner.

“We cannot attack nor let them see our presence as we are outnumbered. Everyone, you all know what to do.” Yuwen Yue final reminders.

Zuo Zong added: “brothers, we meet at the place we already told you about, whoever gets first to that post, waits for the second. If anything goes wrong, the spies must always be first to  know and flee who will inform each and everyone.”

Quickly Yuwen Yue gave the signal, and Zuo passed to its ranking brothers, and they set on foot.

Yuwen Parrot was freed from its cage and landed on Yuwen Yue’s shoulders, the bird looks like he is the commanding general and Yuwen Yue also trained his bird in time of crises, the bird knows what to do.

The advance party of cavalry sees the smoke at the mountainside, not a heavy smoke of concealment but a thin vertical smoke that led them to think there is a company nearby and underestimated it. Still, the ground commander deployed their men to set on foot and find out the vertical smoke, a thousand troops were nearly approaching to enter the First Mountain Pass.

“Maybe an amateur hunter just hunting for a fox or a deer said one of the Archer Generals.”

“We can never be sure, so we follow SOPs,” and the ground commander tapped his horse and went in front of his cavalry to wait. The whole mounted troops seem not alarmed, there is no trace of violence in the air, only cold wind blowing on them.

Yuwen Yue is brilliant, so as not to scare his band of brothers he made sure that before the mounted troops pass, they were already far-fetched and in position. They may be outnumbered but not haunted by the forces marching presence, and that won’t put his band of brothers at defensive state nor make their pulse fret.

Zuo’s spy came back and told them someone approaching their position, but then he suddenly finds himself alone and cannot see his brothers. He scratches his head and Zuo who was just watching him in the distance, came forward at is back and slapped his nape then said: “We are here” and grinned at him.

The junior spy was startled and took his only weapon of defense a small dagger and put it out on Zuo Zong neck.

Zuo said: “Easy, easy my brother.”

And the spy brother not aware Zuo Zong looking dark black guy full of dried grass in his head and smells like the fresh grass, the junior spy looking so frightened at his horrific face he said: “My bad, in my defense, I was left unsupervised, I wasn’t informed that you would be looking like a ghost.”

Yuwen Yue laugh a bit on his comrade’s conversation, and Zuo laughed too, but with restraint, he said: “Here take some of these and conceal. You cannot die early, you are the first to know and the first to flee in case of the unexpected happens.”

Yuwen Yue suddenly said: “This is good. You’ve done a great job both of you that even your own brother you did not recognize.” and Yuwen Yue gave a joyful muse with his mouth pouting and full of brightness in his eyes.

“Back to business, let’s get going.” Yuwen Yue walked and hide in a forest tree.

Some of the cold warriors climbed the trees, some created traps, some were camouflage and everyone on their position. The defense is set, Yuwen Yue taught them they can only use offensive moves because they are cold warriors no one comes close to the target and do not exhaust their weapons as they carry only a handful of arrows. Each one should have a certain mark and mistakes cannot be forgiven. If they switch to a defensive move, they’re done. So stick to the offense and save their pulse in a burnout state.

An attack can only happen if its unavoidable instance or provoked, but the goal is to let them pass without any doubts about their presence and save their weapons for the next target. This allows their enemy not to detect any them nearby and if the hour has passed, a report will be sent to the ground commander and will surely be deceived, and no grave threats and the perimeter is secured to pass. Yuwen Yue’s crucial moments and he is a cold master with a strong heart, it does not make him shiver, but makes his blood come alive.

After a few minutes, the advance party was in their position but looks like Yuwen Yue and his brothers were all invisible on site. One of the soldiers saw something, and Yuwen Yue deeply inhaled looking cold. The soldier was about to blow their cover when the stick warrior activated their plan B. The stick warrior went on a drama but Yuwen Yue his eyes went sharp and cold but calm, he set his bow and arrow ready to shoot anytime following the target.

ahhh.. a long moan coming from another spot, the soldiers turned towards a youngster boy on his dirty clothes and looks in pain with his pricked feet. They came to him and asked him: “boy what are you doing here?”

ahh… ehhh… ahhh… and he pointed his finger to the other direction.

The soldiers understood and said: “oh.. a mute boy, seems he was left alone by his playmates.” and the soldiers flocked towards him like an attraction and they laughed at him.

The boy shook his head turning left and right, and on their amusement, he even exaggerated his mute expressions: ehhhh…ahhhhh…. eeeee… aaaa…

The soldiers were disarmed with his mute condition said to the other soldiers: he can’t possibly harm our troops, he is mute and we cannot get any from him lets report to the General, all is clear.

And the junior soldier ran to report to the ground commander general and suddenly heard and told it is nothing to worry about, they are safe to walk on the First Mountain Pass, and all is well.

Yuwen Yue did not put his guard down until all of the soldiers went down to their troops and saw all the thousand footmen passed the unfinished wall. They are valiant and strong with trumpets and thunderous drums, every step they do sounds like a victory. Dressed in dark royal blue military uniforms, their shields and blades were all uniformed silver and shines in the light of the day. Yuwen Yue recalls, and this is the first time he has seen them before and then looked at their leader in the far distance. They saw a princely stature riding in a super white silvery horse, wearing a white robe with a gray thick fur on top of his damask cape, a long black curly hair looking like a god on his cold eyes and jade-like skin. He must have been from the royal bloodline one can only guess.

While the rest of Yuwen Yue’s band of brother’s looked back and forth to the leader of the thousand armies and to Yuwen Yue’s face. Zuo Zong is winking his eyes, others are blinking and thought they saw twin brothers here and far. Yuwen Yue seems unaware, but he suddenly felt disgusted with those brothers looking at his face back and forth he broke the silence with them: “what in the world are you gazing upon?”

Zuo answered first and said: “It seems the one who passed by looks like you, but he looks older than you.”

And the others agreed and nodded in unison.

Yuwen Yue caught on air and joked: “maybe he is my brother.”

And the others laughed, and Yuwen Yue grinned a bit and said: “The stick warrior saved us all.”

Zuo Zong said: “I told you he can act, in the Shaolin temple he sets the stage to have some fun in our dying moments.” and went beside the stick warrior and pat his back and laugh at him. The stick warrior acted again what he did earlier, and the band of brothers had a moment of laughter.

Yuwen Yue with a slight grin on his face, a rare moment, he said: “Very well, everyone let’s proceed to meet half of our brother’s waiting on the other side.”

When they were about to go, an arrow was shot at the forest tree where Yuwen Yue hid. Yuwen Yue felt the cold wind blew on his face and signaled everyone to stay put. Yuwen Yue was waiting for another round of attack, but none of it came. Instead, he saw a woman with a thin red mask wearing a pitch black dress, and she escaped so fast that Yuwen Yue was not able to catch her and then Bang! A loud thud of noise was heard.

Gotcha! And the stick warrior is laughing in victory.

The woman was caught with one of the traps, one of her foot was suddenly hanging in the rope upside down under the pine tree. Yuwen Yue on his guard did not come so close but he was looking at her eyes, but the woman cannot see him as her mask covered her eyes exposing only her lips like a bloody hell looking at Yuwen Yue upside down.

Zuo Zong about to come close to her and take off her mask when Yuwen Yue said: “Zuo stop!”

And another woman came where she leaped so high and used her sword to cut off the rope. It was so fast, but Yuwen Yue went on fast movement and caught the woman’s indigo scarf who is holding the sword and then turned around the scarf towards Yuwen Yue’s left arm and saw her eyes. Yuwen Yue immediately put a pointed finger in her abdomen and the woman feeling some mild pain in her stomach and she eventually dropped her long sword.

Apparently, the woman’s face was still covered with a thin veil revealing only her eyes with hanging beads in front of her forehead. Dressed in a white flowy jumpsuit-like dress,  like Princess Jasmine of Aladdin. Holding her scarf and now the woman in her arms, Yuwen Yue did not miss to sniff the plum blossoms scent, and it went to his nostrils and created some familiar feeling of being at his Yuwen household.

While the woman with the thin red mask fell on the ground on Zuo Zong chest. As Zuo Zong was slightly kicked by the woman wearing the indigo scarf earlier, who is later caught by Yuwen Yue. The other brothers just stood there worrying with their Master brother and Zuo. Yuwen Yue saw one cold warrior who released an arrow to the woman who has not recovered from her bend, Yuwen Yue quickly picked up the sword to counter it. The arrow was thrown just beside Zuo’s face, and the woman covered with red mask suddenly acted to rapidly. She took the arrow and about to kill Zuo but the latter, the man countered her attack. The red-masked woman stood up. Now they acted on a woman-to-man fight. Zuo is undeniably sharp on his kungfu martial arts.

Yuwen Yue and the rest of the brothers were amazed watching the gongfu fight of the century. on both that even Yuwen Yue and the woman with her indigo scarf still on her bend forgot they had unfinished fight earlier. The woman in the red mask is not scared she danced in Zuo’s martial arts and both of them are very good until the red-masked woman used her long whip and used it to bind Zuo’s feet and Zuo went down about to fall. Yuwen Yue holding the sword was able to catch Zuo and he used the sword to cut the whip. Unfortunately, the red-masked woman quickly unbound it from Zuo’s feet and took the other woman, picked up her indigo scarf then went on a fast move. So fast that after the blinking of their eyes, they were gone, Yuwen Yue don’t even know what happened but remembers the scent.

The band of brothers froze and do not believe what they saw at the moment. Suddenly, all their eyes on Yuwen Yue’s hand.

♥♥♥

Chapter 024

♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥

Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography

Suddenly it’s here

“Earlier it was my face, now…” Yuwen Yue looked at where the eyes are looking at the moment, and he saw his hand holding a familiar sword.

“Master brother, do you know what sword you are holding on right now?” said Zuo Zong. Yuwen Yue still stuck looking at his hand, and his cold eyes were glued to it.

Yuwen Yue on his deep thoughts recalled what happened earlier, the woman in a red mask, Zuo, the whip, the woman with the indigo scarf and her sword, his thoughts stopped.

Yuwen Yue left speechless and baffled from the sword to the woman with the indigo scarf who made him defend her from a shot arrow. It’s like an automatic instinct that came out of him, and now he is holding his very own sword. The Poe Yue Jian sword, the sword his mother gave to his father, Yuwen Hao. Yuwen Yue never thought that at this moment of need, the sword just dropped at his own two feet from a woman whom he doesn’t even know who she is. He recalled that the woman has a superb gongfu, she leaped so high to cut the rope. Only thing, the spotlight was shifted to the woman in a red mask and eventually to Zuo.

Another spy came to Yuwen Yue called in his attention: “Master brother, we found this, the woman in a red mask might have dropped it when they hurriedly went away with the white lady.”

Yuwen Yue looked at it, and it is a map titled: “Qinghai.”

“There is no coincidence when a spy is at work. They want us to follow them” said Yuwen Yue not looking worried.

Yuwen Yue suddenly thought about the cavalry earlier and then spoke to Zuo: “We are being followed!!! The other side of the band of brothers was blown on their undercover.  Hurry let’s go.”

And true enough they met along their way the junior spy who was with the half of the band of brothers, and he was the only one escaped.

“Master brother, I escaped to give you good and bad news” while the spy is gasping some air.

Zuo gave him some water to drink and said: “Easy, easy my brother.”

Yuwen Yue’s eyes went cold and asked:” good news first report!”

“We followed all of your instructions and was able to make ourselves safe from the hideout, unfortunately, the bad news was they were taken by the woman who has a long whip and looks like where she is receiving her instructions is her boss whose face cannot be seen she has a long sword too.”

But then the brother spy from rapid blade group saw the sword he was talking about hanging in the waist of Yuwen Yue.

“Master brother, why are you carrying this sword?” said the junior spy.

Zuo Zong replied instead and said: “we just have an encounter earlier and Master brother got this sword abandoned by its owner.”

Not knowing yet, Yuwen Yue used to own this sword, but Yuwen Yue won’t talk about it especially he is in post-tactical movement, every minute is critical to follow by the plans and play by the rules.

Suddenly Yuwen Yue not looking so worried, have to scratch his plans and have a quick mind to direct their next movements as the half of the brothers they protected, the heaviest of their arms and some of their possessions were just taken by two women.

Insane! said by Zuo Zong who is about to become angry and said to Yuwen Yue: “we cannot just let them be taken away. We have survived a thousand troops, but we lost our smart spy-war to those two women? Help me understand. Master brother, did I miss anything?”

Yuwen Yue said: “Behind a man’s spying is a woman lurking.”

Zuo asked: Did you experience such an instance before?

Yuwen Yue gave an honest answer and said: “yes” then look at the junior spy and asked: did you see how the two women took half of our brothers?

“Yes Master, in fact, there were no violence or threats, the woman just opened her scarf, and all the men suddenly went dizzy, but I smelled it was the best fragrance I have ever smelled in my whole life.”

“How did you escape?” Yuwen Yue looking curious.

“I used this to escape, I saw the brothers became dizzy, so I know it’s about that fragrant smell, so I covered my nose and mouth” and he showed Yuwen Yue his handkerchief tied on his right arm that served as a covering for his scarred wound and exposed their band of brother’s creed.

“Good thing!” said by Yuwen Yue, and said: “Zuo hurry we have to go to their place of the hideout and find out first what really happened.”

Half of the band of brothers walked to their hideout. Yuwen Yue investigated like he is finding the suspect from a crime scene with no crime. Found no trace of struggle or blood but carefully look at the footsteps until there is none. Looks like it was a swept by the wind. He thinks is impossible to have a sharp wind to blow their footsteps unless it was some magical power involved. Yuwen Yue threw a stone to release his angst.

Zuo being exposed to the eastern spy network told Yuwen Yue about the spies of the underworld. They are quite magical, and they have supernatural powers that only work at night and quite during the day or use only half of their power during the day. Zuo looking at the neat place suddenly feels cold.

Yuwen Yue asked Zuo: “I know you told me about the spies of the underworld that works for the Eastern Empire but was weakened by its Queen and its middle kingdom was smashed down by some interested parties from Wei and Liang Empires and divided its spoils. Also, the secret princess in some of the eastern folklore and the oracle of the of its middle kingdom shall one day rise.”

Zuo Zong sat down in one of the big old rock and said: Master brother, those stories were in the past and today is present, but I once knew a spiritual healer who knows everything from start to end, and he often comes in the Shangxi port to trade and give information. Pay, and he provides secret information. I can only arrange a meeting. He never lets himself seen by anyone if he is giving confidential information.

How do you talk to him? Yuwen Yue looks interested.

At the port, I buy a special mooncake, inside the mooncake is a general note: “See me, I need secret information.”

“It will be passed on to beggars, and they will give it to him. From what I know he is a shop owner from the borders of Wei and Liang states.”

Where do you usually meet him? Yuwen Yue thinks he might have encountered this shop owner.

“In a thousand caves. Only those registered in the spy network can enter and find him in the cave.”

“At the entrance is an old woman, you will need to give her a gold coin. She is called the Skyshadow gatekeeper. Once you enter there is no turning back, if you do turn back she is going to take your soul and feed it to the underworld” said Zuo and the rest of the brother’s went on goosebumps.

The stick warrior said: “do not be frightened, she is just human too, but it is impossible to beat her.”

Yuwen Yue heard a lot of this folklore of the East, the Qinghai empire and its middle kingdom the Chu Jing kingdom but no one dared to come near as the fragrant poison killed all of the human beings who dares to enter. He also heard about the secret princess who is still missing and its underworld league of spies and waits for her to gather it.

In the real essence, one year of quiet life was not at all smooth, for Yuwen Yue has gathered enough information about the powerhouses of the Ximeng continent. He blended well with their people, from the rich Lord of the east to poor of the poorest, enough to hear the hum of their secrets. These secrets were also connected to Wei, Liang, and Yanbei. Even Some of it were also deposited in the repository of the Eyes of God that was self-destroyed by Yuwen Huai when he accidentally dropped his hands on the self-destruct push button. Yuwen Yue never believed it until now, he had traveled to all the places from where his readings before, as the keeper of the ancient secrets and other repositories, he grew up around these stories.

Meanwhile, Chu Qiao back to her dark burgundy royal paladin and Viper managing three horses on the run had an instant man of cavalry following their backs and looks like they are being hypnotized by Viper. Men wore their own neck cuffs made of black iron and chains extend to the next person’s neck, and they formed a long line. Viper used their own weapons of arrest and told them to put it in their necks, and so they followed her like they were a prisoner of war, but really there is no war.

