The Legend of Chu Qiao - V1C13
Prologue 1- Major Chu Qiao
Prologue 2- Time's up!
Prologue 3- The red dot on the GPS vanished
1- Royal Hunting
2- Zhuge, Wei, Mu, Jue, Che, Yan.
3- Fifth Brother
4- Without a Tinge of Regret
5- Bloody Heart
6- Bastards
7- Snakes
8- We Should All Know Our Place
9- Do You Know Who I Am?
10- Thank You, Sisters!
11- My name is 'None'
12- The Lantern Festival
13- Liar!
14- Everything Happens for a Reason
15- To escape, or not to escape?
Chapter 13
Liar!
Her ankle was hurting, and she probably sprained it when she fell into the hole. She limped for a few steps before an idea hit her. She stopped moving, squinted her eyes, and felt chills run down her spine. If she turned and left in this cold, deserted wilderness, Yan Xun would freeze to death. In that case, would she then get her revenge? She remembered the first day she was here—the relentless flow of fresh blood on the hunting field, the sharp arrows—and Chu Qiao's heart raced.
Even though the arrows meant to kill her were fired by the two brothers of the Zhao family, the Royal Highness's arrow struck the wild wolf. Even though, after everything that happened, he was mocked by the Zhuge brothers for being a weakling. Even though he trusted her so much and smiled as he asked her to go and come back quickly…
Chu Qiao stood motionless in the vast white field, and after a long moment, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh.
With a thud, a branch longer than a person's height was thrown into the hole, narrowly missing Yan Xun's head. Chu Qiao hadn't even lifted her head when she heard Yan Xun's roar, "Are you trying to kill me?!"
Chu Qiao rolled her eyes in irritation. "If I were trying to kill you, I wouldn't need such effort. Hurry and come up."
Yan Xun was quick and climbed up. He looked at her face and then smirked wryly. "I thought you would have just left me here and wouldn't come back."
Chu Qiao looked at him coldly. "I can only blame myself for not being cruel enough."
Yan Xun let out a laugh as he stepped in front of her. He slightly bent down and said, "Since you didn't just leave me here, I want to thank you. Let me give you a piggyback ride back."
Chu Qiao looked at him in disbelief. "You would do something like that? Isn't that below your status?"
"I'm feeling generous today."
Chu Qiao stopped speaking, and just when Yan Xun thought she was unwilling, he felt a small, soft body sink onto his back.
The snow on the vast plains sparkled. Yan Xun was carrying someone for the first time, and his movements were a little awkward as he tried to navigate through the snow. Chu Qiao reached out with her soft white hand and tapped his neck. "Don't wiggle! I am about to fall off."
Yan Xun hesitated briefly but then steadied himself and gradually resumed moving.
"Hey, do you know how long we have to walk?"
The child calmly replied, "It's shorter than burning incense, so walking back will take about two hours."
Yan Xun nodded his head. "You're named Xing’er?"
"How do you know that?"
The last time you were at the edge, that's what the servant who set you up called you." Royal Highness Yan was in an especially good mood, and when he saw Chu Qiao didn't reply, he kept asking, "What's your name and surname?"
Chu Qiao quietly said, "Why must I tell you?"
Don't tell me if you don't want to, but one day, you'll beg me to listen," Yan Xun replied.
"If you have the patience, slowly wait for that day."
Yan Xun frowned. "You are a child. Why do you speak like an old person?"
The child, on his back, with a condescending twitch of her lip, replied, "You people are not that old either. Why are your actions so devious?"
Yan Xun was astounded but smiled. "My gosh, you do hold grudges."
The child's voice sounded gloomier as her tone grew colder. Ironically, she replied, "A ya! I cannot hold grudges just because I was pointed at with an arrow, right?"
The strong gusts of wind kept blowing, and Yan Xun suddenly felt cold. He tried to speak to refute, but no words came out. The idea of hierarchy he had believed in for years no longer seemed right after what the child said. If most people agree that something is correct, you tend to believe it too, even if you don't feel that way inside.
