Princess Agents 特工皇妃楚喬傳 Chapter 125, 126 English novel translation

Princess Agents - 特工皇妃楚喬傳

Chapter 125: Not an Impractical Scholar

Chapter 126: Golden Summit
Chapter 127: Yan/Chu Different Paths One Goal (epilogue)

Translator's notes: 
If you're wondering why I have so much free time to do this, I'm wondering the same thing myself.  ^_^; But the story is getting better and better, so I thought I'd keep going.  

These chapters are the end of book 2, and I found them rather difficult to translate with my limited arsenal.  A lot of the phrases were complicated and it involved politics, some archaic terms and more fighting.  I had to switch some phrases and words to flow better in English, and some words had no single English meaning.  But still, I hope I got most of it right.

I was kind of surprised some of the fandom skipped this portion of the story.  It gives some closure to the 2nd installment and the characters introduced in this novel's arc.  It also has a brief Chu Qiao and Zhuge Yue action scene, which is what I translated below.  

Chapter 126 is the epic conclusion to the 2nd novel (followed by Chapter 127 which is an epilogue of sorts), and it begins where this started, back with the Zhan family.

Synopsis:  After getting snared by the Luo gang (again) Chu Qiao and Liang Shaoqing have a political debate in a dingy slave cellar in Chapter 125.  The nerd says he can tell that Zhuge Yue is in love with her and shows some surprising clarity in this conversation (makes me wonder if his idiocy is an act).  Liang Shaoqing speaks of the great influence of the vassal families like Zhuge and Wei, and say essentially that they want to see Yan Bei and DaXia go to war.  They may in fact be instigating it.  No matter what, Yan Bei will lose, and DaXia will continue to rely on the these great families to exist.  Chu Qiao discusses the power of the people with Liang Shaoqing, something he has never considered in his political debates with fellow students.  He likens her to the DaTong Association, but she denies identifying with them, and considers herself more realistic.  She uses Yan Bei as her shining example, a land without slavery, and she sparks the interest of the others sitting in the cellar to believe in a better life.

Chu Qiao and Liang Shaoqing have apparently been thrown into a cellar at the Zhan family manor in Bian Tang.  They are set free by the Fifth Mistress, but not before learning that the Zhan family, like many noble families, had sent 100 slaves as human sacrifices for the prince's wedding, hence many of them had fled for their lives.  The Luo gang was hired to retrieve them.  Among their family slaves, the Jing sisters were the first to depart for the Meishan Mausoleum to be buried alive as virgin sacrifices.  

Chu Qiao is determined to save Jing Yue'er's sisters, especially Zisu, for whom she has a soft spot.  When she arrives, she mercilessly kills two guards who were raping one of the sacrifices and locates her sisters.  There at the temple, she can't rescue them all, so she encourages an uprising of a thousand virgins who greatly outnumber the guards as she frees Caiqin and Jinlian.  

Her sister Zisu was called to wait on Princess Zhao Chun'er, who is having a tryst with General Zhong Peng inside the temple.  Chu Qiao spies on them in the midst of rescuing her eldest sister.  In their throes of passion the general promises the princess that Li Ce is dead.  It's all a political ruse as the princess conspires with him against the Bian Tang throne if it means they will kill Chu Qiao and Yan Xun for her.  Peng spread news that Yan Bei, in league with the DaTong movement, has caused the deaths of both the Crown Prince and the Princess at Meishan.  At that moment, the Five Army Coalition (Northern Guard, Imperial Guard, Wei Contingent, Central Army, Bian Tang Army) were colliding into that one spot to meet the DaTong forces who were blamed for the sinister plot implemented by Zhong Peng.  Chu Qiao is caught when General Peng tries to assault her sister after laying with the princess, and Chun'er seizes the opportunity to hold Zisu hostage and take Chu Qiao captive.  (TN: Her sisters keep getting into trouble -__-;)

Li Ce was on his way to the temple, having lived through the assassination plot against him, but his father barely survived his own assassination attempt.  In the course of a day Bian Tang was sent into chaos.  General Peng faces DaTong on the field and routs them.  He holds an execution ceremony at Meishan of the DaTong rebels.  Chu Qiao could only watch as they were beheaded one by one after shouting their belief that DaTong would never die.  The crowd grew restless as it proves merely to be a celebration of martyrs.  The nobles present begin to doubt their purpose for gathering and the crowd seems to disagree with General Peng when he brings an adolescent boy onto the dais.  When the boy refuses to and admit his guilt in the conspiracy, Peng throws him into the fire.  That's where we begin….