Viper knows that her power shall only last for some time and sooner or later these heavily armed warriors will wake up from their dream and go back to the real world. Chu Qiao in deep thoughts had a flashback of the guy he fought earlier but unable to draw the sword to him. The Poe Yue Jian sword suddenly became too heavy for her to lift as her stomach was also hit by slight touch, her Chi flow stopped for a moment done by that rugged man who looks likes their leader. She is somewhat unsure and sure that she has already met those sharp and cold eyes and that strange feeling of being weakened and unable to draw her powers on his presence. Chu Qiao not really worried that she lost the sword because she took half of his cavalry from their leader who made it. She knows sooner or later they would come and they intentionally drop the Qinghai map to help themselves bring their own captive as well.

Zuo ranting and scratching his head said to them: “It would have been easier if we were captured by the thousand men, but two women capturing our band of brothers will give us more headache than we should handle. I would rather choose body aches we should have been receiving now than a headache. And he grinned sarcastically but shook his head from right to left in his dismay and not being able to do something for his brothers.”

Yuwen Yue said: “This is a delay, but our brothers are more important than our plans. We camp on this site and be still to find out our next move. I never believed the stories were real and the underworld spies are still active after my father executed what we called the “celestial warfare.” The war under the heavens down to the underworlds.”

Zuo suddenly looked at Yuwen Yue’s sword and said with some curiosity in his eyes: Master brother, you have not answered my question earlier.

Yuwen Yue did not answer. Instead, he whistled to call his Yuwen parrot that was somewhere behind the trees following them.

The Yuwen Parrot came to his shoulder and said: Xinger, Xinger, Xinger

Zuo repeated it like he was parroting in a slightly raised voice: Xinger?

Yuwen Yue looked at his bird with some irritation as he does not intend to reveal more than what he should about his past, Yuwen Yue wants them to understand when he comes back to his grandfather and maybe make some appeal.

“Master,” said the stick warrior. “The sword you are holding, it did not surprise you?”

Yuwen Yue gave a cold look and does not want to answer any questions earlier, he finally replied: “It was mine. My father gave it.”

Zuo Zong stood up and narrowed his eyes and smiles to downplay what he heard: “Master brother do not tease us like this, you know I am gullible when it comes to you.”

And the stick warrior also was surprised by what he heard from Yuwen Yue said: “You must be kidding Master brother.”

Yuwen Yue thankful, the subject was diverted to the sword instead of Xinger, it’s not time yet for him to reveal to his brothers about his last standing at the frozen lake. Yuwen Yue smiled and said: “I don’t tell stories but I just do it like…”

…and whoosh a nearby tree branch was cut. Yuwen Yue leaped and cut the branch of the tree and landed on a perfect position on how a Jian swordmaster would cut the head of the enemy.

“Master brother, I cannot fight you, I am only good at sticks to remember? Please do not get angry I believe you.” and the stick warrior who is smiling at him and giving him a hand gesture of surrender is raising his hands.

Zuo Zong is feeling that fire in his heart, got his master’s moves and suddenly took the long staff of the stick warrior and joined Yuwen Yue infighting. The master of the eyes of God versus a kungfu Shaolin master dancing in the twilight and all of the band of brothers gathered and saw this fantastic martial art with their weapons on display. Yuwen Yue not even moving a single facial expression and Zuo expressionless as well and Yuwen Yue about to break the staff when Zuo threw it on air suddenly Yuwen Yue mirrored Zuo and thrust his sword on his left hand and caught the staff on his right hand.

“Now you’re out of arms, what are you going to do?” Yuwen Yue threw him a cold eye.

Zuo smiled and said: “Not today Master brother, you win this time.” Zuo is applying the praise and attack strategy to outsmart him and Yuwen Yue knows.

Yuwen Yue gave him a slight grin and turned his back to sit on the old rock when Zuo tapped the staff on his hand, but Yuwen Yue turned and gave him a butt slap. Zuo cried in pain and on a painful grin: “ouch ouch, I was just playing the staff Master.”

Yuwen Yue grinned slightly and said: “I knew you are, so I hit your butt.”

He..he..he.. smiling with shame, Zuo is still holding his slapped butt and said: “Master brother, even if you did not say it, we know for a fact that you own this sword since we saw how you used it earlier. The Poe Yue Jian sword is a very important sword in the history of the Eastern empire, and it has a unique style of grip handle that only the owner knows how to use and hold it properly, thus it was called the most gentleman of all sword weapons and the finest of its kind. When you took the sword to counter the arrow, it seemed that you use it both ways, to protect the woman and to kill the arrow.”

Yuwen Yue turned his back and brushed him off as if he did not hear anything. Suddenly Zuo grabbed one of his feet at his end and bowed his head and said: “Master Brother, we do not know who you really are or where you have come from, but the sword you are holding is the sword of the Qinghai King given to his son.”

And Zuo sobbed for a while, but Yuwen Yue said: Enough! Get off my feet, I can’t walk..” and Zuo suddenly stopped his sobs and wiped his eyes with his hands and stood up as if nothing happened and said: “what about it master brother?”

Yuwen Yue looked at him and said: “Are you acting again?” and Yuwen Yue gave an indifferent sneer.

Yuwen Yue came closer to him, and pat his shoulders then said: “Didn’t we have enough acting earlier?”

And Yuwen Yue looked at the stick warrior who is looking at him with so much reverence as Zuo Zong revealed about the Poe Yue Jian sword and everyone around Yuwen Yue has the same eyes on him.

Yuwen Yue suddenly sensed some worry of respect in their circle, and he said: “My brothers, I am what I am, but whatever story behind this sword we will uncover it together.”

Yuwen Yue gave a short speech to his band of brothers as he wants to go back at ease and do not burden them with the story of the Poe Yue Jian sword and his position. He did not even tell them that he is the heir to master of the eyes of God in Wei state but only Zuo Zong knows this because he gave him his handkerchief.

The band of brothers was relieved and came forward to Yuwen Yue. Yuwen Yue tapped their shoulders, and everyone came back, ready to move forward to save their brothers in captive.

♥♥♥

Chapter 025

♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥

Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography

To the road less traveled

An icy river in a barren landscape, semi-wild deer, running around its plains, its cityscape is covered with the smoke of its foggy mountains and on a far distance is the Qinghai state. In the middle is Chaka salt lake, home to wild swans, where Chu Jing Kingdom lies. Snow-capped mountaintops as the first snow poured out in the morning, and the sun hides on the clouds where snow, rain, and ice marks the coming of the winter season, the autumn leaves are falling and saying goodbye, here is a man sitting and meditating. The Yuwen parrot was quiet and the bird’s eyes still sleepy but the master is awake even if its eyes are closed.

Dark hawk birds surrounding the middle Chu Jing kingdom, full of thorns and thistles on the outside but after an hour of the journey is a labyrinth of green teas, on the ground are planted traps, mounted killing machines, dungeons and finally the underworld spy headquarters. Inactive and less maintained, the underworld headquarters still shows its former glories despite its destruction by the time of Yuwen Hao’s operation “celestial warfare.”

On the inner courtyard is the old ruins of the Chu Jing palace and its training grounds, slightly restored by some of its residents. And the lake, at day mirrors the golden sun and at night reciprocates the face of the moon, such a breathtaking view, the wild swans riding its quiet waters where some parts were covered with white snow, and some still show the clear blue waters calm and pristine. A spectacular lake was known to be the mirror of sky, a fantastic landscape of flowers and birds of paradise, looking from a far distance one would breathtakingly become helpless to measure its boundary of seams between the lake and sky, one cannot identify if the lake was in the sky or the sky was in the lake.

Before these men wake up from their prisoner of war state of mind, Viper had already gathered them in the Chu Jing’s prison called the “prison with no walls.”

Brother’s where we are? Why are we here? Where is Zuo and Master brother? and the men started to talk and question where on earth they are.

Why is this place so beautiful? How did we…

Chu Qiao was walking on the other side, wearing her white casual princess Chinese costume, on her head was a rattan-made hat, and on top, it was her indigo veil that covered her face, and the men saw her side view.

The men were mesmerized with the view, looking at the woman and the lake somewhat far yet it became her perfect backdrop to a stunning landscape.

**

After meditating, Yuwen Yue and the rest of his brothers went down to the scenic landscape. An entirely new place they have never been to before. It took them seven days to reach the area as they traveled back to the East when they were already at its First Mountain Pass of the Great Wall of China.

“Zuo and everyone, in every battle, different movements to be applied. The women who took our brothers are brilliant and dangerous. We cannot blow our undercover this time, or we will all fall into their hands,” Yuwen Yue is giving a final briefing to them.

Their first success looked like a child’s play to them surviving a thousand troops, but today the boys have to grow up to survive two women.

Waiting for their five spy brothers, they provide an Intel to Zuo. Zuo quickly informed Yuwen Yue, and Yuwen Yue’s face suddenly raised his brow and his eyes looking angry.

“There is no trace of our rapid blade, flashing spear and flying dagger brothers. However, a dark kingdom lies in the middle, and it was undiscovered yet, our spies reported no one dared to step on its perimeters,” said Zuo.

Yuwen Yue threw a cold look to him and said: “Very well, it means we may spend more time to scout the place and study the terrains.”

Zuo asked: “Can we walk through hell and still come out alive as angels?”

Yuwen Yue replied: “It is not the world that is cruel, it is the people in it.”

Zuo said: “Then to the cruel people we go and teach them a lesson.”

“They aren’t as cruel as it seems, giving a crime scene with no crime is really the smartest hell of a thing.” Yuwen Yue threw some joyful muse to Zuo and Zuo got it.

Zuo Zong on his not so happy mood said: “To hell, we descend!”

“We do not want to arrive at darkness and still don’t see our brothers, Move!” Yuwen Yue quickly went down together with the cold warriors, spy and staff warriors.

They blended well with the people when they arrived in the city and went to the market. The brothers were very careful not to let them be suspected by anyone at the same time executing surveillance in the place looking for a hint of their brothers.

But a group of bystanders stole from a fruit vendor and suddenly made sure the stick warrior was to be blamed when they stole a fruit from the vendor. The stealer put it in the stick warriors pocket and went unnoticed. When the fruit vendor came, they saw the stick warrior and searched his body and found the persimmon fruits on his pocket. The fruit vendor and the bystander leader immediately pointed at him and blamed him for stealing the persimmon fruit, the stick warrior does not believe it and repeatedly said he did not steal but the vendor told the bystander leader to check his pocket and found it.

One of the other staff warriors was about to strike the bystander leader and the vendor when Zuo caught his staff and stopped it. The incident is creating a scene in public and, there were many people looking at them.

While his eyes are closed, Zuo said: “I do not think this is right. Let my friend go,” and he gave a hand gesture to let him go.

The bystander leader said: He stole some persimmon fruit and has to be reported in the Qinghai ministerial office.

Zuo said: “I saw it one of your bystanders put it in his pocket and then ran. He did not steal, let my friend go, and Zuo gave them a cold look twitching his palms.”

“No!” and he struck Zuo, but Zuo has expected his action to come like this, he slides his body, and still eyes closed, head down. It seems he copied Yuwen Yue’s style the first time they met in the circle of fight. The bystander leader was surprised for Zuo was not hurt, this made the bystander leader angry towards him

“I said to let my friend go.” Zuo’s eyes still closed, said it for the second time and they did not listen they went to him and strike him again, but Zuo was just sidestepping them. The bystander leader got angrier and kicked the stick warrior and was pushed aside and the other bystander members got his back and hold him.

The bystander leader said: “Here is how we will let your friend go.” and about to kick him again when Zuo suddenly went to them and got his one foot and threw him to defend the stick warrior.

The bystander leader said: “So you are a Shaolin monk!” and the bystander leader asked all his colleagues to hold the stick warrior and come to join him to fight Zuo. And you can imagine what the marketplace looks like after all is said and done.

Yuwen Yue was on the other side gathering some information when some of his spies came and informed him that Zuo was fighting the bystanders and almost immediately Yuwen Yue left and went to see Zuo. By the time Yuwen Yue arrived, the Qinghai palace officers were already on the site and capture Zuo and the stick warrior together with all the brothers under him.

“Wait, what happened, where are you taking them?” Yuwen Yue went in front of the Qinghai palace guards.

“And who the hell are you?” said one of the Qinghai head of the palace guards who raised both of his brows and looked at Yuwen Yue arrogantly. And then suddenly when he went to look down on Yuwen Yue and saw his waist, the head of the palace guard saw the Poe Yue Jian sword and his eyes were locked on his waistband as if he saw a ghost unable to move or say anything.

Yuwen Yue suddenly went curious and said: “Are you alright?” and Yuwen Yue bent to look at him, still stuck looking at his waist.

The head of the palace guard is a bit shorter than Yuwen Yue said: “Why are you dressed like this mister? You did not inform us you will be touring around this afternoon.”

Yuwen Yue somewhat confused with what the head of the palace guards words but remembered that the leader of the thousand armies the other day looks like him, and so Yuwen Yue switched his aristocratic attitude and played the role he said: “I would be very pleased if you let my friends go first.”

“Yes mister, we will let them go, but you have to come with us.”

“No he cannot come with you!” shouted by Zuo looking so angry at their back, his hands were tied by the Qinghai palace guards as the bystanders told the guards earlier: “We are beaten by these Shaolin monks, we are innocent.”

The head of the palace guard smiles and said to Yuwen Yue: “In the palace you maybe the Prince but outside you walked as an ordinary person, come back with us, we will escort you back to palace.”

Not sounding so authoritative but more a like a father asking his son to come back with them because it is not safe outside. The head of the palace guards feels so close to him even if he is not.

Before Yuwen Yue reacts, Zuo said: “If he goes, then we will also go.”

The Qinghai palace guards took Yuwen Yue even if he did not say any and escorted him back to Qinghai palace and the rest of his brothers followed him behind. Yuwen Yue thought this is a good chance to gather more information and he hopes to be back to his goal before twilight.

The Qinghai head of palace guards was thinking deeply. While they were walking towards the palace, he might have seen that sword before. It is his first time seeing it closer and he thinks this person is really like a twin brother of the Qinghai’s 2nd Prince Viceroy Ra Zheng. Now, he is having a hard time telling if they were really not or the same person at all. The Qinghai prince has been seen many times in his disguise. This time seems this person is quite unique for he is holding the sword of the Qinghai King.

Upon their arrival at the Qinghai Palace ground, Yuwen Yue looked at its magnificence. He is quite expecting that he would get more information about the middle kingdom that belongs to this empire where he presumed his brothers were detained. Qinghai is very structured, grandiose and full of swords and spears, to every corner there are guards carrying spears. Every guard who looked at him were surprised as they see the sword in his waist, they bowed their heads with reverence. The band of brothers was amazed at how these palace guards reacted to their Master brother, and they knew it is because of the sword he is carrying in his waist. While Yuwen Yue is not letting his guard down, his raised brows, cold eyes, he senses a stink of an enemy is just around the corner of this palace.

The head of the palace guards eventually placed Yuwen Yue in the waiting area where he can meet the 2nd Prince Viceroy Ra Zheng, and the rest of his band of brothers was untied and waiting for Yuwen Yue in the palace ground. They are alert and ready to defend the Master brother if anything goes wrong.

The secret spy in the Qinghai palace came to the 2nd Prince Ra Zheng and reported to the prince that somebody is waiting for him outside who looks like him and is carrying the Poe Yue Jian sword. The secret spy is unknown to many palace guards, and I would say has never been seen by many only the Prince. Its job is to predict and inform any event inside and outside of the Qinghai palace.

Prince Ra Zheng on his pure white silk Hanfu attire, eyes looking cold, gentle brows and jade-like skin, he looked at outside the palace, inhaled deeply and said: “Is he the crown prince? My little brother? If so, I must see him and introduce myself.”

Prince Ra Zheng straightened his back and pinched his cheeks. He is somewhat excited, has overwhelming feelings at the moment and finally, he told his servants to let Yuwen Yue come into his palace. The servants immediately went out and fetch Yuwen Yue waiting outside, and they did not dare to take his sword but lets him meet and greet the prince as he is.

The King of Qinghai gave a different press release about his missing sword and son to his ministers and to the people of Qinghai. He covered up the story after his son went missing for many years that he hid the crown prince in a secret palace and no one knows the crown prince location. The King ordered his scribes to write down about the crown prince was attended by royal attendants that would soon someday come back to Qinghai with the Poe Yue Jian sword. The King’s told his kingdom the crown prince needs to train and focus on how to use the sword to defend its empire in the future.

Yuwen Yue went inside the palace and saw Prince Zheng. The Prince was on his back he immediately turned his back and saw Yuwen Yue’s face and the sword in his waist.

“Crown prince, Ra Yue, welcome back.” Ra Zheng on his gentle brows but cold eyes said it a warm tone and suddenly walked towards him and hugged him slightly.

Yuwen Yue’s eyes looked surprised with how the Prince is treating him, and he just has to accept that hug from his brother? He has already seen the prince passing at the First Mountain pass and even joked before, “maybe he is his brother.” Yuwen Yue went speechless, but he feels he was sincerely welcomed by the prince.