The chilly moonlight shone on the snowy ground as the shadows of the two children shrank tiny. At this moment, the hurried footsteps of a horse could be heard from afar. Yan Xun, focused, said, "My men are here."
The child, on his back, slightly frowned as she tried to focus on listening. All she could hear was a jumble of noise from the horses, and it seemed like an army was approaching, followed by the quick footsteps of people. It was foggy, and a group of people could be faintly seen trudging in. The child squinted and carefully spoke, "Seems like they are not your men."
The northern winds caused a snowstorm, as the snow drifted feverishly and densely, blocking the bright moon and preventing them from fully opening their eyes.
The sky was pitch black, punctuated by the occasional shrill cry of night owls. Birds circled overhead, and Zhen Huan City looked like a small pearl set in an ocean of white from a bird's eye view. It was dazzling. On the outskirts of this pearl, a group of shabbily dressed, sallow people—very different from the thriving city—limped along, belonging to a different race.
The icy wind pierced through the people's ragged clothes, feeling like a knife slicing their skin, which was already turning blue. The strong winds howled, and the people struggling to stay warm huddled together to stand against the storm. The plateau's winter was unbearable without the city walls to shield them from the wind. Suddenly, a baby's cry could be heard, and the lone voice gradually spread throughout the group.
The sound of a whip cracked through the air. Riding his horse, the leader approached with a grim face and snapped, "All, shut up!" But the babies didn't understand his command, and the crying continued. The leader frowned, rode into the crowd, and bent down to grab a baby from a young woman. He lifted the baby and viciously slammed it to the ground.
"Ah!" followed by a shrill scream, and the child's mother was shocked. She immediately knelt and hugged the baby, who had already lost all signs of life, crying uncontrollably.
The leader glared, and as he passed by all the refugees of a different race, they all fell silent. Only the young woman's crying could be heard in the wilderness. The leader drew his knife and slashed the woman's vertebrae. Blood spurted everywhere, tainting the white ground.
Chu Qiao suddenly paused to catch her breath and clenched her lips tightly. With a burst of strength in her hands, she wanted to run out and help.
"Do you not care about your life?" Yan Xun hugged her tightly and whispered, "They are Wei Fa's army, don't act rashly."
"It’s here," the leader with black nails and a black fur coat told his subordinates in a deep voice. The soldiers wearing iron helmets immediately dismounted from their horses and drew knives from their waists. With a tug on the rope, the refugees whose legs were tied together fell to the ground simultaneously. The leader’s eyes were gloomy, and his thin lips straightened into a line before he mouthed the word, "Kill!"
The knives' slicing motion was decisive, and the young soldiers had maintained their composure. They didn't blink before tens of heads rolled on the floor, and blood flowed out to form a red stream, which froze instantly.
Chu Qiao bit her lip tightly as she hid behind the slope, watching the massacre unfold close by, her heart clenched tightly. Her eyes shone brightly like stars, but they felt heavy. Yan Xun's hands were cold, but he still held on tight to her. He could feel emotions rushing through his blood and couldn't look into her eyes. The small body in his embrace emanated warmth that seemed to scorch his hands.
He watched these repeated acts of decapitating refugees. He felt that they weren't just cutting off the civilians' heads but also his principles. The stubbornness that had existed within him for a long time was sliced away until there was nothing left, and there was nowhere to hide.
The knives slashed, and the blood splattered everywhere. The refugees' expressions seemed calm, and there was no fear of death. Chu Qiao saw that it wasn't numbness from extreme fear, despair from losing all hope, and the feeling of giving up on oneself—It was a stubborn determination and hatred to the bone. Everyone was quiet, and there wasn't any crying or cursing; even the babies were silent. They opened their eyes and watched their people die in the arms of these other people. Their gaze was bright, but surges of hatred churned within them. The heavens would even feel this hatred.
