The Legend of Chu Qiao - V1C5
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 5
Bloody Heart
Bloody Heart
Zhuge Yue wore light green attire crafted from the finest fabric, adorned with intricate embroidery of green lotuses. His long, black hair cascaded down his back, and his complexion was as pale as jade, highlighting his jet-black eyes. Despite being only around fourteen years old, he exuded a wicked, cold demeanor. With his eyes half-lidded, he seemed indifferent to everything around him, as frigid as the snow atop Long Dong Mountain in the depths of winter. He reclined on a reddish-gold cushion, arms behind his head, while two female attendants knelt nearby, holding incense and occasionally peeling fresh lychees delivered from the Tang Empire by swift horses.
Not far from him, a young girl in a servant’s clothing was being beaten, her injuries laid bare, and her cries growing fainter. A younger female servant, only seven years old, knelt beside her, bowing repeatedly and pleading for forgiveness, her forehead grazed and blood trickling down her tear-stained cheeks.
Zhuge Yue lifted his head, squinting against the bright sunlight. In response, the two female attendants swiftly opened umbrellas to shield him. Sitting upright, he waved the servants away, leaning back in his chair instead.
Two burly men approached respectfully, positioning themselves in front of and behind Zhuge Yue’s chair, lifting it as they made their way toward the right door. The girl who had been begging for mercy gasped in disbelief, scrambling forward and clutching at Zhuge Yue's clothes. "Fourth Young Master, please spare Lin Xi. He won't survive if you keep hurting him."
Zhuge Yue raised an eyebrow, glancing down at the girl’s bloodied hands, still dripping with fresh blood. A cold wave swept over her, numbing her thoughts as she noticed the five bloodstained fingerprints on Zhuge Yue's pristine white boots.
One of the guards carrying the palanquin kicked the child to the ground, and the female attendants rushed to wipe Zhuge Yue’s soiled boots. Zhuge Yue eyed the child before turning his attention away, his expression unwavering.
One of the female servants coldly ordered, "Cut off one of her hands." The child sat frozen in disbelief, her cries abruptly silenced. A guard, steeling himself, unsheathed his sword, and a surge of blood erupted as a delicate hand was severed.
Screams pierced the air, startling the aggressive vultures circling above. The teenager remained calmly seated, silent with his eyes closed, as if oblivious to the chaos.
Chu Qiao stood frozen at the door, her steps suddenly halting as if turned to stone. Her eyes widened, and she instinctively covered her mouth, paralyzed by fear.
"Fourth Young Master, this child has ceased to breathe." Zhuge Yue glanced at Lin Xi[1]’s small body and rubbed his temples, responding coolly, "Dispose of him in the pond behind and feed the fish."
"Understood." The strong men carrying Zhuge Yue’s palanquin moved forward slowly. As they passed, everyone knelt, not daring to lift their heads.
"Wait," Zhuge Yue whispered as they approached the right gate. He turned to Chu Qiao, who was staring at him with anger in her eyes, and frowned. "Which household do you serve, slave? Why didn’t you kneel when you saw me?"
The morning breeze blew, lifting specks of dust in the corners of the wall. Sunlight pierced their eyes like thousands of sharp needles. White birds soared through the sky, flapping their wings, which were as white as snow. Chu Qiao took a deep breath and bit her lip, suppressing her anger and pushing it down her throat inch by inch. She plopped onto the ground and looked straight at the brick floor, her eyes wide open. With the voice of a child, she frantically said, "Yu Er is a slave in the backyard. May the Fourth Young Master forgive my lack of knowledge. This is my first time seeing you, Young Master, and I thought I saw a fairy."
Zhuge Yue's expression settled down. He saw that the child was adorable, young, and very eloquent. This piqued his interest, and he kept asking, "How old are you? And what is your name?"
"Fourth Young Master, Yu Er, is eight this year, and my surname is Jing."
"Jing Yu Er?" Zhuge Yue said, "Change your name and follow me from now on. Let your name be… Xing’er[2]."
Chu Qiao instantly knelt on the ground and roared, "Xing’er thanks to the Fourth Young Master."
Zhuge Yue looked away. His men lifted his palanquin and went down the corridor. They vanished.
The scene ended quite dramatically with the death of a humble slave. The men of the Zhuge household were accustomed to this sight, parting silently. Several cleaners lifted the child's body, placed it in a sack, and tied it shut before dragging it to the backyard lake.