Prince Ra Zheng looked at him with two of its arms still hanging on Yuwen Yue’s shoulders and said: “What took you so long to go back to our kingdom? You look handsome like your brother, come let’s eat together.” and the Prince called his servants and whispered to one of the Head Eunuch: “Prepare all delicious dishes and invite his private armies as well who is waiting outside, do not upset them.”

After the warm welcome, Yuwen Yue is about to introduce himself but thought about it a second, how would he address himself in front of the prince when he looks like a peasant, no Jinhua costume or his own Yuwen Household buckle to indicate his position and descent. He is basically no one inside and outside his clothes. Yuwen Yue decided to introduce himself as the Master brother, and maybe he would be the best person to ask help to find the missing half band of brothers. Also, the prince called him “Ra Yue, welcome back.” Yuwen Yue is thinking, did the prince lost his mind, and the prince really thinks they were twin brothers?

The prince told Yuwen Yue as if he knows what he is thinking: “I know you were somewhat new to these things, but you will soon get used to it.”

Yuwen Yue about to speak when the prince asked him to walk with him towards the banquet hall. Yuwen Yue left quiet but was really thinking how to escape this Prince and go back to his goal for today when suddenly he saw Zuo and his band of brothers in the banquet hall waiting for them. Zuo Zong stood up and the rest of the band of brothers and bowed at them.

Prince Ra Zheng and Yuwen Yue slightly nodded at them then suddenly Prince Zheng said: Your Highness, is this the private armies that Father gave you?

Zuo and the rest of the band of brothers heard what the Prince said, and they were a bit surprised, but Yuwen Yue look at Zuo sharply and coldly as if telling: “Keep still.”

Yuwen Yue said: “Prince Ra Zheng, I call them the band of brothers, I consider them all my brothers.”

Prince Zheng replied: “Oh you must have been through thick and thin, just like us, we are brothers not only by name but by blood.”

Yuwen Yue so as not to upset the Prince just merely nodded. Yuwen Yue really does not have the time to ponder on his thoughts about what Prince Zheng’s statements. Yuwen Yue then gave back those words of reverence to the Prince, in front of his brothers said: “Your Highness, it is with great honor and pleasure to join in your banquet hall today.”

Prince Zheng smiled and said: “It is also a blessed day to finally meet my handsome brother who looks like me, near and far, I can tell we are like twin brothers.”

The band of brothers looked at each other and confirmed they look like twin brothers.

The Prince asked the men to sit down as Yuwen Yue, and the prince sat down as well. Suddenly at the beat of Prince Zheng’s hand, its eunuchs and servants started to serve the dishes as if it were a food fest. Zuo, the stick and cold warriors, have never been into the Royal table before and their eyes full of delight.

Prince Zheng raised his hand on the air with the jade goblet of wine, and Yuwen Yue did the same thing, and Prince Zheng said: “To my brother, our Qinghai crown prince Ra Yue” and they toast their jade goblets in the air.

What a pleasant afternoon, full of stories, stories of the brotherhood chivalry, history of the past came to life, where the real brothers finally looking each other’s eyes and felt the comfort in it.

♥♥♥

Chapter 026

♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥

Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography

Arise and shine of Qinghai

After some time, an older eunuch came and announced the arrival of the Qinghai Queen. The empire is not secure to breach, but its walls have ears. When the Qinghai Queen heard the arrival of the crown prince and his whereabouts, she immediately went to Prince Ra Zheng’s palace. She is the reason why the crown prince was taken away by his maiden mother, she also controlled the empire in the absence of the Qinghai King who locked up himself in his palace and never came, back to the office after its dreadful cover-up stories and lost his only son an heir to his sword and throne. 

The kingdom went to sleep and the entire empire hibernated on its longest darkest night. Without the moon kingdom, the sun empire did not wake up from its nightmare and has never seen the daybreak for many years. The Qinghai King also ordered the underworld spies to burn down Xie’s household because of the false news the Qinghai Queen told him who abducted his son killing all innocent people in the Xie household, the King’s first love lady Yueshen. Out of his guilt and repeated failures and the destruction of Chu Jing kingdom, the death of his brother King Chu Teng Gao, his own The King took an absence of office and gave the temporary seal to the Qinghai Queen and ever since then, the King just went happy-go-lucky in Qinghai’s harem gave himself to drunken lustful guilty pleasures and had not found any rational mind to go back to its duty to the empire because the Qinghai Queen was rumored to put the King under a spell, set up his plans to fail so the Queen can take over the

While Prince Zheng, Yuwen Yue and the band of brothers bonded, the Queen came to interrupt. The old Eunuch announced her arrival and everyone was startled but not Yuwen Yue and Prince Zheng. Prince Zheng and Yuwen Yue stood up to show respect to the Queen while the Queen on her royal dragon black silk robe made of finest quality silk, embroidered with flowers of gold thread all over her robes, her eyes looking so cold and far, pitch black hair, gold hairpin, jade-like skin, she walks tall like floating on air. The band of brothers fall down on their knees and bowed their heads, so as Prince Ra Zheng and Yuwen Yue bowed their heads and all of the servants surrounding the banquet table, waiting for the Queen’s words.

The Queen portrayed a warm but stern attitude with elegance and in between a cold and mysterious glance she threw looking up and down at Yuwen Yue. She immediately recognized the crown prince from his stature, there is no doubt he is the Qinghai’s King most revered son. She also focused her eyes on Yuwen Yue’s waist hanging the Poe Yue Jian sheath and saw Poe Yue Jian sword grip handle. She walked in closer to the banquet table and sat on the middle where Prince Zheng used to sit. Prince Zheng and Yuwen Yue sat down facing each other.

Everyone was just frozen in time until she spoke then said: Everyone lets continue the banquet. Her voice finally on air, and everyone’s who hold their breath finally breathe the cold air. The band of brothers not moving she saw them and said: Arise, crown prince’s knights and show them where they would be deployed under the Crown Prince Yueshen’s palace. The older Eunuch bowed to the Queen and lead the band of brothers outside of the banquet hall and brought them to the Crown Prine Palace.

The Queen on her graceful hand gesture another royal servant came close to her side and serve her jade goblet with wine and she drank so elegant and beautiful, she handed down the jade goblet in the beautiful table then said: Prince Zheng, I believe a family member just came in today, would you please introduce me to your little brother.

Qinghai Queen, this is Ra Yue, the seventh son of the King Ra and crowned prince of Qinghai Empire. Yuwen Yue seems to be saying something but words won’t just come out, Prince Ra Zheng pokes his feet under the table and Yuwen Yue got the message and said: “An honor and pleasure to meet the Qinghai Queen.”

Yuwen Yue seems out of his mind as he races his thoughts, did he just pretended to be the crown prince or did he acknowledged he is the crown prince? While Prince Zheng is secretly laughing in the inside, he broke the silence to cover his brother’s few words.

“Queen Zhejue what shall we do in order to announce to the entire Qinghai empire the arrival of the Qinghai crown prince and his knights?”

And Prince Zheng corrected himself: “His band of brothers as Ra Yue calls them.”

“The crown prince will stay in the assigned crown prince palace and we shall meet again after I visit the King to discuss some important matters such as this.” The Queen looked at Yuwen Yue and Yuwen Yue narrowing his eyes staring at the table and just playing things by his ears as if there’s something in between to say and the Queen is waiting for his affirmation.

Yuwen Yue has to decide and act at the moment, it seems his plan of a temporary visit will be extended for few more days after he finishes to pretend he is “Ra Yue” is playing all for his advantage. Yesterday someone dropped him his Poe Yue Jian sword but now he has a kingdom he calls his own, and it looks like he won’t escape that easily.

But one thing on his mind, if he stays for a while he would be able to gather more information about the Chu Jing Kingdom, use some of Qinghai’s resources to infiltrate the Moon kingdom and discover its secrets and finally save the half of his band of brothers who are in captive. Yuwen Yue can only think of positive things for now that his brothers are still alive, for most of the responsibility is in his shoulders right now to bring them out of the mysterious kingdom and go back to the West, his Yuwen household.

“Yes your majesty Queen, thank you for your favor and earnest kindness.” Yuwen Yue replied, and the Queen heard. The Queen is secretly rejoicing in the inside for she can start to plan how to control the crown prince but seems she will have to study the crown prince as she is utterly clueless of his strength and weaknesses having been hidden from her sight where the King hid his son she does have any idea or access.

The Queen rose from her seat and excused herself from the Banquet, like a floating flower she walked out of the banquet hall, and the old royal Eunuch and her servants followed her. The two princes also rose from their seats and stepped outside the banquet hall.

After Prince Zheng instructed his eunuch to show where Yuwen Yue will permanently stay at his Crown prince palace, he also assigned some maidens to become his servants. Yuwen Yue also said to his brother: “Prince Ra Zheng, I do not wish to have any maidservants, but I only wish to have my person Zuo Zong from my band of brothers.”

Prince Zheng says: “Your wish is done” and he called another servant to prepare all their clothes to match the Qinghai’s code of dress, arms and send someone to teach them Qinghai’s code of expressions.

“Very well said the servant.”

“Thank You, Prince Ra Zheng,” said Yuwen Yue and the Eunuch led their way to the crown prince palace. On their way, they met the 6th prince of Qinghai, cold burgundy eyes, fiery aura, jade-like skin, who is also looking like a god. The Eunuch bowed to the 6th Prince. The 6th Prince is very aristocratic in nature, dressed in his dark red, royal Hanfu robe, a gold hairpin, and on his back are his eunuchs and servants walking along with the 6th Prince stopped then said: “The crown prince indeed had arrived. What a not so nice weather to look at his handsome face looking like a god like me, even if dressed in disguise but hangs the Poe Yue Jian sword on his side.” The 6th Prince judges the crown prince as inferior and do not follow the Qinghai’s code of dress and looks down on him by the kind of clothing he wears.

Yuwen Yue is a bit annoyed but on his usual calm as the sea stature even if dressed so poorly was his capital in all of his journeys, he cannot be brought down with just one look. The more rugged he is, the better his appearance was, it radiates and exudes the full confidence of charm, elegance, cold-heartedness he replied: “When you are a weapon, and weapons do not weep, they just kill.”

The 6th Prince was stunned with what Yuwen Yue said, and he was not able to get back to his words as he thought for it, he suddenly narrowed his eyes and understood the meaning of it.

Yuwen Yue expressed his disgust from what he said, he knows the 6th prince is looking down at him but he picked up himself and walked with his head high and not a look or words of lesser value looking at this clothes was permitted to be uttered in front of his presence. Yuwen Yue switched to his aristocratic side even more savvy than his half-brother 6th Prince Zhun cannot outwit him.

They continued to walk, but the 6th Prince was still standing in where he met Yuwen Yue. Then Yuwen Yue stopped, and all of the eunuchs and servants on his back stopped as well. He walked towards the 6th Prince and came close to him he said in his ears: “Next time if you have to look down, do not stare at me, it is not just about my sword but who I am is all you need to see.”

And the 6th Prince eyes went on fire and twitching his palms even more tightly, he just cannot say anything and not able to move on his presence, he was like frozen meat. He smiled and said: “very well brother, the weather is yours for today,” he said in an unseemly manner and as if he just declared civil war on him for the rest of time.

Yuwen Yue on his calmness, cold eyes, he smiles and also said: “It will be mine not only today but tomorrow and the next day and you won’t have any other day for yourself because it all belongs to me.” and he left.

The old eunuch was impressed with the Yuwen Yue, no wonder he is the crown prince he said it to himself, the crown prince knows how to deal with powers and still looking like a god after a storm.

Yuwen Yue and the rest of the servants in his back arrived at his own palace. He saw the servants are cleaning and uncovering the white curtains of the fixtures and furniture, and also the old eunuch invited Yuwen Yue on the western side of his palace and Yuwen Yue saw a huge, long and heavy gold curtain with long tassels at each end.

Your Highness, if I open the curtains, may you enjoy the view of Qinghai’s mirror of the sky and the old eunuch pulled the curtain, and a 360-degree view of the Crown prince hall facing the spectacular lake flashed in his sight. Everyone was astonished, and in awe, as for Yuwen Yue, he walked from the side and inspected the tall glass. He inhaled and exhaled briefly, as he holds the perfect view in his eyes. The sky mirrors the blue lake, and the lake mirrors the sky, swans are riding the waters, black Goshawks are flying freely. The shore was home to a bed of flowers and what’s interesting was a small kingdom resides. The skyline is a vivid, mysterious attraction of the site.

Yuwen Yue said while walking around his own palace: “Am I going to wake up every day looking at this bewilderment?”

The old eunuch seemed anxious and thinks Yuwen Yue may have not been liking the view when it was the best spot ever built in the entire Qinghai palace.

“Your Highness if you do not like what you see, we may close the curtains or automatically lock your glass walls.”

Yuwen Yue thought he was right. The glass walls have another iron windows outside and a trigger mechanism he saw he replied: “Is this the switch to activate the iron windows and block the view?”

The old eunuch bowed and said: “Yes your Highness, indeed it was easy for you to detect and you have a clever observation.”

Yuwen Yue brushed off the old eunuch praise, but he replied: “And you are going to teach me more and tell me about what happened to this empire right?”

“Anything you want to know your Highness, your servant will answer.”

“Good! Can you tell me more about the secrets of this palace?”

Which of it your Highness? From the start or what is happening at the moment?

“I prefer to hear from the start,” said Yuwen Yue.

The old eunuch looked at Yuwen Yue’s sword and said: Your Highness, that sword you are carrying is the start and end of the Qinghai Empire. Without it, people will turn from each other, and the empire will be in chaos.

“My sword? Yuwen Yue raised his voice a little bit and continued in a cold voice he said: “I have heard lots of stories about my sword, but in the West where I came from this is just considered a household sword nothing more, nothing less. It’s just a sword, period.”

“Your Highness, here in Qinghai empire, the Poe Yue Jian sword means life or death, power or no power, peace or chaos.”

“Alright, that’s it for now, maybe we can talk more about it tomorrow. I want some rest you may leave.” and Yuwen Yue sat on the expensive dragon carpet and about to start his meditation facing the west of his hall, he told the old eunuch to leave the view on his closed eyes as the sun is getting ready to settle in the horizon.

The old eunuch bowed and told Yuwen Yue he will come back later to serve his dinner and to provide more garments and introduce him to his weaponry hall then he left Yuwen Yue and the rest of the servants outside is finishing up their cleaning and palace arrangements came to life. For the first time from the last time, the servant girls finally lit the incense burner located at the center of the crown prince mini-throne room. The fragrance is issued on air, creating a lively ambiance as the plum scent fills the entire palace reaching even to the crown prince hall where Yuwen Yue is meditating. It reminded his Yuwen household, fresh plum blossoms on its first snow dew is his favorite scent.

After an hour or meditation, the sun already sets in the horizon, Yuwen Yue came out of his palace and called in his Yuwen Parrot who is just nearby the premises. The Yuwen Parrot came and landed on Yuwen Yue’s arms, and the guards in his palace saw it. Yuwen Yue also called in one of the standby male servants and asked for his brother Zuo to come and see him so he could talk to him and the rest of his band of brothers staff and cold warriors to replace the Qinghai guards assigned at his palace.

“Master, how do I look?” Zuo came to Yuwen Yue wearing the Qinghai code of dress fit for the crown prince convoy. And the rest came in wearing almost the same dress of dark blue cape with light iron shoulders caps and a well-designed breastplate and were given spears, swords, bow, and arrow, now armed with multi-killing weapons,  they were dressed like going to war. Nothing of their simple clothes or ninja-like outfit carrying light weapons.

Yuwen Yue beside his Yuwen bird was on the crown prince office sitting in a grand chair and long wooden royal table trying various inks and different types of brushes he said: “Zuo do you wish to scout this palace?” seems Yuwen Yue means business, he senses some changes on Yuwen Yue’s serious face.

“I will scout it this place at dawn Master brother, do you have anything in particular?”

“We are not here to live comfortably, but we will use this advantage to look for our brothers. Understood?”

“Master brother, aren’t you going to stay here? You are the crown prince of Qinghai.”

“I have heard and knew about these stories, so it doesn’t surprise me,” said Yuwen Yue

You knew all along you are the missing crown prince of Qinghai?