The rage and hatred buried deep in her heart slowly overflowed, and she clenched her fist tightly like a bloodthirsty wolf. At this moment, the hurried gallops of a horse could be heard, accompanied by a man's angry shout, "Stop! All of you, stop!"
The white horse raced to the scene; the Young Master jumped off the horse and wildly whipped the soldiers' wrists. He stood in front of the refugees and shouted angrily at the leader, "Jiang He, what are you doing?"
“Major General Shuye, I'm just following orders and executing the rebels," he said as he furrowed his brows but still hopped off his horse and bowed in respect.
"Rebels?" With an intense gaze, Wei Shuye furrowed his brow, pointed at the elderly women and children, and sternly said, "Who are the rebels? Them? Who gave you the authority to do this?"
Jiang He's face stayed the same, stubborn as a rock. "Major General, it was ordered by the Sheng Jin Palace. These were direct orders from your uncle and were approved by the elders. Your brother gave the orders, and elders from the Wei Family discussed implementing this order. I'm just carrying out the execution."
Wei Shuye was stunned. He turned around and looked at the refugees. The refugees, who wore serious expressions, showed great anger when they saw him. An old lady suddenly stood up without hesitation and yelled, "You are a liar! You are a shameless betrayer! The gods will punish you!"
A knife sliced the old lady's waist, and blood dripped from the blade. Her waist seemed to split in half, and she collapsed to the ground. However, she still used her remaining strength to spit bloody phlegm onto Shuye's clothes viciously. She cursed, "Even if I become a ghost…I will forever haunt... haunt... "
Wei Shuye was furious, and the thick phlegm disgustingly clung to his robe. Still, he didn’t wipe it away but only sucked his teeth as he looked at the pile of corpses, his eyes burning with hatred.
Major General," Jiang sighed, approached forward, and said in a deep voice, "Our country doesn't have the funds to support these people. The elders won't sponsor the construction of their quarters. You are Wei's grandson. You need to respect your family's wishes and protect your interests.
Wei Shuye felt a hot pounding on his chest. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was voiceless. Jiang He frowned and signaled to his soldiers with a wave and a slight nod. The soldiers understood his command and instantly raised their knives to continue the attack.
"Liar, liar!" a clear voice rang out. A small face peeked out from a mother's embrace at the back of the crowd. There were no tears, but both eyes were red as he shouted, "You promised you would take us to the country to live in safe houses. You said that no one would have to worry about food or clothes. You said…"
An arrow was instantly shot. General Jiang He was very accurate and stopped the child's speech as the arrow pierced through his mouth and blood spurted out from his head.
"Take action!" Jiang He angrily withdrew his saber as he commanded.
"Stop!" The young Major General hurried toward the child and shooed away two soldiers in his way.
Jiang He raged, "Hold onto Major General!" The soldiers immediately rushed forward, skillfully holding onto Wei Shuye tightly. The inhumane killing resumed, and blood flowed everywhere, mixing with the soil. The shrill of an eagle could be heard overhead, making this massacre even more frightening with the symbol of death circling above. A big hole was dug, and a few hundred corpses were thrown inside, with soil quickly added to fill it up. The soldiers rode their horses and repeatedly trampled over the ground. With the snow falling rapidly, the blood-stained ground was covered up, along with the heinous and ugly act of murder.
The handsome child of the illustrious family had lost his composure in front of his subordinates over a group of lowly peasants.
"Major General," Jiang walked forward and said after seeing him staring at the snowy ground, "you shouldn't be like that. They are from a lowly race, with lowly blood flowing inside them. But it would be best if you didn't oppose orders because of that. Your uncle has high expectations of you. Without you, your brothers won't have a leader. They are waiting for your return."
Seeing no response from Wei Shuye, Jiang sighed and retreated, then galloped back with his team. They vanished within a short moment.