The child was still young. His bones had been completely broken, and fresh blood flowed out of the sack. Sticky drops of blood stained the brick floor, leaving a long trail behind.
Chu Qiao was still kneeling on the ground, her back heaving up and down, her teeth clenched tightly onto her lower lip like woven shells. She looked straight ahead with her tiny fists clenched tightly. As she watched the sack being dragged away before her, with blood glaring and spreading all over the floor covered in dust and dirt, a huge tear welled up in her eyes and fell onto the back of her hand with a splash.
Sorrow and hatred overwhelmed her, yet she understood she couldn't afford to cry. She had to hide any signs of resentment for the moment. Wiping her face quickly, she stood up swiftly. In the open space beside the well, Xiao Qi[3] had already fainted, blood heavily dripping from her wrist, but no one noticed.
Chu Qiao quickly tore her clothes and pressed Xiao Qi's acupuncture points, bandaging the wound to stop the bleeding with her expert techniques. After everything was taken care of, she clenched her teeth, carried Xiao Qi on her back, and headed toward the backyard.
When she stepped outside the gate, a cold voice suddenly muttered, "Stop! Who permitted you to carry her away?"
Chu Qiao looked up and saw Zhu Shun, who had kept her locked up for three days. She frowned and said calmly, "The Fourth Young Master didn't say he wanted her killed."
“Master also did not say where to place her." Zhu Qiao glared at Chu Qiao and said coldly, "Guessing what the Master has in mind, you're asking for trouble. Men, take her down!"
Two servants stepped forward at once, reaching out to grab Chu Qiao's arms. She quickly backed away to avoid their hands. When they struggled to grab her, Xiao Qi let out a grunt. The bandaged wound started bleeding again.
"How dare you come close to me! I am working alongside the Fourth Young Master. Do you want to get killed?"
Zhu Shun sneered and said, "You barely received any recognition, yet you use it to command us. I don't think the Fourth Young Master will remember your existence by tomorrow morning. How dare you use that to scare me?"
Chu Qiao flicked her brow, carrying Xiao Qi as she retreated like a leopard, sharpening her gaze and frowning. "Housekeeper Zhu, I thought you were sending a message from His Royal Highness to Young Master Huai. Why are you badgering me with such matters? You seem to be very free to me."
A voice suddenly sounded. Chu Qiao turned toward the crowd and saw a boy who had served in a scholar's study speaking loudly and arrogantly. Not far away, a teen with a long, slender figure wearing a dark green robe stood in front of the court hall with his back to the crowd. At his side, there were four followers.
Zhu Shun was stunned. Turning his head quickly, he awkwardly bent down well below his waist. He bowed and scraped, nodding, "Your Royal Highness Yan, my men were not well disciplined, causing them to make fools of themselves in front of Your Royal Highness."
“Is your servant's discipline more important, or is my family's royal highness more important? Zhu Shun, I think you must be crazy.”
Zhu Shun was surprised. He dropped to his knees and quickly began to kowtow, repeatedly saying, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare, I know I am wrong. I deserve to die[4]."
The young man snorted, "If you know your mistake, what are you still doing here?"
After hearing that, Zhu Shun immediately stood up and rushed toward Zhuge Huai's study. The household servants retreated to a corner. One of them asked cautiously, "Can I invite Your Royal Highness Yan to wait in the hall?"
The teenager, clad in robes, nodded before turning slowly, his deep black eyes scanning the area. When they landed on Chu Qiao, his gaze sharpened as if a memory struck him. He walked directly toward her.
Chu Qiao maintained her composure and cautiously stepped back twice. Noticing her retreat, Yan Xun halted and contemplated for a moment. He then pulled out a white porcelain bottle from his sleeve pocket, adorned with intricate orchid designs. Holding it out to her, he nodded, prompting her to take it.
Chu Qiao scrutinized Yan Xun closely, the events at the hunting arena replaying in her mind as she stayed on high alert.
Yan Xun looked confused for a moment. His lips pursed, and then a grin appeared on his face as he bent down to gently place the bottle on the floor. Afterward, he turned and led his entourage into the hall.
