Chapter 3: Chapter Five: Ubria - A Difficult Situation.
Next few days went by without a problem. Chéngshí told me the Crown Prince rode ahead of us to get extra time in the different pleasure houses in the town's we rode through. The trip became very happy for us. Along the way I could hear Chéngshí and Fāng Hé laugh together as he was riding next to her carriage. I mentioned to him that Fāng Hé was also a cousin of Xìngfú so he was eager to get to know her as well. He said, we were already like family to him. It made me wonder why the Emperor never saw him as the future ruler of this country. Sure as hell he'd do a better job than his brother..
At night we would all dine together, sharing stories of our lives. Well, Chéngshí and Fāng Hé sharing stories, because I didn't get to do much while being locked up in the courtyard with my mother. "Fāng'er, your fathers brother really sounds like a clown." I say with tears of laughter rolling down my cheeks. "Yeah, I know. It's such a shame you and your mother where never allowed to join us at our parties." I sigh. "Well, that's life when you are treated like a prisoner." And I lift my glass. Both of them look at me with pity. "Don't throw your pity at me! I'm free now!"
After drinking together for some time, Chéngshí asks us about our veils. "I know I shouldn't ask. But I am quite curious." I feel my cousin looking at me. "I can't speak for my cousin, but I bet it is similar to my own story. I feel that I can trust you so, come to our room with us. I won't tell here in the open."
The three of us make our way to the sleeping quarters. After we arrive, I send Kuài away to fetch some bathwater for me and Fāng Hé. Then we sneak Chéngshí inside. "What I'm about to show you both, cannot leave this room. I had promised my mother I wouldn't tell, but I could use some more confidants." They look at each other. "All right. But first, I'll remove my veil so our guest can be eased into the reveal." Chéngshí looks at us weirdly. We both giggle. Then Fāng Hé removes her veil, making him gasp. "You ARE pretty! I knew it haha. Someone with your mothers genes cannot turn out ugly." Fāng Hé smiles sheepishly at him. "Err, thanks?" I need to hold in my laughter, but the scene before me is so funny.
"Stop laughing Nuǎn'er, it's your turn now!" I look at them and they are both looking at me with twinkling eyes. "All right, I'll do it." Laughing I pull off my veil. They both gasp. "Fāng'er you have already seen me, why are you gasping?!" She smiles. "You are just so beautiful." Chéngshí is nodding fiercely. "Yes. Yes. Absolutely gorgeous. I would not have guessed. Nobody is going to believe that you are the daughter of Jiǎohuá Fù Jǐn." I see them both thinking, their brains are starting to process what Chéngshí just said. And I nod. "Well, that's because I am not."
[ WEUUUUUW (╬ ꒪Д꒪)ノ, Talking about a mayor bomb drop there Miss Nuǎn! ]
{ He he, couldn't help myself, I always wanted to do something like that, soooo satisfying! }
They keep opening and shutting their mouths. It looks so funny that I start to laugh. I laugh so hard that I almost can't breath anymore. "Nuǎn'er! This is not funny! How can you say it so casually?! How can you laugh about something this important?!" I wipe the tears away from my face. "Sorry, your faces afterwords where too good." I look at Chéngshí who is silent. "What do you have to say? Are you going to tell anyone?" He shakes his head and smiles. "Off course not. And I have to admit, I kind of expected it." I raise my eyebrows. "What do you mean with that?"
He takes a deep breath. "I was five when the convoy of Tánhuáng came to the palace. I was hiding in one of the trees when the courtyard was filled with beautiful ladies of high families." He looks into my eyes. "Your eyes, are not from our country. I saw one pair of these eyes there." I swallow slowly. "Mr. Chàng.." He nods. "Yes, all though I'm not familiar with his name, but I know he was the leader of their party. And he was a striking appearance too. With piercing blue eyes and midnight black hair." Then he turns to face me. "Just like you."
I start smiling. "Thank you for telling me." My cousin takes my hand. "So that's why you came here? To sneak away to Tánhuáng to find your biological father?" I nod. "That's so brave!" And she pulls me into a hug. We keep on talking some more until we hear Kuài returning with our bathwater. "I'll see you tomorrow, my two Mèimei's." We both blush at him calling us his little sisters. "Your secrets are safe with me." And he disappears through the window.
The next morning they tell us we will arrive at what is called The Last Village. It's not a doom and gloom sort of thing, but rather the last village men can enter. The lands behind are owned by the Silent Sect, which is an all female sect, forbidding anyone from the male species from entering their sacred grounds. If you want to meet your family members who are a part of the sect, you'd have to go to The Last Village.
We arrive in the early afternoon, and someone informed us that one of the High Priestesses and three Warriors where waiting for us in the Silent Inn. If you where wondering, yes, that inn is also females only. Anyway that's not important. They where in the village for two things. One: They wanted to test us to see if we were worthy of becoming their disciples. Two: To escort us further up the mountain if we where accepted. With the whole 'males are forbidden' thing quite logical.