The young man stood there for a long time as the snowstorm intensified.
The lantern festival felt especially cold. The two children hiding behind the slope were shocked when the noble Major General of Wei Fa fell to his knees and kowtowed to the dead before getting back on his horse and riding away at a gallop.
Even though the arrows meant to kill her were fired by the two brothers of the Zhao family, the Royal Highness's arrow struck the wild wolf. Even though, after everything that happened, he was mocked by the Zhuge brothers for being a weakling. Even though he trusted her so much and smiled as he asked her to go and come back quickly…
Chu Qiao stood motionless in the vast white field, and after a long moment, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh.
With a thud, a branch longer than a person's height was thrown into the hole, narrowly missing Yan Xun's head. Chu Qiao hadn't even lifted her head when she heard Yan Xun's roar, "Are you trying to kill me?!"
Chu Qiao rolled her eyes in irritation. "If I were trying to kill you, I wouldn't need such effort. Hurry and come up."
Yan Xun was quick and climbed up. He looked at her face and then smirked wryly. "I thought you would have just left me here and wouldn't come back."
Chu Qiao looked at him coldly. "I can only blame myself for not being cruel enough."
Yan Xun let out a laugh as he stepped in front of her. He slightly bent down and said, "Since you didn't just leave me here, I want to thank you. Let me give you a piggyback ride back."
Chu Qiao looked at him in disbelief. "You would do something like that? Isn't that below your status?"
"I'm feeling generous today."
Chu Qiao stopped speaking, and just when Yan Xun thought she was unwilling, he felt a small, soft body sink onto his back.
The snow on the vast plains sparkled. Yan Xun was carrying someone for the first time, and his movements were a little awkward as he tried to navigate through the snow. Chu Qiao reached out with her soft white hand and tapped his neck. "Don't wiggle! I am about to fall off."
Yan Xun hesitated briefly but then steadied himself and gradually resumed moving.
"Hey, do you know how long we have to walk?"
The child calmly replied, "It's shorter than burning incense, so walking back will take about two hours."
Yan Xun nodded his head. "You're named Xing’er?"
"How do you know that?"
The last time you were at the edge, that's what the servant who set you up called you." Royal Highness Yan was in an especially good mood, and when he saw Chu Qiao didn't reply, he kept asking, "What's your name and surname?"
Chu Qiao quietly said, "Why must I tell you?"
Don't tell me if you don't want to, but one day, you'll beg me to listen," Yan Xun replied.
"If you have the patience, slowly wait for that day."
Yan Xun frowned. "You are a child. Why do you speak like an old person?"
The child, on his back, with a condescending twitch of her lip, replied, "You people are not that old either. Why are your actions so devious?"
Yan Xun was astounded but smiled. "My gosh, you do hold grudges."
The child's voice sounded gloomier as her tone grew colder. Ironically, she replied, "A ya! I cannot hold grudges just because I was pointed at with an arrow, right?"
The strong gusts of wind kept blowing, and Yan Xun suddenly felt cold. He tried to speak to refute, but no words came out. The idea of hierarchy he had believed in for years no longer seemed right after what the child said. If most people agree that something is correct, you tend to believe it too, even if you don't feel that way inside.
The chilly moonlight shone on the snowy ground as the shadows of the two children shrank tiny. At this moment, the hurried footsteps of a horse could be heard from afar. Yan Xun, focused, said, "My men are here."
The child, on his back, slightly frowned as she tried to focus on listening. All she could hear was a jumble of noise from the horses, and it seemed like an army was approaching, followed by the quick footsteps of people. It was foggy, and a group of people could be faintly seen trudging in. The child squinted and carefully spoke, "Seems like they are not your men."
The northern winds caused a snowstorm, as the snow drifted feverishly and densely, blocking the bright moon and preventing them from fully opening their eyes.