It’s not that I knew it all, but to be honest, without the sword I would not be identified as the crown prince as I would just be an ordinary person like you. Yuwen Yue put down the small brush and took another brush then said:

“What I am curious about is the lady who dropped my sword, who took half of our cavalry. Just like what happened some time ago, the Canhong sword was dropped at the Old Shrine, I read a letter during my 12th birthday, it appears my Aunt Tai Furen gave a letter and the Canhong sword as a gift to me. It was a blank letter, and I used a special powder to read it. She wrote about this empire and the Poe Yue Jian sword story and that one day I will soon find my path. I never understood it until now. I knew that I was the one she was talking about. She also gave me some old maps and includes the crown prince palace that belongs to my mother. I studied them and memorized them before. I put them in a book where my grandma gave me, replaced its contents to hide it away. While everyone was doing party, I read it. I grew up with it.”

Whoah! Zuo was stunned what his Master brother revealed then said: “can I ask you something personal?”

“What is it?” and Yuwen Yue looked at Zuo’s face, and Zuo was looking serious.

“Do you think you can stay here longer?” And Yuwen Yue was silent did not answer him.

“Master brother, I think this Empire needs their crown prince, we have seen a lot of suffering around the area like slavery,  injustices and lots of mysteries to uncover. We also heard that the Qinghai people believe all of this will be put to order once their crown prince returns with his sword on his side all will return to peace.”

Yuwen Yue still thinking, Zuo might have a point. He grew up on these stories, but he never thought He was the story behind all of this. If this is all right, then he thinks he needs to reunite to the King, his real father and if it does, he will be declared an heir to the throne. Somehow it puts some sharp knife in his heart knowing that Yuwen Hao the father he grew up, the father who taught him so much wisdom and trained him to be the man was an archenemy to their kingdom? And facing his real father, would he be able to accept if he found out what the King has done to his mother’s Xie household? And how can he come back to the Western Empire to search for his Xinger when he is trapped to run the Eastern Kingdom? All these questions are left hanging with no answer, and it seems only time can tell when Yuwen Yue will find the answer.

A sword, a palace, an heir to the throne, a mysterious moon kingdom, and what more can come on his way? Yuwen Yue has a responsibility not only to his band of brothers now but now a princely duty to his entire Qinghai Kingdom.

Yuwen Yue snapped himself back and suddenly answered Zuo’s question: “by the way, you look terrible on that suit,” said Yuwen Yue who gave him a slight smile, a hint of ridicule.

Zuo gave him a sly smile and said: “You do not appreciate what you see?”

Yuwen Yue smiled on his table and said without looking at Zuo: “You cut your hair just for this, I must work hard then my brother.”

Zuo laughs out loud: “It is my duty and honor to serve the crown prince of Qinghai who happened to be the Master brother of the band of brothers I swear from this day forward.”

Yuwen Parrot interrupted and said: “Master brother, master brother, the crown prince, Qinghai, Qinghai.”

And Yuwen Yue smiled a bit too still looking on his table while trying the brushes on the paper said in a cold voice: “Zuo, it seems I am destined to repeat the history of my mother. The Cinderella of the story. The only thing, that I am supposed to accept it. It seems I don’t have any choice but to share this destiny with my father.”

Zuo back to his normal face he said it lightly: “If this is your path so be it.  As far I know, I am still living and never changed what I swore that day in the mountain cliff, and that is to serve you for all the days of my life, my crown prince and Master brother.”

And Zuo tapped his left chest, kneeling down and bowed his head to Yuwen Yue. Yuwen Yue suddenly thought of Yue Qi then snapped himself back at the moment.

Yuwen Yue still on his cold face. He looked at him and saw that Zuo on the mountain cliff like a flashback finally unable to brush him off. As if, he owes Zuo to affirm and respond to the oath of loyalty, he finally said in, as calm as the sea voice: “Very well, whatever this Cinderella story brings, we will be in it, together.”

Zuo stood up happily, and the Yuwen Parrot tweeted: Master brother, Master brother, Master brother.

Yuwen Yue said: “Tomorrow bring me some interesting pieces of information and find out who is the secret spy of Prince Ra Zheng, I heard he has never been found by anyone or has been seen by others. I need his background and maybe he will be useful to the Qinghai’s crown prince too and to guide you Zuo.”

Zuo replied: “A spy spying another spy?”

Yuwen Yue said: “Why not?” and he continued:

“We need extra hands, it is not easy to breach the middle kingdom, and I will be very much involved in Princely affairs starting from now. That means I won’t be able to move the way I was before but you will be my eyes, and the secret spy should be your ally.”

Another servant knocked in the door and announced outside the door that the old Eunuch arrived carrying Yuwen Yue’s garments.

Yuwen Yue dismissed Zuo but instructed him to let all of the band of brothers to replace Qinghai guards assigned in his palace. All of a sudden a change of command and post happened at the same time, making Yuwen Yue more relieved now that his cold warriors, staff and spy brothers were in charge of his safety and protection. It was like more of commissioning them instantly, and without any hesitation, his band of brothers accepted and played their roles as the crown prince convoy. There are still a lot of things to discuss but it will be done later said by Yuwen Yue, and they were dismissed.

Yuwen Yue a little bit hesitant to let them come in as the servants were waiting for his words: “You may come in, and You are dismissed,” he said to Zuo. Almost at the same time, they bowed as one entering and one leaving. Zuo saw the crown prince garments and it matched all their battle gear suits, and some expensive light clothes fit for a prince was presented.

The old Eunuch seemed to be busy carrying the important garment and more servants on his back carrying all of his royal garments he said: “Your Highness, we will need to try-on this garment on you and you need a warm bath before we do. This way please.”

Yuwen Yue said: I am sort of hungry can I eat first?

The old eunuch did not have any choice but to say: “Yes your Highness” and it means they will watch him eat first carrying all of his heavy prince garments before he takes the warm pool at and takes the royal bath. The old Eunuch cannot help himself but roll his eyes as he thinks the crown prince is not natural to make him obey his request and instructions.

Yuwen Yue said in a cold voice and smiled with ridicule: “Fine are you going to wait for me carrying all those stuff?”

“Yes your Highness,” said the old Eunuch and Yuwen Yue gave him a hint of joyful muse it seems like fun on the crown prince but not to the old Eunuch.

Yuwen Yue walked to his royal banquet table, and the kitchen maids serve him food to eat. He is not already used to this kind of life, so at times he asks for the maid to give him and let him serve himself, other times he just also let the maids serve his food. When he started to eat, another maid came in and halted it, she said: “Your Highness, I am assigned to be the crown prince royal food taster, if there is any poison on it, it may save your Highness from dying.”

Yuwen Yue thought about it as second and did not respond because he is the former master of the eyes of God, he was trained on how to know if the food is poisoned or not.

Yuwen Yue in a cold stare and cold voice said: “You should have done it the first time I came and dine with Prince Ra Zheng.”

“Spare my life, your Highness,” said the maid, “if you do not let me do my duty I will be dead by tomorrow morning.”

Yuwen Yue is not a master who just obeys with what others say. He believes in this Yuwen household code of expressions: “Slaves obeys.” Yuwen Yue felt everything was like being controlled from the outside and that he needs to abide, he coldly and angrily said: “Then you be dead by tomorrow if I am not the crown prince when the sun rises.”

It means Yuwen Yue will not obey the maid nor be weakly controlled by anyone. Yuwen Yue had been turning on and off his aristocratic facade to make the Qinghai servants understand he is not just a naive crown prince but he knows everything about his palace, who is in control now and he will never bow to anyone unless someone is in danger, not even in danger unless it involves his Xinger. The last time he checked was at the frozen lake that cost him his life and his precious bodyguard Yue Qi.

The maid cried, and Yuwen Yue gave him an indifferent sneer and said: “From now on you will not be like a piece of meat who will save another. Your life is free, but stay where you are and watch your master.” Yuwen Yue said it with full conviction but with coldness of voice.

Yuwen Yue smelled the jade bowls and touched the golden chopsticks. To put a show, he even played his chopsticks using a little bit of his gongfu and suddenly on his seat started to eat. The kitchen palace servants got his moves and were impressed they clapped on him, Yuwen Yue did not mind them doing it.

The old Eunuch was amazed and impressed and this is what Yuwen Yue needs to accomplish. He needs more allies than people being controlled or going by the norms inside the Qinghai palace. Yuwen Yue needs to show them who is in control and where his Yuwen household values are very strong extreme about how a master leads and how his servants obey this is somewhat an advantage for the moment. Though a lot of changes have already taken place, the difference right now as he is all aware, to how far he can go in making his slaves obeys. This is what the moment is calling him to do. In front of his band of brothers, he is the Yuwen Yue whom they swore their allegiance at the crucial time of his life.

♥♥♥

Chapter 027

♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥

Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography

The Crack of dawn 

After the first longest night of Yuwen Yue’s life, the pauper prince suddenly woke up as the crown prince. Where everything is waiting to unfold his fate to meet the Qinghai King is waiting to be told.

The Qinghai King informed about the arrival of the crown prince with his Poe Yue Jian sword yesterday and suddenly the King became sober. He asked about his servants what is going on with the crown prince palace and heard lively stories and as if his blood raised up and made new again. Excited and does not show but in the inside, his feelings of the old came alive. The King did not have his usual party nightclub last night, instead, he ordered his servants to prepare his garments and everything gray suddenly became white. Like a neat canvass to be painted, so is the King’s outlook were. He planned to summon the crown prince to come to him but the King cannot wait so he walked on the secret path to the old Yueshen’s palace with two of his palace guards. At dawn, where everyone in the palace thinks the King was on his usual days, the King walked to the secret paths to meet his long-lost son.

The King on his near age of fifties (50s) still looks stunningly beautiful and handsome, on his long black robe with hood at his back of his head, his inner garment, he wears the most expensive Hanfu dress, the most expensive gold hairpin on top of his head, trailing the secret path together with his palace guards holding two torches walking towards the crown prince palace. Only the King has the access and the last time he came was the last time he saw his son in his cradle with his mother Yueshen.

After a few minutes, the King finally arrived at the crown prince palace. He sat at the mini-throne room while the two palace guards stood by on the outside. The King closed his eyes as if meditating, reminiscing his old memories with Yueshen, he sighed and exhaled deeply.

Yuwen Yue on his usual meditation of Zen position suddenly opened his eyes, as if he sensed some kind of strong energy surrounding him. Zuo Zong, on the other hand, went on his routine spy check and his subject for the day is to discover who is the secret spy of Prince Ra Zheng.

Yuwen Yue did not go back to his meditation. Instead, he stood up and opened the long gold curtains and saw the golden sunrise. On top of the mountain clouds, the cityscape foggy mists covered the forests ground, townhomes, the great wall of China overlooking the Ximeng continent where the Qinghai palace earned its name and was called “The Palace in the Sky.”

Yuwen Yue now dressed in his Qinghai princely garments, gentle cold eyes, thin red lips, jade-like skin, and a god-looking face who would have thought, in the past that he had worked and had explored the streets and discover a living? One of the two King’s personal guard knocked on his hall and said: “Your Highness, His Majesty came in secret, He is waiting at the Crown Prince mini-throne room. He would like to meet your highness.”

Suddenly Yuwen Yue’s heartbeat, although, cold went fast unable to move from his place. He stared at the door somewhere in between the feelings of afraid and not afraid to face his real father who is only a few steps away. Yuwen Yue hurriedly replied but in a calm voice: “I am coming out.”

Yuwen Yue took his Poe Yue Jian sword and look at himself at the big mirror, from a ruggedly handsome laborer to a Royal crown prince, no words can exactly describe complimenting his face, he fixed his princely garment and came out very handsome, neat and on his White Hanfu dress, white deerskin boots, white damask cape with white fur collar made of white fox hair, silver crown hairpin on top of his head. He walked out of his room slowly and confidently.

“Your Majesty!” Yuwen Yue broke the silence in the air.

The Qinghai King on his closed eyes opened it and saw Yuwen Yue kneeling, his head bowed down and two of his arms holding the Poe Yue Jian sword in front of him.

The Qinghai King straighten his back, open wide his chest and swallowed on his throat, a cough like sound came out: “ahem, ahem” he looks at Yuwen Yue steadily without saying a word or moving. While Yuwen Yue is expressionless and waiting for the King’s words.

Finally, after a long pause, the King replied: “Come closer.”

Yuwen Yue stood up still not looking on the King’s face he went closer to the King.

The King said: “Hand me the Poe Yue Jian sword.”

 Yuwen Yue handed him the sword and went back to his distance from the throne seat.

The King said: “You may look at me.”

Yuwen Yue for the first time, took a glance from the King and his eyes widen when suddenly the King went down from his throne seat, hugged him and said: “My Son.”

Without saying a word, Yuwen Yue answered back that warmest hug from the King. Both felt relieved. It went for how long? Time did not count.

Suddenly Zuo Zong rushed inside the palace and saw the two guards outside the throne room and he became curious, he walked towards them and saw his Master brother and the King hugging each other. The King tapped Yuwen Yue’s back as they both found each other’s presence, the King on his teary eyes had not been able to hide.

Yuwen Yue is still expressionless and calm as the sea face but his eyes, bloodshot red. Suddenly, he hugged his father again. The King let his son embraced him again and now, Yuwen Yue let go of his father.

The King took the Poe Yue Jian sword and officially commissioned it to his son by saying: “To my son this sword all my life, my heart seeks out a thing I cannot name. We age not by years but by stories. The pain you feel today will soon become your strength for tomorrow. May the bridges I burned, light the way and forgive a father in your heart.”

Yuwen Yue on his knees bowed his head down to his father, the King tapped his shoulders with Poe Yue Jian sword, and the swords moon grip handle shone, light crawled to its blades until it reached the tip. His father shifted his hold of the sword and on a lateral position he handed it over to his son shining so brightly. Yuwen Yue accepted it, suddenly stood by in the King’s presence, amazed on its unblinding light, his eyes were stuck on it. Then the inscription in the Poe Yue Jian sword came out of its blade-like someone is lasing it.

The King put on his hood and walked out of the throne room peacefully. Without saying a word, Yuwen Yue was left standing to look at the King’s back and felt contented. Zuo saw all that happened and surprised to see the Qinghai King but did not really see his face. Two of the King’s palace guards joined him when they walked in the secret path and disappeared.

Zuo came to meet his master where Yuwen Yue just staring at the door of the throne room, he just stood there with no sense of time. He felt real, magical, and strange at the same time that he did not even notice Zuo looking at him.

“Master brother did you just…”

Whatever is it, the answer is yes, Yuwen Yue said.

The sun is already high and Yuwen Yue back to his usual business. Zuo is to report to his master, but he cannot put off one thing on his mind, his father.

“Master brother, can I say something about the Qinghai King?”

 “What is it?” Yuwen Yue is slowly walking towards his office.

“Did you notice his face? Earlier when the sun came out it looks like he was fading away.”

“What do you mean? The King faded away when he walked out of the room,” said Yuwen Yue.

“I did not see his shadow, the King is like floating and getting invisible as soon as he walked out. Strange!” said Zuo while Yuwen Yue thought about it for a while.

“Did you just say he is like floating earlier?” Yuwen Yue got back on Zuo.

“Yes, I saw it when the rays of the sun pass through the King’s skin.”

Yuwen Yue in a calm and husky voice asked Zuo: “What is the position of the sundial?”

Zuo answered: “not so long, about the sixth hour from the North star when I came in.”

Yuwen Yue’s cold eyes brow wrinkled and remembered what his father said:

To my son this sword all my life, my heart seeks out a thing I cannot name. Yuwen Yue thinks his father was under a spell. And the Poe Yue Jian sword he thinks, it has something to do with it and he needs to find out.

“We age not by years but by stories. Does it mean, his father knows where his whereabouts, that he was the heir to the Eyes of God?” Yuwen Yue still guessing on this part.

The pain you feel today will soon become your strength for tomorrow. His father knows what he had been through from the frozen lake down to this day he came to the Qinghai empire.

May the bridges I burned, light the way and forgive a father in your heart. Yuwen Yue cannot decipher this part. But it is something about the most unforgivable act his father did to Xie household from the west. The King under a spell when the King’s seal passed on to the underworld spies and burned the entire poor town of the Wei where the greatest blacksmiths and swords smiths are living.

This broke out the war between Wei and Qinghai empires. Yuwen Hao performed the “celestial warfare” to destroy Chu Jing Kingdom. Yuwen Yue isn’t surprised, because he grew up on these stories. One thing, he is not aware of the real story behind his father’s absence to the throne. Now, he has the responsibility to help his father, run his kingdom, find half of his band of brothers and find Xinger.

At first, he started this journey, after he found his obituary circulated in the town in a local newspaper. He read the tabloid and twitched his palms and the paper was crumpled. The news was very obnoxious and offensive to him, as the heir to the Eyes of God, the news is a pain on the neck, hard to swallow and seems the Yuwen family did not carefully consider his position.

Yuwen Yue also found Yue Qi’s obituary beside his, turned a sad heart for Yuwen Yue. He always thought Yue Qi, his Seventh Yue carried out more than he was asked to do. At this point, an upset heart came to him for those enemies who killed Yue Qi. As if he has nothing to go back to Wei, is what these press release was saying.

