The Legend of Chu Qiao

Chapter 17

Reckless Revenge Plot

A few hours later, Chu Qiao knew she had to explain her late return the previous day and went to find Zhuge Yue in his study, but he was absent. Realizing she had lost the red horse, she knew she needed to explain herself. As she prepared to ask around for his location, she saw Zhuge Yue walking into the courtyard, dressed in dark golden armor and wielding a long sword. He was accompanied by a group of servants and looked both decisive and swift. Chu Qiao had never seen him like this before. Zhuge Yue, with a bent back and a cloak draped over his arms, followed closely behind.

Huan Er and the other maidservants rushed in, quickly serving tea and water to Zhuge Yue, lighting incense, cleaning his hands, and preparing for his bath. Chu Qiao waited at the main entrance for Zhuge Yue to take his seat. Once he did, she stepped forward and confessed, "Fourth Master, I lost the little red horse."

Zhuge Yue acknowledged her with a casual "Oh?" before sipping the tea Huan Er had brought him. He then instructed his other servants, "Go fetch two pots of cymbidium that arrived yesterday and remove this incense burner; it's bothering my sense of smell." The servants immediately set to work. Chu Qiao remained quiet, realizing Zhuge Yue had no intention of punishing her or discussing the matter further. Just as she was about to slip away, Zhuge Yue placed his teacup down, pointed at her, and said, "Xing’er, wait."

Chu Qiao's heart raced—she thought she would face consequences after all. To her surprise, Zhuge Yue continued, "Later on, follow Zhu Cheng and find a capable guard to teach you how to ride a horse."

"Uh?" Both Chu Qiao and Zhu Cheng froze, exclaiming in unison.

Zhuge Yue raised his sword-like eyebrows, frowning slightly as he asked, "Is something wrong?"

"No problem at all, Young Master." Zhu Cheng, who was seventeen and had followed Zhuge Yue for many years, understood the man's determination and replied in a soothing tone, "I'll take Miss Xing’er there right away."

Zhuge Yue eyed Zhu Cheng skeptically, frowning again as he questioned, "Xing’er just turned ten… Why are you calling her 'Miss'?"

"Right, right! I'll bring Xing’er… Young Xing’er… Miss Xing… um," Zhu Cheng, usually quick-witted, struggled to find a suitable title for the child and stumbled over his words.

Zhuge Yue waved his hand impatiently and ordered, "Alright. Go. And remember to walk with your back straight; I don't want anyone to think the servants of Qing Shan courtyard are all hunchbacks. None of you is old enough or possesses wisdom and virtue.[1]"

"Yes, Master."

Chu Qiao stayed in her original spot, her petite figure dressed in a pale yellow dress and a fox fur vest, looking quite adorable. She bowed to Zhuge Yue and softly said, "Xing’er thanks the Fourth Master."

Zhuge Yue waved his hand dismissively, barely looking up.

As Chu Qiao and Zhu Cheng left Xuan hall, Zhu Cheng glanced at the child, who was gazing back at him. He chuckled and said, "Miss Xing’er, shall we go?"

Chu Qiao smiled but didn’t respond, walking out of the inner courtyard.

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"Miss Xing’er, these are the candidates I've chosen for you. They're all skilled at horse riding; please pick one," Zhu Cheng informed her as they stood at the foot of the horse-riding hill. Ten-year-old Chu Qiao looked up at the well-built men before her. Although they normally appeared stern with the servants, they now stood respectfully, smiling at her.

Chu Qiao approached them, glancing at each man one by one. Suddenly, her eyes lit up as she spotted a flustered-looking man. With a gentle smile, she pointed and said, "I want him."

"Miss Xing’er," chuckled Song Lian, the horseman guardian, his smile revealing his underlying concern.

Chu Qiao stood proudly on the hill, her large, elongated eyes and long, dense eyelashes catching the sunlight, her curiosity shining. Her heart-shaped face, with high cheekbones, showcased flawless white skin, often regarded as beautiful, adding a charming touch to her youthful look. Her lips were perfect — not too large or too small — just enough to form an adorable pout or a lovely smile. And when she laughed, her white teeth gleamed like little pearls. Over the past two years since her transmigration, she had grown out of being seen as a skeletal child; she was still slim but taller and slightly fuller, looking healthy. She exuded energy and confidence. A gentle breeze tousled her fine hair around her face, which escaped from two buns tied with ribbons that matched her dress, evoking an image of a girl destined to become a remarkable beauty, full of grace and character. Amidst a crowd, she stood out remarkably. Everyone who met her could not forget her; she was that memorable. She was like a light surrounded by moths, and she was only ten years old.

"Please choose your horse," Song Lian said.