Not far from him, a young girl in a servant’s clothing was being beaten, her injuries laid bare, and her cries growing fainter. A younger female servant, only seven years old, knelt beside her, bowing repeatedly and pleading for forgiveness, her forehead grazed and blood trickling down her tear-stained cheeks.
Zhuge Yue lifted his head, squinting against the bright sunlight. In response, the two female attendants swiftly opened umbrellas to shield him. Sitting upright, he waved the servants away, leaning back in his chair instead.
Two burly men approached respectfully, positioning themselves in front of and behind Zhuge Yue’s chair, lifting it as they made their way toward the right door. The girl who had been begging for mercy gasped in disbelief, scrambling forward and clutching at Zhuge Yue's clothes. "Fourth Young Master, please spare Lin Xi. He won't survive if you keep hurting him."
Zhuge Yue raised an eyebrow, glancing down at the girl’s bloodied hands, still dripping with fresh blood. A cold wave swept over her, numbing her thoughts as she noticed the five bloodstained fingerprints on Zhuge Yue's pristine white boots.
One of the guards carrying the palanquin kicked the child to the ground, and the female attendants rushed to wipe Zhuge Yue’s soiled boots. Zhuge Yue eyed the child before turning his attention away, his expression unwavering.
One of the female servants coldly ordered, "Cut off one of her hands." The child sat frozen in disbelief, her cries abruptly silenced. A guard, steeling himself, unsheathed his sword, and a surge of blood erupted as a delicate hand was severed.
Screams pierced the air, startling the aggressive vultures circling above. The teenager remained calmly seated, silent with his eyes closed, as if oblivious to the chaos.
Chu Qiao stood frozen at the door, her steps suddenly halting as if turned to stone. Her eyes widened, and she instinctively covered her mouth, paralyzed by fear.
"Fourth Young Master, this child has ceased to breathe." Zhuge Yue glanced at Lin Xi[1]’s small body and rubbed his temples, responding coolly, "Dispose of him in the pond behind and feed the fish."
"Understood." The strong men carrying Zhuge Yue’s palanquin moved forward slowly. As they passed, everyone knelt, not daring to lift their heads.
"Wait," Zhuge Yue whispered as they approached the right gate. He turned to Chu Qiao, who was staring at him with anger in her eyes, and frowned. "Which household do you serve, slave? Why didn’t you kneel when you saw me?"
The morning breeze blew, lifting specks of dust in the corners of the wall. Sunlight pierced their eyes like thousands of sharp needles. White birds soared through the sky, flapping their wings, which were as white as snow. Chu Qiao took a deep breath and bit her lip, suppressing her anger and pushing it down her throat inch by inch. She plopped onto the ground and looked straight at the brick floor, her eyes wide open. With the voice of a child, she frantically said, "Yu Er is a slave in the backyard. May the Fourth Young Master forgive my lack of knowledge. This is my first time seeing you, Young Master, and I thought I saw a fairy."
Zhuge Yue's expression settled down. He saw that the child was adorable, young, and very eloquent. This piqued his interest, and he kept asking, "How old are you? And what is your name?"
"Fourth Young Master, Yu Er, is eight this year, and my surname is Jing."
"Jing Yu Er?" Zhuge Yue said, "Change your name and follow me from now on. Let your name be… Xing’er[2]."
Chu Qiao instantly knelt on the ground and roared, "Xing’er thanks to the Fourth Young Master."
Zhuge Yue looked away. His men lifted his palanquin and went down the corridor. They vanished.
The scene ended quite dramatically with the death of a humble slave. The men of the Zhuge household were accustomed to this sight, parting silently. Several cleaners lifted the child's body, placed it in a sack, and tied it shut before dragging it to the backyard lake.
The child was still young. His bones had been completely broken, and fresh blood flowed out of the sack. Sticky drops of blood stained the brick floor, leaving a long trail behind.
Chu Qiao was still kneeling on the ground, her back heaving up and down, her teeth clenched tightly onto her lower lip like woven shells. She looked straight ahead with her tiny fists clenched tightly. As she watched the sack being dragged away before her, with blood glaring and spreading all over the floor covered in dust and dirt, a huge tear welled up in her eyes and fell onto the back of her hand with a splash.
Sorrow and hatred overwhelmed her, yet she understood she couldn't afford to cry. She had to hide any signs of resentment for the moment. Wiping her face quickly, she stood up swiftly. In the open space beside the well, Xiao Qi[3] had already fainted, blood heavily dripping from her wrist, but no one noticed.