Yuwen Yue with his strong heart made up his mind to regain back everything he lost. He is confident that when they see him alive there will be a turning tide of events and all these white lies stories will disappear. He promised to start anew despite all this fake news, people will come back to him and nobles to trust him once again. He also vowed to change the course of time and the destiny of Xinger, if he meets her again. He promised no more laid-back moment or to sacrifice his personal affairs for the sake of others.

Not so long ago, he also trekked the mountains of Hua, he self-confessed all his feelings about their bitter bloodbath battle with Yan Xun. To end his blood treaty with Yan Xun, Yuwen Yue cut off a piece of his clothes signifying he is making a clean break-up on their loyalty and threw it to the cold east winds. Like what Prince Yuan Song did to Prince Yan Xun and Xinger by the time they were escaping Chang’An, Yuan Song cut a piece of his dark red damask cape, thrown to the ground and let it burn.

After Yuan Song’s clean break-up, the 13th Prince of Wei declared Yan Xun and Chu Qiao as an enemy of the State from that moment going forward. Yuan Song even asked Chu Qiao for one last time to come back to Wei but Chu Qiao firmly held her decision to become a rebel. Although, this act affirms that any of their relationships in the past, has already ended, Prince Yuan Song being noble as he is, let Prince Yan Xun and Chu Qiao pass Chang’An to escape saying: “the next time we shall see each other, we will be enemies and will no longer owe you any debts of goodwill and friendship.”

The same thing happened to Yuwen Yue the only thing, he let it fly in the wind. He does not want to see Yan Shi Zi the way he sees him before. Looking back, Yuwen Yue is the only noble who protected Yan Xun in secret although he was not able to save the annihilation of his family Yuwen Yue’s Palm did not participate any acts against his best friend. Yuwen Yue even violated the ethics and codes of being one of the Wei’s important official, an interim master of the Eyes of God and became a personal spy, a bodyguard who took the lives of everyone who went assassinate the Yanbei Prince and Xinger. It was one of the most difficult time in Yuwen Yue’s life when he cannot let the nobles or the Emperor see that he took a position to stand for the Prince of Yanbei. The only disaster that can happen was if the Emperor finds it out.

The Emperor at some point felt Yuwen Yue is wavering his loyalty to the empire and may have abused his position, he ordered Yuwen Yue to be relieved of his duties from Green Hills courtyard. He was deployed for a three-year term and became Xiaoqi Camp General, served the 7th Prince Yuan Che. His life was in danger most of the time, he is left almost fighting for himself and Yuan Che while Yan Xun was detained in Oriole courtyard at Chang’An. Until the day they met at the frozen lake, Yan Xun forewarns Yuwen Yue that if they see each other in the battlefield, said to him: “there will no mercy at the middle of the battlefield”.

Yuwen Yue had a hard time understanding why Yan Xun had a change of heart towards him. Twice become colder than him. But what Yuwen Yue will never understand and accept was the fact that Yan Shi Zi had to make Xinger fight in front of his aching heart and body then finally took his life. He would never forget how Xinger cried for him, suffering and defending him then eventually making her see, his end. This is the part which Yuwen Yue had been preparing for his return to face Yan Xun and ask him: “Why? Did you really have to do it that way? You could have done it without Xinger, you and me in that field, just Me, alone, so you could finish your revenge and avenge Yan blood!”

But Yuwen Yue is that kind of friend who would just outburst in words, vehemently pour out bitter speech. However, Yuwen Yue is a friend who sacrificed himself for the sake of his friend, but his friend took it all against him and killed him in the frozen lake. Yuwen Yue thought he paid whatever he owes but if Xinger was dead, Yuwen Yue will probably never forgive Yan Xun for the rest of his life. Yuwen Yue will hunt him down until he pays forward whatever he owed to Xinger.

The master of cold heart stays cold and now that his father gave him the authority, but he does not know how to run it yet. It is his duty and priority to put this Qinghai kingdom back to order and save the condition of his father. He wished those were easy words said, but only metaphors spoken by his father. Yuwen Yue picked some and understood some in an instant but some needs time and energy to search for the truth. He hopes that while he’s entangled in Qinghai family affairs, he would still be free finding Xinger. He must and will not hesitate any chance to take any roads to find his Xinger.

On his first day, Zuo officially reported to Yuwen Yue as the crown prince person. Due to Qinghai’s palace protocol, Zuo needs to address Yuwen Yue not as Master brother but as Crown Prince of Qinghai as taught by the palace Eunuchs it must be observed. Yuwen Yue, on the other hand, does not have any problems in following such protocols. He is accustomed in Wei. However, the difference lies in, who is giving the order now and who is following it.

Yuwen Yue’s position was like a promotion he had never asked. Instead of him following orders from the Royals, he is now in control and the one ordering around. It was never his wish, but it is what a destiny set since he was born.

Zuo bowed his head to Yuwen Yue after he gave his first-morning report. Yuwen Yue gave a cold glance but Zuo a playful personal guard gave him a flirty smile and said: “Crown prince, Zuo is just around the corner if you need anything,” and he dismissed himself and did not wait for Yuwen Yue’s commands.

Yuwen Yue inhaled and sighed, he went back to his writings and smiled a bit. It is a smile meant for Zuo’s change of attitude while he again remembered the seventh Yue. Yuwen Yue thought their only difference Yue Qi was very good at the sword, matured and thinks of others first before himself while Zuo Zong is a playful Shaolin Kungfu master, who thinks first of himself before he can help others.

Zuo believes: “if you don’t help yourself first, how can you be a help to others?”

This is what Yuwen Yue has been learning from this little guy as when he discovered his real self who gave unwavering loyalty to Yan Xun. In turn, Yan Xun did not appreciate it back not even a grain of mercy was granted.

Yuwen Yue thought: “if I cannot help myself now or my family, what makes me think I can help others. And Xinger, to Xinger… what can I offer for her to give up Yan Xun?”

This is one thing he hasn’t been able to do yet as compared to Yan Xun a noble Prince of Yanbei versus himself, just an heir to the eyes of God, Yuwen Yue becomes a common noble in the face of the royal Prince of Yanbei? Yuwen Yue’s ego is beating his confidence.

However, destiny flipped the course of time. Without struggle, he woke up as a crown prince, without searching, he found an empire of his own, without asking men, he was set up as the leader of the band of brothers. His ego no longer interferes between the other Princes. He thinks he has better chances for Xinger now, he can offer and give twice as much of the grasslands of Yanbei in exchange for the Qinghai’s magnificent snow-capped mountains and mirror of the lake ‘n sky. He hopes that in coldness, Xinger would find warmth and finds her way to the Qinghai’s throne and meets him. He hopes to share the Qinghai Empire with Xinger someday.

Yuwen Yue still writing when the old eunuch knocked, said: Your Highness, I came to announce the King’s decree for the first time in twenty-nine years, the Kings pass to the crown prince to take over the throne from the Queen and the Queen will hand over the throne to your highness within thirty days under the Sun and onto the seventh day of the Moon.

Yuwen Yue gave a hand signal to Zuo and the door of Yuwen Yue’s office was opened.

Yuwen Yue asked: “Where are the Analects and the records of the Qinghai empire?”

The old Eunuch said: “I was expecting you would ask for it, here it is your highness, I brought the three sacred books for you to read.

Yuwen Yue looked at the old Eunuch and the old Eunuch bowed to him and handed him the three books.

Yuwen Yue on his cold stare asked the Eunuch: What do you mean by: “The Queen will hand over the throne to your highness within thirty days under the Sun and onto the seventh day of the Moon.”

“It is the seal of the Qinghai King your highness, the Sun is the King and the moon is the son.”

“What about the seventh Moon?”

“The lesser light Chu Jing kingdom, the secret princess was promised for the seventh moon of  Qinghai who will become its greater light.”

“I heard they were brothers how would such union become good?”

“Your Highness, both kingdoms are not relatives by blood but by ancient covenant, so they were called brothers of heaven and underworld, brothers of light and darkness.”

“How am I supposed to handle the Sun and the Moon at the same time? This is hard work.” Yuwen Yue pick the blue book first.

“With Poe Yue Jian sword, it is possible, even to unite the brutal far eastern tribes. Your Highness, this is the King’s decree, do you accept?”

“I accept,” said Yuwen Yue and the Eunuch bowed to him and left his presence.

Zuo came to Yuwen Yue and teased him: “I am afraid you would not be able to say no to the decree, beginning today, the crown prince and the secret princess from the moon kingdom, the leader of the underworld spies?”

Yuwen Yue narrowed his eyes and stood up, he went outside the palace and Zuo was on his back waiting for his master’s words.

Yuwen Yue on a long pause, looking at the beautiful Qinghai lake, such a breathtaking view and said: “The turn of events is quick, I never thought it would be sooner than expected.”

Zuo asked: “Take your time master and I am interested also to meet your secret princess.”

Yuwen Yue replied: “I don’t have any interest with the secret princess.”

“Why? Do you prefer anyone other than what was promised to you your Highness?” said Zuo

Yuwen Yue did not say any words and left Zuo hanging with his question. It seems Zuo is digging the cenotaph in his heart. His heart belongs to no one except to one, Xinger. And the Yuwen parrot suddenly came and tweeted: “Xinger, Xinger, Xinger” and Zuo came close to the bird and mimicked it and said: Xinger? who is Xinger?”

Yuwen Yue did not bother to answer and he took his bird inside the palace then put it in the bird stand. The skies are clear, Yuwen Yue’s entire day spent reading the three sacred books and his only interruption, this bird always tweeting Xinger’s name that became a piece of music to his ears.

♥♥♥

Chapter 028

♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥

Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography

Rebuilding an Empire 

In the crown prince palace garden, drops of dew hanging on the bamboo leaves, a stream of water dripping down from the Yin and Yang fountain, yellow to auburn leaf brushed the ground, birds are chirping in the air, and a god-like figure is meditating quietly. Foggy and mists stained with grayish smoke spirally rose from the valley, from a fresh morning air, he took a deep breath. Life here is beautiful and peaceful amidst the surrounding unrest of Qinghai Empire and not far is the Chu Jing kingdom where its repository of mysteries thrives.

Raindrops started to pour under the heavens, and the dew-washed on earth issued a blessing of comfort that lightens loads of his shoulders. He continued to sit there a sense of calmness from the sound of raindrops falling, left his ears a timeless piece for a short suspended time. Yuwen Yue saw a vision of two celestial bodies, two bodies in the sky performing a moon set the fading of moonlight as the light shines, the sunrise appears in the horizon that gives daybreak its sunlight.

After his meditation, he came to a table and smelled the aroma of the tea boiling beside his study area where he is about to start reading the gold book, he just finished the blue book last night. He did not have any hard time understanding the terms, but the royal blue book is a compilation of the Chu Jing Kingdom where everything was not left to any chance of speculation.

A knock from the door of his office was heard, then a eunuch’s voice said: “Prince Ra Zheng came and wants to have a tea ceremony to the crown prince.”

Yuwen Yue gave a hand signal to Zuo and Zuo opened the door, the 2nd Viceroy Prince came in while Yuwen Yue is preparing two cups of tea and suddenly the two heard the whistling sound of the boiling tea-pot.

Yuwen Yue on his coldness, expressionless calm face, he did not look at his brother already walking towards him but without any other hands to help, he executed the perfect pouring of tea to the two small jade teacups. The refreshing aroma gave a warm comfort from another cold prince in front of him and an after rain company is another good way to escape the cuts like a knife cold season.

“Ra Yue, anything you wanted your brother to talk about?”

“Like what?” Yuwen Yue coldly answered him back

Ra Zheng smiled and said: “About the secret princess from the moon kingdom.”

“Thank you, brother, I am not interested.”

“Are you single, taken or building an empire? What is your status?”

With a hint of joyful muse from Ra Zheng Yuwen Yue replied him back doing the same thing on his face with a slightly raised soft voice and said: “None of the above?” Ra Zheng about to react but Yuwen Yue followed up and said: Or maybe I’ll pick the one with building an empire?

Ha..ha..ha.. Ra Zheng laughed out loud and said: The fact that you are here with Poe Yue Jian sword, the entire empire was already rebuilt, you just have to run it and expand it to the ends of Ximeng.

Yuwen Yue took the cup of tea and sipped it feeling a little bit relaxed with his brother’s laughter. Ra Zheng so impatient waiting for his brother’s reaction he followed up and said: ”What do you have to build? Our empire is just waiting for its crown princess. The stars already shined too long and the seventh moon not interested to appear in its dark skies?” And Ra Zheng still on his joyful muse, drank his tea slowly.

Yuwen Yue thinks maybe he can source more information without getting so obvious inquired from his brother: “how can we breach the moon kingdom?” he jokingly said to test his brother.

“There are secret paths my brother.”

“secret paths?”

“Apparently the blue book did not list it all, you have to read the codes and pass the stratagems around it. Reading is different from walking in it.”

“Looks difficult, spine-chilling, creepy and hair-raising paths?” Yuwen Yue still not getting too serious about it.

“Oh feel the rush!” Ra Zheng flashed a short laugh and said: “Not to mention the secret princess has the most powerful sophisticated martial arts was called the Kungfu of Ice.”

“Kungfu of Ice?” Yuwen Yue raised his brows and got a little bit interested and started to listen.

The last time I checked, the powerful leader from the Afterlife camp spies in Liang State got a taste of it and learned a hard lesson in this life.

Yuwen Yue did not add more words but in the inside was like a fire that lit his instincts.

Ra Zheng continued: “I heard, from where you came, the Western empire, father hid you in your mother’s homeland, what a smart move and no one ever have known about the Poe Yue Jian sword because father ordered to burn down the only poor town in Wei who knows about its story and forgotten in time.” Ra Zheng was waiting for a confirmation.

Yuwen Yue picking critical information from his brother’s words he replied: “You have a perfect spy.”

Ra Zheng straightened his shoulders and said it boldly: “It’s only a tip of the iceberg, more is coming.”

Yuwen Yue replied: “I can only guess, like the spy that has a long whip that belongs to the underworld.”

Ra Zheng said: “to the stars who listens, you read a lot.”

I only not read about it, I may have met someone somewhere maybe she is the secret spy to the mysterious princess, indigo scarf, angelic faces, lips like hell?

Did you see the face of the lady wearing the indigo scarf? Good thing you are still alive! Ra Zheng slightly raised his voice and gave Yuwen Yue big eyes and shook his head from left to right.

Ra Zheng came closer and said: You took off her scarf!! As far as I know, you cannot come close to the secret princess if she is wearing her indigo scarf, it’s either you come close then die. I am sorry, there are not so many options for you my brother.

Yuwen Yue was getting beef up with more information, but their conversation remains coded he replied: “I took it off accidentally and I just had a glimpse of her eyes.”

“So brave of you! Congratulations! Ra Zheng loudly cheered and continued to shook his head from left to right.

From this conversation, Yuwen Yue confirmed without doubts he encountered the secret princess, and the only puzzle piece left on his mind was how did the secret princess get his Poe Yue Jian sword? Did she steal this sword or something when he was fighting with his life in the Frozen lake? Does she know about Xinger?

As far as he can recall, Xing’er was the last person who used his sword to defend him. And why did she abandoned it on site? And how is he supposed to understand that automatic instinct of protecting her from an arrow shot by one of his cold warriors? Yuwen Yue in the middle of feeling strange and familiar, two feelings that shouldn’t have been present at the same time but this time it did. And those eyes, it’s as if deja vu, he is sure of himself he had already seen those eyes but cannot confirm if it was. He remembers but like a blind spot he cannot affirm at the moment.

Ra Zheng suddenly felt bored, he said: “I must go, or we won’t end this topic until the evening comes, and I am so sorry not much of any help, but if there’s anything, you know where to find big brother,”

Ra Zheng stood so handsome on his white Hanfu dress, he turned his back and walked outside and the eunuchs and servants waiting.

After three steps, suddenly a masked ninja like an unknown entity came from nowhere and like cold air blowing throw three needles suddenly an ear-splitting sound heard towards Ra Zheng’s chest. Yuwen Yue on his cold, expressionless face, suddenly took his unsheathed sword and swiftly put a fast counterattack sliding slow-motion horizontally straight using his unsheathed sword as the thin shield in front of his chest, all three needles thrown to the ground and Yuwen Yue stopped it in front of his brother and tapped the shoulder of Ra Zheng, sharp eyes, a gentle but cold force applied and Ra Zheng fell down but one of his hand touched the ground, and he suddenly flew tumbling on air and landing on the other side facing distant from Yuwen Yue.

