Chapter 48
Broken Star
"Let go of me!" Chu Qiao hastily said.
"No!" Yuwen Yue replied in his cold voice.
Chu Qiao didn't think twice. She unsheathed her sword, and the man released her hands, battling within himself whether to remove his metal mask or not. But before he could decide, Chu Qiao struck him. Yuwen Yue countered her attack, clearly controlling the swordplay. Suddenly, another Chu Qiao appeared in front of him, leaving Yuwen Yue bewildered.
"Who are you?" Yuwen Yue asked coldly, his voice clear to Chu Qiao.
"It doesn't matter who I am," said Xia Chong. "I am the real Chu Qiao, and she is the imposter."
Xia Chong was protecting Chu Qiao as she whispered, "Go! And don't ever come back!"
Yuwen Yue heard Xia Chong's words when suddenly Xia Chong struck his head, dazing him as his metal mask remained on his face. But just then, a handsome young man appeared to counter Xia Chong and defend Yuwen Yue. Zuo was quick and precise. He managed to escape from the Wei Crown Princess' palace without alerting any guards, as Yuwen Yue had already incapacitated some of them.
With fierce eyes, Xia Chong settled herself and meditated for a few minutes. "The plan must continue," she said. Suddenly, another woman emerged from hiding and revealed her face, it was Xiao Ba. Both women exchanged a glance and nodded.
Chu Qiao walked past Yuwen Yue, glancing at his metal mask. She couldn't ignore him, already suspicious of him earlier at the banquet, and now his cold voice added to her wariness. Suddenly, a flood of memories flashed before her as if she were watching a movie.
The Poe Yue Jian sword he wielded, with its silver bells ringing during their fight, heightened her awareness. The rhythm of the bells pumped her blood and synchronized her movements with the air around them. Although she was an amateur compared to Yuwen Yue, this time, she was able to counter his attacks.
As Chu Qiao walked along the corridors, she couldn't shake the earlier scene, the masked man, and the Poe Yue Jian sword. "Who is he?" she wondered aloud. "I think I've met him before, but I can't recall where."
She paused, remembering the woman who told her to leave. "She looks just like me," Chu Qiao thought. "Is she my sister?"
Chu Qiao continued to walk through the long palace corridors heading north, where the banquet had been held earlier. Suddenly, a man raised his eyebrows, jumped down from a nearby tree, and spoke.
"What would the world get if the star is lost in the heavens?"
Chu Qiao's ears perked up in sudden glee. She turned around but saw no one. Then, Yan Xun approached her from behind, and after holding back his emotions for so long, he kissed her.
Chu Qiao didn't close her eyes, nor did she respond to the kiss. She was stunned by the Prince of Yanbei's actions. After a moment, she pushed him away, and Yan Xun let her go.
Breaking the silence, Yan Xun said, "That kiss was for all the days I restrained myself from seeing you at the Xuili Mountains and secretly walking through the Meilin border. It's not open to interpretation."
With a tearful gaze, Chu Qiao asked, "Why are you doing this?" She lowered her head, letting the tears fall. Earlier, in front of the entire Wei Empire, she had walked tall and brave.
Yan Xun suddenly took her hands and said, "I don't have much time to answer your questions, but please, hold my hand if you must. I won't force you to come. You're free to decide whether you want to go with me to Yanbei or become the Wei Crown Princess tomorrow morning."
Chu Qiao looked at him with tearful eyes and asked, "If I come, what will happen to you? Will you be the next King of Yanbei tomorrow morning?"
In a rush, Yan Xun replied, "I will be the King of Yanbei whether you come or not. That won't change." Taking her hands, he continued, "I just want to be clear. I want you to come, but I also want to stay here."
Yan Xun lifted her small, beautiful face and said, "Then come." But feeling uncertain, he moved back, squinted at her, and asked, "Don't tell me you've fallen in love with the 13th Prince of Wei and his cold-blooded empire?"
Chu Qiao didn't respond, and Yan Xun could only cling to her initial answer: that she would come. The Prince of Yanbei carried Chu Qiao and ran toward a secret pathway. A few minutes ahead, two shadows trailed them, where Yuwen Yue slept, walking shoulder to shoulder, assisted by Zuo.
Yan Xun saw the two figures but was in too much of a hurry to address them. Reaching the first stratagem, Chu Qiao stood back on her feet and suddenly remembered the place. She used to pick plum blossoms here for... for…
"Fourth Master Yuwen Yue," she whispered, regaining memories.
Unaware of her condition, Yan Xun replied, "Yes, you used to come here, and I used to play here." He told her a brief story. "We banged our heads in that cave, and we're going to do it again today. Hold on tight!"
