The Legend of Chu Qiao - V1C2
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- The winner is the predator
15- Ambushed by a pervert. Saved by a Prince
Chapter 2
Zhuge, Wei, Mu, Jue, Che… and Yan.
Zhuge, Wei, Mu, Jue, Che… and Yan.
4th of January in the year 770 of the Bai Cang calendar, Xia Dynasty.
The wolves understood fire as a threat. They hesitated and avoided approaching Jing Yue Er[1], who was protecting the children. Despite many wolves feeding on leftovers in the arena, the smell of blood triggered their predatory instincts to attack any remaining living creatures. When they saw they were safe under protection, they withdrew to scavenge the remaining carcasses, greedily devouring whatever was edible.
Zhuge Huai's sharp, narrow eyes fixed on this scene, and he muttered, "Useless animals." Drawing his bow, he started shooting at the wolves.
Sharp arrows shot toward the pack, hitting them unknowingly. The wolves yelped in pain, collapsed to the ground, and quickly, they were all dead.
The children who survived were thrilled. Ignoring their wounds, they cheered loudly.
However, even before their cheers could be heard, another wave of arrows rained down on them, piercing their fragile bodies.
The aristocratic descendants of the empire skillfully shot with their sharp eyesight. Coldly, they directed bloodthirsty arrows at the children in front of them, rushing in to eliminate them.
An arrow swooshed through the air, coming at a frightening speed, shooting through a child's head with a thud, entering through her left eye and coming out from the back of her head, stopping right in front of Jing Yue Er's nose. Warm blood splattered all over her face, and she opened her mouth. With the burning rod being held tightly in her grip, she froze. The cries of children reverberated in the sides of her ears. It was all like a nightmare.
The arrows began to slow down as Prince Wei and Mu Yun laughed together. Both drew their bows, aimed directly at the girl, and released their arrows, sending them soaring through the air.
Zhao Jue frowned and guided his horse forward. When he reached for his quiver, he realized he only had one arrow left. With a cold groan, he snapped the arrow in half and nocked it on his bow. With a precise shot, he fired both arrows, knocking Prince Wei's and Mu Yun's arrows out of the sky.
Zhuge Huai laughed and commented, "Good shooting skills!"
Finishing his sentence, all cries ceased, and the northern wind blew through the snowy arena, carrying the stench of blood. The entire arena was soaked in red, and the only surviving child was Jing Yue Er. Her hair was tangled and matted, with hay stuck in it; her clothes were stained red, and her face appeared pale. She clutched the wooden rod and remained completely still. She gazed around, her expression stunned and shock-stricken.
Zhao Jue said, "The seventh brother is still the best. I have no more arrows left. I think you will be the winner today."
Prince Wei raised his brows, looked at his quiver, then Mu Yun's, and finally turned towards Zhuge Huai.
Zhuge Huai smiled smartly and said, "I was out of arrows long ago."
"Yan Shizi still has some arrows, doesn't he? The time is not up. Whose hand the deer will die under is still unknown," Mu Yun said suddenly.
All gazes fell on Yan Xun.
Zhao Jue looked coldly at Yan Xun and said without emotion, "Yan Shizi is known for giving everyone surprises at unsuspecting times."
The joss stick was only burnt almost through, and everyone else had already used their arrows. Only one snowy, white-feathered arrow was lying in Yan Xun's quiver.
Yan Xun sat confidently on his horse. Despite being only thirteen, he held an upright posture with striking eyebrows and bright eyes. His solemn face and intense gaze added to his commanding presence. His neatly pressed attire distinguished him from others, giving him a handsome yet foreign appearance. With a nudge, he gently prompted his horse onward and drew his bow, targeting the child standing in the arena's center.
Gusts of wind swooshed by, blowing up the child's tattered clothes and messy hair. She was still very young, not older than seven or eight, looking malnourished and sick, like a hairless little wolf just born. Her arms, neck, and calves were covered in wounds, and the wound on her shoulder was near her artery. She stood in the middle of the messy Xiu Luo Arena, with dismembered limbs strewn everywhere, fresh blood flowing from bodies, and the stench of blood filling the air. The strength of cruelty was like the spirit of hopelessness, tearing at the delicate eyes of the child.
