Chapter 15 (2/2)

The second day when Xiao Yao got up, Zhuan Xu was already gone. She went to look for him at the Yellow Emperor’s residence and saw him standing behind him with two other cousins in tow as officials reported something to the Emperor.

Xiao Yao waited outside and it wasn’t until dusk that they came out. Xiao Yao hid in the dark and watched them chatting. From the outside they looked like the bestest cousins. Young cousin Cui Liang was seventh uncle Yu Yang’second son and he was saying “Tomorrow there is a family banquet, cousins please come.”

The other cousin s.h.i.+ Ju laughed “Cousin, you know my personality, if there are beauties then I’m there.”

Xiao Yao walked over and shot Zhuan Xu a glance but he smiled “Is there good wine? I go for good wine.”

Xiao Yao had no choice but to pretend to be curious “If there is something fun, I want in.”

Cui Liang stared at Xiao Yao until s.h.i.+ Ju shoved him and then he reacted and bowed “if older sister wants to go, then please come.” Except he would need to make new arrangements.

After they left, Xiao Yao turned to Zhuan Xu “Didn’t you see me signaling for you not to accept.”

Zhuan Xu laughed “I did but I want to get closer with them since they are the rulers of Xuan Yuan Castle now. If I just arrived and act very aloof, then I’m being rude.”

Xiao Yao said “You just got here and haven’t found your bearings yet. They won’t dare hurt you in Cao Yun Peak, but once in Xuan Yuan Castle then that is their territory.”

“If one doesn’t climb up the spiked vines, how does one get to the summit? If I’m not scared, you shouldn’t be.”

Xiao Yao’s hand was on her chest “I don’t know. I feel…..it might not happen….”

“What do you want to say?”

“I’ll go with you tomorrow.”

Zhuan Xu smiled “I have no objection.”

The second night they arrived at Cui Liang’s residence and it was a small private banquet with the connected young men in Xuan Yuan Kingdom. They were polite to Zhuan Xu only on the surface and Xiao Yao sighed, Zhuan Xu really was climbing a steep cliff wall with spiked vines.

After the banquet started, seventh uncle’s eldest son Yu Hao arrived and brought the most famous person in the vast wilderness – the recent victor in Little Zhu Rong’s Autumn Tournament Yu Jiang who was from one of Gao Xing’s four tribes. Everyone saw him and stood up to give him a warm welcome.

Yu Hao stood next to Yu Jiang and looked very pleased with himself and made introductions.

When Xiao Yao arrived, she asked Ciu Liang not to reveal her ident.i.ty so she could play without reservation. She didn’t want to meet Yu Jiang so went to the gardens for a stroll. She saw the man from the dance hall who looked a lot like Xiang Liu, he was casually sitting on the pallet with his back to the pole, surrounded by flowers and hidden in the shadows, almost impossible to notice him.

Xiao Yao softly walked over and stood behind him. She coolly squatted down and suddenly said “Xiang Liu, what are you doing here?”

The man barely lifted his head “You quietly walked behind me and I was wondering what you wanted to do. Clearly I thought wrong since you are mistaken.”

Xiao Yao looked into his eyes and the man laughed “Now I really want to be the person you mistook for me.”

The bug in Xiao Yao’s body had no reaction so she got confused “You’re really not him?”

“If you drink with me, I can be him for you.”

Xiao Yao sweetly smiled “Sure!”

The man poured her wine and she gulped it down before pouring him a cup and he gulped it down. A second later, his hand dropped and he wanly smiled “You poisoned me.”

Xiao Yao picked up his hand and touched his fingertips which were red because he was poisoned.

The man sighed “If you didn’t poison me, here I was thinking I was about to get lucky.”

Xiao Yao tossed his hand away and poured him another cup “This is the antidote.”

The man wearily moved his hand indicating he couldn’t reach for it so Xiao Yao fed it to him.

Xiao Yao said “Apologizes, I mistook you for someone else.”

“Every time you mistake someone you poison them? That’s a bad habit!”

Xiao Yao said “I’m sorry” before turning to leave but the man grabbed her wrist “Leaving with one sorry?”

