by Tony Tran
“It was also during this time that a fourth beauty fell into Lord Zhang’s embrace. Though I am quite envious of the man, I can’t say that there is anyone more fitting of holding such women in their hands then him. After offering up the Green Clover Province in exchange for marriage, Madam Lingqi, along with Madams Ai, Yuying, and Ling were thus quickly wedded to Lord Zhang shortly after.”
“A wondrous wedding was held, in their honor as guests from all across the Warring States Region and even a few kingdoms gathered. Their wedding day was also the day that Aurora began to spread its wings and became a kingdom.”
“Although there is more to my tale, I bid you all farewell and until next time stay well.”
Chapter 1: Bloody Forest
“My lord we’ve left the borders of Aurora and have entered the New Moon Province.” A man in his early thirties that gave off a strong sense of integrity with a peculiar looking scar that ran vertically across his eye reported, as he sat at the driver's seat of a carriage that was being pulled by a team of six horses and talking into a small window that opened up on the back of his seat with the moon shining over his head in the sky.
“Okay, let’s have everyone make camp in this area for the night. It’s pretty late and everyone should be tired. Also, you're free to refer to me as your lord when no one else is around however once we are in the presence of others please refer to me as your young master.” Zhang’s voice sounded out from the window in the carriage.
“Of course, my lord if that is how you wish to be address. But I think it is not safe to camp here for the night, it’s said that people often go missing in these parts and sometimes mangled corpses are found.” The man said with a worried tone.
“It’s alright I’ll make sure that everyone is safe, we’ve had a long trip and it’s unwise to continue on while everyone is exhausted.” Zhang replied.
“Alright everyone we are stopping here for the night! Set up camp!” The carriage driver yelled out.
Soon the carriage stopped and the team of twenty horsemen escorting it also stopped in their track.
Not long after a campfire was started and food began roasting. A rich aroma drifted into the air as Zhang could be seen roasting a deer that the party had run into earlier.
“Everyone the food is ready.” Zhang said to the rest of the group. He figured this trip would take a while so it would be best to try to get along with everyone in the group and since putting up airs and not helping out was counterproductive, Zhang took an active part in the group by helping out wherever he could. Although some may say that it is unbecoming of him who is a prince to do such things, Zhang did not care about things such as rank, having come from a family of commoners.
“My lord thanks you for the meal.” A few of Zhang’s men said respectfully. For them this trip with Zhang had been something they had never experienced before. Where could a common soldier be able to eat, a meal cooked by a prince, where would someone from the lower class be able to dine along with royalty?
Soon after everyone gathered around the campfire the mouthwatering deer meat grilled to perfection was skillfully cut and shared. Once the meal started the carriage door swung open and four beautiful married women walked out and joined the rest of the group.
By now the men in the escort party had grown somewhat used to interact with their lord’s madams thus there weren’t that many problems arising. At first these men were too afraid of even looking any of the four beauties in the eye but after some time they were now acquainted.
As the group ate their meal something or someone was lurking in the woods around them. Although the moon was out, clouds had slowly rolled in to mask its light causing the earth below to be hidden in a veil of darkness.
Underneath this veil of darkness, a different group composed of a large number of men and women were making their way through the woods while escorting a trail of carriages that looked very much like the one Zhang and the four beauties have been riding.
“Master Jin Zhuan, one of our men have reported that they’ve seen a campfire up ahead, should we ask if they can spare us some of their supplies? Although I doubt they’ll have enough to make a large difference due to our numbers it’s better than nothing.” A balding middle aged man said as he rode up to the carriage.
“How many more days of rations do we have left and how long until we reach the next city?” A voice sounded out from within the carriage.
“If we keep up our current speed then it’ll take us roughly a week before reaching a small city called Red Star City and we only have enough water and supplies to last us another four days. We can try hunting but since none of us really have much experience in that field I doubt any of us will be able to catch anything.” The balding man said.
“Alright head in the direction of the campfire. Anything we can get our hands on will help, I don’t want to be left without food or water in this wretched place.” The voice from inside the carriage sounded out once more. Soon after this group of people headed toward where the campfire was spotted.
Once in walking distance of their destination the doors to one of the many carriages opened up and an elderly man walked outside. The elderly man along with a group of five men then walked ahead of the rest of the group and arrived where the campfire was lit. When they were close enough a group of roughly twenty men were spotted sitting around the campfire.
“Hello there my master would like to ask if it is possible for us to buy some supplies off of you.” The balding man asked politely as he and his master walked out from the woods into the light of the campfire with their hands up to show that they mean no harm.
That was when a man in his thirties with a scar running down vertically across his eye got up from where he was sitting and looked at the new arrivals with a hint of suspicion in his eyes as his hand laid atop his sword’s hilt.
