The Legend of Chu Qiao - V1C18
Prologue 1- Major Chu Qiao
Prologue 2- A Storm is coming
Prologue 3- Time's up!
1- Royal Hunt
2- Zhuge, Wei, Mu, Jue, Che... and Yan
3- Fifth Brother
4- Fate is a Bitch!
5- Bloody Heart
6- Bastards
7- Snakes
8- Boundaries
9- Rocks and Plum Blossoms
10- Thank You, Sisters!
11- My name is 'None'
12- The Lantern Festival
13- Liar, Liar!
14- Everything Happens for a Reason
15- Ambushed by a pervert. Saved by a prince.
16- Insomnia
17- Reckless Revenge plot
18- I Remember Everything
19-
20-
Chapter 18
I remember everything
I remember everything
The room remained quiet for a considerable time. A gentle breeze wafted through the windows, carrying a subtle fragrance from the cymbidium flowers in the large pots. Chu Qiao stood silently, assuming that everyone around her had dozed off. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, she glanced up to meet a pair of dark, unyielding eyes.
Chu Qiao could no longer feign ignorance. She licked her lips and whispered, "Fourth Master..."
"Have you come up with your story yet?" The young man remarked casually, lifting a teacup to his lips and sipping slowly.
Cunning fox, Zhuge Yue! Chu Qiao thought to herself, her nerves getting the better of her as she knelt and quickly replied, "Xing’er wouldn’t dare lie."
"Is that so?" Zhuge Yue tilted his head, a soft chuckle escaping him. "Then why don’t you explain?"
"Two years ago, Young Master Huai took a group of girl slaves to the hunting grounds, and me, and in the end, only I came back. When I returned, I was terrified. While waiting for my injuries to heal, I started to pack my things and planned to escape."
"Escape?" Zhuge Yue raised an eyebrow, curious. "And where did you intend to run?"
Chu Qiao answered quietly, "I don’t know. I didn’t want to wait there to die. You might think I'm rebellious for thinking that way, but to me, my life is precious, even if others deem it worthless. However, just when I decided to escape, Guard Song caught me and beat me badly. Today, when he saw me, he must have feared I would seek revenge, so he tried to kill me to keep me silent."
"Is that so?" Zhuge Yue replied, taking another sip of tea. "And you remember clearly that it was he who did this to you?"
Chu Qiao felt a chill at the intensity of Zhuge Yue's gaze. She quickly bowed her head, saying, "This is not something I can forget, so I can still recall it clearly."
"Your memory is impressive," Zhuge Yue stated, nodding. "Now tell me, do you recall how Jin Si and Jin Zhu tricked me into killing Lin Xi? Or how Housekeeper Zhu sold your family members? Do you remember when someone took your sisters’ lives?"
Chu Qiao’s heart skipped a beat, and she pressed her forehead to the ground. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she confessed, "Young Master, I remember everything. I know my identity and fully understand my responsibilities and capabilities."
"What you're implying is that once you possess the same strength as them, you’ll seek revenge, correct?"
Chu Qiao looked up in fake horror and gasped, "Fourth Master!"
"There's no need to deny it. From the first moment I laid eyes on you, I recognized you weren't an ordinary child. I could see that your gaze concealed many secrets."
Tears filled her eyes but did not fall. Chu Qiao bit her lip and asked, "What do you think Xing’er would do, Young Master? Would he think I would kill, or that I harmed Jin Zhu and Jin Cai? I'm still young. Although I hold hatred, I understand right from wrong. My family and many clan members were killed; once I was respected, and now I am a slave. Any hatred should be directed at the emperor of Sheng Jin Palace, the eunuchs who gave the orders, and the Huang Tian Army that slaughtered my family. Young Master, I lack such power. I just want a peaceful life. Those acts are too bold for me to take responsibility for."
Kneeling on the ground, with her back straight and head held high, Chu Qiao trembled, her expression strained as her tears threatened to fall.
Zhuge Yue looked back at the child with an intense stare that softened as he saw the child's pitiful, teary eyes. Zhuge Yue put down his teacup, leaned on the couch, and said slowly, "Get up."
Chu Qiao tightened her lips, and her reddened and watery eyes widened.
Zhuge Yue observed the child before him. Noticing her petite stature, flushed cheeks, and tightly clenched fists as she struggled to remain still, he let out a sigh. Having faced numerous betrayals in his life, Zhuge Yue became excessively wary of those around him, even extending this suspicion to a small child.
"I've been unfair to you. Just let it out and cry," he said, which was quite an apology from him, considering he had never been this courteous to anyone other than the child standing defiantly in front of him, her large, watery eyes fixated on him.
Suddenly feeling irritable for no clear reason, Zhuge Yue waved his hand dismissively. "Go on, leave me alone."
Without a word, Chu Qiao turned away and began to walk off.