“What do you want then?”

“I am Fang Feng Bei.” The man wrote the characters of his name on Xiao Yao’s palm “Remember and don’t mistake me again.”

“You are Fang Feng Yi Yang’s…..”

“Second older brother. You know my little sister?”

Xiao Yao smiled wanly “This vast wilderness sure is small!”

Xiao Yao left and this time Fang Feng Bei didn’t stop her.

People were enjoying the dancing performances, or drinking and chatting, or playing chess in the pavilion. Zhuan Xu was with s.h.i.+ Ju and other guys discussing something and laughing loudly. Xiao Yao found a quiet corner and sat down.

Every detail pointed to Fang Feng Bei was not Xiang Liu. He was the son of a powerful family so lots of people would have known him since birth and there was no way for Xiang Liu to impersonate him. But Xiao Yao felt he was familiar but her mind couldn’t rationalize that feeling of familiarity. She couldn’t explain it either, her body just instinctively felt it.

It was deep into the night when the guests started leaving. Perhaps it was because Zhuan Xu lived in Gao Xing for two hundred years, he and Yu Jiang got a long well and talked long after the other guests had left before they headed out together.

Xiao Yao waited by the cloud carriage for Zhuan Xu and saw him standing with Yu Jiang by the door chatting.

If the person standing beside Zhuan Xu was Fang Feng Bei, then Xiao Yao would be on alert. But Yu Jiang was one of the members of Gao Xing’s four tribes and the tribe that was most loyal to the Grand Emperor. Xiao Yao was therefore relaxed and waiting all bored and looking around.

She saw Fang Feng Bei and he was riding on a winged horse at the end of the street. It was dark so she couldn’t clearly see the person on the winged horse but her instinct told her it was him. Xiao Yao squinted into the darkness at the end of the street and thought to herself that all the Fang Feng family members must be crack archers.

Suddenly her basic instinct caused her body to tense up and she turned to where she sensed the danger was from. She saw Yu Jiang suddenly attack Zhuan Xu and he was pushed backwards. Yu Jiang was one of the strongest fighters in the vast wilderness so Zhuan Xu could only avoid being hit in his critical parts but continued to be pummeled by the unrelenting Yu Jiang. Every punch was filled with power and the blasts shattered even the jade lion statues in the front of the residence.

This was the first time she realized the normally soft water could be so powerfully hard. Xiao Yao screamed “Help, help!” but not a single guard came. Cui Liang and Yu Hao had fainted by the ripple of Yu Jiang’s power and s.h.i.+ Ju was so scared he was hiding in the cloud carriage and s.h.i.+vering.

Xiao Yao realized for the first time that in front of such power no strategy was of any use. At this time, no matter how many smarts she and Zhuan Xu had, only another equally strong power could save Zhuan Xu.

Zhuan Xu was greatly injured and laying on the ground. Yu Jiang picked him up with his eyes blazing hatred and summoned a water sword and sent it slas.h.i.+ng down intending to behead Zhuan Xu.

Xiao Yao knew her powers were low but she still rushed forward knowing she would be shattered by Yu Jiang’s water attack. She threw herself on Zhuan Xu and yelled “Yu Jiang, do you want to destroy your entire tribe!”

Yu Jiang’s water sword halted “This is my own actions, unrelated to my tribe!:

“I am the Gao Xing Princess, if I say it’s related then it’s related!” Xiao Yao stood before Yu Jiang and her eyes flashed a coldness that intended to destroy everything.

“You are the Gao Xing Princess, how can you protect an outsider to destroy a Gao Xing tribe?”

“What about you? In cahoots with others to kill Zhuan Xu and bring upon annihilation for your entire tribe?”

Yu Jiang raged “I’m not in cahoots with anyone. He killed my older brother, I am getting vengeance for my older brother!” Yu Jiang used his power to toss Xiao Yao aside and she fell hard on the ground and spit up blood.

Yu Jiang slashed his water sword towards Zhuan Xu “He cut off my brother’s head, I will use his head to pray to my brother!”

Xiao Yao screamed in horror “No!”