Chu Qiao let out a sorrowful cry, and watched the boy's figure flash before plunging into the depths of the raging fire.  His piercing screams reached the heavens, like a demonic screaming owl.  Even the battle-hardened veteran soldiers could not help but cover their ears.

"You lunatic!"

Chu Qiao shouted, "I will not let you live!"

"What, can't wait your turn?" Zhong Peng snorted derisively and took large steps forward.  The man's broad arm picked Chu Qiao up by the collar and said callously, "You're in such a hurry, just go next then."

"Men!  Do you know who this woman is?"  Zhong Peng pulled her up and shouted, "This is one of Yan Bei's rebel leaders, the one who killed the DaXia princess, the one who instigated a conspiracy to set the state for a war between us and DaXia, the one who confused the crown prince and then brutally killed His Royal Highness!  What say you, men, does she deserve to die?"

"Kill her!"

An indignant roar of furious rage resounded in the open air space before the temple dais.  Zhong Peng's eyes were alight and he said in a clear, loud voice, "Very well!  We will use her as an offering for our flag!"

"Stop!"

A clear voice suddenly rang out loudly, surprising the crowd that then turned around to see.  In the vast field dozens of fas horses rushed forward, the man leading them dressed in green, painted with a spray of bamboo, holding a sword as he rode his horse, shouting, "Put your sword down and spare them!"

They saw quickly who was approaching.  Slanted swordlike brows and bright eyes shining, it was none other than the DaXia noble of of the most prestigious vassal family of Zhuge who had recently visited Bian Tang for the celebration, the Fourth Master Zhuge.

In his heart Zhong Peng knew that this was not an encouraging sign, and at once he wanted to strike, but at this moment Chu Qiao agilely dodged and the blade smoothly slid down the side of her arm and at the same time cut the ropes that bound her!

"Capture her!"

Zhong Peng shouted at the top of his lungs, and the soldiers of the Central Army immediately rushed forward.

"Master!" cried Yue Qi, pulling his bow taut and letting the arrow fly, fiercely embedding itself into the cliff face above.

Zhuge Yue rode vertically atop his horse, and with a nimble leap his body pulled using the arrow as leverage and climbed upward like an ape.  Immediately thereafter, Zhuge Yue's subordinates shot arrows in succession, with amazing archery skills, using their powerful bows they literally created a pathway on the cliff face for him.

The tide of army forces suddenly seethed with excitement, flapping quickly in advance, wanting to obstruct the Zhuge family forces from coming closer.  The throng of three thousand imperial guards came forth to shield the Zhuge family forces.  The Five Nation Coalition forces held bows with arrows drawn at one another, their war horses blowing white puffs of breath.  It was a large-scale confrontation on the verge of breaking out at any moment.

"Everyone stop!"

In the blink of an eye, Zhuge Yue had already jumped onto the second level dais, his had gripping a golden emblem, took a deep breath, and shouted in a clear, loud voice, "I have the crown prince's gold emblem in my hand, by order of the crown prince, all forces lay down your arms, he will soon arrive!"

 The autumn wind rose intensely, large gusts whistling by his impressive green clothes, white jade complexion and bright eyes like stars, proudly standing on the platform with an indescribable heroic bearing.  The words he spoke were even more shocking, causing Liu Ge to suddenly step forward and ask in a loud voice, "What did you say?  His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will soon arrive?"

"Yes," Zhuge Yue turned around and cooly stared down Zhong Peng, saying in a deep voice, "Crown Prince Li is not dead.  He will soon arrive with his soldiers."

"You speak nonsense!"

Zhong Peng interjected forcefully, afraid he would say something else, and shouted, "Kill him!"

The second unit of the Central army suddenly rushed forward, and Zhuge Yue shouted deeply, "You all want to rebel?"

