“The Mistress is working herself to death again…” said Xiao Hei.

 

Xiao Yu nodded.

 

“Well, we all knew when the Prince took her away into the garden that something happened. I’m just not sure what it is…If he confessed to her, you’d think she’d be happy…so I don’t think that’s what happened,” she frowned.

 

“Ennn,” he grunted.

 

“But…let’s put that aside for now…Xiao Hei, you still haven’t explained about Murong Yan. Don’t you think you owe myself and A’Xi an explanation?” she asked. “You weren’t avoiding us, were you?”

 

He heaved a sigh and turned to her, but noticed that her expression was patient rather than judgemental. She waited with a small smile hovering on her lips.

 

“Alright, let’s go find the Mistress,” he nodded towards the courtyard, where he could hear the sounds of sparring. Entering the courtyard, he stopped and leaned against the moon gate, holding Xiao Yu back. She looked at him in surprise, but he jerked his head towards Cui Xi and Su Qing. They were fully engaged…it would not be good to interrupt them.

 

They watched the exchange of blocks, chops, and kicks with interest.

 

“She’s getting better,” Xiao Yu observed.

 

Xiao Hei smiled. Even with her untrained eye, if Xiao Yu could see it, then the Mistress was definitely getting better.

 

“Hup, hup, hup!” Cui Xi said to herself. Skidding backwards, she slammed her back foot down to stop her momentum. Her body was turned slightly with her left fist straight out in front of her, and her right fist pulled back. The snake ring glittered on her index finger of her right hand.

 

“That’s better, Mistress…your close quarters combat skill is improving, but it’s a shame that your internal cultivation is a bust…” Su Qing jibed.

 

“Did you just call me garbage?” Cui Xi asked, smiling slightly. “I’ll show you garbage! Again!”

 

They danced some more.

 

Xiao Hei grinned. Despite the inability to cultivate, she never stops trying to learn. He admired that about her.

 

“Su Qing, let’s stop here. Looks like Xiao Hei has something on his mind…” she said, relaxing her guard.

 

“Ennnn,” said Su Qing, straightening. “Well, then I’ll step down, Mistress,” she said, bowing and leaving.

 

“Well? What’s the matter?” Cui Xi asked, picking up a cloth to wipe her face. She tossed it down onto a bench and sat, folding her arms across her chest, stretching her legs straight out in front of her with tidily crossed ankles.

 

“Mistress…I want to tell you about my identity…” he began, but she interrupted him.

 

“You’re Murong Shi, the old General’s heir and the Young Master of the Murong General’s household. You’re a nephew of the Emperor which makes you a cousin of the Princes, yes?” Cui Xi asked. She didn’t bother to explain that she had asked Su Rou and Su Qing to investigate things as soon as she found out he was related to the Murong General’s manor.

 

He nodded in acknowledgement. The Mistress seemed unperturbed.

 

However, Xiao Yu covered her mouth. She had thought Xiao Hei might be some young Master, but the heir of the Murong General’s house…What a special identity!

 

“Those people trying to kill you…who were they?” demanded Cui Xi.

 

“A’Yan’s adoptive mother sent them. She wanted him to be heir,” Xiao Hei explained. “After all, he is the eldest…and my father loved his mother the most before she died.”

 

“Hmph! And yet he cares a great deal about you,” observed Cui Xi.

 

“We’re closer than most outsiders think,” Xiao Hei confirmed.

 

“Then what are you planning to do now?”

 

“I…For now, I am still officially missing. I was summoned to stay in the Murong Manor in the capital, but I think I have time before the Emperor will use my lack of appearance to make trouble for my family. In fact, I’m surprised he hasn’t taken any action as yet…”

 

Cui Xi looked thoughtful. Is this not the same circumstance as Zhao Yu? Why is the Emperor supressing the families of the North?

 

“You should be careful. Don’t meet Murong Yan too often. If you can, only do it if the Prince brings him here, then we will have an excuse. You cannot avoid an imperial summons forever…” Cui Xi wrinkled her brow.