Yu Jiang didn’t stop and his sword came straight down on Zhuan Xu. Xiao Yao felt her insides ripped to shreds in pain but Zhuan Xu peacefully smiled instead.

Suddenly a cold chill descended and wrapped around Zhuan Xu and Yu Jiang and turned Yu Jiang’s water sword into a snow sword. When the snow sword struck Zhuan Xu’s neck, it hurt but crumbled into snow.

Yu Jiang’s eyes were blood red in rage and wanted to attack again but an ice wall blocked him. A blue robed Chi Sui Xian walked over through the snow and coldly said “If you want to fight, let’s go elsewhere.”

Yu Jiang was filled with rage and sorrow “Why? You know he killed my brother, why stop me?”

Chi Sui Xian was as cold as a block of hard ice “When you defeat me, perhaps I’ll tell you why.” She turned and walked away and Yu Jiang knew with her around he couldn’t kill Zhuan Xu so followed her.

Zhuan Xu struggled to get up but Xiao Yao screamed “Don’t move!”

She opened her arms and blocked Zhuan Xu’s body and faced towards the darkness. She backed up slowly and Zhuan Xu asked “The Fang Feng family?”

Xiao Yao’s entire body was tense, like a mother animal protecting her young, glaring in rage towards the darkness. She couldn’t see him, but she instinctively knew he was there and he was holding an arrow that could pierce through Zhuan Xu’s neck at any time.

Zhuan Xu’s guards finally broke through the enchantment and arrived to protect him.

That person left!

Xiao Yao let out her pent up breath and her body relaxed and almost collapsed on the ground. In just a few short seconds, she was in more pain than when Yu Jiang sent her flying with an attack.

Zhuan Xu helped Xiao Yao up and she grabbed his hand and got on the cloud carriage. He got in and sat down beside her. Xiao Yao swallowed a pill and then checked Zhuan Xu’s injuries before handing him three pills which he swallowed without a question asked.

Xiao Yao said “There was a guest today, the one who was with s.h.i.+ Ju at the dance hall, his name is Fang Feng Bei.”

Zhuan Xu said “The second son of the family. The Fang Feng clan is very adept at concealment, and paired with their archery skills, that is why they are famous throughout the land. How did you know Fang Feng Bei was there?”

Xiao Yao shook her head “I don’t know, it was just a feeling.”

This wasn’t a very believable answer but Zhuan Xu believed her since in the split second between life and death he also had similar sensations before.

Returning to Cao Yun Court, the phoenix flowers fell and blanketed the air with its fragrance. It was as peaceful as usual and made what just happened feel like a dream except Xiao Yao’s chest still hurt.

Xiao Yao wanted to go to her room but Zhuan Xu stopped her “Xiao Yao, did tonight startle you?”

Xiao Yao turned back “I’m not mad at you, I’m glad you still have other help and didn’t end up dead because of an unexpected Yu Jiang.”

Zhuan Xu said “I did keep another help in my back pocket and wouldn’t have died in Yu Jiang’s hand, but later if Fang Feng Bei really fired that arrow, I don’t have faith I would have avoided it.”

“Why did Chi Sui Xian help you?”

“I gave the Chi Sui clan one chance to help me, if she didn’t do it then my guards were ready to step in.”

“Help you?”

“People think only those who receive help are grateful, but forget that those who give help also get their own satisfaction. If I get close to the Chi Sui family too directly, they will be on guard with me. But if I make them feel like they are very powerful and can help me, they will relax their guard. They will see themselves as rich people tossing a beggar a biscuit, thinking they can close the door to the beggar at any time. But they will already have expectations to see what the beggar does in return.”

Xiao Yao sighed “I think I’m smart enough but compared to you guys, I’m an idiot.”

Zhuan Xu laughed “You’re not. We strategize and plot because we want something. But you want nothing so you have no need to plot against others. The strongest is those who have no want.”

Xiao Yao smiled “Okay, I’m the strongest. You’re hurt so get some rest.”

