《The Prodigious Princess Qin Zetian》 2 Chapter 1 - The Awakening 1 The feeling of being burnt alive made me tremble. Frozen morning breeze enveloped my body, as searing pain prickled through my bones. What''s going on? Why does it feel like my head is about to explode? "Madame! the third young miss has gained consciousness!" "Ze''er is awake? Quick call the physician!" I slowly move my fingers. Trying to feel my body once more. Letting foreign memories flow in my mind like a vast sea of knowledge. I remembered dying on my birthday, so whose body am I inhabiting? I decided to open my eyes and adjust them from the blinding light. Hurried steps and hushed voices make me confuse. The hospital never had too many people to attend to someone who''s about to die. ''Where am I?'' I blink a few more times. "Physician Wu, how is she?" a middle aged man held my hand and checked my pulse While a beautiful woman around her 40s attentively wait for the doctor''s conclusion. My brows are knitted with each other, and my lips formed a thin line of disapproval. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Madame your child''s condition is good, her pulse is stable and her body has showed signs of improvement. I will advise her to drink more supplements to nourish her body. I will need to make a list of medicines for the child if you''ll excuse me." The physician stood and walk out of the room. Everything is very refreshing in my eyes, the luxurious room is decorated in blues. The woman in front of me held my hand tightly as she prevented her tears from falling. "Ze''er promise me that you''ll never climb trees again. You''ve made everyone worried sick since you did not wake up for 30 days." "Madame the master has arrived." "En. Go and tell the master that his beloved daughter has gained consciousness." "This servant excuses herself." the maidservant walk out of the room, while the others are standing on their posts waiting for instructions. So I might have guessed that my soul has transmigrated for thousands of years back. And this is the body of Qin Zetian, the third young miss of the Qin family. Daughter of the right prime minister and the youngest in her sisters. My eldest sister is imperial concubine Qin Wei Li who lives in the palace as a favorable wife of the emperor. While my second eldest sister is Qin Rouyun the official wife of the crown prince from the neighboring kingdom. It seems like my father''s standing in court is really good. He is blessed with children marrying into the imperial family. And this house must be one of the wealthiest families in this country. I must remember to study well so they won''t see any flaw on me. I see, this body must be from an unruly child. Since the owner has died and I was given a new chance to live, I must remember to live well. I will live to the fullest and become the wealthiest woman in this era. 3 Chapter 2 - The Awakening 2 "Ze''er you''ve made us so worried, you know how much we dote on you but do not expect me not to prohibit you from climbing up trees. A young lady needs not such dangerous hobbies, unless you''re learning martial arts." The right prime minister Qin Fengmian is my father, son of the previous right prime minister. He has two brothers, my second uncle Qin Wulang is a military general who is stationed at the northern border. He has a daughter and no sons. And my third uncle is also a minister next to my father who is famous for his mining operations, Qin Haochen. He has two sons and no daughters. My mother is Feng Mulan, daughter of the right prime minister from the neighboring kingdom of the west. She came for political relations between two kingdoms, but since she wanted to stay as the only wife she married my father. They fell in love with each other as my father came to the northwest region of the kingdom and save her from the bandits. I have two brothers, Qin Lushan and Qin Huang Xi. Qin Lushan as the eldest son followed the steps of my father, he also earned military accolades and girls fawn over him. My second brother Qin Huang Xi followed my second uncle to the battlefield, since my second uncle lacked a son. He said he wanted to be a great general. I on the other hand remained here. I stared at the faces of my parents, they really look like a loving couple. I wonder how dangerous my family is when I start digging our family background. To have a stable standing in court with so many merits in our family it''s no wonder that everyone here is unimaginably strong, wise and smart. I swiftly nod in response to my father''s request. These coming days will be very different, since I am far similar from their dead daughter. I want to build connections between different kingdoms. "Ze''er you need to rest well. Your father will get back to court and I need to prepare for the gifts that we will bring tomorrow night at the banquet." my mother spoke full of gentleness "Ze''er promise me that you will take care of yourself, don''t make us worried sick about you. Your health is of great importance, remember you are the only child left in our household, what will we do without you?" the worries on my father''s face reminded me of my father back in modern times, oh how I miss my father. I watched their backs as they left the door. I sighed. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. It will sure become stressful these coming days. Adjustments are needed, and I also need to be careful about displaying my abilities. In this era walls have ears. Without further efforts my health or my safety will become other people''s target. Pain erupted in my head again. I sighed and closed my eyes. Tomorrow will be the start of a big change and I need to live this second life no matter how hard it will be. 4 Chapter 3 - The Awakening 3 I am feeling well right after I woke up yesterday. The manor became extremely busy with the preparations for the emperor''s banquet tonight. According to my personal maids Lin Sha and Lin Tsu, the crown prince will be celebrating his 19th birthday, that will mean he is finally choosing an imperial consort. And each of the noble maidens is invited to join the selection. Instead of going to the banquet, I spoke with my father and told him that I''d like to stay in the manor. I woke up a few hours ago and it will be hard if I acquire trouble for myself. He did not disagree so that means two things; one - is that he actually cares about my well being and secondly - he has another motive, the crown prince might not qualify as the successor of the current emperor. It is likely that I will be betrothed to the successor of the throne and that is to ensure that the kingdom will have equilibrium. The footing of the family has rooted deeply, the king must be thinking of possibilities and ways to engage me to the successor. The previous owner of this body has met the imperial family before and they have been kind to her. Well perhaps snakes are kind to their peers before they scheme for a kill. "Lin Sha, Lin Tsu, accompany me to the library." "What are you gonna do there miss?" It was known that in this era girls only focus on learning the four arts, but I''d like to differ from them. I wanna do business and martial arts so it is likely that I need to review books about palace etiquette and imperial law. This place is full of dangers, women aren''t liberated to the extent of choosing their own marriages. I might as well teach myself the knowledge of law. "I have forgotten many things and I''d like to learn them once more, I bet the library of the prime minister is wide and full of wonders. Lin Tsu go and tell my mother that if she ever need me we will be at the library." "This servant obeys and excuses herself." Lin Tsu went to my mother''s hall and did her task. Lin Sha and I continued on entering the library. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. It was said that ancient libraries contain handful of secrets so I''d like to get my hands on these secrets. The walls have shelves but you can tell how the librarian took care of the place to leave no dust. The books and the scrolls were separated into sections and those books were grouped together in numerical orders. "Third young miss?" "Greetings elder" I greeted the old man before me "Oh, third young miss what are you doing here?" "This place is full of wonders and I''d like to have an adventure. I will need to trouble elder for his guidance, this humble one hasn''t visited this library for ages." "Oh it is no trouble. What books are you looking for young miss?" "I am looking for palace etiquette and imperial law, perhaps elder can give me instructions on how I could find these books" "Good child..." The bookkeeper gave me keys to access the locked shelves which is interesting. 5 Chapter 4 - Exercising Abilities 1 It took me six full days to completely learn twenty-six books, fourteen scrolls and nine secret books about imperial law and palace etiquette. It feels like studying for college examinations once again. At night, before I go to bed I exercise and condition my body so it will be easier to practice martial arts and weapon wielding once again. My father is really busy during summer days while my mother takes a full course of managing the household affairs and some of the shops she owns. My eldest brother usually stays in the house for a couple of days before departing as he follows my father. While my second brother is stationed at the military border along with my second uncle. I only see the servants and the guards who keep me company. But those trivial things never bothered me. In the modern world I was accustomed to independency. And learning new things never bothered nor bored me. "Lin Sha bring some snacks and water for me. And tell my mother that I will be at the stables finding a good horse. Tell my mother not to worry I''ve already asked father''s permission." "Is young miss planning to ride a horse? But young miss do you know how to ride one? What if you fall again? Master will kill us--" "Have faith in me, just do as I say. Lin Tsu, come and follow me to the stables." I was very excited. Finally I can ride horses, might as well go to the field of my second uncle where military arrays are arranged for practice. This will be fun. "Greetings young miss" the soldiers near the stables greeted me and I gave their greetings back "Lin Tsu, stay here I''d like to ask the person who manages the stables so I can borrow a horse. Do not worry, I will be fine in riding one." I walked inside and talk to the manager of the stables. At first he doesn''t want to agree, but on second thought he arranged the soldiers on the field for safety purposes. There are about 20 military soldiers under my uncles order for residential patrol, while there are about 25 family guards. I do not know how many secrets guards my father and my uncle deployed in our residence but this is good. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I picked my father''s beloved horse. Among all horses he is well tamed and they''ve said only my father can ride this one. But due to unknown circumstances the horse allowed me to use him. Really interesting. With my 5''4 height I can easily position myself on top of the horse. This is a war horse that my father got from the emperor along with my uncles'' horses. The emperor must really favor us for gifting imported horses. "Young miss please do not run too far, young miss should be careful not to fall--" "Elder, you are worrying too much. I''ll as much take care of the horse." After that the horse and I started slow pacing. "What a lovely horse you are, please take care of me. Do you see those military arrays? I''d like to practice for a while, will you accompany this young miss?" The horse neighed. I think it agreed. 6 Chapter 5 - Exercising Abilities 2 (Qin Lushan''s POV) "Why is your residence so silent?" the fifth prince Wang Shaoxi asked as we entered Qin Family''s residence. The third prince Wang Ximen, fourth prince Wang Yuanzhen, fifth prince Wang Shaoxi and second princess Wang Roushi accompanied me home. They said they are too bored to stay in the palace. I agreed since they are very close with my eldest sister who became the emperor''s favored concubine and I. "I don''t know, my mom''s super busy at the moment and I do not know my sister''s whereabouts. While my father is usually at the court attending matters of the court." "Lushan we must meet your sister ah!" the fifth prince insisted "My sister is only 14 years old, she must be engrossed in studying at the library. My father kept talking about how good my sister is doing with her studies the past few days. And gladly since she woke up she has been acting different." "Greetings to the princes, the princess and to you young master." butler Zhang ambled beside us "Butler Zhang where is Ze''er?" "Young master, the third young miss is riding a horse at the military arrays on the field. I am to report to the madame of her activities in case an accident occurs." "To the field riding a horse? Whose horse is she riding?" I asked suspiciously, my sister has never learned horse riding and no one could have taught her how. "Young master it is the master''s horse Maximus. The young miss wanted to go horse riding all of a sudden and she chose a horse in the stables earlier." "Impossible--" Wang Ximen exclaimed "How can she ride Maximus?" It was known in the whole kingdom that only my father can stake a claim as the master of that horse. And that horse has been loyal to my father, not letting anyone ride him. Not even me or my brother. I hurriedly run to the field and everyone followed me. The soldiers are on standby even the guards of the manor. The faces of most men are in a daze. I scanned through the crowd and saw my sister. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Maximus is galloping on its fastest speed, and my sister is throwing daggers at target boards like she''s only playing. Eventually she improved the arrays scattered on the field. "Is that your sister?" Wang Shaoxi asked Even I cannot answer his question. "Yuanzhen is she on par with you?" Wang Ximen asked The fourth prince stared at the girl who''s riding on a horse. "I think she''s breaking your record Yuanzhen. Look at her reflexes, and the speed of the horse. She can''t be an amateur right?" the princess has spoken But my sister never learned anything. My father hasn''t taught her horse riding and she never had a teacher. So where did her skills come from? "I want to duel with her" the three of us stared at Wang Yuanzhen. "Did I hear it wrongly?" I asked him "No, if my calculations are right she must be above your uncle''s level on the battlefield. Surprising isn''t it?" the fourth prince said as he retrieved the sword on his waist and headed straight to the center of the field, where my sister would stop. 7 Chapter 6 - Exercising Abilities 3 The horse and I run along the arrays, brandishing daggers on visible and hidden target boards. It was a smooth ride and my father''s horse is really obedient. I doubt they treat it like a person, if animals are treated like mere objects they would likely despise you. An animal has its own feelings, so when I decided to ride this horse I treated it like my person. When we are running back, I saw my brother along with three princes and a princess. What are they doing here? The prince on white robes brought his sword and walk towards my direction. I have an inkling feeling that he will ask me to duel with him. What''s odd is that I see no expression on his face, but his lucid eyes shows what it wants. I loosened the position of my feet from the stirrups. The prince did not say anything but he dashed forward in great speed. I withdraw my hold of the reins as his scabbard unleashed his mighty imperial sword. I moved my legs and stood on the horse. His sword thrash the air as he covered the distance between us. I did a back flip on the air and landed near the standing soldiers. The prince positioned his body in a fighting stance. And in a blink of the eye he moved to chase after me. So I grabbed two swords from the waistband of the soldiers standing near me. I doubt I''ll win against him using one sword, might as well try my luck with double blades. He stood back, so I took the opportunity to run forward. I flipped on the air once more and landed behind him, the swords that I am using lack strength so it is far incomparable to his majestic one. I strike down using one sword, and the other is readying to take cover. Both of us are silent as we exchange blows or dodge heavy and powerful attacks. His strikes were accurate and merciless. One wrong move from me will make me bleed. I keep on advancing two paces at a time, so the both of us look like rehearsing a sword dance. When I was young my father taught me of dancing techniques in martial arts, Capoeira is one of the best types. It is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music. It is known for its acrobatic and complex maneuvers, often involving hands on the ground and inverted kicks. I am using a combination of footwork and hand techniques without using kicks or punches, but actually applying fencing swordsmanship. His highness could still catch up with my modern techniques. I can scheme against his attacks but there are too many eyes watching, if I really injured the prince the palace will punish me. So I need to have a sparring match with him instead of wounding up each other. His stamina is great so I need to end this quickly. I triple the pace of wielding the swords at hand and deliver higher intensity blows. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. 8 Chapter 7 - Exercising Abilities 4 He stopped all of a sudden. From the memories of the girl she hasn''t seen this prince yet. So I don''t know the identity of this one. The others came to us, so I steadied myself and gave a bow. "Greetings your highness'', it''s been a while since the mansion has received visitors, I hope you''ll enjoy your visitation. If you''ll excuse me." "Ze''er where are you going?" "Hello big brother" I wave a hand at him as I walk away, not letting any of them respond. "Ze''er--" "The sweat makes me uncomfortable, I need to change my clothes big brother." He nodded in approval so I went back to the manor. Lin Sha and Lin Tsu assisted me. The clothes I have here are too colorful. I need to request new clothes from mother. I''ll make clothing designs on my own, and base them to the 21st century clothing styles that way I''ll be more comfortable wearing them. Besides I want something elegant yet plain and patterned. "Young miss do you have any other plans for the day?" "Do you know where my mother is?" "The madame is still busy tending to the needs of the household" "En. Lead the way to the kitchen I''d like to give some instructions for the preparation for lunch. I want to surprise my mother, I fear that she''s on the verge of having anxiety" "Young miss what is anxiety?" "Oh don''t mind that word, come on, we shall head to the kitchen" It did not take long before we arrived at the kitchen. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Young miss it''s good to see you, how are we of assistance?" the head chef inquired I smiled "I want to pass four secret recipes and I want them to be prepared by lunch time. These are the recipes, I will be needing everyone''s cooperation in making the meals." "It will be our honor to have these secret recipes, we shall tend to your instructions young miss" "En. I want fresh ingredients, the imperial children might be dinning together with us. Remember, no mistake shall be made." "As you wish" I instructed them accordingly. The fragrance of the dishes aroused everyone''s appetite. I told them to make the 21st century fish fillets, the four seasons vegetable salad, a fresh whole pig barbecue, and spaghetti for the side dish. Since I miss eating French fries, I instructed some to cut potatoes and stir fry them in a pan of boiling oil and I decided to have them make banana ketchup. In military, a party was once held with military men from different countries so I''ve learned recipes from them when I visited the kitchen for a service checkup. In the culture of the Philippines, Filipino military men loved parties with ''Lechon Baboy'' a vernacular term that means a whole pig barbecue. It is highly seasoned and delicious, so when they brought it for the party I was amazed and that was the start of my pork eating habits. I''d like to serve that type of festivity dish, as a sign of gracious happiness for the coming of the imperial children. By now my father and my third uncle should be on their way home for lunch. 9 Chapter 8 - Exercising Abilities 5 (Qin Lushan''s POV) "Your sister is not an ordinary young lady" the fourth prince commented as he inserted his sword on the scabbard. The soldiers and the guards stationed inside the manor haven''t recovered from the shock that they have seen. "What happened today should not be spread, anyone who does will be beheaded and his family will perish with him!" the third prince said "we abide your highness!" the men echoed Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "She looked like a flower dancing in the field when she fought with fourth brother, however I think she''s just on par with you. What do you say big brother?" "She did not give her best that was merely us sparring" the fourth prince answered, even I have no doubts with his claims but where did she learn martial arts? I have not heard from father that she has lessons in martial arts and is already profound at it. I must investigate these weird things that she''s showing, but for now I need to conceal things. I sighed, she has changed so greatly. "Big bro, you mean to stay she''s only concealing her real strength? Wow! So cool" "Lushan, from how you described her before it seems like she has changed" the second princess made her statement "Indeed" We decided to head inside to have lunch. Coincidentally lunch is being prepared by my sister. "Wow! the food is delicious here!" the fifth prince is known for his big appetite apparently he never got fat because of excessive military training. He sat down, then my mother, my father and my third uncle came in. "Oh! I never thought the imperial children will grace this house with their presence. Welcome to our humble home your highness'' shall we take our seats and grab lunch" "It''s been so long since we last ate like this, the food is great! Older brother did you hire a new batch of kitchen personnel? Such food served today are appetizing and the recipes are mostly unfamiliar to me." my third uncle commented "Call the head chef for me" My father let his guard call the head chef. "Greetings to the royal children, greetings to the masters, to the madame and to the young miss. I am the head chef of the manor and if you have queries I will be honored to answer them" "Tell me who prepared the food?" "Answering to the master it is the third miss''s idea and recipes came from her. We are glad to help her." "Ze''er you prepared lunch?" "En, I was bored so I decided to have fun in the kitchen, I hope father won''t push the matter further." "Good! Good child ah!" my third uncle laughed Then we started to dine. Ze''er explained how we could eat the pig barbecue and everything else in the menu. She has broadened our horizons. "Master Qin, perhaps I want to ask permission from you and the madame, I''d like to bring the third miss with me. I love her way of cooking and I''d be glad if she could teach me." 10 Chapter 9 - Gaining Attention 1 When the princess spoke her mind, everyone in the table abruptly stopped eating mouthful spoons of their meals. I stared at the food on my plate and savoured the delicious flavour in my mouth. The princess is the queen''s favoured daughter, and the second female child of the emperor. From the previous memories that I have gained it seems like we have the same birth year. The eldest daughter of the emperor died an awfully quiet death, she had a poor constitution. So when this child was born everyone in the family regarded her as their flower. The fourth princess is barely incomparable to her. The Empress graced the emperor with five children thus she never lose favour. The second prince Wang Haoran, the second princess Wang Roushi, the third prince Wang Ximen, the fifth prince Wang Shaoxi and the fourth prince Wang Yuanzhen. The crown prince Wang Jichen is the son of concubine Wu Ming Shi. The sixth prince Wang Shaoxun and fourth princess Wang Feifei is from concubine Qiao Ning. While the seventh prince is from the deceased concubine Li Yuyan. And the youngest prince Wang Wenxuan is the son of my sister. "If the princess wants a playmate then I have no objections with her inviting my youngest daughter to the palace. Or you can meet here and enjoy everlasting peace, the manor is open for your grace." my father commented "Thank you uncle, I''d be glad bringing Ze''er wherever I go. Life in the palace is boring, my brothers do things they are required to do and the emperor won''t allow me to roam around the city alone. Bodyguards follow me along and it attracts too much attention, they would even force me to use carriages from the imperial palace to show my status and I hated that. So maybe Ze''er can accompany me freely." the meaning behind her words were clear, she wants me to help her get her freedom "If the princess wants I will comply" I resumed eating while everyone was still in a daze. I can sense that her physique is trained well. She must be practicing martial arts in secret. Or her brothers might have taught her. When lunch was over the imperial sons and my brother went along with my father to the palace. My mother was called because of the matters in the auction house. My third uncle was tasked to go to the northern border and check the situation there so he left to prepare. The princess and I are the only one''s left. "Princess shall we take a stroll? The garden is in blossom and I''d like watch them in full bloom before they fall on the ground" "You address me too formally, just call me Roushi or Rou''er" "En" As we walk she keeps on talking. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "How long have you mastered martial arts?" she asked "Since I was able to read I have been reading secret books of martial arts from the manor''s library. My family never knew that I have the ability to contend with them because I kept it in secret and chose to show it earlier." "The dishes you''ve prepared, they are so tasty! Can you teach me how to cook them?" her eyes twinkled "Sure, whenever you want" 11 Chapter 10 - Gaining Attention 2 My father never questioned me about riding his horse and competing with his highness the fourth prince. My elder brother Lushan did not mention a single thing about it to my mother either thus living in the manor was peaceful. I am grateful to have a busy family. So I can live my life the way I wanted it. From the rumors, princess Roushi never liked having friends other than her brothers. Some said she''s a devil incarnate but I doubt that. And most of the young misses send a word that it will be dangerous to go out with the princess, but I fear no evil. I myself have killed thousands of enemies in my previous life and killing more people now won''t change anything. The princess is a lonely figure who relied on her own strength. Sooner or later the emperor will surely arrange a marriage for her, that''s why she''s making a move to save herself by coming into our household. If my guess is right, she''s likely wanting to get close to my eldest brother and let our household arrange the marriage itself. So for cautionary exemption I need to befriend her and let her trust me. One should ker her friends close and her enemies closer. Only till I prove she''s harmless will I be at ease. "young miss the princess is at the garden, she wishes to see you" "En. Let''s not keep the imperial daughter waiting" I walk towards the garden of my mother and saw the princess drinking some tea. "Ze''er, I came to visit--oh it seems like you''re going out?" "En. Would you want to come with me?" She nodded and stood. Then, we went on our way. "Where are we going?" excitement flooded her eyes like a foolish child, she sure look innocent but I know better than to trust someone''s appearance. "I''d like to purchase a few shops" "A few shops? What are you gonna do with them?" she asked "I wanna start my business industry and I''d like to see the shops for myself" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "What are these shops consist of?" "I''d likely want to have a dress shop, a fresh market, a weaponry shop, and chains of restaurants. On the other hand I''d like to save and buy a medical pavilion so it won''t be too expensive. A renovation for places will take place in the later part. If you want to join business with me then we can negotiate" "My grandfather gave me two mountains, so miss businesswoman how do you think will I earn from them?" the princess asked dejectedly as if the mountains were the most useless gift she has ever received "We will convert it into an adventure park, their will be different rides, restaurants, an inn, and many more things a family can do. I will make sure you''d be rich in no time, and I''ll make a contract so I can supply the food in the meantime. We can plan for these projects and negotiate with businessmen across the continent." "An adventure park?" "Yes an adventure park, you''ll see soon" Her eyes twinkled in delight. This princess is surely amusing. "Hahaha it''s no wonder I made the right choice of choosing you as my best friend! I''ll be able to see the world freely!" the princess laughed while she hugged me 12 Chapter 11 - Business Start Up 1 We arrived at the bustling streets of the capital. I brought ten shadow guards with me, along with Lin Sha and Lin Tsu. While the princess only brought herself. She said she''d like to have freedom. The four of us walked and gather information about owners reselling their shops. "Young miss that five shops ahead is emptied, they said these shops are haunted by ghosts and the customers will likely get mad when entering. Even the owners hear countless of ghosts crying at night. So the shops closed on their own." "It is likely that they are reduced to a bankruptcy state, Lin Sha go ahead and find the owner tell them I''d like to purchase all of the five shops." That maidservant of mine is efficient, in no time we are seated inside the abandoned building. The look on the owner''s face is witless, it''s more likely that someone has been scaring them off purposely. Many businesses close on their own when the pursuers are powerful. Ordinary people like him will likely submit, but I''m no ordinary woman. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Greetings young misses, I am the current owner of the five shops. These shops are likely haunted so no one wants to purchase or rent them. I''m afraid if you buy them even at the lowest price you will regret it. Business cannot flourish in this area anymore because of the haunted disturbances." the owner lowered his head "It''s not a problem, rest assured as long as the price is right I will happily purchase the five shops." "Thank you young miss, it''s been so long since we have not gained any income at all and no one wants to purchase them. The price will be very reasonable and the documents will be readied by tomorrow." "En. I will bring the money tomorrow and collect the papers. I will also head to the bureau of the department of trades to legally transfer the ownership to me. It has been nice doing business with you Mr. Fang" The man was stunned. He hasn''t even told us his name but the information I received from my maid is good enough. We left early. Now that I acquired land, I need to tell my father about it so he won''t be too surprised. The savings that I get from my family is enough to buy me a land. The previous owner of this body has a good hobby of saving money, she rarely went out of the household so her allowance goes to the bank right away. And I am thankful for that. She might not be as smart as I am, but her ways of money handling has guaranteed her future''s safety. When I get home I need to plan for the renovation of the area, and I will gladly ask my third uncle for help. I don''t know anyone from the carpentry work, so the labor and the budgeting will need an expert to manage it off. "Princess aren''t you hungry? I''m starving, come on let''s take a stroll at the shops and eat along the way. If we happen to pass a restaurant we can drop by and eat something delicious" "Good idea! Ze''er I never thought you''d be this proficient in business, it looks like you''re only playing games with this. Where will you get the money?" "I rarely wander outside of the manor, and if I go out it will be my brothers paying for everything so my allowance goes straight to the bank. I have earned enough" "You''re so admirable!" 13 Chapter 12 - Business Start Up 2 When I got home I requested for an audience with my uncle and my father. My third uncle will be away for a month so my plans will be delayed if I let the opportunity slip. "What is it that you requested for this old man to come? Does my niece need help?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Ze''er do you have something important to discuss over?" "En. Earlier I negotiated and bought a property, to be exact there are five abandoned shops at one of the most bustling streets here in the capital. The transfer of papers will be done by tomorrow, and I''d like to ask father for help with the matter of the bureau of trades. My savings is more than enough to acquire it, have it demolished, build a new shop and run a business. As for third uncle I know you have all types of connections, can I ask for help in contacting and arranging men to do the labor for the construction? I really want to open a business as soon as possible" "Why do you need to work when you can have everything if you ask?" my uncle asked "But uncle I want to have hard earned money, so I won''t be guilty if I spend and buy new things according to my preference. Besides I cannot solely rely to the family for the rest of my life. As a lady from a noble family my skills should be far honed in comparison with other young misses from different families." My father and my third uncle laughed their hearts out. As if what I said was just a joke. I rolled my eyes and smiled. "Good! I will tell butler Zhang and let him process it for you." then he started laughing again "Tell this uncle what you''re planning and I will hire the best laborer in the capital" "I want to demolish the five shops that I brought and reconstruct a new one, each of the shops measure 500 m2. I want to reconstruct a new building which is made of concrete blocks and cement so it can withstand heavy storm and it won''t get burned easily. I want to create a restaurant that has an inn, on the top there will be a business hall, a meeting hall, and other types of halls that can cater a banquet or a special event." "Do you have a design in mind?" "Yes uncle, I have already created a blueprint for the project. What I need is the finalization of the papers and the arrangements for the laborers. I will personally manage the construction and the materials. I need to make an alloy called steel, it will never rust and the blocks need to be concrete. I will also introduce paint to them and the use of electricity. This will be a five star restaurant. The recipes is not a problem, I have everything in control." "Good! You brat! How long have you been learning how to start and run a business?" "You deceived this old man well, don''t you treat me as your father anymore? Why did you keep your plans to yourself? Really unfair ah" But the both of them continued to laugh. 14 Chapter 13 - Business Start Up 3 A month later the two story building was done, the shining steel bars have been attached from the walls and to the floors. White and green paint enveloped the interior of the shop, the exterior appearance is covered with hard wood. Our family''s Qin carvings are engraved on it making it look like a modernized antique store. The unique second floor has sliding doors made of white diamond melted glass that enables sunlight to pass through. The first floor has standardized sliding glass windows still made out of melted diamonds. The concrete floor was covered in large slabs of hard wood that''s covered with a shiny coat and can withstand a boiling soup without damaging its texture. The ceiling has intricate carvings, coated with white paint. But I told them to insert light emitting stones so the place is illuminated even without the use of electricity or candles. The seats and the tables are carved extraordinarily, and there are shelves on the walls. I was planning to make paintings at home or buy some. I was very satisfied with the design of the building, it''s so nice and cozy. I told butler Zhang to gather servants and I will be choosing from them later. Right now what''s important is the landscaping of the plants outside. And the mutli-colored bricks should be attached to the wall today. A week from now we would finally open the restaurant. I will still need to check the air ventilation of each room so it won''t get too warm on day time and not too cold at night. What''s amazing is the red colored roof that can only be seen in 21st century is what I used for this building. I felt satisfied with the total appearance of the place. A few more touches and I will only need endorsers. "Young miss the servants are ready to be tested. They are waiting for you at the manor." "En. If they pass five of my tests I will hire them" I want the people that I hire to be mix martial artists so if we encounter trouble it would be easy to solve and escape. I need them to pass an IQ test, wherein they need to have a strong memory. They need to be wise and smart. They need to have the ability to easily deal costumers and judge the difference between what''s right and what''s wrong. Lastly, they need to be polite and have a charismatic influence so their sales talk should be top notch. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. From the long line of servants many people are left. And I''d like to test them myself. "Whoever wants to follow me with loyalty shall reap benefits. It does not matter if you know how to cook or not, there are many jobs waiting in my restaurant. My restaurant does not recognize authority from people of nobility, I want employees who can never be brought by outsiders. Those who abide will be promoted fairly and those who works hard will have bonuses. While those who commit a mistake will be instantly killed. The knowledge the I will pass shall stay with you and no one is allowed to share it. Am I clear?" "Yes your ladyship" "Butler Zhang hand them the contracts. I will not permit anyone who did not attend service trainings from me to work in my restaurant. I will teach all of you how to read, write and efficiently work. The words will be English and everything we will use is in English. The western cannot be used even when someone tries to steal it." 15 Chapter 14 - Everything Good 1 "Young miss the princess has arrived" "En" I walked towards the garden and saw her drinking tea again. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Tomorrow will be the opening, do you want to come with me? I''ll be going to the restaurant to check everything" "Yes! You know I have been under confinement when mother forced me to learn things that I never dreamed of learning. I am mentally drained and I need to release this heavy feeling inside me." "Come on the carriage is waiting. My family will be there too, it will be the unofficial opening of my restaurant and I want everyone to gather there. Will your brothers come?" "Yup, they might have arrived there already. My mother ordered me to bring some food for her and father emperor" "Oh... I''ll make sure to send you with many dishes. Tomorrow will you be willing to accompany me to formally open the shop?" "I would love too! Thank you Ze''er" "Thank you for what?" "Thank you for the friendship, for the good food, for the adventure, for teaching me good prospects in business and for everything that you''ve done. You''ve really added color to my dull life, I wish you are my real sister. That way I''ll no longer need to be apart from you. The palace is really boring." Then she chuckled I sighed Before I thought she''ll become a stranger to me the longer that we are together. Yet as I look back, I found it quite amusing to have someone the same age as me who treats me like a real sister. Something I have never experienced before. Way back in the modern world, I was the youngest amongst my sister. My father arranged their marriages and married them away before I even turned eighteen. So for the time being I was always left with countless instructors teaching me things that are essential for business and mental upgrading. There was no fun at all and everything that I do have limiters. As the youngest, I am destined to stay with my parents and inherit the fruits of their hard work. It is I who needs to follow their steps and join the elite circle. Far from the lives of my other siblings. I was special. "Hey Ze''er" "Hmm?" "I was thinking of agreeing to my mother''s proposal" "What is it?" "She asked me to invite you to the palace for tea" "When?" "Whenever you''re free" "Okay, I think the restaurant will be able to run without my guidance after a week so I''ll visit the queen within that time''s span" "Great!" She smiled and ate the cupcakes on the plate. The carriage moved carefully so we have no worries or whatsoever. I peaked at the window and stared at the people on the bustling streets. They are living their lives as much as they can, even when poverty takes a toll on them. They have kids and some kids doesn''t have parents. There are a few beggars within the area and all of them are dressed in tattered rags. I sighed dejectedly, if my business will be successful I''d like to build small houses and donate them to the needy. And they can work for me in return. 16 Chapter 15 - Everything Good 2 "Young miss everyone is already seated at the ballroom hall as you instructed" "Thank you for your hard work shopkeeper Sheng, please tell the kitchen to serve the dishes" "The food will be a surprise right?" Roushi''s eyes never failed to twinkle when food is mentioned "Yup, so let''s head over. Everyone must be waiting for us." She nodded and we took the staircase. When we arrived at the room each of them has a surprised face. The room is wide and well decorated. The floor in this room is specially made so the marbled floor sparkle like mirror. The open sliding glass windows let the cool breeze greet its visitors. The ceiling has large chandeliers and light illuminating stones. The concrete walls painted in the lightest shade of green felt so soft. And the red carpet at the stage looks so fluffy that will make you want to touch it. The curtains were embroidered in floral patterns. And the tables have marble tops, the chairs have foam pads on each of the seats and the dining wares are made out of the finest glass and stainless steel. There are table napkins and chopsticks too. They were amazed by the western idea that I have mixed with traditional Chinese table setting, an idea from the modern world. There is also a terrace with a glass shed where you can see the blooming forest and the bustling streets of the capital. The landscape outside is refreshing to look at while the fences and the trees exuded an eco vibe. "Ze''er, this place is magnificent! It feels like those place I read in books suddenly came true!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "I am really proud of you!" my father stated as he laughed, while my uncles joined him. My mother became teary eyed, and it feels so good to see my sisters and my brothers in complete attendance. The third, fourth and fifth prince are all here. As well as some of our closest friends. "Today is the food tasting, tomorrow will be the official opening and I''d like to thank everyone for coming here." "This place is very wonderful" Madam Chen said "It is the very first time that I saw a restaurant as good as this" My aunt Mo said "Thank you for the praises, it is a big privilege to gather everyone here. Now let us serve the food tasting menu, I hope I''d get non biased opinions about the menu." From the menu there are different types of food. Asian, European and American cultures were examined and combined with another sets of food to keep combo meals delicious yet easy to digest. Women in this era care about their appearance and the calories that their food contains, while men at this era cared about protein and muscle building nutrients. "For the ladies each set of the meal is thoroughly prepared to enhance wellness, it should have less calories, easy to digest, non fattening, not too oily and not too greasy. For the men what we serve are body and muscle enhancers, it should be good for the bones too and non fattening. For the tea and wine classes, these are prepared under medicinal excerpts that helps in digestion, detoxification and good for the liver." "I''m in heaven! This one is addictive!" A minister said. Then all of us laughed. 17 Chapter 16 - The Second Prince 1 (Prince Wang Haoran''s POV) I came back from the neighboring kingdom, I saluted to my father emperor and head straight to my mother''s palace. "Ran''er you''re back earlier than I thought! Come close to mommy and let me see you" "Mother I''m not a child anymore" I sat next to her and she inspected me, then she pinched my cheeks "No matter what you will always be my beloved little son. It''s a pity your siblings are not here" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Where did they went?" "Oh Roushi asked me to go and attend a food tasting event with her best friend" "Roushi has a best friend? Since when, who and why was I not informed by that brat?" my mother chuckled "Your sister is getting older and older, she needs to make friends. Don''t worry it''s the right prime minister''s daughter, Qin Zetian. The youngest amongst the children of Mr. Qin, actually I am waiting for them to comeback. Rou''er said she''ll negotiate with her best friend and join the business industry" "Business industry? Mother she''s too young and immature for that--" "Don''t fret, her best friend opened the largest restaurant here in the capital. I will catch news from the madams who attended the food tasting event. With the help of Mr. Qin''s daughter our Rou''er has become sensible these past few days. She also liked socializing more with other people, so let her be." I sighed My mother can''t prevent me from worrying, that brat is the youngest amongst us her children and harm is always inevitable. She might draw too much attention. Noise suddenly enveloped my mother''s courtyard as footsteps echoed through the hallway. "Mother! We are back, we''ve brought tons of food for you!" "The emperor has arrived!" Eunuch Li announced "Oh brother you''re here?" "Silly this isn''t me look I''m just a talking picture!" everyone chuckled "Why are you here?" my mother pointed at father emperor "Why? Can''t I visit my lovely wife?" "No... You''re only here to steal meals from me, you go away! go away!" All of us laughed as well as the emperor. "These food should be enough for all of us!" "Let the maidservants serve them and we will eat together" Everyone agreed. When each of the basket was opened the mouth watering smell raised our appetites. It feels like all of us wanted to devour the meal. "Such powerful cooking technique, where did these recipes came from Rou''er?" my mother is a big fan of tasting delicacies and different types of food, so I can say that she''s already an expert to this "Mother Ze''er passed these recipes to the chef, what I''m wondering is that she has lots of recipes that even their family members never knew of" "She must be a really gifted child!" the emperor laughed "Everything is ready, we shall start eating!" my fifth brother commented "You came home full and now you''re acting like a hungry bat!" mother joked I pick up my chopsticks and chose some of the meals. And when I tasted them, I never thought heaven on earth is possible. 18 Chapter 17 - The Second Prince 2 It was already night time when everything was prepared for tomorrow''s opening. "Lin Sha let''s leave, father will be very worried if we stayed late" Instead of riding a carriage I chose to ride a horse directly. I have a gut feeling that something''s not right about the carriage that was parked outside. "Lin Sha hold tight" With out holding back I drove the horse at its fastest speed possible. The darkness of the night make everything so haunted and I will never doubt if a group of assassins chase after us. "Young miss a white carriage is running behind us, what we do?" "Just pretend that they don''t exist, what you''ll see tonight will be forgotten by tomorrow, do you understand?" "Y-yes young miss" Lin Sha was trembling like crazy I hope we''ll survive this ride without raising my sword. The carriage run ahead of us. Arrows flew in every direction and it was directed at the carriage. I painstakingly avoided the arrows. So my guess was right there''s an assassination attempt, how unlucky. Out of a sudden the carriage unreasonably stopped in the middle of the road blocking my path. So I was forced to stop my horse. I pushed my maid down. "Go to that stone, run and hide!" I draw the sword on my waist out of its scabbard. Eventually blocking the arrows that come my way. The curtains from the carriage flew and men dressed in red appeared. They held swords and flew to contend with the assassins. I dashed towards the carriage and slashed through the window, cutting the curtains that cover the person inside. I am wearing a veil so it is likely that he will not recognize me. "In the middle of the night you blocked the way and involved me in an assassination, to whom do I owe a debt?" I spoke coldy The man drank the contents of his cup and pulled me in. I could have evaded his hand, but I am too curious to do so. When I saw his face clearly, I saw the similarities between him and Ruoshi. If I am not mistaken this is the second prince! He is far more handsome and outstanding than the rest of the princes that I have seen. And the aura he''s wearing is comparable to a dragon''s aura. Really powerful and charismatic. But why am I sitting on his lap? My brows are knitted tightly. A shadow appeared behind me so I closed my eyes and used my senses to track the position of the intruder. I smiled when I found him. His sword is about to hit when mine strike down to cut his head. The head of the assassin rolled on the floor of the carriage. I escaped from the grasp of the second prince and then he chuckled beside me. I elegantly sat down, with a sword at hand. Hearing the exchange of clashing swords from men who battled for their lives. "Ms. Qin, I see that you''re proficient at killing people--" "I only killed one, how can you call me proficient? That''s basically self defense and nothing else." "Master we''ve already killed the intruders, but the maid has shielded one of the assassins and ran away." "It seems like your maid is too loyal to someone else" "Chase after her, bring her head to the manor for me. I have been shaken with the assassination attempt" The prince chuckled. "You''ve heard her, proceed!" The carriage moved once again. "I''ll send you home" "En." Then ride home became extremely silent. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. 19 Chapter 18 - The Second Prince 3 The carriage stopped at the front gates of the manor. My father stood outside with my brothers. The prince motioned for me to go out. And so I did. "Greetings your majesty" my father said "En. I''ll assign two shadow guards for her, I hope prime minister Qin would agree. She was chased by assassins and her maid betrayed her. As a prince it is my duty to take care of the country''s citizens." "Thank you your highness" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "I will take my leave now. Ze''er, be careful next time" He waved and entered his carriage. The prince lied with a straight face in front of my father. He stated things like I owe him my life. "Let''s go inside. Ze''er are you hurt somewhere?" I shook my head. When we went inside my father interrogated me. He was curious as to why I was seen coming home saved by the prince. I cleared the matter and told the truth. He told me to take some rest and be cautious of my surroundings. Then I went back to my courtyard. "What are you called?" "Young miss I am called Han Yuomei, the second prince sent me and Han Wan here to serve you" "En" I intentionally throw a cup on the floor. And as I''ve expected she has mastered martial arts and the cup did not broke. That prince cannot be bullied, he has so many allies and all of them are martial art practitioners. But why is that he wasn''t crowned as the crown prince? "Why did your master sent you here?" "His highness wanted the miss to be safe and sound" "I see. Have you captured Lin Tsu? I''d like to pay her a visit" "She''s already in the dungeons young miss" "Let''s pay her a visit" I brought my sword with me and set to the dungeons. The rotten smell of dried blood and old flesh greeted me. Lin Tsu was chained down. I smiled sweetly as I remember what I always do at the dungeons way back 21st century. Oh how I miss the feeling of killing people. My hand itches to peel someone''s skin and let them suffer the torture. "Have you thought of telling me what you know and whose master you serve?" "You won''t get anything from me bitch, over my dead body!" "Don''t worry, I have no plans on keeping you, so naturally I''ll kill you. But I''m a businesswoman, those who trespass against me will not have an easy death" "You bitch!" "Guards tie her on a chair. Someone get me the sharpest knife, a salt water, and copper wires. Let''s see how long it''ll take before you confess!" "You can never make me!" "Guards get me some wine too, the strongest the better" Lin Tsu struggled with all her might, but the bulky soldiers trained for war battles won''t budge. "Undress her and search her body thoroughly, assassins have switches. They can kill themselves on the spot or even use poison. Make sure she''s clean" Lin Tsu felt helpless as she sat there naked. 20 Chapter 19 - Enemies Do Meet 1 "Will you tell me something now?" "To hell with you!" I chuckled "Give me the knife, make sure the ropes are tightly knitted" I stood and walk towards her. I held the knife effortless and started cutting through her skin. "This is how I usually peel someone''s skin off, the thinner it gets the better" If you watch me from afar you might think that I''m only peeling mangoes. Her skin is nonetheless so soft, really not intended for a skin owned by a maid. She must be serving someone with great power, for her to maintain such healthy glow. She wailed in pain. "Your arms and your legs are done. This knife is great! Let me try peeling your stomach, the thicker the skin the better. Talk while I peel you, I need information from you. And if you won''t... then stay that way and endure till your soft skin become fresh meat. The dogs will be delighted to have you for breakfast." A sinister laugh escaped my lips, making everyone present scared of me. "You bitch! Wait till my master rescue me" "Your master will arrive by the time all of my dogs have their share of you. Sounds fun right? No one can stop me even when they try to sneak an attack. You better start confessing, I don''t have patience over these small matters. Give me the salt water and add some vinegar." Hatred and tears are visible on her face. I''ve seen this look for a thousand times and I love remembering those people who had the same fate in my hands. I got needles from my sleeves and let all of them seep through her veins living holes on the uppermost layer of her skin. I smiled Then I poured the solution of salt and vinegar on her arms and legs. The flesh look like its half cooked. She cried and shouted in agony. "Change the ropes into wires, tie her with wires before you remove the ropes. This type of wires are thinner compared to the strings of a zither. One wrong move and you''ll cut your body. So tell me about your master before we continue with the torture." She still shook her head. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "What a loyal cat, let''s continue" I peeled her stomach. "Give me the liquor" I forcibly let her gulp a tablet then I let her drink the liquor. After that the remaining contents are poured into her wounds. This time she screamed and looked like she''s about to faint. She clenched her jaw, but that is useless. "My master is the crown prince of the East, he want to evade the household of the Right Prime Minister and kill his remaining daughter to secure the alliance between his sister''s marriage and the emperor''s heir. You will become the obstacle so you need to be eliminated as soon as possible" I laughed hard, this confession pill is really interesting. "How many spies are here?" "There are about half of the household servants" She clenched her jaw and shook her head but she is powerless against me. "Where will I get their identity papers?" "It is at the bottom of the cabinet in Lin Sha''s room" I chuckled and raised my sword. One sweep of it and her head fell to the ground. "Feed her body to the wolves. We don''t need to have a burial." 21 Chapter 20 - Giving Hope 1 Half of the residential servants have been massacred, staining my sword with blood. The bustling business of my restaurant reached the epitome of wealth. For over a week the business earned three hundred million taels of gold coins. The food is not that expensive but customers are addicted to its taste. They order by bundle, by combo or family sized meals. The stock of ingredients are renewed twice a day to fulfill the rising need. Even imperial families from other kingdoms come over to have a taste. And some even planned to stay. "Shopkeeper Sheng can you call all of our staff for a meeting before we close the store, every end of the month we will have a meeting." Food was prepared thoroughly and everyone was seated on their places. I sat on the stage and took hold of the account books. It''s good that not a single penny is missing. And I am satisfied with their efficient work. There are about a hundred and fifty employees. "Every end of the month we will have a staff meeting, this is to ensure that I keep track on the progress of the business. Since the restaurant earns big I will likely increase your salaries per month. Right now I want to congratulate everyone for their hard work. The benefits of following me is a good life. I am planning to expand and buy fields for crops. Those who have family members that doesn''t have a job can apply. We will directly supply our own restaurant since there''s a huge increase whenever we buy fresh ingredients outside." The faces of my employees are full of hope. "Your loyalty and hard work is needed. Before you signed those contracts two months ago it was indicated that those who will betray me will be killed and I am not getting back on my words. If the business market is successful over a year, I will personally build houses for all of you. It will be payable by installment loans and much more cheaper in comparison with the government housing. I want my employees to live a better life." Everyone clapped and some of them cried. These people have nothing. No permanent homes or whatsoever. Some of them steal to get food and earn a living for their families. Gladly they have worked for me. I just need to purchase lands for them. I am not a corrupted person, so what I enjoy they will also have. What I eat they can also eat. "Everyone will be treated fairly. Do not worry, promotions depend on one''s capabilities. These meals in front of you are free, once a month we will have these. There are countless benefits and insurance to each of you. As for the insurance, I will arrange for a new team. They will ensure that if something happens to you the future of your families will be secured. A good example of that is education. To those employees who have children at home you can assure that I as the boss won''t be too stingy. I''ll arrange and build classrooms for them and they will learn. Aside from that, those who will rank top can have the privilege of attending imperial academies" "Thank you boss! We owe our lives to you!" Each of them gave their praises. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The wealth that we acquire here on Earth cannot be brought with us when we die, so might as well share them. 22 Chapter 21 - The Visitation 1 Since I am feeling well I decided to prepare different kinds of food for the empress and visit her palace. I think she has been hoping to meet me and Roushi kept on reminding me to pay them a visit. I do not know what her highness like or doesn''t like, I was only informed that she doesn''t have allergies. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Did you prepare everything?" "Yes young miss, everything is according to your instructions. Shall we depart now?" "En. Let''s go to the palace" The ride approximately took thirty minutes before we reached the front gates of the imperial palace. Han Yuomei and Han Wan accompanied me to the empress'' palace. I saw Roushi along the way, she was running and waving at us. I waved back, then she hugged me. "I''ve missed you, I''m glad you''re finally here. My mother has been sick lately and she hasn''t been eating well. She lacked the appetite and the father emperor even fired some of the imperial chefs. I do not know what I''ll do with her." "Have the imperial doctors checked upon your mother''s condition?" "Yes they did, but found nothing" "I brought some detoxification tea, prepare some for her and do not let other servants do it" "Ze''er do you suspect someone poisoning my mother?" I nodded. Then we walked to Green Ice Palace. There are ponds and bridges on both sides of the path we''re walking upon. But the water look dead. What''s unusual is that there are little yellowish flowers blooming at the bottom of the pond. Not that I have seen of it before. "Rou''er, does the empress plant flowers at the bottom of the pond?" "No,usually it''s usually concubine Wu who volunteers to plant the flowers." "Are there any fishes living underwater?" "No, every time we try to nurture them, they all die a day after" I nodded, if that''s the case maybe the water is poisoned. When water evaporates a good amount of poison will mix through the air and eventually harm the living organisms present in the area. The flowers at the bottom are in full bloom, so it might have affected the empress. "Is there a chance that I can invite the empress to the manor? My mom is very lonely, I think they will have a good time together" "Sure! That sounds great. I''ll ask imperial father about that" "Okay, I will arrange everything for you and the queen" Everything in her palace is strange. There are even bad luck charms and poisonous grass. "Does your mom propagate different types of poisons and does she love bad luck charms?" "What do you mean?" I closed the distance between us and whispered. "The grass at the front porch is highly toxic. The figurines are bad luck charms and the pond might be poisonous. Be careful, tell no one. Just arrange for the empress to leave this palace for a while and investigate" She nodded, but the shock in her eyes is visible. "We must hurry" I nodded and silently followed behind her. When we entered the palace I eventually covered my nose. The burning incense is too strong. How can they live in a place that exudes toxicity. 23 Chapter 22 - The Visitation 2 "Ze''er what''s wrong?" "Throw the incense sticks and open the curtains." Roushi immediately ordered the servants to throw all of the incense sticks. I unlit the candles and let the sun illuminate the palace. "What is happening here?" "Greetings to the empress, this humble servant pays respect. I am called Qin Zetian." "Oh you are the daughter of the right prime minister and Lan''er" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Her royal highness knew my mother?" "Come child, your mother and I were sworn sisters before the emperor confined me as his bride. Oh this old bones missed your mother very much. How is she?" "She is well and youthful your highness" "Don''t stand in ceremony, just call me auntie" "Auntie, I will not speak around the bush anymore, can you perhaps accompany my mother for a few days? I promise auntie that you will have your appetite back." "Hahaha, this child is really thoughtful, Rou''er go and ask audience for your father for me. Tell him I''ll visit your aunt Mulan today and stay there for a few weeks. This old lady needs some fresh air." "Yes mother!" then Roushi left the room, my smile also vanished "Eunuch Kang dismiss all of the servants, I''d like to talk to Zetian for a while" "Yes your majesty" When the servants are all dismissed, I hurriedly sat next to the empress. "Auntie can I check your pulse for a while?" She lend her hand. I reached for her pulse and check how badly poisoned she was. "Zetian, can you promise me that you''ll look after Rou''er at all times for me? I know death is inevitable, you are a sensible child and with you around guiding her I''d be satisfied. My body is on the verge of collapsing, I might not make it till the next Autumn festival. I''m afraid this will likely take a toll on her. I''m afraid she''ll be left alone. The throne is dangerous, I am already arranging for my sons to work somewhere far away and even sending them to sects. The second prince will battle for the throne and Rou''er will be at risk because of political marriages. Please take care of her" "I will, auntie the walls have holes. Let us go to the manor and let''s plan for the future." The empress nodded. "Mother! Good news, father has agreed. But he said we will need to keep your vacation as a secret. Shall we prepare your things?" "Rou''er you don''t have to, I will take care of everything when we get to the manor. For now let''s set out. I never spoke of the main reason in front of Roushi but the queen understood my intentions. She is still much younger than me if we compare our maturity level. Her mother is severely poisoned and I need to find ways to cure it. The objects in her palace might contain poisons too so it''s better to avoid bringing them. "We will use my carriage so it won''t raise awareness. We need to remove the jewels that the both of you are wearing so we won''t be suspected. Auntie we will drop by to the nearest inn and change your clothes, anything related to here might be subjected for a bigger cause" "Do as you seem fit" 24 Chapter 23 - The Qins Manor 1 The carriage drove to the nearest inn. The manager personally welcomed us as he saw the insignia of the Qin Family. They did not recognize the princess or the queen but they treated us with utmost importance. I nodded in satisfaction, I let Han Wan buy luxurious clothes from a dress shop and let Han Yuomei assist the princess and empress in taking a bath. Their bodies need to be cleaned up before we go to the manor. I asked one of the inn servants to bury the clothes of the empress and the princess. There might be little amounts of poisoned powder on the clothes which is harmful to the body. When Han Wan arrived I let her help Han Yuomei. They dressed the empress and the princess. We sat back to the carriage and travel to the manor. I don''t know how my mother will react to this. But I am sure there are lots of empty courtyards in the manor. My courtyard is also big, yet empty. "Young miss we have arrived" "En. Auntie let''s go down" "Ze''er I''m glad you''re back-- Si-sister?" My mother was in a new level of shock when she saw the queen. "Lan''er..." The queen has tears on her face as she saw my mom. Roushi and I are dumbfounded. "Ruru, do you know how close they were?" "Zeze, I do not know either" "Come on help me prepare lunch at the kitchen, let us leave them to talk" "En. I''m absolutely starving, let''s go" we left there to talk, they must have a good catching up to do Ruoshi kept on dragging me to the kitchen, I don''t know if I should laugh or cry because this small gluttonous princess will then again rob my kitchen. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Ruru you cannot rob my kitchen ah" "But you''re rich, you can supply them back" "Oh about that... Accompany me to the mountains tomorrow, we will purchase some land for growing crops. I''d like to create my next project." "Really? I''ve never seen farmlands before, are you sure you''ll bring meeeeeeeeee?" "Yes, does this miss look like joking?" "Good! Zeze I''m really starving come on let''s make some food. I''m sure mother is also hungry, she hasn''t eaten well for a few days" The sadness in her eyes made me uncomfortable. She doesn''t know how vicious the imperial palace is, and I''m sure she''s not yet ready to act accordingly. She''s too young and for a princess to be scheming like a snake is impossible. Or maybe I can teach her, a good brainwashing is not a bad idea either. That way she''ll be more prepared and it will lessen the shock in her heart. Nurturing ones heart to become wise and cold is essential for the idea of survival. The imperial harem is full of poisonous snakes, they will find a fault in you, criticize you, plant false evidences against you and eventually kill you. There are different types of poisons and each of them has one goal. To eliminate everything that stands on their way. 25 Chapter 24 - The Qins Manor 2 I prepared authentic Filipino dishes that I''ve learned before I died. When I was sick with leukemia I eventually filed an early retirement from the military, and started touring Asian countries. I also learned some of their delicacies, but I was greatly amazed by Filipino culture and tradition so I stayed longer in the Philippines. I even remembered buying a property somewhere in a mountainous area there and built a rest house. As for today with the help of Roushi and the chefs in the manor we made delicious authentic delicacies from the Philippines. Mainly; Chicken adobo, Milky stirred prawns and crabs, Oxtail stew, Raw fish salad, authentic Lechon but not the whole pig, Sour meat stew, Pork Sisig and Beef steak. With Halo-halo as the desert. When everything was ready we called the empress and my mother. Coincidentally my cousins; Qin Jiangli, Qin Jiangfe (third uncle''s sons) and Qin Weishen (second uncle''s only daughter) came so we invited them too. My dad said it''s about time that the sons choose their career and that girl will study in the capital with the noble ladies. Since my 15th birthday is fast approaching, it is only right for my cousins to enter the manor. My eldest sister is 29 years old, my second sister is 24 years old, my eldest brother is 18, while my second brother is 16. The twins Qin Jiangli and Jiangfe are turning 14 soon, while Weishen is turning 12. I never had expectations with them, but I hope I won''t make out an enemy with them. Even if I have never met them I know somehow their lives became hard and jealousy is inevitable. Second uncle Qin Wulang never had an official wife and the only person he got close with died, because she was captured by the bandits and got killed. Qin Weishen was his only adopted daughter and he brought her up on his own, even if he was likely not around all the time. The twins never had a mother, since third uncle''s wife had a heart failure it is likely too risky to give birth to both boys. So she gave up her own life. By then my uncles never got married and focused their time at working and becoming great fathers to their children. "Madame the fourth young miss is here along with the twin young masters" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Come, come! Sit¡­ Oh it has been so many years since I last saw the three of you." I am seated beside Roushi and my mom sat beside the empress. I motioned for them to seat beside me, the shy girl Weishen sat beside me then the boys followed beside her. "Okay let''s dine in" my mom said I put a great amount of food to the bowls and pass them to the children beside me. Then I served Roushi, my mom and the empress were eating silently so everyone followed behind. But I saw the discomfort of Weishen beside me as she eat. "Are you uncomfortable anywhere?" She shook her head "Are you not satisfied with the food?" She shook her head again, I smiled. "Call me big sister, you''re still young so you need to eat more okay" Then she nodded in response with a teary eye. Has this child been bullied when she was far away? I doubt my uncle knew what''s happening. 26 Chapter 25 - The Adopted Daughter 1 Everyone is busy unloading their stuff. My mother brought the empress and Roushi to her room and talk of random things. While I decided to look out for the three children. I have no problem with the twins because when my brother arrived home not an hour ago they already liked to be with him. They asked lots of questions and my brother enjoyed their company. I eventually asked Roushi a favor and told her to guard her mom, something might happen so I told Roushi to be with her mom at all times. Her mom is heavily poisoned so she needed utmost care and I need to tell my mom about that later. I will also look for a cure or make them on my own ability. For the meantime Weishen was left with me. I brought her to my courtyard and placed her next to my room. Her things weren''t too many, so I let the maidservants take care of the arrangements. I led her to my room. I also told Han Yuomei to prepare a bath and let Han Wan choose little dresses from my closet that will fit Weishen. "Shen''er, come close to me. Let me see your hands" She obediently came close to me and her hands reached mine. I held them, but I wondered why she wore suck thick gloves. I pinch her hands lightly, but I saw the changes on her face expression. I immediately removed the gloves and saw her hands covered in blues. My eyes widened, I suddenly lifted her sleeves and saw bruises. They are even freshly made. In my uncle''s absence who tried to bully her? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Tell big sister who bullied you?" Her tears slowly poured out of her cute little eyes, and sadness enveloped them. "Did the servants there bully you? Shen''er come here" I hugged the child as she cried her sorrows silently. "Han Wan can you retrieve some medicines for me, find someone bandages for the bruises and cold leaves." "Han Yuomei, make sure that the water is warmer than how I want it to be when I take a bath and pour milk and honey" I touched her hair and felt that it was too rough. Her hands were not only filled with bruises, it also have a thick layer of calluses. Such a poor child, my uncle never knew what happened to his daughter because he was far away, he only got home when I opened the restaurant and another one time event. The emperor immediately released oders so he rushed back to his post and never had the time to check on this child. "Don''t cry anymore, from now on you''ll have big sister. Big sister will protect you. Don''t worry okay. I will cure you, a month before the exams for the capital school starts. I will teach you everything that you want to learn. You''re not alone anymore, in this battle you have me." "Big sister wuwu" I patted her head slowly. And examined her scalp, there are even dried blood from cuts. How many times have they injured her head? I will investigate this! 27 Chapter 26 - The Adopted Daughter 2 Han Yuomei assisted me with bathing Weishen, for that very moment even Han Wan went in a cold shock when we saw the bruises all over Weishen''s little body. Everything was just blue and red. Her white skin was tainted with dark marks. And her nails were even broken. How can someone treat a child like an animal ready to get beaten severely? "Han Wan go ask someone reliable to investigate the happenings in my uncle''s absence, I want to personally execute the person who did this and tell no one about it." "Yes young miss" We dressed her. Not long enough she fell asleep as I was reading a book to her. I kissed her forehead and arranged the blanket that covers her little body. "Han Yuomei do not let anyone enter my room as usual and take care of guarding her, I need to go to the next room and check on something" "Yes, young miss" "Aware me if she awakens" Han Yuomei nodded, so I immediately went to Weishen''s room. The servants there were teary eyed. "What happened here?" "Young miss... I know I am not in position to speak, but look at how bad the 4th young miss'' clothes are" I retrieved the clothes from them, it truly is that bad. Everything looks like tattered rags. How can her things become this bad? My uncle served the military for too long and his salary is even comparable to my dad''s salary. It''s truly impossible that he did not give this little girl what she wanted. So where did all of my uncle''s money went? "Arrange everything in order and nothing should be missing, things no matter how worn out should have a different level of sentimental value so keep everything. Her clothes cannot be used again so fold and pile them neatly on the wardrobe" I continued checking her things then I saw a precious type of jade. A type of greenish gemstone carved into the finest type of identification jade. I need to investigate about this, for the meantime I will let her use two types of jade on her body, the Qin family''s jade which every member should have and this jade on my hand, it should protect her no matter what. From her room I also retrieved a type of jade necklace that matches her identity jade. I carried them with me, I will never let her roam around without these items. "Young miss, the fourth young miss has awoken" I stood and went back to my room. Then I saw her sitting on my bed while rubbing her eyes gently. A little yawn escaped from her mouth. "Han Yuomei prepare clothes for her, we are going to a dress shop. I will buy her new dresses" Han Yuomei handed me a white dress. Then I turned to Weishen and assisted her to change. Yuomei also braided her hair nicely. "Shen''er listen to big sister, do you see these things?" The child nodded. "This jade necklace never ever remove this from your body even when you''re taking a bath. I have to let you wear two jade identities, this one is yours while this one is the Qin''s noble identity jade similar to mine and the rest of the members of the family. You will carry these three items always, these identity jade carvings will protect you. Do you understand?" "Yes, big sister" Then I hugged the girl. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. 28 Chapter 27 - The Adopted Daughter 3 We carried on the plan and went straight to the dress shop. We bought a few ready made dresses for her. She was so happy that she hugged me tightly and shed a few tears. It''s good that we are wearing veils. No one will see or identify our faces and the drama of sorts. "The crown prince has arrived" I took a step back and bowed with the rest. "Rise" in my peripheral vision the crown prince is a flamboyant entity, but his character is strong. It''s good that Weishen did not look up to him and focused her attention to the dresses that we purchased. "Oh beauties!" the prince stopped in front of us I frowned "The two of you will become my concubines. The palace needs beautiful ladies to serve this crown prince. Hehe" I felt Weishen''s hand tightening on my waist. And she is slightly trembling. "Han Wan we will wait at the carriage, take care of the dresses Han Yuomei come on" "Wait who told you to leave! In front of this prince no one can leave without my permission. What I say goes, what I want I get!" the prince shouted and everyone else kneeled except for me, my maidservants and Weishen. The prince lifted her hand and was about to lay a slap on my face but I know with my current martial arts strength I will be able to dodge it. But something else happened. "Lay a hand on my fiance and I will cut your fingers" everyone shifted their gazes to the men who appeared at the door." Gasps and awe filled the air. Three men who wore white showed up. Even I cannot deny that those men are really powerful. But the one who spoke is different, his charismatic appearance is also too enigmatic and otherworldly. "I''ve heard the godly sect''s prince Wu Moying, the antiquity palace prince Wu Zhengzhou and Northern Moon Kingdom Wu Minfeng is in the capital today to look for disciples." "I''ve also heard that, and rumors say the three princes always wear white. Even his majesty the emperor created a banquet for their arrival." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "I have also heard that this year the princes will choose someone from the imperial children to enter their sect" "Such opportunity!" "I think the crown prince lost his chance" "Yeah I think so too" "Who would have thought that the beauties in front of him are protected by the godly prince himself" "No wonder all of them wore white" "It''s so sad we can only watch them from afar" "You, you and you! Who are you? Why are you in my kingdom?" the infuriated prince shouted like a fool. I silently stepped behind the large piles of clothing. "Han Yuomei thank the three sincerely, you and Han Wan can take the carriage" I and Weishen jumped at the window. I whistled and my father''s horse came. "Shen''er we need to get out of trouble first. Wear this cloak" then I wore the same cloak as hers. I helped Weishen sat on my father''s horse, then I sat next to her and escaped the scene. 29 Chapter 28 - The Adopted Daughter 4 (Godly Prince Wu Moying''s POV) "Minfeng is something wrong?" Zhengzhou asked, I stared at Minfeng, silently observing him "Minfeng--" "She''s here, I''m sure for it. Give me the identity jade, I feel like she''s near" "Do you mean to say--" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Yes, the princess is alive. I can feel her, I know it is her. I can''t be wrong, our fates are tied together so it''s impossible for us not to meet in any way" "Here" I gave him the identity jade of his fiancee "Let''s head north" the carriage stopped at the dress shop "Are you sure she''s here?" He nodded and jumped out of the carriage. We also saw two powerful carriages at the front of the shop. If I''m not mistaken the first one should be from the Qin Clan and other bears the insignia of the imperial family. I frowned, who could be inside. Minfeng went in so I and Zhengzhou followed him in. But Minfeng stood frozen, he was staring intently at two young girls who stood at the center of the shop. A man in imperial clothes seemed to be harassing them. My brows knitted when I saw Minfeng slowly clench his fist. Then the sparkling energy came from the little girl who hugged the other. She looks like a rabbit hiding from a monster. I tried to identify her but her veil is covering almost everything. The older girl stood but her coldness is suffocating. Yet the man in front of her felt nothing. "Brother do something" I was hesitant, but I when heard him forcing women to be his concubines I immediately lost my cool. ""Lay a hand on my fiancee and I will cut your fingers" everyone shifted their gazes to us I partly regretted it but it let the girls escape. "Zhengzhou take care of them" "En" "Minfeng let''s go" "Where do you think you''re going? I the crown prince will never let anyone bypass me! Each one of you is under me, I am the future ruler everyone shall obey me! Guards seize them!" I stopped walking and smirked. How can a mortal like him compare to me? Or to any of my brothers? With a flick of my hand all of his guards were pinned to the ground. "Watch" I moved a couple hand techniques and his imperial guards were turned into cripples. Then I walk out of the dress shop. "Minfeng what''s going on?" "Brother they have escaped" "What do you mean?" "I don''t understand either, they''re gone in a blink. Do you think she''s using dark magic" "But if they were I should have sensed it, what do you think brother?" "Zhengzhou is right, even I, have no idea. Her maidservants, where are they?" "When they loaded the carriage the second prince suddenly came and brought them away. I let some of our shadow guards spy, but the chances of them coming back are likely less" "What do you mean?" Minfeng asked and I understood what Zhengzhou said Other than the three of us, the fourth and the second prince came from the strongest forbidden city, it is a sect that nurtures handpicked talents. And the reason why he and his brother was sent there was still unknown. 30 Chapter 29 - The Adopted Daughter 5 (Godly Prince Wu Moying''s POV) "If that''s the case we can secretly send spies to their manor and prove things, or else we can only wait for the banquet" Zhengzhou suggested "No we cannot send spies, I have heard that half of their servants were killed when they were found spying in the manor. I''ve also heard of the great skills that their third young miss possess. From the ears that I have in the military, those who witnessed her skills were kept silent and signed a pledge of loyalty to their family. Aside from that, rumours has reached me that the children of the empress were there except for the second prince whom she met after the accident" Minfeng said "What accident?" I asked "My sources have said that an imperial prince wanted to eliminate the Qin Clan and started plotting against the third miss. That plot failed, on the night that she was about to be assassinated the second prince came. The second prince did not exactly help her but he sent his men to battle against everyone. There weren''t any connection either because the third miss is very capable that she never had a scratch on her skin. It ended up with the second prince sending him home, yet rumours say the prince told everyone that he rescued her." Minfeng added "Did you say her heart is taken by the second prince?" Zhengzhou asked "No, from my credible sources it was said that they never had any connection. Just the fact that she is very affectionate towards the only daughter of the empress." Zhao Yang came, a loyal shadow guard gifted by my master to me. "Master, the empress and the second princess left the palace. Someone was pretending to be the queen. They said she is ill and that no one can see her, but truth be told she''s not there. The princes were sent to unknown sects of the North. Only the second prince was left." "The princess is not there?" Zhengzhou asked seemingly confused "From the time the Qin third young miss visited they say the empress was gone. Even the emperor himself bestowed the request of the princess that day. So it seems like everyone is gathered in their house. For what reasons? I still don''t know." "En. Send men to the capital and buy the residence next to Qin manor. Let''s stay there and watch for ourselves" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Brother you mean to say--" "Yes, we will be staying for the meantime. We cannot leave without verifying the existence of your fiancee. She needs to be safe at all times and it is your duty to take care of her. One day she will come with us and fulfill her role in the palace. As for the second princess Zhengzhou lure her out." "Okay but--" "I''ll take care with the third young miss and see what she''s planning. Everyone in her hands are important figures. Whenever she wants to throw the current emperor it is likely possible. But the heir who will sat at his throne is still unknown. I believe the Qin clan has a lot of say, since their origins are really powerful." 31 Chapter 30 - The Adopted Daughter 6 (Prince Wang Haoran''s POV) I listened attentively to the shadow guard who reported to me. The arrival of the trinity princes were unexpected, and their visit is still unknown. I just knew that the three of them are biologically siblings whose mother was killed under the law of the previous Sky emperor. It could have been said that each of them became unimaginably talented after their mother was executed in public. And the new Sky emperor is their uncle who got the throne under the oders of the trinity princes. "Brother, do you think they have a motive to dominate the kingdom?" my fourth brother asked "No, I don''t think it''ll be that simple" I answered "It really won''t be the answer, because according to my sources Prince Wu Minfeng was engaged to the Obsidian kingdom''s thirteenth princess but she had gone missing for the past twelve years. And now that there are only three years left for the coronation they intend to search for her. The marriage alliance between the two ensured the people from Sky kingdom that no harm will befall on them." "But the Obsidian kingdom has long declared a close down since the princess went missing, it''s impossible for them to enter and leave as they please" fifth brother answered "You''re right that''s why they are expending too much effort to look for her. As they travel they collect objects or widen their network" I answered "Where''s mom by the way? And why don''t I see her in the palace with Roushi?" "She went to Qin clan''s manor, I think something is amiss, why would she go there without a reason. And even father permitted it" my fifth brother asked all of a sudden "Shu what happened?" "Master the madame was badly poisoned by one of the concubines and someone is plotting against her, the third miss came to visit earlier and discovered the poison so she proposed that the empress should go with her. I think the third miss will find ways to cure the empress. I do believe even the imperial doctors lacked the capability to recognize the poison." "Mother was poisoned? Why haven''t we noticed?" "Is it the pond?" I asked "Probably, the princess ordered for the pond to be emptied. She also said that she wanted to give the empress a surprise, she even asked the concubines to lend their gardeners in case some died because of exposure to the poison. I''ve eavesdropped from the empress and the miss, she even let the third miss take care of princess Roushi. I think even the visit is well orchestrated." "What did mother said?" "The empress wanted to let the third young miss handle the upbringing of the princess while she securely said that the young masters are all sent to sects. The throne will be bloody and the empress never wanted the rest of the princes to get involved. She specifically said it is master who will battle with the crowd prince--" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Master! The third young miss got in a fight with the crown prince" 32 Chapter 31 - The Adopted Daughter 7 We returned safely at the back entrance of the manor near my courtyard. Luckily Weishen wasn''t frightened by the flying speed that we have on our journey back. She even wanted to learn how to ride a horse with me. And I agreed easily, since we returned late I volunteered to cook a delicious meal for us. But of course the mighty glutton is present. "I knew the both of you will arrive! Hello, call me big sister Roushi or Ruru or Rou''er like Zeze, I am the same age as her and I like little kids!" Then she lightly patted Weishen''s head I shook my head. "Oi! How can you let me cook and eat my stuff without helping?" "Zeze you know this princess cannot cook as delicious as your cooking techniques, I don''t even know what kind of recipes you''re following so hehe it''s impossible for me to help" I chuckled. "Since there are only the three of us, I will trouble the both of you to fix the dining set. Gather plates and utensils. I made a Bulalo soup that''s essential for the body and I have red chicken wings with pineapple. For the dessert we will experiment tonight and I need your cooperation, it''s easy to do so but we can only eat the dessert in the morning" "Sounds fun, I''m glad I can finally learn a good dessert from you Zeze!" While Weishen smiled shyly. "Is it okay if I help? Won''t it burden you big sisters?" "Not at all! Weiwei it''s good that we can learn some specialties from Zeze because she loves cooking so much and I want to have a remembrance from her. Knowledge can be past through but it will never be lost" "Is that true big sister?" I nodded Then I served the soup with rice and the red chicken. "This is great! I wanted to be a chef and learn from master Zeze instead of becoming a princess!" "Big sister Zeze, the soup is so yummy! And I love the spiciness of the chicken, it is also sweet and savoury" "Eat more Shen''er, you need to grow as tall as I am" "Hey! Weiwei can be as tall as me! Look I am even taller than you!" The three of us laughed. When we were done eating, they washed the dishes while I prepared the ingredients. I wanna teach them how to make mango floats. "Big sister we''re done! What are we gonna do?" "Wow there are so many ripe mangoes where did you get these?" "We have mango trees at the back well where do you think did I got ''em from?" "How can we help?" "First we need to wash these mangoes and make sure the skin is clean" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. We washed the mangoes thoroughly. "Next, Shen''er can you grind these biscuits till it resembles more of a powdered biscuit?" "How about the rest?" Roushi asked "We will use them later. For now I want you to mix different types of ingredients for the milk" I peeled the mangoes and cut them into thin elongated slices with the use of the spoon. After that I got a large rectangular container. Then we slowly piled the ingredients. 33 Chapter 32 - Buying Agriculture Land 1 The next morning we brought the desserts with us and some heavy meals, we will be journeying towards the mountains to purchase farming lands suitable for planting crops. The more abandoned the farm the higher its fertility rate. I also want to have a poultry for chicken, and livestock animals. It will be better for my restaurant to have the ingredients provided by me so we can save. With the rising market price for the vegetables and meat products, it is likely expected that the demand for the supply is good. I will construct a bigger project in the capital which will be a public market. The people who can buy there will need membership cards so no one will create a fuss or try to create a ruckus that will disturb the buyers. The cards will be designed depending on the average amount that a person or a family can purchase. "The mountains are beautiful, whaaaa Zeze I wanna visit this place again when you start with your second business!" Roushi stared fondly at the window. The air is fresh and the weather isn''t warm even if it''s a sunny day. Weishen became a glutton just like Roushi so she likely consumed the food on the table while watching the fields that Roushi admired. I am helpless, next time I will bring lots of food with me. It did not take long before we arrived at a lesser residential area. This place is governed likely by the left prime minister. When I asked my father about it he said I need to bring more guards with me and use his carriage. I agreed because I don''t know what type of dangers we will face on the way. Thankfully we arrived safely at the destination. My father told the left prime minister Li Ruixeng that we are arriving to purchase a land. My father also said that I just need to choose and the ownership processes will be handled by butler Sheng. It saved me a lot of trouble. "Young miss we have arrived" the coachman announced "Are both of your butts aching?" "Zeze I wanna ride a horse or something rough!" "Try a witch''s broomstick that''s hard enough, it might work good for you" Weishen chuckled "Shen''er it''s time for you to learn horseback riding, let step out" Thankfully my idea of wearing female traditional clothes are good. It has a hood and the lower part is pants. It won''t be hard to ride a horse. It''s so cool! I only admired Chinese movies where female characters wear traditional martial arts outfits. And now that I''m wearing them I feel like a martial arts master. "Han Wan go and retrieve some horses, we likely want to ride horses and enjoy the sunny weather." Han Yuomei opened an umbrella so we kindly shared. We waited long enough for Han Wan to come back with three horses. I smiled. "Ruru you know how to ride a horse right?" "That''s my favorite sport" she winked and chose a horse to ride on "Shen''er let me give you pointers for riding a horse." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. 34 Chapter 33 - Buying Agriculture Land 2 I helped her climb on top of the horse. It''s good that she learns fast. Or maybe it has something to do with her origins. "Okay listen to me. Riding is a sport, meaning it''s quite physical and can be enjoyed on a number of skill levels. I can teach you how to ride with safety tips, how to get on a horse on your own, and how to walk, trot and post on a horse. You need to ride without bouncing and there''s a good technique to do that, you will also need to learn how to canter, gallop, jump and dismount the horse." "This horse is so muscular big sister and its hair is so soft" "Hmm, at all cost you need to treat it like your person. It has a life, do not order it around and give it another level of value." She nodded, then eventually the learning progressed. We ended up on the manor of a magistrate. He politely welcomed us in his humble home. "This humble one is the daughter of the right prime minister, I am called Qin Zetian. Elder we are here to purchase some lands legally, the procedures will be done by Elder Sheng. We will trouble you for accompanying us to venture the on sale lands though" "Oh no problem, no problem... This old man has been appointed as a legal broker by the emperor. It''s not a problem dear, come let''s get going. The fields are wide and it might take us forever if we don''t move now" I nodded then went out of his house. He offered a carriage, but I humbly turn it down. The weather is good and riding a horse makes everything better. Each of us took a horse to ride on. While Weishen followed behind silently. "These lands why are they abandoned?" "Young miss these lands are crop lands before, but the bandits usually attack to gather food and sometimes kill people. It is very dangerous in this area and business could not foster" "How wide is this area?" "It''s about a hundred hectares" "How much is a price" "Though it is abandoned the price is still the same as the standard selling price" "I''d like to purchase it" "Are you sure?" "Yes, and don''t worry about the bandits I have good ways in dealing them" "Okay, let''s head to a nearby restaurant." "Great idea" We are all headed to the restaurant that was built two miles away from the area. It was luxurious and for sure the owner isn''t someone ordinary. He must have a good power, since this mountain is raided often by the bandits. And the local tribes were already gone. Preserving something in the wild without being harmed should cost a lot of expenses. The restaurant is another level in everything. The design is good although it cannot compare to my shop in the capital, it is very modest and clean. The magistrate ordered food for all of us. I also told one ofnmy subordinates to order food for the soldiers accompanying us. But I discovered one thing on the food. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. 