"Stop right there!" Zhuge Yue called out sharply. Obediently, Chu Qiao halted, standing there with her back to him.
Zhuge Yue retrieved a small porcelain bottle from the drawer and approached Chu Qiao. He placed his hands on her shoulders, aiming to turn her around, but he could sense the tension in her small frame. His brow furrowed as he noticed her resisting. Ultimately, he used his greater strength to turn her to face him. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked at Zhuge Yue.
"Enough with the crying. I only scolded you a little," he remarked with a frown. "You made a mistake; did you really think no one would hold you accountable?"
"I didn’t do anything wrong! You were the one who told me to ride the horse. I was doing fine, and no one said anything," the ten-year-old finally let her temper loose, speaking back to her Master while still sobbing.
Zhuge Yue frowned, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe her tears. As he did so, he said, "You still have the nerve to cry when I told you to stop? You lost my red horse the other day, and a valuable pony from the west died because of you. You still won't admit you're at fault?"
"It’s not fair! I didn’t want to ride the horse. Plus, I heard that Prince Yan returned the lost horse." Chu Qiao stubbornly insisted on her innocence, tears continuing to flow down her face and soaking Zhuge Yue’s handkerchief.
Just as he reached for another handkerchief, she snatched it away and wiped her nose. Zhuge Yue looked on in disbelief at the now dirty handkerchief as the child added, "That beloved pony died because you were the one riding it. And you’re claiming you’re not at fault?"
The child lowered her gaze and whispered, "I’m just speaking the truth."
Sunlight streamed in from the window, illuminating their shoulders. Given her small size, even when standing upright, she barely reached Zhuge Yue’s shoulders, her face glowing red like an apple.
"This is for you," Zhuge Yue said, placing the porcelain bottle in her hands. "Take it back and apply it to yourself."
Understanding that the child's focus was fleeting and she could easily be diverted, Zhuge Yue smiled slightly as he watched her lift the porcelain bottle, tilting her head in curiosity. "What is this?"
"It’s medicine for your cuts."
Chu Qiao had earlier scratched her palms when the horses sprinted too quickly. Biting her lip, she looked at the Fourth Master and asked, "May I leave now?"
The Young Master turned his back and lowered his head as he took his seat, his expression suggesting he no longer wanted to see her. He waved his hand and said, "You can go."
Just as Chu Qiao was about to open the door, Zhuge Yue called out, "Xing'er, next time you see Prince Yan, keep your distance."
Chu Qiao tilted her head in genuine confusion, gazing back at him.
Frustration etched on his face, Zhuge Yue urged, "Do you understand?"
"Understood!" she replied loudly, turning quickly to exit. Her small frame nearly stumbled over the tall door sill.
That child is becoming quite bold. Zhuge Yue’s face darkened as he inhaled deeply, thinking about Yan Xun.
As soon as she opened the door, Zhu Cheng’s worried expression greeted her. He rushed over, noticing the tears on Xing'er’s face, and asked anxiously, “What did the Young Master say? Is he upset?”
Chu Qiao met his gaze, nodded, and retreated to her room.
Zhu Cheng entered, feeling apprehensive, and found Zhuge Yue with his head lowered. He stood there quietly, too afraid to speak. Suddenly, something flew towards him. Zhu Cheng was startled and thought to himself, I’m done for. However, the object that hit him was soft, so he felt no pain. Looking down, he discovered a dirty handkerchief with the name “Yue” stitched on it.
“Throw it away.”
Zhu Cheng recalled Chu Qiao's tearful face, and something clicked in his mind. After a brief pause, he nodded and replied, “Yes, Master.”
Just as he was about to leave, he heard Zhuge Yue call out, “Wait!” Zhu Cheng turned around, awaiting further instructions.
To his surprise, Zhuge Yue's face flushed red almost instantly. The Young Master pondered for a long time but remained silent. Zhu Cheng carefully raised his gaze and noted Zhuge Yue's furrowed brow, recognizing it as the expression he wore when grappling with a difficult decision. He became vigilant, anticipating a command. Finally, in an authoritative tone, Zhuge Yue directed, “Go wash it now. Bring it back to me once it’s clean.”
“What?” Zhu Cheng exclaimed, taken aback.
Zhuge Yue's frustration began to surface. “What, ‘what’? Don’t you understand me?”
“Yes, Young Master. I’ll take care of it right away.”
Chu Qiao could no longer feign ignorance. She licked her lips and whispered, "Fourth Master..."
"Have you come up with your story yet?" The young man remarked casually, lifting a teacup to his lips and sipping slowly.
Cunning fox, Zhuge Yue! Chu Qiao thought to herself, her nerves getting the better of her as she knelt and quickly replied, "Xing’er wouldn’t dare lie."