Zhuan Xu nodded. Today was a double a.s.sa.s.sination attempt. Yu Jiang’s attack was really to set up an opportunity for Fang Feng Bei to kill him for real. Even with his secret guards, but in that moment it was the weak powered Xiao Yao that put him behind her back and used her own body to s.h.i.+eld him.

Xiao Yao suddenly said “What did Yu Jiang mean that you killed his brother? If so, he’ll come back to kill you.”

Zhuan Xu furrowed his brows “I don’t know either, I never heard of Yu Jiang having a brother. If he really has such a deep grudge against me, this isn’t good so I’ll send someone to investigate.”

A few days later, the report came back.

Yu Jiang’s real name was Xuan Ming and his father was a Gao Xing n.o.ble but his mother was a Xuan Yuan woman. When Xiao Yao’s mother married into Gao Xing, the Yellow Emperor selected ten Xuan Yuan ladies to marry into Gao Xing along with the Princess. One woman married a Gao Xing n.o.ble and they had two sons, the eldest was named Xuan Ting and the younger Xuan Ming. After Xiao Yao’s mother divorced the Grand Emperor, the ladies who went with her to Gao Xing all returned to Xuan Yuan with her. Except Yu Jiang’s mother remained but she suffered the strict rules of Gao Xing and had to endure the world’s disdain for the Xuan Yuan Princess divorcing her husband, so she constantly fought with her husband. One fight led to her husband saying he regretted marrying a Xuan Yuan woman who had no manners and didn’t respect her husband. She actually took a page from the Xuan Yuan Princess and divorced her husband and went back to Xuan Yuan with her oldest son.

This was too embarra.s.sing so Yu Jiang’s grandfather lied that his daughter-in-law and oldest son died. Yu Jiang’s father didn’t go to Xuan Yuan to get his wife and son back, but also never remarried. Yu Jiang’s mother died shortly after returning to Xuan Yuan, and then his father pa.s.sed after that. Yu Jiang’s grandfather changed his name from Xuan Ming to Yu Jiang and wandered the world together.

Yu Jiang grew up with his grandfather while his older brother was raised in Xuan Yuan and later was appointed by the Yellow Emperor to run a castle. But he was infamous for being cruel so before Zhuan Xu left Xuan Yuan, the Yellow Emperor ordered him to arrest and sentence Xuan Ting to death.

Yu Jiang found out what happened to his older brother before his grandfather pa.s.sed, but then learned that he was already dead at the hands of Zhuan Xu. He felt Zhuan Xu took his last remaining relative but couldn’t kill Zhuan Xu in Gao Xing territory. He endured until Zhuan Xu left Gao Xing and went back to Xuan Yuan and believed that if he went to Xuan Yuan to kill Zhuan Xu, it was acting alone and wouldn’t get his entire tribe in trouble.

Either he used Yu Hao to get close to Zhuan Xu, or Yu Hao and Cui Liang used him to kill Zhuan Xu, either was possible and impossible to suss out now.

Xiao Yao listened to his story and felt somewhat sad for Yu Jiang and decided not to tell her dad about it.

Zhuan Xu said to Xiao Yao “Killing Xuan Ting was the right thing to do and I don’t regret it. But I do feel bad because his crime was….” Zhuan Xu sighed “Forget it, such dirty history I won’t explain to you.”

Xiao Yao’s injuries healed but Zhuan Xu’s hadn’t but people constantly came to see him and he spent his other free time playing chess with their grandfather or talking with Xiao Yao.

When he could move freely again, he summoned Xiao Yao and they picked mulberries and pickled it.

By Summertime, Zhuan Xu’s injuries had fully healed and the Yellow Emperor gave him tasks. He started getting busier and even attended Xuan Yuan court matters. To make it easier to meet with people, he set up a residence in Xuan Yuan Castle and when he was too busy he would stay there. Xiao Yao was getting bored at Cao Yun Court so after conferring with the Yellow Emperor, she sometimes went to stay with him in Xuan Yuan Castle.

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Once Promised Volume 2 Chapter 17:

Ah Heng walked up to the Yellow Emperor “Did Dad you asked Uncle Zhi Muo to come convince me to lead the Xuan Yuan army into battle?”