The Merlin landscape remained unchanged, even at night. A master skilled in navigating its stratagems could bypass all obstacles and safely exit Wei State, reaching the Yan-Wei road.
The night worked to their advantage, especially under the bright moonlight.
Yan Xun tapped two sturdy vines, handed one to Chu Qiao, and held the other himself. "On three, we swing and jump into the cave," he instructed.
At the edge of Merlin Mountain, Chu Qiao nodded and smiled, having recovered some memories of Merlin, including a flashback of Castle Peak and the man who had saved her.
"It must have been the Fourth Young Master," she thought to herself.
Chu Qiao swung through the air and landed just as Yan Xun had said. He followed shortly behind her.
"This is where I met you after the hunting field. Do you remember?" Yan Xun asked.
Chu Qiao, distracted by her fragmented memories of the Fourth Young Master, replied, "I can't remember."
Frustrated, Yan Xun grabbed her and said, "Tell me not to marry, and I won't!"
Chu Qiao met his gaze, and Yan Xun held her by the waist. She didn't resist but looked directly at him. Another long look, another pitying stare, but no words.
Impatient, Yan Xun, like a ticking bomb, pressed her for an answer. "You don't have to tell me you love me. Just order me, and consider it done."
He waited for her to speak, but only the cold air passed between their lips. Not a single word was said.
Chu Qiao continued to gaze into his eyes, her emotions in confusion. A prince was with her on the eve of his wedding, yet her mind wandered, lost in thoughts of the Fourth Young Master of Castle Peak.
It was unfair.
Indeed, life is unfair.
As they navigated the narrow paths of the cave, Chu Qiao suddenly recalled fragmented memories of being trapped in the cave with Yuwen Yue.
She couldn't help herself. Yan Xun finally reached the end, and they emerged from the cave. Trying to rekindle her memory of their past, he said, "Do you remember this road? This is where I meditated, and you came so fiercely in front of the Wei Valve troops. You even called me the Kang Prince because I was like a prince ready to make Yan-Wei Road a Kang bed and sleep on it."
Chu Qiao remained silent but felt compelled to speak. "Yan Xun," she said, "I want you to become the King of Yanbei, to serve its people, and to change the world. That's the dream I've had, which is why I came to Xuili."
Yan Xun stopped walking, then turned to her and said, "Then be my queen."
Chu Qiao, thinking of her empire and the poor people of Wei, responded, "I can't."
Yan Xun's face darkened with anger. "That means you want to be with me, but for some reason, you can't? Why?"
Chu Qiao replied, "I don't want to be the reason you can't serve your people, and the Princess of Liang would be heartbroken. I've seen her spying around, and even from a distance, it's clear she loves you. She'd sacrifice her life for you. After I went missing for almost a year, you already built a life with her. I can't let you lose that just because I'm here, still lost in my memories."
Yan Xun, his voice firm, said, "A life with her? No."
"I never had a life until I saw you again. I never thought I'd find you alive. I don't care about your lost memories. We can make new ones. We still have many moments to create."
Putting everything on the line, his pride, his people, his honor, and his emotions...Yan Xun pressed her to decide.
Chu Qiao, her voice hoarse, didn't want to say these words but knew she had to in order to let him go. With her head lowered, tears welling in her eyes, she said bitterly, "Don't do this, Prince Yan Xun. It makes me hope we have a chance together when, in reality, we never had one at all. You have a responsibility to your people, and that's why I came to help you. After you marry the Princess of Liang, consider me gone. I won't trouble you, not even a strand of your hair. Thank you for your support with the Xuili Army and your continuous sponsorship of the Children's Rehabilitation Facility. But with the new Queen of Yanbei, Xuili won't survive the new regime. Consider it my last request: release the Xuili Army. They've suffered enough and paid their debts. Let them retire to the mountains of Xuili and live as free men, not as traitors to Yanbei, their homeland."
Suddenly, Chu Qiao saw needles flying toward Yan Xun's back. She quickly used her Canhong sword to deflect them, but Yan Xun was snatched away by black-clad ninjas and disappeared.
A woman in a black ninja suit inserted a tiny needle into Yan Xun's neck, causing him to fall unconscious, while Chu Qiao was struck by a needle in her right arm. She ran into the woods searching for Yan Xun but soon became drowsy and collapsed in the cold forest.
Later that night, an old lady passed by the forest and saw the fine woman in her imperial nightgown, still clutching her Canhong sword, its sheath just out of her grasp.
Checking if the woman was still breathing, the old lady ordered her servants to carry her into the palanquin.
"She won't survive the day if we don't stop by an old friend," the lady remarked.