Being accepted wasn't a problem. They where very friendly and the sect was quite appealing. If I didn't had such pending tasks, I would definitely join them. They told us that we where going to leave tomorrow at noon. We could say our goodbyes to our family. Which was a joke since nobody had came with us. But they remained polite and granted us time to adjust to the fact that we would become, Silent Sisters.
Fāng Hé took her time and visited the hot-springs and the mud-wells of the Silent Inn. A definite recommendation from the High Priestess herself. I declined and wanted to find Chéngshí so we could talk some more. I had really grown fond of him the past two weeks.
But the problems began after I had entered the garden I had arranged a meeting with Chéngshí in. The smell of blood was hanging in the air. I was confused, but when I turned around the corner I saw the source of the smell. Chéngshí.
I ran towards him to check his injuries but before I could reach him I was slammed against a tree. In front of me was the seething face of the Crown Prince. I thing the crown prince had figured out I was the reason he couldn't 'court' my cousin.
"You have some nerve denying this Prince his woman." I shook a little but tried to stay polite. "My cousin and I belong to the Silent Sect now your Highness, we are not yours to take anymore." In anger he slammed his fist against the tree. In the process of pulling back he grabbed my veil and ripped it off.
Silence surrounded us. Then in a flash he had my hands pinned above my head and was looking at me full of lust. "Well, well. This is a nice gift for me." He said while licking his lips and started to trace his fingers along my face. I started trashing and kicking. Hoping I would hit him somehow.
"Feisty aren't we. I like that." And he pushed his lower half against mine. I felt the bulge in his pants pressing against my belly. I had to hold in my immediate instinct to puke. "Well I can tell you one thing. You won't be going to the sect after all. As I recall I had arranged our betrothal, and I am still lacking a future Empress." My eyes widen and I hiss at him. "That was never truly arranged. My sisters are the ones your going to marry. I'll never be your wife. I'd rather die." And did the stupidest thing ever. I spit in his face. * Returned for the first time you spit at me, you pig.. * In a reaction he slapped me across my face. It was so hard I saw stars. A tear escaped my eye and blood started to form at the corner of my mouth.
He started to feel me up, and I was defenceless. The needles I prepared with poison where hanging at my waist hidden in my pouch. With my hands pinned above my head, there was nothing I could do. Tears where starting to roll down my face. Chéngshí was knocked unconscious or even dead and he couldn't help me. The guards that had traveled with us, where his guards. And the High Priestess and the Warriors where all in the Silent inn. There was no one to come and safe me. I felt utterly doomed.
"I believe the lady is not a fan of your attempt of courting, Prince Fàngsì." We both turn to the sound of the voice. A man is standing at the gate. His presence is domineering, like my grandfathers. General, he must be a General. I was saved. The slap he had given me was starting to weigh down on my consciousness, and I prayed in my mind that the unknown man could safe me.
"Who are you to interrupt me and my fiancee?" He shouts. I start mumbling back. "Not your fiancee. No fiancee. Never.." He is seething in anger and he starts the to drag me to the exit. But the unknown man stops him and yanks me out of his grip while unsheathing his sword. He pulls me into his chest turning sideways to protect me. And then speaks with a tantalizing deep voice. "I don't recall you on any battlefield, Your Highness, I would love to measure my strength against you." I don't know if it is the voice, or how he stands. But I can see a flash of recognition in the Prince his eyes. "General Huáng Tài Xiáng." He manages to say between his clenched teeth.
Then he faces me. "You won't be getting rid of me, my Nuǎn'er. You. Are. Mine." And he turns around and leaves. I shudder in disgust and almost drop to the ground as the strength leaves my legs. Sobs start leaving my body.
[ Are you okay? (๑•﹏•) ]
{ I think so. He just reminded me of Chao Lei. (⌯˃̶᷄ ﹏ ˂̶᷄⌯) }
I want to talk to Líng some more when A hand enters my vision. "Are you all right Milady?" I look up at the man who rescued me. The obsidian black eyes staring back at me give me chills. Not the bad kind, the soul destroying good kind. I start blushing and want to look away, but he grabs my chin and forces me to keep looking into his eyes. To be honest it kind of freaks me out, because I can't read him, while he appears to be looking for an answer. I move my hand on top of his so I can pull his hand away when my ability flares up.