"Is that so?" Zhuge Yue tilted his head, a soft chuckle escaping him. "Then why don’t you explain?"
"Two years ago, Young Master Huai took a group of girl slaves to the hunting grounds, and me, and in the end, only I came back. When I returned, I was terrified. While waiting for my injuries to heal, I started to pack my things and planned to escape."
"Escape?" Zhuge Yue raised an eyebrow, curious. "And where did you intend to run?"
Chu Qiao answered quietly, "I don’t know. I didn’t want to wait there to die. You might think I'm rebellious for thinking that way, but to me, my life is precious, even if others deem it worthless. However, just when I decided to escape, Guard Song caught me and beat me badly. Today, when he saw me, he must have feared I would seek revenge, so he tried to kill me to keep me silent."
"Is that so?" Zhuge Yue replied, taking another sip of tea. "And you remember clearly that it was he who did this to you?"
Chu Qiao felt a chill at the intensity of Zhuge Yue's gaze. She quickly bowed her head, saying, "This is not something I can forget, so I can still recall it clearly."
"Your memory is impressive," Zhuge Yue stated, nodding. "Now tell me, do you recall how Jin Si and Jin Zhu tricked me into killing Lin Xi? Or how Housekeeper Zhu sold your family members? Do you remember when someone took your sisters’ lives?"
Chu Qiao’s heart skipped a beat, and she pressed her forehead to the ground. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she confessed, "Young Master, I remember everything. I know my identity and fully understand my responsibilities and capabilities."
"What you're implying is that once you possess the same strength as them, you’ll seek revenge, correct?"
Chu Qiao looked up in fake horror and gasped, "Fourth Master!"
"There's no need to deny it. From the first moment I laid eyes on you, I recognized you weren't an ordinary child. I could see that your gaze concealed many secrets."
Tears filled her eyes but did not fall. Chu Qiao bit her lip and asked, "What do you think Xing’er would do, Young Master? Would he think I would kill, or that I harmed Jin Zhu and Jin Cai? I'm still young. Although I hold hatred, I understand right from wrong. My family and many clan members were killed; once I was respected, and now I am a slave. Any hatred should be directed at the emperor of Sheng Jin Palace, the eunuchs who gave the orders, and the Huang Tian Army that slaughtered my family. Young Master, I lack such power. I just want a peaceful life. Those acts are too bold for me to take responsibility for."
Kneeling on the ground, with her back straight and head held high, Chu Qiao trembled, her expression strained as her tears threatened to fall.
Zhuge Yue looked back at the child with an intense stare that softened as he saw the child's pitiful, teary eyes. Zhuge Yue put down his teacup, leaned on the couch, and said slowly, "Get up."
Chu Qiao tightened her lips, and her reddened and watery eyes widened.
Zhuge Yue observed the child before him. Noticing her petite stature, flushed cheeks, and tightly clenched fists as she struggled to remain still, he let out a sigh. Having faced numerous betrayals in his life, Zhuge Yue became excessively wary of those around him, even extending this suspicion to a small child.
"I've been unfair to you. Just let it out and cry," he said, which was quite an apology from him, considering he had never been this courteous to anyone other than the child standing defiantly in front of him, her large, watery eyes fixated on him.
Suddenly feeling irritable for no clear reason, Zhuge Yue waved his hand dismissively. "Go on, leave me alone."
Without a word, Chu Qiao turned away and began to walk off.
"Stop right there!" Zhuge Yue called out sharply. Obediently, Chu Qiao halted, standing there with her back to him.
Zhuge Yue retrieved a small porcelain bottle from the drawer and approached Chu Qiao. He placed his hands on her shoulders, aiming to turn her around, but he could sense the tension in her small frame. His brow furrowed as he noticed her resisting. Ultimately, he used his greater strength to turn her to face him. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked at Zhuge Yue.
"Enough with the crying. I only scolded you a little," he remarked with a frown. "You made a mistake; did you really think no one would hold you accountable?"
"I didn’t do anything wrong! You were the one who told me to ride the horse. I was doing fine, and no one said anything," the ten-year-old finally let her temper loose, speaking back to her Master while still sobbing.
Zhuge Yue frowned, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe her tears. As he did so, he said, "You still have the nerve to cry when I told you to stop? You lost my red horse the other day, and a valuable pony from the west died because of you. You still won't admit you're at fault?"
"It’s not fair! I didn’t want to ride the horse. Plus, I heard that Prince Yan returned the lost horse." Chu Qiao stubbornly insisted on her innocence, tears continuing to flow down her face and soaking Zhuge Yue’s handkerchief.
Just as he reached for another handkerchief, she snatched it away and wiped her nose. Zhuge Yue looked on in disbelief at the now dirty handkerchief as the child added, "That beloved pony died because you were the one riding it. And you’re claiming you’re not at fault?"
