-FINISHED CHAPTER-

Dear Readers,

I am slowly editing and adding new parts to this chapter. This is not part of the original draft which is only up to 24 chapters but since I want to develop Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei's character, he is one of the main protagonist by the way, I added extra chapters. I am thinking of writing more than 30 chapters but that depends on how I think my story tends to go to. To be honest, I am still stressed because I am learning something new which is required in my new job. I actually made a big jump from my previous job and studying a new thing is something that I am not taking lightly. Hope you understand me for being such a snail.

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Chapter 24

The imperial palace had became a haven of chaos and grief the moment that Princess Lei Shuang was discovered missing. A lot of the members of the Imperial palace guards and servants were under investigation and inquisition. Several of those who were not able to give satisfactory answers were immediately executed and those who might possibly provide information, little or big, were thrown in the dungeons.

Worst happened to those who were assigned to guard the palace and serve the princess around the time she was missing because they were tortured in the most unimaginable ways after denouncing them as traitors. All of them were ordered to be killed after being brutally tortured.

People outside the palace heard of what happened and the fear inside their hearts had further intensified. The fear had first taken root due to the news of the Hsien army campaign against the ruling imperial army to invade the empire. More so since the Emperor had became so vindictive that anyone who was suspected to have possibly connived with the Hsein army would be imediately be brought and then tortured into giving information before being ordered to death. Several imperial armies were sent to check on all the people under the Empire's domain, more imperial spies were paid to obtain more information from the enemies and several campaign units were made to be sent to the enemy's base.

In a bleak morning in the Empire, Emperor Li Huang Di sat on his throne as he aloofly stared at one of the palace guards who attempt to plead for his life while bowing on his knees. At this moment, he didn't feel like listening to any pathetic pleas and would rather plan his next move against the Hsein army with his officials however this situation required his presence because only him could give the orders to spare someone's life.

"Heaven's appointed, oh, Son of Heaven, Bixia, I never connived with the enemies. By the time that the princess was gone, I was not at the palace and was being cured by our village doctor. I have not yet been fully healed by my affliction but I come to prove that I am innocent as to the princess's disappearance. If Son of Heaven will permit me, I will help in searching for the princess. Please have mercy, oh, son of Heaven, merciful Emperor, and spare my life."

Emperor Li Huang Di stared at the palace guard so cold that if he had mystical powers upon him, the latter would be frozen to death. The palace guard felt the coldness of the emperor s gaze that he turned pale and visibly trembled in fright. He reverently touched his head to the cold marble tiled floor and tears rained from his eyes.

Emperor Li Huang Di directed his implacable gaze at the javelins displayed ornately on his palace's magnificent columns and thought deeply, his mind diverted. He was worried for his only child, Princess Lei Shuang, and could not accept the fact that she was kidnapped inside his palace after strengthening and increasing the imperial security. He suspected that someone inside the Imperial Palace had spied for the Hsein army and vowed to find that someone. Once he found him or possibly them, he would make sure to make him feel his wrath. He would not show any mercy since he could not and never tolerate traitors.

He did not feel a sliver of regret nor sympathy for those long-time servants, guards and officials he had ordered to be tortured or executed for they had miserably failed to do their duties. All he had wanted them to do was to ensure the safety of the princess but then they had not taken their duties with serious gravity. As for Hsien Mao Dong, that despicable swine, he would have his head and display it outside of the palace gates to tell everyone that traitors would never be treated with dignity. He clenched and unclenched ond of his fists, seemingly impatient.

While the Emperor was still in deep thoughts, a herald arrived and announced his presence to the Emperor.

The herald kowtowed to the Emperor and respectfully said, "May I have the permission to speak to the most radiant Son of Heaven, Lord of Ten Thousand Years?"

"Speak," the Emperor ordered commandingly. The tearful palace guard was momentarily given a reprieve.

"Thank you for giving me the permission to speak to Son of Heaven, Lord of Ten Thousand Years. The reason why I wished to speak to his most radiant Son of Heaven is because of a letter that comes from Captain Lu Wang Wei. May I have the permission to read its content to his Imperial Majesty?"

"Read it," the Emperor said aloofly yet his voice echoed powerfully through the huge palace hall.