She neither cried nor moved, instead glaring at them with hateful eyes that seemed unsettling for her age. She appeared pitiful on the surface, but her behavior was disturbing.
A glistening, bloodthirsty arrow slowly aimed at the child's throat. The teenager sat stately on the back of his horse. With his sharp gaze and furrowed brows, the veins on his arms bulged as he pulled back his bow.
There was nowhere she could hide. Disorganized thoughts flooded her mind, with many questions and mysteries fading under the sudden rush. Her gaze was icy, filled with hatred and resentment. She looked at the teenagers before her without showing any fear.
It was the year 770, the first day of the first month on the Bai Cang calendar. The people of Zhen Huang had just celebrated New Year's Day.
That was the first time he and she met in the royal hunting arena on the outskirts of Zhen Huang City. Time seemed to tear through history, opening gates of time and space. Two souls who never intended to meet had been placed on the same stage.
Yan Xun furrowed his brows, moved his fingers slightly, and released the arrow. The long arrow shot forward, pushing cold air as it soared. All eyes locked onto the child standing still. The arrow brushed her neck, grazing her and drawing blood. Her body wobbled, but she remained standing after a few staggered steps.
"Ha ha! Congratulations, seventh brother!" Zhao Jue exclaimed with laughter.
Zhao Che looked at Yan Xun with contempt and smirked, "Yan Shizi has been busy with song, dance, and poetry. Has he forgotten how the ancestors of the Zhao clan held a bow?"
Yan Xun lowered his longbow and turned around, saying flatly, "How the ancestors of the Zhao Clan held a bow, it would already be enough if their descendants remembered. I wouldn't dare interfere in your family affairs."
Zhuge Huai burst into laughter and said, "Since everyone is here, I suppose the winner of this contest is His Seventh Royal Highness. I’ve prepared dinner at my house. Let's go and enjoy some drinks."
They all agreed and mounted their horses together, as if nothing had happened but a casual game. A strong gust of wind swept through, causing their robes to flutter and filling the air with the scent of wind across the snowy plains.
From afar, Yan Xun turned back, eyes fixed on the child covered in blood and dirt. She had been standing alone on the plains all this time, her intense stare fixed on them, lingering for a long moment. The sky gradually darkened. As the northern winds howled, the biting cold chilled them to the bone. The wind whipped snow across the ground, moaning like a wild beast.
The men from the Zhuge family were already clearing the arena, shoveling up the small, young bodies and their parts, then tossing them into a cart behind them. Nearby was a medium-sized ditch dug out, with wormwood crackling in flames inside and thick smoke rising from it. It was used to bury those children along with the bloodthirsty beasts. These lives were considered worthless, like trash. Their wealthy owners would play with them just once, then grow tired and discard them.
The wolves understood fire as a threat. They hesitated and avoided approaching Jing Yue Er[1], who was protecting the children. Despite many wolves feeding on leftovers in the arena, the smell of blood triggered their predatory instincts to attack any remaining living creatures. When they saw they were safe under protection, they withdrew to scavenge the remaining carcasses, greedily devouring whatever was edible.
Zhuge Huai's sharp, narrow eyes fixed on this scene, and he muttered, "Useless animals." Drawing his bow, he started shooting at the wolves.
Sharp arrows shot toward the pack, hitting them unknowingly. The wolves yelped in pain, collapsed to the ground, and quickly, they were all dead.
The children who survived were thrilled. Ignoring their wounds, they cheered loudly.
However, even before their cheers could be heard, another wave of arrows rained down on them, piercing their fragile bodies.
The aristocratic descendants of the empire skillfully shot with their sharp eyesight. Coldly, they directed bloodthirsty arrows at the children in front of them, rushing in to eliminate them.