"Master Zhuge you are a government official of DaXia yet you are not here to take revenge for your country's princess, instead you speak strongly in favor of Yan Bei, time and again interfering in the affairs of my country.  What exactly are you plotting?"

"Zhong Peng!  You are also a government official of your country but you are neither loyal nor do you protect its interests. Instead you have conspired to sew chaos, using soldiers to depose the emperor.  What are you plotting?" 

Zhong Peng wiped his bloodthirsty mouth, "I see you are just like the prince, both of you have been so mystified by this demon girl that you've lost all reason!"

Zhuge Yue's expression went cold, and suddenly drew his sword, his movement incredibly fast!  The Central Army's soldiers could barely believe their eyes.  Spattered drops of blood were cheap as his figure spun round and turned.  In a few moves Zhuge Yue had forced his way to Chu Qiao's side.  Taking up a sword from the ground he handed it to her and shouted, "Charge with me!"

Zhuge Yue's graceful figure was like that of a demon.  When he first plunged toward the crowd he was a pallid sparkling light in the tide of soldiers with killing red eyes, in brutal hand to hand combat and enemies everywhere.  Chu Qiao was behind him, her arms still numb from being tied, but she remained swift as always and able to adjust herself, tightly following behind Zhuge Yue.

Their breathing became heavier, their strength gradually consumed.  Yue Qi and the other guards were being pressed by the the army below, and seeing them in danger above, they wanted to charge upward.  They were helpless on the narrow path below the cliff face, clashing with layer upon layer of the Northern Guard contingent, while the imperial guards were still guarding against the other coalition forces twenty times larger in size in addition to clashing with the Northern Guard; it was momentarily in a difficult position.

The forceful collision of their charge left a stream of defeated troops in their wake, and the pair saw they were approaching the inner shrine.  Zhuge Yue uttered a long cry, the cutting edge of his sword drawing a circle, causing a bloody splash mark to fly.  The man pulled Chu Qiao by the arm, springing upwards in one leap into the shrine.

Zhong Peng and the others were quite shocked.  They never thought the two would cut through such tight defenses and quickly chased after them.

"Zhuge Yue! DaXia will punish you!"

Behind them was a large crowd of pursing soldiers, and Chu Qiao was yelling as she ran.

Zhuge Yue's color was ashen, one hand wielding his sword, and the other tightly clasping Chu Qiao's hand.  In the narrow corridor extending in all directions he traveled back and forth, avoiding making any response.

"Your family will punish you!"

Chu Qiao continued to shout, "You must leave immediately!  They will not touch you!  Do not throw your life away with me!"

*pang*  The two burst into a spacious chamber.  Zhuge Yue used his foot to push the deadbolt in place after closing the door, which was immediately followed by loud pounding behind it.  Fortunately every door in the place was made of cast iron and it would be impossible for anyone to break it in a short time.

"Are you insane?  Why did you come?  Did you forget what you said to me from the outset?  Time and time again why do you bother with my affairs?"

Chu Qiao planted a fist in Zhuge Yue's face, like an angry lioness, her eyes were red with rage, and she shouted at him, "You will die!  You will die, don't you know??" 

"Then do you know that if I was one step too late you would have already been a corpse?"

The man's anger finally exploded.  The place where Chu Qiao had punched him was swollen with a few traces of blood.  With one arm he pinned Chu Qiao against the wall.  His voice was low but it was infused with fury, "What do you think you are?  The savior of the world?  Buddha incarnate? You stinking woman, you are a simpleton, you are an idiot, you are a moron!" (TN: ^_^ he literally calls her an idiot three different ways….)

Chu Qiao's eyes were seeing red, so agitated that she couldn't control herself, "So what if I am?  I am an idiot, what of it?  And you still came back for me? I would have rather died fighting on that dais instead of watching you throw your life away with me!"

Zhuge Yue's eyes suddenly calmed, he heavily closed his eyes, and then slowly turned his head away, smiling with a self-deprecating tone, "Because I am a greater idiot than you are."

The air inside suddenly became more calm, regardless of the soldiers fast on their heels like wild wolves in pursuit, and the repeated, rhythmic sound of pounding as they rammed the door, one after another.  Chu Qiao's eyes stung and she felt as though she were about to cry.  She weakly turned her head and emphasized her words, "I don't want to owe you."