"Thank you, son of Heaven, Lord of Ten Thousand Years," the herald reverently said. "The letter says,

Heaven's annointed Most High Emperor:

I, Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei, Son of Heaven's humble appointed servant of the Phoenix unit, humbly beseech your permission to ask for additional men and reinforcements for the war against the Hsein army. We have engaged one of their units in the battle and, eventhough, we win against them, we have lost a lot of men and our reinforcements are destroyed. We are currently heading south of the enemies base which is the shortest yet most dangerous path and should we engage with another Hsein army unit in another battle, we will possibly be outnumbered.

Have mercy, Son of Heaven, I assure you that we will win this battle and totally crush the Hsein armies.

Son of Heaven's humble servant,

Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei"

Emperor Li Huang Di thought for a moment. At the mention of the word 'Hsien,' his blood boiled with supreme wrath that his desperation to obliterate the entire Hsein army had increased tenfold. He would make sure to not spare even just one Hsein soldier. Oh, he might do something worst than what he had originally intend to do to the traitorous snake's head, Hsein Mao Dong. Whatever it might be, he would make sure that it could mark an impression to anybody who planned to betray him.

"Write a message and send it to Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei that he would receive reinforcements and additional men in the soonest possible time. You may leave now." Emperor Li Huang Di dismissed the herald and beckoned for one of his high military officials. "Jiangjun Yu Hui Cheng, come near."

Jiangjun Yu Hui Cheng hastily came near the Emperor and kowtowed. "All of your commands even at the cost of my life I shall heed, Son of Heaven. May I know what Son of Heaven wants me to do?"

"Assemble an army of 20000 men, let each of them carry weapons and reinforments good for two people enough for a month and send them to the Hsein army's base. Let them take the route to the south. They will be additional forces to Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei's and I want you to lead them so make haste."

Jiangjun Yu Hui Cheng visibly shivered at the Emperor's command. He bowed down his head and suggested, "The path to the south is the most perilous one when going to the Hsein's base, may we take another path instead, Son of Heaven, Lord of Ten Thousand Years?"

"Are you refusing my command, General Yu Hui Cheng?" Emperor Li Huang Di said to the jiangjun in a menacingly low voice. His eyes turned into hard slits and his jaws clenched with barely suppressed irritation and disapproval.

Dread seeped to the jiangjun's bones instaneously that he immediately placated himself, "Oh, no, never. My humblest apologies for my worthless suggestion. I shall gather 20000 men with enough weapons and reinforcements that will last a month; each of them shall carry enough for 2 people. We will, most assuredly take the path going south to reach the enemies' base, Son of Heaven."

"Good, remember, Jinzhou Lu Wang Wei has already headed south, should his unit be killed by the Hsein armies before you reached and aided him, I will have your head. Do you understand me?"

"I understand you, Son of Heaven, Lord of Ten Thousand Years," Jiangjun Yu Hui Cheng said ingratiatingly while bowing his head.

"Good to know that we have an understanding. One more thing before I you go about what I have commanded you, Jiangjun Yu Hui Cheng."

"What is that, Son of Heaven? I assure his radiant Imperial Majesty that I will follow his command even if it costs my life."

"Nothing too grand at the moment, Jiangjun Yu Hui Cheng," Emperor Li Huang Di said drily as he meaningfully looked at the kneeling and teary-eyed palace guard. "I want you to get that pathetic man off my sight and send him to prison. I will have to decide later if I will either spare or end his life."

"As you wish, Son of Heaven, Lord of Ten Thousand Years," Jiangjun Yu Hui Cheng kowtowed to the Emperor before dragging the tearful man who felt immensely thankful for being ordered to be sent to prison instead of being executed.

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It was still dawn and the coldness of the temperature felt as if that the bleak winter had finally reigned the season.

Mei Ling sneaked out of the camp when everyone was still asleep. She had barely slept last night. She thought that forcing herself to sleep would shut the thoughts that taunted her to no end but it seemed that she became more emotionally distressed.

Lately, she seemed swimming in the ocean of hysteria; not knowing what she was really feeling as she felt that different waves of emotions were being slapped at her face. Ever since she left her village to join the war, she could barely recognize herself. It was as if the she had morphed into an entirely different person- someone who was always lonely and utterly pessimistic. She became emotionally unstable and trauma was playing mind tricks on her; she even thought that she had gone insane.

'Get a grip of yourself, Mei Ling,' she told herself. 'Remember why you have joined the war in the first place. There is no use regretting something that you have done and no chance of backing up.'