35 Chapter 34 - Buying Agriculture Land 3 (Lady Xie Yaya''s POV) "Why are there so many visitors downstairs?" "Mistress the daughter of the right prime minister arrived, she brought two girls along but their identities where strictly concealed." "Concealed? Let me take a look, go and prepare for a show" "But mistress it''s not good for the baby if you hurt yourself--" "Just do what I say!" I have an inkling feeling that the daughter of the right prime minister isn''t a simple girl who''s housed and pampered from childhood. There are local news of their household''s merits. It was said that all the members of the Qin clan hold great power. Her brothers were even following their elders well. And her elder sisters were all imperial wives, not just empty titles but they have the last say. A little bird also told me that even the empress herself favors this young miss of the Qin family. If she is very capable I think she''s the right person who can help me. She will be the only person who can provide the key for me to escape from this hellish kingdom and go home. Indigo Valley Kingdom is my home and I need to get back what''s mine from the start. If my sister hasn''t killed my husband I could be the one who''ll inherit everything that my parents worked out. But the world is cruel, I need to learn to embrace power and make connections with everyone. The baby inside me is growing and I can no longer protect it. If the young miss is as what the rumors say, then I will be willing to part with my child and seek revenge. "Mistress everything is ready" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Good" "Mistress! The bandits suddenly came!" "What?" It should have been a good plan but the bandits came, we need to defend ourselves I rushed out of my room to check on what''s happening. "Oh lovely girls in veils! Pure, untainted and FRESH! Brothers we have come at the right time to gather the sacrifice bearers. You young misses shall obey my orders and struggle not, for I have come with good intentions. The brotherhood has long been established and on this day of the year we catch ladies and devour their innocence. After that everyone get to taste the body first before we kill the person out of tradition." But I saw the young and composed girl wearing a white veil. She chuckled. "How many are you in your tribe of local bandits?" "Are you insulting me? We are the strongest! And--" "I asked how many" the cold voice of the young girl echoed through the room "You bitch! Who gave you the permission to talk when the master hasn''t finished speaking--" "You call him master? He''s not qualified enough" Then the bandits raised their swords "Seize them mates!" But what shocked us is when the young girl draw her sword and threw it at the boss of the bandits. In an instant his head rolled to the floor where his mates are standing. "You call him boss? I only threw my sword yet he cannot even protect himself, so how capable is he to lead a group? Better than anyone else, at this state will you believe that your lives will be safe by following him? Why not follow me?" 36 Chapter 35 - Buying Agriculture Land 4 (Godly Prince Wu Moying''s POV) "Have they returned?" "They''re still on their way your highness, according to Juju they are on the darkest part of the forest. We can easily catch them if you want" "I only need Qin clan''s young miss" "But your highness we have a problem, there are two young misses. The third miss Qin Zetian and the fourth miss Qin Weishen." "Two young misses?" "Yes your highness, according to the registry there are four daughters and four sons in the household." "Take the daughter from the main house" Then I remembered, the little girl who hugged the older one. She must be the lost princess, but I cannot take any action to raise the suspicion of the kingdoms. I sighed, the battle between Indigo Valley Kingdom and Moon Kingdom won''t end any soon. And the Obsidian Kingdom shut its door. I wonder how we''ll survive, we cannot call help from the Sky Kingdom knowing it lacks the capacity to defend itself. We only have this continent and that hellish kingdom to count on. I chuckled, if I we can get the princess back we will win the Obsidian Kingdom''s support and the alliance between Moon, Sky and Obsidian Kingdoms will be established. I stood and walked out of the manor. The manor beside us is heavily guarded and it''s true there''s nothing ordinary inside. All of them relies on their own individual power. Even the madame of the household has ties with other kingdoms. It''s no wonder that they have the princess, but how did it happen? The carriage was ready. I entered and sat on the red chair, drawing my sword from the scabbard. I will battle against her if I needed to. We treaded on the wide road of darkness towards the forest. --- (Qin Zetian''s POV) The guards move under the light of the moon. Weishen is sleeping while Roushi is eating. A few more cupcakes and this glutton will also fall asleep. Being in the military for many years I developed no fear of the dark. But the wind today blows different. It''s cold and haunted. Something will happen tonight, I need to secure their safety. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Weishen wake up!" I whispered "Is there a problem big sister?" She spoke while rubbing her eyes lightly I shook my head and forced a smile. "Just wear this cloak, the same as you Roushi. To keep the both of you from freezing. No matter what happens tonight, you won''t say a thing to anyone. Remember, if you arrive home without me and dad finds out, just say that I went to buy something. And if I do not return to the manor ask Han Yuomei to forge my hand writing and write a letter saying I need to purchase lands somewhere. Does the both of understand?" "Sister what''s going on?" Weishen asked But Roushi stayed silent. She just stared at me and out of nowhere retrieved a dagger. "I will take care of Weishen till we get home, Zeze take care of yourself please. Who will cook good food for me if you''re gone?" "Don''t worry, I will return" 37 Chapter 36 - Lost 1 I called for my father''s horse, with the use of one unique whistle. "The both of you, be careful" They nodded, then Weishen hugged Roushi. "Girls no matter what happens, tie your identity jades to your waste tightly. I need to go now" I shifted my body. When Maximus came I jumped on air and landed on him. I shifted the position of my body and ride on top of the horse safely. The sword on my scabbard dangled dangerously as we travel the lonely night. From where I am positioned I hurriedly move to the back of the line. The leader of the guards is an imperial shadow guard and his strength is good. Captain Yang Yulo an infantry commander who got a promotion from the emperor. "Captain, make sure that no matter what happens today you will protect the Princess and my fourth sister. No harm shall befall on them, make sure you arrive safely to the manor. And have the place a lock down. I have ways to enter the manor so do not worry about me. This journey won''t take long, I will stay here because I have some matters to attend to. Keep everyone safe" "Does the young miss intend to stay?" "Hmm, I intend to, send a message to my parents that they shouldn''t worry for me. I am safe no matter where I go" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Then this servant shall wish for the miss'' safety" I stopped at a good distance and stared at the leaving carriages. Coldness flashed my eyes, the wind blew stronger this time. And the clouds covered the moon. The leaves sang a haunted lullaby and the bats flew together. Shiver run down my spine. "Show yourselves!" Assassin uniformed guards surrounded me. And a carriage suddenly appeared in front. The exterior was covered in a luxurious coat of black and the gold patterns is something a royal family member possess. I smirked, what did I do this time? I wonder how bad my luck is for attracting so many imperial members. The guards move by batch as they tried to rope me in. I used tiny blades to slit through their necks and my horse shocked me when it grew some wings. A batch of guards dyed the soil red as they fall to the abyss of nothingness. Another batch set their arrows at me, luckily I have a good sword. I brandished the sword and the arrows flew back, killing half of their batch. Then a short dagger flew out of the carriage, it has eyes. It flew so fast but what made me dumbfounded is when I was suddenly trapped in the arms of a tall man. Who has a the dagger at hand pointing towards my veins. My arms are stiff and my legs are weak. How did he appeared? The speed of a lightning meant years of training. But how did he do that? Trapping me between his arms with a dagger on my neck. "We need to talk" he said And that changed everything. 38 Chapter 37 - Lost 2 The dagger on my neck will leave me with a scar, at this rate it should be a big scar, but if I don''t fight head on my life will be in great danger. If my calculations are right the team should have reached the gates of the capital, they should be halfway through the road and nearer to the manor. If I surrender without a fight men here will never respect me, and it''s likely that when they capture me I''ll be tortured. The man in front of me is so powerful, I don''t know what tricks to play with him. His eyes say how wise and intelligent he is, and his build shows how strong he can be. The sword on my hand shook violently. My horse continued to flap its wings on the air, luckily the guards never targeted him. And I am relieved that this horse is incredibly smart. "What do you want us to talk about?" But the dagger already cut through my skin, the pain engulfed my neck as I feel the blood trickling down. He won''t really show me mercy, I am an unmarried woman and he carved a scar on my neck. How does he expect me to get married? In this era only few will want someone who has a scar, and the rules of the noble households implied that no noble man can marry a girl with flaws. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Why do you have the princess?" "What princess? If you mean the imperial princess Wang Roushi she came for a vacation with the empress. I did no such thing as kidnapping" The dagger even went deeper. "I am talking about the Obsidian Princess" Another princess? But how will I know, I am only a traveler. "But other than Roushi who else do you mean by saying The Obsidian princess? As far as I know my sisters are humbly married into the palace, and I am only a noble woman. No one else has a title of princess. Not that I have known of, I bet there''s no maidservant in my household who can pretend to be a commoner and abandon her title" "Fine. You''re of no use now--" But before he continued, I immediately retrieved a dagger from my sleeves and plunged it in his body. His eyes turned murderous, then I took the chance to escape from his embrace. I whistled for my horse to fly towards the darkest part of the forest. The man in front of me tried to grab me, I sweep my sword forward and accidentally cut his hair. It should have shocked me, but I only cut his hair. Yet he fell on the ground, his face held an ugly expression, as if he was in deep pain. I immediately fought through the guards who stood in my way. I climb a tree and jump towards another. And that continued till I reached the air where my horse is waiting. I have been wounded not just on the neck part, but also at the lower back of my body. This is bad. 39 Authors Note The Prodigious Princess Qin Zetian Characters and Descriptions: Modern world description of the female lead: Qin Zetian is the youngest prodigious daughter of the country''s president. At a young age she was renowned as a gifted child who has the ability to learn anything in the fastest speed possible. A military major general, assigned at the country''s Northern border and died because of leukemia. Wuxia Dynasty 7 Continents = 7 Kingdoms Crimson Blood Kingdom Evergreen Kingdom Northern Moon Kingdom Sky Kingdom Obsidian Kingdom Indigo Palace Kingdom White Mortal Kingdom = Zhou Central Kingdom, Wen West Kingdom, Yuan Kingdom of the East, Fang Kingdom of the North, and Shen South Kingdom. Qin Clan Madame: Feng Mulan ¨C daughter of the right prime minister from the neighboring kingdom of the west. Master: Qin Fengmian - right prime minister of Zhou Central Kingdom, eldest master in Qin Clan. Children: Eldest son (18): Qin Lushan ¨C an imperial scholar who wants to enter the palace as a minister Second son (16): Qin Huang ¨C a military man who wants to follow their second uncle to the battlefield Eldest daughter (29): Qin Wei Li ¨C an imperial concubine Second daughter (24): Qin Rouyun ¨C the official wife of the crown prince of a neighboring kingdom Third daughter (14): Qin Zetian ¨C a businesswoman who has reincarnated as the third miss and the female lead Second Uncle: Qin Wulang ¨C a military general who is stationed at the northern border Adopted daughter (12): Qin Weishen ¨C the lost Obsidian Princess Third Uncle: Qin Haochen ¨C a minister and a businessman who loves to work and travel Two Sons (14): Qin Jiangli and Qin Jiangfe Betrayal Maids: Lin Sha and Lin Tsu Magical Horse: Maximus Butler: Zhang Wu Elder Sheng Wan: father''s secretary Restaurant shopkeeper: Sheng Rui 2nd prince maidservants: Han Yuomei and Han Wan Captain of the soldiers: Yang Yulo Imperial Household of Zhou Central Kingdom Emperor: Wang Daomeng Xie Empress: Kang Yurou Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Children of the Empress: 2nd prince: Wang Haoran 3rd prince: Wang Ximen 4th prince: Wang Yuanzhen 5th prince: Wang Shaoxi 2nd princess: Wang Roushi Concubines: Head Concubine: Qin Wei Li Son: 11th prince Wang Wenxuan Cocubine I: Wu Ming Shi Son: Crown prince Wang Jichen Concubine II: Qiao Ning Son: 6th prince Wang Shaoxun Daughter: 4th princess Wang Feifei Deceased Concubine: Li Yuyan Son: 7th prince Wang Bo Northern Moon Kingdom Crown Prince: Wu Moying ¨C godly sect''s elemental prince Loyal shadow guard: Zhao Yang 5th prince: Wu Zhengzhou ¨C antiquity palace prince 9th prince: Wu Minfeng ¨C the military prodigy Indigo Valley Kingdom Crown Princess: Xie Yaya Enemies: East kingdom crown prince --- I will have a mass release coming this week. For now I want to thank everyone who gave this book a chance to be heard. Thank you for the support guys. 40 Chapter 38 - Lost 3 The wind became so cold and blood kept on oozing out. The moon shone so bright and the sky was filled with stars of different types. I hugged my cloak tightly as the other hand held the horse''s reins. "Maximus I cannot go home with wounds like these, bring me to a place where I can rest. Bring me somewhere I can hide. Thank you" Then I slowly drifted to sleep and lost consciousness. --- With an aching head I woke up. I slowly open my eyes. The sunlight greeted me and birds sang so lively. I touch my forehead. It has a bandages. I checked my clothes but it has been changed, yet the identity jade was tied still on my dress. I frowned. I scanned the room and help myself up. Where is this place? Where am I? The curtains are dancing with the wind. I cannot stand but I can imagine. Where did dad''s horse brought me? What is this place? The bed I''m laying on is covered with the finest silk. The clothes I''m wearing is also made of silk, as well as the curtains and everything else. The walls are oddly cemented with deep rich carvings. And the wooden things have markings. I cannot identify them, is it possible for me to be in another place? The door creaked open. A man engulfed in blinding light walked in. I covered my eyes for a brief moment. "You''re awake, let me help you. It''s time to eat" Servants came in, but all of them are males. The man whose presence is so undeniably strong pick the tray up and walk towards me. Suddenly my whole body became stiff, it''s as if someone is controlling me. He sat beside me. And I have never thought I''ll see someone as godly as him. Eyes so blue that I wanna drown in them. Nose so sharp and brows fairly thick. His lips so red and skin as white as pearls. His hair is oddly thick, long and curly. I held my breath for a moment and it''s as if time has stopped running. "Open your mouth" I eventually woke up from the daze and stared at the food in front of me. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "What is this?" "Food" "What did you mix in it?" "Just eat!" "O-okay" I opened my mouth and started eating. The food is somehow delicious and I love its distinct taste. It did not take me long before I finished the whole bowl. Then servants came in again and gathered the empty tray. Another batch of servants came in bringing clothes for me I assume. "Where am I?" "Your in a far away place" He stood and walk towards the windows, then he stare outside. "Why am I here?" "It was your request to go somewhere far from home to recuperate" he answered "What''s your name?" I waited for an answer but he didn''t answer "Why am I here?" "You are here because it is your choice, and to stay here will still be your choice" But nothing''s free in this world, so how much will it cost me? "How much will it cost me?" "Just a marriage" "Oh just a marriage, a little thing-- WHAT DID YOU SAY? DID YOU SAY MARRIAGE! FREAKING MARRIAGE!--" "Tone down, I am not deaf" 41 Chapter 39 - Crimson Blood Kingdom 1 (Crown Prince Xie Yue Yang) "Your highness, Lord Pegasus has returned, the emperor sent a message for you" My eyes flew open? Lord Pegasus has returned? But he hasn''t been here for a few years, so why did he came back? "What''s the matter?" "This servant is incompetent, your majesty the emperor will bestow an imperial decree, his highness needs to receive it at the palace immediately" I immediately rushed out and went to the palace. When I got there everyone was already seated at there corresponding titles. I was the only one left. "Greetings to the Emperor, may the Emperor grace his kingdom a few thousand years more" The emperor laughed "Why are you so serious? Tomorrow we will be having a banquet for the arrival of Lord Pegasus now receive my decree" Eunuch Fang brought a decree and read it loudly. "The crown prince of Crimson Blood Kingdom, Xie Yue Yang is betrothed to the third miss of the Qin Clan. The marriage date will be a year from now. Receive the decree!" I felt my knees weaken on its own. My body gave up and I kneeled down to receive my father''s decree. A marriage? But why? He knew I cannot bear getting into a relationship with a woman. How can he bestow a marriage out of a sudden. Why? Why is he punishing me? I know it is a sin to have a liking towards the same sex, but I cannot help it. My idea of being happy is to be with someone I am very comfortable of. I cannot just abandon everything for a girl, now can I? "I humbly receive the emperor''s decree, hail to the emperor, may you live a thousand years more" Then I stood and walk to my seat dejectedly. There at the corner I saw the son of the city''s lord, Han Soujin. A great warrior with good looks, someone I knew right when I was born. Someone who defended me in times of trouble and someone whose dear to me. How can I bear to be away from my own best friend? How can I leave him for a random woman that I have never known existed. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Grief engulfed my heart. "Your highness, his majesty the emperor has instructed me to bring you somewhere" "But the meeting hasn''t started yet" "Your highness it is the emperor''s order, we need to hurry your highness" I stood and followed the eunuch. We walked towards my mother''s courtyard, but my mother, the empress of this nation has already passed away. I as the only heir will inherit everything that my parents have created. But my standing in court is opposed by many, they say I never had a woman by my side so they were doubting if I can rule without an heir. For years my father has let me mingle with different girls, but I chose to go to battlefield instead and fight with the rebels. That''s because I can never confront him about my gender. I may be outstanding, but I never had the heart of a man. 42 Chapter 40 - Crimson Blood Kingdom 2 I walked so fast that I haven''t noticed how many years have past since I''ve last visited this courtyard. My mother died because my father cannot protect her from herself. My mother never wanted to marry my father but the fixed marriage between the two was planned by the elders. If my mother break the engagement she and her family will perish in public. So my mother was forced into marrying my father. Now that the tradition is passed to me I cannot say anything at all. My father arranged a marriage for me, for sure a week from now we will go to the Qin''s manor and ensure the arrangements of the marriage. But how can I force a woman to marry a man she has never known? What''s worst is that I don''t have the ability to love a woman. How can she agree to a marriage that was set without her permission? How can she agree marrying into a loveless marriage? How will she bear to marry me? And what if she already has a lover? I don''t want to turn someone into a crazy woman and I don''t want someone to follow the path that my mother has walked through. This kingdom has so many enemies, so how will I put her into the highest seat of safety? How will care blossom in my heart? My father trained me to be a heartless person. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "You worry too much" "Lord Pegasus?" "I said you worry too much, don''t worry she is different." "But--" "Do not worry, she has answers to your greatest fears. Just go with the flow of fate, let it take you to unexpected adventures. Planning too much will lead you to failure, look we can never control time nor feelings. I have seen this girl grow, and she is different" "But I am--" "You are who you are, as I say we don''t control everything. So we cannot have a final say with feelings or acceptance. She is a woman of a different kind, she will understand" "How?" But the Lord Pegasus only smiled and left the room. I went inside my mother''s room. There I saw a sight I never thought I''ll ever see. There on the bed she lays. Hair so long and soft. Face so small with a heart shape, lashes so thick, nose so straight and sharp, lips so cute and red, but her brows were knitted together. Is she in pain? I closed the door behind and move closer to the bed. She looked like an angel sleeping on the bed of my mother. Her face makes me want to scoop her in my arms and protected her. I sat down next to her and observe her more. Her beauty is very different from the girls in this palace, somehow I think I''ve seen her before. Suddenly her hand moved and clasped mine. "Don''t... Don''t leave me." She whispered. I felt the coldness of her fingertips so my other hand attentively wrapped hers in mine. "I won''t" 43 Chapter 41 - Crimson Blood Kingdom 3 A marriage? Is this man crazy? How will I sat still and marry just like that? I stared at him unbelieving with brows raised and a smug face. "I know, it is hard to digest but you have no choice. Blame it to the horse who brought you. He shouldn''t have traveled here to bring you to the emperor. Now the emperor bestowed a marriage between us. I am not a stingy person so I am giving you a choice, if you want to leave I can give a pretense to my father about it." "Where is this place? How come my father''s horse have driven so far?" "I don''t know since when the Lord Pegasus became your father''s horse. That noble man can shift as a horse whenever he wants to, but I don''t have any idea why he brought you here in the first place. He only said that you need treatment." "A horse can transform? You must be joking" "But I am not, this is the mystic realm, it is possible for magic and all sorts of oddity to exist." "You mean you have dragons here?" "You''re odd, amongst the humans dragons do exist. How come you knew nothing about us?" "Where are we exactly" "Come let me help you" He held my hand and assisted me towards the windows. And when I saw what''s outside I thought he brought me to paradise. "Welcome to Crimson Blood Kingdom" My eyes widened in disbelief, such place from the old tales exist! I thought the movie Lord of the Rings is made out of the writer''s imagination, but look I am standing to something otherworldly beautiful! And the creatures of Narnia are real! They exist! It amazes me to be able to stand here today, with a man holding me close to him. Oh such a wonderful feeling. Wait! A man! "Why did they chose you to marry me? And of all the women here why ME? I don''t understand at all" "I don''t understand either, when I woke up the emperor has urged me to accept the imperial decree out of thin air." "How are you related to the emperor?" He smiled "Why should I tell you?" "And why not? How will I know who I''m marrying if you won''t talk?" "Wait you''re considering the marriage?" "I never said I do" His face changed into a blank look. "Until then I won''t tell you" Then he left me there. He walk to the door without pleasantries. For some reason I felt cold. The place is huge. My room is facing a large waterfall, it feels like the room I''m in is floating. When I look through the area flowers of spring flourishes almost everywhere. The air is so fresh but the clouds are oddly pinkish. The sky is Crystal blue, yet why is the clouds colored baby pink? It is because this is the Crimson Blood Kingdom or is it because they have a hidden history that I need to solve? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. For the meantime let me think of a way to get back to Zhou Kingdom. My business will fall tragically without me! I need to convince that man to bring me home. But he needs to explain what I will lose and what I will gain through this marriage proposal. 44 Chapter 42 - Crimson Blood Kingdom 4 (Second Princess Wang Roushi''s POV) We arrived safely. "Big sister Ruru, will we see big sister Zeze again?" the eyes of a child speak of her sadness, then tears fall from her eyes. I hugged her tightly, I too am afraid that she''d be gone for long. "Yes Weiwei, we will see Zeze soon. Come, let''s get inside the manor and explain everything okay. Let''s not warrant unnecessary problems, so help me keep Zeze safe" Weishen nodded We entered and explained everything, after that I helped Weishen back to Zeze''s courtyard. I need to leave secretly and meet with my brothers, only them can help me through. When everyone fell asleep I used martial arts to get myself out of the manor. The lock down was even tighter than I thought so it took me awhile before I escaped. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I rode a horse and arrived at my brother''s residence shortly. "Brother! You need to help me" "Why is little piglet princess here?" Shaoxi, which for the first time did not irritate me "Rou what''s the problem?" "Brother, Zeze is missing and I do not want to alert the manor because she told me to do so. Brother we need to find her! You need to help me find her. She''s my only friend, how miserable will my life be without her?" "What exactly happened?" my older brother Ximen asked as he adjusted the spectacles on his face "We were on our way when she suddenly sensed something, I didn''t even notice it. But then the wind turned crazy and the forest became so creepy. Out of nowhere she awoken Weishen and she handed us with thick cloaks. She even smiled and said we might get cold so she asked for us to wear them. Then she prepared the sword on her waist and even tightened her own cloak. Not long after that she called for the captain of the soldiers. She called out the right prime minister''s legendary horse Maximus, I don''t know how she did it but the horse seemed to be there whenever she calls it. Then she shifted her body and jumped on the horse." "You mean to say her intentions were clear? She left on her own which is interesting" Brother Ximen said "If she sensed danger then it is likely that she will retaliate back at the intruders. However she have you and the fourth miss of the manor, so it is possible that she lets everyone escape and sacrifice herself to stop them." Brother Yuanzhen "Which part of the mountain road did she stopped?" Finally eldest brother asked "I can take you there" "Zhao Yang prepare the horses, this isn''t a simple matter. We need to be careful when we arrive there. Ximen, protect Rou''er at all cost we won''t know if they left some people to guard or clean the area of the crime scene" For the last two years I never would have thought that I''ll be able to hold and use my sword again. Just wait for me best friend, I''m coming to your rescue no matter which world you entered. 45 Chapter 43 - Crown Prince Xie Yue Yang 1 I asked for a servant to bring me something to read because I''m too bored of doing nothing. I missed my family, I always wanted to cook for my mother and my father but I cannot do it again because I''m stuck here. Where''s the servant anyway? What''s taking her so long? The door creaked open. I was anticipating that the maidservant brought some books for me but to my disappointment... Why is he here? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I covered a blanket all over my body and avoided him. I even turned around a few times to lock the blanket on my body. I don''t wanna see him. "Come on let me take you back home" He said I immediately rushed to get out of the bed and stopped in front of him. But the blanket was too tight so I fell a few times on the floor. "What did you say?" "I am taking you home" But his face doesn''t look happy at all. "Really? But what''s the catch?" "I''d be living with you that''s the catch" "What''s wrong with living with me?" What''s wrong with this guy? I am not that ugly, so why does he despise me too much? He can''t be gay right? I stared at him up and down. "Why are you looking at me like that?" I gently lifted my hand and touched his chest, it is firm and just. But gay people from the modern society love to go to gym and tone their bodies. Hmmm, let me go up to his neck and maybe touch his face? But before I could reach his face he already took hold of my wrist. And stared at me like I''ve done a crime. "Are you seducing me?" His voice was cold. An idea suddenly formed in my head. I hugged him and then my head rested right on his chest. I snake my arm even tighter. So tight that I felt his junior bulge. I smiled sweetly. But gay people also have moments wherein they are turned on by a girl, it was said that a man''s hormones is untimely, even if one is gay. But those were short lived. I looked up and meet his gaze. His face is even more handsome up close. And his breath smells like mint, so so so... "Aren''t you my fiance? How come you''re questioning me if I am seducing you or not. Does it look like I am? I just want a little touch of you, oh well I can hug you forever like this!" Without regrets I reached for my goal. I tiptoed and gave him a peck on the lips. He stared at me wide eyed. I stared back at him. He immediately pushed me, then I fell on the bed. He retrieved a handkerchief from his sleeves and wiped his lips harshly. He even drank some tea from the teacup on the table. Then his face became pale, it''s like he instantly became allergic to me. His eyes turned murderous. "Never do that again" "Do what?" I smiled sweetly "Never do that thing again" "I did what exactly?" "Just don''t do it!" his face was priceless "Oh you mean the kiss? Your lips really taste like strawberries--" "Shut up!" "Might I remind you? That teacup you''re holding, I drank from it earlier this morning" He immediately threw the cup away, and the cup broke into pieces. Then he left me there again. 46 Chapter 44 - Crown Prince Xie Yue Yang 2 He asked a maidservant to help me into a carriage. He told me that we are going to my home, I am very glad about that fact. But I wonder if he mean every word that he said. I don''t even know when or where but upon drinking the tea that the carriage offered it made me fell asleep. Or was it because the ride was long? Neither mattered, as long as I can get home and see my family safe, then it''ll make me at ease. --- The feeling of floating awakened me. I jolted awake so I almost fell from the arms of someone. I shifted my head but it accidentally bumped into someone''s chin. "Keep still and stop being naughty" his cold voice, I immediately opened my eyes, only to find me being carried by him "Where are you taking me?" "Can''t you even recognize your own courtyard?" I looked around and eventually recognized the area, so he really did take me home! I used a martial art technique to get out of his arms but it was futile. I saw my maidservants but all of their heads are bowed lowly. The courtyard seems so silent. Where are they? "Go back to sleep, we will enter your chambers" "What happened exactly?" I asked him "Don''t ask" I sighed, why is this man so secretive? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The maidservants opened the door slowly and we entered. Then he closed the door behind. What left me dumbfounded was when he throw me on the bed. "Can''t you make it a little gentler? Do you really see me as an object that you can throw away? Look I am a person too! You need to respect me! I deserve it!" "You want me to respect you? You said you deserve respect? Act like one and prove it! Don''t go around kissing anyone" He took off his outer robe and fold it. Then he pushed me off the bed, and he lay on it. I fell on the floor with a loud thud. My butt ache, but my pride hurts more. "According to the rules a man and a woman shouldn''t stay in a room specially when they''re not yet married! Get out of my room and find your own" "Father-in-law asked me to take care of you, do you want me to be unfilial?" "Don''t you have any decency at least take your shoes off! And who the hell gave you the permission to call my father yours?" "Take it off yourself" Then he closed his eyes I get up and moved him out of my bed, yet he''s unmovable. I wanna lay a punch on him but he stayed there, did this guy fell asleep? I waved a hand on his face, but he did not react. I poked his cheek but he never responded. Just showing how calm and relaxed his breathing is. "Oi don''t sleep on my bed, you can sleep somewhere else. Let me sleep on my bed. Get up now!" But it is as if he did not hear a thing. I played tricks but it wasn''t moving him out. So I resorted to laying on top of him. 47 Chapter 45 - Crown Prince Xie Yue Yang 3 (Godly Prince Wu Moying''s POV) I sipped tea on the terrace of the manor. But my youngest brother run to us like crazy. He was drenched in sweat and I cannot paint the expression on his face. "Minfeng what happened?" Zhengzhou asked "Brothers, the third miss has returned!" "What''s so odd with her returning? It''s not as if we lacked the capability to kill her, she returned that means we have more chances to kill her" But Minfeng shook his head in disagreement. "No we cannot touch her, she returned with the crown prince!" "The crown prince? You mean you''re scared of that fool?" Zhengzhou chuckled, but to make my brother this scared something must be wrong "No not that useless mortal crown prince, she returned with the crown prince of Crimson Blood Kingdom! Crown Prince Xie Yue Yang is here! She got his aid!" The teacups on the table flew out and broke in pieces when my palm landed. She crushed my option to be close with that hellish kingdom. How did she even form an alliance between them? Who let her trespass to that heavily guarded kingdom of voids? How did she even enter their portal? Why Crimson Blood Kingdom? And most of all how did she get to the crown prince? "We need to execute her immediately or brother you can make her yours, she''s a pawn after all! Just trick her into believing that you like her, it will be hitting two birds with one stone, we can use her to get closer to the crown prince" Zhengzhou added "No, the Crown prince of Crimson Blood Kingdom is too powerful. We cannot rash our plans, I am not a match against him. He is the number one after all." "We cannot touch her, they sent an envoy earlier this morning and announced the marriage that''s going to take place, as for when nobody knows. Even the Zhou emperor was too scared to react, but as a ruler he even created a banquet to celebrate the engagement of the two." "Engagement? But didn''t Yu He said the prince likes men? How come he got engaged?" Zhengzhou asked, I do not know either "She must have successfully seduced the prince!" Minfeng added "That cannot be the case, the emperor of Crimson Blood Kingdom is not some you can trifle with, the crown prince is too smart for his age too" I answered Their marriage we need to stop it. The Crimson Blood Kingdom is a very powerful kingdom. It was said that the heir loves men, so why is the crown prince getting married instead? I need to investigate this matter. Lives of many are at stake, our kingdom will be crushed if we harm her. "I doubt he is interested in her" Zhengzhou said disapprovingly Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "No, the crown prince even carried that girl from the carriage to her chambers. Everyone who stood on the streets saw that, sadly the woman has a veil and the man wore a mask. But the picture they''ve showed created a different picture to the public. From the witnesses who worked on the manor, the prince even went into her chambers!" "Impudent!" I shouted with rage! 49 Chapter 46 - A Mothers Love 1 I was too dumbfounded when my own mother knocked on my door. That has caused the man below me to open his eyes and flip me. I landed on the floor again with a loud thud. He immediately fixed himself and pretended to sleep on my bed as if nothing happened. I raised my fist and attempted to hit him, but my hand stopped mid air when his left eye opened. "Ze''er can we talk for a while" "I''m coming out mother" I pulled myself up, and get out of my room. While rubbing my aching butt slowly. I saw the worried look on the face of my mother. I smiled and hugged her. In the modern world I never had a mother, so I''m very much untimely crazy. I can be sweet and cold at the same time, maybe because the term ''family'' is new to me. Having sisters and brothers is not something new to me, but having a mother is different. I hugged her and inhaled her perfume which is oddly calming. Actually in this lifetime I am very much thankful that the heavens permitted me to have a mother. I always wanted and wished to have one, but my father was too busy to find me a mother. I remembered him saying "You''re old enough to get married, why are you still looking for a mother when you can be a mother yourself? Go and get married!" "I missed you mommy" I whispered "Come child let your fiance rest, let mommy take you somewhere" Mom and I walk out of my courtyard and went to a pavilion. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. She urged me to sit on one of the carved stone chairs. I obediently sat and listened to her. She stared from afar, and her eyes held a deeper meaning of loneliness. "Ze''er when I was your age I was sent by my parents to form an alliance with this kingdom. It was the king who made the arrangements, but I never wanted to go and marry the emperor. I know how dangerous the palace is, it is not a playground to play nor a battlefield to fight for. The imperial palace is a GRAVEYARD. Do you know what I did to stop my own marriage?" "Mom... What happened?" "I ran away, I went to the Northwest of this kingdom and escaped from my responsibilities. Do you know what else happened?" "Mom--" "It was a lonely night for me to stop in an inn. Your father was drunk and so am I. We met by chances and even hid our very own identities. It was a love at one night, no regrets he claimed me. But the soldiers of the emperor found me. They tried to put me in jail because of treason, and then I was sentenced to death by my own parents. Luckily a week after, your father saw me. He saved me, he fought for me and when the doctors came to check on me-- they found out that I am pregnant with your elder sister." I stood up and hugged my mom. "The emperor was cruel, he did not let me escape fully. He forced my best friend to be the crown princess. He passed his throne and his son ascended the throne. And before he died, he bestowed marriage between your eldest sister and his son. They have a huge age gap and that was the payment. Do you know how hard it is now? But that didn''t end there" 50 Chapter 47 - A Mothers Love 2 "What do you mean mom?" she touched my hand "Your elder sister doesn''t live a good life, every night the emperor beat her. Her wails never reached the walls of the palace, because the dungeon was remotely closed. The son of your sister is not the son of his husband, but the youngest son of the old emperor. Ze''er they defiled her in the palace, and that is worst than being treated as a servant who warms his majesty''s bed" "I''m sorry mom" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I hugged my mother tighter, as a mother she must have died a thousand times to feel the pain that weighs heavily on her shoulders. "You need to promise me that no matter what happens you will protect your siblings and your nephew. Promise me" "I will mother, I will do everything in my power to keep them safe, but I need to keep you and father safe too!" "No! Listen, your father and I have planned everything accordingly. Your second sister was already sent in the neighboring kingdom for the alliance and she is living happily. But the current Zhou emperor wants to declare war against them, your sister is in great danger. Please save your sister Ze''er, I do not care if our kingdom takes over, but do not let your sister be killed. From the spy we sent we have gathered information that for the next two years the emperor will attack secretly." I shivered. The current emperor is very cruel. "Why can''t you discuss these matters with the empress?" "No, the empress was actually forbidden from interfering the matters of the court. The emperor never favoured her, the emperor is actually using her as a hostage and never treated her as a wife. Now that she''s here she must return to the palace immediately, or else we will be accused of kidnapping the empress. The manor will fall, only you can save us Ze''er. Marry the Crimson Crown Prince and we can turn the tables against the emperor" "Who is this Crimson Crown Prince?" "Your fiance didn''t tell you who he is?" "My fiance?" "Yes, your fiance" "Who is he?" "The Crimson Blood Kingdom is the strongest and number one amongst the continents. It was said that their land has a barrier of walls that have portals and will send you to different dimensions. Their emperor has lived for a few thousand years and each of their citizens practice immortality. You are very lucky to have met that demonic prince" That means that man is the crown prince? No way! He is nowhere near being demonic, how can people describe him as someone so horrible. Well his got this childish attitude towards me, and he hates girls. Or maybe he just hates me. How am I lucky? If I can prove him gay then another goal would pop up, I need to make him straight. But if he is just cold hearted, that means I need to make him fall for me. "Mom are you sure he is the prince?" "Why are you doubting your own fiance?" "Mom let me cook food for everyone. Let me escort you back to the manor and I''ll head to check out the things that I''ve missed" 51 Chapter 48 - The Meal 1 Copyright ? 2020 ADT February 10, 2020 Author''s Note: Hey guys it''s been a long time since I last updated this book. I am sincerely apologizing for the delay. I was severely sick and everything has a conflict with my university days and it''s keeping me occupied all the time. I''ll try my best to update more chapters for the up coming days. --- (Qin Zetian''s POV) I was occupied with cooking meals for everyone. Sometimes I make it as a stress relieving passion. The fiance who suddenly appeared out of thin air became someone who holds the strongest rank in the martial arts world. It somehow makes me wonder how he became who is he right now in spite of the gayish attitude that I''m getting from him. He acts like a brat most of the time, yet from the observations that I have everyone in his kingdom highly respects him. Despite of his flaws, he still looks like a god descending from the immortal realm. Well technically he came from a kingdom made of fantasy, it''s no wonder. He helped me when I was wounded, but the intentions of the emperor his father was still unknown. I know the godly prince won''t doubt himself and kill me that night, but the horse grew wings and flew me away. I think I need to visit the library once more and study more from the history of this era. I think my father had hidden some literary books somewhere and I might have missed to read those books. Or I can ask my brothers about these. If there are really seven continents existing in this world. I can somehow compare it with the seven continents that earth has. But the continents in the modern world has unions that lets them communicate with one another. I wonder how they do that or if in this time they have already established international organizations. "What''s keeping you so absent minded" a cold voice resounded in the kitchen. Even the staff turned stiff. I only felt the pain when someone flicked my forehead. I punched the person, or so I tried but he caught my fist. I locked my eyes on the target. "What are you doing here?" "You took so long and left me in your room. I was bored, and someone tried to forcibly try their luck on climbing your bed. Has no one ever taught your maidservants never to enter your room without your permission?" My eyes stared wide open. "Where is the person?" "Dead" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Dead?" He nodded "This prince is very annoyed with her interruption. I need my beauty rest, so don''t expect me to be lenient. I don''t need to pardon anyone. Remember, if I can exterminate this kingdom, I can also kill as freely as I want" Hi voice changed from monotonous to annoyed then it ended being extremely cold. I felt everyone in the kitchen shivered. My hair stands on its end. Then he cupped my chin. "You''re lost" then he flicked my forehead again 52 Chapter 49 - The Meal 2 Copyright ? 2020 ADT February 10, 2020 (Qin Zetian''s POV) Instead of sitting with everyone, I excused myself and asked my father for his permission to enter his library. I believe he has so many books there that talks about literature. My elder brother Lushan studied under my father''s guidance when he was young and he grew up intrinsically knowledgeable about politics, economics and history. I believe he also knew about the existence of the seven continents. I sat and brought some of the food that I''ve prepared earlier. Well who said I can''t eat in this room? I chuckled and munched on the fried spicy prawns with garlic rice below. Then I flipped on the books that my father has on his table. These involves matters of the court. I stood and walk towards the shelves on the stone wall. I observed patterns and odd lines from the inner corners of the room. I counted the books and find it odd that every line has a pattern of arrangement. I opened every first book on the shelves, I memorized the letters and start counting again. Then I ended up picking and odd journal which matches the letters on the books. When I grabbed the journal, the walls started to vibrate oddly. The light in my father''s office eventually dimmed and fire ignited the torches that I thought was meant for a luxurious decoration. I smiled, like every chamber there should be a secret passage. You know it''s not quite shocking to see such event when the books and the movies in the modern world shows the same thing. I saw another room which is brightly illuminated. The objects were oddly made of gold and bronze. Dust was nowhere to be seen, it seems like someone cleans the place thoroughly. I chuckled and turn around. Trying to find something that I''m looking for. But it is as if there''s a magic cover, blocking everything visible to become invisible. I closed my eyes and used my senses to feel. If there is pressure there will be molecules suspended in the air. If I can find a trace of energy, that means something exist beyond my capabilities. Where oh where could it be? North? East? West? South? If I entered from the east that means I am the sun, if I fall on the west I''ll be the moon. And to follow the north their will be light and to head south leads to war. So South it is. I opened my eyes and walk towards the south. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I touched the wall and the ceiling illuminated the room brightly. The walls dismantled themselves, from the top I saw the shelves. Seven hidden books, from the seven continents. The existing bloodline of the legends are to appear. The duty of the guards have been fulfilled, then the dragon has awakened from his deep slumber. All of a sudden, warm breath fanned behind me. I slowly turned. And saw the mighty dragon. "Is this for real?" I clasped my chest and tried to steady my breath. "Human" the dragon said 53 Chapter 50 - The Meal 3 Copyright ? 2020 ADT February 10, 2020 (Qin Zetian''s POV) Scales as dark as the night, and as the fire illuminated the room his scales also turned bloody red in shade. Eyes as big as crystals on the ceiling of my room, golden red and strikingly attractive. Teeth as sharp as a soldier''s sword, ready to tear someone that goes against him. The dragon I might add is a magical heavenly beast, and from the history thousands has perished underneath its overwhelming power. Why is it here? Is this a dungeon? Has my father imprisoned it? "Human, ah you are the destined offspring of the Heavenly Dao Empire. Who sent you in my humble domain?" "What are you talking about? I am Qin Zetian, the third miss of Qin Clan''s household. Are you imprisoned here?" "Qin clan? I don''t think it is so. Your grandfather Qin Wuzheng has help me in recovering my powers for a century now. And as far as I know this clan cannot produce female heirs. How come you are the third miss? Who broke the curse of the empress?" Curse? How? What is Heavenly Dao Empire? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. What empress was he talking about? How come our clan has been cursed not to give birth to a female heir? Where did I and my sisters came from? My knees shakily stood as I was cornered on one of the shelves. The dragon should be lying! "I am not lying to you" I trembled and reached for the first book of the seven continents. I opened the book and flipped through the pages. But what''s odd is the the pages were full of sketches, or images, and they are moving. They are showing me the happenings of the past. How? Why? I thought... Once there was a whole continent, it was ruled by two great leaders. Imperial empress Wei Shenxui and Imperial emperor Fang Changming. They wedded and became a couple. But the emperor''s love was stolen by a thief, a princess from another kingdom pretended to be his slave. She became pregnant with the son of internal might, strongest amongst the offspring the empress has birth into. So strong that the empress punished him to be imprisoned in the dungeons of hell. She cursed him and the generations he''ll build through. A family of royals without an heir and then the empress killed his beloved. The princess exact her revenge but the empress was too powerful. She sacrificed the life of the princess in an altar and finished the spell. Then she married the cursed son of the emperor. She bore him the strongest army, and lack the females. But it was a tragedy, the rise of the clans petitioned to dethrone her. The empress lost her everything and she was banished in the land of the devil. The clans rose. And earthquake occur in one of the gathering nights. The massive continent was divided into seven parts. The tribes experienced a whole new evolution, and they no longer desired unity. 54 Chapter 51 - The Meal 4 Copyright ? 