"You already owe me quite a bit."

Chu Qiao immediately turned her head and cried, "I don't want to owe you!"

"If you don't want to owe me then stay alive to repay me!"  Zhuge Yue turned his head around, his eyebrows arched upward at the ends like swords, as he sternly shouted, "Listen you and listen well; if you even dare die, I will hunt you down in the palace of Hell's emperor and kill you myself!"

But I'd already be dead, why would I be afraid of you killing me?  Chu Qiao silently argued back at him. (TN:  ^_^; these two….. I think Chu Qiao is missing the point. I think he means to tell her that if she dies he will follow her into Hell….)

She strongly held back the urge to cry, she turned her head away, and coldly said, "I know where Zhao Chun'er is, as long as I bring her out, the rumors about her will be disproven."

"Fine.  I'll lead our pursuers away, you go find her."

Chu Qiao nodded her head, and as she was about to turn away, Zhuge Yue suddenly pulled her back.

The man's eyes were deep, as if there was something hidden in their depths.  Very deep, so very deep, making one unable to think clearly.  He suddenly stretched out his arms and gently embraced Chu Qiao's shoulders.  Then he took the Breaking Moon sword in his hand and placed it into hers, saying in a low voice, "Be careful."

Chu Qiao's nose slightly tingled, and her voice sounded thick as she nodded vigorously, "If you die, I will set off a hundred strings of firecrackers, to celebrate my not having to remember year after year what I still owe you."

Zhuge Yue nevertheless smiled, unrestrained, and gently curled his fist, "I'm afraid you will never have the chance to set off those firecrackers."  

"Take care."

Zhuge Yue nodded, "You go first, after you leave I will open the door and lead them away in a different direction."

Chu Qiao nodded, and after one last look, she immediately turned away and ran off.

Her eyes felt wet but she shed no tears.

"It will be fine.  Nothing will happen."  Chu Qiao whispered to herself, and the hurried back into the temple, returning to the place where she last overheard the princess.

*Peng*  With a gust of air the door to the chamber was kicked open and the young girl rushed in.  She took the head of one of the guards and plunged her dagger into his neck, and before the other guard could draw his weapon she immediately let her silver sword fly into his chest.

Chu Qiao was covered in blood, making her figure in black gold robes all the more slender and graceful.  She brushed off her hands, looking back at her handiwork with dagger and blade, then coldly stared at Zhao Chun'er sitting on the bed whose expression remained unchanged, and cooly said, "Never thought we would see one another again so soon."  (TN: These were the words the princess said when she held Zisu hostage)

Synopsis: In the end, Chu Qiao presents the princess to the Central Army from the top of the temple, telling everyone that they've been deceived.  She tells the DaTong faction that Yan Bei would never deceive them or let them perish and that was a rather cringeworthy read considering what happened to the DaTong merchants earlier in the novel.  The Central Army wavers now that they no longer have a reason to fight, and the Bian Tang army just abandons their posts.  Chu Qiao reiterates to Princess Chun'er that the princess will never be her rival, and she can at least choose how to die.  At that, Chu Qiao leaps from the temple peak.  But just as she does, Yan Xun's army comes into view.  She uses her grappling hook to slow her fall and he rescues her.

Their reunion is quietly touching and it's obvious that she is still devoted to Yan Xun, having been separated for so long.  For now, he is everything she thinks he is.  

Epilogue -- After the incident at the Mausoleum, Chu Qiao and Li Ce have a nice talk about everything before he sends her off.  He tells her his scheme to delay any marriage with DaXia for as long as possible, and that he will not follow DaXia into war with Yan Bei for at least 5 years, giving Yan Xun enough time to solidify his force there. She and Li Ce know they will not have an opportunity to see one another again for a long time, and so fill the time with chatter and semi-serious discussions about politics, life and love.  He tells her to remember she is also a woman, and there are more things in life than just living for her beliefs, (i.e. shopping, make-up, hobbies, love).  TN: I love Li Ce, he's like her BFF.