The old lady brought Chu Qiao to her old friend near the Wei and Liang border states. "She must have been poisoned and needs an antidote," she explained. "I can't stay long, but I'll return for her in a week." Her old friend nodded, offering no words, only a smile.
Yan Xun woke as if from a dream, disoriented. His servants came to undress him and prepare his wedding robes, and he didn't object, though he looked at them as if they were strangers. Then A'Jing entered and said, "Your Highness, Princess Xiao Yu will arrive shortly. You must pay exaltation to your ancestors before the wedding rites begin."
Meanwhile, Viper and He Xiao had been imprisoned by Xiao Yu, who had ordered her spies and servants to lock them in a secret prison in Liang.
"Where am I?" Chu Qiao asked, glancing at her bandaged arm. The old friend of the old lady, with a half-spent cigar in hand, puffed smoke into the air, saying nothing. Growing curious, Chu Qiao rephrased her question, "Master, what am I doing here?"
Master Xie squinted his eyes and walked away. The deafening silence made Chu Qiao uneasy. She tried again, "I'm supposed to attend a prince's wedding." After a pause, she corrected herself, "No, I'm supposed to be engaged today."
Master Xie Tai Shan smiled faintly and pointed toward a path. Chu Qiao soon realized that the master was mute, unable to speak. She followed him until she saw her Canhong sword beside two moss-covered cenotaphs. She reached out to touch the sword and brushed its surface.
Her eyes widened in shock as a sudden realization struck her. "Master... is this... is this..."
She couldn't finish her sentence, stunned by the sight of the mossy cenotaph. The man in her memories, had he passed into the afterlife?
She looked at the master again, and he nodded, his face expressionless.
Suddenly, the mute Master, sitting near the cenotaph, spoke: "The man in your memories died two years ago, and you, Chibi, haven't improved."
"Master, I thought..." Chu Qiao began, but Master Xie Tai Shan interrupted, "I've been mute until today."
Chu Qiao, shocked, asked, "Who are you?"
"It does not matter who I am, but I am the person who brought him to the house of the nobles. His mother, my sister, died at their hands."
Chu Qiao touched the cenotaph with engraved Chinese inscriptions, silent tears filling her eyes. "The Fourth Young Master and..."
"His mother," the old Master finished, as Chu Qiao turned her gaze to the second cenotaph beside it.
"He was the Fourth Young Master of the Yuwen household, am I correct?" she asked.
"Yes, he was. And the owner of the Poe Yue Jian sword. He also gave you the Canhong sword."
"I remember both swords," she said softly, picking up her Canhong sword beside the cenotaph. But she still couldn't understand why the Fourth Young Master died at such a young age.
"Tell me what happened to him, Master. Why did his life end?"
The Master recalled Yuwen Yue's fateful end at the hands of Yan Xun. "The Fourth Young Master gave the benefit of the doubt, despite warnings from his best guards who told him it was a trap, a dead-end road. Some say he went to face the Prince of Yanbei to save a maidservant he cherished. Some say he was a fool for doing so, a disgrace to the family he had served all those years, a failure to the Empire who didn't deserve a decent grave."
The Master pointed to the empty tomb. "Here lies his empty tomb. May his good deeds be remembered, especially by the woman standing before me, who should realize the life he gave up for her and live it well."
Chu Qiao fell to her knees. "He is the man in my memories. I can't be wrong. His face may have faded from my mind, but his deeds, though wrapped in coldness, never went to sleep. I feel them every night, and I long for his presence."
The Master continued, "Now that you know his story, you should move on and live your life. Carry these memories with you, and when all is finally whole, this place will be here for you."
He stood up and left Chu Qiao alone.
Sobbing, she touched the Fourth Young Master's empty tomb, clutching her heart in pain. She felt that time could never be reversed. She was lost in the dark agony of her memories, haunted by questions without answers.
Had she allowed this to happen, leading to his death? This gray shadow in her heart remained undiscovered.
"I swear, if there is another lifetime for both of us, I won't waste it like this," Chu Qiao vowed through her tears, unaware of how long she had been there until night had fallen.
For seven days, she stayed in the small wooden house in the forest with the Master. Each morning, she gathered fresh plum blossoms and brought them to the empty tomb. Soon, the cenotaph was surrounded by flowers, and she found she could no longer approach it. So, she created a pathway to come closer, touching it as tears streamed down her face, until one day...
"Fine woman, do you want to waste your life at this empty grave?"
Chu Qiao awoke from her usual routine of sleeping beside the tomb, realizing it was already dark. She returned to her feet and made her way back to the little wooden house.