2020 ADT February 10, 2020 (Qin Zetian''s POV) "Do you believe me now?" the dragon transformed into his Human form, and pulled me from the daze. I looked around and found out that he brought me in another dimension. The place turned into a void of endless violets. Violet herbs in vine forms are scattered around the area and they have small white flowers. "Where did you brought me?" "In the battlefield" "You want me to fight with you?" "You''re an intelligent human after all, that''s good. Now choose your weapon" Shelves of weapons appeared beside me. Each of them is engulfed with a different light. I feel the strength variations of the energy fluctuations of each weapon. "Choose the best for you" the dragon reminded me I closed my eyes and walk towards the pile of weapons. I felt their vibrations, like each of them wants me to pick them. I pick a double edged sword from the pile of weapons. "You picked the demon''s soul bounded swords. I wonder how possible that is, I knew you came from the Heavenly Dao royalty bloodline. But seeing you able to wield that sword is beyond my imagination" I opened my eyes and the weapons vanished. His hair turned white and a scar appeared on his face. The hammer he was holding is large and heavy. It does not match his skinny appearance at all. But there must be a good reason why he chose that type of weapon. Or maybe he can manage to shift it into different weapons as long as he likes it. But that needs a higher level of cultivation and much qi energy consumption. How did my life in this era became much complicated? I only wanted to fulfill my dream and be a businesswoman. I only wanted to be a businesswoman, but look I am always facing trouble. He smashed his hammer and the ground im standing broke in half. I jumped on the flying debris, he instantly landed a good hit. Luckily I have a last minute to avoid it. Is this guy going to kill me? With due respect, I don''t even know how old he is. I just knew that if a heavenly beast covets a human form it is likely to be very powerful and very old. His hammer turned into a whip. His whip looks like a rose vine whip, but it was covered in rich red light. It has thorns that contains a toxic fluid on the very tip. It''s likely flying all over the area. My dress tore open on the shoulder part. "Can you aim for something far from the private parts?" "Oh I am not aiming to kill you little girl, I am here to practice and exercise my strength. For so many years I never had the time to play. I was always too busy cultivating in this dimension." "Do you plan to kill me?" "A little" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Then his whip slashed on my arm and it bleed badly. 2 Chapter 1: A Fraction of Me 1 COPYRIGHT ? A.D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Fraction of Me (1) Chapter no. 1 (Prologue) (Elizabeth''s POV) I was a major general. A favored daughter of my father, and the most pampered child of my mother who passed away due to cancer of the blood. My siblings and I grew apart, I was the odd one among them and they don''t usually get close with each other, so how much more having a close relationship with me? I became the center of my father''s attention since I resembled my mother so well and I got her amazing IQ. My dad was a proud man who did every righteous thing to keep the economy on top of the market. And I learned my amazing business skills from him. Before I officially signed myself to join military I was once a vice president in a large manufacturing corporation that my family owns. We eligibly hold a multinational corporation and a transnational corporation that eventually gave us a boundless wealth, it even proudly gave mass job hiring to the citizens which made everyone happy. A large manufacturing corporation is a major player which sell goods and manufacture products. Production is done in developing countries all over the world where taxes are low, so we can make a higher profit and sell the goods/ products/ services in developed countries where people have disposable income; North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Disposable personal income is a key economic indicator used to gauge the overall condition of the economy that helps us determine high-end places where we can distribute products efficiently. My eldest brother, James Lee controls a LEE-MNC; a global corporation that owns and controls production of goods and services in one or more countries aside from our country. While my eldest sister, Grace Lee take good care of LEE-TNC; a commercial enterprise that operates substantial facilities that does not consider any particular country. Too much of the business talk. I missed my mom. She was once a surgeon who taught me medicine in the most complicated way. But life was complicated. Five years ago I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), it is a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Acute lymphocytic leukemia is a common type of cancer which usually occurs in children, and treatments result in a good chance of being cured. But when it occurs during adulthood the chances of being cured is greatly reduced. Usually ALL occurs when a bone marrow cell develop errors in its DNA, these errors make the cells grow and divide rapidly, and the healthy cells would suddenly stop dividing and die. Then the blood reproduction becomes abnormal and the bone marrow will reproduce premature cells that develop into leukemic white bloods cells. These abnormal cells are not capable of functioning properly and eventually they will build up and crowd the remaining healthy cells. Yes my mother died because of blood cancer but I wasn''t a carrier of her recessive genes. And there were no studies affirming that cancer cells are hereditary. I did not have any symptoms since I was a child too, so the problem is not in my genetic inheritance. I got ALL because of a military mission. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. 3 Chapter 2: A Fraction of Me 2 COPYRIGHT ? A.D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Fraction of Me (2) Chapter no. 2 Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. (Prologue) (Elizabeth''s POV) I got ALL because of a military mission. I was sent to a nuclear plantation where a large syndicate base was situated underground. The group is involved in large store smugglings, human farming/ trafficking, all types of cybercrimes, politician assassinations, suicide bombing in high-end subdivisions and drug dealings. It was an accident that a nuclear bomb exploded and we were there. Radiation wiped out half of my people, the rest were injured, disabled through life, disfigured or for me abnormalities in DNA that has caused a defective mutation and fall into the category of having cancer cells. We gained generous merits for having a successful mission but it caused us our lives. The families of the soldiers I went with to the battlefield felt the grief of losing their beloved ones, and I wasn''t excluded either. They are like my second family, yet a mission sent them far ahead. The most painful thing is not just losing them, but being helpless as I watch my people die. A tear escape my eye as I reminisce the events that I will never forget before I die. Here I am, waiting for the chapter to end. I have been a good daughter to my parents and a good student under the teachings of my siblings. I was a good leader and an inspirational teammate to my comrades. I have served the country to the best of my abilities and I am proud of the achievements that I have garnered over the years. I have no regrets if death claim the life that I treasured the most. It''s just sad that I have not met the man destined to me in this life, and if I have another lifetime to spend I will want to live experiencing the things that I have not tried to do in this life. Then I saw a blinding light, it made me close my eyes with a smile on my face. I heard the dripping of the water and the deafening sound of the end. Footsteps in a hurry and voices conversing with worry. I feel the air as it blew my face that I almost forgot to breathe. The curtains were fluttering and the doors were filled with hidden cries of the outside world. I feel the electricity as it tried to revive my beating heart that has forgotten its pace. Piece by piece, I saw something that I will never forget. Before the darkness took me I remembered what the doctor said. Words that will be instilled inside my head, words that I have heard a few times before, words that I''ve spent sleepless nights crying and words that will break my father''s fragile heart. People live, and leave without readying themselves that''s why most souls never achieved enlightenment. I gave my best shot, but this is where the chapter signed its end. I no longer feel the pain. I no longer hear voices. Am I still alive? The answer is NO. 4 Chapter 3: Somewhere, Im lost 1 COPYRIGHT ? A.D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: Somewhere, I''m lost (1) Chapter no. 3 (Elizabeth''s POV) I lied dormant in darkness. I saw nothing, heard nothing, felt nothing and I''ve forgotten how long I stayed like that. Is this really the end of my journey? Where will I find everlasting peace? Where will I find a resting place in this endless darkness? Do heaven and hell exist like what my mother always tell me? I want to see my mom, but where will I search for her here? All of a sudden the feeling of being burned alive made me tremble. Frozen morning breeze enveloped my body, as a searing pain prickled through my bones. What''s going on? Why does it feel like my head is about to explode? "Madame! The third young miss has gained consciousness!" "Ze''er is awake? Quick call the physician!" I slowly move my fingers. Trying to feel my body come to life. Letting foreign memories flow in my mind like a vast sea of knowledge. Whose memories do they belong to and why am I seeing it like a movie? But as far as I remembered it was my birthday, I was lying on the hospital bed awaiting for my death. Am I still alive? According to John Locke "the self consists of memory; that a person existing now is the same person yesterday because he/she remembers thoughts, experiences, or actions of the earlier self". [1] For Locke, a person''s memories provide a continuity of experience that allows him/ her to identify himself/ herself as the same person over time. [2] I decided to open my eyes slowly, adjusting them from the blinding light little by little. Hurried steps and hushed voices made me confused. The hospital never had too many people to attend to someone who just woke up and it won''t be as noisy as this. Did I really die? Or was I in a state of coma? And where did those memories came from? How did it got into my mind? And why am I feeling so doubtful about this awakening? ''Where exactly am I?'' Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I blink a few times. There''s something different with my vision, I remembered wearing glasses from time to time before so how did I get a very sharp vision? Even comparable with that of a microscopic image. "Physician Wu, how is she?" a middle aged man held my hand and checked my pulse ''How did he get near me?'' A beautiful woman around her 40s attentively wait for the man''s conclusion. My brows are knitted with each other, and my lips formed a thin line of disapproval. Why is this man trying to get my pulse if he can use a stethoscope or something else? "Madame your child''s condition is good, her pulse is stable and her body has showed signs of improvement. I will advise her to drink more supplements to nourish her body. I will need to make a list of medicines for the child if you''ll excuse me." The physician stood, bowed his head and walk out of the room. Wait he said "your child''s condition" Am I missing something? Who is this woman? --- [1] Natsoulas, 1994; Fuchs, 2017 [2] Winkler, 1991 5 Chapter 4: Somewhere, Im lost 2 COPYRIGHT ? A.D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: Somewhere, I''m lost (2) Chapter no. 4 (Elizabeth''s POV) Then I look around, trying to clarify things that are confusing to me. Everything is very refreshing in my eyes, the luxurious room is decorated in blues and gold. The the woman in front of me held my hand tightly as she prevented her tears from falling. "Ze''er promise me that you will never climb trees again. You''ve made everyone worried sick, you did not wake up for thirty days and all of us thought it will be hopeless to wait for you to wake up. I''m so happy you''re awake now." "Madame the master has arrived." "En. Go and tell the master that his beloved daughter has gained consciousness." "This servant excuses herself." the maidservant walked out of the room, while the others are standing on their posts waiting for instructions I assume. Everything felt oddly foreign to me. So I guess my soul has been sent somewhere thousands of years back. And the body I am occupying right now must have belonged to someone else. Then out of a sudden my head hurts so bad that I wailed in agony, as I grabbed a handful of my hair and tug it as if it will relieve the pain. With closed eyes I saw my mom, she was retelling a story to me before I went to bed, which she always do when I was only nine years old. Then I remember the girl in the story, and somehow everything resembled the memories from this body. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. ''I knew her.'' This is the body of Qin Zetian, the third young miss of the Qin family. Daughter of the right prime minister and the youngest among her sisters. Her eldest sister is imperial concubine Qin Wei Li who lives in the palace as a favorable wife of the emperor. While the second eldest is Qin Rouyun is the official wife of the crown prince from a progressive neighboring kingdom. It seems like in actual her father''s standing in court is really good. He is blessed with children marrying into the imperial family. And this house must be one of the wealthiest families in this kingdom. I must remember to study well so they won''t see any flaw on me, and since I''ve remembered clearly how she lived this life once. I also remembered that this body belonged to an unruly child who knew nothing but play. Well then since the owner has died and I was given a new chance to live, I must remember to live well. I will live to the fullest and become the wealthiest woman in this era who will change the history, as I hope. I will not die from a fall. And I will never put myself as a bait to the wolves, never again. "Ze''er you''ve made us so worried, you know how much we dote on you but do not expect me not to prohibit you from climbing up trees. A young lady needs not such dangerous hobbies, unless you''re learning martial arts." "You will never do such things again, do you understand?" 6 Chapter 5: Somewhere, Im lost 3 COPYRIGHT ? A.D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: Somewhere, I''m lost (3) Chapter no. 5 (Elizabeth''s POV) The right Prime Minister, Qin Fengmian is now my father, son of the previous right prime minister. He has two brothers who will be my uncles from now on. My second uncle Qin Wulang is a military general who is stationed at the northern border. He has a daughter and no sons. And my third uncle is also a minister next to my father who is famous for his mining operations, Qin Haochen. He has two sons and no daughters. My mother will be Feng Mulan, daughter of the right prime minister from the neighboring kingdom of the west. She came for political relations between two kingdoms, but since she wanted to stay as the only wife she married my father. They fell in love with each other when my father came to the northwest region of the kingdom and saved her from the bandits. I will have two brothers, Qin Lushan and Qin Huang Xi. Qin Lushan as the eldest son followed the steps of my father, he also earned military accolades and girls fawn over him. My second brother Qin Huang Xi followed my second uncle to the battlefield, since my second uncle lacked a son. He said he wanted to be a great general. I on the other hand remained here. I stared at the faces of my new parents, they really look like a loving couple. Yet I wonder how dangerous my family is when I start digging our family background soon. To have a stable standing in court with so many merits in our family it''s no wonder that everyone here is unimaginably strong, wise and smart, and ''underestimation'' will be a cause of death. I swiftly nod in response to my father''s request. These coming days will be very different, since I am far similar from their dead daughter. I want to build connections between different kingdoms but I need to learn how to survive first. "Ze''er you need to rest well. Your father will get back to court and I need to prepare for the gifts that we will bring tomorrow night at the banquet." my mother, spoke full of gentleness "Ze''er promise me that you will take care of yourself, don''t make us worried sick about you again. Your health is of great importance, remember you are our youngest and most beloved child. What do you think will we do without you or if something bad happens to you?" the worries on my father''s face reminded me of my father back in modern times, oh how I miss my father. "Take some rest child" my mother I watched their backs as they left the door. I sighed. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. It will sure become stressful these coming days. Adjustments are needed, and I also need to be careful about displaying my abilities. In this era walls have ears. Without further efforts my health or my safety will become other people''s target. Pain erupted in my head again. I sighed and closed my eyes. Tomorrow will be the start of a big change and I need to live this second life no matter how hard it will be. 7 Chapter 6: Somewhere, Im lost 4 COPYRIGHT ? A.D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: Somewhere, I''m lost (4) Chapter no. 6 Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. (Elizabeth''s POV) I am feeling well right after I awoken earlier this day. The manor became extremely busy with the preparations for the emperor''s banquet tonight. According to my personal maids Lin Sha and Lin Tsu, the crown prince will be celebrating his 19th birthday, which will mean he is finally choosing an imperial consort. And each of the noble maidens is invited to join the selection. Instead of going to the banquet, I spoke with my father and told him that I''d like to stay in the manor. I fell asleep and woke up a few hours ago and it will be hard if I acquire trouble for myself when I get out of this residence. He did not disagree, so that means two things; one - is that he actually cares about my well-being and second ¨C is that my father has another motive in letting me stay, and if it''s the second case then crown prince might have not qualified as the successor of the current emperor. It is likely that I will be betrothed to the successor of the throne and that is to ensure that the kingdom will have equilibrium. The footing of the family has rooted deeply in power, the king must be thinking of possibilities and ways to engage me to the successor. The previous owner of this body has met the imperial family before and they have been ''very kind'' to her based on her memories, though she acted unruly and willful. Well perhaps snakes are kind to their peers before they scheme for a kill. "Lin Sha, Lin Tsu, accompany me to the library." "What are you going to do there miss?" It was known that in this era women only focus on learning the four arts, but I''d like to differ from them. I want to do business and martial arts, so it is likely that I will need to review books about palace etiquette and imperial law first. This place is full of dangers, women aren''t liberated to the extent of choosing their own marriages. I might as well teach myself the knowledge of law. "I have forgotten many things and I''d like to learn them once more, I bet the library of the prime minister is wide and full of wonders. Lin Tsu go and tell my mother that if she ever need me we will be at the library." "This servant obeys and excuses herself." Lin Tsu went to my mother''s hall and did her task. Lin Sha and I continued on entering the library. It was said that ancient libraries contain handful of secrets so I''d like to get my hands on these secrets. The walls have shelves but you can tell how the librarian took care of the place to leave no dust. The books and the scrolls were separated into sections and those books were grouped together in numerical orders. "Third young miss?" "Greetings elder" I greeted the old man before me "Oh, third young miss what are you doing here?" "This place is full of wonders and I''d like to have an adventure. I will need to trouble elder for his guidance, this humble one hasn''t visited this library for ages." "Oh it is no trouble. What books are you looking for young miss?" "I am looking for palace etiquette and imperial law, perhaps elder can give me instructions on how I could find these books" "Good child..." The bookkeeper gave me keys to access the locked shelves which I find interesting. 9 Chapter 8: The Wonders of Living 2 COPYRIGHT ? A.D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: The Wonders of Living (2) Chapter no. 8 (Qin Lushan''s POV) I was on my way home, wanting to have lunch with my mom and my sister. But on the way I was joined by companions from the imperial family. When we arrived on the residence it felt strange, it was usually silent. "Why is your residence so silent?" the fifth prince, Wang Shaoxi asked as we entered Qin Family''s residence. The third prince; Wang Ximen, fourth prince; Wang Yuanzhen, fifth prince; Wang Shaoxi and second princess; Wang Roushi accompanied me home. They said they are too bored to stay in the palace and asked to accompany me home. I agreed since they are very close with my eldest sister who became the emperor''s favored concubine and close to me since childhood. "I don''t know, my mom''s super busy at the moment and I do not know my sister''s whereabouts. While my father is usually at the court attending matters related to the economy." "Lushan we must meet your sister ah!" the fifth prince insisted Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "My sister is only 14 years old, she must be engrossed in studying at the library. My father kept talking about how good my sister is doing with her studies these past few days. And gladly, since she woke up she has been acting different." "Greetings to the princes, the princess and to you young master." butler Zhang ambled beside us "Butler Zhang where is Ze''er?" "Young master, the third young miss is riding a horse at the military arrays on the field of the second master. I am to report to the madame about her activities in case an accident occurs." "To the field riding a horse? Whose horse is she riding?" I asked suspiciously, my sister has never learned horse riding and no one could have taught her how. "Young master it is the master''s horse Maximus. The young miss wanted to go horse riding all of a sudden and she chose a horse in the stables earlier. But none of us thought Maximus would agree with her riding on" "Impossible--" Wang Ximen exclaimed "How can she ride Maximus?" It was known in the whole kingdom that only my father can stake a claim as the master of that horse. And that horse has been loyal to my father for years now, not letting anyone ride him. Not even me or my brother. I hurriedly run to the field and everyone follow behind me. The soldiers are on standby, and even the guards of the manor. The faces of most men are in a daze. I scanned the crowd and saw my sister. Maximus is galloping on its fastest speed, and my sister is throwing daggers at target boards like she''s only playing. Eventually, she improved the arrays scattered on the field. Where did she learn to throw daggers like that and how has she maintained a good balance? "Is that your sister?" Wang Shaoxi asked Even I cannot answer his question. "Yuanzhen, is she even on par with you?" Wang Ximen asked The fourth prince stared at the girl who''s riding on a horse. "I think she''s breaking your record Yuanzhen. Look at her reflexes, and the speed of the horse running through the field. She can''t be an amateur right?" the princess has spoken But my sister never learned anything. My father hasn''t taught her any horse riding skill and she never had a professional teacher. So where did her skills came from? "I want to duel with her" the three of us stared at Wang Yuanzhen at the same time. "Did I hear it wrongly?" I asked him "No, if my calculations are right she must be above your uncle''s level on the battlefield. Surprising isn''t it?" the fourth prince said as he retrieved the sword on his waist and headed straight to the center of the field, where my sister would stop. 10 Chapter 9: The Wonders of Living 3 COPYRIGHT ? A.D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: The Wonders of Living (3) Chapter no. 9 (Elizabeth''s POV) The horse and I run along the arrays, brandishing daggers on visible and hidden target boards. It is a smooth ride and my father''s horse is really obedient. I doubt most people in this era treat animals like a person, if animals are treated like mere objects they would likely despise you. An animal has its own feelings, so when I decided to ride this horse I treated it like my person. When we are running back, I saw my brother along with three princes and a princess. What are they doing here? The prince on white robes brought his sword and walk towards my direction. I have an inkling that he will ask me to duel with him. What''s odd is that I see no expression on his face, but his lucid eyes show what it wants. I loosened the position of my feet from the stirrups. The prince did not say anything but he dashed forward in great speed, what a great way to say "hi!" I withdraw my hold of the reins as his scabbard unleashed a mighty imperial sword. I moved my legs and stood on the horse. His sword thrash the air as he cover the distance between us. I did a back flip on the air and landed near the standing soldiers. The prince positioned his body in a fighting stance. And in a blink of an eye he move to chase after me. So I grabbed two swords from the waistbands of the soldiers standing near me. I doubt I''ll win against him using one sword, might as well try my luck with double blades. Even if these are incomparable to the durability of an imperial sword, I have full confidence in my skills. He stood back, so I took the opportunity to run forward. I flipped on the air once more and landed behind him. I strike down using one sword, and the other is readying to take cover. Both of us are silent as we exchange blows or dodge heavy and powerful attacks. His strikes were accurate and merciless. One wrong move from me will make me bleed. I keep on advancing two paces at a time, so the both of us look like rehearsing a sword dance. When I was young my father taught me of dancing techniques in martial arts, Capoeira is one of the best types. It is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music. It is known for its acrobatic and complex maneuvers, often involving hands on the ground and inverted kicks. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I am using a combination of footwork and hand techniques without using kicks or punches, but actually applying fencing swordsmanship. His highness could still catch up with my modern techniques. But I can scheme against his attacks, yet there are too many eyes watching, if I really injured the prince the palace will punish me. So I need to have a sparring match with him, instead of wounding up each other. His stamina is great so I need to end this quickly. I triple the pace of wielding the swords at hand and deliver higher intensified blows. 11 Chapter 10: The Wonders of Living 4 COPYRIGHT ? A.D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: The Wonders of Living (4) Chapter no. 10 (Elizabeth''s POV) He stopped all of a sudden. From the memories of this body she hasn''t seen this prince yet. So I don''t know the identity of this one and I have not studied each of the identities in the imperial palace. The others came to us, so I steadied myself and gave a salute. "Greetings your highness'', it has been a while since the mansion has received visitors, I hope you''ll enjoy your visitation. If you''ll excuse me." "Ze''er where are you going?" "Hello big brother" I wave a hand at him as I walk away, not letting any of them respond. "Ze''er--" "The sweat makes me uncomfortable, I need to change my clothes big brother." He nodded in approval so I went back to the manor. Lin Sha and Lin Tsu assisted me. The clothes I have here are too colorful. I need to request new clothes from mother. I''ll make clothing designs on my own, and base them to the 21st century clothing styles, that way I''ll be more comfortable wearing them. Besides I want something elegant yet plain and patterned. "Young miss do you have any other plans for the day?" "Do you know where my mother is?" "The madame is busy tending to the needs of the household" "En. Lead the way to the kitchen, I''d like to give some instructions for the preparation for lunch. I want to surprise my mother, I fear that she''s on the verge of having anxiety" "Young miss what is anxiety?" "Oh don''t mind that word, come on, we shall head to the kitchen" It did not take long before we arrived at the kitchen. "Young miss it''s good to see you, how are we of assistance?" the head chef inquired I smiled "I want to pass four secret recipes and I want them to be prepared by lunch time. These are the recipes, I will be needing everyone''s cooperation in making the meals." "It will be our honor to have these secret recipes, we shall tend to your instructions young miss" "En. I want fresh ingredients, the imperial children might be dinning together with us. Remember, no mistake shall be made." "As you wish" I instructed them accordingly. The fragrance of the dishes aroused everyone''s appetite. I told them to make the 21st century fish fillets, the four-season vegetable salad, a fresh whole pig barbecue, and spaghetti for the side dish. Since I miss eating French fries, I instructed some to cut potatoes and stir fry them in a pan of boiling oil and I decided to have them make banana ketchup. In military, a party was once held with military men from different countries, so I''ve learned recipes from them when I visited the kitchen for a service checkup. In the culture of the Philippines, Filipino military men loved having parties with ''Lechon Baboy'' a vernacular term that means a whole pig barbecue as their signature dish. It is highly seasoned and delicious, so when they brought it for the party I was amazed and that was the start of my pork eating habits. And I''d like to serve that type of festivity dish, as a sign of gracious happiness for the coming of the imperial children. By now my father and my third uncle should be on their way home for lunch. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. 13 Chapter 12: Time for Business 1 COPYRIGHT ? A.D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: Time for Business (1) Chapter no. 12 (Qin Zetian''s POV) When the princess spoke her mind, everyone in the table abruptly stop eating mouthful spoons of their meals. I stared at the food on my plate and savor the delicious flavor in my mouth. The princess is the queen''s favored daughter, and the second female child of the emperor. From the previous memories that I have gained it seems like we have the same birth year. The eldest daughter of the emperor died an awfully quiet death, she had a poor constitution and I guess poisoning will do. So when this child was born everyone in the family regarded her as their flower. While the fourth princess is barely comparable to her. The Empress graced the emperor with five children thus she never loose favor. Her children are: second prince; Wang Haoran, the second princess; Wang Roushi, the third prince; Wang Ximen, the fifth prince; Wang Shaoxi and the fourth prince; Wang Yuanzhen. Among the empress'' children I failed to meet the eldest son. The crown prince; Wang Jichen is the son of concubine Wu Ming Shi. The sixth prince; Wang Shaoxun and fourth princess; Wang Feifei is from concubine Qiao Ning. While the seventh; prince is from a deceased concubine named Li Yuyan. And the youngest prince; Wang Wenxuan is the son of my sister. "If the princess wants a playmate then I have no objections with her inviting my youngest daughter to the palace. Or you can meet here and enjoy peace, the manor is open for you your grace." my father commented "Thank you uncle, I''d be glad bringing Ze''er wherever I go. Life in the palace is boring, my brothers do things they are required to do and the emperor won''t allow me to roam around the city alone. Bodyguards follow me wherever I go and it attracts too much attention, they would even force me to use carriages from the imperial palace to show my status and I hated that. So maybe Ze''er can accompany me freely." the meaning behind her words were clear, she wants me to help her get her freedom "If the princess wants it, this subject will humbly comply" I resumed eating while everyone was still in a daze. I can sense that her physique is trained well. She must be practicing martial arts in secret. Or her brothers might have taught her. When lunch was over the imperial sons and my brother went along with my father to the palace. My mother became busy again, she was even called for business because of the matters that need her attention and time, a good example of that is owning the most profitable auction house in this kingdom. My third uncle was tasked to go to the northern border and check the situation there so he left to prepare. The princess and I are the only ones left. "Princess shall we take a stroll? The garden is in blossom and I''d like watch them in full bloom before the leaves fall on the ground" "You address me too formally, just call me Roushi or Rou''er" "If you like to" I answered politely, but I wasn''t too comfortable with calling people endearing names or nicknames. Growing in a politically and business inclined family I was trained to address people based on their titles, so it somehow felt foreign. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. As we walk she keeps on talking about random things and from the tasteless details I have created and imagery of how the outside world looked like. "How long have you mastered martial arts?" she asked "Ever since I was able to read, I have been reading secret books of martial arts from the manor''s library. My family never knew that I have the ability to contend with them because I kept it in secret and chose to only show it earlier." "The dishes you''ve prepared, they are so tasty! Can you teach me how to cook them?" her eyes twinkled "What the princess wants, goes" --- Author''s Note: From this chapter onwards the character''s name ''Elizabeth Lee'' will be replaced with ''Qin Zetian'' as a sign that she has finally accepted a new identity and a new life. There will be lots of ''author''s note'' from now on since I will want to gladly explain things or scenes that were too fast to digest. The use of [no.] symbolizes that I am referring to a direct quotation from famous literary or philosophical works and/or business terms and research articles. For questions refer to the comment box below and ask whatever you have in mind. 14 Chapter 13: Time for Business 2 COPYRIGHT ? A.D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: Time for Business (2) Chapter no. 13 (Qin Zetian''s POV) My father never questioned me about riding his horse and competing with his highness, the fourth prince. My elder brother Lushan did not mention a single thing about it to my mother again either, thus living in the manor is peaceful at most times. I am grateful to have a tight scheduled family of professionals, it enabled me to live my life the way I wanted it. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. From the rumors, princess Roushi never like having friends and only socialize with her brothers. Some said she''s a devil incarnate but I doubt that, it must have been an exaggeration from people who envy her. Whilst most of the young misses sent a word that it will be dangerous to go out with the princess, I don''t know how or who leaked an information that the princess and I were having this friendly relationship, yet that only proves that this household isn''t fool proof. I have killed thousands of criminals in my previous life and killing more people now won''t change anything, but securing the safety of the princess is not an easy task. The princess is a lonely figure who relied on her own strength. Sooner or later the emperor will surely arrange a marriage for her, that''s why she''s making a move to save herself by coming into our household. If my guess is right, she''s likely wanting to get close to my eldest brother and let our household arrange the marriage itself. So for cautionary exemptions I need to befriend her and let her trust me first, I''ll plan what happens afterwards. One should keep her friends close and her enemies closer. Only till I prove she''s harmless will I be at ease. "Young miss the princess is at the garden, and she wishes to see you" "En. Let''s not keep the imperial daughter waiting" I walk towards the garden of my mother and saw the princess, she is leisurely drinking a newly brewed jasmine tea. "Ze''er, I came to visit--oh it seems like you''re going out?" I was taken aback when she suddenly called me by the nickname that my family gave me "The princess is very observant, would you want to come and accompany this me?" She nodded and stood. Then, we went on our way. "Where are we going?" excitement flooded her eyes like a foolish child, she sure look innocent but I know better than to trust someone''s appearance. "I''d like to purchase a few shops" "A few shops? What are you going to do with them?" she asked "I have always wanted to start my own business and I''d like to check a few shops and somehow purchase them for myself" "What are these shops you''re looking for? And what type of shops are you going to build?" "I''d likely want to have a dress shop, a fresh market, a weaponry shop, and chains of restaurants. On the other hand I''d like to save and buy a medical pavilion so it won''t be too expensive. A renovation for places will take place in the later part. If you want to join business with me then we can negotiate" "My grandfather gave me two mountainous regions as a gift, so miss businesswoman how do you think will I earn from them?" the princess asked dejectedly as if the mountains were the most useless gift she has ever received "We will convert it into an adventure park, there will be different rides, restaurants, inns, and many more things a family can do to strengthen their bond with their family members. I will make sure you''d be rich in no time, and I''ll make a contract so I can supply the food in the meantime. We can plan for these projects and negotiate with businessmen across the continent if you are determined to your highness." "An adventure park?" "Yes an adventure park, you''ll see soon" Her eyes twinkled in delight. This princess is surely amusing. "Hahaha it''s no wonder I made the right choice of choosing you as my best friend! I''ll be able to see the world freely!" the princess laughed while she hugged me, which is kind of awkward for me 16 Chapter 15: Time for Business 4 COPYRIGHT ? A.D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: Time for Business (4) Chapter no. 15 (Qin Zetian''s POV) When I got home I requested for an audience with my uncle and my father, as awkward as that may sound but I want to have things in a respective manner, and this is how business works for me. I know families have an intimate relationship; member to member, and that family members can approach each other easily, but that is not how my father raised me. My third uncle will be away for a month so my plans will be delayed if I let the opportunity slip. "What is it that you requested for this old man to come? Does my niece need help?" "Ze''er do you have something important to discuss over?" my father said and I nod a little Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Earlier I negotiated and bought a property, to be exact there are five abandoned shops in one of the most bustling streets here in the capital. The transfer of papers will be done by tomorrow, and I''d like to ask father for help with the matters of the bureau of trades. My savings is more than enough to acquire the shops, have it demolished, build a new shop and run a business. As for third uncle, I know you have all types of connections, can I ask for help in contacting and arranging men to do the labor for the construction? I really want to open a business as soon as possible" "Why do you need to work when you can have everything if you ask for it?" my uncle asked "But uncle, I want to have hard earned money. A disposal money, that won''t make me guilty if I spend, that will not need other people''s permission and buy new things according to my preference. Besides, I cannot solely rely to the family for the rest of my life. As a lady from a noble family my skills should be far honed in comparison with other young misses from different families." My father and my third uncle laughed their hearts out. As if what I said was just a joke. I rolled my eyes and smiled. Trying to convince them with my super-cute power. "Good! I will tell butler Zhang and let him process the documents for you." then he started laughing again "Tell this uncle what you''re planning to do and I will hire the best laborer in the capital" "Uncle, I actually want to demolish the shops that I brought earlier and reconstruct a new one, each of the shops measures 500 m2. I want to reconstruct a new building which is made of concrete blocks and cement so it can withstand heavy storm and it won''t get burned easily. I want to create a restaurant that has an inn, and on top of it will be a business hall, a meeting hall, and other types of halls that can cater a banquet or a special events." "Do you have a design in mind?" "Yes uncle, I have already created a blueprint for the project. What I need is the finalization of the papers and the arrangements for the laborers. I will personally manage the construction and the materials. I need to make an alloy called steel, it will never rust and the blocks need to be concrete. I will also introduce paint to them and the use of illuminating stones that will brighten the shop at night. This will be a five star restaurant, like what I always dreamed of having. The recipes aren''t a problem, I have everything in control." "Good! You brat! How long have you been learning how to start and run a business?" "You''ve deceived this old man well, don''t you treat me as your father anymore? Why did you keep your plans to yourself? Really unfair ah" But the both of them continued to laugh. 17 Chapter 16: Time for Business 5 COPYRIGHT ? A.D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: Time for Business (5) Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Chapter no. 16 (Qin Zetian''s POV) A month later the two story building was done, the shining steel bars have been attached from the walls and to the floors. White and green paint enveloped the interior of the shop, the exterior appearance is covered with hard wood. Our family''s Qin carvings are engraved on it making it look like a modernized antique store. The unique second floor has sliding doors made of white diamond melted glass that enables sunlight to pass through. The first floor has standardized sliding glass windows still made out of melted diamonds. The concrete floor was covered in large slabs of hard wood that were covered with a shiny coat and can withstand a boiling soup without damaging its texture. The ceiling has intricate carvings, coated with white paint. But I told them to insert light emitting stones so the place is illuminated even without the use of electricity or candles. The seats and the tables are carved extraordinarily, and there are shelves on the walls. I was planning to make paintings at home or buy some. I was very satisfied with the design of the building, it''s so nice and cozy. I told butler Zhang to gather servants and I will be choosing from them later. Right now what''s important is the landscaping of the plants outside. And the multi-colored bricks that should be attached to the walls today. If I''m lucky enough, maybe a week from now I can finally open the restaurant. I''ll still need to check the air ventilation of each room so it won''t get too warm on day time and not too cold at night. What''s amazing is the usage of red colored roof that can only be seen in 21st century. And I felt very satisfied with the total appearance of the place. A few more touches for things to be done and I will only need endorsers to boost the quality of this store to call customers over. "Young miss the applicants are ready to be tested. They are waiting for you at the manor." "Thank you butler Zhang, if they pass five of my tests I will hire them" I want to hire people good in mixed martial arts and/ or good in learning martial arts, so if we encounter trouble it would be easy to solve and escape. I need them to pass an IQ test too, wherein they need to have a strong memory. They need to be wise and smart. They need to have the ability to easily deal costumers and judge the difference between what''s right and what''s wrong. Lastly, they need to be polite at all times and have a unique charismatic influence, so their sales talk should be top notch. From the long line of applicants many people are left with bright faces instead of a worried or a nervous look and I like that trait. Well I''d like to test them myself. "Whoever wants to follow me with loyalty shall reap benefits. It does not matter if you know how to cook or not, there are many jobs waiting in my restaurant. My restaurant does not recognize authority from people of nobility, I want employees who can never sell themselves to outsiders, this is a righteous business we don''t sell bodies here. Those who abide will be promoted fairly and those who works hard will have bonuses. While those who commit mistakes will be punished accordingly. The knowledge that I will pass shall stay with you and no one is allowed to share it. Am I clear?" "Yes your ladyship" "Butler Zhang hand them the contracts. I will not permit anyone who did not attend service trainings under me, to work in my restaurant also means bringing good service. I will teach all of you how to read, write and efficiently work. The language will be unfamiliar which is written in English and everything we will use in this restaurant is in English or Spanish as well. The western culture cannot be used even when someone tries to steal it." 19 Chapter 18: A Journey to Remember 2 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Journey to Remember (2) Chapter no. 18 (Qin Zetian''s POV) The journey went fine and we arrived safely to our destination. The market and my home has a good distance apart since large families aren''t usually situated near crowded places. But with all the greens and the living things you''ll pass on the way, you''ll finally understand what it means to live in the present. And why we strive to keep ourselves alive. "Young miss everyone is already seated at the ballroom hall as you instructed" "Thank you for your hard work shopkeeper Sheng, please tell the kitchen to serve the dishes" Shopkeeper Sheng is one of my trusted aids in running this massive restaurant. He is well versed in accounting works and management. He is one of my father''s people and butler Zhang highly placed his recommendation on him. So I''ll assume that he works efficiently. "The food will be a surprise right?" Princess Roushi''s eyes never failed to twinkle when food is mentioned "Yes your highness it will be a surprise, so let''s head over. Everyone must be waiting for us." She nodded and we climb the staircase. When we arrived at the room each of the guests has a surprised face. The room is wide and well decorated. The marbled-floor is specially made so it sparkles like you walking on a mirror. The open sliding-glass windows let the cool breeze greet its visitors. The ceiling has large customized-chandeliers and light illuminating stones that is comparable to the stars that twinkles in the sky. The concrete walls were painted in the lightest shade of green that looks so soft. And the red carpet at the stage looks so fluffy that will make you want to roll on it. The curtains were embroidered in floral patterns. And the tables have marble tops, the chairs have foam pads on each of the seats and the dining wares are made out of the finest glassware and stainless steel. There are table napkins and chopsticks too. The people around me are incredibly amazed by the western idea that I have, mixed with traditional Chinese table setting, and the usage of most architectural ideas from the modern world. Even I did not think that this is possible. There is also a terrace with a glass shed where you can see the blooming forest and the bustling streets of the capital. The landscape outside is refreshing to look at while the fences and the trees exuded an eco-vibe. "Ze''er, this place is magnificent! It feels like those place I read in books suddenly came true!" "I am really proud of you!" my father stated as he laughed, while my uncles joined him. Which is kind of foreign to me, seeing everyone here with me; makes me miss my home. My mother became teary eyed, and it feels so good to see my sisters and my brothers in complete attendance. The third, fourth and fifth prince are all here. As well as some of my family''s closest friends. It touched me that my siblings gave time in coming here. This is the very first time that I have experienced this feeling, the feeling of belonging into a happy family like every child''s wish. "Today we are here for the food tasting premier, which will serves as a gathering that celebrates the success of completing my first project in business. Next week, we will be having the formal opening of the restaurant to the public. And I would also like to thank everyone for coming and joining us in this event. Sit back and enjoy" "This place is very wonderful" Madam Chen said "It is the very first time that I saw a restaurant as good as this" My aunt Mo said "I thank the madams for their praises, it is a privilege to gather everyone here. Now let us serve the menu for today and as well as the delicacies, I hope I''d get non biased opinions about the menu later, for a short evaluation intended to improve our service." From the menu there are different types of food; Asian, European and American cultures were examined and combined with another sets of food to keep combo meals delicious yet easy to digest. Women in this era care about their appearance and the calories that their food contains, while men at this era cared about protein and muscle building nutrients. "For the ladies each set of the meal is thoroughly prepared to enhance wellness, it contains less calories, it is easy to digest, non-fattening, not too oily and not too greasy. For the men what we serve are body and muscle enhancers, it should be good for the bones too and non-fattening. For the tea and wine classes, these are prepared under medicinal excerpts that helps in digestion, detoxification and good for the liver." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "I''m in heaven! This one is addictive!" A minister said. Then all of us laughed. 20 Chapter 19: A Journey to Remember 3 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Journey to Remember (3) Chapter no. 19 (Prince Wang Haoran''s POV) It was a long journey towards the neighboring kingdom of the eastern planes. I was sent by my father to check the progress that the other kingdom is making for a couple of years now, as we caught a whiff of the alarming growth of citizens joining the revolution against their kingdom''s current monarch. Well I strongly believe that a cruel man will never find peace sitting on the emperor''s throne that did not belong to him right from the start. I rushed to return to the palace and report to my father. Luckily, he easily dismissed me and did not hold me long. I have been dying to see my mother and my siblings. After all I was gone for about four years. In fact I stayed two years in our sect and only left when I achieved the cultivation rank that I wanted. "Ran''er you''re back earlier than I thought! Come close to mommy and let me see you" My mother harshly pulled me and checked my face Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Mother I''m not a child anymore" I sat next to her, while she continued inspecting me, then without warning signals my mother pinched my cheeks "No matter what, you will always be my beloved little son. It''s a pity, your siblings are not here" "Where did they went?" "All of them asked permission from me and your father if they could leave for an important event, they said they''ll be bringing food with them when they get home. And you know I cannot say "no" when it is our dear Roushi who asked to go, so I agreed and let them wander. I''ve been receiving news of your sister hanging out with her best friend" "Roushi has a best friend? Since when, who and why was I not informed by that brat?" my mother chuckled and pat my head "Your sister is getting older and older, and it is time that she learns to make friends and socialize with other misses. Don''t worry it''s the right prime minister''s daughter, Qin Zetian. The youngest amongst the children of Mr. Qin, actually I am waiting for them to comeback. Rou''er said she''ll negotiate with her best friend and join the business industry, I want her to learn basic skills in business that way she will survive without relying on our support" "Business industry? Mother she''s too young and immature for that-- She''s only fourteen!" "Don''t fret, her best friend opened the largest restaurant here in the capital. I will catch news from the madams who attended the food tasting event. With the help of Mr. Qin''s daughter our Rou''er had become sensible these past few days. She also learned to socialize more with other people, so let her be." I sighed My mother can''t prevent me from worrying, that brat is the youngest amongst us her children and harm is always inevitable. She might draw too much attention. Noise suddenly enveloped my mother''s courtyard as footsteps echoed through the hallway. "Mother! We are back, we''ve brought tons of food for you!" "The emperor has arrived!" Eunuch Li announced "Oh brother you''re here?" "Silly this isn''t me, look I''m just a talking painting!" then everyone chuckled, but my mom smack the back of my head "Why are you here?" my mother pointed at father emperor "Why I am here? Oh, can''t I visit my lovely wife?" "No... You''re only here to steal meals from me, you go away! Go away!" All of us laughed as well as the emperor, our father. "These food should be enough for all of us!" "Let the maidservants serve them and we will eat together" Everyone agreed. When the baskets were opened, a mouth-watering smell raised our appetites, it kept me salivating for the first time in my whole life just by looking at it. And as I look at everyone it feels like all of us wanted to devour the meal. "Such powerful cooking technique, where did these recipes came from Rou''er?" my mother is a big fan of tasting delicacies and different types of food, so I can say that she''s already an expert to this "Mother, Ze''er passed these recipes to the chef, what I''m wondering is that she has lots of recipes that even their family members never knew of, but anyway I don''t care about the origins of her recipes. I''m here to eat!" "She must be a gifted child!" emperor father laughed "Everything is ready, we shall start eating!" my fifth brother commented "You came home full and now you''re acting like a hungry bat!" mother joked I pick up my chopsticks and chose some of the food. And when I tasted it, I finally believed that heaven on earth is possible. 21 Chapter 20: What Happens to Those Who Betray Me? 1 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: What Happens to Those Who Betray Me? (1) Chapter no. 20 (Qin Zetian''s POV) The celebration ended well. The guests and my family headed home first and I told my parents that I''ll be returning late, as I will need to stay and check the staff. The sky turned into a darker shade of blue, indicating that it''s already time to head home. There were no digital clocks in this era, so checking the exact time is not possible. I thanked the staff and let each of them leave before me, and I also made sure that all of them brought food back to their homes since we don''t have any refrigerators here and all of the remaining food will be put to waste. Money is not something that we can earn without doing anything. I used my savings to buy the ingredients for the food and it will hurt my pocket if lots of ''em will be thrown and left to rot. On the good side, why not give them to my people? They have mouths to feed back home and I know how hard life is in this era, where only the rich live a comfortable life and most of the time people living in poverty eat three meals less daily. I sneaked at the window and notice an oddity in the carriage that was parked outside. I have an indifferent gut feeling that something unfortunate will happen to me if I step in. I observed the carriage from a distance and saw nothing suspicious. But as a major general we are trained to decipher what happens if we try things that we deemed bad. "Lin Sha let''s leave, father will be very worried if we stayed late" I purposely asked Lin Sha to accompany me in staying, not because I trust her. But because I know something is off with her and the way she handles things. We stepped out of the restaurant and the guards took care of locking and patrolling outside of the establishment. Instead of riding a carriage I chose to ride a horse directly. And I have a gut feeling that something''s going to happen tonight, something unescapable. "Lin Sha hold tight" Without holding back I drove the horse at the fastest speed possible to run. The darkness of the night make everything so haunted and I will never doubt if a group of assassins chase after us. "Young miss a white carriage is running behind us, what are we going to do?" so she must have noticed another carriage, very sharp "Just pretend that they don''t exist, what you''ll see tonight will be forgotten by tomorrow, do you understand?" "Y-yes young miss" Lin Sha was trembling like crazy Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I hope I''ll survive this ride without raising my sword. The carriage run ahead of us. Arrows flew in every direction and it was directed at the carriage. I painstakingly avoided the arrows. So my guess was right there''s an assassination attempt, how unlucky. Out of a sudden the carriage unreasonably stopped in the middle of the road, blocking my path. So I was forced to stop my horse. I pushed my maid down. "Go to that stone, run and hide!" I draw the sword on my waist out of its scabbard. Eventually blocking the arrows that come my way. The curtains from the carriage flew and men dressed in red appeared. They held swords and flew to contend with the assassins. I dashed towards the carriage and slashed through the window, cutting the curtains that cover the person inside. I am wearing a veil so it is likely that he will not recognize me. "In the middle of the night you blocked the way and involved me in an assassination, to whom do I owe a debt?" I spoke coldly The man drank the contents of his cup and pulled me in. I could have evaded his hand, but I am too curious to do so. When I saw his face, I clearly saw the similarities between him and Ruoshi. If I am not mistaken this should be the second prince! He is far more handsome and outstanding than the rest of the princes that I have seen. And the aura he''s wearing is comparable to a dragon''s aura. Really powerful and charismatic. But why am I sitting on his lap? My brows are knitted tightly. A shadow appeared behind me so I closed my eyes and used my senses to track the position of the intruder. I smiled when I found him. When his sword was about to hit me it was too late, my sword already strike down to cut his head. The head of the assassin rolled on the floor of the carriage. And I escaped from the grasp of the second prince and then he chuckled beside me. I elegantly sat down, with a sword at hand. Hearing the exchange of clashing swords from men who battled for their lives. "Ms. Qin, I see that you''re proficient at killing people--" "I only killed one, how can you call me proficient? That''s basically self defense and nothing else, your highness." "Master we''ve already killed the intruders, but the maid has shielded one of the assassins and ran away." "It seems like your maid is too loyal to someone else" "Chase after her, bring her head to the manor for me. I have been shaken with the assassination attempt" The prince chuckled. "You''ve heard her, proceed!" The carriage moved once again. "I''ll send you home" "If you say so, your highness" The ride home became extremely silent. 22 Chapter 21: What Happens to Those Who Betray Me? 2 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: What Happens to Those Who Betray Me? (2) Chapter no. 21 (Qin Zetian''s POV) I thought the travel back home will take eternity because of the uncommon silence, thankfully it didn''t. The carriage stopped at the front gates of Qin Clan''s Residence. My father stood outside along with my brothers and their worried faces greeted me. The prince motioned for me to step out of the carriage and I did as told. The prince did not bother getting out of his carriage or greeting my father since we know people from the imperial family is not obliged to greet someone lower than their status. "Greetings your majesty" my father said as he saluted the prince who was kept hidden inside the motionless carriage. "Hmm. Right prime minister, I hope there won''t be any misunderstandings with me sending your daughter home. Treat it as a lucky encounter that this prince has saved her life from the assassins. I have another proposal to the Prime minister. Since she is acknowledged by my sister as her closest friend, I would like to bestow two shadow guards to her, this prince hope you won''t mind. She was chased by assassins late in the evening, I care for the safety of my sister when she accompany her. Thus having trustable aids is fine." "This subject thanks his highness for his magnanimous offer. This subject will have no disagreements with his highness'' arrangements." My father answered politely "Good to hear. This prince shall take his leave now. Third miss, keep watch the road is rough, be tough." Then the carriage start moving towards the opposite direction of where we came from, so how exactly did he end up helping me? The prince said I encountered an assassination attempt and coincidentally my maid protected someone from the assassins. Therefore, there must be a deeper meaning to it and I need to find the answers on my own. "Let''s go inside. Ze''er are you hurt somewhere? Can you tell me what happened back there?" All of us went inside the manor. My father wanted to talk to me in his office so we went there and I was interrogated. Then he sent a message to someone and asked my statement about the incident. I guess he will likely investigate the matter himself, while he asked the bureau of justice to search for my maid. My father is a curios man, he even asked me why and how the prince came to my rescue. I narrated what exactly happened back there, but I never told him that I''ve done embarrassing things; like sitting on someone else''s lap. I also hid the truth that I used my sword to save myself. My father then told me to rest back at my courtyard. I purposely passed my mother''s room, luckily she gave me food and took care of me for a while which made me feel loved, my mother even insisted on letting me sleep in her room so she can take care of me, but I feel awkward. Then I continued on going back to my courtyard and saw unfamiliar faces. "Greetings your ladyship" "You are?" "With respect to the young miss, we are sent by his highness the second prince here to serve you" "What are your names?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "This servant is called Han Yuomei, while this servant''s sister is called Han Wan. We are servants from the palace of the empress." I saw tattoo marks on their necks, too little to notice but I know they must be a member of an organization. I walk ahead and went to the living room, they followed behind me like they were floating on the air. I knew the difference between people who practice higher level of martial arts in comparison with ordinary people. I purposely poured myself a cup of tea and intentionally let the jade glass fall on the floor. But their hands moved instantly and not a drop of tea was spilled on any surface, be it on my clothes or on the floor. I conclude, that prince is not an ordinary man. He has servants who martial art practitioners and shadow guards with excellent fighting abilities. But why was he not crowned as the crown prince? I slowly sat at one of the chairs in the room. "Why did your master sent you?" "His highness wanted the princess to be safe wherever she goes and to ensure that his highness assigned shadow guards to people close to the princess." So does he mean it''s not for my safety but for the princess? He should have assigned them to her instead. I shook my head and smiled. "I see. Have you captured Lin Tsu? I suppose she is also involved with the assassination. I''d like to pay her a visit" "We have your ladyship, she is already locked in the dungeons" "Come and accompany me there" I brought my sword with me and set to the dungeons. The rotten smell of dried blood and old flesh greeted us. Lin Tsu was chained down. I smiled sweetly as I remember what I always do in the dungeons of the 21st century. Oh how I missed the feeling of killing people. My hand itches to peel someone''s skin and let them suffer the torture. 24 Chapter 23: What Happens to Those Who Betray Me? 4 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: What Happens to Those Who Betray Me? (4) Chapter no. 23 (Qin Zetian''s POV) Half of the residential servants have been massacred, staining my sword with blood. At the same time the bustling business of my restaurant reached the epitome of wealth. For over half a year the business earned three hundred million taels of gold coins. The food is not that expensive but customers are addicted to its taste. They order by bundle, by combo or family sized meals. The stock of ingredients are renewed twice a day to fulfill the rising need. Even imperial families from other kingdoms come over to have a taste. And some even planned to stay. "Shopkeeper Sheng can you call all of our staff for a meeting before we close the store, every end of the month we will have a meeting." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Food was prepared thoroughly and everyone was seated on their places. I sat on the stage and took hold of the account books. It''s good that not a single penny is missing. And I am satisfied with their efficient work. There are about a hundred and fifty employees. "Every end of the month we will have a staff meeting, this is to ensure that I keep track on the progress of the business. Since the restaurant earns big I will likely increase your salaries per month. Right now I want to congratulate everyone for their hard work. The benefits of following me is a good life. I am planning to expand and buy fields for crops. Those who have family members that doesn''t have a job can apply. We will directly supply our own restaurant since there''s a huge increase in sales whenever we buy fresh ingredients outside." The faces of my employees are full of hope. "Your loyalty and hard work is highly needed. Before you signed those contracts two months ago it was indicated that those who will betray me will be killed and I am not getting back on my words. If the business market is successful over a year, I will personally build houses for all of you. It will be payable by installment loans and much cheaper in comparison with the government housing. I want my employees to live a better life." Everyone clapped and some of them even cried. These people have nothing. No permanent homes or whatsoever. Some of them steal to get food and earn a living for their families. Gladly they have worked for me. I just need to purchase lands for them. I am not a corrupted person, so what I enjoy they will also have. What I eat they can also eat. "Everyone will be treated fairly. Do not worry, promotions depend on one''s capabilities. These meals in front of you are free, once a month we will have this gathering. There are countless benefits and insurance to each of you. As for the insurance, I will arrange for a new team of capable employees. They will ensure that if something happens to you the future of your families will be secured. A good example of that is education. To those employees who have children at home will have assurance that I as the boss won''t be too stingy. I''ll arrange and build classrooms for them and they will learn. Aside from that, those who will rank top can have the privilege of attending imperial academies" "Thank you boss! We owe our lives to you!" Each of them gave their praises. The wealth that we acquire here on Earth cannot be brought with us when we die, so might as well share them. 25 Chapter 24: The Visitation to the Empress Palace 1 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: The Visitation to the Empress'' Palace (1) Chapter no. 24 (Qin Zetian''s POV) There are times when I ask myself why I feel alone even when I have everything that I wished for in this second-chanced life? But I don''t know the answer, it feels like there are gaps in between my memories that makes me so vulnerable. And it feels like there are so many secrets that I need to discover on my own. The manor is so wide, it has passages I''ve never been to and I''ve only explored 10% of it. I walked out of the library with a questioning mind. I continued walking till I stopped on a nearby window. That tree, made me question how hard this body fell from the highest branch and why? How come I stayed dormant and got the chance to wake up without serious injuries? Why did I inhibit a sharp vision and an incredible strength? And why does everyone smell like blood at night? Those unnoticeable facts are very interesting to me. I smiled and think about something that I can do today. Then I went to the kitchen. Since I am feeling well I decided to prepare different kinds of food for the empress and visit her palace. I think she has been hoping to meet me and the princess never failed to remind me to pay them a visit. I do not know what her highness like or doesn''t like, I was only informed that she doesn''t have allergies. "Did you prepare everything?" "Yes young miss, everything is according to your instructions. Shall we depart now?" "En. Let''s go to the palace" The ride approximately took fifty minutes before we reached the front gates of the imperial palace. An eunuch was waiting for our arrival, then Han Yuomei and Han Wan accompanied me to the empress'' palace. I saw Roushi along the way, and she was running while waving at us. And I waved back, then she hugged me, so tight that I thought my bones might broke. "I''ve missed you, I''m glad you''re finally here. My mother has been sick lately and she hasn''t been eating well. She lacked the appetite to eat or drink something and father emperor even fired some of the imperial chefs. I do not know what I''ll do with her." "Did the imperial doctors check your mother''s condition?" "Yes they did, but they also found nothing" "I brought some detoxification tea, prepare some for her princess and do not let other servants do it" "Ze''er, do you suspect someone might have poisoned my mother?" I nodded. Then we walk to Green Ice Palace. There are ponds and bridges on both sides of the path we''re walking on. But the water on the pond looks rather unhealthy and dead? What''s unusual is that there are little yellowish flowers blooming at the bottom of the pond. Not that I have seen something similar before, but growing flowers at the bottom of a pond is rather odd. Though I have read once that poisonous weeds grow at the bottom of ponds with dead looking waters. Is it possible to link the two? "Rou''er, does the empress plant flowers at the bottom of the pond?" "No, it''s usually concubine Wu who volunteers to plant the flowers if I remember correctly." "Are there any fishes living underwater?" "None, every time we try to nurture them, they all die a day after" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I nodded, if that''s the case maybe the water is poisoned. When water evaporates a good amount of poison will mix through the air and eventually harm the living organisms present in the area. The flowers at the bottom are in full bloom, so it might have affected the empress. "Is there a chance that I can invite the empress to the manor? My mom is very lonely, and I think they will have a good time together" "Sure! That sounds great. I''ll ask imperial father about that" "Okay, I will arrange everything for you and the queen" Everything in her palace is strange. There are even bad luck charms and poisonous grass. "Does your mom propagate different types of poisons and does she love bad luck charms?" "What do you mean?" I closed the distance between us and whispered. "The grass at the front porch is highly toxic. The figurines are bad luck charms and the pond might be poisonous. Be careful, tell no one. Just arrange for the empress to leave this palace for a while and investigate later" She nodded, but the shock in her eyes is visible. "We must hurry" I nodded and silently followed behind her. And when we entered the palace I sniffed something that made me cover my face entirely, and even tightening the veil on my face. The burning incense is too strong. How can they live in a place that exudes toxicity? 27 Chapter 26: The Visitation to the Empress Palace 3 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: The Visitation to the Empress'' Palace (3) Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Chapter no. 26 (Qin Zetian''s POV) The carriage drove to the nearest inn. The shopkeeper personally welcomed us as he saw the insignia of the renowned Qin Family. They did not recognize the princess or the queen but they treated us with utmost importance. For sure they might have noticed the elegance and posture of the queen and the princess, as well as the luxurious clothes they''re wearing. I nodded in satisfaction, I let Han Wan buy some luxurious clothes from a dress shop and let Han Yuomei assist the princess and empress in taking their baths, not at the same time. Their bodies need to be thoroughly cleaned before we go to the manor. I asked one of the inn servants to bury the clothes of the empress and the princess. There might be little amounts of poisoned powder on the clothes which is harmful to the body. When Han Wan arrived I let her help Han Yuomei. Then they dressed the empress and the princess. We sat back to the carriage and travel to the manor. I don''t know how my mother will react to this. I am sure there are lots of empty courtyards in the manor. My courtyard is also big, yet empty. And I am sure letting both of them stay in our family won''t be too troublesome. The ride home turned into a deafening silence. I stared at the open curtains of the carriage and saw the kids on the streets. Then I remembered a vague memory of my childhood, my mother and I used to go on Medical missions where we climb mountains for a couple of days and check the kids living on top of the mountains. There was a tribe that needs not just the basic necessities but also medicines. I used to help my mom through checking the kids if they were poisoned or not, and at the time I had tried my best to study different kinds of poison and conducted research to further solve each case. Maybe I need to find a motivation once more, to be able to have the same enthusiasm that I''ve had and learn alchemy. "Young miss we have arrived" The carriage slowed down as it entered the gates of the manor "En. Auntie let''s go down" I gladly went down first and helped the empress get out of the carriage, it was very untimely that my mother rushed out and called me "Ze''er I''m glad you''re back-- Si-sister?" Then she stuttered and held her breath when she saw the queen, as if what she''s seeing is just an imaginary replica of someone she used to know. My mother was in a new level of shock when she saw realized that the queen standing beside me is real. "Lan''er..." the called with a shaky voice and tears on her cheeks. Roushi and I are dumbfounded. "Ruru, do you know how close they were?" I asked the princess "Zeze, I do not know either" she answered Then I heard the grumbling stomach of the princess. "Come on help me prepare lunch at the kitchen, let us leave them so they could talk" "En. I''m absolutely starving, let''s go" Ruoshi kept on dragging me to the kitchen, I don''t know if I should laugh or cry because this small gluttonous princess will then again rob my kitchen. "Ruru you cannot rob my kitchen ah" "But you''re rich, you can supply them back" she pouted and sat on one of the kitchen stools "Oh about that... Accompany me to the mountains tomorrow, we will purchase some land for growing crops. I''d like to create my next project." "Really? I''ve never seen farmlands before, are you sure you''ll bring meeeeeeeeee?" "Yes, does this miss look like joking?" "Good! Zeze, I''m really starving come on let''s make some food. I''m sure mother is also hungry, she hasn''t eaten well for a few days" "You can have some of the pastries the chef has made, here eat these first, but not too much those will be heavy for your stomach" I gave her a bowl of pastry and the let starving stomach get what it wants "Hmmm, this tastes so good!" The sadness in her eyes made me uncomfortable. She doesn''t know how vicious the imperial palace is, and I''m sure she''s not yet ready to act accordingly. She''s too young and for a princess to be scheming like a snake is impossible. Or maybe I can teach her, a good brainwashing is not a bad idea either. That way she''ll be more prepared and it will lessen the shock in her heart. Nurturing ones heart to become wise and cold is essential for the idea of survival. The imperial harem is full of poisonous snakes, they will find a fault in you, criticize you, plant false evidences against you and eventually kill you. There are different types of poisons and each of them has one goal. That is to eliminate everything that stands on their way. 28 Chapter 27: The Visitation to the Empress Palace 4 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Chapter Title: The Visitation to the Empress'' Palace (4) Chapter no. 27 (Qin Zetian''s POV) I don''t know what came in my mind that I let the chefs cook foods with modernity or maybe I just missed my life back there. I prepared authentic Filipino dishes that I''ve learned before I died. When I was sick with leukemia I eventually filed an early retirement from the military, and started touring Asian countries. I also learned some of their delicacies, but I was greatly amazed by the Filipino culture and their tradition so I stayed longer in the Philippines. I even remembered buying a property somewhere in a mountainous area and built a rest house there. As for today with the help of Roushi and the chefs in the manor we made delicious authentic delicacies from the Philippines. Mainly; Chicken adobo, Milky stirred prawns and crabs, Oxtail stew, raw fish salad, authentic Lechon but not the whole pig, Sour meat stew, Pork Sisig and Beef steak. With Halo-halo as the desert. When everything was ready we called the empress and my mother. Coincidentally my cousins; Qin Jiangli, Qin Jiangfe (third uncle''s sons) and Qin Weishen (second uncle''s only daughter) came so we invited them too. My dad said last night that it''s about time the sons choose their careers and for our youngest girl to study here in the capital with the noble ladies. Since my 15th birthday is fast approaching, it is only right for my cousins to enter the manor. My eldest sister is 29 years old, my second sister is 24 years old, and my eldest brother is 18, while my second brother is 16. The twins Qin Jiangli and Jiangfe are turning 14 soon, while Weishen is turning 12. I never had expectations with them, but I hope I won''t make out an enemy. Even if I have never met them, I know somehow their lives are hard and that jealousy is inevitable. Second Uncle Qin Wulang never had an official wife and the only person he got close with died, because she was captured by the bandits and got killed. Qin Weishen was his only adopted daughter and he brought her up on his own, even if he was likely not around all the time. The twins never had a mother, since third uncle''s wife had a heart failure it is likely too risky to give birth to both boys. So she gave up her own life. By then my uncles never got married and focused their time at working and becoming great fathers to their children. "Madame the fourth young miss is here along with the twin young masters" "Come, come! Sit... Oh it has been so many years since I last saw the three of you." My mother welcomed them enthusiastically I am seated right beside Roushi and my mom sat beside the empress. I motioned for them to seat beside me, the shy girl Weishen sat beside me then the boys followed beside her. "Okay let''s dine in, it''s great that you arrived on lunch time. All of you must be hungry so each as many as you can and feel at ease. How was the ride?" my mom said "The ride went well aunt Lan" Jiangfe answered I put a great amount of food to the bowls and pass them to the children beside me. Then I served Roushi who''s absentmindedly day dreaming, my mom and the empress were eating silently so everyone followed. But I saw the discomfort of Weishen as she sat beside me. "Are you uncomfortable anywhere?" She shook her head "Are you not satisfied with the food?" She shook her head again, I smiled. "Call me big sister, you''re still young so you need to eat more okay" Then she nodded in response with a teary eye. Has this child been bullied when she was far away? I doubt my uncle knew what''s happening. 29 Chapter 28: A Journey into the Unknown 1 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Journey into the Unknown (1) Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Chapter no. 28 (Qin Zetian''s POV) Everyone was busy unloading their stuff. My mother brought the empress and Roushi to her room and talk of random things. While I decided to look out for the three children. I have no problem with the twins because when my brother arrived home not long ago they already bonded like real brothers and liked to be with him. They asked lots of questions and my brother enjoyed their company so they went out and tried horseback riding. I eventually asked Roushi a favor and told her to guard her mom before she left, I have a gut feeling that something bad might happen to the empress and so I told Roushi to be with her mom at all times. Her mom is heavily poisoned so she needed utmost care and I need to tell my mom about that when the time is right. I will also look for a cure or make them on my own ability. For the meantime Weishen was left with me. I brought her to my courtyard and placed her next to my room. There weren''t too many things she brought with her, so I let the maidservants take care of the arrangements. I led her to my room. I also told Han Yuomei to prepare a bath and let Han Wan choose little dresses from my closet that will fit Weishen. "Shen''er, come close to me. Let me see your hands" She obediently came close to me and her hands reached mine. I held them, but I wondered why she wore suck thick gloves. I pinch her hands lightly, and I saw the changes on her facial expression. I immediately removed the gloves and saw her hands covered in bruises. My eyes widened, I suddenly lifted her sleeves and saw more bruises. There were old and newly made. In my uncle''s absence who tried to bully her? What happened back there and who did these? "Tell big sister who bullied you?" Her tears slowly poured out of her cute little eyes, and sadness enveloped them. As she shook her head. This child is traumatized, what could have happened back there? "Did the servants back there bully you? Shen''er tell me" but she only cried in a deafening silence "Han Wan can you retrieve some medicines for me, find some bandages for the bruises and cold leaves." "Han Yuomei, make sure that the water is warmer than how I want it to be when I take a bath and pour milk and honey" I touched her hair and felt that it was too rough. Her hands were not only filled with bruises, it also have a thick layer of calluses. Such a poor child, my uncle might have not known what happened to his daughter because he was far away, the only time he got home was when I opened the restaurant and attended a onetime event. Back then the emperor immediately released orders so he rushed back to his post and never had the time to check on this child. It''s good that she is here now. "Don''t cry anymore, from now on you''ll have big sister. Big sister will protect you. Don''t worry okay. I will cure you, a month before the exams for the capital school starts. I will teach you everything that you want to learn. You''re not alone anymore, in this battle you have me. Do you understand? You have me, you have this family and you''re never gonna be alone again" "Big sister wuwu" I patted her head slowly. And examined her scalp, there were dried blood from the cuts. How many times have they injured her head? I will investigate this! 30 Chapter 29: A Journey into the Unknown 2 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Journey into the Unknown (2) Chapter no. 29 (Qin Zetian''s POV) Han Yuomei assisted me with bathing Weishen, and for that very moment even Han Wan went in a cold shock when we saw the bruises all over Weishen''s little body. Everything was just blue and red. Her white skin was tainted with dark marks. And her nails were even broken. How can someone treat a child like an animal ready to get beaten severely? "Han Wan go ask someone reliable to investigate the happenings in my uncle''s absence, I want to personally execute the person who did this and tell no one about it." If she was maltreated by everyone, well then I have no problem with emptying a household. "Yes young miss" Han Wan left urgently We dressed her and I treated her wounds. Not long enough she fell asleep as I was reading a book to her. I kissed her forehead and arranged the blanket that covers her little body. Somehow, I missed my mom doing this to me. Taking care of me when I get wounded from running or read books before I sleep. It was late in the afternoon when I left my room, and let the child sleep peacefully. "Han Yuomei do not let anyone enter my room as usual and take care of guarding her, I need to go to the next room and check on something" "Yes, young miss" "Aware me if she awakens" Han Yuomei nodded, so I immediately went to Weishen''s room. The servants there were teary eyed. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "What happened here?" I asked "Young miss... I know I am not in position to speak, but look at how bad the 4th young miss'' clothes are" I retrieved the clothes from them, it truly is that bad. Everything looks like tattered rags. How can her things become this bad? My uncle served the military for too long and his salary is even comparable to my dad''s salary. It''s truly impossible that he did not give this little girl what she wanted. So where did all of my uncle''s money went? "Arrange everything in order and nothing should be missing, things no matter how worn out should have a different level of sentimental value so keep everything. Her clothes cannot be used again so fold and pile them neatly on the wardrobe" I continued checking her things then I saw a precious type of jade. A type of greenish gemstone carved into the finest type of identification jade. I need to investigate about this, for the meantime I will let her use two types of jade on her body, the Qin family''s jade which every member should have and this jade on my hand, it should protect her no matter what. From her room I also retrieved a type of jade necklace that matches her identity jade. I carried them with me, I will never let her roam around without these items. "Young miss, the fourth young miss has awoken" I stood and went back to my room. Then I saw her sitting on my bed while rubbing her eyes gently. A little yawn escaped from her mouth. "Han Yuomei prepare a set of clothes for her, we are going to a dress shop. I will buy her new dresses" Han Yuomei handed me a white dress. Then I turned to Weishen and assisted her to change. Yuomei also braided her hair nicely. "Shen''er listen to big sister, do you see these things?" The child nodded. "This jade necklace no matter how beautiful and precious this is, never remove this from your body and even when you''re taking a bath just keep it close to you. I have to let you wear two jade identities, this one is yours while this one is the Qin''s noble identity jade similar to mine and the rest of the members of the family. You will carry these items all the time, these identity jade carvings will protect you. Do you understand?" "Yes, big sister" Then I hugged the girl. 32 Chapter 31: A Journey into the Unknown 4 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Journey into the Unknown (4) Chapter no. 31 (Godly Prince Wu Moying''s POV) It was a long travel towards the last continent that we ventured to find ways of Minfeng''s betrothed woman. The ride is always exhausting and I feel like losing hope to save the kingdom. For so many years we still got no clues where the girl might be. I stared at the stars up above the sky, looking for a magical light that will guide us on our way. "Minfeng is something wrong?" Zhengzhou asked, I stared at Minfeng, silently observing him "Minfeng--" "She''s here, I''m sure of it. Give me the identity jade, I feel like she''s near" "Do you mean to say--" "Yes, the princess is alive. I can feel her, I know it is her. I can''t be wrong, our fates are tied together so it''s impossible for us not to meet in any way" "Here" I gave him the identity jade of his fianc¨¦e "Let''s head north" the carriage stopped at the dress shop "Are you sure she''s here?" He nodded and jumped out of the carriage. We also saw two powerful carriages at the front of the shop. If I''m not mistaken the first one should be from the Qin Clan and other bears the insignia of the imperial family. I frowned, who could be inside. Minfeng went in so I and Zhengzhou followed him in. But Minfeng stood frozen, he was staring intently at two young girls who stood at the center of the shop. A man in imperial clothes seemed to be harassing them. My brows knitted when I saw how Minfeng slowly clench his fist. Then a sparkling energy came from the little girl who hugged the other. She looks like a rabbit hiding from a monster. I tried to identify her but her veil is covering almost everything. The older girl stood but her coldness is suffocating. Yet the man in front of her felt nothing. "Brother do something" Minfeng hesitatingly said I was hesitant too, but when I heard him forcing women to be his concubines I immediately lost my cool. "Lay a hand on my fianc¨¦e and I will cut your fingers" everyone shifted their gazes to us I partly regretted it but it is the only way to let the girls escape. Coincidentally the two of them wore white clothes, and from the looks of it they must have come from Qin''s clan. What''s odd is that their clothes were woven with an almost identical patterns with mine and the rest of my brothers, just not for the fact that our threads are different in class. "Zhengzhou take care of them" "En" "Minfeng let''s go" "Where do you think you''re going? I the crown prince will never let anyone bypass me! Each one of you is under me, I am the future ruler and everyone shall obey me! Guards seize them!" I stopped walking and smirked. How can a mortal like him compare to me? Or to any of my brothers? With a flick of my hand all of his guards were pinned to the ground. "Watch" I said I moved a couple of hand techniques and his imperial guards were turned into cripples. Then I walk out of the dress shop. "Minfeng what''s going on?" "Brother they have escaped" "What do you mean?" "I don''t understand either, they''re gone in a blink. Do you think she''s using dark magic" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "But if they have I should have sensed it, what do you think brother?" "Zhengzhou is right, even I, have no idea. Her maidservants, where are they?" "When they loaded the carriage the second prince suddenly came and brought them away. I let some of our shadow guards spy, but the chances of them coming back are less likely" "What do you mean?" Minfeng asked and I understood what Zhengzhou said Other than the three of us, the fourth and the second prince came from the strongest forbidden city, it is a sect that nurtures handpicked talents. And the reason why he and his brother was sent there was still unknown. 34 Chapter 33: A Journey into the Unknown 6 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Journey into the Unknown (6) Chapter no. 33 (Second Prince Wang Haoran''s POV) For this past few days I can''t help myself but think of Qin clan''s third miss. I don''t know if it is because of her enigmatic personality or just the fact the she differs from the rest of the girls around her age. I listened attentively to the shadow guard who delivered his untimely report to me. The arrival of the trinity princes was unexpected, and the reason for their visit is still unknown. I only knew that the three of them are biologically brothers whose mother was killed under the law of the previous Sky emperor. It could have been said that each of them became unimaginably talented after their mother was executed in public. And the fact that the new Sky emperor is their uncle who got the throne under the orders of the trinity princes. "Brother, do you think they have a motive to dominate the kingdom?" my fourth brother asked "No, I don''t think it''ll be that simple" I answered, this small land is nothing in comparison with their kingdom. "It really won''t be the answer, because according to my sources Prince Wu Minfeng was engaged to the Obsidian kingdom''s thirteenth princess but she had gone missing for the past twelve years. And now that there are only three years left for the coronation they intend to search for her. The marriage alliance between the two ensured the people from Sky kingdom that no harm will befall on them." "But the Obsidian kingdom has long declared a close down since the princess went missing, it''s impossible for them to enter and leave as they please" fifth brother answered "You''re right that''s why they are expending too much effort to look for her. As they travel they collect objects or widen their network" I answered "Where''s mom by the way? And why don''t I see her in the palace with Roushi?" "She went to Qin clan''s manor, I think something is amiss, why would she go there without a reason. And even father permitted it" my fifth brother asked all of a sudden "Shu what happened?" "Master the madame was badly poisoned by one of the concubines and someone is plotting against her, the third miss came to visit earlier and discovered the poison so she proposed that the empress should go with her. I think the third miss will find ways to cure the empress. I do believe even the imperial doctors lacked the capability to recognize the poison." "Mother was poisoned? Why haven''t we noticed?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Is it the pond?" I asked "Probably, the princess ordered for the pond to be emptied. She also said that she wanted to give the empress a surprise, she even asked the concubines to lend their gardeners in case some died because of exposure to the poison. I''ve eavesdropped from the empress and the miss, she even let the third miss take care of princess Roushi. I think even the visit is well orchestrated." "What did mother said?" "The empress wanted to let the third young miss handle the upbringing of the princess while she securely said that the young masters are all sent to sects. The throne will be bloody and the empress never wanted the rest of the princes to get involved. She specifically said it is master who will battle with the crown prince--" "Master! The third young miss got in a fight with the crown prince" Jiu came in late "What?" 35 Chapter 34: A Journey into the Unknown 7 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Journey into the Unknown (7) Chapter no. 34 (Qin Zetian''s POV) We returned safely at the back entrance of the manor near my courtyard. Luckily Weishen wasn''t frightened by the flying speed that we have on our journey back. She even wanted to learn how to ride a horse with me. And I agreed easily, since we returned late I volunteered to cook a delicious meal for us. But of course the mighty glutton is present. For the first time in my life I have never felt so free. In my past life I used to work and work and work and work till I sleep on the table of my office with a cold coffee on my side and a freezing air-conditioned room. My eyes will be very red and my head will ache a lot. When I was free from work I was eventually under medication because of Leukemia. And when I was free from medication, I was then confined in a hospital bed till I died. What a pity right? People should learn to appreciate the things that they can do because there are those who cannot do the same. People should learn to take good care of their health and enjoy their lives responsibly, because not all of us were gifted the same fate of living a normal life. "I knew the both of you will arrive! Hello, call me big sister Roushi or Ruru or Rou''er like Zeze, I am the same age as her and I like little kids!" Then she lightly patted Weishen''s head which turned out awkward and made Weishen shy I shook my head and eventually started cooking. "Oi! How can you let me cook all of these and eat my stuff without helping?" "Zeze you know this princess cannot cook as delicious as your cooking techniques, I don''t even know what kind of recipes you''re following, so hehe... it''s impossible for me to help" I chuckled. "Since there are only three of us, I will trouble the both of you to fix the dining set. Gather plates and utensils. I made a Bulalo soup (beef) that''s essential for the body and I fried chili sauced chicken wings with pineapple. And for the dessert we will experiment tonight and I need your cooperation, it''s easy to do so but we can only eat the dessert in the morning" "Sounds fun, I''m glad I can finally learn a good dessert from you Zeze!" While Weishen smiled shyly. "Is it okay if I help? Won''t it burden you big sisters?" "Not at all! Weiwei it''s good that we can learn some specialties from Zeze because she loves cooking so much and I want to have a remembrance from her. Knowledge can be passed through and it will never be lost" "Is that true big sister?" I nodded Then I served the soup with rice and the fried chili sauced chicken wings. "This is great! I wanted to be a chef someday and learn from master Zeze, instead of becoming a princess!" "Big sister Zeze, the soup is so yummy! And I love the spiciness of the chicken, it is also sweet and savory" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Eat more Shen''er, you need to grow as tall as I am" "Hey! Weiwei can be as tall as me! Look I am even taller than you!" The three of us laughed. When we were done eating, they washed the dishes while I prepared the ingredients. I wanna teach them how to make mango floats. "Big sister we''re done! What are we gonna do?" "Wow there are so many ripe mangoes where did you get these?" "We have mango trees at the back, well where do you think did I got ''em from?" "How can we help?" "First we need to wash these mangoes and make sure the skin is clean" We washed the mangoes thoroughly. "Next, Shen''er can you grind these biscuits till it resembles more of a powdered biscuit?" "How about the rest?" Roushi asked "We will use them later. For now I want you to mix different types of ingredients for the milk" I peeled the mangoes and cut them into thin elongated slices with the use of the spoon. After that I got a large rectangular container. Then we slowly piled the ingredients. And the night ended with us having so much fun. 36 Chapter 35: A Journey into the Unknown 8 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Journey into the Unknown (8) Chapter no. 35 (Qin Zetian''s POV) I woke up early the next morning and prepare the things that I''ll be needing since I planned to go to the mountains and look for sale farmlands or agricultural lands near my home. The princess and Weishen will accompany me so we brought the dessert we made last night and heavy meals enough to keep us and the crew full. We will be journeying towards the mountains to purchase farming lands suitable for planting crops that my restaurant badly needs. The more abandoned the farmland is, the higher its fertility rate. And I also want to have a poultry of chicken, and livestock animals. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. It will be better for my restaurant to have the ingredients provided by me also, so we can save large expenses intended for the ingredients. With the rising market price for vegetables and meat products, it is likely expected that the demand is increasing. Well maybe that''s the result of rapid population growth. Soon enough I will plan and construct a bigger project in the capital which will be a public market. People who can buy there will need membership cards so no one will create a fuss or try to create a ruckus that will disturb the buyers. The cards will be designed based on the average amount that a person or a family can purchase. "Young miss the carriage is ready" Han Wan said, I nodded and walk out of my courtyard. I stopped by Weishen''s room to tag her along and make sure her clothes for the day is fit for the travel. I lend her more of my customized martial arts outfits, since the shops here don''t sell such type of clothes. And I will need to request a new batch from father. When she''s ready we went to see Roushi. Unexpectedly she''s already sitting in the carriage with curtains open, she''s drinking some tea and when she saw us she waved her handkerchief telling us to hurry. The journey towards the mountain has started. "The mountains are beautiful, whaaaa Zeze I wanna visit this place again when you start with your second business!" Roushi stared fondly at the window. The air is fresh and the weather isn''t warm even if it''s a sunny day. Weishen became a glutton just like Roushi so she''s likely consuming the food on the table while watching the fields that Roushi admired. I am helpless, next time I will bring lots of food with me. But I am happy, Weishen is finally adjusting and socializing freely with us. It did not take long before we arrived at a lesser residential area. This place is governed likely by the left prime minister. When I asked my father about it he said I need to bring more guards with me and use his carriage. I agreed because I don''t know what type of dangers we will face on the way. Thankfully we arrived safely at the destination. My father told Left Prime Minister Li Ruixeng that we are visiting to purchase a land. My father also said that I just need to choose the area that I''ll buy and the transfer of ownership and other legal processes will be handled by butler Sheng. I thanked my father a lot, he saved me a lot of trouble. "Young miss we have arrived" the coachman announced "Are both of your butts aching?" I asked Weishen and Roushi "Zeze, I wanna ride a horse or something rough!" I face palmed, ''something rough'' oh damn what am I thinking? "Try a witch''s broomstick if that''s hard enough, it might work well for you" I said then Weishen chuckled "Shen''er, I think it''s time for you to learn horseback riding, come on let step out" I ushered for them to follow me out Thankfully, my idea of wearing female traditional clothes are good. It has a hood and the lower part is pants. It won''t be hard to ride a horse. It''s so cool! I only admired Chinese movies where female characters wear traditional martial arts outfits in my previous life, and I even joined a cosplay event. And now that I''m wearing them I feel like a martial arts master literally. "Han Wan go and retrieve some horses, so we can ride horses and enjoy the sunny weather." Han Yuomei opened an umbrella so we kinda shared under it. We patiently waited long enough for Han Wan to come back with three horses. Then I smiled and thanked her. "Ruru, you know how to ride a horse right?" "That''s my favorite sport" she winked and chose a horse to ride on "Shen''er let me give you pointers for riding a horse." --- Nicknames: 1. Qin Zetian (Elizabeth Lee) ¨C Zeze or Ze''er 2. Wang Roushi ¨C Ruru or Rou''er 3. Qin Weishen (Tang Liqin) ¨C Weiwei or Shen''e 37 Chapter 36: A Journey into the Unknown 9 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Journey into the Unknown (9) Chapter no. 36 (Qin Zetian''s POV) Weishen isn''t heavy, so I helped her climb on the horse. It''s fortunate that she is a fast learner. Or maybe it has something to do with her origins. According to my father Shen''er was adopted by my uncle when he came from war. It was said that the toddler was oddly quiet and has better understanding than most kids around her age. He took pity on the child so he brought her home and took care of her. But when I conducted an investigation from the library I saw unfamiliar documents. And those documents hold the truth of what exactly happened that night, it was my uncle''s journal. My uncle fell for a woman. He helped her and saved her from assassination, but what people thought was that it was his childhood best friend. His childhood best friend fought by his side when they rescued the villagers of the south. She unexpectedly lost her life there, but it was uncertain because her body went missing. My uncle used his best friend''s story to cover up for a villager whom he rescued. A woman of unknown origins who brought a child, intending to save her. That woman vanished right when she tricked my uncle in a trap of love and left the child. That''s why my uncle was actually forced to bring the child back home and treated her like his own. "Okay listen to me. Riding is a sport, meaning it''s quite physical and can be enjoyable on a number of skill levels. I can teach you how to ride with safety tips, like; how to get on a horse on your own, and how to walk, trot and post with a horse. You need to ride without bouncing and there''s a good technique to do that, you will also need to learn how to canter, gallop, jump and dismount the horse by yourself so let''s start." "This horse is so muscular big sister and its hair is so soft" Weishen like the twelve years old she is hugged the horse "Hmm, at all cost you need to treat it like your person. It has a life, do not order it around and give it another level of value, do you understand?." She nodded, then eventually the learning progressed. We ended up on the manor of a magistrate. And he politely welcomed us in his humble home. "This humble one is the daughter of the right prime minister, I am called Qin Zetian. Elder we are here to purchase some lands legally, the procedures will be done by Elder Sheng of Qin Family. However, we will trouble the elder to accompany in venturing the agricultural lands post on sale" "Oh no problem, no problem... This old man has been appointed as a legal broker by the emperor. It''s not a problem my dear, come, let''s get going. The fields are wide and it might take us forever if we don''t move now" The magistrate laughed heartily Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I nodded and then all of us went out of his manor. He offered a carriage, but I humbly turn it down. The weather is good and riding a horse makes everything better. Each of us took a horse to ride on. While Weishen followed behind me silently. "These lands why are they abandoned?" I asked "Young miss these lands are crop lands before, but the bandits usually attack to gather food and sometimes kill people. It is very dangerous in this area and business could not foster" The magistrate sadly said "How wide is this area?" "It''s about a hundred hectares" "How much is the price?" "Though it is abandoned the price is still the same as the standard selling price" "I''d like to purchase it" "Are you sure?" "Yes, and don''t worry about the bandits elder, I have good ways in dealing them" I smiled forming ways in my mind that will prevent the bandits from terrorizing the owner of the crops or stealing crops "Okay, let''s head to a nearby restaurant." The magistrate offered "Great idea" the Princess said We headed to a restaurant that was built two miles away from the area. It was luxurious and for sure the owner isn''t someone ordinary. He/ she must be powerful, since this mountain is raided often by the bandits and business is likely impossible to prosper. And the local tribes were already gone. Preserving something in the wild without being harmed should cost a lot of expenses. The restaurant is another level in everything. The design is impressive, although it cannot compare to my shop in the capital, it is very modest and clean. The magistrate ordered food for all of us. I also told one of my subordinates to order food for the crew accompanying us. But I discovered one thing in the food they serve. 38 Chapter 37: A Journey into the Unknown 10 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Journey into the Unknown (10) Chapter no. 37 (Lady Xie Yaya''s POV) The mountains speak in harsh winds. They tell what citizens has done and how cruel they have been. The birds, too little yet they whisper the coming storm. And the blue sky has finally appeared, to send a message that is it the start of another war. The destined person has come and the future will finally be rewritten. I sat near the window and stare at the travelers. Some I knew of and some whose origins I don''t. The tea on my hands are frozen, and the water on the hot pot turned cold. The spring is almost over but everything here stays in deep winter. I glanced at the palms that used to hold a person''s warmth, yet I ran to save someone. If I could only turn back time. Oh I wish I could. "Why are there so many visitors downstairs?" I whispered as Anya my maid came in to change the tea on my hands "Mistress the daughter of the right prime minister has arrived, she brought two girls along but their identities where strictly concealed." "Concealed? Let me take a look, go and prepare for a show" I need to know whom she''s with "But mistress it''s not good for the baby, what if you hurt yourself--" "Just do what I say!" I have an inkling feeling that the daughter of the right prime minister isn''t a simple girl who''s housed and pampered from childhood. There are local news of their household''s merits too. It was said that all the members of the Qin''s clan hold great power. Her brothers were even following their elders well. And her elder sisters were all imperial wives, not just empty titles but they have the last say. A little bird also told me that even the empress herself favors this young miss of the Qin family. If she is very capable I think she''s the right person who can help me. She will be the only person who can provide the key for me to escape from this hellish kingdom and go home. Indigo Valley Kingdom is my home and I need to get back what should be mine right from the start. If my sister hasn''t killed my husband I could be the one who''ll inherit everything that my parents worked for. But the world is cruel, and I need to learn to embrace power and make connections with everyone. The baby inside me is growing and I can no longer protect it. If the young miss is as what the rumors say, then I will be willing to part with my child and seek revenge. "Mistress everything is ready" "Good" "Mistress! The bandits suddenly came!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "What?" It should have been a good plan but the bandits came, we need to defend ourselves I rushed out of my room to check on what''s happening. "Oh lovely girls in veils! Pure, untainted and FRESH! Brothers we have come at the right time to gather the sacrifice bearers. You young misses shall obey my orders and struggle not, for I have come with good intentions. The brotherhood has long been established and on this day of the year we catch ladies and devour their innocence. After that everyone gets to taste the body first before we kill the person out of tradition." But I only saw a young and composed girl wearing a white veil. She chuckled sinisterly. The men stopped eating while the girls seating beside her continued to eat as if nothing happened. "How many are you in your tribe of local bandits?" "Are you insulting me? We are the strongest! And--" "I asked how many" the cold voice of the young girl echoed through the room "You bitch! Who gave you the permission to talk when the master hasn''t finished speaking--" "You call him master? He''s not qualified enough" Then the bandits raised their swords "Seize them mates!" But what shocked us is when the young girl draw her sword and threw it at the boss of the bandits. In an instant his head rolled to the floor where his mates are standing. And the sword landed neatly on the wall, with blood flowing like water. "You call him boss? I only threw my sword yet he cannot even protect himself, so how capable is he to lead a group? Better than anyone else, at this state will you believe that your lives will be safe by following him? Why not follow me?" She dared to tell the bandits to follow her. 39 Chapter 38: A Journey into the Unknown 11 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Journey into the Unknown (11) Chapter no. 38 Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. (Godly Prince Wu Moying''s POV) Sometimes people are born without wanting to live their intended lives. Some took their lives for granted and some sacrifice theirs because they deem it unworthy. The future is always unpredictable. I am Wu Moying, son of the heavenly emperor, eldest among my brothers and destined to be the next emperor of the Northern Moon Kingdom. When I was young an oracle revealed a prophecy, where the race of the gods and the demons fought for the succeeding survival of their kind. Immortality, it is the objective to stay alive in this world and death is a resting word. My brothers and I were bastard sons of the previous sky emperor. Sons to the common enemy, and our mother the goddess of the Moon bestowed the curse. Humanity was born when the sinners are doomed to lose their powers. As I stare on a pair of hands in front of me, I remember the night that everyone who opposes perish without names on their tombstones. I have ruled with hatred, and the reason I live is for vengeance. A war is going to start soon and I need to keep my people safe. Time is limited and we need Minfeng to get married with the Obsidian princess. The union of their marriage will secure a good ally for the Sky Kingdom and the Northern Moon Kingdom. If things come to an end, I''ll sacrifice my life defending the citizens of my place. "Have they returned?" I asked as I remember that the Qin clan''s third miss set out and travel towards the mountains "They''re still on their way your highness, according to Juju they are on the darkest part of the forest. Our men can easily catch them if your highness wants" "I only need Qin clan''s young miss" I need Minfeng to get married to the Obsidian princess as soon as I catch her and bring her back to her kingdom "But your highness we have a problem, there are two young misses. The third miss Qin Zetian and the fourth miss Qin Weishen." "Two young misses?" "Yes your highness, according to the registry there are four daughters and four sons in the household." "Take the daughter from the main house" Then I remembered, the little girl who hugged the older one. She must be the lost princess, but I cannot take any action to raise the suspicion of the kingdoms. I sighed, the battle between Indigo Valley Kingdom and Moon Kingdom has started and it won''t end any soon. And the Obsidian Kingdom shut its door. I wonder how we''ll survive, we cannot call help from the Sky Kingdom knowing how much it lacks the capacity to defend itself. We only have this continent and that hellish kingdom to count on. I chuckled, if I we can get the princess back we will win the Obsidian Kingdom''s support and the alliance between Moon, Sky and Obsidian Kingdoms will be established. I stood and walked out of the manor. The manor beside us is heavily guarded and its true there''s nothing ordinary inside. All of them relies on their own individual power. Even the madame of the household has ties with other kingdoms. It''s no wonder that they have the princess, but how did it happen? The carriage was ready. I entered and sat on the red chair, drawing my sword from the scabbard. I will battle against anyone who stands in my way if I needed to. We treaded on the wide road of darkness towards the forest. 40 Chapter 39: A Journey into the Unknown 12 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Journey into the Unknown (12) Chapter no. 39 (Qin Zetian''s POV) We are headed back home. The guards move under the light of the moon. Weishen is sleeping while Roushi is eating, a few more cupcakes to go and this glutton will also fall asleep. Serving the military for many years I developed no fear of the dark. But the wind today blows different. It''s cold and haunted. Something will happen tonight, I need to secure their safety. "Weishen wake up!" I whispered "Is there a problem big sister?" She spoke while rubbing her eyes lightly I shook my head and forced a smile. "Just wear this cloak, the same as you Roushi. To keep the both of you from freezing. No matter what happens tonight, you won''t say a thing to anyone. Remember, if you arrive home without me and dad finds out, just say that I went to buy something. And if I do not return to the manor ask Han Yuomei to forge my hand writing and write a letter saying I need to purchase lands somewhere. Does the both of understand?" "Sister what''s going on?" Weishen asked But Roushi stayed silent. She just stared at me and out of nowhere retrieved a dagger. "I will take good care of Weishen till we get home, Zeze take care of yourself please. Who will cook good food for me if you don''t come back?" "Don''t worry, I will return" I assured them, even if I don''t know what I''ll face after this I called for my father''s horse, with the use of one unique whistle. "The both of you, be careful" I reminded them once more They nodded, then Weishen hugged Roushi. "Girls no matter what happens, tie your identity jades to your waste tightly. I need to go now" I shifted my body. When Maximus came I jumped on air and landed on him smoothly. I shifted the position of my body and ride on the horse safely. The sword on my scabbard dangled dangerously as we travel the lonely night. From where I am positioned I hurriedly move to the back of the line. The leader of the guards is an imperial shadow guard and his strength is good. Captain Yang Yulo an infantry commander who got a promotion from the emperor. "Captain, make sure that no matter what happens today you will protect the Princess and my fourth sister. No harm shall befall on them, make sure you arrive safely to the manor. And have the place a lock down. I have ways to enter the manor so do not worry about me. This journey won''t take long, I will stay here because I have some matters to attend to. Keep everyone safe" "Does the young miss intend to stay?" I nodded as I look at the moving line "Hmm, I intend to, send a message to my parents that they shouldn''t worry for me. I am safe no matter where I go" "Then this servant shall wish for the miss'' safety" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I stopped at a good distance and stared at the leaving carriages. Coldness flashed my eyes, the wind blew stronger this time. And the clouds covered the moon. The leaves sang a haunted lullaby and the bats flew together. Shiver run down my spine. "Show yourselves!" I shouted Assassins and uniformed guards surrounded me. Then a carriage suddenly appeared a good distance in front. The exterior was covered in a luxurious coat of black and the gold patterns is something a royal family member possess. I smirked, what did I do this time? I wonder how bad my luck is for attracting so many imperial members. The guards move by batch as they tried to rope me in. I used tiny blades to slit through their necks and my horse shocked me when it grew some wings. A batch of guards dyed the soil red as they fall to the abyss of nothingness. And another batch set their arrows at me, luckily I have a good sword. I brandished the sword and the arrows flew back, killing half of their batch and leaving no one injured. Then a short dagger flew out of the carriage, it has eyes. It flew so fast but what made me dumbfounded is when I was suddenly trapped in the arms of a tall man. Who now holds the dagger at hand pointing towards my neck''s vein? My arms are stiff and my legs are weak. How did he appeared? The speed of a lightning meant years of training. But how did he do that? Trapping me in between his arms with a dagger on my neck. "We need to talk" he said And that changed everything. 41 Chapter 40: A Journey into the Unknown 13 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Journey into the Unknown (13) Chapter no. 40 (Qin Zetian''s POV) The dagger on my neck will leave me with a scar, at this rate it should be a big scar, but if I don''t fight head on my life will be in great danger. If my calculations are right the team should have reached the gates of the capital, they should be halfway through the road and nearer to the manor. If I surrender without a fight men here will never respect me, and it''s likely that when they capture me I''ll be tortured. The man in front of me is so powerful, I don''t know what tricks to play with him. His eyes say how wise and intelligent he is, and his build shows how strong he can be. The sword on my hand shook violently. My horse continued to flap its wings on the air, luckily the guards never targeted him. And I am relieved that this horse is incredibly smart. "What do you want us to talk about?" I asked But the dagger already cut through my skin, the pain engulfed my neck as I feel the blood trickling down. He won''t really show me mercy, I am an unmarried woman and he carved a scar on my neck. How does he expect me to get married? In this era only few will want someone who has a scar, and the rules of the noble households implied that no noble man can marry a girl with flaws. "Why do you have the princess?" He asked "What princess? If you mean the imperial princess Wang Roushi she came for a vacation with the empress. I did no such thing as kidnapping" I answered The dagger even went deeper. "I am talking about the Obsidian Princess" He insisted Another princess? But how will I know, I am only a traveler. "But other than Roushi who else do you mean by saying The Obsidian princess? As far as I know my sisters are humbly married into the palace, and I am only a noble woman. No one else has a title of princess. Not that I have known of, I bet there''s no maidservant in my household who can pretend to be a commoner and abandon her title, that would be odd" "Fine. You''re of no use now--" But before he continued, I immediately retrieved a dagger from my sleeves and plunged it in his body. His eyes turned murderous, then I took the chance to escape from his embrace. I whistled for my horse to fly towards the darkest part of the forest. The man in front of me tried to grab me, I sweep my sword forward and accidentally cut his hair. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. It should have shocked me, but I only cut his hair. Yet he fell on the ground, his face held an ugly expression, as if he was in deep pain. I immediately fought through the guards who stood in my way. I climb a tree and jump towards another. And that continued till I reached the air where my horse is waiting. I have been wounded not just on the neck part, but also at the lower back of my body. This is bad. I thought he won''t cut through, but another dagger came in and stabbed from the back. The culprit? I don''t know who. How will I? If everyone wore masks of unknown styles, and not that I have seen before. But the only idea stuck in my head right now is to escape. I need to get away from them. And for sure they will chase me to death. 42 Chapter 41: A Journey into the Unknown 14 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: A Journey into the Unknown (14) Chapter no. 41 Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. (Qin Zetian''s POV) As we travel the wind became so cold and blood kept on oozing out of my body, maybe because I am in higher altitude. The moon shone so bright and the sky was filled with stars of different types. Then I hugged my cloak tightly as the other hand held the horse''s reins. There are times when I wish for peace and solace, yet trouble seems to look for me. There are times when I asked myself why I need to live a life like this? And there are moments when I question my own existence. How come I have travelled so far, yet it still make me feel caged? And sometimes I wonder what it feels like to be an ordinary person; one who''s happy, simple and contented. Why do I need to be someone of importance? "Maximus, I cannot go home with wounds like these, bring me to a place where I can rest. Bring me somewhere I can hide. Thank you" I whispered as breathing became harder Then I slowly drifted to sleep and lost consciousness. --- Morning finally called me. With an aching head I woke up. I slowly opened my eyes. The sunlight greeted me and birds sang so lively. I touched my forehead. It has a bandages. I checked my clothes yet it has been changed, and what''s odd is that the identity jade I own was still tied on my dress. I frowned. I scanned the room and help myself up. Where is this place? Where am I? The curtains are dancing with the wind. I cannot stand but I can imagine. Where did dad''s horse brought me? What is this place? The bed I''m lying on is covered with the finest silk. The clothes I''m wearing is also made of silk, as well as the curtains and everything else. The walls are oddly cemented with deep rich carvings. And all wooden things have markings. I cannot identify them, is it possible for me to be in another place? The door creaked open. A man engulfed in blinding light walked in. I covered my eyes for a brief moment. "You''re awake, let me help you. It''s time to eat" He said Servants came in, but all of them are males. The man whose presence is so undeniably strong pick the tray up and walk towards me. Suddenly my whole body became stiff, it''s as if someone is controlling me. He sat beside me. And I have never thought I''ll see someone as godly as him. Eyes so blue that I wanna drown in them. Nose so sharp and brows fairly thick. His lips so red and skin as white as pearls. His hair is oddly thick, long and curly. I held my breath for a moment and it''s as if time has stopped running. "Open your mouth" He ordered Then I eventually woke up from the daze and stared at the food offered in front of me. "What is this?" I asked "Food" He said shortly "What did you mix in it?" I asked again "Just eat!" He said, annoyed by the fact that I ask too many questions. But I can''t help, he is a complete stranger to me "O-okay" I answered I opened my mouth and started eating. The food is somehow delicious and I love its distinct taste. It did not take me long before I finished the whole bowl. Then servants came in again and gathered the empty tray. Another batch of servants came and brought clothes for me, I assume. "Where am I?" I asked "You''re in a faraway place" He stood and walked towards the windows, then he stared outside. "Why am I here?" "It was your request to go somewhere far from home to recuperate" he answered "What''s your name?" I waited for an answer but he didn''t answer "Why am I here?" I asked the same question again "You are here because it is your choice, and to stay here will still be your choice" But nothing''s free in this world, so how much will it cost me to stay here? "How much will it cost me?" I asked "Just a marriage" He answered "Oh just a marriage, a little thing¡ªJUST WHAT THE HECK DID YOU SAY? DID YOU SAY MARRIAGE! FREAKING MARRIAGE!--" "Tone down, I am not deaf" Holy crap! This is one of those moments that I''ll say ''I''m doomed'' 43 Chapter 42: Waking Up to Something Different 1 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: Waking Up to Something Different (1) Chapter no. 42 (Crown Prince Xie Yue Yang''s POV) I am the crown prince of Crimson Blood Kingdom, the only son of the almighty Emperor Xie Changming. Descendant of the mightiest war lords and son to the previous Ice Queen. I lived for about a thousand of years now, and reached the peak of immortality. The gods has bestowed power upon me, to be born unrivalled, unparalleled, sagacious, godliest, and the bravest amongst the many. I have fought through the battlefield with the soldiers of death. We have won victory against the demons who intend to colonize the resting continents. Magic and martial arts was born in this kingdom, where the weak is judged as fair as the strongest. I am a prince of many words, a critique, a soldier, and the next war lord. Fairest amongst the fair and wisest amongst the seers. And I am destined to rule this continent. When the world was divided into seven continents, it is as if the divisions became little worlds. With boundaries not known many, and citizens of our own knew not of the existing life behind the borders. We keep everyone locked in this continent, to avoid the pressing matters of what''s beyond. My father, the emperor ruled for peace and kept his people safe and so shall I do the same. But without a fated bride my people has worried for me. And now everyone wants to offer their child''s flesh for me to devour. Yet there is confusion within me, and because of that it hinders me from developing attraction towards the opposite, making me deny a claim from their offspring. I feel uncomfortable when girls are around as if they''ll judge the person in me. And I feel safer when I''m confined within the walls of my palace, along with the man I treated as mine secretly. It is a wishful thinking to marry someone from my kind and I am scared for some reasons. Or maybe, I knew that death awaits to those who fall for their kind. The woman inside me is growing, and I don''t know what medicine to drink to become a real man. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Your highness, Lord Pegasus has returned, the emperor sent a message for you to come immediately" Chen Delun arrived, and ''hurry'' is inevitable in his tone My eyes flew open? Lord Pegasus has returned? But he hasn''t visited us here for a few years, so why did he came back? "How critical is the matter?" I asked "This servant is incompetent your majesty, the emperor will bestow an imperial decree, and his highness needs to receive it at the palace immediately" Delun said as he fixed a fur coat for me I immediately rushed out and went to the imperial palace. When I got there everyone was already seated at their corresponding titles and I was the only one left. "The crown prince has arrived!" the Eunuch mentioned and everyone saluted, then I walk towards the center "Greetings to the Emperor, may the Emperor grace his kingdom a few thousand years more" I saluted my father The emperor laughed "Why are you so serious? Tomorrow we will be having a banquet for the arrival of Lord Pegasus, now receive my decree" Eunuch Fang brought a decree and read it loudly. "The crown prince of Crimson Blood Kingdom, Xie Yue Yang is betrothed to the third miss of the Qin''s Clan. The marriage date will be a year from now. Receive the decree!" I felt my knees weaken on its own. My body gave up and I kneeled down to receive my father''s decree. A marriage? But why? He knew I cannot bear getting into a relationship with a woman. How can he bestow a marriage out of a sudden? Why? Why is he punishing me? I know it is a sin to have a liking towards the same sex, but I cannot help it. My idea of being happy is to be with someone I am very comfortable of. And I cannot just abandon everything for a girl, now can I? "I humbly receive the emperor''s decree, hail to the emperor, may you live a thousand years more" I answered Then I stood and walk to my seat dejectedly. There at the corner I saw the son of the city''s lord, Han Soujin. A great warrior with good looks, someone I knew right when I was born. Someone who defended me in times of trouble and someone who''s dear to me. How can I bear to be away from my own best friend? How can I leave him for a random woman that I have never known existed? Grief engulfed my heart. "Your highness, his majesty the emperor has instructed me to bring you somewhere" "But the meeting hasn''t started yet" "Your highness it is the emperor''s order, we need to hurry your highness" I stood and followed the eunuch. We walked towards my mother''s courtyard, but my mother, the empress of this nation has already passed away. I as the only heir, will inherit everything that my parents have created. But my standing in court is opposed by many, they say I never had a woman by my side so they were doubting if I can rule without an heir. For years my father has let me mingle with different girls, but I chose to go to the battlefield instead and fight with the rebels. That''s because I can never confront him about myself. And I may be outstanding, but I never had the heart of a man. 44 Chapter 43: Waking Up to Something Different 2 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: Waking Up to Something Different (2) Chapter no. 43 (Crown Prince Xie Yue Yang''s POV) I composed myself. I walked so fast that I haven''t noticed how many years have passed since I''ve last visited this courtyard. My mother died because my father cannot protect her from herself. My mother never wanted to marry my father but the fixed marriage between the two was planned by the elders. If my mother break the engagement she and her family will perish in public. So my mother was forced into marrying my father. Lucky for them, my parents loved each other so dearly that it left my father ruling the kingdom alone when she passed away. And memories came flooding in my mind as I came unexpectedly, to reminisce the past that I cannot bury. Now that the tradition is passed to me I cannot say anything at all. My father arranged a marriage for me, and for sure a week from now we will go to the Qin''s manor and ensure the arrangements of the marriage. But how can I force a woman to marry a man she has never known? What''s worst is that I don''t have the ability to love a woman. How can she agree to a marriage that was set without her permission? How can she agree marrying into a loveless marriage? How will she bear to marry me? And what if she already has a lover? I don''t want to turn someone into a crazy woman and I don''t want someone to follow the path that my mother has walked through. The difference is that; I am doubting if I am capable of loving her. This kingdom has so many enemies, so how will I put her into the highest seat of safety? How will care blossom in my heart? When my father trained me to be a heartless one. "You worry too much" I received a light tap on my shoulder "Lord Pegasus?" I was dumbfounded by seeing his presence, I bowed and saluted right after "I said you worry too much, don''t worry she is different." He said, then he reminded me of the pending responsibility that I will need to face alone "But--" "Do not worry, she has answers to your greatest fears. Just go with the flow of fate, let it take you to unexpected adventures. Planning too much will lead you to failure, look we can never control time nor feelings. I have seen this girl grow, and she is different" He said, giving me assurance that if I let go of my doubts something good will happen "But I am--" Yet I want to try to explain my side, how can I leave that man? I know my closest friend doesn''t know a thing of my growing admiration towards him, but I cannot just give him up "You are who you are, as I say we don''t control everything. So we cannot have a final say with feelings or acceptance. She is a woman of a different kind, she will understand. And besides, the person you intend to love is someone engaged and to be married even before you. You wouldn''t want of dreaming to break him right?" Lord Pegasus warned and he wants to make me clear-headed "How--" I stopped talking, the engagement between him and Dongmei mist have been approved, pain engulfed my heart and loneliness shattered my dreaming mind But Lord Pegasus only smiled and left the room. I blinked, how did I get here? He might have used his powers to me. I went inside my mother''s room. And right there, I saw a sight I never thought I''ll ever see. There on the bed she lays. Hair so long and soft. Face so small with a heart shape, lashes so thick, nose so straight and sharp, lips so cute and red, but her brows were knitted together. Is she in pain? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I closed the door behind and move closer to the bed. She looks like an angel sleeping on the bed of my mother. Her face makes me want to scoop her in my arms and protect her. I sat down next to her as gentle as possible and observe her. Her beauty is very different from the girls in this palace, and somehow I think I''ve seen her before... Suddenly her hand moved and clasped mine. "Don''t... Don''t leave me." She whispered. I felt the coldness of her fingertips so my other hand attentively wrapped hers in mine. "I won''t" and then I answered without consciousness 45 Chapter 44: Waking Up to Something Different 3 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: Waking Up to Something Different (3) Chapter no. 44 (Qin Zetian''s POV) A marriage? Is this man crazy? Startled by his unexpected answer I sat upright and think deeply. Where the heck am I? And how did I get to meet someone psychotic? At this era I never thought scammers do exist! Who does he think he is? But the most pressing matter is how will I sit still and marry just like this? I stared at him unbelievingly, with brows raised and a smugly questioning face. "I know, it is hard to digest but you have no choice. Blame it to the horse who delivered you in our doorstep. He shouldn''t have traveled here to bring you to the emperor. Now the emperor bestowed a marriage between us. I am not a stingy person so I am giving you a choice, if you want to leave I can give a pretense to my father about it." "Where is this place? How come my father''s horse have driven so far?" "I don''t know since when the Lord Pegasus became your father''s horse. That noble man can shift as a horse whenever he wants to, but I don''t have any idea why he brought you here in the first place. He only said that you need treatment." He answered "A horse can transform? You must be joking" Damn, I must be in a fairytale, will I see Barbie here too with her majestic Pegasus horses? Or is it possible to see Sleeping Beauty and her fairies? Or maybe Snow White and the Seven Dwarves live here? I must be becoming muddleheaded. "But I am not joking, this is the mystic realm, it is possible for magic and all sorts of oddity to exist." He answered, and what''s more creepy is that his face reflects his sincerity and honesty "You mean you have dragons here?" I asked and gulped my saliva down "You''re odd, amongst the humans dragons do exist. How come you knew nothing about us?" he asked, like duhhh how will I know something if I have never read books about fairytales when I wandered my father''s library? And how exactly will I know if I''m only a wandering soul! I didn''t come from this fictional world like duhhh, and definitely not from this era. "Where are we exactly?" "Come let me help you" he helped me up He held my hand and assisted me towards the windows. And when I saw what''s outside I thought he brought me to paradise. No way! This is insane "Pinch me" I said and he did so painfully, damn it! A place like this really exist! If I didn''t see this in front of me right now I wouldn''t believe it''s real in the first place "Welcome to Crimson Blood Kingdom" He monotonously said I thought the movie Lord of the Rings is made out of the writer''s imagination, but look I am standing to something otherworldly beautiful! And the creatures of Narnia are real! They exist here! Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. It amazes me to be able to stand here today, with a man holding me close to him. Oh such a wonderful feeling. So romantic¡ª Wait! A man! "Why did they chose me to marry you, out of all the women here why ME? I don''t understand at all" "I don''t understand either, when I woke up the emperor has urged me to accept the imperial decree out of thin air." He answered as if like it''s not a big deal so why am I fussing over it? "How are you related to the emperor?" I asked He just smiled at me like he heard something funny. It makes me want to hit him, but I don''t want to damage such a beautiful piece of art. Oh man, I feel ashamed that I am standing next to someone so godly. Damn, he smell so good. "Why should I tell you?" "And why not? How will I know who I''m marrying if you won''t talk?" "Wait you''re considering the marriage?" "I never said I do" His face changed into a blank look. "Until then I won''t tell you" he waved his hand as he turn his back Then he left me there. He walk to the door without pleasantries. And for some reason I felt cold. The place is huge. My room is facing a large waterfall, and it feels like the room I''m in is floating. When I look through the area, flowers of spring flourishes almost everywhere. The air is so fresh but the clouds are oddly pinkish. The sky is Crystal blue, yet why is the clouds colored baby pink? It is because this is the Crimson Blood Kingdom or is it because they have a hidden history that I need to solve? For the meantime let me think of a way to get back to Zhou Kingdom. My business will fall tragically without me! I need to convince that man to bring me home. But he needs to explain what I will lose and what I will gain through this marriage proposal. Like what modern people say "marriage is a business", he''s not bad looking. In fact I must be the lucky one, to be able to marry such man. Let''s just say I was too caught up in military that I forgot to find myself a boyfriend in my past life. But here''s the chance now, hunky and yummy. Then I smiled to myself, I feel like I hit the jackpot. 46 Chapter 45: Waking Up to Something Different 4 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Date Published: March 24, 2020 Chapter Title: Waking Up to Something Different (4) Chapter no. 45 (Second Princess Wang Roushi''s POV) There are times when I feel so alone. I feel complete emptiness, yet I try my best to divert my attention and take my mind away from thinking that I really am. As a princess I grew up in the palace with heavy burdens and dire responsibilities; a woman of noble birth, a dutiful daughter and a promising leader. High expectations, numerous standards of societal rules to strictly follow, proper etiquette and posture, governmental affairs that needs my ideals and tons of other things. I feel deeply suffocated. I feel caged in a life I have never wanted to. And exhausted in living what the norms expect me to do. Where will I seek freedom? Can somebody hear me out there? I feel incredibly isolated. I feel like an outcast, instead of a princess. I feel trapped. But not until I wandered the manor of Qin''s clan and met someone so inspiring that it kept me hooked up whenever she speaks nor she moves. Qin Zetian, I''ll always remember her name whenever I try to close my eyes. She is a lady of a different kind, riding her journey to success and inspiring me to be the same. To follow my desires and go against the tides. But I''m still learning from her, I''m not that brave. For weeks of spending time with her I finally found a new meaning to the word ''friend''. A friend is not just an acquaintance or a companion, a friend is a sister from a different family and I get that. She is like an older sister to me. She is my one true friend. And she taught me how to be an upright woman, who helps the needy and changes people. But right now all I could think of is worry for her safety. We arrived safely at the manor, but she chose to stay there for some odd reasons. But I got her message, something bad will happen if we don''t go home. But it doesn''t justify the fact that she''s not yet back, what if she encountered assassination? "Big sister Ruru, will we see big sister Zeze again?" the eyes of a child speak of her sadness, then tears fall from her eyes. I hugged her tightly, I too am afraid that she''d be gone for long. "Yes Weiwei, we will see Zeze soon. Come, let''s get inside the manor and explain everything okay. Let''s not warrant unnecessary problems, so help me keep Zeze safe" Weishen nodded We entered and explained everything, after that I helped Weishen back to Zeze''s courtyard. I need to leave secretly and meet with my brothers, and for some reasons I know they are the only people who can help me through. When everyone fell asleep I used martial arts to get myself out of the manor. The lock down was even tighter than I thought so it took me awhile before I escaped. I might be secretly proficient in martial arts but I am in not a match to Zeze, so rescuing her alone is impossible for me to accomplish. Meanwhile, I rode a horse and arrived at my brother''s residence shortly. "Brother! You need to help me" I shouted "Why is little piglet princess here?" Shaoxi, which for the first time did not irritate me when he said that "Rou what''s the problem?" "Brother, Zeze is missing and I do not want to alert the manor because she told me to do so. Brother we need to find her! You need to help me find her. She''s my only friend, how miserable will my life be without her?" "What exactly happened?" my older brother Ximen asked as he adjusted the spectacles on his face "We were on our way when she suddenly sensed something, I didn''t even notice it. But then the wind turned crazy and the forest became so creepy. Out of nowhere she awaken Weishen and she handed us thick cloaks. She even smiled and said we might get cold so she asked for us to wear them. Then she prepared the sword on her waist and even tightened her own cloak. Not long after that she called for the captain of the soldiers. She called out the right prime minister''s legendary horse Maximus, I don''t know how she did it but the horse seemed to be there whenever she calls it. Then she shifted her body and jumped on the horse." "You mean to say her intentions were unclear? She left on her own which is interesting" Brother Ximen said "If she sensed danger then it is likely that she will retaliate back at the intruders. However she have you and the fourth miss of the manor, so it is possible that she lets everyone escape and sacrifice herself to stop them." Brother Yuanzhen "Which part of the mountain road did she stopped?" Finally eldest brother asked "I can take you there" I said, because even I cannot remember the name of that road "Zhao Yang prepare the horses, this isn''t a simple matter. We need to be careful when we arrive there. Ximen, protect Rou''er at all cost we won''t know if they left some people to guard or clean the area of the crime scene" For the last two years I never would have thought that I''ll be able to hold and use my sword again. Just wait for me Zeze, I''ll come to save you, I don''t care whichever world you went to. 47 Chapter 46: Waking Up to Something Different 5 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: Waking Up to Something Different (5) Chapter no. 46 (Qin Zetian''s POV) I asked for a servant to bring me something to read because I''m too bored of doing nothing. I missed my family, I always wanted to cook for my mother and my father but I cannot do it again because I''m stuck here. And I don''t even know how they''re doing. Where''s that servant anyway? What''s taking her so long? The door creaked open. I was anticipating that the maidservant brought some books for me but to my disappointment... Why is he here? I covered a blanket all over my body and avoided him. I even rolled around a few times to lock the blanket on my body. I don''t want to see him. "Come on let me take you back home" He said, did I hear it wrongly? He said he''ll take me back home? I thought I''ll be able to venture this kingdom and reveal secret chambers like Harry Potter but I guess I was wrong. Why so sudden? "Don''t you miss your family?" I felt him as he flopped next to me I immediately rushed to get out of the blanket and face him. But it was too tight, so it ended up with my head out and my body still stuck in. My hair flew in all directions like a bird''s nest. Then I came face to face with his dazzling one, I suddenly felt ashamed and inferior to him. "You look much better without a veil and a makeup on" he said, which left me puzzled "What did you say?" I asked "I am taking you home" He answered, but his face doesn''t look happy at all. "Really? But what''s the catch? I mean isn''t it too early to return home? I feel like it''s only a day that I stayed here." "I''d be living with you that''s the catch and correction, you''ve already stayed for over a week now, it''s just that the sky here remains in daylight." "What''s wrong with living with me?" I asked What''s wrong with this guy? I am not that ugly, so why does he despise me too much? He can''t be gay right? I stared at him up and down. "Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked I gently lifted my hand and touched his chest, it is firm and just. But gay people from the modern society love to go to gym and tone their bodies. Hmmm, let me go up to his neck and maybe touch his face? But before I could reach his face he already took hold of my wrist. And stared at me like I''ve done a crime. "Are you seducing me?" His voice was cold then an idea suddenly formed in my head. I hugged him and then my head rested right on his chest. I snake my arm even tighter. So tight that I felt his junior bulge. I smiled sweetly. But gay people also have moments wherein they are turned on by a girl, it was said that a man''s hormones is untimely, even if one is gay. But those were short lived. I looked up and meet his gaze. His face is even more handsome up close. And his breath smells like mint, so so so... "Aren''t you my fianc¨¦? How come you''re questioning me if I am seducing you or not. Does it look like I am? I just want a little touch of you, oh well I can hug you forever like this!" This feels very comfortable than what I''ve expected it to turn out. Without regrets I reached for my goal. I tiptoed and gave him a peck on the lips. He stared at me wide eyed. I stared back at him. He immediately pushed me, then I fell on the bed. He retrieved a handkerchief from his sleeves and wiped his lips harshly. He even drank some tea from the teacup on the table. Then his face became pale, it''s like he instantly became allergic to me. His eyes turned murderous. "Never do that again" "Do what?" I smiled sweetly Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Never do that thing again" "I did what exactly?" "Just don''t do it!" his face was priceless "Oh you mean the kiss? Your lips really taste like strawberries--" "Shut up!" he''s fuming mad "Might I remind you? That teacup you''re holding, I drank from it earlier this morning" He immediately threw the cup away, and the cup broke into pieces. Then he left me there again. He sure sounds interesting. 