Li Ce makes fun of both Yan Xun who is so inexperienced he probably sees Chu Qiao as the only woman in the world, and Zhuge Yue who passes a thousand beauties with a frigid stare but treats a raggedy thing like her as if she were a treasure.  ^_^;  He asks if she's had a change of heart about Zhuge Yue and she asks if he would believe her if she said no.  He affirms he would believe her and she explains that she doesn't like to owe Zhuge Yue.  Li Ce suggests that it would be best if she never saw him again then, if she didn't like to be reminded of what she owes.  Whether or not she cared or worried about him, Zhuge Yue was smart and will most likely overcome any obstacles he faces.

He warns her that she will have to fend for herself in Yan Bei, far from his protection or Zhuge Yue's.  When she says she will have Yan Xun there, he looks a bit surprised, but then plays it off saying jokingly that of course she will marry him and he will give her a giant wedding present.  As if he is foretelling that she will be unhappy there, he half jokes that if Yan Xun's three wives and four concubines get too tiresome, she is welcome to come back to Bian Tang and live off of him instead.  She says it will never happen though she doesn't deny that she will marry Yan Xun.  Then as she leaves he adds a few quips saying she shouldn't trust people so easily, eat more meat since her body frame makes people lose their appetite, etc.  ^_^  Then when she finally leaves he says quietly, "I hope you have chosen the path that is right for you."

When she returns to Yan Xun his immediate reaction to her long conversation is jealousy and suspicion.  When she questions it he reveals that he discovered someone wanted something of his, something he's been guarding for almost a decade, and he won't have it.  TN: Allusion to Zhuge Yue, perhaps?  Then they gallop away to Yan Bei.

Tranlator's notes:  So, Zhuge Yue risks his life and his reputation in bringing his own contingent to rescue her.  It seems he listened to her words before they parted, most likely saved the crown prince, and worked with Li Ce to retrieve her.  There would most likely be retribution from the empire and from his family, which he expects, but doesn't care.  That is hardcore devotion.  When they part she feels great sorrow and tries to convince herself that he will be fine and that nothing will happen to him, but it seems she doesn't understand what it is she feels for him.


What I love about the interaction between Zhuge Yue and Chu Qiao is that they are building their feelings through their trials together.  Many things they say to one another are a repeat of a prior conversation or event, parallel and reciprocal, with hidden meanings and memories only they share (i.e. the conversation about firecrackers is reminiscent of his saying he would spend his wealth and set off fireworks if she accomplished her dream of making a utopia, and now at the temple her telling him she will light firecrackers if he dies is her way of telling him not to die; the way he gives her the Breaking Moon sword was similar to what she did before she left him in the cave) to show how their relationship is growing.

When I read the next few chapters of Yan Bei's introduction I realize how much I missed Li Ce!  Yan Bei is drab and desolate compared to the bright and beautiful Bian Tang, and the people there are much less interesting than the flamboyant Li Ce.

Princess Agents Chapter 105, English novel translation

Princess Agents: 特工皇妃楚喬傳

Chapter 105 Becoming Parents

Translator's notes: Some stuff happens at the beginning of the chapter; a man (Yan Xun) gets news that everything has been "finished."  We learn that the camp that Chu Qiao was traveling in has been decimated and most of the people have been killed.  There is a brief cameo by Xiao Ce (prince of Liang/Tang) and Yan Xun in this chapter.  Yan Xun won't let a single one of the merchants go, not even a little boy.

-Kero (4/16/18)

----

Now, in the deathly still mountain valley, curling tendrils of lit smoke trailed upward.  After a grand scale massacre the camp had been severely reduced.  Now, only roughly seven-hundred people remained, the others having been slaughtered overnight.

Zhuge Yue carried a bowl of rice porridge over to Chu Qiao's side, his complexion was still very unpleasant, but he had already calmed down.  The tent was quite small, with no means of him standing in it, so he could only squat down as he helped her sit up, and whispered, "Eat a little."

Chu Qiao's face had gone white, her entire body weakened, but she still asked quietly, "What's happening outside?"

"What else could be happening outside?" he said with contempt.  "Those who should have died have died, those who should not have died have died right alongside them.  The Liu clan's effortless seizure of all these rich people's possessions is as common as a theater play."