“I did.”

“I’m willing to lead them into battle, but it’s not for you. What happened to you now, you deserve it all! If Xuan Yuan belonged to only you, then its existence or extermination would have nothing to do with me. But the Xuan Yuan Kingdom is not just yours. It was built on the blood sweat and tears of Mom and Uncle Zhi Muo. It was built on the sacrifice of the Xuan Yuan soldiers, it belongs to the Xuan Yuan people.”

The Yellow Emperor said “I know.”

“When Fourth Brother was trapped in Ju Mountain, I asked Shao Hao as the Grand Emperor for his military a.s.sistance. I thought he would do it for the sake of Eldest Brother and their friends.h.i.+p. But he said no….later Dad you must know that Qi Yo came. He wanted to help me but he could only give he half his strength. It was only the Xuan Yuan soldiers who wanted to save their brother in arms who went into battle knowing they would die and still they did it. That was when I truly understood that the blood ties of an entire tribe was so deep, the meaning and power of a kingdom so vast. Even if I don’t acknowledge you, I’m willing to protect this kingdom you rule and die for it! I just learned Uncle Zhi Muo’s only son died on Ju Mountain as well like Fourth Brother did. All over Xuan Yuan Kingdom there are dead sons leaving orphans and widows. I once couldn’t understand why Fourth Brother went into battle to die, did he not love sister-in-law? How could he also leave little Zhuan Xu behind? But now I can understand Fourth Brother. The people of Xuan Yuan did not fail me, so I cannot fail them!”

Ah Heng kneeled before the Yellow Emperor “Dad, if I protect Xuan Yuan for you, will you protect Zhuan Xu?”

The Yellow Emperor solemnly replied “I swear on the empire I am building, no one will ever harm Zhuan Xu. I will teach him well and everything you are protecting will one day belong to him.”

With such a solemn swear, Ah Heng had no further lingering worries so she bowed her head three times before leading Zhuan Xu out the door.

Xiao Yao was swinging on the swing all alone and bored. When she saw them, her eyes lit up and she immediately leaped off the swing and rushed over.

Ah Heng took one child in each hand “Let’s go see grandmother and uncles.”

Along the way there, Xiao Yao chatted non-stop but Zhuan Xu bit his lip and said nothing. When they arrived at the graves, Xiao Yao and Zhuan Xu both bowed.

Ah Heng embraced Zhuan Xu and said “Your grandmother didn’t want to be buried here in Xuan Yuan, in her will she asked to be returned to her homeland the Blue Dragon’s Head. But your grandmother was the Empress and your grandfather refused to honor her wishes and send her so far away. I might not be able to honor that wish for her as well so can you promise your Auntie something? One day when you can make the decisions, please re-bury your grandmother at Blue Dragon’s Head. No matter whatever objections come your way, never ever bury your grandfather with your grandmother.”

Zhuan Xu nodded his head firmly “I promise. I will honor Grandmother’s last wishes, I will never bury Grandfather with Grandmother.”

Ah Heng pulled Xiao Yao into her arms “Xiao Yao, tomorrow Mom will be taking you somewhere.”

“Where?”

“A place Mom lived once before. It’s very beautiful and peach blossom trees blooms all over. The peach blossoms bloom in all four seasons.”

“Will Gege come with us?”

“Your Gege has things he must do, he can’t go with you.”

“Oh. How long are we going for?”

Ah Heng didn’t answer and just smiled “Why don’t you guys go play now. Mom wants to talk alone with your grandmother and uncles for a little bit.”

Xiao Yao made a face towards Zhuan Xu and skipped off to pick wild flowers. Zhaun Xu stood there not moving “Auntie, are you really going into battle?”

“Yes.”

“Will it be dangerous?”

“I don’t know.”

“Can you not go?”

Ah Heng shook her head and there were tears in Zhuan Xu’s eyes and he asked “Why take Xiao Yao away? Can’t you leave her here? I’ll take care of her.”