Chu Qiao surveyed the herd of over ten horses, noticing that none had horseshoes attached. Their coats were clean, and their manes and tails appeared to have been brushed, suggesting they had been domesticated from a young age and had not left their enclosure. She stepped over the uneven snow, flicked her whip playfully, and declared, "I don’t want any of these. I want to ride a big horse!"

Song Lian quickly intervened as the nearby servants prepared to step in. He nodded and bowed, stating, "If Miss Xing’er desires a big horse, it’s no problem. You lot, go and bring back some impressive horses. Remember, they must be big."

He made sure to emphasize "big." The two servants, understanding his instructions, hurried away to fetch the horses. In a short while, five large horses were brought to her.

Chu Qiao examined them and realized these horses were quite old. She wondered if their mobility might be an issue, but chose not to voice her worries. Turning to Song Lian, she said, "These horses look strong, but I’m young and haven’t ridden one this large before. Guardian Song, why don’t you demonstrate and show me a thing or two?"

At that moment, Song Lian frowned with a defeated expression.

Zhu Cheng looked at him with suspicion, urging, "Hurry! Don’t tell me you don’t know how to ride. You were so eager to accompany her just now!"

Song Lian, unable to express his frustrations, thought to himself, If I had known who I was serving, I wouldn’t have agreed, even under threat.

He reluctantly approached a white horse, reached out to pat its weary head twice, carefully verified the stirrup, and jumped on it, handling the horse as if it were fragile. He was worried it might collapse under him with even slight pressure.

Surprisingly, the horse was sturdier than he expected. Its four legs stood firm, not buckling at all. Song Lian breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled, "The snow is particularly heavy today. Since Miss Xing’er is still young, let’s first learn to mount the horse and start riding tomorrow."

Just as Zhu Cheng was about to nod in agreement, Chu Qiao suddenly dashed forward and forcefully slapped the horse's rear. She cheerfully shouted, "Stop talking! Let’s go for a quick ride!"

With the sound of the slap ringing in the air, the horse stood frozen for a moment before its legs gave way, sending Song Lian tumbling off violently and flipping through the air to land head-first in the snow.

All the servants hurried over, looking flustered. Zhu Cheng, observing the horse that was struggling to catch its breath, frowned and commented contemptuously, "Is this truly the finest horse? It seems you're not taking Fourth Master's orders seriously."

"I wouldn't dare," Song Lian replied, getting to his feet. "Such a thought has never crossed my mind. Considering Miss Xing'er’s tender age, we simply felt it wouldn't be wise to fetch an overly mature war horse!"

Zhu Cheng nodded and said, "You've got a point. Xing'er, since you're still young, let's start with a smaller horse, alright?"

"As long as Brother Zhu Cheng wants me to ride a smaller horse, Xing'er will happily oblige." Chu Qiao lifted her head, her pink cheeks and crescent-shaped eyes making her utterly charming.

Zhu Cheng's mood brightened, but when he turned back to Song Lian, his expression shifted to anger. He snapped, "Go and get the horse!"

Limping, Song Lian returned with the horse. Amid Zhu Cheng's admonitions to be careful, he assisted Chu Qiao in mounting the horse. With a grin, she looked down and asked, "Brother, I still don’t know how to ride. Can you help me by leading the horse gently by the reins for a little ride?"

Song Lian was eager to oblige and nodded enthusiastically. The horse, being relatively well-behaved, walked slowly behind him. After some time, they had covered about a hundred steps. Song Lian looked up and smiled, "Miss Xing'er, I hope this horse is to your liking. It's a newborn. When the Seventh Miss requested it from me earlier, I held off on giving it to her. If it suits you, I can give it to you."

"How can Xing'er accept something that the Seventh Miss desires? That would be improper."

Song Lian forced a laugh and replied, "Miss, what are you saying? Although the Seventh Miss is the biological daughter of the old Master, she ranks much lower than the Fourth Master. Since you're favored by him, his orders take priority."

"Is that so?" Chu Qiao smiled lightly and said, "I did not know my status was so high. Until recently, I was at your mercy."

Song Lian instantly blanched.

Chu Qiao gave him a cold look, took the crossbow attached to Song Lian's arm, and stabbed it into the horse's buttocks with one swift and ruthless motion. The horse, shocked, let out a long, loud neigh. It kicked Song Lian aside and rapidly galloped forward! The child, flustered, loudly exclaimed, "Guardian Song! What are you doing?"

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Zhu Cheng and his men watched the chaos unfold from a distance, their panic evident as they yelled and tried to chase after it, but no one could keep up with the horse. Chu Qiao feigned distress as her eyes scanned for a safe place to land.