 

If Xiao Hei refuses the summons, then he and his family will instantly become enemies of the Emperor…and so will everyone who helps them, including me…Ah well…So be it.

 

“Mistress…please allow me to stay,” Xiao Hei said, dropping to his knees.

 

“Hah! Did I give permission for you to leave?” Cui Xi asked with irony. “So troublesome to have a servant like this…”

 

Xiao Hei sighed in relief, and grinned. Mistress is always like this. Even if there is danger, and despite her lack of strength, she still tries to protect those she cares about. If I can, I will use my life to protect her too.

 

Xiao Yu looked at him speculatively.

 

“So, the Seventh Prince knew then?”

 

Xiao Hei nodded.

 

“He recognized the sabre.”

 

“The sabre?” Cui Xi asked with interest.

 

“The Murong family is an old military family of the North. While we belong to the Emperor, we also have ties to the Marquis of Changping’s household and our families have intermarried over generations because of the border situation.”

 

“Oh! Does this make you related to Zhao Yu on both sides of your family?”

 

Xiao Hei chuckled a bit.

 

“Yes, it’s true I’m related to that lousy brat.”

 

Cui Xi grinned, sliding her eyes to Xiao Yu who giggled.

 

“The Murong household has supplied generations of warriors to fight for the Emperor in the North. In our time we have become known for two martial techniques. This is highly unusual as martial houses usually only cultivate one technique, but the founders of our Murong house were a set of twins – one excelled in the bow and the other in the sabre. Only those of the Murong General’s house can learn these two techniques, and then only the heir can learn the final moves for both. Thus, there are two famous weapons that belong to the family…One is the Black Snake Bow and the other is the Nine Suns Sabre.”

 

“Then why does Murong Yan have the bow?” Xiao Yu asked exactly what Cui Xi was thinking.

 

“Because I chose not to learn the final move in favour of my brother. If I took the Black Snake Bow, then there is nothing left to A’Yan as he is essentially the son of a concubine. No matter how many merits he achieves in the An Xi army, his prospects are severely affected by his concubine born status. Actually, it is only that the Seventh Prince is very broadminded and promotes strictly on the basis of merit, not birth, that A’Yan is largely tolerated. Since the moment I was born I stole everything from him, I could not bear to take the bow too.”

 

Cui Xi sat back. Hah! So, the affection between the two brothers is actually very strong.

 

“Besides…it’s not against tradition given that our founders held the weapons separately. Only my father selfishly believes that the two weapons should be held by one person.”

 

Cui Xi shook her head.

 

“It’s not selfish to protect the legacy of a great house and hope that it’s not broken down the center. What if you and Murong Yan had had a bad relationship? What would happen then? To me, it makes sense that your father wants to keep the two weapons and techniques together. Besides…don’t let your brother be so little in your eyes that he would have become nothing without a mere bow.”

 

“Ennn,” Xiao Hei grunted. Although he didn’t want to admit it, everything that Cui Xi said was true. The Murong General’s household had thrived for generations due to the iron leadership of the head…Murong Duan’s pride would not allow it to be destroyed in his hands. I won’t go back on that decision…Father can continue to be disappointed in this useless son…

 

“What A’Xi says is true,” Xiao Yu quietly agreed. “That time in the mountain, the Seventh Prince and General Murong protected us from the son of the Gao City lord. Even without the Black Snake Bow, General Murong had such heroic presence…”

 

Something went ‘DONG’ in the back of Cui Xi’s head.

 

“W-What did you say?” she asked, beginning to hear a roar in her ears.

 

“Oh!” Xiao Yu blushed. “I almost forgot to tell you! The other day Murong Yan confirmed it. The great General with his hood over his face…that was the Seventh Prince. If he hadn’t stopped it, Gao Wei would have killed you…”

 

Cui Xi looked pale. Then, we actually met before I came to the capital.

 

It hadn’t been much of a meeting, but by a quirk of fate, they had brushed by each other that time without even knowing it.

 

Fate, huh? Eeek! This is not a manhua! Not a manhua! Not a manhua!!!