An arrow swooshed through the air, coming at a frightening speed, shooting through a child's head with a thud, entering through her left eye and coming out from the back of her head, stopping right in front of Jing Yue Er's nose. Warm blood splattered all over her face, and she opened her mouth. With the burning rod being held tightly in her grip, she froze. The cries of children reverberated in the sides of her ears. It was all like a nightmare.
The arrows began to slow down as Prince Wei and Mu Yun laughed together. Both drew their bows, aimed directly at the girl, and released their arrows, sending them soaring through the air.
Zhao Jue frowned and guided his horse forward. When he reached for his quiver, he realized he only had one arrow left. With a cold groan, he snapped the arrow in half and nocked it on his bow. With a precise shot, he fired both arrows, knocking Prince Wei's and Mu Yun's arrows out of the sky.
Zhuge Huai laughed and commented, "Good shooting skills!"
Finishing his sentence, all cries ceased, and the northern wind blew through the snowy arena, carrying the stench of blood. The entire arena was soaked in red, and the only surviving child was Jing Yue Er. Her hair was tangled and matted, with hay stuck in it; her clothes were stained red, and her face appeared pale. She clutched the wooden rod and remained completely still. She gazed around, her expression stunned and shock-stricken.
Zhao Jue said, "The seventh brother is still the best. I have no more arrows left. I think you will be the winner today."
Prince Wei raised his brows, looked at his quiver, then Mu Yun's, and finally turned towards Zhuge Huai.
Zhuge Huai smiled smartly and said, "I was out of arrows long ago."
"Yan Shizi still has some arrows, doesn't he? The time is not up. Whose hand the deer will die under is still unknown," Mu Yun said suddenly.
All gazes fell on Yan Xun.
Zhao Jue looked coldly at Yan Xun and said without emotion, "Yan Shizi is known for giving everyone surprises at unsuspecting times."
The joss stick was only burnt almost through, and everyone else had already used their arrows. Only one snowy, white-feathered arrow was lying in Yan Xun's quiver.
Yan Xun sat confidently on his horse. Despite being only thirteen, he held an upright posture with striking eyebrows and bright eyes. His solemn face and intense gaze added to his commanding presence. His neatly pressed attire distinguished him from others, giving him a handsome yet foreign appearance. With a nudge, he gently prompted his horse onward and drew his bow, targeting the child standing in the arena's center.
Gusts of wind swooshed by, blowing up the child's tattered clothes and messy hair. She was still very young, not older than seven or eight, looking malnourished and sick, like a hairless little wolf just born. Her arms, neck, and calves were covered in wounds, and the wound on her shoulder was near her artery. She stood in the middle of the messy Xiu Luo Arena, with dismembered limbs strewn everywhere, fresh blood flowing from bodies, and the stench of blood filling the air. The strength of cruelty was like the spirit of hopelessness, tearing at the delicate eyes of the child.
She neither cried nor moved, instead glaring at them with hateful eyes that seemed unsettling for her age. She appeared pitiful on the surface, but her behavior was disturbing.
A glistening, bloodthirsty arrow slowly aimed at the child's throat. The teenager sat stately on the back of his horse. With his sharp gaze and furrowed brows, the veins on his arms bulged as he pulled back his bow.
There was nowhere she could hide. Disorganized thoughts flooded her mind, with many questions and mysteries fading under the sudden rush. Her gaze was icy, filled with hatred and resentment. She looked at the teenagers before her without showing any fear.
It was the year 770, the first day of the first month on the Bai Cang calendar. The people of Zhen Huang had just celebrated New Year's Day.
That was the first time he and she met in the royal hunting arena on the outskirts of Zhen Huang City. Time seemed to tear through history, opening gates of time and space. Two souls who never intended to meet had been placed on the same stage.
Yan Xun furrowed his brows, moved his fingers slightly, and released the arrow. The long arrow shot forward, pushing cold air as it soared. All eyes locked onto the child standing still. The arrow brushed her neck, grazing her and drawing blood. Her body wobbled, but she remained standing after a few staggered steps.
"Ha ha! Congratulations, seventh brother!" Zhao Jue exclaimed with laughter.