The sky was pitch black, punctuated by the occasional shrill cry of night owls. Birds circled overhead, and Zhen Huan City looked like a small pearl set in an ocean of white from a bird's eye view. It was dazzling. On the outskirts of this pearl, a group of shabbily dressed, sallow people—very different from the thriving city—limped along, belonging to a different race.
The icy wind pierced through the people's ragged clothes, feeling like a knife slicing their skin, which was already turning blue. The strong winds howled, and the people struggling to stay warm huddled together to stand against the storm. The plateau's winter was unbearable without the city walls to shield them from the wind. Suddenly, a baby's cry could be heard, and the lone voice gradually spread throughout the group.
The sound of a whip cracked through the air. Riding his horse, the leader approached with a grim face and snapped, "All, shut up!" But the babies didn't understand his command, and the crying continued. The leader frowned, rode into the crowd, and bent down to grab a baby from a young woman. He lifted the baby and viciously slammed it to the ground.
"Ah!" followed by a shrill scream, and the child's mother was shocked. She immediately knelt and hugged the baby, who had already lost all signs of life, crying uncontrollably.
The leader glared, and as he passed by all the refugees of a different race, they all fell silent. Only the young woman's crying could be heard in the wilderness. The leader drew his knife and slashed the woman's vertebrae. Blood spurted everywhere, tainting the white ground.
Chu Qiao suddenly paused to catch her breath and clenched her lips tightly. With a burst of strength in her hands, she wanted to run out and help.
"Do you not care about your life?" Yan Xun hugged her tightly and whispered, "They are Wei Fa's army, don't act rashly."
"It’s here," the leader with black nails and a black fur coat told his subordinates in a deep voice. The soldiers wearing iron helmets immediately dismounted from their horses and drew knives from their waists. With a tug on the rope, the refugees whose legs were tied together fell to the ground simultaneously. The leader’s eyes were gloomy, and his thin lips straightened into a line before he mouthed the word, "Kill!"
The knives' slicing motion was decisive, and the young soldiers had maintained their composure. They didn't blink before tens of heads rolled on the floor, and blood flowed out to form a red stream, which froze instantly.
Chu Qiao bit her lip tightly as she hid behind the slope, watching the massacre unfold close by, her heart clenched tightly. Her eyes shone brightly like stars, but they felt heavy. Yan Xun's hands were cold, but he still held on tight to her. He could feel emotions rushing through his blood and couldn't look into her eyes. The small body in his embrace emanated warmth that seemed to scorch his hands.
He watched these repeated acts of decapitating refugees. He felt that they weren't just cutting off the civilians' heads but also his principles. The stubbornness that had existed within him for a long time was sliced away until there was nothing left, and there was nowhere to hide.
The knives slashed, and the blood splattered everywhere. The refugees' expressions seemed calm, and there was no fear of death. Chu Qiao saw that it wasn't numbness from extreme fear, despair from losing all hope, and the feeling of giving up on oneself—It was a stubborn determination and hatred to the bone. Everyone was quiet, and there wasn't any crying or cursing; even the babies were silent. They opened their eyes and watched their people die in the arms of these other people. Their gaze was bright, but surges of hatred churned within them. The heavens would even feel this hatred.
The rage and hatred buried deep in her heart slowly overflowed, and she clenched her fist tightly like a bloodthirsty wolf. At this moment, the hurried gallops of a horse could be heard, accompanied by a man's angry shout, "Stop! All of you, stop!"
The white horse raced to the scene; the Young Master jumped off the horse and wildly whipped the soldiers' wrists. He stood in front of the refugees and shouted angrily at the leader, "Jiang He, what are you doing?"
“Major General Shuye, I'm just following orders and executing the rebels," he said as he furrowed his brows but still hopped off his horse and bowed in respect.
"Rebels?" With an intense gaze, Wei Shuye furrowed his brow, pointed at the elderly women and children, and sternly said, "Who are the rebels? Them? Who gave you the authority to do this?"