Across from her small home, the Master's house was always there. He had taught her the art of sword fighting and how to wield the Canhong sword in accordance with its traditions and powers under the bitter moon. Chu Qiao had learned and remembered everything under his guidance.
"Who are you?" Chu Qiao asked, her voice stern.
The old lady replied, "You won't be able to repay me if you knew who I am. Trust me on this, this is not where you're supposed to be."
The old lady gave her a compassionate look, knowing she was mourning for a man she wasn't even sure was truly dead.
Realistic and practical, the old lady believed that empty tombs were merely memorials. As long as a person's body was not found, the story remained open-ended, only fools believing otherwise.
"Call me your old lady," she said. "I am offering you a lifetime of goodness. Come with me, and I will help you put your life back together. Get up and ride with me. I've already asked my old friend to take you with me."
Chu Qiao saw sincerity in her eyes and replied, "I'll go with you on one condition."
"What is your condition?" the old lady asked.
"Let me live my life in service to the people," Chu Qiao said. "That's all I ask."
"Of course," the old lady agreed. "You are free to roam and serve the people."
Chu Qiao then bid farewell to the Master, who waved as she shouted, "One day, I shall come back to visit you. Thank you!"
Xiao Yu, now a married woman, approached her husband on their first night. Yan Xun, standing with his back to her, gazed at the reflection of the moon on the river at Xui Xui Mountains. He wasn't in the mood to make any first moves. Xiao Yu, dressed in her elegant Hanfu lingerie, came to him and said, "May I say something?"
Startled, Yan Xun, ever the gentleman but with a poker face, responded, "What is it, my queen?"
"Please don't be upset," Xiao Yu began, "but I think Chu Qiao was trying to kill you on the eve of our wedding day. I saved you, but I saw her run into the forest. We also captured her right-hand, Viper, and her deputy general, but I let them go because it seemed they weren't in league with Chu Qiao but with the Prince of Yanbei that night. Ge Qi finally confessed."
Yan Xun paused, confronted by this revelation. Xiao Yu lowered her gaze, awaiting his response. "And if I confirm this is true, what will you do?"
Xiao Yu answered, "Nothing. I just wanted to know the whole truth, even if it means this marriage is not off to a good start."
Yan Xun, offering a white lie, said, "That night, I came to Wei to save her so she could serve the King and Queen of Yanbei. Don't forget she is one of Yanbei's generals, the leader of the Xuili Army. Many citizens of Yanbei follow her. If there's one ally we must have, it's her."
Xiao Yu, content with this answer, said, "My King, thank you for sharing that. I won't forget this frame of mind. I want to be open with you and not let emotions govern this marriage. I'd like us to have honest conversations, especially on matters of state. Liang has become a vassal state that submits to your authority, and you, the King of Yanbei, have vested authority in me as your Queen."
Yan Xun nodded. "I understand, my Queen. Shall we end this night with more talk of the state, or enjoy the moonlight over the river?"
He turned back to gaze at the golden light in the middle of the river and thought to himself,A'Chu, it should have been you. Why did you try to kill me, and now leave me no choice but to marry the Princess of Liang? Is this what you wanted for me?
Xiao Yu felt a pang of hurt, realizing that their first night together would be spent watching the moon over the river in silence. She tried her best to join her King in quiet reflection until they both drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Xiao Yu awoke alone in their honeymoon bed. She looked around, searching for any signs of what had transpired during the night, but everything seemed normal.
Meanwhile, Yan Xun was busy in the royal kitchen, preparing breakfast for his Queen. He believed this was the best revenge he could exact on Chu Qiao, who, in his mind, had returned to Wei and chosen to become the 13th Prince Yuan Song's crown princess instead of the Queen of Yanbei.
Yan Xun vowed to make Chu Qiao regret her decisions as he pretended to show affection to his new Queen.
Later that day, as they arrived in the Xui Xui Mountains, Xiao Yu, unfamiliar with the place, opened the royal palace windows and gazed upon the white, snowy grounds of Yanbei's grasslands, ten times colder than those of Liang.
She wrapped herself in a cloak and took a deep breath, comforted by His Majesty's warm embrace from behind. She was stunned but found herself liking it very much.
Yuan Song had never been drunk before, and he had never set foot in his untouched 13th Prince's harem. Now, in his sober mind and eyes, he was shocked to find himself lying next to a girl.
"Whoah! Who are you?" he exclaimed.
"I am your servant, Your Highness," the girl replied. "You were so drunk last night. You picked me from all the ladies and gave me this..." She showed him a jade token.
Yuan Song's eyes widened. "No! It was a mistake."
"I thought you looked like her, but I never intended to give you this jade," he said, his voice heavy with regret.