Chu Qiao frowned and slowly asked, "So Liu Xi has taken over the wealth of the other businessmen?  Doesn't he fear retaliation from the other families?"

Zhue Yue shook his head, "The merchants' families may no longer be among the living."

"You mean…."

"Precisely," nodded Zhuge Yue.  He said quietly, "If it were me, if I had to do it, I would do it so that the slate was wiped clean once and for all.  OuYang clan, Gu clan, and even though the Wu clan holdings that are not as impressive as the Liu clan; if they had united, the Liu clan would not have been able to compete against them.  Since Liu Xi decided to commandeer their holdings and wipe out their entire families, if that's the case, Xian Yang City must not have been peaceful last night."

Chu Qiao frowned and said, "So Liu MinJun is letting Liu Xi do this so their rivals' properties in Xian Yang will be thoroughly destroyed?"

"You think that Liu MinJun was directing all this?"  Zhuge Yue chuckled, "Xing'er you're smart, you have strong skills, your reaction fast, but you lack understanding of the human heart.  Liu Xi is going rogue, and if I haven't guessed wrong, last night the first person to see the King of Hell was Liu MinJun."

"Liu Xi betrayed him?" Chu Qiao said, slightly surprised.  She thought hard and searched the ocean of her memory to the first time she saw that young man in Xian Yang City.  His smile was a mouth full of pearly white teeth and he had acquired a proficiency in horsemanship.  When he introduced her to his nephew, Liu MinJun had laughed merrily, pleasantly clapped the young man's shoulder and proudly stated he was his half son….

"Why would Liu Xi want to betray his uncle?  Maybe he wasn't satisfied with only being rich and wanted to advance to an official post. A prominent family held the leading position and the possibility of him holding office lacked any foundation and if he wanted to advance in rank he wouldn't be promoted in fifty, let alone thirty years.  So he was desperate to gather all the wealth of Xian Yang as his foothold so he could enter the upper echelons of Bian Tang.  With such a large accumulation of fortune no one could look down on Liu Xi ever again."

Zhuge Yue murmured his analysis little by little.  However, as Chu Qiao listened his speech became more and more harsh.  Her analysis was not as simple as Zhuge Yue's because she knew the people who had died.  Her primary concern at the moment was that Liu Xi was from DaXia.  To eradicate the roots of the DaTong Association in Xian Yang, and occupy the wealth that the DaTong Association had managed for years, why then go to Bian Tang?  She had no idea.

Zhuge Yue was considered a very intelligent person.  After relaying the information to a passing Bian Tang scout he quickly transmitted the news to the officials of Bian Tang, they came to a nearly identical conclusion.  Liu Xi had destroyed the power of the other houses just so he could defect to Bian Tang and scheme to be an official.

***

"Ce'er," said the king to his son, his expression a bit ponderous, as he heavily pat his son's shoulders.  "This Liu Xi is not easy to control, if you're not careful, he will bite your hand.  Could a businessman from the merchant Liu House of Xian Yang actually have such talent?"

Li Ce looked up and smiled faintly and said, "Father, I prefer a wild horse."

***

However, what everyone didn't know was that as early as a few days ago, the real Liu Xi, whose envy of others ran deep, had been tied up and placed in a sack weighed down with stones, and was now at the bottom of the ChiSui River.

In this chaos, some quickly retreat, some remain ignorant, some coldly watch as bystanders, while some are in control of it all.  

The common people can only see the violent crackling surface, the ignorant only see villains robbing and killing their enemy clans.  Intelligent people such as Zhuge Yue and Li Ce can only follow the norm and conduct a painstaking investigation and doggedly try to gain insight on the cause.  And for those who truly control the situation, they can then tidy up the folding layers of all connecting aspects of these relationships; pressing down on the ultimate truth, waiting for the day they can reveal everything to the world.

***

Inside the large stretch of the ravine a man dressed in all white robes sat on a warm divan.  Outside stood a multitude of javelin wielding guards.  A man in his twenties wearing open leather attire went inside, knelt on the floor and said in a low voice, "Your Highness."