°° The connection is so strong. And I immediately know that this man is connected to me. Not only this body, but my original soul. How is that possible.. °°
Frozen while touching his hand, the man in question is wondering what the girl is doing. When I return to my senses, we both blurt out a question. "Who are you?" We ask each other at the same time. A giggle escapes me. And he laughs softly as well. "Ladies first." I blush. "I'm Zhōng Nuǎn." He blinks and his eyes widen. "Zhōng as in Zhōng Gāng Míngzhì?" My eyes widen as well. "H-how do you know my grandfather?" He doesn't answer me and asks me another mind blowing question. "Are you the daughter of Zhōng Yīn Zhì?" "Yes." I blurt out immediately. "How do you know my mothers name? Are you from Tánhuáng? Do you know Mr. Chàng?" And I pull the jade from underneath my clothes.
And if my sentence drops a bomb, the jade I showed him made him jump into action. He grabs my arm and pulls me with him. "Wait, my friend, he.." The man nods and signals his subordinates to carry Chéngshí with them. After walking, or rather running for a few minutes, we arrive at a luxurious house at the other edge of the garden. I'm wondering where this guy is taking me. "Excuse me for this Milady." He says to me before yelling towards the house. "Wěi Yì! Come outside. NOW!" Then he turns to his men holding Chéngshí and signals them to bring him to a doctor. I sigh knowing he is taken care of.
Then I hear stumbling coming from inside the house. Then a voice entered my ears. "..- disturbing me like that. He should be glad I see him as my brother.." A man opens the door. "What is this all about Tài Xiáng?" But then his eyes fall on me and he sighs. "Brother, I was kind of counting on you keeping the girls away. Not bringing them to me." My eyes widen. The hell. Is this guy for real. "I'm not here for your entertainment." I say in defiance while stepping out from behind my rescuer Tài Xiáng.
Then the guy, Wěi Yì I think, gasps loudly as he marches towards me. I wince and close my eyes. He grabs my chin and yanks my face towards his. "Open your eyes." Slowly I do what he asks. But when my eyes are opened, I can't believe what I'm seeing. It's like looking into a darker version of my own eyes. "H-how is this possible." I hear the guy mumble. He starts to pinch me harder, not on purpose I think tho so I let him know. "Your hurting me." A hand appears and pulls him away from me. "Call out your father. He needs to see her." The guy nods and yells. "Dad? Can you come outside. It's urgent!"
I hear boots hitting the stairs. Someone is coming down. Then the door opens, revealing a regal looking man. "What is this about Yì'er, I was arranging our gifts for your aunt." But then he stops mid sentence when I come into his view. "Zhōng Yīn Zhì?" He whispers. Slowly he starts walking towards me. I shake my head. "N-no, that's my m-mother sir.." * Why the hell am I stuttering?! *
He reaches my position and slowly takes my hand and looks into my eyes. I can't utter words. I can see so much of myself in this man, it is terrifying. He starts talking. "Are you.. When did.. How.." I smile softly. This man is just as nervous as me. So I take the liberty to answer his unasked questions. "Zhōng Yīn Zhì is my mother. I turned sixteen three weeks ago. I came here to find my biological father through contacting his sister at the sect by using this jade." And I show him the jade, knowing almost for sure that the man before me is my biological father.
"Daughter." He stutters. Then he grabs me and pulls me in a crushing hug. He starts shaking softly, so I think he is crying. "Praise the gods for you." He then kisses my forehead. "I've always wanted a daughter." I start to get excited and happy tears start running over my cheeks. "Y-you are Mr. Chang?" He smiles at me and nods. "Well yes and no." I look at him in confusion. "Chang is part of my name. My full name is Qiáng Dòng Chàng. And I am the Emperor of Tánhuáng. That man-boy over there is your half brother Qiáng Wěi Yì. And the General's name is Huáng Tài Xiáng, my adopted son who I am most proud of." "Hey!" I hear Wěi Yì shout.
The happiness floating through me is indescribable. Not only do I feel happy about this. I feel that the original soul from this body is watching this process and feels exited. Then the events of the day start piling up, and with the force of the slap is gaining on me making me lose my consciousness. As I pass out I utter softly to my father. "Daddy.."
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Here are some more name significations. There aren't a lot, but they still don't fit..
Well this works too!
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First General Tánhuáng Country = Huáng Tài Xiáng : 煌 Huáng - Bright, Shining, Luminous. 太 Tài - Very, Extreme. 翔 Xiáng - Soar, Glide.
Father Zhōng Nuǎn / Emperor Tánhuáng Country = Qiáng Dòng Chàng : 强 Qiáng - Strong, Powerful, Energetic.栋 Dòng - Pillar. 畅 Chàng - Smooth, Free, Unrestrained.
Half Brother Zhōng Nuǎn / Crown Prince Tánhuáng Country = Qiáng Wěi Yì : 强Qiáng - Strong, Powerful, Energetic. 伟 Wěi - Great, Robust, Extraordinary. 义 Yì - Justice, Righteousness.
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CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
SpecialClover
SpecialClover I'm on FIIIREEE!! Third big chapter in two days.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.
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Byee 〜(^∇^〜）