The girl, realizing an opportunity, attempted to blackmail the 13th Prince. "Then the 13th Prince of Wei has no word of honor," she said. "I shall take my life right now."
In tears, with her torn dress and half-naked body, the girl ran to the open window of the palace harem, preparing to leap to her death. But Yuan Song reacted quickly, grabbing her arm and suspending her in midair.
The girl continued to cry. "Let go of me! If I cannot be yours, it is better to die than end up on the streets," she sobbed.
Yuan Song, realizing the girl's desperation, hastily said words he would later regret. "No, you can keep the jade and become my first concubine after I wed the Wei crown princess. Just don't do this. My wedding is only a day away, and I cannot let this news escape my harem."
The girl, hearing his plea, smiled through her tears. She wiped her face as Yuan Song pulled her back into the room, where she landed on his chest. Yuan Song exhaled loudly and laughed. "I never expected to have a concubine in my bed before a crown princess! Ha... Ha... Ha."
The girl leaned closer to his face and whispered, "You will soon choose me over her, or vice versa. Forsake her, and choose me instead."
"What makes you so sure?" Yuan Song asked coldly, raising his brows.
"Because I'm simply good at whatever a partner wants or wishes for," the girl replied confidently.
"That will come later," Yuan Song said, his usual childishness surfacing. He wasn't worried about this little mishap. "So, this incident must remain secret. The Wei crown princess must never know. And you need to understand your place. She is my first love, no one else."
The girl laughed mockingly. "Let's see who will end up crying and coming to me for comfort," she smirked.
Annoyed, Yuan Song gently pushed her off his chest and stood up, regaining his composure. With his hands behind his back, he walked tall, his chin up, as if nothing had happened.
Ra Yue returned to his Qinghai Palace and ordered Zuo to send a letter to his father, requesting an extended leave before assuming the throne. He cited valid reasons, such as his need to seek enlightenment and to learn more about his royal family on his own terms.
The Qinghai King agreed and sent a response, which Ra Yue received. A spark of hope ignited in his heart, a hope to find himself, to let go of any emotional burdens that might hinder his rule. He wanted his heart to be whole when he took over the kingdom, ruling with justice and freedom.
He had learned much from Chu Qiao and the common people, the poorest of the poor. With his plans set, Ra Yue prepared to leave behind his crown and splendor, embarking on a journey back to Wei, in search of his heart.
In the absence of any leads on how to breach the Moon Kingdom, Yuwen Yue resolved to wait for the right moment for the Skyshadow woman to assist him. He had received word that his band of brothers were being treated well, under orders from the Secret Princess before her departure. She had left for a journey, with no clear time of return.
Ra Yue, with the help of Zuo Zong, the 2nd Prince Ra Zheng, and, on rare occasions, the 6th Prince Ra Zhun, had been slowly uncovering the mysteries and secrets of the Chu Jing Kingdom. The 6th Prince occasionally visited to irritate Ra Yue, constantly challenging him.
Yuwen Yue, now ready, shed his royal garments and returned to his former life as a pauper. Disguised, he left the palace unnoticed, with Zuo following him closely. He had given specific instructions to contact the others only in an emergency.
Yuwen Yue slipped under the Queen's radar, evading her watchful eyes, and began his journey back to Wei.
Despite the engagement of the Wei crown princess, Yuwen Yue had lingering questions. He was surprised by Chu Qiao's changed behavior towards him, distant, unlike before. What intrigued him most was that he had seen two women who looked exactly alike. One had wielded the Canhong sword, while the other had struck him on the head.
Could they be twin sisters? The thought tormented him. Yuwen Yue had not found peace since the day he witnessed two identical women. He was determined to uncover the truth whether this was one of Yan Xun's traps, or if something more complex was at play.
Using the lessons he had learned from the frozen lake, Yuwen Yue promised himself he would conceal his identity, blending in with the common people by growing a beard and wearing ragged clothes. Having lived this life before, he was ready to do it again.
Zuo remained on standby, keeping a close watch. Together, they made their way to Wei, disguised as peddlers delivering parcels as far as the southern state of Liang.
Yuwen Yue, a handsome man, did not go unnoticed by the women of Liang. One, in particular, caught his attention: a beautiful woman who lived on Xue Fu Street. She was a fine chef, known for serving every customer with a sincere heart before retiring to the streets at the end of the day. Her noodle house, the Kowloon, was famous for its bowl of ginseng soup, and many customers returned for both the food and the chance to glimpse her beautiful face.
Connect to Chapter 39 Breach of Chasm
Lookback to Chapter 46 Marriage in Crises and Engagement not engaged
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