“Who is your master and where did you lot come from?” The man with the scar asked.
“My name is Jin Zhuan and my family and I are headed toward the Star Mist Province but with the nearest city which is Red Star City a week's travel away we are not sure we can even make it across the New Moon Province. So, if it is possible we would like to buy whatever extra food your group has.” Said the elderly man who came with the balding middle aged man.
“There is nothing for you here, please leave.” The man with the scar said without a moment’s thought.
“Why you.... my master lowered himself to talk to you and that’s how you treat him?” The balding man roared angrily. He had served Jin Zhuan for many years and was very displeased when someone did not pay the old man any respect.
“Now now Wang Ping no need to act rudely.” Jin Zhuan said as he tried to calm Wang Ping down.
“Cheng Yu, you too don’t act rude to someone who is our senior.” A voice rang out from the direction of the campfire.
Following the direction of the voice Jin Zhuan’s gaze soon fell on a youth that looked no older than twenty-five but of course, it was very hard to tell how old someone was based on their looks because of how long a regular person’s life span is and how a person’s cultivation allows them to look very young despite being hundreds of years old.
“Yes, my lo… I mean young master.” Cheng Yu said stuttering in response to Zhang’s words.
“Hello there senior, my name is Zhou Zhang and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Zhang said to Jin Zhuan.
“You said that you and your family are headed toward the Star Mist Province? Might I ask where are they now?”
“What’s the use of telling you if you are not even willing to share a bit of your excess food with us?” Wang Ping said to Zhang in a mocking tone.
“If food is the only thing you want then we have plenty to go around.” Zhang said while smiling and with a wave of his hand a dozen large sacks of rice appeared on the ground along with a few large sealed clay pots filled with water.
“But of course, good fortune only comes to those who are truthful.” Zhang
added trying to reminded Wang Ping and Jin Zhuan that he wished to see the family that they said they were traveling with.
Of all the things that Zhang hated, lying and betrayal were the ones that he disliked the most. The thought of being killed by the man with the cross necklace in his previous life still haunts him from time to time and paired with Qian Long’s betrayal that caused the battle at the Beast’s Gorge, those who lied and betrayed Zhang did not have very good endings.
“Yes of course, it is rude of me not to introduce my family to the one whose food they will be eating for the next few days.” Jin Zhuan said with a smile as he could figure out that Zhang wished to see if he had lied moments ago,
Not long after dozens of carriages arrived along with roughly three hundred men and women walking on foot. It turns out Jin Zhuan’s entire clan consisting of men, women, children and the elderly, were moving from their previous home to the Star Mist Province. They had traveled on a river that took them from the south through Aurora and had only disembarked a few days ago, and proceeded on land ever since.
After talking to Jin Zhuan and getting to know the old man, Zhang found out they had moved their entire clan because one of Jin Zhuan’s friends happened to be an official in Aurora and had sent him a letter saying that soon the province he was living in would turn into a warzone. Although Zhang asked for the name of this friend, Jin Zhuan refused to say.
“Leaking such news outside is punishable by death and it would be wrong of me to betray my friend because of some sacks of rice.” Jin Zhuan said to Zhang.
“So, senior would you mind telling me why you're moving to the Star Mist Province then?” Zhang asked since he did not know much about the various provinces in the warring states region besides the Aurora Province, the Black Wind Province and the other three that his armies conquered.
“You must not be from around these parts so I’ll tell you, the Star Mist Province only second to the former Aurora Province’s strength and since it’s situated in the north it won’t be affected by war in the south. There’s also the fact that The Star Mist Province is a part of the Alliance of the Seven Lords making it a force to be reckoned with.” Jin Zhuan stated.
“The Alliance of the Seven Lords?
“It’s an alliance consisting of the Star Mist Province and six other provinces that border the northern frontier of the Warring States Region. Together these seven provinces often times combine their armies to repel invaders that try to meddle with the Warring States Region.”
“Interesting, but isn’t the northern frontier a very long distance away from here?” Zhang asked since one would have to cross roughly four provinces from Aurora to reach the northern borders of the Warring States Region, that included the Black Wind Province. Had Zhang not been to the Black Wind Province or seen a general outline of the Warring States Region he would not have known this. As for the names of the dozens other Provinces in the region he had no clue.
“Well if we head north west we would reach the southernmost tip of the Star Mist Province since it`s domain runs down vertically along the western side of the region.”
After chatting with Zhang for some time, Jin Zhuan decided it was time for him and his people to continued their journey once more because it is said that unknown dangers are lurking in the area they are currently in. However, with Zhang’s insistence and with the fact that he wouldn’t take any payment for the food and water they were given, Jin Zhuan and his people made camp for the night.