Chu Qiao quickly tore her clothes and pressed Xiao Qi's acupuncture points, bandaging the wound to stop the bleeding with her expert techniques. After everything was taken care of, she clenched her teeth, carried Xiao Qi on her back, and headed toward the backyard.
When she stepped outside the gate, a cold voice suddenly muttered, "Stop! Who permitted you to carry her away?"
Chu Qiao looked up and saw Zhu Shun, who had kept her locked up for three days. She frowned and said calmly, "The Fourth Young Master didn't say he wanted her killed."
“Master also did not say where to place her." Zhu Qiao glared at Chu Qiao and said coldly, "Guessing what the Master has in mind, you're asking for trouble. Men, take her down!"
Two servants stepped forward at once, reaching out to grab Chu Qiao's arms. She quickly backed away to avoid their hands. When they struggled to grab her, Xiao Qi let out a grunt. The bandaged wound started bleeding again.
"How dare you come close to me! I am working alongside the Fourth Young Master. Do you want to get killed?"
Zhu Shun sneered and said, "You barely received any recognition, yet you use it to command us. I don't think the Fourth Young Master will remember your existence by tomorrow morning. How dare you use that to scare me?"
Chu Qiao flicked her brow, carrying Xiao Qi as she retreated like a leopard, sharpening her gaze and frowning. "Housekeeper Zhu, I thought you were sending a message from His Royal Highness to Young Master Huai. Why are you badgering me with such matters? You seem to be very free to me."
A voice suddenly sounded. Chu Qiao turned toward the crowd and saw a boy who had served in a scholar's study speaking loudly and arrogantly. Not far away, a teen with a long, slender figure wearing a dark green robe stood in front of the court hall with his back to the crowd. At his side, there were four followers.
Zhu Shun was stunned. Turning his head quickly, he awkwardly bent down well below his waist. He bowed and scraped, nodding, "Your Royal Highness Yan, my men were not well disciplined, causing them to make fools of themselves in front of Your Royal Highness."
“Is your servant's discipline more important, or is my family's royal highness more important? Zhu Shun, I think you must be crazy.”
Zhu Shun was surprised. He dropped to his knees and quickly began to kowtow, repeatedly saying, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare, I know I am wrong. I deserve to die[4]."
The young man snorted, "If you know your mistake, what are you still doing here?"
After hearing that, Zhu Shun immediately stood up and rushed toward Zhuge Huai's study. The household servants retreated to a corner. One of them asked cautiously, "Can I invite Your Royal Highness Yan to wait in the hall?"
The teenager, clad in robes, nodded before turning slowly, his deep black eyes scanning the area. When they landed on Chu Qiao, his gaze sharpened as if a memory struck him. He walked directly toward her.
Chu Qiao maintained her composure and cautiously stepped back twice. Noticing her retreat, Yan Xun halted and contemplated for a moment. He then pulled out a white porcelain bottle from his sleeve pocket, adorned with intricate orchid designs. Holding it out to her, he nodded, prompting her to take it.
Chu Qiao scrutinized Yan Xun closely, the events at the hunting arena replaying in her mind as she stayed on high alert.
Yan Xun looked confused for a moment. His lips pursed, and then a grin appeared on his face as he bent down to gently place the bottle on the floor. Afterward, he turned and led his entourage into the hall.
[1] Fifth Brother
[2] "Xing'er" (星儿) most commonly means "Star Child" or "Little Star" in Chinese, frequently used as an affectionate nickname or pet name to symbolize brightness and hope, popular in Chinese dramas. It can also mean "luckily" or "by good fortune" when written as 幸而 (xìng ér).
[3] "Xiao Qi" (小七) generally translates to "Little Seven" or "Little Qi," frequently used as an affectionate nickname or given name meaning a young child, often associated with a younger sibling or a "little miracle". Xiao means "Little" ( ) and is often used endearingly in Mandarin, followed by a name or number.
[4] In ancient Chinese culture, the phrase "I deserve to die" (often corresponding to phrases like 该死, gāisǐ, "should die," or 罪该万死, zuì gāi wàn sǐ, "deserve ten thousand deaths") rarely meant a desire to escape personal suffering. Instead, it was deeply rooted in Confucian ethics, social hierarchy, and honor.
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