The child lowered her gaze and whispered, "I’m just speaking the truth."
Sunlight streamed in from the window, illuminating their shoulders. Given her small size, even when standing upright, she barely reached Zhuge Yue’s shoulders, her face glowing red like an apple.
"This is for you," Zhuge Yue said, placing the porcelain bottle in her hands. "Take it back and apply it to yourself."
Understanding that the child's focus was fleeting and she could easily be diverted, Zhuge Yue smiled slightly as he watched her lift the porcelain bottle, tilting her head in curiosity. "What is this?"
"It’s medicine for your cuts."
Chu Qiao had earlier scratched her palms when the horses sprinted too quickly. Biting her lip, she looked at the Fourth Master and asked, "May I leave now?"
The Young Master turned his back and lowered his head as he took his seat, his expression suggesting he no longer wanted to see her. He waved his hand and said, "You can go."
Just as Chu Qiao was about to open the door, Zhuge Yue called out, "Xing'er, next time you see Prince Yan, keep your distance."
Chu Qiao tilted her head in genuine confusion, gazing back at him.
Frustration etched on his face, Zhuge Yue urged, "Do you understand?"
"Understood!" she replied loudly, turning quickly to exit. Her small frame nearly stumbled over the tall door sill.
That child is becoming quite bold. Zhuge Yue’s face darkened as he inhaled deeply, thinking about Yan Xun.
As soon as she opened the door, Zhu Cheng’s worried expression greeted her. He rushed over, noticing the tears on Xing'er’s face, and asked anxiously, “What did the Young Master say? Is he upset?”
Chu Qiao met his gaze, nodded, and retreated to her room.
Zhu Cheng entered, feeling apprehensive, and found Zhuge Yue with his head lowered. He stood there quietly, too afraid to speak. Suddenly, something flew towards him. Zhu Cheng was startled and thought to himself, I’m done for. However, the object that hit him was soft, so he felt no pain. Looking down, he discovered a dirty handkerchief with the name “Yue” stitched on it.
“Throw it away.”
Zhu Cheng recalled Chu Qiao's tearful face, and something clicked in his mind. After a brief pause, he nodded and replied, “Yes, Master.”
Just as he was about to leave, he heard Zhuge Yue call out, “Wait!” Zhu Cheng turned around, awaiting further instructions.
To his surprise, Zhuge Yue's face flushed red almost instantly. The Young Master pondered for a long time but remained silent. Zhu Cheng carefully raised his gaze and noted Zhuge Yue's furrowed brow, recognizing it as the expression he wore when grappling with a difficult decision. He became vigilant, anticipating a command. Finally, in an authoritative tone, Zhuge Yue directed, “Go wash it now. Bring it back to me once it’s clean.”
“What?” Zhu Cheng exclaimed, taken aback.
Zhuge Yue's frustration began to surface. “What, ‘what’? Don’t you understand me?”
“Yes, Young Master. I’ll take care of it right away.”
·········⋆༺𓆩❀𓆪༻⋆·········
Chu Qiao walked down the corridor with her gaze fixed on the ground, ignoring everyone she passed. Once she closed the door to her room, her expression shifted from one of victimization to calmness. Her eyes sparkled, no longer filled with tears. Placing her hand on her chest, she seated herself on a stool and poured a cup of tea, though she didn't drink it immediately.
Finally, the revenge and the aftermath of the day were behind her.
Regardless of how much Zhuge Yue doubted her, she felt it was safe now. A chill ran down her spine as the strong wind whipped against her wet clothes, dampened by the melting snow. After savoring a sip of tea, she began to unwind, closing her eyes and releasing a long sigh of relief.
Regardless of what occurred, her plans had to proceed since time was limited. Zhuge Yue was far too intelligent and perceptive for her comfort.
·········⋆༺𓆩❀𓆪༻⋆·········
This winter had been harsh, with winds that stung against the skin.
In the dark sky, stars twinkled brightly over the earth. Winter had arrived, blanketing everything in snow. Following the Yuan festival, Zhen Huang City braced for misfortune.
The city lay encased in ice. The roads connecting the palace and the temples were bustling with horse-drawn carriages. The army sent west to engage in battle had suffered a defeat, and the scent of blood lingered in the river flowing down from the hills. The news of their loss was common knowledge.
The Quan Rong army had come to provoke the nation, inciting the nobles to anger. They felt threatened and challenged, which ignited the possibility of a new conflict. Before that could unfold, someone had to be held accountable for the prior defeat to uphold the empire's dignity.
A gold-embossed decree was dispatched from the Sheng Jin palace, traveling past the temples, through Zi Wei Square, Jiu Wai main street, Cheng Tian altar, and finally reaching the Qian Kun main gate, heading toward the borderlands.
The night before the impending chaos, the populace remained unaware of the war to come, sleeping soundly in their homes.
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