 

She felt her entire being go into a flush and she put a hand over her mouth feeling like she was going to vomit.

 

Rising abruptly, she started walking away. Both Xiao Hei and Xiao Yu tried to follow, but she put up her hand.

 

“I’m unwell…I’m not to be disturbed for the rest of the day unless its urgent…” she mumbled apologetically and beat a hasty retreat.

 

“Gods…the Mistress is terribly moody these days…one moment it’s this, and in another moment, it’s that…” Xiao Hei blinked.

 

“Can you blame her? Between her Master and the Seventh Prince, I’m surprised she’s not ill in bed on a regular basis. They both make her insane,” Xiao Yu sighed.

 

“Hmph.”

 

***

 

That night Cui Xi couldn’t sleep.

 

Tossing and turning for hours, she only fell into a fitful slumber in the early hours of the morning and then she dreamt a strange dream.

 

Where is this place? she wondered as she walked down a path white with new fallen snow. The snow was a strange contrast to the smoking wood and blackened faces piled on either side of what once had been a pristine stone path. On her right, a corpse stared gruesomely up at her, its face only partially complete. Its mouth was wide open in a soundless screech, and where its eyes should have been was a wet dark slurry that she couldn’t make out in the darkness.

 

Obviously, it was some noble’s manor, but it’s people had been slaughtered and the remains had been burnt to the ground…and the only thing left were charred bodies, burned wood, snow, and what little one could make out by light of the stars.

 

Cui Xi should have been frightened, but she felt only a terrible emptiness…a sadness she could not explain.

 

Turning back to the path, she saw that one set of footprints lead up and over the sill of a large wooden door that hung askew off its hinges as if it had been blasted open with spiritual force. It looked like someone’s inner courtyard.

 

Somewhere ahead, someone was howling, their sobs tearing the silence of the night. Cautiously, she followed the footprints and stepped over the sill.

 

In the centre of what had once been a garden, was a young man with his back turned to her. She could see that he was well dressed though the clothes were torn, and a jewelled sword lay in the snow next to where he knelt. There was something familiar about his outline, the long dark hair, and the shoulders that shook with terrible grief as he clutched something…No, someone to his chest.

 

Oh…

 

Cui Xi felt a surge of pity and started forward.

 

Someone dear to him had died in his arms, and now he was alone, radiating with pain.

 

She reached out toward the shaking shoulders to comfort him, but halted as he spoke.

 

“Don’t leave me…” he sobbed. “Don’t go…please…please. I’m begging you! Don’t leave!”

 

“It’s alright!” she said from behind him, but she realized suddenly that he couldn’t heard her. I know this is a dream…so why does it feel so real…?

 

Suddenly, he threw his head back at the sky and howled like a wild animal. The sound of it nearly tore her in two, sending shudders from the bottom of her feet right up to the top of her head. Her eyes widened.

 

“Please! I can help you!” she gasped, struggling to run towards him, but no matter how she put out her hand to touch his shoulder, she seemed unable to get closer. She ran faster and harder, but the distance did not close. What?

 

She thought he had heard her when he stopped screaming, but he had only let go of the deceased person who now lay slumped in his lap. Without looking, he reached behind him for the hilt of the sword. Its blade slowly scraped against the ground, making a noise almost as terrible as his grief-stricken screaming.

 

“No! Stop! Don’t do that!!!” Cui Xi cried, struggling. She stretched out both hands, trying desperately to reach him, to touch him. “Wait!”

 

Cui Xi opened her mouth in a scream as he thrust the sword through his own chest and slumped forward, heading hanging, hair curtaining the face of the person still cradled in his lap. Blood splattered all over her as she froze in disbelief.

 

“NO!” she shrieked.

 

“Mistress!” Xiao Hei yelled, shaking her awake. “Mistress!!!”

 

Xiao Hei, Xiao Yu, and Su Qing stood over her, frowning with concern.

 

“She has a fever…” muttered Xiao Yu.

 

“Oh,” Cui Xi mumbled, as she lay back down on her own bed, soaked in sweat.

 

Gods. What the hell kind of dream was that?