Yan Xun wore a gleaming white fur, beneath him hot coals were keeping his seat warm, and his forehead was damp with sweat but his face was still looking pale.  He heard his visitor but didn't bother to open his eyes.

"An accounting of the finances has been completed, Zuo Ting is bringing people to look it over.  All the other households and their servants have been handled and I ordered people to dig a giant pit behind the mountain and they've already been buried."

Yan Xun still did not speak, as though he were still sleeping.  The young man licked his lips slightly and continued, "Only…only the young son of the OuYang House has yet to be found." 

Yan Xun frowned, yet still continued to close his eyes, and said lightly, "Then go find him."

"Yes!  Yes, sir!"

The young guard quickly added, "The child is only four, outside is a mountainous landscape, all of it a woodland. He won't get far."

"Cheng Yuan," the deep voice was so sudden it gave the young man a start that he quickly promised, and Yan Xun finally opened his eyes.  His eyes were dark and wise, his tone remained calm as he said, "Do you know why DaXia has fallen to this predicament?"

The one called Cheng Yuan was dumbfounded, opened his mouth but said nothing.

"That's because at the time they killed my entire house they weren't resolute, and left me as the remaining root.  Do you understand?"

*peng, peng*  The sound of the young man suddenly bowing his head against the ground was followed by a flustered voice, "Your servant understands.  I understand, sir."

"Good.  Then get to it."

Yan Xun waved his hand for the young man to withdraw and as Cheng Yuan was about to hurry out he added subtlety, "After you're done, remember to go to military court for punishment; it seems you need a deeper impression to help you remember who I am."

The young man was shocked, and hurriedly said, "Yes, your servant remembers, young master."

Inside the large canopy it was more quiet and young Yan Xun leaned against the soft sedan, the thick arm cushions almost burying him.

He frowned, and in a light, slightly disgusted tone said, "Damned southern savage…."

***

The next day, the camp did not make any movement to leave.  Zhuge Yue looked around and saw that with the exception of Liu Xi's people, all the others from the other houses' retinue were gone.  He was a little anxious but with Chu Qiao's situation, he couldn't make a mad dash with her at the moment.  He went to the carriage to retrieve some dry foods and when he returned he saw the little girl named Star.  She was hiding next to a small tent, timidly showing her small head, her cheeks a bit smudged with black, quietly looking him up and down, and side to side, as if looking for Chu Qiao.  Seeing Zhuge Yue looking at her, the little child was so happy she squinted her eyes and grinned to show her missing front teeth.

Zhuge Yue's face was suddenly serious, he stopped looking at her, turned around and headed back to his tent.  As soon as he walked a few steps, he heard the pitter-patter of footsteps behind him.  He turned his head and saw the child carefully following him in little steps.

"What are you doing? Want more meat?"

Zhuge Yue frowned and said, "If you keep following me I will cut off your legs!"   (TN: Dude… -__-;)

"Waaah!"

A sudden burst of crying suddenly sounded, and instead, startled Zhuge Yue as he only saw her gaping mouth loudly crying, weeping as she ran in the opposite direction.  The other servants in the camp looked at Zhuge Yue strangely, their collective expressions seemingly saying 'Look at that, putting on airs, getting all worked up over a kid.'

Zhuge Yue felt gloomy in that moment, since he only wanted to scare the child a little bit.  When he returned to the tent ChuQiao was still asleep.  She seemed especially able to sleep now, even when speaking, she would be in a daze and fall asleep again.  Zhuge Yue started to worry a bit; at great efforts she was barely able to walk when she wasn't sleeping. At the very least, this troubled experience gave her a bit of self assurance.  For example, even as he was sitting next to her she wouldn't suddenly leap up and point her dagger at his neck.

As the sky's color gradually faded Zhuge Yue took a deep breath, his mood very gloomy.

The tigress falls flat and the dog takes advantage of it, and at the moment they couldn't even leave this shabby camp.

"Hmmmm…."

He heard the sound of a soft, lethargic voice, and Chu Qiao opened her eyes.  When she suddenly noticed Zhuge Yue sitting next to her she couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed.  She subconsciously smoothed down her hair and noticed her voice sounded a bit nasal as she unnaturally asked, "What time is it? Well, I really slept for a while didn't I?"