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Late in the night dozens of campfires were lit with many men basking in their warmth. These men were part old man Jin Zhuan’s escorts whom he hired to take him and his clan to the Star Mist Province. Previously due to Zhang insistence, Jin Zhuan decided to have his family set up camp and not continue on their journey through the night.
Traveling through the forest where many people have gone missing only to have their mangled bodies found was not very safe at all, so it would be wise to set up a camp and fortify their position for the night rather than roam about in the dark to brave unknown dangers.
Thus, a ring of carriages was formed with a mass of tents in its center. Guards were divided into shifts to ensure that nothing is able to approach the camp without anyone noticing.
While most if not all of the people in Jin Zhuan’s clan was at their hairs end in fear, Zhang’s party did not show an ounce of it. This seemed very odd to Jin Zhuan because from the tales of what happens in this forest alone, anyone would find themselves somewhat afraid, however this was not the case for Zhang and his men at all. Yet another odd thing that Jin Zhuan found that was odd was that Zhang had taken a large tray of food into his carriage and then come back outside empty handed and ate something else.
At first Jin Zhuan thought it was perhaps another member of Zhang’s party but when he thought about it, there was enough food for four people to eat on the tray while the carriage looked only large enough to carry four people at most. So, with such a large tray inside there couldn’t possibly be people in there and from the looks of it Zhang’s party did not consist of anyone else or rather Jin Zhuan has yet to see any other members of Zhang’s party nor did Zhang mention of any other people in his party.
Then the question of why would Zhang bring such a large tray into the carriage if there weren’t people inside the carriage would pop into Jin Zhuan’s head. Soon an endless loop of questions had begun playing in Jin Zhuan’s head.
Then when it came time for everyone, besides those selected to guard the camp, to go to sleep Jin Zhuan saw Zhang climb into his carriage and did not leave for as long as Jin Zhuan sat watching. Strangely sometimes the carriage would be seen rocking back and forth for no reason.
“How could someone possibly sleep in a carriage of that size?” Jin Zhuan thought as he looked at Zhang’s carriage curiously but with a hint of suspicion in his eyes. The way he saw it, Zhang was too mysterious perhaps even strange would be a more fitting word.
So, with a head full of questions and suspicion, Jin Zhuan decided that it was time for him to get some rest so he headed toward his tent where his wife was waiting for him.
With the moon was high in the sky Jin Zhuan’s escorts stood guard over the camp, the forest around them came to life as the wildlife that lived in it began fleeing from some unknown entity. Deer, rabbits, boars, and dozens of other regular animals scurried right past the camp in a flash.
Soon a series of blood curdling howls sounded out and echoed throughout the forest waking everyone in the camp.
“Young master wake up something's happening.” Cheng Yu said as he knocked against the door of Zhang’s carriage.
It did not take long for the carriage door to open as Zhang jumped out with his robes hanging loosely over his shoulders. Before Zhang could ask Cheng Yu what was wrong Jin Zhuan ran up to him hurriedly and began talking.
“Zhang tell your men to quickly prepare for battle, something is causing all of the animals in the forest to flee.” Jin Zhuan said with a somewhat shaken voice that had a hint of fear in it.
But once more before Zhang could say anything he was interrupted by someone else.
“Brother what's wrong? Hurry up and get back in here so we can close the door, cold air is getting in.” Ai said as she appeared at the carriage door while rubbing one of her eyes. Ai had appeared like a goddess in the night, wearing nothing but a simple hehuanjin with a beautifully seen rose patterned running across her chest.
“Yea darling if nothing’s happening get back in here we have some unfinished business to attend to, sister Yuying and sister Ling are also waiting for you.” Lingqi said in a seductive voice as her arms wrapped around Ai. From Lingqi’s words alone it was clear what had transpired inside this carriage that appeared smaller on the outside and larger in the inside.
But before anyone could get a good look at what they were not meant to see, Zhang quickly closed the carriage door behind him.
> “Senior please continue what you were saying earlier.” Zhang said with a smile on his face which was practically screaming if someone saw something they were not meant to see he would put an end to them.
It was evident that if someone happened to catch a glimpse of what was currently inside the carriage right now, Zhang would kill that person without a moment's hesitation and as a man Jin Zhuan could relate so he did not question the matter and once more asked Zhang to ready his men for battle.
After listening to Jin Zhuan’s words a second time, Zhang ordered his men to mobilize and defend the carriage that the three beauties were in. Then with a flash of white light, Zhang appeared clad in a nearly transparent white armor with two swords hanging by his side as a long black cape draped his shoulders occasionally drifting with the wind.
Now the Zhang who Jin Zhuan had previously thought as weird appeared like a god of war that was ready to cut down any foe that appeared in his path.