Zuo suddenly came and jumped and twirled in one of the palace walls and flew in the air then pursued the masked ninja and suddenly found himself all alone. Like the wind, all gone. Yuwen Yue picked up the needle and Zuo came back and went closer to look at it while Ra Zheng was still on his fight stance position, he stood straight and as if nothing happened came closer to Yuwen Yue and said: ”Did I died? What’s the fuss, my brother?” Ra Zheng looking at the needle suddenly shattered like desert sand then just like ash to his palms.

Yuwen Yue survived hundreds of assassins, threats, traps, and ambush. He also met his end at the freezing icy lake but then with the help of some crepuscular light, his end became his new beginning. As one story ends, so is the new one began. Yuwen Yue saw that unblinding light, magical, silverish passing clouds circling around a woman and a very fast-paced trickling light all over her body and the flower tattoo at her back. How can he forget when he even called her name three times: Xinger, Xinger, Xinger. At the third call, he heard a voice, and then his vision faded.

Yuwen Yue said: ”A sand drizzle needle. It’ll freeze you then kill you.”

Ra Zheng replied: “sand drizzle needle!”

Yuwen Yue asked: “Why not? The book has a record of how it works.”

Zuo asked: Your Highness, how?

Yuwen Yue said: It is used to attack an enemy from every direction. Once it flies, the sand needle may land in a chakra making the subject unable to move then it is possible to initiate an attack without any blind spots. Often used as a lure in battles, a distracted opponent will be left vulnerable to attack one from below. For this to work, the enemy is first surprised to face upwards, then almost at an instant bringing their attention under their offensive attack, and a quick, bold move is made from underfoot.

Ra Zheng replied: “You read a lot, my brother! You saved the day for your big brother just do not spoil me, or I will make you do it again,”

Ra Zheng came closer to Yuwen Yue and whispered: “in short, I owe you, my brother,” and he patted the shoulder of Yuwen Yue and loudly said: “til next time” and he smiled and left with his servants.

***

“We are in prison with no walls, looks like we are free but in reality we are not,” said the flashing spear ranking brother then tried to throw his weapon, and it cannot pass through. Looking outside the prison of no walls has an invisibly thin layer of creeping plant extended to its atmosphere that makes the creepy walls not visible to the eyes.

Chu Qiao was busy in her usual daily training schedule when she just finished another round of sword fight with the Skyshadow woman. They are about to retire for the day when all of a sudden an unknown masked ninja flashed on their sight and threw three needles to the Skyshadow woman, and she turned into a shadowless entity to defend itself while Viper quickly runs towards it and used her whip and caught it.

However, Viper unable to control her whip as the masked ninja blew sand from its hands and went to Viper’s eyes. Viper was momentarily blinded, and Chu Qiao had to come to rescue she took her indigo scarf to protect Viper and herself while the masked ninja just went out of sight.

Chu Qiao said: Viper are you okay?

The Skyshadow woman turned in herself on her usual fashion of beggar dress with its black hood covering almost her entire face.

The Skyshadow woman handed over to Chu Qiao the three needles, and suddenly it melted into sand gradually faded away into ash. Chu Qiao asked: “is it the sand drizzle needle?”

“I am afraid it is. This type of weapon has not been used since the last celestial warfare battle, and it was utilized well, but it was all countered by the master Archer Yuwen Hao who brought the Chu Jing kingdom with its crossbow and devastated it with missile-like powers called Bing arrows (ice arrows). These arrows shattered the entire Chu Jing palace and put everyone into slaughter and shutdown of the underworld headquarters. “

Viper is regaining back its sight suddenly talked: “Mimi Gongzhu, there can only be one assassin who mastered this lure and have the martial arts to combine this type of weapon.”

Chu Qiao asked: “Who can it be?”

He is the direct disciple of the late Queen Luo He your mother, her assistant. He fought bravely until we saw her fall in a cliff defending the underworld spies including Trailkoya and me. We never knew he survived until today, I cannot be mistaken. He is called the master of Chasing sand drizzle.

Chu Qiao suddenly remembered her last standing on the mountain cliff and said to Viper: “I can recall the man whom I fought in the cliff, was the man who slaughtered our entire kingdom and my mother, Luo He? The man with the long spear? I summoned the four winds, but he can’t be defeated by some spiritual means. I changed my course, by might and strength I broke his bones and gave him the gentle touch of death. His heart went out and fallen from the cliff and then I went blackout. The might is too strong my power almost killed my body because I used my physical strength instead of my inner source.”

Viper was somewhat excited as Chu Qiao recovered back her memories of her old self, Chu Qiao remembers their last parting scene before everything happened in a flash.

Chu Qiao suddenly remembers again and asked: What happened to Trailkoya?

Viper turned her back, and suddenly her eyes are heavy and did not answer back Chu Qiao’s inquiry the sky shadow woman said: “He sacrificed his life to save you both.”

He is the master of trails, my personal advance party body and knows all of the maps and courses of journey, Chu Qiao suddenly feeling heavy she said softly: “Trailkoya can’t be dead.. he cannot be defeated just like that it was too easy..” and her eyes are letting go of tears.

The Skyshadow woman said: “If the opponent is too strong by physical means and its presence can divide like a blade in the face of underworld power and attacks by day, it is a sure win. Remember our powers only works half by day and full by night.”

I cannot be mistaken, I saw the son of the man who slaughtered my entire family and Trailkoya. He is here, and there is his band of brothers Chu Qiao fiercely looked at the prison with no walls and got angry.

Viper asked: “Who? The man whom I fought?”

Chu Qiao said: “No, it’s the man who held me in his arms and made me abandon the Poe Yue Jian sword.”

The Skyshadow woman said: “The man is the son of Yuwen Hao?”

“Yes,” Chu Qiao said.

Then the old woman asked again: How did you know it’s him?

Chu Qiao with a blank stare she said: I seemed to remember those cold, sharp eyes, his strong arms, his fast moves, his bold presence, his god-like face. I cannot be wrong, He is Yuwen Yue fourth master of Yuwen household. He is the master of the eyes of God.

“Then we are all dead if we won’t be able to take back the Poe Yue Jian sword,” said Viper.

What do you mean? He owns the Poe Yue Jian sword, the local townsfolk knows this well.

No, the Poe Yue Jian sword belongs to Qinghai empire, your father swore and guarded his life with it along with the Canhong sword, can’t you recall? Viper is looking at her and measuring her recovered memories.

I can only recall the man owns it, and he even gave me another sword which means the broken moon, the Canhong sword but I lost it at the battle in the Frozen Lake. Suddenly Chu Qiao remembering it all, stunned even herself at her own revelations if an object comes to life she remembers it all.

Then upon Chu Qiao’s hindsight became a light she said: It can’t be. Viper you said, the owner of the Poe Yue Jian sword is the son of the Qinghai King. If I recognized he owned it before the battle at the Frozen lake, then it means he is the lost son of the Qinghai King, and I am Xinger who used the Poe Yue Jian sword and fought his last stand at the Frozen Lake.

Viper on top her heart suggested: “Mimi Gongzhu, we need the spiritual healer to fully recover all your memories, and the Skyshadow woman can help us find him.”

“I will help you find him.” Tonight we go at the thousand caves, said the Skyshadow woman.

“Wait how about my Higanbana at my back, you said that the petals flowers would bloom on fall?” said Chu Qiao with some worry on her face.

Viper added: “the Higanbana flower will have its full power this coming winter it means when the mortal body is weak the spiritual body will become strong. The spiritual healer will not be able to help you recall your mortal body of memories. I am sorry Mimi Gongzhu.”

“Is there any way we can stop this power that happens only at winter until summer? asked Chu Qiao.

“Only the spiritual healer can tell. He knows all the secrets from start to end,” said the Skyshadow woman.

“Then we have to meet him and inquire. For now, I can recall only the man, I hate him and looks like I wanted to kill all those brothers who are with him,” said Chu Qiao with her angry face.

The Skyshadow woman rebutted: If you hate the son of the man who killed your family and slaughtered Chu Jing Kingdom, why did you fight to save him at the Frozen lake?

That is why I need the spiritual healer, I don’t still recall everything but to be honest often times, some flashbacks come to my head, and now I am convinced I was that woman called “Xinger” who bravely fought for that man Yuwen Yue.

Viper interrupted and said: And it is where I found you and saw the Poe Yue Jian sword floating in the lake. My hands were also burned when I took you out of the lake because your powers are overwhelming the first time I saw you again at the Frozen lake, but there was no other body found other than you Mimi Gongzhu.

Chu Qiao confirmed: “Yes I can recall when I first see you and myself near the frozen lake, after it, I cannot recall any why I was at the Frozen Lake. I really think whenever my dark powers are used to battle an extreme situation, my mortal body suffers, and the Higanbana flower collects all of these memories and empty my body and ships them to where? To save someone? Is my memories the powerful tool to save someone? Why does it always happen every time I encounter the Yuwen blood?”

“Well, I can see the difference,” said Viper then continued: The first time was you killed Yuwen Hao, and the last time was you saved Yuwen Yue, was that the name of the fourth master of the Yuwen household?”

“Yes, so strange. I killed one and saved one. How can that happen?” Chu Qiao is thinking deeply and said: “whatever the cost I must see the spiritual healer, and regain back my mortal memories before the winter season comes.”

“Then you take a rest, you need mortal strength later,” said the Skyshadow woman.

♥♥♥

Chapter 029 

♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥

Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography

To A Thousand Caves

A beautiful burgundy Palaquin is passing by streams of water from a mossy forest full of fireflies dancing all around. Chu Qiao asked Viper to stop for a while and witness the dance of fireflies brought her back to her childhood memories and then for a time her memories about her family, her brother Ling Xi, her sisters, and Yuwen Yue resurfaced.

Those memories came from the time she was Xinger a favored maidservant of the fourth young master of the Yuwen household. She can recall there has never been a day which fear has wrapped her heart for the lives of her brother and sisters but fear did not shrink her will and determination blossomed from the paths of the present slavery system, the aristocrats versus the life of its dogs and pigs of what they call its low slaves. Her memory was bitter-sweet, from moments of death to moments of short-lived good days, moments of battles, moments of a dog slave fighting the rotten system of the present dynasty’s luminaries.

Viper said: Fireflies in Fall?

Its amazing said Chu Qiao when they only appear, in summer. As Chu Qiao continue to look at them, it brings her recollection of past memories as if she is journeying back in time.

Yuwen Yue was one of the coldest noble she has ever met, but out of his coldness, she remembers the warmest safety walls of the Green Hills courtyard, the unspoken care his young master did to her, and that apple of eyes Yuwen Yue gave to Xinger. Unfortunately, Yuwen Yue’s bank of good memories was also painted with the most painful and lots of tears for her young master as her heart hopes for his master’s out of love gestures will somehow go to end up in a bright future with Yuwen Yue.

Everyone knows, without some miracle, she will always just be a bedchamber maid of the fourth young master. It was a position much better and elevated than being a dog slave but to enjoy the rights of being respected and put into pedestal was quite not part of it. Though she is not much entitled to it, she took her only chance, and in the contest, she really tried her best to win it, to save her sisters and hopes to live a free and healthy life is her real intention.

Not to mention being the bedchamber maid of the fourth master will gain an opportunity to kill him and avenge the death of his only brother Ling Xi whom Yuwen Yue took its life by its sword.  This part was the hardest as she also remembers Yuwen Yue tried to explain to her why Ling Xi has to die was not because it was his master’s will but her brother’s last dying wish. Yuwen Yue honored only what Ling Xi asked him to do, it was never of Yuwen Yue’s character to obey a slave’s request but he broke it just for Ling Xi.

Out of guilt, Ling Xi asked his master Yuwen Yue to do it, and out of mercy, Yuwen Yue granted it. Ling Xi thinks because of his not so careful actions he has brought chaos and death to the grandfather of his fourth young master, Yuwen Gao who was at that time on a life and death situation. Yuwen Yue did not want Ling Xi to die but the available antidote for the poison at that time was only good for one shot, and on that night two of them were poisoned. Lin Xi in a hopeless situation, he thanked his young master and asked him to end his life not by the poison but by his gentle hands he begged. Yuwen Yue was forced to decide in the middle of two dying people, he has to save one and kill the other one. Xinger saw at a cold distance what her master did to his 5th brother, and from thereon, she promised herself to avenge the death of his brother unknowingly what really transpired that night and believed only on what she saw with her eyes and his brother put to death and burned into the fire.

She also remembered the sunny prince of Yanbei, Yan Xun who became her mighty pillar who took the opportunity to make her as his comrade and general of Xuili Army. A bright and gloomy memory of this insistent Yanbei Prince who saved her a lot of troublesome times and as the prince gave her more options to become his perfect escape she decided to join his envoy and left the green pastures of Yuwen household. Only thing, her painful memory consisted of Yan Xun’s total murder of his family, and she became the Prince deadliest chess piece from Yanbei’s chess match to the Shen Jin Emperor and declared rebellion to the throne.

A total castaway from the royal throne, Yan Xun was stripped off from his royal position and turned into a rebel. Until she saw that part of herself where she was called A’chu, Yan Xun made her dreams come true by becoming her a free citizen and stripped off her slave status, broke what is customary and lived like there is no status in between them to respect.  At least in the inside, they lived like no boundaries, whatever Yan Xun possess, A’Chu does the same.

A’Chu dreams of a better world happened inside Changan down to Yanbei territories where he commissioned A’Chu to expand his influence including the expense of her life endangered when she went with the Liang Prince Xiao Ce to turn Changan in chaos and let Xiao Ce’s dead head pay for their perfect getaway, up to permitting her to control the Xuili army whom Yan Xun promised to draw out their blood until their bones dry out.

Yan Xun shall never forgive Xuili’s army mistake of letting the Wei army breach their borders, that paved their way to annihilate the Yan royal family and its Yanbei citizen’s dying to the hungry blades of Wei, leaving only him as the only scapegoat.

Chu Qiao getting buried on the bank of her mortal memories, she accepted this part of herself as something permanent and can never select which one to keep and which one to delete. She has to help herself recover those missing parts before her powers bring her to some unconsciousness of these memories, it may lead her to wipe it out completely. Chu Qiao also knows that one day she will have to face them again. She hopes that when she does, she is all-knowing and not leaping in the dark.

Let’s go said Chu Qiao after some hanging thoughts and the mesmerizing view of the fireflies, the mossy forest, she got inside her paladin and Viper manned the reins of the three horses and continued their journey to the thousand caves but the Skyshadow woman was not with them. Chu Qiao wonders where she is but Viper told her, she will just appear whenever she is needed.

To a thousand caves, Zao Baocung just arrived from a long journey, coming from the borders of Liang and Wei. He will stay and shall spend a little longer than usual due to his mission of finding Yuwen Yue as ordered by the Prince of Liang hoping to see the warm body of the previous heir of eyes of God is still alive contrary to Yuwen Household press release. Zao was busy feeding his hamster pets when suddenly one of the biggest hamsters came and is munching a special mooncake with a note inside, the cute hamster full of its mouth, Zao took it and read: “Come to see me, I need secret information.” By the time Zao is coming out of one of its cave to meet the visitor, he changed his outfit and put its bloody, blackest red hood and a string of rope as his belt. With some finishing touches on his face, finally, he looks like a priest of the olden times who will perform a scary ceremony. He smiled at himself and looks scary. This kind of creepy look builds his credibility as one of the master healers of the underworld spies. Whatever the proceeds of this job, he sends it to the treasury of Chu Jing Kingdom to rebuild its ruins again.

The gatekeeper of the cave on its usual duty sits at the entrance of the cave like a blind beggar exposing its old wrinkled hand asking for the gold coin. The cave is literally counted as thousand of caverns underneath the earth and if you are not careful to follow the instructions set by the gatekeeper you won’t come out alive or get lost and like the other unwise visitors have their bones buried inside. The gatekeeper requires a special gold coin that can only be accepted after being tested, if a visitor tries to lure or attack or offer a fake coin to mislead the gatekeeper, the story is told, the gatekeeper will feed its soul to the underworld as payment for trickery so is the gatekeeper demands life in exchange.

After seeing the spiritual healer the visitor may come out only after the blindfolded and perform to walk three times in the spiral temple located inside. Confusing having no sense of direction whether north or south, the healer will guide the way to get out of the cave. It will take a day to get out. You better prepare because this trip inside the thousand caves would require physical strength and also endurance.

Yuwen Yue and Zuo is determined. Both have great talents as masters of disguise, so they were able to bypass Qinghai’s royal protocols and roamed around free. At the entrance, the gatekeeper said: “Only one can pass the other cannot.” Yuwen Yue determined to break the rules said: “I brought not only one coin but a thousand coins for my brother, please I am buying his way in, he cannot survive without me.” Zuo acted like he was such a helpless and disabled brother with his hunch back and filthy clothes and Yuwen Yue from rich to rugged man attire again, true to their titles as the masters of disguise.