Zhao Che looked at Yan Xun with contempt and smirked, "Yan Shizi has been busy with song, dance, and poetry. Has he forgotten how the ancestors of the Zhao clan held a bow?"
Yan Xun lowered his longbow and turned around, saying flatly, "How the ancestors of the Zhao Clan held a bow, it would already be enough if their descendants remembered. I wouldn't dare interfere in your family affairs."
Zhuge Huai burst into laughter and said, "Since everyone is here, I suppose the winner of this contest is His Seventh Royal Highness. I’ve prepared dinner at my house. Let's go and enjoy some drinks."
They all agreed and mounted their horses together, as if nothing had happened but a casual game. A strong gust of wind swept through, causing their robes to flutter and filling the air with the scent of wind across the snowy plains.
From afar, Yan Xun turned back, eyes fixed on the child covered in blood and dirt. She had been standing alone on the plains all this time, her intense stare fixed on them, lingering for a long moment. The sky gradually darkened. As the northern winds howled, the biting cold chilled them to the bone. The wind whipped snow across the ground, moaning like a wild beast.
The men from the Zhuge family were already clearing the arena, shoveling up the small, young bodies and their parts, then tossing them into a cart behind them. Nearby was a medium-sized ditch dug out, with wormwood crackling in flames inside and thick smoke rising from it. It was used to bury those children along with the bloodthirsty beasts. These lives were considered worthless, like trash. Their wealthy owners would play with them just once, then grow tired and discard them.
·········⋆༺𓆩❀𓆪༻⋆·········
Jing Yue Er had a torn sack draped over her, and her head hung low in silence, sitting quietly beside the cages. She was seriously injured, but even if she had been a grown man, it would have been hard to suffer the immense pain in total silence.
Zhughe Huai, who organized this royal hunt, had the men from the Zhuge family handle the cleanup. Seeing her, they thought she would die soon, but as time went on, they noticed her chest still rising and falling, though faintly. They understood she was alive because of her breathing and sensed some mysterious source of strength was keeping her alive, even on the verge of death. So, they chose not to throw her into the mass burial pit and instead placed her back in the cage when they left.
Once filled with children, the cage now felt eerily spacious. All the other children had perished; only one remained. The men, astonished by the child’s fortune, felt compelled to return and inspect her more closely.
Although they struggled to explain it, they couldn't shake the disbelief that her survival was extraordinary, considering her age and physical condition, especially how she survived the hunt. Everyone was meant to die. Still, they weren't there to analyze it, so they simply put her in a cage.
The Zhuge residence was expansive. Entering through the back door, Housekeeper Zhu handed Jing Yue Er over to a couple of workers. After providing a few directions, the men cast one last cold glance at her before turning away and leaving.
With a click, a lock on one of the rooms was opened. Jing Yue Er was pushed inside, and the door was locked swiftly before she could rise.
The room was dark, filled with a stack of firewood. The sounds of rats scurrying could still be heard. Instead of screaming in terror, the child sat calmly in the middle of the room, removing the sack from her head and shoulders. Holding one end of the sack with her teeth, she started tearing off pieces of cloth and carefully wrapping her wounds with focused determination. Her techniques were surprisingly skillful.
This prolonged period had given the seasoned agent ample time to steady her nerves and employ careful thought and composure to navigate any situation, even one as surreal as this.
Indeed, Jing Yue Er was Major Chu Qiao, the assistant commander of the 11th division, who had given her life for her country. Fate often unfolds in incredible ways. An abyss might not conceal certain death but rather lead to a new beginning.
Chu Qiao looked at her small hands in the light as she raised her arms. A wave of sadness swept over her, leaving her unsure whether it was for herself or for the unfortunate child whose body she now inhabited after dying. She had no idea whose body it was. When she woke up in the arena, her survival instincts kicked in, and lying in the darkness with the sack over her in the cage, she tried to stay conscious.