Ah Heng put her hands on his little shoulders “I know that you are a good older brother! But you are still small and your duty is to learn. Your grandfather used his entire empire to swear that he will take good care of you so I’m not worried about your welfare. But Xiao Yao’s birth is not like you. In the future perhaps there will be many who want to kill her. I’m worried she’ll be a burden for you. So I need to take her somewhere absolutely safe.”

“I’m not worried of being burdened.”

Ah Heng smiled “But right now you don’t even have the ability to protect yourself, you have even less ability to protect her. It’s not enough to not be scared or worried.”

Zhuan Xu’s little hands were clenched tightly into fists and his chest was rising and falling rapidly. After a long time, he asked in a muted voice “When can my little sister come back then?”

“Maybe soon.” Ah Heng was silent for a bit and then forced a smile “Or maybe when you have the ability to protect your little sister.”

Zhuan Xu lowered his head and mumbled “I understand.” He wiped his tears and turned around to run off.

Xiao Yao stood in the center of a field of wild flowers and waved happily “Gege, I’m here.”

Zhuan Xu ran up to her “What kind of flowers do you want, I’ll pick it for you.”

Xiao Yao c.o.c.ked her head and stared at him strangely. Zhuan Xu was always very strict with himself and normally never agreed to play with her. Today he actually wanted to pick flowers for her?

Zhuan Xu angrily asked “Do you want me to or not?”

“Yes! Yes!” Xiao Yao grabbed Zhuan Xu’s hand “I like this kind of red flowers and want to make a flower crown.”

Zhuan Xu picked a lot of the red flowers and made a flower crown and put it on Xiao Yao’s head.

Xiao Yao laughed “Are you sad I’m leaving?”

Zhuan Xu rolled his eyes at her “I can’t wait for you to leave!”

Xiao Yao took off the white fox tail accessory around her waist. This was the fox tail that the big baddie Qi Yo cut off that her mother saw her playing with it every day so she made it into an accessory that she would wear on her.

“You can have this.”

Zhuan Xu silently accepted it, his hands brus.h.i.+ng over the soft fur. He knew Xiao Yao loved this very much and wanted to give it back to her when Xiao Yao thought about it and still was reluctant to part with it so she added “Wait for me to come back and you give it back to me. I’m just lending it to you to play with so don’t break it.”

Zhuan Xu burst out laughing and decided not to give it right back to her. He put it around his waist and walked back to find his Auntie. Xiao Yao followed behind and kept nattering “Don’t lose it, don’t ruin it. My dad told me this was the tail of a nine-tailed fox and is very precious.”

Zhuan Xu stopped and Xiao Yao asked “Why did you stop?” She glanced where Zhuan Xu was looking and saw her mother sitting in front of the series of graves.

Various colorful flowers bloomed on the graves but the view remain desolate and her mother’s figure looked so pitiful and alone. Xiao Yao didn’t understand the feeling, she just felt her heart was very tight.

Xiao Yao wanted to call out to Zhuan Xu but when she saw the look in his eyes, her heart felt even worse and she didn’t dare to even open her mouth. She felt like if she said even one word, the tears would start falling. She softly tugged Zhuan Xu’s sleeve.

Zhuan Xu bit his lip hard and said “Don’t worry, let’s head over.” He pulled Xiao Yao behind him and walked over. Xiao Yao put the flower crown on her mom’s head “Mom, this is for you. I made it with Gege.” Ah Heng laughed and hugged them both.

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The Royal Mother stood at the edge of the cliff watching the clouds and the lights dance before her.

The three best friends who once played the world together, two of them were dead and only the Royal Mother remained under the twilight.

Ah Heng walked up to the Royal Mother, and perhaps with the final knot in her heart unraveled the Royal Mother’s expression was tender despite the fierceness that remained in her eyes “Do you have anything else?”

“I want to entrust my daughter to you. Please ensure her safety.”

“Her father is the ruler of Gao Xing, her mother is the Xuan Yuan Princess. Who dares harm her?”

“Her name is Xiao Yao” Ah Heng wrote the characters out “She is not the Gao Xing Princess.”

The Royal Mother incredulously asked “She is Qi Yo’s daughter?”

Ah Heng nodded.

The Royal Mother stared at Ah Heng, an

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