The gatekeeper tested one coin in the water, and the coin did not change its color and so poured more until a thousand coins were in the stone basin of water were filled while the two waits at the entrance, they were looking at a possible way out in case of emergency. The gatekeeper is not looking at whether the guest is rich or poor. Anyone can enter the cave as long as they carry the gold coin coming only from an accepted true source. Anyone can pass. The gatekeeper is blind, it is not allowed to see who is coming in. Yet, its job is to spiritually look at the intentions of the heart. One’s intention will be weighed whether it is good or evil, the outcome is not its business.

“Zuo this is uncharted territory. It is scarier than I thought” said Yuwen Yue.

“I know your Highness, be careful not to show your sword or else we’re done,” whispered by Zuo.

Yuwen Yue sees the old gatekeeper and senses there’s a bit of a problem however they let them pass. They walked together with a map handed by the gatekeeper who disappeared and gone like the wind.

Zuo as immature as he is wanted to jump and laugh out loud because for the first time, the gatekeeper in its sharpness and keen senses they were able to surpass its cruel entrance requirements.

Yuwen Yue slightly tapped Zuo and told him to keep still they need to move according to the map or else they will be buried alive and get lost.

Zuo’s husky voice he whispered: “I should have invited you here before we came to Qinghai, our visit here is long overdue, and he giggled like a boy, and Yuwen Yue tapped him again and put his hands on his mouth to shut up Zuo’s mouth.”

Not so long the two reached the place, and before they could even react, Zao Baocung on his back turned up to see their faces. Yuwen Yue, on his stature, so handsome also if its rugged appearance, his cold eyes looked at Zao Baocung and Zuo still looking like a hunchback dork. Zao Baocung on his closed droopy eyes opened them and look at his visitors he said it a scary voice: “You both broke the rule.”

Yuwen Yue quickly said:” “We did not. The gatekeeper let us pass. This is legitimate.”

“No.,” said Zao Baocung, “the sky shadow is following you, you are doomed. I’m done here.”

Suddenly Yuwen Yue raised his brows and twitched his palms and got angry and grabbed Zao Baocung’s hand. Zao on his other hand got the sword on his waist and about to cut Yuwen Yue when suddenly Zuo stood up straight, came to Zao and without hesitation he holds its sharp blade, his hands were now dripping blood. Yuwen Yue quickly reacted and in between its moments of a rush, Zuo buying him time, Yuwen Yue took out his Poe Yue Jian sword, and his hood fell.

Zao was surprised to see the person on his mission came to him, and immediately he put down his blade, and Yuwen Yue quickly tore the hem of his clothes and wrapped it around Zuo’s hands. Yuwen Yue gave a Celadon bottle to Zuo, and Yuwen Yue went to finish Zao Baocung when suddenly Zao fell down looking at him, shouted and said: “It is I, I did not recognize you until your hood fell and that sword you are holding is one of the lover’s sword.”

Yuwen Yue heard the lover’s sword and recalls one person who revealed it in front of his apprentice spy Xinger. Yuwen Yue gave the Canhong sword when he was still the master of the eyes of God. It was the time when both of them were trapped inside Zao Baocung’s cave. Xinger and Yuwen Yue feeling awkward when Zao revealed the swords they carry is the lover’s sword. Yuwen Yue suddenly had typhoid fever and Zao revealed it is inborn. If Xinger will not take care of it, Yuwen Yue will die. Zao Baocung took the time to have some fun with Xinger when they stayed for three days at his cave. Zao Baocung sensed Xinger lost her past memories. He offered to cure and promised the service for free. Being the crafty and smart merchant, he put a condition to collect the debt when Xinger recalls Wind and Cloud decree. Xinger now owes him. Not a bad business he thought.

 Zao started to place Xinger in a hypnotized state. Xinger for the first time recovered past memories of herself, who she is and what she had been doing before she came to Yuwen household. Yuwen Yue interrupted and stopped Zao Baocung and forced Zao to let them out of the cave.

Yuwen Yue snapped himself back not realizing who is this druid priest-like guy at first, suddenly his pets came one by one nipping the ground. Yuwen Yue on his sharp memory remembered them all and said: “Zao Baocung! A not so pleasant surprise.”

Zao Baocung immediately went to Zuo and said to Yuwen Yue: “Zuo will die in a few hours if the poison on his wound will not be given an antidote.” Quickly, Zao Baocung took out a small bottle and acupuncture needles, unwrapped his wounds and prick some needles around its wounds to stop the poison flowing to his veins reaching his heart. Zuo Zong passed out soon as Zao inserted the needle at the middle of the wound with the antidote and Zao said to Yuwen Yue: He will lie unconscious for an hour but he will soon vomit the poison and will recover, the poison did not reach its heart.

Yuwen Yue got down on his knees, looking so worried for the first time. On his cold eyes he threw some stern glance at Zao and did not say anything, he just held Zuo in his arms. suddenly, Zao Baocung stood up and countered the attack of the Skyshadow gatekeeper and said: “Old woman, they are not enemies, he holds the Poe Yue Jian sword.”

The old woman still shadowless and did not show itself said: “I know he carried the Poe Yue Jian sword, my master was attacked by him, and the sword was abandoned and now I am getting it back. He is the son of the man who slaughtered the entire Chu Jing Kingdom, he must die.”

And the Skyshadow once again is going to attack when suddenly Yuwen Yue rose and slowly unsheathed the Poe Yue Jian sword, and they began to hear a whirring, ear-splitting sound coming from the sword on its unblinding light with its inscriptions lasing its double-edged blades. The Skyshadow’s eyes saw the light and its eyes caught its light, her hood fell and exposed her face, and suddenly the old woman transformed to its former state and became a beautiful one. The Poe Yue Jian sword freed her curse and the woman was lying unconscious on the ground, and Zao came to aide her.

After few minutes of making sure the woman is fine, Zao went to Yuwen Yue who is still not putting his guard down and then Zao Baocung on his knees fell in front of him and said: “You, you are the reason I still came to live this life for the sake of the secret princess. I cannot be mistaken, you are the lost son of the Qinghai King.” and Zao sobs for a moment and asks for pardon.

Zuo was recovering his consciousness and saw his hands with some needles, Yuwen Yue went back to him and said: “Do not move, an hour has not yet passed, the antidote is at work, eliminating the poison, keep still and stay alive.” While the Skyshadow woman was still lying there and she has not regained her consciousness yet.

Zao Baocung still on his knees Yuwen Yue went back to him and said: “Very well, you almost killed my brother, if he does not recover within an hour, I will cut your head.” And Yuwen Yue on his cold eyes dismissed Zao but continued to talk: “We came here to ask for secret information about the secret princess and the Chu Jing kingdom, and this is what we got.”

Zao replied and said: “Anything you would want to know your Highness, I am at your service.” Suddenly Zao Baocung not that arrogant and airy type of person any longer became serious and showed a servant attitude.

Yuwen Yue accomplishing his goal for the day said: “I need the key to the secret door of Chu Jing kingdom. My brother said, nobody dared to step and lived after they breach its walls, after its shutdown, the ground became parched and dry, a fragrant flower poison grew around its perimeters making it impossible to breach.

“Your Highness, if you don’t mind, may I ask a question.”

Yuwen Yue gave him a cold stare and said: “Ask.”

“Did you just bring Yue Qi here? This guy over here seems to look like Yue Qi without his hunch back and dirty face, you disguised him? At the back of his mind, Yuwen Yue might have met Xiao Ce first and brought Yue Qi here? He has a long journey back to East.

“You know what, I had that first impression the first time I met Zuo Zong. They both look-alike and yet so different.”

Zao Baocung got released his worries in the wind said: I really thought he is Yue Qi.

Yuwen Yue said: I read his obituary in the newspapers, he is dead. Yuwen Yue sat down and started to wait for the recovery time of Zuo.

Zao Baocung thinks Yuwen Yue does not have that inside information of what happened to Yue Qi and that means Xiao Ce is a cunning master of keeping secrets.

Your Highness, while waiting we must talk, and you must listen. I am your loyal servant from now on.

What makes you so sure, I will become your master? Yuwen Yue gave him a cold stare.

Your Highness, I know some things you seek at the moment. Not just only about the Chu Jing Kingdom but all secrets pass through me regarding your bodyguard Yue Qi.

“You cannot bring back the dead to walk again.” Yuwen Yue looking gloomy hearing the name of Yue Qi.

Zao Baocung replied: “Your Highness, who said, I cannot bring back the dead to life? Your Highness has not given me a chance, and I have not introduced myself to you.”

Yuwen Yue did not respond and just brushed off Zao when Zao said: “I can assure you Yue Qi is alive and well. As to what happened that is something you must find Your Highness. Zao feeling hurt Yuwen Yue is disregarding everything he says. Zao sat down on one of the stone walls pouting his lips.”

Yuwen Yue feeling heavy on his company’s hurt feelings on his coldness, he stood up and went to the woman who is lying unconscious and said: “Can you bring her to life? It seems she’s dead when she saw my sword.”

Zao did not respond, to get more attention from Yuwen Yue.

Yuwen Yue about to come close when suddenly Zuo vomited the poison. Slowly sat on the cave’s stone wall feeling still drowsy and tired. Yuwen Yue went to him instead and asked: “How are you?”

Zuo opened his eyes and meet his masters then replied: “I am fine master, I need water.” Yuwen Yue let him drink. Zao was looking at them both, seems to think he is Yue Qi’s doppelgänger as they really look-alike even if Zuo is disguised on his hunchback beast in this drama.

Zuo gaining more strength said: “What do we do next?”

Zao replied and said: “Nothing, just sit here until the Skyshadow wakes up.”

“Really?” said Yuwen Yue, as Yuwen Yue recalling what happened last time, Xing’er and he were trapped in the cave with him. Yuwen Yue started to feel hot in his head, and he leaned on the cave stone wall.

While Zuo is gaining strength, Yuwen Yue is feeling sick, and Zao said the same thing he said to Xinger before: “He has typhoid fever. It’s inborn.”

Zuo cannot believe this is happening as he never saw his master brother sick, only now.

Zuo said: “What can I do?”

Zao said: “I can make it go away and he will recover soon.”

“Do it now!” Zuo is pressing Zao.

Zao said: “we wait until its nightfall.”

Zuo stopped talking and just went beside his master brother, his hands over his head, and Yuwen Yue on his closed eyes started to lie down and sleep for a while.

Zao started to call his hamster pets, and his pets came he whispered to them, and the hamsters begin to disperse. And then after an hour the intelligent small and cute pets came in one by one and their mouths full of herbal leaves, Zao told them what to find. Zao took it from their mouths and cleaned it from his mini-kitchen at the cave.

Zuo was just watching Zao until the Skyshadow woke up and suddenly got a small dagger in her old boots and pointed it to Zuo while she was crawling backward away from Zuo.

Zuo did not bother at her so as not to make her defensive but said: “I am not your enemy.”

The Skyshadow woman suddenly went calm and asked: “what just happened?”

“Same thing here, what happened?” Zuo on his ridicule side threw back her question.

The Skyshadow woman saw his wounded hand and knows the antidote worked on his poison.

Zao just finished his job at the kitchen and saw the Skyshadow woman, said: “Welcome to the cave world.”

The Skyshadow woman threw a star dart but Zao on a fast move was not hit and as if nothing happened. She got upset with him and said: “You mean underworld?” the Skyshadow woman smirked at him and then looked at the man so handsome lying on the ground, though he is so ruggedly looking, his total face is looking like a god.

“And this man, who is he? The Poe Yue Jian sword on his side,” she complained.

Zuo limping came in front of her and said: “hep, hep you are not allowed to come close to a god.” Zuo replied as if he knows what on her mind.

The Skyshadow woman about to pick a fight with Zuo when Zao interrupted and said: “Two is a company, three is a crowd and four is a mass! Suddenly the two stopped to pick a fight, seems to get what Zao means.

Zao added: “I am sure you both know the rules of this thousand cave. So save your strength and fight later. We need to get out before dawn, we will take the shortcut on this one day journey, these herbals will only last for a while and works like a band-aid. Our Highness needs some cold air, he is suffocated, and thus his temperature goes up, and the high fever is the result.”

His Highness? the sky shadow woman is looking straight with Zao Baocung waiting for further clarification.

Zao got her eyes and added: Respect your Highness, without him and his sword, you’re curse has no cure.

Suddenly the Skyshadow looked at her hands, her feet, her hair and touched her face. And suddenly she said: Zao I am back, I am not blind and people can see me even if the sunset has not yet arrived.

Zao smiled and said: Credit goes to our Highness, we need to help him get out of here.

“Sure any help I would cooperate,” but she threw some stern look at Zuo and Zuo looked at her, came close to her face and said: “You know what, if you were just like what your face now and not what your face looks like earlier, I would have been a very good boy at you.” Zuo threw her a sly smile.

The Skyshadow woman about to slam his face when Zao said: What happened to save your strength and fight later? And the Skyshadow halted her hand and Zuo gave a peace sign to her and said: “Another time!”

The Skyshadow upset on her face just stood beside Yuwen Yue and looks at his face. Suddenly she said: “The man who freed my cursed was my Mimi Gongzhu archenemy.”

“Not at all,” said Zao.

Why not, he is the son of Yuwen Hao, did you lost your memories too like the secret princess? Skyshadow woman sneered at Zao.

This is hard to explain, but you will come to know about it soon, Zao told her to dismiss the Skyshadow woman.

At nightfall, Zao gave Yuwen Yue some herbal leaves and took Yuwen Yue, they carried him on their backs. Zao opened some portal at the thousand caves to walk into the shortcut path. Zuo saw them all. Hence he now knows its secrets and Zao did not object but told him: “guard those secrets well, it may save lives someday.”

After a few hours passed, the four got out of the cave between the moonset and sunrise met their eyes, Zuo Zong fully recovered while Yuwen Yue starts to feel better, fever is gone. Zao Baocung and the Skyshadow closed the portals, they began to walk on the mossy forest.

♥♥♥

Chapter 030

♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥

Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography

An Army of dry bones

A man with a peasant farmer dress was walking in the city, he wears a unique hat made of straw to cover his face, and his footwear looks very worn out. He looks healthy and well, judging him from a distance, he cannot be just a local farmer from a nearby town. Suddenly a group of bystanders looked at him and saw him they went curiously. They think he is not a native of this land. Ten men surrounded the peasant man who stopped walking at the busy street in the middle of the market, put his head down and clenched his palms.

The bystander leader came from behind, his face slightly moved to a diagonal side to look at the front. The peasant man somewhat concealing his face inside the man’s straw hat. The bystander leader saw his sword eyebrows and closed eyes.

The bystander leader put back the straw hat and said: “teach him to become humble,” and then he went back to the surrounding men and started to pick a fight.

Suddenly attacks from left and right came out from the men surrounding him and started to punch and kick towards the peasant man. The man being evident as outlandish from the city did not fight back. He was beaten hard by this bystander group. When he was almost crawling in the ground the bystander leader came forward and sat down and lifted the jaw of the peasant man. Looked at him, he said: “isn’t this enough?,” the bystander leader looks at him and seems there is no hint of humbleness shown from his bloody face.

The leader ordered the group to take the man and said: “if humbleness is not enough, then we’ll teach you what underworld is all about,” and gave an eye signal to the group, they took the peasant man in the mossy forest.

For some reason, the peasant man although he is able to fight back he just let these bystanders do what they wanted to do at him leaving them tired for the day. The peasant man was hanged to a  gigantic pine tree, on his neck is a very thick rope strangling it with a lone thin post erected where his tied feet stand.

One of the bystanders is axing the lower part of the post, and it’s quite halfway before it is going to fall and maybe its the end of the peasant man’s world. No humbleness is shown, in his face or his eyes, he remains expressionless and as if he was already dead in the inside. But still looking proud in the outside. His defined angled face shows the tired eyes, he thought of himself: “If this is the only way to find you again then so be it.”

It was afternoon where the mossy forest is waiting for the sunset, the dark hawks birds started flying on the trees, and many bat caves also flew in circle direction, different insect sounds heard, and an eerie feeling of some ferocious beasts started to make their presence known. The bystander group knows this route very well, and they told themselves to teach what underworld looks like to this poor man who is just hanging over the tree and almost shows no hope at all.

The bystander leader made fun of the erected post, and it is going to be three or more swinging of ax, and it’s going to fall. The peasant man just listens and never fought back. He already accepted that this fate may be better rather than go back to see his brothers and let them know what the real thing is.