Just then, a yellow horse appeared on the horizon. Zhuge Yue, with his fair complexion, fierce expression, and strikingly red lips, was galloping after them in a dark purple embroidered gown. He deftly wielded his sword and plunged it between the horse's eyes. The animal, in pain, reared up and began to kick, thrashing its head! Meanwhile, a soft whip shot out and coiled around Chu Qiao's slim waist, pulling her down from the horse.

"That was quite a dangerous plan," Yan Xun said with a charming smile, dressed in a spotless green robe as he caught Chu Qiao in his arms, his voice teasing, as if he was aware of everything going on. Chu Qiao stayed silent and stiff.

Zhuge Yue removed the arrow from the horse's rear and shot a cold glance at Song Lian. He commanded his servants, "Take him away and deliver him to Zhu Qi at the magistrate."

Two guards rushed in and bound Song Lian.

"Fourth Master, please… this is not…" the man pleaded.

In a flash, Yan Xun lunged forward and kicked Song Lian in the face, knocking out most of his teeth and silencing him. Zhuge Yue raised an eyebrow and turned to Yan Xun, a curious look in his eyes.

"This kind of slave would have been executed at the Yan estate long ago. How could he possibly defend himself?" Yan Xun chuckled and said, "Young master Zhuge[2], you really are too merciful. I didn't mean to meddle in your affairs. Please forgive my intrusiveness."

Zhuge Yue replied coolly, "It's nothing. Prince Yan is quite skilled. I didn’t realize it when we both attended the Imperial Academy Hall[3]."

Yan Xun waved dismissively with a laugh, "Just some minor tricks! They hardly compare to your understanding of warfare."

Zhuge Yue remained silent. With a gesture, he directed his servants to remove the injured Song Lian.

"Prince Yan, I appreciate your help with our lost horse today. However, you could have easily sent your servants to handle this instead of getting involved personally. I would invite you to dine with me, but I understand you’re busy, so I won’t keep you any longer. Zhu Cheng, please see Prince Yan out."

Yan Xun chuckled, fully understanding the reasons for this dismissal, and exchanged polite banter with Zhuge Yue, and prepared to leave. As he passed Chu Qiao, he leaned in and whispered, "You’re quite ruthless, setting up yet another victim."

Chu Qiao was taken aback. Looking up, she saw Yan Xun behaving normally, walking away with a slight smile, upright and composed, a far cry from the roguish prince he often appeared to be.

"Xing’er," a deep voice called from behind her. She turned to find Zhuge Yue looking troubled. "Come back with me," he instructed dryly.

Chu Qiao sighed, feeling unlucky after being caught. She needed to devise a way to deal with this clever fox. Quickly, she followed Zhuge Yue, her mind racing with excuses about past misfortunes, unaware that Zhuge Yue’s eyes reflected ambiguous pride and satisfaction, the reason for which was a mystery to everyone.

Chu Qiao had no idea that those two young men would become central figures in her future, both ready to battle and create chaos in the empire for her sake.

[1] In ancient China, the term for a hunchback, yulü (驼背), referred to both the physical condition of a hunched back and, in older contexts, was used to describe the elderly due to their typical posture.

Literary Symbolism: The hunchback appears in Daoist texts, such as the Zhuangzi, where characters with physical deformities like hunchbacks are depicted as possessing high virtue and profound wisdom. They often represent the acceptance of fate and alignment with the Dao (the way), transcending conventional social judgments.
Pictographic Origins: In ancient oracle bone script (Jia Gu Wen), the character for "old" (老) was originally a pictograph of a hunchbacked man leaning on a cane, linking the physical trait directly to aging.
Folklore and Art: In some cultural artifacts, hunchbacked figures are paired with symbols of longevity and resilience, such as turtles.
Societal Views: Despite some philosophical elevation, hunchbacks often faced societal discrimination and marginalization, a common experience for those with disabilities in the ancient world.

[2] Generally, young master (gōngzǐ 公子) was used alone or with a surname to show respect, rather than a first name. Calling someone by their birth name was often considered disrespectful unless you were an elder.

Naming Conventions and Addressing

Birth Names vs. Respect: It was bad form to call someone by their birth name (míng 名) if you were not older than them.
Surname Use: "Young master" was frequently paired with a family name, such as "Young Master Wei".
Alternative Titles: Younger brothers or sons might be referred to by their birth order, such as "Second Master" (èr gōngzǐ 二公子).
Honorifics: In some contexts, "Young Master" can refer specifically to a younger son (xiǎo gōngzǐ 小公子).

[3] In ancient China, the Imperial Academy (Taixue or Guozijian) served as the highest national institution of learning, training officials in Confucian classics. Alongside these government institutions, private academies (Shuyuan) emerged as influential centers for contemplation and specialized study away from urban distractions.

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