Jiang He's face stayed the same, stubborn as a rock. "Major General, it was ordered by the Sheng Jin Palace. These were direct orders from your uncle and were approved by the elders. Your brother gave the orders, and elders from the Wei Family discussed implementing this order. I'm just carrying out the execution."
Wei Shuye was stunned. He turned around and looked at the refugees. The refugees, who wore serious expressions, showed great anger when they saw him. An old lady suddenly stood up without hesitation and yelled, "You are a liar! You are a shameless betrayer! The gods will punish you!"
A knife sliced the old lady's waist, and blood dripped from the blade. Her waist seemed to split in half, and she collapsed to the ground. However, she still used her remaining strength to spit bloody phlegm onto Shuye's clothes viciously. She cursed, "Even if I become a ghost…I will forever haunt... haunt... "
Wei Shuye was furious, and the thick phlegm disgustingly clung to his robe. Still, he didn’t wipe it away but only sucked his teeth as he looked at the pile of corpses, his eyes burning with hatred.
Major General," Jiang sighed, approached forward, and said in a deep voice, "Our country doesn't have the funds to support these people. The elders won't sponsor the construction of their quarters. You are Wei's grandson. You need to respect your family's wishes and protect your interests.
Wei Shuye felt a hot pounding on his chest. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was voiceless. Jiang He frowned and signaled to his soldiers with a wave and a slight nod. The soldiers understood his command and instantly raised their knives to continue the attack.
"Liar, liar!" a clear voice rang out. A small face peeked out from a mother's embrace at the back of the crowd. There were no tears, but both eyes were red as he shouted, "You promised you would take us to the country to live in safe houses. You said that no one would have to worry about food or clothes. You said…"
An arrow was instantly shot. General Jiang He was very accurate and stopped the child's speech as the arrow pierced through his mouth and blood spurted out from his head.
"Take action!" Jiang He angrily withdrew his saber as he commanded.
"Stop!" The young Major General hurried toward the child and shooed away two soldiers in his way.
Jiang He raged, "Hold onto Major General!" The soldiers immediately rushed forward, skillfully holding onto Wei Shuye tightly. The inhumane killing resumed, and blood flowed everywhere, mixing with the soil. The shrill of an eagle could be heard overhead, making this massacre even more frightening with the symbol of death circling above. A big hole was dug, and a few hundred corpses were thrown inside, with soil quickly added to fill it up. The soldiers rode their horses and repeatedly trampled over the ground. With the snow falling rapidly, the blood-stained ground was covered up, along with the heinous and ugly act of murder.
The handsome child of the illustrious family had lost his composure in front of his subordinates over a group of lowly peasants.
"Major General," Jiang walked forward and said after seeing him staring at the snowy ground, "you shouldn't be like that. They are from a lowly race, with lowly blood flowing inside them. But it would be best if you didn't oppose orders because of that. Your uncle has high expectations of you. Without you, your brothers won't have a leader. They are waiting for your return."
Seeing no response from Wei Shuye, Jiang sighed and retreated, then galloped back with his team. They vanished within a short moment.
The young man stood there for a long time as the snowstorm intensified.
The lantern festival felt especially cold. The two children hiding behind the slope were shocked when the noble Major General of Wei Fa fell to his knees and kowtowed to the dead before getting back on his horse and riding away at a gallop.
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
The snowfall continued. The child shifted her stiff, frozen feet and swayed forward.
"What are you doing?" Yan Xun was puzzled and stood up, stunned.
Chu Qiao turned around with a calm expression, but her gaze flickered. "I'm from a lowly race with lowly blood flowing inside me. You shouldn't be standing next to me. Since we are treading a different path, let's part early."
Yan Xun stood frozen at the back, staring at this tiny child who seemed ten feet tall in this moment, believing she could tear open the wicked world. The snow was fluffy, and their footprints gradually grew further apart as they moved into the heart of the Yan Empire.