48 Chapter 47: I Am Very Happy, I Arrived Back Home in One Piece 1 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: I Am Very Happy, I Arrived Back Home in One Piece (1) Chapter no. 47 Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. (Qin Zetian''s POV) Everything went too fast even for me. At first I was chased by an assassin, then the assassin finally confronted me; looking for someone that I clearly have no idea. Then my father''s horse turned into something magical, that horse took me somewhere very far from home when I asked him to and here I am. It feels like I only stayed for a couple of days and now I''m leaving with an extra baggage. The emperor whom I haven''t met decided to betroth me to his son and even let him visit my home to propose for marriage. Yes it feels too fast for me. My goal is to live a peaceful life. And I only wanted to become rich, but here I am with delayed plans. Tangled in a mess that I haven''t expected to come. Tangled in a relationship that makes me guess whether I am the lucky one or I''ll be the unfortunate. And tangled to someone who has a gender crisis! He asked a maidservant to help me into the carriage. He told me that we are going home, and I am very glad about that fact. But I wonder if he mean every word that he said. I don''t even know when or where but upon drinking the tea that the carriage offered it made me fell asleep. Or was it because the ride was long? Neither mattered, as long as I can get home and see my family safe, then it''ll make me at ease. --- The feeling of floating awakened me. I jolted awake so I almost fell from the arms of someone. I shifted my head but it accidentally bumped into someone''s chin. "Keep still and stop being naughty" his cold voice, I immediately opened my eyes, only to find me being carried by him "Where are you taking me?" I asked cautiously, this is embarrassing for me, as a major general no one has ever did things this way for me. This man is really unpredictable. "Can''t you even recognize your own courtyard?" He asked monotonously disappointed I looked around and eventually recognized the area, so he really did take me home! I used a martial art technique to get out of his arms but it was futile. I saw my maidservants but all of their heads are bowed lowly. The courtyard seems so silent. Where are they? "Go back to sleep, we will enter your chambers" "What happened exactly?" I asked him "Don''t ask" I sighed, why is this man so secretive? The maidservants opened the door slowly and we entered. Then he closed the door behind. What left me dumbfounded was when he throw me on the bed. "Can''t you make it a little gentler? Do you really see me as an object that you can throw away? Look I am a person too! You need to respect me! I deserve it!" "You want me to respect you? You said you deserve respect? Act like one and prove it! Don''t go around kissing anyone" He took off his outer robe and fold it. Then he pushed me off the bed, and he lay on it. I fell on the floor with a loud thud. My butt ache, but my pride hurts more. "According to the rules a man and a woman shouldn''t stay in a room especially when they''re not yet married! Get out of my room and find your own" "Father-in-law asked me to take care of you, do you want me to be unfilially irresponsible?" "Don''t you have any decency? At least take your shoes off! And who the hell gave you the permission to call my father yours?" "Take it off yourself and for a hundredth time don''t shout, I am not deaf and I called the Prime Minister ''father-in-law'' and not father! Do we need to clean your ears now?" Then he closed his eyes I got up and moved him out of my bed, yet he''s unmovable. I wanna lay a punch on him but he stayed there, did this guy eat stones? I waved a hand on his face, but he did not react, must be pretending to sleep. I poked his cheek but he never responded. Just showing how calm and relaxed his breathing is. "Oi don''t sleep on my bed, you can sleep somewhere else. Let me sleep on my bed. Get up now!" But it is as if he did not hear a thing. I played tricks but it wasn''t moving him out. So I resorted to laying on top of him. 49 Chapter 48: I Am Very Happy, I Arrived Back Home in One Piece 2 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: I Am Very Happy, I Arrived Back Home in One Piece (2) Chapter no. 48 (Godly Prince Wu Moying''s POV) That night I lost my composure because she knew my hair is my weakness. Every man has a weakness and for me to be cursed as the first descendant of the moon and sky I had it oddly. From then on whenever people attempt to cut my hair I kill them first. And when that girl cut my hair a portion of my power was gone, and I fell on the ground, unable to chase or kill her. My expression is grave, how can a mere girl cut my hair without knowing that it is my sole weakness? "Minfeng what happened?" Zhengzhou asked, then I shifted my gaze to our youngest brother, where did this brat came from "Brothers, the third miss has returned!" He said, but with a strongly disapproving look "What''s so odd with her returning? It''s not as if we lacked the capability to kill her, she returned that means we have more chances to kill her" Zhengzhou said, but Minfeng shook his head in disagreement. "No we cannot touch her, she returned with the crown prince!" when he said Crown Prince, I think I got his message clearly "The crown prince? You mean you''re scared of that fool?" Zhengzhou chuckled, but to make our brother this scared something must be wrong "No not that useless mortal crown prince, she returned with the crown prince of Crimson Blood Kingdom! Crown Prince Xie Yue Yang is here! She got his aid!" He shouted The teacups on the table flew out and broke in pieces when my palm landed on it. She crushed my option to be close with that hellish kingdom. How did she even form an alliance between them? Who let her trespass to that heavily guarded kingdom of voids? How did she even enter their portal? Why Crimson Blood Kingdom? And most of all how did she get to the crown prince? "We need to execute her immediately or brother you can make her yours, she''s a pawn after all! Just trick her into believing that you like her, it will be hitting two birds with one stone, and we can use her to get closer to the crown prince too. If the rumors are true then maybe the crown prince is really a cut-sleeve." Zhengzhou added "No, the Crown prince of Crimson Blood Kingdom is too powerful. We cannot rash our plans, I am not a match against him. He is the number one after all." I sighed "We cannot touch her, they sent an envoy earlier this morning and announced the marriage that''s going to take place, as for when nobody knows. Even the Zhou emperor was too scared to react, but as a ruler he even created a banquet to celebrate the engagement of the two." "Engagement? But didn''t Yu He said the prince likes men? How come he got engaged?" Zhengzhou asked, I do not know the answer either "She must have successfully seduced the prince!" Minfeng concluded, but I don''t think it''s that simple, for the Crimson Blood Emperor to send his only son here, hmm he must have another motive "That cannot be the case, the emperor of Crimson Blood Kingdom is not someone you can trifle with, and the crown prince is too smart for his age too" I answered Their marriage we need to stop it. The Crimson Blood Kingdom is a very powerful kingdom. It was said that the heir loves men, so why is the crown prince getting married instead? I need to investigate this matter. Lives of many are at stake, and our kingdom will be crushed if we harm her. "I doubt he is interested in her" Zhengzhou said disapprovingly "No, the crown prince even carried that girl from the carriage to her chambers. Everyone who stood on the streets saw that, sadly the woman has a veil and the man wore a mask. But the picture they''ve showed created a different picture to the public. From the witnesses who worked on the manor, the prince even went into her chambers and slept there!" "Impudent!" I shouted with rage! Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. 50 Chapter 49: I Am Very Happy, I Arrived Back Home in One Piece 3 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: I Am Very Happy, I Arrived Back Home in One Piece (3) Chapter no. 49 (Qin Zetian''s POV) I was too dumbfounded when my own mother knocked on my door. That has caused the man below me to open his eyes and flip me. I landed on the floor again with a loud thud. He immediately fixed himself and pretended to sleep on my bed as if nothing happened. I raised my fist and attempted to hit him, but my hand stopped mid-air when his left eye opened. "Ze''er can we talk for a while" my mother said "I''m coming out mother" I pulled myself up, and get out of my room. While rubbing my aching butt slowly. I saw the worried look on the face of my mother. I smiled and hugged her. There are moments in your life when you want to feel the same feeling you''ve felt once. For me, I wanted to feel the warmth of a mother to her daughter, like how my mom used to hug me when I''m in deep trouble. Back in the modern days, my mom usually comfort me and make me strong enough to face the problem at hand. And when my dad comes home from a business trip, he always make sure that I am not bothered nor affected by any problem, and that I am well. "I missed you mommy" I whispered "Come child let''s walk for a while and let your fianc¨¦ rest, let mommy take you somewhere" my mom said Mom and I walk out of my courtyard and went to a pavilion. She urged me to sit on one of the carved stone chairs. I obediently sat and listened to her. She stared from afar, and her eyes held a deeper meaning of loneliness. "Ze''er, do you know that when I was your age I was sent by my parents to form an alliance with this kingdom? It was the king who made the arrangements, but I never wanted to go and marry the old emperor. I know how dangerous the palace is, and it is not a playground to play nor a battlefield to fight for. The imperial palace is a GRAVEYARD. Do you know what I did to stop my own marriage?" "Mom... What happened?" I whispered "I ran away, I went to the Northwest of this kingdom and escaped from my responsibilities. Do you know what else happened?" "Mom--" "It was a lonely night for me to stop in an inn. Your father was drunk and so am I. We met by chances and even hid our very own identities. It was a love affair in one night, with no regrets he claimed me. But the soldiers of the emperor found me. They tried to put me in jail because of treason, and then I was sentenced to death by my own parents. Luckily a week after, your father saw me. He saved me, he fought for me and when the doctors came to check on me-- they found out that I am pregnant with your elder sister." I stood up and hugged my mom. I thought the bandits were there to haul her, how come she''d met my father before the incident happened? "The emperor was cruel, he did not let me escape fully. He forced my best friend to be the crown princess. He passed his throne and his son ascended to throne. And before he died, he bestowed marriage between your eldest sister and his son. They have a huge age gap and that was the payment. Do you know how hard it is now? But that didn''t end there" My sister''s marriage and the empress'' marriage is all orchestrated by the former emperor? 51 Chapter 50: I Am Very Happy, I Arrived Back Home in One Piece 4 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: I Am Very Happy, I Arrived Back Home in One Piece (4) Chapter no. 50 (Qin Zetian''s POV) "What do you mean mom?" she touched my hand "Your elder sister doesn''t live a good life, every night the emperor beat her. Her wails never reached the walls of the palace, because the dungeon was remotely closed. The son of your sister is not the son of his husband, but the youngest son of the old emperor. Ze''er they defiled her in the palace, and that is worse than being treated as a servant who warms his majesty''s bed" "I''m sorry mom" I hugged my mother tighter, as a mother she must have died a thousand times to feel the pain that weighs heavily on her shoulders. "You need to promise me that no matter what happens you will protect your siblings and your nephew. Promise me" "I will mother, I will do everything in my power to keep them safe, but I need to keep you and father safe too!" "No! Listen, your father and I have planned everything accordingly. Your second sister was already sent in the neighboring kingdom for the alliance and she is living happily. But the current Zhou emperor wants to declare war against them, your sister is in great danger. Please save your sister Ze''er, I do not care if our kingdom takes over, but do not let your sister be killed. From the spy we sent, we have gathered information that for the next two years the emperor will attack secretly." I shivered. The current emperor is very cruel. "Why can''t you discuss these matters with the empress?" "No, the empress was actually forbidden from interfering the matters of the court. The emperor never favored her, the emperor is actually using her as a hostage and never treated her as a wife. Now that she''s here she must return to the palace immediately, or else we will be accused of kidnapping the empress. The manor will fall, only you can save us Ze''er. Marry the Crimson Crown Prince and we can turn the tables against the emperor" "Who is this Crimson Crown Prince?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Your fianc¨¦ didn''t tell you who he is?" "My fianc¨¦?" "Yes, your fianc¨¦" "Who is he?" "The Crimson Blood Kingdom is the strongest and number one amongst the continents. It was said that their land has a barrier of walls that have portals and will send you to different dimensions when you try to trespass. Their emperor has lived for a few thousand years and each of their citizens practice immortality. You are very lucky to have met that demonic prince" That means that man is the crown prince? No way! He is nowhere near being demonic, how can people describe him as someone so horrible. Well his got this childish attitude towards me, and he hates girls. Or maybe he just hates me. How am I lucky? If I can prove him gay then another goal would pop up, I need to make him straight. But if he is just cold hearted man that means I need to make him fall for me. "Mom are you sure he is the prince?" "Why are you doubting your own fianc¨¦?" "Mom let me cook food for everyone. And let me escort you back to the manor and I''ll head to check out the things that I''ve missed" 53 Chapter 52: I Am Very Happy, I Arrived Back Home in One Piece 6 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: I Am Very Happy, I Arrived Back Home in One Piece (6) Chapter no. 52 (Qin Zetian''s POV) Instead of sitting with everyone, I excused myself and asked my father for his permission to enter his library. I believe he has so many books there that talks about literature. My elder brother, Lushan studied under my father''s guidance when he was young and he grew up intrinsically knowledgeable about politics, economics and history. I believe he also knew about the existence of the seven continents. I sat and brought some of the food that I''ve prepared earlier. Well who said I can''t eat in this room? I chuckled and munched on the fried spicy prawns with garlic rice below. Then I flipped on the books that my father has on his table. These involves matters of the court. I stood and walk towards the shelves on the stone wall. I observed patterns and odd lines from the inner corners of the room. I counted the books and find it odd that every line has a pattern of arrangement. I opened every first book on the shelves, I memorized the letters and start counting again. Then I ended up picking and odd journal which matches the letters on the books. When I grabbed the journal, the walls started to vibrate oddly. The light in my father''s office eventually dimmed and fire ignited the torches that I thought was meant for a luxurious decoration. I smiled, like every chamber there should be a secret passage. You know it''s not quite shocking to see such event when the books and the movies in the modern world shows the same thing. I saw another room which is brightly illuminated. The objects were oddly made of gold and bronze. Dust was nowhere to be seen, it seems like someone cleans the place thoroughly. I chuckled and turn around. Trying to find something that I''m looking for. But it is as if there''s a magic cover, blocking everything visible to become invisible. I closed my eyes and used my senses to feel. If there is pressure there will be molecules suspended in the air. If I can find a trace of energy, that means something exist beyond my capabilities. Where oh where could it be? North? East? West? South? If I entered from the east that means I am the sun, if I fall on the west I''ll be the moon. And to follow the north there will be light and to head south leads to war. So south it is. I opened my eyes and walk towards the south. I touched the wall and the ceiling illuminated the room brightly. The walls dismantled themselves, from the top I saw the shelves. Seven hidden books, from the seven continents. The existing bloodline of the legends are to appear. The duty of the guards have been fulfilled, then the dragon has awakened from his deep slumber. All of a sudden, warm breath fanned behind me. I slowly turned. And saw the mighty dragon. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Is this for real?" I clasped my chest and tried to steady my breath. "Vampire" the dragon said and he smelled me Vampire? I don''t understand. 55 Chapter 54: I Am Very Happy, I Arrived Back Home in One Piece 8 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: I Am Very Happy, I Arrived Back Home in One Piece (8) Chapter no. 54 (Qin Zetian''s POV) I stood there unblinking, unsure of what''s happening. Trying to instill a thought in my head that I am only living this second life for the purpose of finding romantic happiness, spending more time with my family, becoming the richest woman and changing the history. "Do you believe me now?" the dragon transformed into his Human form, and pulled me out of daze. I looked around and found out that he brought me in another dimension. The place turned into a void of endless violets. Violet herbs in vine forms are scattered around the area and they have small white flowers that make it very enchanting as it glows. "Where did you brought me?" "In the battlefield" "You want me to fight with you?" "You''re an intelligent vampire after all, that''s good. Now choose your weapon" Shelves of weapons appeared beside me. Each of them is engulfed with a different light. I feel the strength variations of the energy fluctuations of each weapon. "Choose the best for you" the dragon reminded me I closed my eyes and walk towards the pile of weapons. I felt their vibrations, like each of them wants me to pick them. I pick a double edged sword from the pile of weapons. "You picked the demon''s soul bounded swords. I wonder how possible that is, I knew you came from the Heavenly Dao royalty bloodline of vampires. But seeing you able to wield that sword is beyond my imagination" I opened my eyes and the weapons vanished. His hair turned white and a scar appeared on his face. The hammer he was holding is large and heavy. It does not match his skinny appearance at all. But there must be a good reason why he chose that type of weapon. Or maybe he can manage to shift it into different weapons as long as he likes it. But that needs a higher level of cultivation and much qi energy consumption, well if I''m not mistaken though I knew less about cultivation. How did my life in this era became much complicated? I only wanted to fulfill my dream and be a businesswoman. I only wanted to be a businesswoman, but look I am always facing trouble beyond that. He smashed his hammer and the ground I''m standing on broke in half. I jumped on the flying debris, and he instantly landed a good hit. Luckily I have a last minute to avoid it. Is this guy going to kill me for real? With due respect, I don''t even know how old he is. I just knew that if a heavenly beast covets a human form it is likely to be very powerful and very old. His hammer turned into a whip. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. His whip looks like a rose vine whip, but it was covered in rich red light. It has thorns that contains a toxic fluid on the very tip. It''s likely flying all over the area. My dress tore open on the shoulder part. "Can you aim for something far from the private parts?" "Oh I am not aiming to kill you little girl, I am here to practice and exercise my strength. For so many years I never had the time to play. I was always too busy cultivating in this dimension." "Do you plan to kill me?" "A little" Then his whip slashed on my arm and it bleed badly. Damn it! The poison will kill or disfigure me. Or even cripple this arm. 58 Chapter 57: Vampire, What? 4 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 28, 2020 Chapter Title: Vampire, What? (4) Chapter no. 57 (Qin Zetian''s POV) When I was done I readied the tools that I will need, oh how I wish there are medical tools from the modern world, and it will make my work easier. I started with the basic procedure. It actually took me long removing the dead skin and some of the pus. I realigned the bones of my ankle which is very painful. "Aghhh! Damn it!" I shouted Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. The wounds started to bleed so I hurriedly proceeded to the cleansing of the wounds. This is worse than what I''ve experienced before. I will need to stitch each of the holes and there are like fifteen holes. First I will need to cut through and check if there are remaining foreign objects attached to the side of my skin and I will gladly remove it. And I was right. There are sharp wood fragments coated in blood and they are crystallized because of the cold temperature. I removed the shards and cleaned the cuts. I managed to wipe the blood flowing continuously from the open cut. Since I prepared the needles in advance I only need to put a fiber extracted from pineapple plants that will act as a thread. "Can someone give me a jar of alcohol?" shouted Then the door opened slowly and a jar of wine was delivered. I don''t how the table moved and stopped in front of me but I guess energy transfer from him to this is as easy as magic. I opened the lid and drank directly from it. The taste is nice and soft, just right to endure the pain. I settled the jar down and pick the needles up, time for a little stitching. Since I made an anesthesia the pain will be eased off, or maybe a little. I found a way to inject the anesthesia in my vein. Then I started stitching the cuts. When I was done I put on a clean cloth with disinfectant and tap it gently on the side of the cuts. And then I started putting on a bandage. Every now and then I will need to change bandages. Then someone knocked. "Are you done" his cold voice washed the pain that I was feeling "Yes" I answered weakly The doors opened then he came in and instructed a few servants to clean the room thoroughly. He lifted me up and carried me out of the room. "Where are we going?" "Somewhere" All of a sudden I fell asleep. When I woke up I saw Roushi and Weishen. Roushi is cooking and Weishen is playing the zither. "Big sister I''m glad you''re awake" Weishen smiled at me then Roushi stopped cooking She rushed in front of me and pinch my nose. "What''s that for?" "You were gone for so long and haven''t cooked for me, what you think will I feel for leaving me without food!" "Big sister how are you?" Weishen asked "I am fine, I see gone are the days of you being shy" "Big sister Zeze, big sister Ruru always scold me whenever I shy away so there''s no time for me to adjust and just grow out of my comfort zone" she pouted and act like a bullied child Then I chuckled "Where''s mom?" "She''s with aunt empress lately and they''ve been spending time doing things that they haven''t done once in a while." Then I remembered, I haven''t asked how the empress is doing lately. It feels like I left for a long time. Oh and I need to concoct a new medicine for her to heal completely, sadly I don''t know the basis of using a cultivation furnace for alchemists and medical practitioners. Or I could ask for help from the crown prince hmm! --- Author''s Note: "Starting tomorrow I will only publish 2 to 3 chapters a day, we are heavily affected by Covid19 so it''s likely becoming a hindrance to me to write and keeps me busy all day long. I apologize to the readers because I have not updated for a few days. Expect mass release updates soon. To God be the glory and may all of us be safe from the harm of the virus." 59 Chapter 58: Vampire, What? 5 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 30, 2020 Chapter Title: Vampire, What? (5) Chapter no. 58 (Qin Zetian''s POV) When it was almost night time I brought food and went to the library once again. I tried making excuses from Roushi and Weishen and pretend that I''ll rest early. I searched for the crown prince''s whereabouts but I couldn''t see him, so I turned to ask my mom if she had. But she said the prince received an invitation from the palace and that caused him to leave with urgency along with my father. I guess he''ll deal with the matters of the court and the emperor might be planning with something else. I just hope that we won''t get into trouble. I started writing in a journal book and sorted the things that I will do starting tomorrow. - I need to give batch of medicines to the empress, tonics or antidotes and check her condition. - I need to check the restaurant''s condition and stability. - I need to hire new sets of employees for the farm, and much better if they will belong from the bandits so they are capable of fending off trouble. - I need to start constructing a new building that will be considered as a stock room for the harvested products and eventually build high fences to ward off trouble/ unexpected crimes; especially arson cases. - And then I need to settle a new place here in the capital where I can build a new public market. I stood up and brought a candle with me as I look for medical books. Our residence is known for having the largest medical pavilion in the kingdom so it is likely impossible that I won''t find good medicines there. When I got hold of one book, I never thought that it will lead to a volume of books; if I am not mistaken there should be at least twenty books here that holds a continuation. Well I guess I will need to summarize everything and let time run. I started with the basic medical books which I have mastered from the modern world, so I guess this will be a refresher for me. It has been so long since my mom and I read these. There were vast introductions with the basic herbs commonly used for medicine. There are also steps and procedures on how I''ll prepare the medicine and likely what ailments are suitable for the said herb. But as a modern woman sent to the barracks of military I learned to use them in advances. This world has not yet discovered the benefits of modern medical technology so I guess I will need to rely in my memory of the past. There are also herbs identified with medical properties but based on research studies of modern day these have harmful properties which advances the condition to the next stage. I guess I will need to write my own medical book, because no matter how intelligent and prodigious a person can be it is likely impossible to remember everything at the same time. I am incomparable to a computer, I might add. This will be a night to remember then. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. 60 Chapter 59: Vampire, What? 6 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 30, 2020 Chapter Title: Vampire, What? (6) Chapter no. 59 (Qin Zetian''s POV) It was almost in the hour of liang dian that I managed to leave the library. What I did there was comparable with what I did before I took bar exam. Well back then I earned a license as an attorney but I never wanted to be a lawyer, yet my dad just pursued me to take it up for the purpose of running a business. Back then globalization governed the world. According to Mohan (2009), economic globalization refers to free movement of goods, capital, services, technology and information. [1] Right now I need to determine the type of poison that the empress was given; be it coming from food, drinks, and/ or occurring from the air or the water around her palace. I need to base everything from the findings that even the imperial doctors have not noticed. Then I will test a formula of a medication and try if it will work for her condition. I will need to reconsider her blood pressure, sadly there are no equipment to test it and will make me resort to letting her drink a tonic that lowers blood pressure. Next I need to reconsider a normalization in her body''s sugar. And another reconsideration is the dosage of the medicine. The empress has a weak constitution and I don''t have clear records of her having an asthma since this is ancient times. Absolutely troublesome, I need to work in a time where machines are not yet invented and there are only needles. Well I will trouble the blacksmith to create sets of medical equipment for me. If I could only use magic, then I have already resorted to that, sadly I am powerless. I hurriedly went to the alchemistic room. When I arrived, I immediately think of creating tonics, luckily the ingredients are accessible in the pavilion beside it. It''s actually very refreshing to see tons of herbs in a green garden that is well maintained. And I forgot to ask my father for his permission before entering this area. I chuckled and went on with the ingredients. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. What a lovely sight. Ancient times surely amazes me. I wash the herbs thoroughly, removing unnecessary impurities with the freshly cut herb tips. Then I sat down and started with the procedures I''ve written in my journal book. It was almost lunch time by the time that I was done with the medicines. There are in liquid and solid forms. I''ll try which works best for the empress. So I gathered the medicines and cleaned the area. Then I went to back to my room and asked Han Yuomei to deliver me breakfast while Han Wan prepared my bath and the dress I''ll wear for the day. Being a soldier meant bathing is not a problem when you''re busy. I ate as I walk towards the empress'' courtyard in our residence. I saw her alone. "Good morning your majesty" I said "I haven''t seen you for so long, come here, and let this aunt see you" the queen said I sat beside her and let Han Wan lay the basket with the medicines. "Aunt, I have here a batch of medicines, first we need to eliminate the poison in your body. Then we need to nourish it back to health. You will take the medicine in one week, then you are free to take nourishing pills. I will Han Yuomei handle everything since I have already instructed her." "Thank you, this means a lot to me. I don''t know how I can repay you. If you need anything else, feel free to tell me." I nodded, then the empress hugged. It''s somewhat strange though. This feeling. Why is it that I feel a closer bond to her than my own mother? --- [1] Mohan (2009) 61 Chapter 60: Vampire, What? 7 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 30, 2020 Chapter Title: Vampire, What? (7) Chapter no. 60 (Qin Zetian''s POV) Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I finally had the luxury of time to visit the restaurant. When the employees saw me; everyone greeted me courteously. Then shopkeeper Sheng lead me at my office. "Good morning miss, it has been long since you last visited. These are the accounting books and these are the receipts that we have gathered from the bank. There are also pending applicants who wants to work in your cuisine. But without your instructions we dare not hire them, for they have to go under training and series of tests." I nodded, satisfied with how the business is doing, even when I have been gone for long. I stared at the window and felt like summer is almost over. "I will check on them later, thank you shopkeeper Sheng and tell everyone that I praised them for their hard work. Shopkeeper Sheng since the restaurant had been doing well, can you tell me how the employees are doing?" "Madam, the employees are doing well and they are very happy with their jobs. We just have a little problem and this I am ashamed to tell the madam." He said "What is it?" "The cold season is coming and the workers are afraid that the ingredients will run out of supply. This servant begs the madam to help our families also for the coming winter. We will be in hunger for food supplies and our families will starve to death." "The winter" I said I nodded and started formulating a plan in my mind. "Shopkeeper Sheng tell everyone that the shop will close early today. We will have an urgent meeting. Everyone''s concerns will be addressed and we will create solutions to the problems." "Thank you so much mistress, this servant owes his life to you. If your ladyship excuses this servant, this servant shall deliver her ladyship''s order" Shopkeeper Sheng left with a smiling face I see a bigger picture now. I think I will need to keep the men in the mountains and ask my father for help. I need laborers who will build new houses for the families of my employees. And I will cater at least a thousand people so I think a condominium planning is good for every family. There will be at least three buildings with five floors each; and a minimum of ten rooms each floor. That would be enough for now. I scanned the accounting books and saw that we have tripled the previous profits. Since it''s the starting of fall, I might also prepare gifts for everyone and their winter bonuses. That''s how everything works in the modern world, I can''t be too stingy alright, because I know we cannot bring the title that hangs on the end of our names, the wealth we''ve acquired and money when we die. Death is a process of resting and you cannot bring anything with you when you die. What I want to achieve is the happiness of people around me. I strongly desire for a change. And I want to change their lives and make it better. 63 Chapter 62: Vampire, What? 9 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: March 31, 2020 Chapter Title: Vampire, What? (9) Chapter no. 62 (Qin Zetian''s POV) The area is well ventilated so it wasn''t hard for me to keep my cool. Luckily this place is surrounded by trees and mint shrubs below so the place is kept minty, cold and fragrantly suitable for business meetings. I sat at the front and faced my employees, when I went in earlier all of them bowed and greeted me with smiling faces, yet sad eyes. So I wonder how grave their burdens must be. "Good afternoon, today I called for this meeting to address everyone''s concerns. As an upright leader I need to check the stability of my business, not only that; I also want to ensure that the needs of my employees are met. All of you are given the right to live comfortably, so today let me hear your struggles and hand in hand we will find a solution to it. As long as it is within my capabilities, I assure you that no one will suffer injustice." All of them smiled with hope visible in their eyes "The table is now open for raising concerns, who wants to start first? We need to hear every concern one by one, there''s no rush we have till night time to sort things out and if we can''t finish this today we will extend till tomorrow." A man stood up and bowed his head politely. "Greetings young madam, I am one of the kitchen staffs and I just want to address a concern this is for everyone here who has the same situation as me. I am only a broke man with a family relying solely on me, the winter is coming and the price of goods has risen so it is highly impossible for us to live having three meals a day. Our house is just an old hut with no doors, no windows and a broken roof. The cold season is coming and I am afraid that it will be the end for me and my family. Young madam, when I have accepted this job I finally have hope just like everyone else here. This servant begs the madam to help us. We have nowhere to go." The man kneeled and so does everybody, then he cried. I felt a tinge of pity. I know how hard their lives are based on the reports that I have gathered from a thorough investigation back when I first hired them. I smiled and my heart has softened. "Please stand all of you. I have actually planned for a relocation site and I know everyone here will be delighted to live in a new home. We just need to start with the new projects and everyone else will follow. It is already the start of fall tomorrow, so we will have a tight schedule of three months to build the housing projects and to finally establish a super market. And I am delighted that I can help all of you and your families. But before I discuss with everything are there any more concerns?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Young mistress, this servant wants to ask if we are allowed to gain access to medicines. The cold month will get everyone unexpectedly sick and we might never know if another plague occurs." "A plague?" I turned to shopkeeper Sheng 65 Chapter 64: Vampire, What? 11 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: April 1, 2020 Chapter Title: Vampire, What? (11) Chapter no. 64 (Qin Zetian''s POV) I walk back with my father and my eldest brother. I need their help so I could accomplish my business plan successfully. "Ze''er since when have you planned all of these?" my brother asked "I have planned everything right when I saw how lucky I am that our family can provide for our needs and others can''t" "You really make us proud Ze''er, okay I will tell our men to work for you in the mountains. But I''d like your brother to accompany you tomorrow. In case danger arises, he will be there to help you fend off trouble." My dad said as I helped him arrange the time table along with my brother "Your fianc¨¦ looked for your whereabouts earlier" my brother said as we head back to our courtyards "Oh, brother where is he?" "I think he''s back at your courtyard. Do you want me to accompany you back?" I shook my head and thanked my brother for the wonderful walk I hurriedly went back to my courtyard. The servants greeted me silently and I replied with a nod. Then they opened the door for me and I found the prince standing by the window. "Have you eaten dinner? I brought some for you" I said He suddenly showed up behind me. Then I felt his hands snake on my waist and his head fell on mine. Won''t it be hard for him? I mean I barely reach his shoulders. "The king is proposing an alliance to me, and he is using the fourth princess whose name is not worth mentioning." His voice turned cold "Did you met her?" I asked "I did earlier and her face disgusts me. And I thought for a while that I am prettier than-- ahem... I mean you are way better in everything compared to her" he coughed lightly Did he just say he''s prettier than her? Oh my god! He really is gay! And my assumptions were right! T.T He is gay. "How did you respond with the emperor''s proposal?" "I said ''NO'', who wants to marry such daughter? She looks like a prostitute who works in a brothel and with a disgusting bony figure that''s as if her body would dismantle itself when the wind blows her. I am never marrying such woman! Too shameful!" he said as he shivered behind me, like the princess is someone exaggeratedly disgusting Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. I chuckled. Damn! This guy is actually gay. "Why the hell are you hugging me?" I asked "I want a comfort from a sister¡ªI mean, I love your body. It''s cute and comfortable." He is weird. Why am I with a weirdo? Or does he find it hard to accept his gender? Or is he scared of telling people about his gender? Oh man! I need to work fast to make him fall for me. "Hug me tighter" I said Okay, I feel like I am actually becoming a pervert here. Hehehe He hugged me tighter. "Do you feel that?" I asked, referring to the bulge in between his legs "Feel what?" He asked "That..." then I rubbed my butt on his¡ª "Damn it! What are you talking about?" Oh gosh this man is actually slow. 66 Chapter 65: Vampire, What? 12 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: April 2, 2020 Chapter Title: Vampire, What? (12) Chapter no. 65 (Qin Zetian''s POV) "You''re so comfortable" I said as he hugged me, with my head lying on his chest. He slowly patted my head. "You''re so short" He grunted "Girls are meant to be short and boys are meant to be taller than girls, so when we hug a boy our heads would end on the chest part. That''s so romantic, feeling your lover''s heartbeat." Then his right hand moved up and pinch my left cheek "Ouch! Why do you keep on hurting my face?" I pushed him lightly, then he chuckled "I''m way prettier¡ªyou''re so irresistible!" then slumped on my bed I rushed forward and jump on top of him, but he pushed me off the bed. I fell on the floor again, with a loud thud. I stood slowly, feeling the pain on my butt. "Move aside" I said, then he chuckled once more and moved aside I flopped next to him and grabbed my blanket. I was planning to roll over but the moment I moved I felt his lips on mine. My eyes widened in disbelief. He immediately broke the kiss and rolled his body till he got to the opposite of the bed and covered himself with my blanket. "Just what the heck did you do?" I asked "Shut up!" He answered "No, you purposely positioned yourself so close to me that my lips landed perfectly on yours when I tried to roll" I argued, with the feeling of victory. His lips are so soft and it tastes so sweet. "Shut up!" He said But I teased him more. He threw the blanket all of a sudden. Then he faced me and kissed me. I was so shock to respond that I laid there frozen while his lips started to move. When I got out of my daze, I started to fight his kisses back. It lasted for two minutes I guess. Then he stared intently at me. "Are you satisfied now?" He asked I nodded awkwardly. "Now shut up, and go to sleep." He said I nodded again and covered my face and my body with my blanket, till only my eyes are visible. I feel extremely shy. But my first goal is achieved, he kissed me voluntarily. He went back to his position and fell asleep. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Yet something is odd. I can''t sleep no matter how I try. So I sat up and stared at him. Then I suddenly realized that he is sweating so much that I thought he must be in a spooky dream. I reached for his forehead. He still has the normal temperature. So what''s happening to him? "Mom don''t leave." He whispered I stared at him intently and held his hand. "Mom, she''s hurting me. Mom..." he said Who''s hurting him? "Mom, save me. Mom... Mom... No! Mom!" I woke him up. I tried pinching him but it was useless. I slapped him hard, but I saw a protective barrier surrounding his body and he is glowing. Damn it! I punched him with all my might, but the barrier reacted and push me off the bed. "Han Wan! Bring me a jar of water! Hurry!" the maidservants guarding outside moved and immediately sent a jar of water. I told them to guard the door securely. I readied the needles. Then I poured the water in his body. He is finally drenched in cold water but that did not wake him up. Then I used needles to wake his acupuncture points. 67 Chapter 66: Vampire, What? 13 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: April 3, 2020 Chapter Title: Vampire, What? (13) Chapter no. 66 (Qin Zetian''s POV) The carriage move towards the peak of the mountain where a small rural community is located. The sky is blue and cumulus clouds are seen like large marshmallows. Oh how I miss eating marshmallows, should I create one when I get home? Indeed, Roushi and Weishen will be delighted to eat marshmallows with me. My brother sat in a carriage ahead of mine. While I sat with the crown prince silently. "It''s been a few days that we are together but I still haven''t gotten your name. What do I call you?" I asked him He drank his tea and stared at the window beside him. "Call me Yang-Yang" He said Yang-Yang? O.o "Yang-Yang?" I clarified "Hmm, or is it better to call me husband?" he suggested "Are you kidding me? We''re not even married. And you''re not yet straight." I suddenly realized what I''ve said, so I hurriedly held my mouth with both hands "What do you mean by straight?" he asked "Nothing" I answered "Don''t make me repeat my question twice." He said "Are you even capable of loving women?" I asked, with hands still covering my mouth "Hmm, I don''t know" he answered nonchalantly "What do you mean by you don''t know?" I stood and shook him, both hands on his shoulders and a close proximity to his face Then he grabbed my arm and I fell on his body. He stared intently at me. "Why are you so annoying?" He asked "Release me!" I ordered "No" He answered firmly I wriggled out of his hold but he is too strong. His face drew close to mine and he said something that I''ll never forget. "I love men" he whispered I froze there. Damn it! Why is everybody wanting me to marry him? What sin have I done to the heavens? Why am I being punished like this? I stared at his angelic face, wondering how I''ll make him straight. Then we heard a knock, immediately putting me out of trance. "What is it?" I asked "I am very sorry for the interruption young miss, but the second prince has joined the route towards the mountain. He is currently in the young master''s carriage. The young master sent a message that the second prince wanted to escort her ladyship and seek an audience." "Okay, inform me for more important matters" I answered back What does the second prince want and why is he here? "Who''s that second prince?" Yang-Yang asked "The eldest son of the empress." I answered Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "How outstanding is he?" "I don''t know too" "I wanna see him..." "No you''re not going to see any male!" I shouted "Why not?" he asked with a mocking voice "I will prohibit you from doing so" "Can you stop me?" he challenged "YES" "But I only want to see if he is in par with me. Of course I don''t want any man near you." He whispered I suddenly lost my brain there. Wait why is he acting like a possessive all of a sudden? OMG! What if he is Bisexual? What am I gonna do? 68 Chapter 67: Vampire, What? 14 COPYRIGHT ? A. D. Torres Date Published: April 3, 2020 Chapter Title: Vampire, What? (14) Chapter no. 67 (Qin Zetian''s POV) When we arrived at the rural community everyone was so respectful. I brought my father''s men and some of my uncle''s trusted carpenters. The materials for the construction is also ready. But before I could jump out of the carriage the second prince approached us. And instead of meeting him, Yang-Yang''s domineering presence greeted him in cold shoulder. Then Yang-Yang moved out of the carriage first and signaled me to come down. What made me lose my composure was when he offered his hand and escorted me out of the carriage safely. "It is a pleasure to finally meet the Crown Prince of the Crimson Blood Kingdom. How have you been your highness?" the second prince greeted but the stoic man who''s holding my hand did not even cast a glance to the second prince "I have been well" Yang-Yang answered and then he pulled me far from the second prince "I thought you love men" I whispered "Why will I choose a mortal? He is just an insignificant person in the world of cultivation. With one look, I knew right away that he came from an insignificant sect that practices forbidden techniques. And his looks? Quite average" So how strong is Yang-Yang? If he has the courage to speak ill words and belittle people then he must be someone from the superiors of the cultivation world. "How strong are you?" "A snap of my hand and I''ll kill every living being in this kingdom. Do you want to see?" He smirked as we stare at the men working on the fields "Can you eliminate the emperor?" I asked "I can without batting an eye" He answered "Young miss the fourth princess has arrived" then I saw my brother, he accompanied a girl who''s as young as Weishen "Crown prince Xie, I can''t believe that my heart is right and I''ll see you here." She shouted Then all of the servants felt ashamed. She stopped a meter from us. Then she stared at me when Yang-Yang pretended to hear nothing. I chuckled and sat on one of the benches. Yang-Yang sat beside me then. "You wench! How come you did not greet this princess? And how dare you seat beside my prince? Get lost!" I did not even lift my head to look at her. It must be bad that she''s becoming too annoying for all of us. "ARE YOU DEAF? Guards drag her out of this property and lock her in the dungeons!" "Guards" Yang-Yang said Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Then ten men in royal black and golden uniforms appeared out of thin air. It shocked all of us, but it''s so odd that all of them are handsome. These are Crimson Blood Kingdom''s guards? "Your highness, your ladyship" I nodded and smiled, then I stared at Yang-Yang whose busy eating Wait! He''s eating food coming out of nowhere. "Drag her to this kingdom''s palace and tell his majesty to lock her daughter inside his palace and never to step foot on the outside world." "No! I am to be your wife, that''s what father said. Guards drag that pretentious woman instead!" the guards tried to approach me but they vanished in a blink and what''s left is a show with the fourth princess being carried away "No! Don''t touch me! I am the crown princess of the Crimson Blood Kingdom!" she wailed like a pig "That girl is irritating" Yang-Yang said 1 Rebirth of the Last Empress Copyright ? A.D. Torres; April 2020 Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@Ahcejiejieiii) Editor(s): none Date Published: April 29, 2020 Book Status: Ongoing Country: Philippines Region X: Cagayan de Oro City COPYRIGHT ? April 2020 Copyright ¨C All Rights Reserved. No part of this book should be Reproduced, Distributed, or Transmitted in any form (or by any means including; (1) Copying and publishing to another sites for ''offline reading purposes'', (2) Copying and printing hard copies, (3) Recording, (4) Making soft copies, and/or other electronic or mechanical methods) without prior knowledge and legal proof of permission from the author, Ahce Darato Torres. Exceptionalities: (1) The use of ''Direct Quotation'' in a critical or literary review which clearly sites references, (2) The use of ''Direct Quotation'' for certain noncommercial use which is permitted by the Copyright Law, and (3) The use of ''Direct Quotation'' in a ''hugot post''. Disclaimer. This is a work of fiction. (1) Names (2) Characters ¨C portrayals and descriptions (3) Business ¨C products and details mentioned (4) Story Settings ¨C locales and scene descriptions (5) Events ¨C celebration, events, incidents/ accidents (6) Story Plot Are either a product of the writer''s imagination and/ used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual entities (person, mythical creatures, animals, supernatural beings); living or dead, and all of the things included above are purely coincidental. Story Description. Legendary affluent head of the Lombardi family''s pharmaceutical company, Cresencia, passionate Eurasian chef \u0026 neurosurgeon has dedicated her life in running the world''s most revered technologically-advanced corporate medical hospital, and building internationally successful food business empire. But something dark and dangerous had long haunted Cresencia''s life which led her living alone. She witnessed fear in her mother''s eyes, locked in her childhood memories of blood spilling household massacre. And now the same fortune is leading her in terror as the sound of her own screams echo through the ship''s cabin, an almost peaceful vacation trip plotted by her father turned grave. Shipwrecked on the deep stormy seas, betrayed by her father and stepsister, Cresencia finds herself washed up on the strange ancient island of Cuixia, a land bestowed by the emperor to Duke Feng Changming and Duchess Murong Jiayi, childless military couple. Fostered by sovereign military rulers and pampered with love she grew up as an outstanding noble heiress, ready to conquer the world of the past. Cresencia ignites both sovereignty and revenge, and discovers a destiny that tests her will to claim a land rightfully hers, and the one man she will love. --- Writer''s Social Media accounts (you can DM, Follow or support me through): (1) Instagram: @ahcejiejieiii (2) Twitter: @Ahcejiejieiii ¨C Ahce Darato Torres (3) Webnovel: @Ahcejiejieiii (4) Wattpad: @Ahcejiejieiii (5) Ahce Darato Torres (@ahcejiejieiii) Author''s Note: Hello readers! It''s been a year since I''ve stopped writing. Did you miss me? Because I missed everyone so bad, and I missed writing too. So here''s a new book; Rebirth of the Last Empress, it is a novel obviously. I don''t wanna give spoilers but I''ll give you a clue ''it''s a transmigration story'' but not your typical bullied-damsel in distress. Well having a poor character is not my forte, so expect a well-versed, humorous, comedian, and a talented noble lady with a big heart, ready to fight and make you happy. Keep safe from Covid19. Your writer, Ahce 2 Chapter 1: My Mothers Death Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: My Mother''s Death Chapter no. 1 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@TorresAhceDarato) Date published: April 29, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Crsencia''s POV) I stood at the deck of the ship, sipping wine as I watch the stars above. Those stars glitter like sparkling dust, free from the cruelty of the world and I envy them. I am but a mere human who wish to live a good life after my mother''s death and take good care of my grandfather''s legacy. This twenty-nine year old body has seen the world at its most glorious days and has visited the doors of hell once; when the glorious days have perished. A place I never want to see again. I was only seven years old back then, it was twenty-fifth of December where a celebration was held back home and later ended the lives of my family members, excluding my father who was away for a business trip and I as the last witness. People are screaming, I saw the fear in my mother''s eyes as she held me and silenced my brother. But I was too young to understand what was happening, so I rushed out of our hiding place and ran away. Hiding myself in an antique decorative room which enabled me to see everything that was happening in our large living room. My grandfather was shot dead and grandmother was dying beside him. Men in black raided the room and left no one alive, but the most heartbreaking part was seeing my mother look for me. Gunshots rang as her body fell limp on the floor, and my brother, he was tortured before his head rolled to the ground. Those men stole every precious item in the room and left when a lady ordered them in a phone call. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) I went out of my hiding place and stare at the dead bodies of people I once call ''my family''. But I was too shocked to cry, I hurriedly dialed the emergency hotline, directing me to the police station. The sound of ambulance echoed like a creepy siren for a seven year old kid who witnessed a massacre. I stood still and watch as men in blue and black uniforms carry my loved ones. It was painful. But not as painful when my father went home with a new bride, and a daughter in his arms. How did he move on so fast and forget about my mom? What about the family we once lost? They should be irreplaceable, but he did not care. I was too lost in my own world that I found the strength to build a wall around me. Striving too hard to keep my place as the head of my grandfather''s company and eventually dominating my father''s company, leaving no rooms for stepdaughters to excel. But fate was playing with me. I saw my boyfriend stolen by the stepsister I treated like a little sister and that doesn''t end there. "They are getting married." And the death of my stepmother told another side of the story. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) 3 Chapter 2: The Horrible Truth Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: The Horrible Truth Chapter no. 2 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@ahcejiejieiii) Date published: April 29, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Cresencia''s POV) I lost consciousness, and maybe I was too drunk to remember anything. But as I woke up I saw myself tied on a chair in an empty cabin. The smell of dried blood and rotten flesh lingered in the air. And the waves of the sea made me dizzy. A television screen appeared in front of me illuminating the area, and when I look around I saw heads of people hanging, scaring me to the bones. I puked, and saw the floor littered with worms. A movie started playing! I saw my seven year old self playing with the butterflies. I saw memorable clips that I''ll remember throughout my life. Then a horrible massacre took the fun, I shivered, who recorded this? Why are they playing this? I saw the lady who killed my mother. I saw the killer killed by her daughter. And the stepsister I have was actually in a relationship with my father! Videos of them making out made me puke the second time. Everything started when she was ten years old, my father keep recording events of him molesting this stepdaughter and when she turned twelve that was the first time he ravaged her. Leaving nothing but pain. I remember her unable to sleep at night, which led to nights of crying and sleeping in my room. But I knew nothing, I knew not of my father''s fetishes and I know nothing about their relationship. How will I blame a girl who cannot even fight for herself? But her marrying my boyfriend is still improper, she betrayed me. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) I stare at the screen which keep playing how my father degraded her into nothing but a bed slave. He played with her and her screams were unheard, they played while I was buried into years of work. There are no evil words enough to describe my father. It might be my stepmother who ordered to kill my family but it was father''s plan all along. He took over the company, and when he started having fun he passed all of his responsibilities to me. I was left there alone, spending the rest of my life in loads of work and perfection. While he got close to his second family, bullying his wife and molesting his stepdaughter in a secret not known to me, I cannot believe that the man I idolized was just a fictional character. The man I call father is no longer the father I once knew. Morning came in and when I notice the sun up high a flash news appeared on the screen. It was my father. He was caught for his crimes. He was sentenced to death. Then I saw my stepsister, she took over the company and mourned for my death. And my ex was there beside her, doing the same thing. She is a shrewd woman, but what did I do for her to dispose me? The ship turn abruptly, and I fell on the floor. The sound of large waves crashing on the ship made me think of a place where storms occur with the sun up high. "Did she send me to Bermuda Triangle?" The waves continued till water currents drowned the ship. I was tied so it was impossible to get out of this ship. I tried my best, but darkness filled my vison. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) 4 Chapter 3: The Generals of Cuixia Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: The Generals'' of Cuixia Chapter no. 3 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@Ahcejiejieiii) Date published: April 29, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Third person''s POV) "General Feng, it has been a long time since we had a vacation as long as this." A beautiful lady was trapped in a warm embrace by a man with striking features "General Murong-Feng, I believe the emperor wants us to focus on family planning. After all, we have done so much for the kingdom, his majesty must be thinking that now is the right time for you to conceive." The man answered with a smile, but his eyes reflected how sad he truly is. "Husband, I am but a person who was poisoned, I can no longer bear you a child" the lady smiled sadly, then a tear escaped her eye General Feng Changming wiped the tear which fell from his wife''s eye. He did not blame his wife, if it was not for saving his life she would still be able to give him a child. War broke at the northern border, the east rushed forward to rescue them but it was a half-step late. General Feng Changming led the troop to war against the barbarians, and he sent a message to the east for help. General Murong Jiayi hurriedly came to rescue them but when she arrived it was already too late, Changming is almost knocking death''s door. Jiayi took the arrow of poison and it damaged her womb that was already carrying an unborn child, which led to a childless marriage. But no one knew the secrets of the military couple. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) "What if a blessing is coming our way?" the wife asked "Let''s go and search for the blessing" the husband answered He asked his wife''s hand and led her towards the open shore of the island. It feels like paradise in a world of their own. They were walking hand in hand. Sweet talks and laughter vibrated through the serene sea. While they look for the treasure they''ve been dying to have. "Ming''er do you see that?" Jiayi pointed at the sea "See what?" "That one! It looks like a body." "Huh? But I see nothing. Where exactly..." But before he could answer his wife already ran to the sea. He followed behind her, afraid of the dangers the ocean has hidden. She rushed till the water reached her waist as she pulled a floating body. His husband helped her as he immediately carried the child in his arms and together they ran to the sand of hope. "Is she breathing?" the man asked her wife "Barely, she''s so cold. Lend me a satin, I''ll warm her up." the wife answered They took the child to their residence. They called for physicians to check on the child and search for her parents, but they found nothing. No traces of children missing from noble households, it was as if the ship at the bottom of the sea was a dead end. The empty manor was finally filled with warmth. As a five year old kid decided that she will live. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) 5 Chapter 4: A New Beginning Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: A New Beginning Chapter no. 4 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@Ahcejiejieiii) Date published: April 29, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Cresencia''s POV) I woke up with sweat pouring out of my body. I sat up and reach for a glass of cold water on the bedside table. The coldness of the water run through my throat, sending relief to my stiff muscles as I continuously gulp the water down. Today is the day I''ve awaited the most, a day I can finally return to the capital. There might be bad memories from my modern past but a new chapter is about to open, and I don''t want to miss this chance. A chance to live a life with happiness. For me everyone who lives in this manor are people I call ''my real family'' and no one can replace them. My father, Duke Feng Changming is a veteran general who won victorious battles whenever the emperor send him to war. While my mother was once a military general, Duchess Feng Jiayi who stopped her career and took care of me. And we live in an island filled with kind hearted people. Far from the cruelty that I once witnessed, far from pain and worry, far from crimes and betrayal, and far from the malicious thoughts of other aristocratic families. We live in peace, prosperity, fairness and love. But it''s time to leave this peaceful paradise. I need to start a new journey. Somewhere behind these seas. And far from everything familiar to me. The emperor sent an invitation to my parents, a glorious event for officially crowning the appointed prince to be a crown prince and the selection of his imperial consort. Since I am nearing my eighteenth birthday it is only right for me to participate in a selection which is mandatory for every noble lady. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) "Lei''er it''s time to go, come and bid everyone goodbye" my mom tapped my shoulder, I smiled at her and hold her hand as we walk out of my room. The ship sail on a summer night, where the moon and stars shine bright. My mother sing a lullaby as we sit on the deck, feeling the waves of the sea as it calls me to my destiny. Oh sweet summer night, a night I''ll remember the most. When I woke up it is already morning. The sun shine so bright. "We''ve arrived at the port, all we need to do is eat and wait at the carriage. Our men with unload our things and transfer it to carriages and after that we will travel to our manor in the capital. Oh dear, it has been so long since I last visited the capital." My mother said, while my dad chuckled "I will accompany the two of you home, and I will leave immediately. The emperor has summoned me, we''ve got matters that needs our attention." "Don''t overwork yourself father" "I won''t, look, my beautiful wife and daughter has taken good care of me. I am fit to work and ready for anything." The life in the capital starts now. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) 6 Chapter 5: Home in the Capital Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: Home in the Capital Chapter no. 5 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@Ahcejiejieiii) Date published: April 29, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Cresencia''s POV) In my past life I have never experienced being pampered by my mother, maybe ''cause I have a little brother who needs more motherly care, while my father attentively attend business trips. Leaving me with a nanny or to spend time with my grandparents, learning business and arts. Meanwhile, my older cousin Jun always make sure that I learn martial arts with him, and what I got was two years of hellish training with coach Yang. But sometimes I wonder what it feels like to have a normal life. Yet before I could achieve something, all of them were taken away from me. I pulled myself out of my drifting thoughts. I stare at the beautiful trees lined on the road, flowers blossom on the green grass and the birds are singing with the wind. The smell of fresh air lingered and the excitement within me grows strong. I might have visited all the tourist destinations from the modern world, but what I see in front of me is far more beautiful. The edited images featured in magazines paled in comparison to this place. "Mom, it''s breathtaking..." I whispered "Lei''er, you haven''t seen what''s inside" mom answered "Really? You mean even more beautiful than our home back at the island?" My dad chuckled. "Welcome to the capital dear" mom said I smiled at my parents. "Who lives here?" I asked "Your grandfather, the servants and the soldiers live here. We have a military base at the back of the manor, and that is about a hundred and fifty hectares of land, bought by your grandfather when he was still the general. It accommodates five hundred soldiers in camp and trains two hundred trainees." My father said (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) I nodded. I wanna check the whole place out! I mean this is ancient era and no one has been given the opportunity to do tours. I want to be the first person to try. This is super cool! And I can''t believe I''m living in this manor. We got out of the carriage. I saw a man in his fifties, standing by the door and smiling at us. The maidservants were lined up and their uniforms are accordingly. There are military soldiers in uniform and all of them saluted at my parents. "Father!" My dad run to the man and hug him, both of them must have missed each other "That is your grandfather, General Feng Moying, one of the veterans who never grow old." My mother urge me to walk faster "Is this Lei''er?" My grandfather ask "Grandpa" I mumbled and walk closer to him Hey my grandfather is too tall, 6''4, am I the only dwarf in the family? I mean, my mom is 6''0, my dad is 6''3, and I am only 5''8 tall. Well it doesn''t matter, this is my family. "You''ve grown so big since the last time I saw you! Come and give this old man a hug" I walk forward and give my grandfather a bear hug. In him I remember a distant memory of my modern grandfather. I miss my grandparents. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) 7 Chapter 6: Owning My Grandmothers Kitchen Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: Owning My Grandmother''s Kitchen Chapter no. 6 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@Ahcejiejieiii) Date published: April 29, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Feng Jiang Lei''s POV) I wander around the manor and find myself in the kitchen. Chefs and kitchen servants are busy preparing food for lunch time. And the scene in front of me made me remember how I usually stand at the side to supervise my employees the very first time that I established a restaurant. Oh how I miss having a restaurant! "Young miss? Why are you here?" One of the servants recognized me, which made everyone stop what they are doing and stare at me "Oh, I am only here to watch people work in the kitchen" I answered politely "Good morning young miss, I am the head chef, Shen Jun how can I help you?" A smiling man in his sixties greeted me, which gained a great sense of respect from me. "Good morning chef Shen, may I trouble chef Shen a little? I am hoping that you can lend me some of the kitchen wares, I want to cook something for my grandfather." "Oh such a small matter, this way please" He led me into an inner room with the finest kitchen equipment. Wow! "This used to be the madame''s private workplace, it hasn''t been used for long. And since the miss took a liking to cooking, this should be rightfully given to you as instructed by the madame" he smiled "The madame?" I asked "The patriarch''s wife, Madame Jiu. Before she passed away she had given several instructions for the kitchen, and only you have the right to access her written documents which includes recipes and inherit everything you see in this kitchen" I nodded, awesome! (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) After admiring the view of the kitchen and inspecting my grandmother''s collections I finally decided to cook. Chef Shen went out to supervise the kitchen while I started making a loin of pork dijonnaise which is good for seven people. I start scoring the skin of the pork with a sharp knife. I take off the skin and half the layer of fat underneath it in one piece. Putting it on a baking tray and cook it for 25 minutes till it becomes crispy and crunchy. Next, I work on the breadcrumbs together with the sage. Adding on some salt. I spread mustard all over the layer of fat left on the pork, press the breadcrumb mixture and coat the whole meat. Next I''ll roast it, do the plating and have add on dishes at the side. And when everything was done I told the chef to serve it with the rest of the dishes. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- Author''s Note: Cresencia Lombardi and Feng Jiang Lei is referring to the same girl. Since she is already in the ancient era the name on the POV will also change for the following chapters, from Cresencia''s POV to Feng Jiang Lei''s POV. ;) Love lots to all of you and thank you for the support. Take care and keep safe readers. 8 Chapter 7: Dine in with a Memory of the Pas Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: Dine in with a Memory of the Past Chapter no. 7 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@Ahcejiejieiii) Date published: April 29, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Feng Jiang Lei''s POV) I sit beside my grandfather, my father is sitting oppositely and my mother beside him. The meals are served. I offered a prayer silently and waited for my grandfather to eat. But he only stare at the dish that I cooked earlier, unmoving. "Don''t you like the dish that I''ve cooked grandfather?" I ask softly He shake his head and silently pick the meat up and place it on his bowl. That is the cue. Mom placed lots of food in my bowl and dad did the same as what grandfather did, but his tears betrayed him. Dad wipe it and smiled. Grandpa took a bite and savor the taste of the pork loin. Are they okay? "It tastes the same, you''re a talented child Lei''er. Remember to cook foods like this to me everyday, okay?" Grandfather said I nodded, not knowing what exactly is happening. "When mother was still alive she always cook this. I remember her scolding me that I only eat a layer of fat and nothing else, which she deem unhealthy for a teenage boy. Lei''er the food you made is so memorable to us, thank you dear." My father said But I didn''t know. "Lei''er do you love to cook?" Grandfather asked "Yes grandpa, I usually cook at home. Mom loves my cooking." I answered politely "Do you want to start a business?" Grandfather asked, my eyes widen in disbelief, is he really offering me a hand? Is this a sign that I''ll be making a comeback to the business industry? "I would love to grandpa, when I came to the capital I actually tried of thinking how to start a business, what type of business it will be and how I would run it. Will you lend me a hand grandpa?" I eagerly asked (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) My mom laugh at me "silly child" "That''s a good idea!" Dad seconded "Considering the fact that noble ladies in the capital don''t run their own businesses well this is an advantage for Lei''er. Do you have what it takes to run a business?" Grandpa asked "I am hoping to learn from grandfather, this humble one knew how but I am afraid that what I knew might be less and not enough to deal with the real market competition. Will grandfather teach me?" "Very well said! Ahahahaha, you will start learning from me then while we prepare the store for you. If your grandmother is here she will be very happy, having a granddaughter that is so similar to her. I''d be proud to tell my friends that I have a very capable granddaughter." My grandfather patted me on the head "Come on let''s eat! This house has never been any livelier since all of you came." Grandfather lamented, with his thoughts drifting to my grandmother. My grandmother must be a ''strong independent woman'' that''s why my grandfather loves and misses her so much. I hope I''ll learn something about her, maybe in journals or from my grandfather. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) 9 Chapter 8: The Crown Prince Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: The Crown Prince Chapter no. 8 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@Ahcejiejieiii) Date published: April 29, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Crown Prince Qin Dinxiang''s POV) "The empress has arrived!" Eunuch Li announced My mother arrived with a mischievous smile, I have heard of the deaths of some unfavored concubines in the inner palace. My father has been very busy with the paperworks and matters of the court that he has let my mother take care of his wives. Meticulous, calculating, scheming and intelligent those are words that perfectly describe my mother. For years my brother, my sister and I have successfully escaped assassinations and have lived peacefully. "Mother" I called "I know, tonight is the official coronation and you must be ready for any assassination attempt. They will never rest till I or one of my children dies." "What about the bride?" I asked, the court has been pushing matters of marriage to me and I haven''t dated a noble lady who will meet my mother''s standards "Feng clan''s only descendant will show herself later, I will make the arrangements for you and her. You must take this seriously, Feng clan controls one-half of the military power in this kingdom, they have imperial blood from the kingdom of the south. Even your father keep good relations with people from south, they are powerful. West kingdom''s Xie family is the richest and most powerful family where old general Feng Moying''s wife came from. Do not underestimate their power, even I have not met their descendant but she must be their pride." My mother isn''t greedy of power, she just wants to ensure that I will succeed the throne. But who is the noble lady of Feng clan? Why is she so important? "Your majesty the emperor wishes to see you" Lin mama came "Son, I shall take my leave, your father needs me. Be careful" (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) "Wenyue, investigate Feng clan''s only descendant, dig every detail you can dig from her and their family" I have deep connections with the underworld, and I lead the largest mercenary group in this kingdom. My network runs deep within the capital and it is impossible for someone to escape my prying eyes. I walk towards the window, and glance at the sky. "Brother you''re getting married! Where''s my win?" Voices echoed in the room, I turn around and meet my sister and my elder brother''s gazes "I wonder if one of you knew the descendant of the Fengs" I asked them "Do you want me to get close to her?" My sister asked, so it implies that she doesn''t know her "As far as I know she arrived at the capital yesterday. She grew up from the island of Cuixia so there''s not much information that our men can get. But the maidservants from the manor said she''s extremely charming, talented and very smart" my brother said, but disinterest is plastered on his face "What''s with that face Duyi?" I asked "I mean, doesn''t every noble family want to spread rumors that would boost the images and publicity of their marriageable ladies? It''s really absurd listening to the same description over and over again, but when you see them head on, you''ll realize the type of fake news you''ve been eating" "Well unlike you whose only running after noble lady Jin. She doesn''t seem to care about your feelings." Daiyu said with a mocking voice "Shut up!" And the argument for the two of them has started, I don''t know when they will end this childish play. I as their brother just wants to see them smile, their happiness is my happiness and as long as I am the crown prince, no one will dare hurt them. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) 10 Chapter 9: The Banque Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: The Banquet Chapter no. 9 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@Ahcejiejieiii) Date published: April 29, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Feng Jiang Lei''s POV) The carriage stopped in a large parking lot. Oh well, I don''t know what to call it, but just like that. I see families unloading their gifts and young misses veiled or unveiled with heavy makeup and rainbow colored gowns. Is this a beauty pageant or something like a clown fest? I get out of the carriage and look through tons of women, unnoticed. "Sister" a girl in her teens suddenly appeared beside me, where did she come from? At least she''s dressed elegantly, far from the disaster that I see in front of us. "Um excuse me, is this a banquet for a birthday celebration and a consort selection or have I gone into a rainbow festival with lots of clown?" I asked with curiosity, do women in ancient times really dress in exaggeration to impress men? I mean they can excel independently. She laughed. "You''re in the right party sister, but those clowns will show their intermission numbers later. Just look at how prepared they were, that''s why you need to stick with me. They won''t dare do tricks in front of this miss." She said, wait why does she speak like a modern woman? "You''re not from here" I dead panned, then she winked. So I am not the only one who transmigrated here! "Princess! Princess! His majesty is looking for you. We need to hurry and go to the palace." A maidservant from the palace was running towards us. Well unfortunately it made everyone look into our direction. "So annoying" the princess said "Your highness, I am very sorry for not knowing. Please accept my greetings of apology" I hurriedly said, damn! How would I know she''s a princess? (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) "Don''t bother, we came from the same world where people call others through names and not titles. The party will start any minute from now, why don''t you accompany this princess?" She smiled innocently "I will, later. Right now I need to go in with my parents. The ancient etiquette is hard to abide, I just want to sit without doing pleasantries." I politely declined, I have a motive why I need to go with my parents. My parents will shield me from criticism and it would boost my publicity. The credibility of my business relies on my family and not just pure business skills. "Then excuse this princess first, Wei''er let''s go back. I''ll see you later." I nodded and bid her goodbye Coincidentally my family appeared behind me. I walk towards them in the most graceful manner that I know. Well I''ve walked in television shows before and press conference meetings and there''s no way that I''ll shy away. I''ve had a professional training before, and that was one of the advantages of being the queen of business industry. "Where have you been?" Mother asked "I''ve had an encounter with a princess and we chatted for a while mother." "Hmm, the banquet''s about to start, let''s head in" mother said I nodded and walk behind them. This is so cool, I am walking with the generals. Unfortunately, mom did not agree with me joining the military. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) 11 Chapter 10: The Generals Daughter Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: The Generals'' Daughter Chapter no. 10 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@Ahcejiejieiii) Date published: April 29, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Feng Jiang Lei''s POV) People are greeting each other, some are toasting, others are merrily boasting their achievements nor their wealth, and some just want to join the celebration. My parents are always humble and my grandfather laugh with his peers. The emperor and the empress are welcoming, but the imperial children aren''t, well I guess not all since their personalities differ from one another. And there are those haughty concubines who sell their relatives to marry into the royal family. The stench of social climbers is too strong, and my nose suffers from them. They smile, they laugh and fake with one another. This is not just a party, it is a killing spree. People target one another, blame or plant explosive setups that would let them reach their goals or destroy someone else''s. I hate this lifestyle, a lifestyle I''ve been living for a life and in another life, why don''t they get tired? "It seems like you''re enjoying the party sister, you need to wait for more. Those noble ladies aren''t done, they would battle for the throne any minute from now. It would be amusing, so let''s sit back and watch." The princess suddenly sat beside me, why does she always need to pop up unexpectedly? "I am expecting that ''amusing'' part of the night. I think we just need more food and a wine, do you have popcorns here?" I joked "Absolutely, I prepared it for the both of us earlier" she chuckled and let her maidservant serve more food, more wine and lots of popcorns. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) "As we celebrate the birth and coronation of my son, Crown Prince Qin Dinxiang, I would like to take this opportunity to let every noble lady participate in a game. The winners will directly have a chance to enter the second round of the game. And the finalists after the second game will compete with the first prince, Qin Duyi in another game, and the winner will be able to grab the crown as the price. This is mandatory." The empress stand and offered a toast "Let the games begin!" The emperor happily announced "Can you hide me?" I asked the princess "Nope, you''re the generals'' daughter. You need to win this time, you''re a good match for my brother. You see, he needs a woman whose different from those clowns. And you are my best friend, I''ll cheer for you." She patted my shoulder "I don''t even know your name" I smiled wryly "Oh that I forgot. I am sixth princess Qin Daiyu, the eldest daughter of the imperial couple and the youngest child of the empress. So go on, don''t shy away. We, twenty-first century women are not afraid of anything. I have your back." She patted me again "You''re overly confident" I said "But you came from where I came, the knowledge we have far surpass every living being here, and you have an ace card. You came from the generals'' house, so don''t shame their name, and always remember that in this era you bring the name of your clan, we don''t do things with independence here." She is too encouraging. I shake my head and walk towards the center where all of the noble ladies are gathered. She is right, I need to win this game. Not because I have a motive for the crown, but for the sake of my family''s name and dignity. I cannot afford to lose. I am the generals'' daughter. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) 12 Chapter 11: Brain, Beauty and Talen Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: Brain, Beauty and Talent Chapter no. 11 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@Ahcejiejieiii) Date published: April 29, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Third Person''s POV) A lady with a domineering height walk towards the center where all of the noble ladies gather and get ready for the competition that all of them have long waited for. Her skin as pale as snow, and looking as smooth as jade match her white gown. A beautiful gown with gems that sparkle like a fairy''s dust and embroidered with golden flowers that looks as if they are dancing with the wind. Her grace and elegance caught they eye of many and held the breath of men. Her veil enhance her enigmatic face and emphasize her mesmerizing eyes. The finest jewels adorned her body and her silky hair was braided into a flower bun with loose strands. Her brows thick and lengthy, while her lashes show the epitome of care. Feng Jiang Lei caught everyone in trance without knowing how many hearts beat as one. The names of the noble ladies are gathered as the competition for four arts take place. All of them will battle with one another for four games and the winners will proceed to the next round. Cresencia, the head of Lombardi Family is not someone they can trifle with. She has grown in the world of business and cruelty, to perform such trivial matters is an easy game. When she entered university, she had proven her worth by graduating top in class with flying colors. Dominating every single field, and letting her teachers salute her. Whilst her face worthy of her intellectual praise. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) The competition went in a blur. (Hua) Feng Jiang Lei painted like Leonardo da Vinci, (Qin) sang a song while playing a guqin like Broadway performer, (Qi) she won a Go game, and (Shu) wrote a poem that caused people to admire her. A poem of war. Title: "Brave hearts" The moon shine in peace, as mortals sleep well. Behind the northern mountains, are eyes of wolves, guarding their posts. Hands of victors, people with brave hearts. Souls with wisdom, we thank thee. She is thanking the military men for their efforts to protect the kingdom while the citizens sleep peacefully at night. Unknowingly, it caught the crown prince off guard. He has served the military since he was eight, he knew how hard life is at the northern border of the kingdom, and he admired a little thank you from his people. He smiled which caused an uproar to the jealous hearts of women who wants to win him over. In their minds Feng Jiang Lei must die. There were only four women who won the games and proceed to the next game. This time it will test their strength, endurance and intellectual capacity as they play in martial arts combat. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) 13 Chapter 12: Call Me Master Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: Call Me Master Chapter no. 12 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@Ahcejiejieiii) Date published: April 29, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Feng Jiang Lei''s POV) Sometimes we remember memories stuck in our past, memories that you don''t want to remember. But you are forced to, because it''s the only way you''ll ever survive. When I was young, coach Yang always tell me to endure everything, I did, but it caused me my death. And then I realized that we don''t need to endure all the time, we need to learn how to fight back. "The last match will begin! Lady Feng and lady Wang please proceed to the center. We have a new set of rules, as the both of you battle for the last match we will also increase the difficulty of the martial arts challenge. It won''t be a combat anymore, the crown prince has requested for both participants to use weapons. The stage in front of you is a death ring, before you step in think about your life and your loved ones. If one wishes to concede defeat, you may step out of the battle circle" Eunuch Li announced A death ring. For someone who aspires the crown it must be death that awaits the victor. This battle is only a preparation for his Majesty''s crown princess, and if lucky enough, they will ascend the throne. But I cannot step out of this game, the manor will lose dignity and people will harshly criticize my family. I must fight! I step in the battle circle and look straight at my opponent. Lady Wang Weiwei is considered as the most beautiful lady amongst the four beauties in this kingdom. She is the daughter of the right prime minister Wang Chung, and a genius. To win against her depends on how serious I''ll take this duel. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) I must win. She step into the ring. "The death match now begins!" Eunuch Li announces I pick a twin-sword saber from the shelves of weapons, while she use a whip. I smiled inwardly. This must be a good show. I stare at the princess and wink at her. She wink back. Weiwei rush forward and let her whip dance. Her strikes are brutal, but my swords don''t bow to a simple whip. I flip my body up and use this opportunity to cut her whip in half. She stumbles sideways. But where''s the fun if she won''t lose face? She grab her hidden dagger and slash her way through, but I am stronger. Swords versus a dagger, she must be joking. I kick her hand brutally, that her bones snap awfully. I kick her back which made her fall. Then the tip of my sword cut her hair as I brandish it continuously. The most satisfying part is that her clothes are turned into a shredded satin. I lunge one of my swords beside her face which made her shiver. Then I pulled her hair and position my other sword on her neck. "Admit your defeat now" I whispered "Bitch..." She replied "Or I''ll chop your head off" "I admit defeat!" She shouted, but before I release her I made sure to leave a scar. "The winner has been determined! Now for the final match, first prince Duyi will battle with miss Feng in military tactics and mental strength." "I am pleased to meet miss Feng, just call me Master and the game is over" he said (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) 14 Chapter 13: Too Smart To Bow Down Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: Too Smart To Bow Down Chapter no. 13 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@Ahcejiejieiii) Date published: April 29, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Feng Jiang Lei''s POV) The battle of brains continued till we got into an actual combat. He wasn''t holding himself back, so his every blow is fatal. I tried to dodge as much as possible but he is really strong, so it left me with no choice, I fought with him head on. If it means using underhanded tricks then I''d be willing to spend effort to make him bow to me instead. I kicked him and his body no longer withstand the blow, sending him a few steps out of the ring. "Thank you first prince for your enlightenment, we now have a winner." Eunuch Li said "Come closer and let me give the awards" the Empress said I saluted at the first prince before I walk towards the throne section, where the emperor, the empress, some of the imperial children and lots of death killing concubines are seated. I bow before the imperial couple and walk towards the empress. But before I could take another step someone purposely hit my veil with a whip. It fell to the floor. "She has the face of a goddess" I immediately pick my veil and then the crown prince appear beside me, taking the initiative to tie the veil back in place. "This emperor finds the young couple very amusing. For that I will give not just the crown, but also three brocades of sapphire and Phoenix silk from Mingyue Continent! And three chests of gold and jewelry. This daughter-in-law is blessed with everything a crown princess should possess." My family and I thanked the emperor for his grace. "General Feng, you have raised your daughter well. Accept this decree, Feng Jiang Lei of Feng Clan, will be married to the crown prince a month from now, she will bear the name of the Qin''s and do her duty as the crown princess." "This humble one accepts the decree. We thank the emperor for his grace. May you live a thousand years more, in prosperity and in good health." (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) "I thank imperial father for bestowing the marriage, I will take this engagement seriously and take into account that no woman should enter the inner court of my residence after we lawfully get married." Then I only noticed the crown prince kneeling beside me when he spoke those words I stare at him, unbelieving, he mean everything right? So this must be his plan all along, and he took the opportunity to create a decree on his own, borrowing the hand of the emperor. He wants no other woman to enter the inner palace, and here I thought men in this era love having wives. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) 15 Chapter 14: Finally Engaged Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: Finally Engaged Chapter no. 14 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@Ahcejiejieiii) Date published: April 30, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Feng Jiang Lei''s POV) I stand by his side as we send the guests out. The moon shine so bright, illuminating the features of his face. If this is the modern world I think he will pass as a noble prince or a superstar. He is intelligent and really brave, not fearing to use the hand and the name of the emperor when he wants something. But I know the court officials with disagree with his wants and forcibly recommend their daughters to enter the palace. "You''ve finally succeeded, I never thought you want this prince that much." he chuckled lightly "I am bringing the house of generals, I need to live up to people''s expectations and I did not win for the reason of admiring you. I agree you have looks, you are incredibly smart, cunning, brave and almost perfect but that won''t mean I am so into you. The both of us will benefit from this engagement and I am only protecting the image of my family and their lives." "It seems like I really knew nothing about you miss Feng." he said seriously I smiled, feeling the air turn colder. The man I am with is very dangerous. He is the kind of danger that makes you associate with temptation. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) "The night is over, this subject will be leaving your majesty. Thank the Empress and the Emperor for me. And tell my regards to your beloved sister, she can visit me at the manor any time. Take care and keep safe your highness." I bow lightly and walk towards the carriage But before I can walk past him, he pulled me back. "Do you need something?" I asked He smiled in a sinister manner. "You are interesting." he said "Why? Is it because I don''t throw myself at you? Or because I rarely cared about you?" I stare at him "Are you provoking this prince?" he said "Does it look like I am?" I asked innocently, if I can''t fool him then I hope my innocent charms would take effect on him "Let your parents leave ahead, I''ll be the one sending you home tonight. We still need to get to know each other well. Let''s go." he started dragging me into a carriage "Where are we going?" "Home" What home is he talking about? Did he mean our future residence after marriage? Well it is likely possible. But why are we going there? The journey is silent. "We have arrived your highness" the coachman said A maidservant assisted me out of the carriage. Everyone is lined up. Then they greeted us. I nod in response. The prince keep on pulling me till we reach a secret passage. I feel like being interrogated in the dungeon. Where is this leading to? (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) 16 Chapter 15: The Plan Book Title: Rebirth of the Last Empress Chapter Title: The Plan Chapter no. 15 Author: Ahce Darato Torres (@Ahcejiejieiii) Date published: April 30, 2020 (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) --- (Feng Jiang Lei''s POV) "Why did you bring me here?" It is a lavish room with red satin curtains made from the most expensive silkworms. Golden artifacts are arranged in order. Three perpendicular redwood couches with a fluffy foam. Wait. They do have foam in this era? Ancient scrolls and books are displayed on wall racks. And there are weapons on the other corner. This is not a guest room, this is THE CHAMBER OF KNOWLEDGE! "Please grab a sit" he motioned for me to sit in front of a large oak tree table. This is odd, a living tree with carvings and a magical table top. And if I''m not mistaken there are floating pixie dust. I am trying my best to hide my excitement and remain stoic. "What do you want from an ordinary girl like me?" "An ordinary girl? If it was someone else he might buy it, but I don''t. You''re not ordinary." The prince said "And there''s something that you want from me. What is it?" I asked "Let''s talk about that" he said as he lay a map on top of the table, it is floating I swear. "Is this the map of the kingdom?" "No, this is the map of the world." He said "There are seven continental divisions. And this is the only mortal place, am I right?" I asked I pointed at the southern division. It is somehow familiar with me because I saw the map of this part from my grandfather''s painting. And there are five kingdoms, where the center of trades is Qilin Empire. (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com) "You are indeed very knowledgeable. The emperor will offer a trade to the northern border which will open a route to Qilin Empire. Your father might be sent there to guard the goods." "That route is dangerous, do you want us to take a look or spy when the trade happens?" I asked, doubting that this prince is only here to introduce me in a trading system. For him to bring me in an exclusive chamber, he must have motives and that includes my cooperation. "You need to travel with me for a couple of days, and we need to enter Qilin Empire" "Do you have unfinished business there?" I asked, doubtful of his plans "I do." He said coldly "Give me enough time, I still have some business to run. Oh and when the time comes can you provide a good alibi for my family? I''m pretty sure my mother won''t be happy if I go on missions that will risk my life" "Agreed. Don''t worry we will reap many benefits along the way." He smiled dangerously (No to Plagiarism! This book is an original composition of Ahce Darato Torres, and can be readable only @wattpad.com or @webnovel.com)