She realized she was no longer in the modern world but in a setting
reminiscent of the feudal era. The clothing, arrows, and the obedient
behavior of the servants toward what seemed to be nobles all pointed to
this. Many details came together, leading her to believe she had
exchanged her soul for this new body. Was she still on Earth, or had she
entered another dimension? What surprised her most was that she
understood the language perfectly. The logical conclusion was that she
had transmigrated into the past, a few centuries ago. Even though she
inhabited this body, the original soul was gone, and she had no access
to any memories connected to it.
There's no one here. Nobody to help or understand where I am coming from. I can let myself be scared, but I need to make this time as short as possible, she murmured to herself as silent tears streamed down, flowing across her dirty, thin face.
She was a highly skilled agent, trained to survive anywhere, under any circumstances. Sitting with her knees hugged to her chest, she lowered her head and rested it between her arms. Yet, in that moment, her back quietly started to shake. She felt completely alone.
Chu Qiao spent her first night in the Xia Empire in a small, old firewood shack of the Zhuge household, surrounded by cold, dirty, almost decayed wooden walls and broken windows. She cried helplessly because she was weak and afraid. She gave herself an hour to curse her fate, reminisce about her past, worry about her future, and adjust to her new reality. After an hour, she would no longer be Chu Qiao, the elite commander of the 11th division, but instead, a young and helpless female child slave with nothing, struggling to survive in this inhumane, bloodthirsty, and chaotic place.
Fate had pushed her into the ditch, she told herself. She had to climb out. This terrible situation left her no chance to feel remorse or anxiety. If she didn't pull herself together, she might not survive the night.
One day and one night at a time. First, focus on healing. Second, collect as much information as I can about this world. Third…
She raised her blackened hands and grabbed a wooden stick, gradually beginning to write on the ground.
Zhuge, Wei, Mu, Jue, Che. At these words, her brows began to furrow. The sky outside darkened, and the sounds of woodwind instruments playing within the palace grounds could be heard. Amid the rustling, waves of laughter also echoed. She silently gathered her thoughts and finally wrote the last word: Yan.
There's no one here. Nobody to help or understand where I am coming from. I can let myself be scared, but I need to make this time as short as possible, she murmured to herself as silent tears streamed down, flowing across her dirty, thin face.
She was a highly skilled agent, trained to survive anywhere, under any circumstances. Sitting with her knees hugged to her chest, she lowered her head and rested it between her arms. Yet, in that moment, her back quietly started to shake. She felt completely alone.
Chu Qiao spent her first night in the Xia Empire in a small, old firewood shack of the Zhuge household, surrounded by cold, dirty, almost decayed wooden walls and broken windows. She cried helplessly because she was weak and afraid. She gave herself an hour to curse her fate, reminisce about her past, worry about her future, and adjust to her new reality. After an hour, she would no longer be Chu Qiao, the elite commander of the 11th division, but instead, a young and helpless female child slave with nothing, struggling to survive in this inhumane, bloodthirsty, and chaotic place.
Fate had pushed her into the ditch, she told herself. She had to climb out. This terrible situation left her no chance to feel remorse or anxiety. If she didn't pull herself together, she might not survive the night.
One day and one night at a time. First, focus on healing. Second, collect as much information as I can about this world. Third…
She raised her blackened hands and grabbed a wooden stick, gradually beginning to write on the ground.
Zhuge, Wei, Mu, Jue, Che. At these words, her brows began to furrow. The sky outside darkened, and the sounds of woodwind instruments playing within the palace grounds could be heard. Amid the rustling, waves of laughter also echoed. She silently gathered her thoughts and finally wrote the last word: Yan.
·········⋆༺𓆩❀𓆪༻⋆·········
Everyone celebrated the royal hunt with toasts in the main hall of Zhuge's palace. Yan Xun, holding a wine cup, sat alone. Some young men tried to start a conversation, but he ignored them, so they gave up and found others more eager to laugh and boast. Suddenly, his right eye twitched, and he furrowed his refined brows as he slowly turned, his gaze sharp and piercing into the darkness.
The night was completely dark. With jackdaws flying high overhead, this murky, ugly empire was decayed. The old order was meant to be destroyed, and the new order would take its place, rising from the ashes.