Zhuge Yue said nothing and handed her the water skin. Chu Qiao took the water skin, and as soon as she took a sip, she noticed Zhuge Yue was still watching her, and in a moment of carelessness she choked.

*cough, cough, cough!*

"You're such an idiot," Zhuge Yue said, rolling his eyes, and patted her back gently.

Her long fit of coughing actually woke her up.  She firmly glared at Zhuge Yue, grabbed the water skin and gulped down two mouthfuls of water, then declared rather audaciously, "I'm hungry!"

In fact, Zhuge Yue had just retrieved some food, but seeing she was in such a rotten mood, he didn't want to give any to her.  He coldly answered, "Am I your slave?"

"Slave?"  Chu Qiao threw a sidelong glance at him, "You?  What are you capable of doing?  If I were to sell you at the slaver's market you wouldn't even be worth a gold piece."

Zhuge Yue threw her a sideways glare, filled with immediate contempt,  "And you're worth anything?"

"At least more than you."

Both were currently performing a compulsory activity on their daily agenda--bickering.  But as soon as they suddenly heard the rush of footsteps outside, headed exactly for their tent, they stopped.  The two were puzzled, and Zhuge Yue immediately was on his feet, dagger drawn.  

Just as he was about to go out, they heard a *peng* as two little bodies rushed in from outside, nearly dragging the tent flap down with them!

Chu Qiao and Zhuge Yue froze, exchanged a glance, then she was the first to speak and gently asked, "Little rascals, what do you want?"

Little Star's face was blackened, her eyes red, and her hands pulled along a child even smaller than she.  As soon as she heard ChuQiao's voice, the little girl licked her lips and drops of tears began to fall, increasing in number as they fell.

Zhuge Yue's expression was unpleasant, impatiently staring at the two children who seemed to have rolled out of a coal pile, and said in a low voice, "No one let you in here, get out quickly."

"Hoo, hooooo…."

The child who looked to be only four or five years old suddenly raised his head.  In his dark little face his eyes were big and round, black and white and watery, staring at Zhuge Yue with trembling lips.  He made little whimpering noises like a little animal, and with a chubby little hand crawled up from the ground towards Zhue Yue.   

Zhuge Yue had gone into battle to defeat his enemies before, and when he strategized from the command tent, all these years he never once had an ounce of dread.  Yet in this moment he felt a bit alarmed, pointed at the little child and said loudly, "You, you stay there. D-don't come over, I command you, leave immediately!"

"Wah!"  A cry to shock heaven and earth, ghosts and gods, suddenly filled the air.  Like a ferocious dog pouncing on food the child clung onto Zhuge Yue's thigh, smearing tears and snot onto his clothes, and cried, "Daddy!"

At that time Zhuge Yue's picture perfect handsome face seemed congested with blood, a fiery red shade.  For a moment his expression could almost be described with the phrase, 'scared out of his wits,' and with that same gaping expression glanced at Chu Qiao.  He hurriedly said, "Who is your daddy? Let go! Or I'll beat you!"

"Daddy!" The little one was not tall enough to reach Zhuge Yue's upper thigh, but though he was small his grip was strong, arms and legs clinging for dear life, his entire body attached, crying as he wailed, "Daddy!  Daddy!"

Zhuge Yue possibly could have killed such a small child with a kick, but he dared not raise a hand against him, nor could he push the child away, and finally he turned his head towards Chu Qiao and said, aggrieved, "I'm really not his dad."

Even he didn't know why he felt the need to explain it to Chu Qiao, but once he saw her brief display of astonishment was tinged with delight in his misfortune, he was all the more mad.

Chu Qiao laughed and laughed, but she did feel the situation was a bit strange.  Since she would not be able to ask anything of the smaller child, she turned her head toward Star and asked, "Little Star, who is he?  What happened?"

Before Star could respond, the wailing child suddenly turned around, as if realizing for the first time Chu Qiao was also present.  He only saw that this woman was smiling and pleasant, seemingly very gentle.  The child's little mouth shrunk, and cried unhappily as he reached out to Chu Qiao sobbing loudly, "Mommy!"

Bam!

The entire world had gone insane.