Mei Ling continued walking not knowing where she was heading. She just wanted to walk. The forest was too silent. There were no birds singing; possibly the chill had been too much for them to bear. Even the branches of the thick forest trees looked wimpy. She heard several faint animal shrieks, probably mammals on a hunt. She was somehow amazed; despite the little sleep she had last night, her senses were still sharp. Maybe the encounter with the Hsein army the other day had made her senses more conscious or possibly it was her fear that magnified them.

Mei Ling turned to the direction of the sound of a running water and followed it. She felt relieved when she found a creek and, the need to dip in its cool water seemed like an irresistible temptation. She followed her instincts but before she extricated herself from her clothes, she took a long final look around her to make sure that she was alone.

When she was certain that the place was devoid of any human but for her, she immediately removed her clothes and unbind the silk gauze that tightly bound her breasts. Practically naked, she plunged herself into the creek and relished its gentle waves that seemed to massage her sore muscles. A hot water would have done her better but knowing that she didn't have such luxury in the war, the cool brook water was a bliss. She also felt her hands on the creek's bed and rejoiced when she found a smooth stone. She began rubbing herself of the grime in her body until her skin looked red. Despite her toughness or as she assumed she was tough, she loathed the sweat and grime on her skin unlike her fellow soldiers who didn't give a damn about personal hygiene. Oh, probably not all of them, there were a few exceptions but she really didn't want to dwell on the thought in the fear of provoking an emotion she had somehow suppressed or she believed she had.

'Ah, war, you make practically make me feel and think of different things in a span of time. First, I am depressed now, I am sighing in bliss.'

It seemed like an eternity when Mei Ling stayed in the comforting coolness of the water when she heard a twig that had been snapped into two. Disrupted and panicked, she immediately hid herself behind a huge stone, most of the part of her naked body was still submerged in the water. "Who is there? Show yourself."

She waited for a moment. Her body was extremely tensed and her heart was beating with fear for being discovered of what her identity really was or worst, the person might have been one of the Hsein army soldiers. Now, the last one would be the most tragic and she would rather commit suicide than being captured by the Hsein army. When no one still emerged and the place remained silent, she sighed in relief and went back to the land. She hastily dressed herself. Once she was done, she searched every corner, bushes and even the tree branches just to make sure that she was indeed alone. After a thorough search in the area, Mei Ling sighed again in relief, the sound might have just been her imagination. It was nothing.

She started to traced her steps back to the camp. Despite the momentary panic that she had experienced a while ago, she felt a bit energized.

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Abducting the princess from the formiddable walls of the Imperial Palace had been both dangerous and delightful for TongJun Linghua. Dangerous because if they were caught, the were as good as headless; delightful because the princess was a true beauty to behold.

When he first saw her under the moonless sky, sitting by the pond with the palace lanterns' lights playing wonderfully with the beautiful contours of her face, he was struck breathless. He had never seen any maiden in the entire vast land as beautiful as her, not even those pretty maidens he had raped and paid could match her face. No wonder Lord Hsein Mao Dong wanted the princess so bad, he was willing to go on war with the Emperor. But, perhaps, she was a means to get the empire. Her incomparable beauty was just an incentive in getting the empire.

TongJun Linghua mentally laughed. The princess was worth it. Had he been in Lord Hsien Mao Dong's place, he would do exactly as what his lord had done. In fact, with the princess sleeping just within distance, he had been tempted beyond imagination. Too bad, he couldn't have her. And, if he forced himself upon her, Lord Hsein Mao Dong would not only castrate him but chop his head as well. Now, he wouldn't risk his balls nor head for a taste of the delightful princess no matter how sweet she seemed to be. Perhaps he could have a taste of her, after his lord had had his fill of her. Now, that was something worth anticipating.

Oh, the princess was one hell of a fighter. How she had goaded him into forcing his strength upon her when she scratched his eyes and that of his companion when they struggled to get her out of the palace to their camp. But, thankfully, the drug he had pressed upon her nose and mouth had effectively silenced her. He just hoped that he would return to Lord Hsein Mao Dong's palace so that he would get his bounty and, perhaps, he would sneak into his lord's harem to enjoy himself as what he had secretly done in the past. Oh, he couldn't wait to be in paradise again after campaigning in hell.

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Note:

Bixia - used when addressing the Emperor