On the last swing of the ax, suddenly someone took it by force, and then everyone looked at the long-stranded rope that binds the axe, then a strong pull from its hands. All of a sudden a hellish face, an eyes like the bloody red vampire that thirsts blood in their necks came in the middle facing all of them, their knees like a bendable bamboo and a creepy feeling issued on air, seems they were the ones who are going to taste the  underworld before their victim does. The woman got the ax on her left hand and swings her whip to them and then we’re all caught by it, and everyone got a taste of its pain that left a mark to their arms and bites like a fang to their muscles.

“How many times do you have to learn your lesson not to joke about the underworld? It seems you were the one who shall be taught a lesson to become humble?” Spoken on a foxy, husky voice, a hint of bass howling sounds of owls.

And somebody came out, and everyone gazed upon her unspeakable beauty on her black hood, foxy face and that fragrant smell of early dew of the plum blossoms dropping around her as the cold wind blows in front of their faces suddenly on-air snapped their attention.

One of the bystander leaders said: “They are enchanted from the underworld! Everyone, back out!! Run for your lives! They will feed your souls to the underworld!”

And all of the bystander group left the mossy forest leaving their victim behind hanging on the tree.

The delicate fine woman picked up the straw hat left at the ground while the woman with a hellish face used the ax to cut the rope in the tree and her whip quickly bind the man before its fall. Viper took out the rope that strangled the man’s neck, but before he passed out right after he saw Viper’s face, the man said softly: “Is this what the underworld looks like?” and the man closed his eyes and went to sleep like a baby.

Chu Qiao looked at the man and said to Viper: “Put this man to one of our sturdy horses, he’ll be dead meat by tomorrow if we do not help him today.”

“Yes” Mimi Gongzhu, Viper took his shoulders and pulled his body and slowly put him at the black study horse, making his two feet hanging in the horse and his body leaning the back of the horse became his sleeping bed for the night.

The night went deep, and the three warm bodies slowed down a bit on their journey trailing a thousand caves.

**

The sun is up and Yuwen Yue is feeling a lot better opened his eyes and said: Zuo where is this place?

Zuo about to say something when Zao interrupted and said: “Your Highness, didn’t you asked about the keys to the secret doors of Chu Jing Kingdom?”

Yuwen Yue on his cold eyes narrowed, realizing he is being carried at their backs suddenly stopped both of them from walking. Yuwen Yue found himself a little embarrassed; he stood up straight dusting himself to straighten the creases of his dress and straighten his back, open full his chest.

Zuo looking at his handsome master brother so conscious of his appearance softly said to himself: “Thank the Qians, this god is well.”

Yuwen Yue thinks he might have heard a murmur he asked: “Are you praying to the gods?”

Zuo said:  “Your Highness, why would I pray when I am walking with one.”

Zao smirked and said: “Yeah you’re right! Only a god can cure you and save you from the deadly poison.”

Yuwen Yue gave them both a cold stare as if both have soreness on their noses.

Zuo rebutted then said to Zao: “if you are a god, then you are the worst one!” and he smiled at Zao.

Zao smirked at him and said: “Young people nowadays! If you were not just like Yue Qi’s face, this god would not have saved you!”

Zuo asked: “Dear God: who is Yue Qi?” and he gave Zao a sly smile.

Zao said: Why ask me? And Zao looked at Yuwen Yue who is profoundly thinking and seriously walking.

Yuwen Yue sensed Zao is looking at him he said: “Enough both of you. Stay still.” and Yuwen Yue hustled. A bird came to him and tweeted: “Yue Qi dead, dead, dead.” The Yuwen parrot landed on his shoulders.

“Yue Qi is dead?” repeated by Zuo and he got some silence between the Zao and Yuwen Yue.

Suddenly the sky shadow woman came and told Zao, all is clear except for this thing and showed them an ax and a long thick rope.

Yuwen Yue came closer and looked at it and looks around the mossy forest he said: “Somebody came here. It may be a group, he said when he sees the horses’ hooves and some footprints left behind their marks.”

Yuwen Yue on his cunning mind and sharp senses when it comes to investigations, so he let his company rest for a while and asked Zuo to come along with him.

Yuwen Yue muttered: “A bonfire, a stand post, a gigantic pine tree, a rope, and an ax, horse hooves and footprints all around and finally tiny petals of plum blossoms.”

As a quick flashback, he was able to play the scenario in his mind.

“Zuo, someone was strangled here, however no trace of sticky blood, the victim was hanged in the tree and then someone axing this post and on the last swing someone stopped it, looks like someone ran away, no not just someone there were many of them ran away, afraid of someone, someone who has this fragrant plum blossom scent.” Yuwen Yue finally opened his eyes.

“Your Highness, that is clever thinking. Do I need to search for the area?” Zuo is scratching his head as he cannot believe his master brother’s strength of smell and somehow managed to recite the order of events about what happened in the mossy forest.

“No this must have happened yesterday around afternoon, and soon they were gone at twilight, we cannot trace them nearby, the sun is up.” Yuwen Yue on his coldness did not say it all to Zuo but thinks it is the secret princess, its secret spy and a victim they took from the pine tree.

Zao and Skyshadow were left alone, and the woman inquired: Are we going to help the man who holds the Poe Yue Jian sword?

“I understand how you feel. Let me tell you one thing. I knew Yuwen Yue since he was a child being one of the esteemed fourth young master and son of the master of the Eyes of God Yuwen Hao and I already saw him using the sword when he came to my boutique. He came accidentally with his female spy. I also saw the Canhong sword with his female spy, so I trapped them inside the cave. I could have killed them both, but it did not happen, I don’t feel like killing somebody at that time, and I don’t know why. I even gave some of my precious possessions like maps, a pair of wings. The underworld authentic clothing and the black sword to his female spy to help that female spy kill one of Yuwen Yue’s grandfather uncle Yuwen Xi and at least avenge our Chu Jing kingdom. I did not recognize Yuwen Yue at that time, that he is the lost son of the Qinghai King until he used the sword to free your curse yesterday.”

Why can’t any man do it as long as they have the Poe Yue Jian sword?

“No man can use the Poe Yue Jian unless it was bestowed by the Qinghai King himself. But maybe Yuwen Hao’s took the sword at the chaotic time of our kingdom then gave it to Yuwen Yue who was his son but I heard about the icy lake tragedy. Yuwen Yue died when the Yanbei prince lured him, A’Chu and him were about to get married. Somehow there was also a story that the mother or Qinghai King’s son came from Wei and somehow may have hid the baby to a noble household but nobody can claim if this is true.

Yuwen Yue holding the Poe Yue Jian sword who released its power was the only sign that he is the lost son of the Qinghai King.” Zao giving more secret information than it should not be at a mossy forest is not appropriate.

Zao paused and added: “A lot of stories there and Luo He, our underworld spy leader knows this very well. I don’t know yet how these things came to happen today, but the Qinghai King himself can only recite the power of the sword to the true heir to the Qinghai throne.” Zao said informal tone looking directly at the Skyshadow woman, and suddenly she understood what Zao impressed at her. She thinks she is forced to accept the son of the man who destroyed Chu Jing kingdom, was also the son of the Qinghai King. For her, it doesn’t make sense.

By the way, you said you met the Mimi Gongzhu?

“Yes, I have been with her for more than a year, and the bad news is she lost her memories.”

Lost her memories? Zao Baocung surprised on what he heard, suddenly remembered Xinger. Skyshadow seems to pass some of their recent updates to the master healer of Chu Jing kingdom since the last time they saw each other was a year ago.

“Yes, Viper and I had been trying to help her ever since and we were able to restore the Chu Jing kingdom at least with her help and some residents who came back and rebuild its ruins.

What’s more to this was the presence of the Chasing sand drizzle master who attacked me. So Viper and the Mimi Gongzhu decided to meet you and now, on their way to a thousand caves to meet you and help her recover more of her memories before winter comes. I come in advance to make sure you were in the thousand caves before their arrival.”

Zao still looking surprised and somehow excited, shouted with an upset tone in his voice: “You should have told me in advance! That mooncake is free just for you. You don’t have to buy it to inform me! How am I supposed to divide myself, I have other mission too with the Qinghai crown prince and now the Mimi Gongzhu? This is unexpected because you did not inform me right away!”

“I informed you using the mooncake. Before my curse was freed, I am blind. What I thought yesterday, the two people who came to us was Viper and Mimi Gongzhu and I felt their hearts have pure intentions but seems they disguised it to protect themselves, so I let them pass.”

“But why did you attacked us afterward?” So just for Mimi Gongzhu, you are ready to break the rules? Zao is questioning the Skyshawdow’s actions.

“Because I smelled some blood and poison at the same time. I am blind, and I am not able to see whose in the cave so long as they have the coin, I let them pass, that’s the only rule. I thought about the Mimi Gongzhu’s safety and maybe she has been attacked by you. Remember, I have not met you for a year, and you only came yesterday.”

We need to hurry then and go back to the thousand caves for the Mimi Gongzhu,” said the anxious and excited Zao.

After Zao Baocung was informed, they were about to go when suddenly Zuo came in front of the two and asked: “You two, where are you going?” Yuwen Yue came in behind with his calm face he asked: “What is happening here?”

The Skyshadow forwarded and came in front, face to face with Zuo and said: “We can’t let you know. It is a secret.”

“After what we have done to you, this is how you repay us?” said Zuo and he gave the woman a formal face.

“We are sorry, we cannot go further,” insisted by the Skyshadow woman.

Yuwen Yue responded with a calm voice: We have our band of brothers waiting in the Chu Jing kingdom, Zao said you could help us find the key.

The Skyshadow woman sneered at Yuwen Yue and said: “What makes you think I will help the son of a man who destroyed Chu Jing kingdom?” Yuwen Yue raised his brows and seems to know what the Skyshadow was referring to is his father Yuwen Hao.

Suddenly Zao Baocung came in between Yuwen Yue and the Skyshadow woman trying to reconcile the two, said: “Your Highness, I am sorry for her actions today. She is confused about your status. I will explain later, but for now, we have to go back to meet the Mimi Gongzhu.”

Yuwen Yue asked: “You mean the secret princess?”

“Why do you know her?” said the Skyshadow woman.

Zuo and Yuwen Yue looked at each other for a while.

“No.” Yuwen Yue said it short and bland with his cold face.

And Zuo and the Skyshadow started to pick a fight. Suddenly, another unknown entity came to the mossy forest and showered lots of Sand drizzle needles and be gone. Yuwen Yue counter attacked them all with his sword and they were turned to ashes but lost the two, Zao, and the Skyshadow escaped. Yuwen Yue and Zuo Zong found themselves left alone. Yuwen Yue run out of time, let the two escape, he needs to go back to the Qinghai state and Zuo looking so angry with the two who abandoned them.

**

The peasant man suddenly woke up feeling better than yesterday; he opened his right eye while the other one is halfway closed full or morning glory he said: “Am I in the underworld?’ Viper about to slam his head when the man suddenly fell from the horse.

Urgh…aw…aw..the man feeling its pain doesn’t know if it’s coming from the fall or his bruises from his body trying to recover from the hazing session he got from the bystander group.

Viper came closer and lean a bit and look at his bruised face and black eyes she said: “did you let them punish you, or you just want to pass their hazing session to impress their ugly leader and join them?”

The man replied in a hoarse voice: “none of the above.”

Viper said: Very well, stand up and let’s go to the stream nearby and get you clean, undress your dirty clothes.

“What?” said the man still on pain on his wounds and bruises all over his body.

“Did you not hear? If you do not obey, I will drag you out and have a taste of this,” and Viper slammed her whip at the rocks and looking impatient and not giving him empathy.

Okay, okay, easy girl, I’ll obey.

Good! Move! Viper still looks so bossy on him but felt some fun inside, although this guy seems to have a big buff body, the guy is on his helpless circumstance, obeyed.

He murmured: “I don’t get orders from others except my general and not even this underworld girl that looks likes she lives in a bat cave.”

“Did you just say I am a bat cave girl huh?”

The man smiles and replied: “No. I said you’re a nice girl, helping a batman! No, a nice boy, I mean.”

“You!! be nice to the batgirl or I will not spare the fangs of this whip and will not hesitate to have part two of your hazing yesterday!” Viper slammed her whip again on the rocks and the man slightly afraid he stood straight and went fast to the stream.

The man is halfway undressing and about to clean himself in the stream when Viper at a distance cut a long stalk stem of grass put it on her mouth nipping it, stealing some glances on the poor man.

The man swallowed when they caught their eyes together, and he paused for a while, but he continued to undress when he saw the girl’s whip. Viper narrowed her eyes and seems to be enjoying the scene with the man’s buff body and perfect muscles in place even if its full of bruises and wounds, a rare view, like that of an Adonis statue in Italy with fountains all around, a gift from the gods.

The man suddenly complained: “I can’t take a bath if someone is looking at me,” he said to Viper.

“And my whip cannot control itself if I turn around and see you escape. Continue or die!”

The man did not have any choice but to become a stripper in front of his batgirl and Viper still not changing her fierce, full of ridicule eyes, looking at his body, he continued. The man began to take out his shirt and another shirt inside and his outer pants and other inside pants leaving only his inner wear pants and his bandana in his head. The man on his buff body, perfect shape muscles on display made Viper swallow on her throat and seems she is sweating, but really the weather is cold.

After a few seconds, Viper looking pleased with the view, she suddenly came over to the man and held his waist and swayed him to the other side and slammed her whip to the water. Suddenly the crocodile mouth opened wide and the man to his fear like he was grabbing a sword, but he has no sword was caught in surprise when Viper leaped in the water like a fierce beast used her whip and bound the mouth of the croc.

Viper was so full of herself that he saved an adonis man she said: “I am not the only eyes who is watching you, so move fast! Now!” Viper shouted.

The man suddenly moved quickly, get dressed, and he is done, and both of them got out of the stream.

The two is walking uphill when suddenly Chu Qiao met them halfway and said to Viper: “Did you get jealous with the crocs and let him move fast without washing his dress?”

The man suddenly surprised, and he stared on his big eyes looking at the divine lady in front of him and frozen on his knees.

Viper answered and said: “No, I will let him eat first and feed him to the crocs later!” Viper still on her not so happy mood face.

Chu Qiao threw a cold smile and said: “Both of you come over! Ciao!”

While they were eating the man was frequently looking at Chu Qiao, and Chu Qiao looked at him and felt some awkwardness. Viper broke the silence and asked: “What is your name?”

“I am He Xiao, …..” and He Xiao about to say something else but he cut himself off.

From where are you? Chu Qiao is looking curious on his face. He Xiao somehow was busy thinking and he did not answer her right away and was just waiting for Chu Qiao to recognize him, however, Chu Qiao is just giving him a blank stare.

Viper asked again: Why did you come here and you said about the underworld?

He Xiao looked at Viper and said: “I came here to search for a person and discovered the underworld.”

“No one steps the underworld and still lives today. Obviously, You did not discover it yet.” And Viper asked him again: Why did you come here?

Their eyes on He Xiao, Chu Qiao, is listening and waiting for his answer when He Xiao said: “I came, because of her.”

Chu Qiao stopped eating and just stared at him while Viper followed up his question: “Because of her?”

“Yes, she is my General, our General of Xuili Army from Yanbei.”

Viper looked at Chu Qiao, and Chu Qiao stood up walked a few steps further and left them.

He Xiao still limping at his foot he went to Chu Qiao and said: “I am sorry, I did not mean to bother you, please come back let’s continue to eat.”

Chu Qiao asked, in her calm voice: You said I am your General and the leader of Xuili Army?

Yes, you were missing a year ago from the frozen lake, we thought you died in the lake. He Xiao suddenly sensed some coldness and change on Chu Qiao’s behavior he added: “If its too much, then lets take time to discuss the order of events and I am here to give you all the information you need about the real condition of the Xuili Army exhausted from the orders of the Prince of Yanbei. Sadly, the entire army went for overkill and suicide missions as we speak today.”

Chu Qiao suddenly felt some empathy, and she does not know where is it coming from she asked: Where is the Xuili Army?

“At Meilin border, as we speak, maybe they were wrapped up as dried bones by now and will be six feet under by winter, it has been six months since I left them to the next in command and looked for hope to see our General. There were no food and weapon provisions and we are all sieged by all day war with Prince Yuan Che’s Xiaoqi cavalry and we really think we were abandoned by the commander in chief Prince Yan Xun.”He Xiao suddenly looked down and slightly played his feet on the dried autumn leaves on the ground as his tears start to flow on his bloody red eyes.

 Chu Qiao left on her thoughts and just stood there silent.

The cold wind blew on the three as the forest trees gave up their leaves, the ground was brushed with the colors of autumn red, yellow and brown small leaves. Heavy clouds are forming in shades of grey, a swift of lightning started to issue a roar of thunder, giving a warning for a delayed pouring of the thunderstorm and suddenly thin hair-like droplets of rain began to water the mossy forest.

♥♥♥